PANINIWALA: Sta.Nina (Movie Review)

Courtesy of: http://pinoypower.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Sta-Nina-Poster.jpg

Maraming bagay sa mundong ito ang pwedeng luminlang sa ating pananalig.. Maging kultura man, kapamilya mo, ang mga kaibigan mo o mismo ang simbahan na iyong kinabibilangan. Hindi lahat ng itinuturo sayo ay tama. Eto ang madalas na nagiging problema ng mga taong akala nila kontento na sila sa kanilang pananalig. Palasimba, pero paglabas ng simbahan bumabalik parin sa dati nilang maling gawain o di kaya nama'y hindi niya napapansin, wala parin siyang pinagbabago. 

Ang Sta. Nina ni Emmanuel Quindo ay pinagbibidahan ng ilan sa mga kilalang personalidad at artista sa showbiz ngayon. Hindi maikakaila ang kasabikan ng ilan sa palabas na ito dahil sa trailer pa lang, pasok na. Nang aking mapanood ang pelikulang ito, hinahanda ko na ang sarili ko dahil alam ko na maganda ito. Bagama't medyo nakulangan ako at ang ilan sa storya ng Sta. Nina, hindi naman ako nagkamali. Napakahusay ng mga gumanap, ang mga shots ay magaganda rin. Maganda rin ang mga linyang binitawan ng mga gumanap. Pero ano nga ba talaga ang mensahe ng Sta. Nina? 

Courtesy of: http://www.cinemalaya.org/images/films/2012/sta-nina-still-3-big.jpg

Nang aking balikan ang mga linya at eksena sa pelikulang ito, narealize ko na pasok na pasok sa mga Pilipino ang kwento nito. Para sa mga katoliko, napakahalaga ng mga imahe o rebulto lalung-lalo na kapag and bagay na ito na akala nila ay sagrado, ay gumagawa ng milagro. Minsan nagkakataon lang, minsan naman ay nagiging instrumento ang mga imahe o rebultong ito para tugunin ang mga hiling ng tao. Nirerespeto  ko ang pananalig ng ibang tao sa mga bagay na ito, ngunit minsan, nagiging dyus-dyusan na natin ang mga imaheng ito na maaari namang, daretso na tayong manalangin sa Panginoon. Mahirap magsalita ng mga bagay dahil talagang ayun ang nakasanayan ng marami sa atin, lalo na dito sa Pilipinas. 

Ang Diyos ay tapat sa kanyang mga pangako. Ang pagkamatay niya sa Krus ng Kalbaryo ay isa ng patunay na tayo ay magaling na. Ang nais niya lang na ating gawin ay manumbalik sa kanya at tanggapin siya bilang sarili nating Panginoon at tagapagligtas. Ang iyong pananalig kay Hesukristo ang maaaring makapagligtas sa atin at sa lahat ng gawa ng kaaway. Manalig tayo ng buong puso sa kanya, wag sana tayong malihis dahil sa mga maling paniniwala. 

God Writes Your Love Story

This lovely and very inspiring poem was made by Joshua Uy. I was inspired to add the women's perspective on what he has expressed here and also I would also like to add some of the realizations and learnings that I gained earlier while I was listening on the preaching of Pastor Daniel in Victory Malate. 

"Women and Men should not settle for good when it comes to relationship, because God has planned what's best for each and every one of us." - Pastor Daniel

Well, who doesn't want to love and be loved? Who doesn't want to to feel complete? Who doesn't want to hear those romantic lines and words from the person you love? Of course, everyone does. I also believe that Love is God and God is Love. So if you're blaming God for feeling bitter right now because of the broken-hearted situations that you've had, you're barking with the wrong tree. God gave us a choice and a freedom to do what we want. But when it comes to bad relationships, God also feels sad whenever you chose to get hurt rather than choosing to be happy. 

From the women perspective, based from my own experience, I never had a boyfriend before but that doesn't make me inexperience when it comes to relationships because I don't need to do the trial and error thing in love. If you're not yet sure, why enter into a relationship? I believe that women are worthy of the long wait. But both women and men should have this virtue called patience before entering into a relationship that God has designed for each and everyone of us. Waiting is not just meant for men, but also for women. 

According to Genesis 2:18

"The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

a helper suitable for him- means a woman 

God designed a woman to help the man. Even before in the book Genesis, God proved that He is the author of love.  God made the men and women to compliment each other and help each other. You're just waiting your time if you want to enter into a relationship that you're unprepared and unstable. God has His own perfect time, don't rush things by following your own desires. 

As Josh has mentioned in his poem, he just want to be honest. He doesn't deserve a woman like the person meant for him yet because he knows that he is not yet ready for commitments. It is very rare to look for guys who has the same principles as Josh has and personally, I am very happy to meet people like Josh who is willing to wait, how long may it take he don't care, because that's what God wants him to do. 

According to Song of Solomon 2: 7 

"Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."

This is especially for women, who thinks that the time would pass by easily if they don't meet their partners in life as early as now. As Pastor Daniel said, Love is not about timing and if he/ she is the right person. We should prepare ourselves for God's time. Instead of asking if she/he is the one, let's ask if am I the one. Although usually, we abuse the freedom that God has given us to get the desires of our hearts, without even praying for it, that's a NO NO. Women, we were made by Christ to be with the person that God has destined for us, we should not settle for less. 

It's You (Original Composition)

IT’S YOU

By: Jojo Armenta

I. Here we go again

My stomach stumbles and my heart beats fast.

