The last time I went home to our province in Samar was on June 29, 2008, for our town fiesta. It has been more or less 6 months and I can’t wait any longer! This time I’ll be coming home for the holidays. It’s sad that I was not able to make it on Christmas. My work sucks big time! But I have to bear with it. Anyways, tomorrow will be my flight at 1:30pm. I have been used to traveling alone but I’m still quite scared, though. I might sound silly, but it will be my first time to ride an airplane and I have this “first time sickness” to just about everything! I’m afraid my dumbness will cause me some troubles again. *arrgh*

I hope I won’t get sky sick…

But yet, I still can’t wait to get home to see my family. I’m also excited to meet the newest member of our family. My niece, Brix. She’s my older brother’s 2-year old daughter. I got her some Dora items as a gift when I get home. *hek* =)

Adios! I shall return.

Immanuel or Emmanuel or Imanu’el (meaning “God is with us” consists of two Hebrew words: El, meaning ‘God’ and Immanu, meaning ‘with us’).

Jesus was also named Emmanuel by other prophets as declared on the Bible (Matthew 1:23). In relation to the Gospel last Sunday, which was all about the Annunciation, I would like to share few insights that I have learned from the priest’s sermon.

Let’s emphasize the importance of the name Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us”. There is a story about a young child asking his mother about the World Trade Center bombing last September 11, 2001.

Child: “If God is so powerful, why did he not stop the bomb from blowing up the World Trade Center and save people from dying?”.

Mother: “It is because God has never been welcomed in that place.”

As most people say “Business is Business” and God has nothing to do with it. I personally am opposed to this. Without God, people will not be able to have business to work for in the first place. Recently, there had been arguments raised regarding the removal of the phrases “In God We Trust” on the US dollar bills and the “So help me God” from governmental oath takings. They say that religion has caused the terrorisms and the government should have no religion to avoid such conflicts. I am very much opposed to this idea. Terrorists used the name of their religion to do such acts, but it does not mean that we must have no religion. We must remember that most of our governmental laws were based on religion and these laws keep people safe in the society. Religion says that we should not steal or kill. Imagine if there were no rules, all nations will have no rest. Also, the word “God” has never been biased to religion. It may refer to Gods from any other religions as well. It may be offensive to non-religious groups, such as Atheists, though. But, they may consider it only as a tradition, something that they can be get used to perhaps.

As for me, I have always believed that if “God is with us”, then we will always be safe. Just like what happened when the NPA assaulted our house (see: Saved From Life Threat), my parents were kept safe because they have been shielded by God’s presence in our home as well as in the hearts of my mother and father. Both of them are Christian devotees and my early roots about religion was inherited from them.

(image credits: http://www.aarondouglasfans.com)

This movie is a remake of the original Science Fiction film of the same name in 1951. Starring Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, a cosmic alien that happens to be the main character of this movie. It was a good choice casting Keanu Reeves as Klaatu. As we have been used to seeing him from other movies, (Matrix, Constantine, etc.) Keanu always had this stone face character, who makes fiction movies like this, believable. He is definitely “the man”. I’m pretty sure this movie will mark a whole new level of modern special effects.

Synopsis:

A representative of an alien race that went through drastic evolution to survive its own climate change, Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) comes to Earth to assess whether humanity can prevent the environmental damage they have inflicted on their own planet. Klaatu himself already has a negative opinion of humans, and when barred from speaking to the United Nations, he decides they shall be exterminated so the planet - with its rare ability to sustain complex life - can survive. It is up to Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) and her stepson Jacob (Jaden Smith) to convince Klaatu humans are worth saving: but it may already be too late. — credits: http://www.nowrunning.com

Another must-see movie of the year!!!