Public vs. Private

The ways people post in Facebook are sometimes bewildering, if not dumbfounding:
• A university graduate wrote curses as his status.
• A notable bank employee shared a promiscuous note on her wall.
• A middle-aged businessman created a photo album of himself making love to a voluptuous woman.

The list goes on.

While it is true that one has the right to express himself/herself, the freedom of expression – in whatever manner suitable to one’s own liking – depends largely on an absolute dimension one calls “space.”

The virtual world, whether we realize it or not, is a world nonetheless – a world where space and time exist. Similar to its reality counterpart, it also possesses “public spaces” and “private spaces.”
Facebook, Twitter, weblogs, forums, and mailing lists are public spaces, where people meet, share, and exchange information openly. They are sites that allow access to any and every information, exactly like coffee shops, markets, and libraries in the material world.
E-mails, inbox, and instant messengers are private spaces, where the information shared is strictly confidential between two parties or a group of exclusive members. Any exchange of conversation or information made through these private lines is not accessible to all, similar to letters or phone calls in the real world.

Being real – though virtual – these spaces also have what we in the material world call “ethics” or “manners.” As part of the global society, we are expected to act and react accordingly to these codes of ethics. Just because we are not talking face to face under the same roof, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be as true and well-mannered as when we are.

One of the underlying rules is this: know your place.
We must know exactly what to write/post/comment in one particular space:
• Is the issue public or private?
• Is it offensive to all or to an individual only?
• Is it private and confidential, or open and informative?

Understanding this rule, though extremely basic as it may seem, can prove essential to gain other people’s trust of our credibility. The three examples given at the beginning of this post show evidences of people who do not seem to understand some of the most fundamental manners. If they do not know how to behave in virtual public spaces, how will they win people’s trust in the material world?

Thinking (more than once) before posting or re-posting is of great importance:

You have something against some other folks?
Send them e-mails.
You want to share something private to certain people?
Start a closed group.
You need to find a date?
Join a matchmaking site.

IMHO, as adults we truly should know what to say or do, in the right way, at the right place.
If we haven’t understood how to do so, perhaps thinking thrice before stating our minds out-loud could help.

Somewhere between Jobs and Life

It's been two months since the last time I blogged.
Two consecutive translation jobs, a new proposal, and so many other things really kept me staying up late and taking two cups of coffee instead of one, every day.
Despite the fatigue, it truly does pay off.

It's the one thing I always love about translating.
You always learn new things, use your brain and skills, expand your knowledge, discover new worlds, and never grow old.

Never grow old?
Inwardly, yes.

Learning refreshes the mind. It always does.
I can't deny the newly emerging wrinkles on my forehead and outer corners of my eyes. But it's the enjoyment of life that counts the most, even as we realize time is flying and we are slipping toward aging.

It all begins and ends in the mind.
When we keep our mind fresh and healthy, so will our body.

Happy day to you all :-)

Maternal Instinct

My dogs, Chocho and Doggie, have five adorable 3-months-old pups (well, six, actually -- one died). It's wonderful to watch our pets have a loving family of their own.
But I also surprisingly learn something from watching this family of canines interact among themselves.

On one occasion, I was cleaning up the kitchen and burning soiled newspaper on the backyard. I let it burn on the ground, and out of curiosity, the puppies came rushing to it: barking, approaching, and surrounding the burning newspaper. I saw their mother watching from afar.
Then, all the sudden, she ran into the scene, and snatched the flaming thing away.
"Doggie! What are you doing?!" I shouted. "It's on fire! You can burn yourself!"
But she ignored my yelling and carried the burning newspaper to a safe place by a shadowy tree, far from her pups.

I was entirely dumbstruck.
It was pure maternal-instinct!

From that incident, I learned that:

1. A mother's instinct of protection toward her young is far greater than her instinct of survival -- or even fear.
2. Naturally, even animals instinctively know how to recognize the cause of the problem, and act to solve it. Perhaps humans have already become too artificial to see and realize the core of problems in our modern civilization.

It's marvelous how nature can teach us many things, even the things our latest high-tech discoveries can't offer.

A Fourteen-Years Lesson

Recess, two weeks prior to my seventeenth birthday: January 16, 1997.

Everything went normal at school that fine morning, except for a simple notification that said I was expected at the staff's office.
I walked briskly up the stairs, opened the door, and was told, "We've prepared the car for you, Shinta. You need to get home immediately. Your brother just passed away."

