Borrow as Many Jars to Fulfill Your Dreams

Every Pinoy has an ambitious dream, like helping less fortunate countrymen--not by just giving them jobs but enabling them to reach their dreams, too. What we all need is a job or business that makes us realize our dreams which give our lives meaning. Prosper and help others prosper, too. Cora, had that in her heart.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash.

But what could she do? All she had was a car. Start a grab or taxi business? Food delivery? 

She remembered the story of Elisha the prophet in the bible when he helped a prophet's widow make big money to pay off the big debt her husband left her. Yes, even anointed men of God can have unpaid big debts. Why? Because God has a plan, and often HE uses everyday problems to prove a point--like a big debt--because most times we think we know everything. Well, God loves surprises that demolish our belief paradigms.

So Elisha asked the widow what he had in her house. She said nothing but a small jar (other versions say "flask") of olive oil. Reader, what do you have in your housePinoy? Anyway, Elisha thought that a small jar of oil was enough. He told the widow to go around her neighborhood and borrow empty jars. The King James bible says "borrow" while other versions say "ask." Anyway, this gives us a good picture--she went around asking to borrow jars.

Elisha emphasized: "Don't borrow just a few." God wanted her to make big money. 

Elisha told her to fill the borrowed jars with oil from the small jar she had. You know what? The oil in the small jar didn't run out. The widow and her children kept pouring oil into the empty jars. WOW! When all the jars were filled up the oil stopped flowing. Elisha told her to sell the jars of oil and use the money to pay off the debt. They could use the money left for themselves. 

How much were they able to get from the sales? Must have been quite big, because the creditor was threatenting to take her two sons and make them his slaves if she failed to pay the debt. It was that big, costing two lives, and the sales from the oil paid it all off, and the excess money was big enough that Elisha said she and her sons could "live on what is left." I know what she probably thought. "I should have borrowed more jars." Here's the whole story.

Sometimes You Need to Borrow Jars

I read in a commentary somewhere that jars at the time were expensive because they were used to keep water and wine, among other things, and these were pricey commodities then. So she borrowed costly jars, and though it isn't mentioned in the bible, I know she returned those jars to their owners later--because they were borrowed. 

See that? She needed to borrow jars. That was what the man of God thought God had wanted her to do. Sometimes we need to borrow something of great value in money to pursue what would keep us, not just debt free, but even prosperous. A lot of people won't believe that sometimes it is God's will for you to borrow money, and big sum of money at that. 

Sometimes God would just directly provide you money to pay off something, like when Jesus told Peter that the first fish he'd catch carried in its mouth the money for paying off their temple tax. Sometimes God would tell you to do a livelihood, like Paul's tentmaking business. But sometimes, before you can do anything, God would first tell you to borrow something for a capital and use that to make money with something that has been in your possession. 

Borrow something to make money with something you already have.

Refinancing Principle

After seeing this principle, Cora did just that. She had a car and used it as collateral to borrow money for re-financing. It was good that she found a loan company that just needed a copy of her OR/CR to use as collateral to borrow half a million. The loan company did not possess her car; it just needed her OR/CR and some documents. 

With the loaned money, she started three food franchises and eventually was able to pay off her loan, continually making big extra profits with what remained. Later, she ventured on a franchise of a well-known fastfood chain and borrowed 2M for the purpose. This, too, she eventually settled and gained 4 profitable franchises in all. She hired people she later helped with refinancing using their secondhand vehicles as collateral so they could start their own dream businesses, too. She also started supporting charity work, church ministries and missions and sending select young people to colleges.

It's okay to borrow money, preferably from reputable financing and refinancing companies than from individuals, as long as you pay it back. It's not a sin, and it's not greed or worldliness. With God's wisdom and leading, it is shrewdness when dealing with lack-of-money matters. Why don't I prefer borrowing from individuals? Because of being indebted to them eternally for lending us their money. "Utang na loob" in Tagalog, which to some people cannot be repaid. I hate being shackled with unpayable debt of gratitude. So I prefer loan companies. Once you pay it back, it's history. No indebtness.

Where to Re-Finance?

I am a loan consultant accredited by Global Dominion Financing, Incorporated and I can guide you with financing or re-financing to turn your collateral into big cash for business, schooling, your dream house, travel and tour or any purpose in mind.

 For more information simply email at csgcubicle@gmail.com. Or use my Messenger.

HEALTH FOR PINOYS WITH LOW BUDGETS 

Though I appreciate a donation, this powerful e-book is yours with or without it. I just want to help you get fit, strong and healthy at any age. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com (NONJoiner is my blog) and ask for the FREE E-book, "MY SIMPLE SECRETS TO FITNESS." 

You get an email back in about 20 seconds or less with a download link to the e-book plus a bonus e-book on success in job interviews. The email contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). 

