Christmas From the Heart

Christmas celebrated around the world. No matter what faith you practice nor what you believe, the season cannot be ignored. For some Christmas is the celebration of the winter solstice, for others a reason to exchange gifts and to merry make. I would like to share my take on this special time.


Christmas signals the birth of hope and forgiveness.

Christmas reminds me that chasing the stars is not only a worthy pursuit but leads to our very salvation.

Christmas is a time where promises are fulfilled and mankind is given another chance.

Christmas serves to remind us that the birth of a child is reason for all men and women to rejoice.

Christmas reminds me that despite what I may fail to do or say I can always choose to redeem myself though humility and contrition.

Christmas says that I am not a slave to my sin but a free man by the grace of God.

Christmas is a time for us to remind all people that they are loved.

This is Christmas for me. I share it with you now, from my heart to yours. May this greeting increase your joy, remind you of your freedom and how great it is to be alive.

To all of you my friends of every creed and faith I wish you Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Kala Christougena, Buon Natale, and Maligayang Pasco!

Shine 'um if you got 'um!

I drove last night
Familiar ways
But darkened streets
Did meet my gaze

The rich and proud
Their lights were out
The heralds of Christmas
Nowhere were found

Till' common homes I chanced to seek
The dwelling places poor and meek
The lights were there!
Still shinning bright

Destroyed the dark
They split the night
They do not fear
The cost of light

So let them flare
As proof to all
There are riches still
For one and all

Know they its proof
We won the fight
Shine 'um if you got 'um!
Don't hide your light


This is dedicated to the Balian Mansion and the homes in Hastings Ranch. TURN IT ON ! ! !

Happiness

Happiness is a living thing
If you want it to grow
You have to believe in it
Feed it, and give it time in the sun
Realize your good fortune
Confess it daily and wear it in public
Your happiness will multiply

Blurred Realities

She walked into my life
And reality blurred
When my vision cleared
I beheld the most exquisite creature
God had ever created in her image
From that moment, I knew
I would never love another

She opened her mouth
And music stirred
When my ears could hear
A voice, just like a star
Choirs of angels stopped and listened too
Since that time, no sound
Could ever stir my heart

She said “I do not want you”
All my worst fears confirmed
When my pain eased
I held no grudge but had to leave
My strength failed
Should I have stayed, my desire
Would surely have driven her away

She touched my soul
Again reality blurred
When I awoke from that dream
I knew that I was better because of her
My soul longs to see, to hear, to be near
Still I know she is safe, secure and loved
I am at peace even in my solitude

Wowo's Smile

I never met a man

Who smiled so much

Sharing warmth like few can

With the kindest touch

A joyous grin

Never once a fake

Shinned from within

For Jesus' sake

Honesty, integrity,

Honorable, and an undeniable

Air of purity

A role-model without rival

Wowo, I cried selfish tears

The day I heard you left

Then I smiled thinking of the years

God gave you as our gift

Thank you for your lesson

Proving love does conquer all

And pray for us a blessing

When we hear the good Lord's call

I know the path to take

I pray I have the courage

I learned what is at stake

From the man who called me George

Wowo, Maraming Maraming Salamat Po. Thank you for reminding me that goodness and honesty still exist. Thank you for giving me a new name even as the Lord gave me a new life. I know you intercede for us now, that we may never forget to practice, honor, honesty, and integrity without hesitation or compromise.

--Para Sayo siempre ako po si George

EVONY

… Dawn spilled over the valley of Stoneton. Even from this distance you could hear the sounds of the villagers working feverishly at their tasks, farming, cutting timber, and mining. The army of Lord Stanless had marched some two days ago hoping to secure more resources and the contingent left behind to guard the city seemed ready for anything. Soldiers practiced their craft and in preparation for what they knew would surely come…

The scout signaled his team. The time was right. The force left behind was no match for Ragnar’s army… Stoneton would fall this day and its bounty would be a boon to the empire! As he turned to mount his horse, an arrow caught him between the shoulder blades. As the world turned black aound him, he wondered if he had earned his place in the hallowed Hall of Heroes in, EVONY…

Welcome to the world of EVONY. You and your friends will take small bands of settlers and raise up an empire. Make alliances, discover new technologies, and develop the greatest cities ever seen! But beware your survival is never guaranteed and danger lurks in every un-explored valley.

