Home-schooling Dharma

I personally have no idea at what age the sense of humor begins to grow in children. But as days go by, I notice every step in my children’s growth is filled with wonders, amazement and much laughter.

For instance, my husband and I have begun teaching our son, Dharma, the alphabet since last month. We would point at letters and say the name of each one out-loud.

“This is an A, Dharma. That is a B,” we told him – and so on.

The funny thing happened as my husband was teaching him the letter E.

“That is an E, Dharma.”

“What is that, Daddy?” he asked back.

“That’s an E,” Octavian repeated.

“What is that, Daddy?” again, he asked.

“That’s an E…!”

“What is that, Daddy?”

“An E, Dharma! That’s an E…!! The letter E…!!!”

“What is that, Daddy?”

After repeating the course for about twenty times, finally Octavian felt completely exhausted and upset.

“Oh, Dharma…! I give up!”

“What is that, Daddy?”

“Ah! I don’t know, Dharma,” he groaned. “I don’t know what that is!”

With a sweet, triumphant smile, our son answered, “That’s an E, Daddy!”

Awaiting Daybreak

It was very late in the night. Jacob stood by the bank of Jabbok River all alone. His wives, children, servants and herds he had sent across the river – and then he stood thinking hard what he would say when he met his brother Esau.

All the sudden, a stranger came and challenged him. The two of them wrestled for hours until both of them realized none could overpower the other. So the stranger hit the socket of Jacob’s right hip real hard that his hip was wrenched. Then he hurried to leave. But Jacob would not let go of the man.

“Let me go!” the man said. “It’s almost daybreak!”

“I will not let you go unless you bless me!” insisted Jacob.

He knew who the stranger was. He knew that the man was not a man at all. Unless he gained the man’s blessing, the struggle he had endured throughout the night would be worthless.

So the man blessed him there, by the bank of the river. He renamed Jacob (which means ‘deceiver’) Israel – the mighty one of God. The blessing came upon Jacob, the man disappeared, and dawn broke.

There’s a profound message conveyed in this story in Genesis 32 for all children of God – especially us who are in struggle and tribulation. No matter how difficult life’s circumstances are, how impossible the problem to solve, how exhausting the dilemma we have to face, DAYBREAK WILL COME.

The sun – the everlasting goodness and blessing of the Lord – will rise. There will be an end to all our sufferings. That’s an axiom in the life of every child of God.

God will provide a way out – and He will give it to us when the time comes. As the dawn is never late in coming, God is never late to fulfill His promise. All the tests that come to us in the form of problems, struggles and tribulations are His means to purify our faith and take us to a higher level in our knowledge of Him.

Let’s keep this in mind: God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear! When we are tempted, He will also provide us a way out, so that we can stand up under it (I Corinthians 10:13).

God is faithful. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He’s our Creator. He knows us full well, inside and out. He knows how we are formed. He remembers that we are dust (Psalms 103:14). He will not let temptation crushes us or tribulation destroys us – because He loves us and preserves the best for the moment of glory that will surely come to us.

So, hold on to God when tribulations hit us with full force. Hope unto Him. Daybreak is sure to come!

[Excerpt of the sermon delivered by Rev. Daniel Turangan on Sunday morning, August 9^th, 2009 – at GPdI Betania.]

The Everlasting Blooming Rose

Several years ago, I read a love story about a young gardener and the orphan girl he loved. The gardener tended a rose garden and took his lover to see the roses bloomed in Summer.

"How lovely!" said the girl, entirely astounded by the beauty of the roses.

"Yes, but soon they will all wither at the coming of Autumn," replied the young gardener.

The girl became sad at hearing this. But the gardener smiled. He picked a white rose and gave it to the girl.

"You see? This rose I give you is lovely beyond compare, but in a matter of hours it will wither and be gone," he said. "But the scent you smell this moment, and the beauty of it will remain forever in your memory. It is blooming in your heart now, and it will bloom forever in your mind."

I keep those lines forever in my memory. It's something worth cherishing.

The story is, of course, a metaphor. It talks about life and death. It speaks about losing the ones you love, and resurrecting them as everlasting memories in your mind.

Though our loved ones may pass away, the loving memory of them will remain forever in our hearts. It is through death that we come to eternity.

These days our nation had lost one of the greatest poets in the history of Indonesia. He may have passed away, but his works, his poetry, his spirit and the memory of him live on.

Farewell, W.S. Rendra! Your spirit will always live on in the hearts of our people...

Britney and Anna

One very disturbing idea in the popular world is the way people judge a book by its cover. The world trend nowadays is to praise anything that is packed in beautifully ornamented wrappings and comes from the supreme countries: either USA or UKGB. Most people simply don’t care much about other “products” coming from other countries that come in more simplistic manners – even when the quality is far more excellent! It is true even in popular music.