How would you feel if that news was directed to you?

For me, it was as if the entire world collapsed.
Receiving the message that my eldest brother died, five months after my dad's funeral, simply didn't make any sense.

How much probability one could suggest?
One in a thousand?
That's 0.001 chance!
But it did happen -- one out of a thousand chance.

Cardiac arrest.
He was 28.

I was overwhelmed.
I was broken to pieces.
I was grieved beyond belief.

But the strange thing was: I didn't ask "why."
I didn't know why I didn't question anything or blamed anyone.
There was nothing I did but went on with life, no matter how tearfully painful and drenched in sorrow it had been.

I was 16!
I hadn't had the wisdom to understand that when faced to Fate, asking "why" wouldn't solve anything or did any good.
It was the "how" that mattered.

Fourteen years afterwards, I look back and finally understand:

- How I learned to stand on my own.
- How to search for rainbows beyond the clouds.
- How to stop being a spoiled little girl, grow up, and take responsibility over my own choices.
- How to have faith for a better future when the present doesn't seem to be promising much.
- How to build everything from zero and enjoy the fruit of my own labor.

He was gone and left me shattered.
But he had gone to a much better place.
And from the debris of heartbreak, I rose up and turned into someone new.

Sometimes, the very thing that breaks us to pieces, rebuilds us twice stronger -- depending on how we give the right response.
Now I know, that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

Somewhere, I see beyond the clouds, over the rainbow: skies are blue.

Behind Blue Eyes

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
And no one knows
What it's like to be hated
To be fated to telling only lies

But my dreams they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what it's like
To feel these feelings
Like I do, and I blame you!
No one bites back as hard
On their anger
None of my pain and woe
Can show through

No one knows what it's like
To be mistreated, to be defeated
Behind blue eyes
No one knows how to say
That they're sorry and don't worry
I'm not telling lies

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man, to be the sad man
Behind blue eyes.


(The song was first sung by The Who in 1971 and was later on covered by Limp Bizkit in 2003.)

World Vision

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

World Vision operates in 98 countries, supporting more than 100 million people, including 3.4 million sponsored children and over 800,000 orphans and vulnerable children.

World Vision, serving Indonesia for 50 years, currently exists in more than 700 villages nationwide, from Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam to Papua provinces.
In Indonesia, currently around two million people receive benefit from World Vision's programs, including 90,000 sponsored children. Some 6,000 of them are supported by Indonesian community through our partner, Wahana Visi Indonesia.

The well-being of children is always the main focus of World Vision works. In partnership with Wahana Visi Indonesia, World Vision has tried to improve the well-being of Indonesian children. The child sponsorship approach has always been our way to link donors to the children and community that need their support. The sponsor makes commitment to contribute to the integrated community development programs that benefit the child, the child's family, and the community.

Sponsorship is a one-to-one relationship between a sponsor and a sponsored child. Sponsors correspond with their sponsored children, receive regular reports on their progress, and even visit the child and his/her family and community. The sponsorship link helps sponsors understand what life is like for struggling families.

Sponsorship provides resources which go into a program, usually 10-15 years in length, designed in collaboration with community leaders and representatives to address key needs in the community.
Programs are child-focused and also benefit non-sponsored children and families. Education, healthcare, nutrition and clean water are the immediate priorities of many sponsorship projects. Community organization, agriculture, and other income generation undertakings are other ways we work to help families and communities become more self-reliant.

Change A LIFE. Sponsor A CHILD!
Call +6221-3907818 NOW!

Visit us at World Visions Indonesia.

Storms... Bring Out Eagles

When the “storms of life”
Gather darkly ahead,
I think of these wonderful words
I once read…

And I say to myself,
As threatening clouds hover,
“Don’t fold up your wings
And run for cover.”

But, like the eagle,
Spread wide your wings
And soar far above
The troubles life brings.

For the eagle knows
That the higher he flies,
The more tranquil and brighter
Become the skies.

And there is nothing in life
We were ever asked to bear
That we can’t soar above
On the wings of prayer.

And in looking back over
The storm you passed through,
You’ll find you gained strength
And new courage, too.

For in facing life’s storms
With an eagle’s wings,
You can fly far above
Earth’s small, petty things.



