THAT'S LIFE....

HUG FOR HEALTH...

A hug is a universal medicine, it is how we handshake from the heart.

THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR...

 

MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING...

2012 LENTEN CALENDAR

Lent is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).

Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. The purpose is to set aside time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.

FAMILY LENT CALENDAR EXPLANATION:

FEBRUARY 

22 Feb – Take your family to an Ash Wednesday liturgy and wear the cross of ashes all day.
23 Feb – Tape a drawing of a vase on the fridge and label it, “Lent”. Each day draw a flower in the vase and watch Lent blossom.
24 Feb – Share a meatless family meal. Discuss your Lenten offerings to be sure all are doable and sacrificial.
25 Feb – Choose a family Lenten offering, such as giving up desserts, attending daily Mass, or praying a family Rosary regularly.
26 Feb – After Mass today, explain the Gospel and the homily in terms your children can understand.
27 Feb – Contact Catholic Relief Services (877-HELP-CRS, www.catholicrelief.org) to see how you can help any of their ongoing projects.
28 Feb – Invent a new family prayer you can say together each day.
29 Feb – Take stock of how your Lenten fasts are going, and refresh your commitment to them.

 

MARCH

01 Mar – Before eating your family meal together, ask each person to say a spontaneous prayer.
02 Mar – Pray for the people in the world who can’t afford to have meat as a regular part of their diets.
03 Mar – Turn off the Television, unplug the computers, and take the phone off the hook for half an hour to pray the family Rosary.
04 Mar – Before Mass today, pick a saint represented in one of the statues in your church and find out more about him or her during the lent.
05 Mar – Collect stuffed animals or soft pillows in good condition and bring them to a local nursing home. Older folks love soft things to hug.

LOVE & LIFE

 

  

  

Visa-Free Countries for Philippine Passport Holder - P2

If you’re a Filipino and a holder of Philippine passport who likes traveling and exploring the beauty of the world, but hates the visa requirement to some countries, frown no more for you can still go to wonderful places without hassle-visa-appointments.

Below is the list of countries where Filipino Passport Holder can enter without a prior visa formalities requirement:

Countries in North America

Costa Rica Up to 30 days Country list (click Philippines)   +63-2-818-6740 / +63-2-816-7851

Haiti Up to 90 days Embassy of Haiti in US   embassy@haiti.org (US)

Saint Vincent Grenadines Up to 30 days Website   mail@embsvg.com (US)

COUNTRY IN EUROPE

Kosovo Unlimited for valid passport Site of embassy in the US   embassy.usa@ks-gov.net (US)

Visa-Free Countries for Philippine Passport Holder - P1

A Philippine passport is a travel document and is a Primary National ID issued to citizens of the Philippines. It is issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Philippine diplomatic missions abroad, with certain exceptions. Besides facilitating international travel and conferring diplomatic assistance to Filipinos overseas, a Philippine passport is considered a primary form of identification in the Philippines, particularly because there is no national identity card system in the country.

The passport is a popular target for counterfeiters,  due largely to the relatively liberal visa requirements accorded to Philippine travelers to destinations such as Brunei, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and other APEC and ASEAN member nations. Due to this, the Department of Foreign Affairs started issuing maroon machine-readable passports since September 17, 2007, and biometric passports since August 11, 2009. The green colored cover non-electronic passports are still acceptable until they expire. Philippine passports are printed at the Security Plant Complex of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Below is the list of countries where Philippine Passport Holder can enter the country that doesn’t require a visa:

Countries in Asia

Country   No. of days allowed          Official Webpage      Embassy Phone Numbers in the Philippines


Brunei Up to 14 days none  +63-2-816-2836 / +63-2-816-2837

Cambodia Up to 21 days Homepage    +63-2-818-9981 / +63-2-810-1896

Hong Kong Up to 14 days Visa requirement page (See Table)

Indonesia Up to 30 days Visa exemption page  +63-2-892-5061

Israel Up to 90 days Visa exemption PDF  +63-2-894-0441 / +63-2-894-0443

Laos Up to 30 days Exemption table  +63-2-852-5759 / +63-2-852-5979

Macau Up to 30 days Visa free countries webmaster@macau-embassy.org (US)

PICTURE OF POPE JOHN PAUL II

We don't know why John Paul II wanted to hide this picture for years. The Vatican published this picture recently, for first time.This picture was taken by one of his security guards just when the Pope was attacked and was falling down in his Papamobil. You can see the pain in his face.


Take a look at the above picture. You can see Mother Mary holding John Paul II in Her arms when he was shot in 1981.This happened on May 13, 1981. Pope John Paul II was shot as he arrived in St. Peter's Square to speak to the people who had gathered there. When he was shot, he was holding the rosary, which he always carried. When he fell to the ground, out of nowhere, a woman rushed to his side and embraced him. That pic is shown above. The picture is said to have been taken by one of the gathered people who was busy taking Pope's pics with his camera. The woman vanished as quickly as she appeared.

CELEBRATING NEW YEAR'S DAY

When it comes to celebrating the New Year, every country and every culture has its unique routines and charms to influence the incoming year. They're believed to bring into the new year good fortune, health, prosperity, and love.

Celebrating the New Year eve is very special. Many people celebrate in their own special way. While some celebrate the occasion with family and friends, some celebrate it with colleagues and peer group. The occasion brings happiness and cheer as with the company of your loved ones, you spend some special moments.

New Year's Eve traditions and superstitions have been a part of human celebrations in all cultures since the beginning of the proverbial race. Whether superstitions first showed up as a deep-seated need to make sense of the world around us, or whether it was to control the world around us isn’t important. What important is the curiosity, hope, laughter, and family unity that traditions undoubtedly bring to every family from every culture.

Go To a Church
Going to a church for celebration is a pious and holly ways to celebrate the New year eve. Such a celebration strengthens the beliefs and trust, building someone to spend the rest of the year in the most honest way.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

Like many people around the world, you have probably made one (or ten!) New Year's resolutions. Though a day of relaxing on New Year's Day may be relaxing, consider getting a jump start on your New Year's resolutions. Here are some tips for productive things you can accomplish on January 1.

1). Consider cleaning your closets and giving your clothes to charity. If one of your New Year's resolutions is to clear your house of some clutter, cleaning out your closet is a great way to start the New Year. Once you are done, you will feel instantly relieved at the extra space and organization. Consider separating seasonal clothes as well as dressy clothes or costumes you don't wear often. Having your most common clothes in plain sight will save time in the morning rush to work.

For clothes that are still in decent shape and you simply do not want anymore, consider donating them to charity. You will feel twice as good when the job is done knowing it is going to people in need.

REMEMBER THOSE LESS FORTUNATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON...

Remember Those Less Fortunate This Christmas Season...

It doesn't matter how much or how little you do to spread Christmas cheer to those in need at Christmas; so long as you remember that each kind act you take will brighten the season for somebody. A smile, a kind word and a few minutes of your time may be all it takes to give a stranger a very merry Christmas.. ~ Isabel Saguinsin II