EVONY is my newest addiction. As those of you who know me are aware, I am an avid gamer. I have played EverQuest, World of War Craft and nearly every strategy game ever written for PC. I love this game and I know you will too.

EVONY combines strategy and economics in a massive persistent multi-player world. If you enjoy games like CIV you will love the game-play and personal interactions in EVONY.

I am currently playing on Servers 33 and 50. I have been playing for about 3 weeks and can’t get enough. Matt A introduced Matt B and myself to the game. We are hoping to get our Facebook friends, former guild-mates from WoW and EQ to join us.

You can meet our main accounts on Server 33, in the state of Burgundy and we are members of the Unbroken. We are Unbrken6 alliance. My account name is Stanless, Matt A is Advocate023, and Matt B is Poppa. Send an in-game mail to skellington; he is our guild leader. Just let him know you are a friend of ours and you are in. Our guild is one of the top on the server and a better group of people cannot be found anywhere.

The game is fun, the people are great and you can’t loose with us on your team… So, what are you slackers waiting for? Click the link below and help us get some major pwnage going…

Sign up and remember to get on Server 33 on the continent of Burgundy. See you there!

http://evony.com/

En Memoriam: Dr. Antonio De la Cruz, MD

I hardly can fathom
That you’ve really gone
It is hard to imagine
The end of your song

You appeared indestructible
A man with out peer
Living life to it’s fullest
No uncertainty or fear

Hands blessed by God
Vision and insight so rare
Certainty, depth of wisdom
Skill beyond compare

Lifting my cup
In celebration and salute
Following your example
Integral and resolute

We'll say now, farewell
No, never good-bye
In our hearts and minds
Forever alive



I recently heard that Dr. Antonio De la Cruz, MD passed away. My ex-wife and his daughter, Jeannette, called me with the news. I cannot adequately express my personal sadness nor sufficiently extend my condolences to his family. Jeannette and Anthony, your father loved you both more than anything and through everything he knew you loved him too.

Dr. De la Cruz was a role model in so many ways. He embodied hard work, integrity, dignity, and a fearless pursuit of life. I will not seek to deify nor saint him but he did miraculous things with his gifts. The good Dr. knew, as well as any man, the foibles and pitfalls of life. He lived life on his terms and made no apologies for being who he was. It was these characteristics that made me admire him more than any man I have ever personally known.

Dr., I will miss you. I was proud to be your son-in-law. Even though I had not seen you in quite some time your example has driven me to seek the world and all of its experiences. I know that today God and the angels hear our prayers a little more clearly. Gracias por todo doctor.

Cory

So much is made of rock stars
While they treat life like a game
Too often forgotten are those
Who live and die in freedom’s name

We all learned through
Your joys and your tragedies
That the light of hope can shine bright
For all the world to see

An example proudly displayed
Endurance, strength, and resolve
That not even the treachery of dictators
Could ever successfully dissolve

Honesty, courage, and honor
Are your legacies
You sacrificed so much
In the name of liberty

Reunited at last
In God and Ninoy’s arms
Rest well sweet spirit
Away from this cruel world and all its harm



I am moved to tears by the passing of Maria Corazon "Cory" Cojuangco Aquino (January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009). She and her husband Benigno “Ninoy” Servillano Aquino, Jr. (November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983), were shinning examples of leadership and embodied the price of freedom. To the Aquino family, my Filipino(a) friends, and the freedom loving people of the Philippines, I offer my sincere condolences and respect.

In Plain Sight

I keep looking around, trying to find something.
I know it is here somewhere...
Then I realize...
It is right here...
All that I need is with me and has always been there...
Amazing



'Nuff said

Love

"Love transcends location and situation"
As I wrote I knew that it was true
I said this to another friend
It struck me out of the blue

No matter where you go my love
Nor what we say or do
The simple fact is all my life
Has has led to something new

I know right now the circumstance
Has split our paths in two
But surely as the winds do dance
They'll blow me back to you



Life does not often bend to our will. More often than not we are the ones doing the bending. I believe that there is a purpose, a guiding hand, that weaves the tapestry of our lives. I know that those same hands will guide us in the right direction if we will only let them.