- Helen Steiner Rice -

Mary, Did You Know?

Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy would someday walk on water?

Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?

Did you know,That your baby boy has come to make you new?

And this child that you delivered

Will soon deliver you?

Oh, Mary, did you know?



Mary ,did you know,

That your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?

Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy would calm the storm with His hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

And when you kiss your little baby,

You have kissed the face of God?

Oh, Mary, did you know?



The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again!

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb!



Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary, did you know,

That your baby boy would one day rule the nations?

Did you know

That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

And this sleeping child you're holding

Is the great "I AM."





[Mark Lowery]

The Number Thirteen

People have always regarded the number thirteen as an unlucky number. They fear the date Friday the thirteenth. They avoid buying a house with the number thirteen (in fact, in most streets, there is no house of that number). Considering the number as bad luck and undesirable omen, people tend to avoid it as often as they can.

Old-wives tales told us that long, long time ago, in the ancient days, witches and sorcerers would gather on any Black Sabbath, which fell on Friday the thirteenth, numbering twelve of them. And, the devil would come in their midst and made the number thirteen.
So they said.

Is the belief truly so?

Let's forget about folklores, superstitions, and tales for the time being.
What written evidences have we got about the number thirteen?

We know that the sons of Israel numbered twelve in all. But Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were "adopted" by his father, Jacob (Israel) and were added to the rest. So the tribe of Joseph were split into two, thus making the whole number of the tribes of Israel thirteen!
However, since the tribe of Levi devoted themselves to serving in the Lord God's Tabernacle (sanctuary), their inheritance was not counted along with their brethren, thus making the number of twelve, though in fact there are thirteen tribes in existence.

There were twelve judges ruling Israel during the time they hadn't had a king to rule in the land.
True?
False!
As a matter of fact, there were thirteen of them! Deborah was not counted as a judge because she was a woman, and according to tradition, women were not permitted to rule over men. Thus she handed her leadership to Barak.
Thus, people regarded there were twelve judges of Israel, though in reality there were thirteen of them.

There were twelve apostles of Christ in the New Testament.
After Judas fell, Matthias was elected to fill in the twelfth seat.
But then, God called Paul and consecrated him to be the apostle to the Gentiles, making the number of the apostles thirteen!
Yet, though approved as an apostle, Paul refused to take his right to be equal with the other twelve since he was determined to preach the Gospel to the uncircumsiced. Thus, there were thirteen apostles in all: twelve were sent to the children of Israel, while one ministered to the Gentiles.

In the last book of prophecy in the Bible, the Revelation, John saw the glorious New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven of God. As we read on, we find twelve precious stones in the Holy City of God. And -- how shocking! -- one precious non-mineral jewel: the pearl, making the number of jewels thirteen!

So, is it true that the number thirteen represents bad luck?
We all agree that the number twelve is the number of fellowship, of reunion, and of complete unity.
And I say the number thirteen is the number of abundance!


[Picture taken from the anime Saint Seiya, representing the twelve gold saints. As a matter of fact, there are thirteen of them, since the Gemini Gold Saints are twins: Saga and Kanon. In the final combat, their souls unite into one body.]

It Will be Me

If you hear a voice,
In the middle of the night,
Saying it'll be all right,
It will be me.
If you feel a hand,
Guiding you along,
When the path seems wrong,
It will be me.

There is no mountain that I can't climb,
For you I'd swim through the rivers of time,
As you go your way, and I go mine,
A light will shine, and it will be me.

If there is a key that goes to your heart,
A special part, it will be me.
If you need a friend, call out to the wind,
To hold you again, it will be me.
Oh, how the world seems so unfair,
Creating a love that cannot be shared,
As you go your way, and I go mine.
A light will shine, and it will be me.

I see ever after,
There's a place for two,
In your tears and laughter,
I'll be there for you.
In the sun and the moon,
In the land and the sea,
Look all around you,
It will be me.

There is no mountain that I can't climb,
For you I'd swim through the rivers of time,
As you go your way, and I go mine,
A light will shine, and it will be me.

It will be me...
It will be me...



Lyrics: OST Walt Disney's BROTHER BEAR 2.
Picture: Ikki & Shun, Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac.