I wonder what it is in you

That made me often nervous and wet my hands.

II. And I wasn’t looking for somebody

And I haven’t been in love

But this feeling I have for you

Really bothers me for a while.

Chorus:

Because of you, ooh it’s you

Who always makes my day right

And makes me smile everytime

And you turned my whole world upside down,

When I look into your eyes, I am alive.

III. Here we go again

Your smile that really captured my heart at once

I wonder what it is in you

That made me often nervous and wet my hands.

(Repeat II stanza)

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge:

I asked God to see you again

And He gave me a second chance

All I want is to know you more   

And you’re the one I’m looking for. 

Dedicated to that someone I admire the most. :)

SAKLA: Oros' Movie Review

Ang Oros, na ang ibig sabihin ay gold coin ni Direk Paul Sta. Ana ay tungkol sa dalawang magkapatid na ang pangunahing ikinabubuhay ay ang pagsa-sakla o illegal gambling tuwing may burol. Bagama't Sakla ang pinaka focus na social issue na nais ipakita ng pelikulang ito, marami akong nakita na isyu na makikita rin sa reyalidad ng buhay. Ang sakla ay madalas nagaganap sa mga squatters area kung saan alam naman natin na puro mahihirap ang naninirahan. KAHIRAPAN ang nagtulak sa mga tao para sumugal sa ganitong klaseng gawain. Konting ingat lang naman ang gagawin mo, kikita ka na ng pera.

Sa sobrang pagiging desperado,minsan kahit sa burol ng mismong sariling kamag-anak, gagawin parin nila ito dahil saan naman sila kukuha ng pagkain sa araw-araw, pang aral sa mga anak nila, pambili ng gamot sa mga kapamilya nilang may sakit? Nangyayari talaga yang mga bagay na yan, kaya hindi rin siguro masisi kung bakit ginagawa ng mga tao ang mga bagay na labag na minsan sa kanilang kalooban.

Hindi man ganoong karelate-relate ang kwento ng Oros para sa maraming manonood, sa pamamagitan ng pelikulang ito, nagkaroon ng salamin an reyalidad na ang kahirapan ay siyang nagtutulak para gumawa ng mga hindi kanais-nais na bagay ang mga tao. Pero sana hindi mawalan ng pag-asa ang maraming tao sa kakayanan nila. Madalas kasi nagiging sanhi rin ng kahirapan ang katamaran ng tao. Hindi man nakapagtapos ng pagaaral pero hindi ibig sabihin nun, gagawa ka ng mga hindi kaaya-ayang gawain para mabuhay. Lahat ng tao may "choice", pinanganak ka mang mahirap, hindi ibig sabihin nun wala ka ng pagasang guminhawa. Marami nga diyan e, dahil lamang sa sipag at magaling na diskarte kaya sila yumayaman. Kung kaya nila, kaya mo rin diba.

A Journey with God

Every Christian has their own experiences and testimonies on how they found Jesus and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. God seeks His children in so many and in different ways. He wants us to know Him in every aspect of our lives. But how do we really walk with God? How do we really see Him in our lives?

I became a Christian when I was 12 years old.  I grew up in  a Christian environment, meaning my parents and my siblings are all Christians. When I was a kid, I just knew Christ because I was afraid of my Dad, who is a Pastor. But that was before I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. My mom is a Spiritual Counselor, she's the best person I've ever met. Though sometimes of course, moms are moody, but still, she's the best! My mom and dad were the best example of marriage life for me, because God is the center of their relationship that's why. They taught us almost everything in this world and because of them, we met Jesus Christ. What I want to say is that, because of OBEDIENCE to our parents, we were able to build a deep relationship with Christ and now, we're walking by faith.

 During that time when I was about to accept Him, I wasn't in any trouble or any circumstances as other people experienced. I remember clearly, I was just standing there watching my parents and older siblings worshiping and praising God. Then my father told us (younger ones) to close our eyes and pray with him. I was crying and crying and crying. I don't know what's happening to me and I felt that something was covering me, something comforted me. From then on, I started a new chapter of my life with Christ. Of course, I experienced persecutions because that's part of Christian life. My mom told us that us Christians will also experience what Jesus had experienced 2000 years ago, the persecutions and all because this world is full of selfish and self righteous people. But the good part is, our parents taught us that if there are people who condemn and persecute us, be kinder and do more good things to them. 

I can say that I am so blessed with a family that I have right now. Since I became a Christian, more challenges and trials came, but for us they were all just test of faith. God is just teaching us to hold on to Him and still believe. Now what am I saying, meaning you don't need to suffer so much pain or undergo so much trials in able to see God in your life. God's love for us is FREE and He's giving it all to us. It doesn't matter where you come from or whatever kind of person you are. 

Now, my hope and prayer is that for me to be used by God for the youth. In able to reach out those lost souls to seek for God's help and Holy Spirit. Accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior. We believe that God has something great in stored for this generation. I want to be used by God through my talents, as a worship leader or as a leader. My heart is also to speak in front of so many youth who are thirsty for the Word.

Now let us all together pray for a great revival... 

Father God, we come to you once again. Lord, we pray for this generation, we pray that you will use more Christian youth leaders who will stand up and share the Gospel. We pray that you will give us knowledge and wisdom. Father God, we pray for a great revival in this generation that a lot of youth will seek you more and more everyday. Lord, help us and teach us to do Your will always. In Jesus name. Amen