But with or without donation, the 80-plus page e-book is yours for FREE and will give you ideas on how I got back in shape from feeling so sickly and how I manage to be without maintenance meds by just doing simple but effective workouts you can do at home or anywhere you are.

Beware of Nice

Nice Pinoy houses, architecture and landscapes are always welcome. It's the Pinoy heart that we should design well--or re-design and renovate--or have it newly constructed. 

There are a lot of nice people around, despite what people say about the world having lost compassion, becoming cold and all that. Though it's kinda like that--there's a terrible blight infecting good character in the world--yet, nice people still abound. Though sometimes, "nice" can be a scary thing. 

It can be a camouflage masking the real condition or intent of the heart. In the bible, Laban tried to be nice to Jacob, Delilah to Samson, Saul to David, and so on. I can imagine how Judas tried to be nice to Jesus despite the way he must have hated Jesus' nonchalance for greatness, wealth, riches and money. Nice can be tricky and dangerous.

Good Kind of Nice

Being nice has different types and levels. The good kind is when you're exercising patience and perseverance. You don't scowl when you're being patient. You smile and be nice and really keep your cool. Or at least you look unaffected. Frowning or grimacing while trying to control your anger outburst is not patience. It's rage boxed in, ready to be unboxed anytime, which I often have 😂. But thank GOD the box is firm.

I imagine Jesus being nice and smiling with Judas, despite the kind of character Judas had, very unlike the way some Jesus films portray him to be, always mad, stressed out, sad, frustrated and troubled. And that's how a lot of pastor are, especially behind the pulpit--always angry. How you see Jesus is how you live your life. No wonder a lot of them are on maintenance meds. Deadly overstress is not God's will.

Nope. I see Jesus as a happy, easy-going guy, relaxed, unbothered by things men in his time burdened themselves with, especially religious folks who kept telling people to sacrifice and punich themselves working hard for God, like the Pharisees and law teachers. I can imagine how they looked everyday, and behind the pulpit.

Jesus was especially nice to helpless or hapless people, those who had no way of repaying him back. I can easily see him smiling and patient with them. With the rich, proud and religious? Well, he probably smirked. 

Jesus said he never did anything except what he saw his Father doing. That made everything very simple and easy. After all you cannot invite people to come to you and rest if you yourself are perpetually overstresssed, pressured, moody, hot-headed, preoccupied and constantly stressed out and pressured looking for things to make happen for God. Jesus simply waited on the Father, always waiting before Him.

He grew up before HIM... [Isaiah 53.2]

I believe he just smiled at problems. One time, Peter must have looked stressed out about paying the temple tax. Jesus simply told him to go out and enjoy fishing. I can easily see Jesus smiling and calm when he said this. And when Jesus tells you to relax and take it easy like that, it's going to be supernatural. 

Well, he had times of impatience and frustrations, even depression, sometimes pissed off by the spiritual shallowness of those around him. The NIV quoted him as saying, "Are you so dull?" when the disciples didn't understand that what went out of the heart was what defiles people, not what they ate. Another instance was his rage at the temple money changers. 

But I see Jesus as someone who'd rather smile away at petty, foolish problems rather than get affected by every wrong thing that happened. I've seen pastors and superintendents get so upset and moody when the program didn't turn out as expected, or angry because of a low tithe and offering turnout--or when members didn't go to church. Jesus wasn't like that. Scripture depicts God as not easily angered, and the love chapter tells Corinthian believers how God's love is "not easily angered," [1 Corinthians 13.4-8].

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." [Psalm 86.15]

These passages alone should give us a good, even accurate picture, of how Jesus was as he dealt with every day life--cool, nice and smiling, oozing with Holy Spirit patience and self-control. 

Hidden-Agenda Nice

I suppose this sounds familiar. I mean, every housePinoy in this country is wary when someone sends them a PM asking how they are, because right after that is a request to borrow money. That's the kind of nice with ulterior motives. I'm not saying it's wrong but it's sometimes tricky and a trap. Some people do have legit money issues and are shy to open up. But their desperate situation makes them try anyway, and force themselves to borrow money. They try to be polite and nice because they're not used to borrowing money and do not want to give the impression that they're used to it. 

But the dangerous kind of nice is when people use it to draw information from you for leveraging later against you or other people--like how Delilah acted nicely towards Samson to draw out his secret. It often happens in office politics, neighborhood gossip politics, housePinoy politics, even church politics---or ESPECIALLY church politics. That's how some folks see that knowledge is power. 

Hyperlink Nice

Hyperlink nice is a cousin of hidden-agenda nice. Some nice people treat you well because they need some favors from you, nt just infos, particularly financial. They seem to be caring and loving towards you, and I always put my guards up when people overdo this. I smell something fishy hidden somewhere, foreboding ill. Sadly, I see this from other fellow pastors, treating moneyed folks better than they treat ordinary people, especially the moneyless. If you're not rich, some people may see you as a bridge to a treasure--you're a conduit, or link--and befriend you to tap to a source connected to you, like a moneyed friend or relative. It's how a hyperlink works. The link itself is not the goal, but they need to click (or tap gently) on it to get to the goal. 