A Painting on My Bedroom's Wall

I see a river and a mill,
Standing on the foot of a hill.
I think the river holds its smile,
For no laughter's heard at the while.
Two damsels sit still in their boat,
And the boys run as if afloat.
I see a barn and a farm's yard,
Two gardens full-covered with sward,
White fences dividing the lawns,
The farmer gives a constant frown!
I see a stallion and a mare,
Two ducks, two sows, and no mad hare!

I believe I see them all talk,
In ways that doesn't move the clock.
I love the river and the mill,
Though forever they will stand still.

I love their silence even more,
And hear it rushing to the shore.


Shamantika -- June 24, 2002 (09.38 p.m.)

Turning Worry into Action

Don’t worry! Be happy!
We often hear or read this expression as we drive along the way, walk down the road to our office, or wait on the line at the local grocery.
Easier said than done, most of us would silently scoff back at the expression. Who is free of worries in this hustle and hurry world?
Nevertheless, even the Bible encourages us not to worry. Matthew 6: 34 says, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
When Jesus said those words, He didn’t mean for us not to plan our future. The emphasis is on anxiety, not anticipation!
Planning is good. Having a plan is necessary. But trouble, distress, and headache come when we fear that our plan won’t work! Worrying is doubling the burden on a task that should take half the energy when done without being anxious.
The point is: make your plan and anticipate whatever circumstance that may take place, but leave the rest to God. Worrying won’t do any good.
Paul Borden, for example, gave some good tips on how to turn anxiety into reasonable steps:
1. Write down the things you’re worrying about. Family life, work at the office, children’s future, whatever things might occupy and/or obscure your mind.
2. Pray for the worries you’ve written down. Ask God specifically to help you face or go through those worrying circumstances.
3. Turn them into action. Try jotting down any effort you may take to solve specific, worrisome problems. This step makes things more reasonable to face and cope with.
After you’ve written down, prayed for, and planned on solving the problems that have been casting a net of anxiety over your heart and mind, trust God to guide you through – He will certainly turn all your worries into provision and solution!

God and the Apple of His Eye

"His eyes are like doves by the water streams...."

Such was how Solomon depicted the eyes of the Bridegroom in the book Song of Songs, which clearly portrayed the eyes of our Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ.
When we behold those eyes from afar, they might seem as no more important than a pair of marbles, small and insignificant. But the closer we approach God's eyes, we behold how those pair of divine eyes shine like two mirrors in which we gaze into our own reflection. The closer we come to the Lord, the more we see our personal wrong-doings and shortcomings.
And, we are unwise if, after reflecting upon those mirrors, we turn away because we do not wish to behold or confess our weaknesses for Him to restore and change.
When we gaze upon those eyes deeper..... we shall see how gentle they are, full of love, compassion, grace and power!
He is full of compassion and grace; our Lord is the God of love who never stops loving sinful man, no matter how great our sins are. And He is full of grace, to lift us up out of the deepest pit.
He is all-powerful to change our wretched condition into the same likeness we see in Him, and He has all the power to transform all our vileness and blemish into a perfect being through Him.
We have learned that we, His church, His body, is the apple of God's eye, who always receive His attention and marvelous care -- for we are precious in His sight.
Whenever we, the apple of His eye, are ill, or have done some improper conducts against His will, or sadden/hurt His heart, or fall into mistakes due to our yet imperfect condition, God always washes us with His tears, with the water of His Living Word. Every time we do wrong, the washing by the Word of God comes to cleanse us of guilt.
Let us always become God's precious apple of His eyes, pleasing His heart at all times! Amen.

--Mrs. J.W. Totaijs, KRISTUS GEMBALA Magazine, August 1976--

Betsy

Julie had eleven dolls in her room. Some of them were very expensive. One could even cry and shed tears. However, among all her dolls, Julie's favorite was an old, rag doll that she named Betsy.
Whenever Julie's friends came to play at her house, they always chose the expensive dolls to play with. Julie was the only one who played with Betsy. She loved playing with Betsy, even at the times she was playing alone.
One day, Julie's mother asked her why she was always playing with such an old and ugly rag doll. Julie looked up and replied, "Mommy, if I'm not playing with Betsy, who would've wanted her?"