Emerging from Sorrow

All at once it strikes
No matter how well you have girded yourself
You can't avoid the spikes
And all your defenses and joy are put upon the shelf

The weight of the things around you
Responsibilities, duties, promises
All these things accost and pierce right through
And you retreat as if in some spiritual demise

Then you remember, real success is not based on how little you fall
But how often you rise again
At the end of the siege you are standing tall
And you face your life and sing a new refrain

You are the person you believe you are
Nobel, loving, courageous, and strong
You can survive the journey no matter how far
I have valor, I am worthy, I AM; this, this is my victory



There are times when I feel so completely out of control. Just when I think I have everything in order, a series of events come along to try and destroy my world. I retreat, regroup, and redouble my resolve. I will not fade away into some dark oblivion, I will shine.

Today

Today, I realized I have to make a choice
I can choose to let things get to me
I can choose to allow the sadness in my life to overtake me
Or I can choose to embrace the love and friendship that surround me

I choose to see the sun shine
I choose to hear the birds sing
I choose to love my friends
And to let them love me

I am Alive Free and Happy

No Rhyme

I have no rhyme today
I have no happiness
No joyful song

I have, once again
Destroyed what peace I knew
To what end, I cannot say

My duty, my curse
My head, aches with loss
In this a prison I have built

Even amongst so many
I am alone again
I have sent away my only comfort

I am the soul of delusion
The butt of some morbid joke
Somehow laughter escapes me

I have no rhyme today
I have tears
I am sorrow


There is an old saying "If you love something (Paraphrase someone), Set it free... If it comes back, it's yours, If it doesn't, it never was yours...." Sometimes, we have to let go. Holding on too tight hurts us and the one we love. Sometimes we have to come to a realization that love is not bondage but, freedom. Letting go does not mean that we do not love, it is infact the strongest proof of it.

He is Risen!

He is Risen! He is Risen!
All our sin has been forgiven
Glorious day of victory
Won by love’s sweet majesty

Let us always be grateful
Our Lord God has been faithful
For today and forever
Lift our hands up together

Sing out! Sing out!
Raise your voice and shout!
Life everlasting
No more sacrifice nor fasting

The price for us is paid
Our holiness is made
For us and our salvation
For every creed and every nation

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Today let us celebrate with one voice
The hope of man
Risen and triumphant again!

Death has been defeated
Evil’s thrall has retreated
Because of God’s perfect son
This battle has been won


Today is Easter Sunday. I sat here reflecting on what that means. I am no hypocrite; I am far from a perfect person. I do not expect to see perfection in others. I just wanted to give a voice of thanks, to the one who did die and rise perfectly for us and for our salvation. Through that sacrifice we are ALL made perfect and clean.

Little Deaths

In troubled times I often feared
And dreading the next shot
I closed my eyes and blocked my ears
But it availed me not

The night time came and shortly passed
The dawn a brand new day
Who’s golden smile and warm caress
Would guide me on my way

Sometimes the darkness dogs my heels
A threat to rein me in
Familiar as it might feel
I’m loath to let it in

I suffer all these little deaths
And somehow I survive
Because of all these tragedies
I know that I'm alive

As chaos ends there's ecstasy
A feeling so sublime
The things I learn come painfully
But I know they’re really mine
(And I'm all right...)
(Lord I’m all right…)

I know sometimes you’re overwhelmed
The pressure closing in
And often times it’s hard to tell
The sacred from the sin

But evil’s shadow slips away
When faced it runs and hides
Just make your choices everyday
Abandoning your pride

So trouble not your weary heart
And do not fear the pain
The tears will dry and then they start
To cleanse you like the rain

We suffer all these little deaths
And still we make it through
Rejoice in all our victories
Our faith in life renewed

We make a choice to overcome
And rise above it all
We only learn to climb again
Surviving past the fall
(We’re standing tall)
(Oh God so tall…)

Every day is a victory. We are the very purpose of creation and the perfection of evolution. Remember always that chaos will eventually yield to peace.

A Day Like Any Other

I awoke today
Drank my coffee
Drove the same road
Saw before me
Blue skies

I felt emancipation
A freedom unexplainable
Knowledge of my place
This universe embraces me
Riches all around me

In my heart
A gratitude grew
A certain clarity of purpose
Supernatural, exhaultation
Command, believe, accept

I am master
I am creator
I am beauty
I am perfected
I am God's will


A certain druid constantly reminds me that these are the truths that we are born to. This is my affirmation of these facts and my thanks for those who hold me to this course.