Everybody has heard Britney Spears sings. How many have compared her voice to that of Anna Maria Jopek?

Britney is no match for Anna – not even by half!

Anna has this angelic voice that could capture and hypnotize her audience. She has such a perfect phrasing and timing in every single tune she sings. Her voice is remarkably amazing, a true gift from above.

What about Britney? She certainly does capture her audience’s attention – by other means, though. People who adore Britney Spears love her because the way she dances on stage, the sparkling expensive dresses and outfits, the pretty face and the gorgeous body she shows off. She is greatly admired NOT because of the quality of either her voice or the songs she sings!

This requires a little bit of thinking: a singer is naturally praised for the quality of voice she possesses. It’s her ability to sing beautifully that truly counts, in sound judgment. How can it be, then, that a great voice like Anna Maria Jopek becomes far less popular than a mere entertainer like Britney Spears – unless the world isn’t in its right mind?

Britney wins her fame because she is a beautiful American girl, brought up in American lifestyle and filled with popular American ideas. And these days, USA seems to become the standard and center of world popular culture – even when the growth of popular culture in the States tends to degrades the morality, sense of aesthetics and social values in these present days.

Anna is a Pollack, and comes from Warsaw, Poland. She wins her fame because of talent and hard work, and she is greatly cherished by her audience because of the blissful voice she possesses.

If we are sane human beings, we should be able to choose soundly between a diamond in a matchbox and a fake pearl in a huge, prettily wrapped present.

The Words of the Preacher

Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?”

For it is not wise to ask such questions.

True, Your Majesty.

But if thou live in our days,

Thou would consider those verses a hundred times over.

Still, Your Majesty.

I live in my time and consider my days hundreds of nights.

Thy verses I keep in the depth of my heart:

“And I declared that the dead, who had already died,

Are happier than the living, who are still alive.”

(Ecclesiastes 4:2, 7:10)

Fame - and the Price We Pay for It!

Who wouldn’t want to be like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie? They’re famous. They’re gorgeous. They’re rich. Everybody on the planet knows them. Thanks to paparazzi, fans all over the globe always get updates on whatever Brad and Angie is doing every single day of their full life.

But on one occasion, in an Oprah show, a fan asked Brad Pitt, “What would you do if you are given one free day without paparazzi?”

Brad was simply stunned!

“Good question!” he commented – then thought awhile. “I – hmmm. I will tear down my fences. Yes. I will break down my walls, so I’ll be able to say hello to my neighbors, let my children play in their yards, and let their children play in my yard. That’s what I’ll do.”

How heartbreaking! Despite all the fame, wealth, and success, what this so-adored public figure longs for is FREEDOM. How would great popularity, money and achievements ever replace this very basic need of man? Brad and Angelina realize at the top of their career that something is missing from their life – something very precious and irreplaceable. They have lost their liberty.

How would we feel if we have all the money and fame in the world yet every single day we live in is spent like birds in gold cages? I believe superstars like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would give everything away in exchange for an ordinary life – full of freedom, free of spies.

If today you can go shopping in malls without someone stalking behind you, or go to church and say your prayers without a camera flashed on your face, or take a ride with your loved ones without worrying about people gazing at you – praise God: you are not a celebrity! You are free!

Fragrance: It's Essential!

How important is fragrance for ladies? As a woman, I’d say it’s one of essential daily routines. Who would want to smell like prawn and tuna after preparing today’s meal? Or get stuck with the smell of dirt and mud after gardening? I personally hate the way I smell after giving my four dogs their weekly bath. They actually make me smell like canines – and it’s definitely uncomfortable even though I love them dearly.

After doing house chores that make me sweat and causes body odor, what I love doing is taking a real nice bath with fragrant soap and applying body lotion right afterward. Then, if the day closes with an evening party or formal dinner I would certainly spray some eau de cologne or eau de toilette.

Nina Ricci Premiere Jour and Estee Lauder White Linen are some of the perfume collections I’ve got for special occasions. But lately my favorite scents are Oriflame Northern Lights, Divine and Eclat for Women. I love the way these perfumes keep me fragrant and confident throughout the party, wedding, or other important occasions.

And, good news, ladies! These days, we can also purchase our favorite perfumes online. We can order them via Talk Perfume. Instead of going to malls or department stores to buy perfumes at the nearest agent or beauty shop, you can now shop online and choose your favorite scent or perfume without stepping out of the house or leaving the office. Visit the site, pick your favorite perfume, purchase online and have it delivered to your place - simple and convenient!

Perfume shopping is now a step easier!