Sometimes, we, too, are like the above story...
Perhaps all our friends are invited to a party while others take no notice of us. When even our closed ones reject us, it seems that no one cares about us. Sometimes we feel as if nobody were concerned about us.
Nevertheless, when there is no one who does, God is there as the only Person who cares for us.
As a matter of fact, we are not worthy to be loved, due to our sins and badness. But God loves us more than Julie loves her rag doll, Betsy. The Lord is willing to die in our stead, no matter how bad and sinful our condition really is.
Apostle Paul once said that in the past we were adversaries of God, but He had made us His friends through the death of His Son.
As we ask ourselves as Julie did, "If God doesn't love us, who will?", perhaps we'll find no one. But Jesus loves us above all matters -- and He will never stop loving us!

[ Translated from KRISTUS GEMBALA Magazine, November-December 1974. ]

Woman Labor

It was high noon in Kendari, Sulawesi. A bunch of people are waiting for customers to hire their motorcycles, there by a shady corner in the heat of the day. Some others are working hard in building a shopping centre: carrying bricks, sacks of cement & buckets full of gravel.
The amazing thing was: the motorbikers were men, while the builders were women!
Talking about emancipation!
It is true that nowadays women are striving to gain the same right in earning a living as much as the men. But if THIS is the sort of occupation some women are undergoing in order to be considered equal to men, won't you say emancipation has stepped way out of the line?
Who's taking care of the kids?
Who's running the household?
I am not personally against feminism, but we all need to put all things in their proper places, in proper manners, and in the proper perspective. Even emancipation!

The Sparrow

My patronus is a SPARROW...??
Geez, when I took the quiz, I was hoping to receive a completely different result: a bear, for example. An eagle, a snow-leopard, a wolf, or perhaps a hound at the very least.
But, no. My patronus is a sparrow, a small, plump, brownish-grey bird with a short tail and stubby beak.
As I meditated the result, my mind suddenly flew to a verse I've read so many times in the Bible.
Jesus said, "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God! Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows!" (Luke 12:6-7).

There's an old hymn that goes:

Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for Heav'n and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

"Let not your heart be troubled,"
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,
I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth
But one step I may see:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted,
Whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing,
When hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him,
From care He sets me free:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He cares for me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He cares for me.

As I desired greatness and pride (something to boast about), God revealed to me that basically I'm just an ordinary human being: frail, small and weak compared to life's obstacles and challenges, unable to stand a chance against the forces of nature.
But to such a frail creature, God shows His unsurmountable mercy and provision. It's only because of His grace that we, human, live and have our being. We are kept safe only by His abundant love, protected from all harm that might befall us.

My patronus is a sparrow. And I'm glad it's no other.

Names -- and Their Significance

Hazrat Inayat Khan, the great Indian Sufi, once taught about the power of words -- and names. He said that a man will become exactly the meaning of what he's called by all his life.
Words and names have mystical powers that shape people and circumstances the way they are called. That is why ancient tribes, up to this day, consider name-giving as sacred, especially when it comes to naming newly-born babes.
Personally, I didn't actually open the dictionary of names before naming my children. Octavian and I simply mingled our names together and came up with the anagram Santika, which we settled as the new surname for our children. Then, we added Dharma for our firstborn, and Vidyaparamitha for our lastborn.
Did we know the meaning of the names?
No. We simply found them to sound nice, that's all.
That was one reckless decision, naming children after some words that we knew nothing about the meanings.
It wasn't until three years later that we looked up for the meanings in the dictionary of children names, and found out that:

Santika means peacemaker.

Santikadharma means compassionate peacemaker, while Santika Vidyaparamitha means very wise and virtuous peacemaker.

Well, I'm glad that we've named them prudently (out of sheer luck).
And hope that they'll grow up to be exactly what their names mean.

Chacha's Last Day with Us

They were born in the woods. Their mother was a mongrel-jackal, shot dead by a ranger when they were barely a month old. The ranger took the pups, all four of them, and handed them to a friend of ours who lived in the nearby village.
The eldest and the youngest pups died, while we adopted the two remaining ones, provided them our house as shelter and gave them names: the brown one we call Chocho, and the black one we call Chacha.
Chocho grows into a handsome dog, tall and well-built, with soft, velvety coat and very sweet disposition. Chacha, on the other hand, was stunted, with coarse black coat, and since their early days we can tell that he did not possess the stamina and stoutness as his brother has. And I spotted signs of jealousy in him.
A month ago, we were given a grown-up bitch, and -- as predicted -- she became Chocho's mate instead of Chacha's. Soon, I noticed that Chacha was into some kind of depression and he began to grow ill.
Finding a vet is a very difficult matter out here in the villages. And, when we finally found one, he was diagnosed with chronic pneumonia and enlargement of the liver. I took care of him for the whole week, even feeding him with a spoon to get the food and medicine into him.
I tried all I can, but God has another plan. Just as I thought he was recovering, God took him away. I started the first day of the month with a mournful loss.
Above is the last picture of Chacha, a few hours before his death, and Sarah's only chance to hug and pet him.

The Secret of Good Luck

I read a certain article in a site called Kisah-Kisah Inspiratif (Inspiring Stories) yesterday. You might want to hear a bit about it, too.
It is said that Prof. Richard Wiseman from University of Hertfordshire (UK) had run some tests on two groups of individuals: those who seem to always be fortunate in their lives, and those whose lives are always filled with problems and bad lucks. The tests show that the lucky guys tend to handle and respond to circumstances in quite a different way compared to the unlucky ones.
Here's the conclusions Wiseman drew from the observation:

1. Lucky people are more open-minded toward opportunities.

They are more capable of sensing the arrival of new opportunities, respond positively to chances, and even create possibilities. How come?
It is because these individuals are more relaxed and open to new experiences. They show the tendency to create or enter new social circles and interact positively with new acquaintances. On the other hand, unlucky people tend to be more rigid and unwilling to explore new possibilities.

2. Lucky people rely more on intuition than logic.

Most decisions made by lucky individuals turn out to be based more on intuition than logic. They have sharper and more trained intuition than the unlucky group. This comes from active meditation and clear conscience. Although reason also has its share in discerning a matter, lucky people count more on their intuitive side rather than relying on complicated calculations.

3. Lucky people always wish for the best to come.

They always respond positively and optimistically to life. With this outlook, they tend to be more flexible in managing problems and tougher when disasters strike. The optimistic values they hold also help promoting good interactions with other people.

4. Lucky people alter bad circumstances into good.

They can always see the silver lining in every dark cloud. No matter how bad the situation, lucky people are able to recognize the positive value and turn it into the way to promote goodness. They possess the ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances -- though disastrous they may seem -- and gain benefits out of them. This keeps good luck in their side at all times!

Wiseman then concluded that every normal individual is actually able to gain good luck in life by following this very simple method: OPEN YOUR MIND, ENJOY YOUR LIFE!
Welcome good luck into your life today!

Divine Vengeance

There was a saying I once heard, "Vengeance is never just. It's always two eyes for an eye."
How true!
As corrupted mortals, we always demand greater recompense than the harm done us. That's why Gandhi, in his peace-promoting concept, said, "An eye for an eye only turns the whole world go blind!"
At all times, it hurts to forgive. But it's something demanded of us, if we want this world to grow into a better place for all man.
"But what about those evildoers?" you might ask in aggravation.
Surely, God never sleeps, and He never lets justice suffers lost. We are to submit to His will, lay our case on His feet, and let it go -- then, God will act in our place to bring justice to victory.
I've seen many cases of God's followers mistreated, and how in the end they are vindicated through divine intervention.
Here's one example:
There was a true story of a devout woman my late mother-in-law once knew. Her husband was seduced by another woman, and left her with their children behind. She was filled with grief and disappointment, no doubt.
Nevertheless, she didn't do a single thing to repay her husband or his mistress for the wrong done her. She went her way, clinging to the Lord and working hard to make ends meet for her children's future.
Two decades afterward, she was a happy grandmother of loving grandchildren. All her children had successfully finished their education and got good jobs, by which they helped supporting their mother.
God had proven Himself to be her Mighty Protector and Faithful Comforter, who cared for all her family's needs.
What about the other woman?
The mistress delivered a baby boy suffering from psychic disorder from birth! Two decades afterward, the boy quarreled with his mother, struck and murdered her!
The homicide was printed all over the newspapers!
My husband gasped as he incidentally read the news, and showed it to my mother-in-law (still in her prime condition those days). She sighed and shook her head.
"Divine vengeance," she whispered.
God never lets injustice triumphs or His faithful followers harmed. "Be sure of this: the wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free" (Proverbs 11:21).
How dreadful it is to fall under God's divine vengeance!
Ought we not be careful to keep ourselves from doing others wrong, since He who holds justice in His hand is One far mightier than us?