Vote-Buying Nice

The first thing that comes to mind is a politician being nice so he can buy your vote during an election. Not just that. A lot of nonpoliticians are rulers. They are bosses, leaders, supervisors, masters, landlords, and what-have-you who make you their avid fan and audience. They are nice to you (and care for you) only because they expect your loyalty, applause, awe and vote. Or, the other way around--if you give them your vote of confidence, they will be nice and caring to you, and have high regard. If you don't, they treat you as insignificant, antagonistic, traitor, no good, weak, dumb or trash. That's how a lot of church denominations are.

Mekus-Mekus Nice

It's like this. Some people who started out with the good kind of nice sometimes go down one or two levels and become low-grade nice--sometimes worse--until they end up being not so nice. There's only one reason for this--the self. Getting too preoccupied with the self takes on all kinds of nice masks except the good kind of nice--except the Jesus kind of nice.

The good news is that, bad kinds of nice can also upgrade into the Jesus kind of nice. I've seen lots of nice people with selfish motives gradually transform and develop into the nice, nicer, nicest kind of nice. There are two reasons for this--earthly wisdom that comes with age, and wisdom from God accompanied by a radical transformation in Christ (a total intellectual turnaround). 

Age-wise nice is the result of doing the wrong things over again until you finally learn (often from painful lessons) and avoid the wrong things and not suffer harm again. This comes at an advanced age, very seldom at a young age. This explains why people stop vices at an old age, not because they've come to hate them, but because illnesses and suffering have made them stop. They're wise enough to know it will make them suffer again. In church, this is mistaken as "maturity" or "spiritual growth." 👀

Radical nice comes from knowing and surrendering your life to Jesus. Initially, your nice attitude is nothing but a front to make people believe you have good intentions and keep their guards down. It's all a show, a manipulation. But later, a crisis happens that leaves you with no option but to turn fully to Jesus (only in Christ is a genuine good kind of nice possible). 

Admittedly, a lot of folks who claim to be in Christ still have all kinds of wrong motives for being nice to people. Because it's all just a claim--and it's easy to claim anything. You will find a lot of people in church nice to you if you're a visitor there, for instance, because they want you to sign up for membership. And a big membership means more income for the church. Jesus never did that. He never feigned being nice just to get them to sign up. He simply said, those who have ears to hear let them hear. Simply put, if you want to follow, follow. If not, then don't. 

I don't see Jesus as a nice guy. He's Godly.

Jesus said, "Birds have nests, foxes have holes, but I don't have a nice place to offer you," or something like that. Imagine having a ministry without offering a nice church building and facilities (or sound system and musical instruments). That wasn't nice. But these are the things that ministries today offer people because they want to look nice. They offer anything but the real presence of Jesus. If Jesus is all you can offer, that isn't nice to them at all. You have to offer more--nice building, facilities, preaching, singing, music, sound system, programs, activities, etc. Jesus is not enough to them. 

Building your family (your home or what I call housePinoy) includes training up your kids to desire the Jesus kind of nice for themselves and filling your heart with it as well. It also involves having a sharp discernment for other types of nice and bewaring of them.

HEALTH FOR PINOYS WITH LOW BUDGETS

Though I appreciate a donation, this powerful e-book is yours with or without it. I just want to help you get fit, strong and healthy at any age right in your own housePinoy. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com (NONJoiner is my blog) and ask for the FREE E-book, "MY SIMPLE SECRETS TO FITNESS." 

You get an email back in about 15 seconds or less with a download link to the e-book plus a bonus e-book on success in job interviews. The email contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). But with or without donation, the 80-plus page e-book is yours for FREE and will give you ideas on how I got back in shape from feeling so sickly and how I manage today to be without maintenance meds by just doing simple but effective workouts you can do at home or anywhere you are.

Workout Saga of a Pinoy Home Blogger in Summer

Summer is the time to start being fit and healthy. That was the thought that crossed my mind in high school when I decided to start my simple calisthenics. I started with stretching, running and pull-ups. 

Photo by Vika Strawberrika on Unsplash.

But fitness and health choose no particular time to be started. Start anytime. START NOW! Back in high school (first year) I had already been training in karate as a brown belt, mentored by my blackbelt friend, Angie, who was a member of the Philippine Karate Association. He supervised me until I earned my blackbelt in fourth year high school. We sparred and he checked my kata forms. 

I later figured that calisthenics were not enough to build a strong body and mind for karate. I started pull-ups and running. Later, I added push-ups and some weight training. With workout perseverance, I got an athletic fit that formed a nice, lean V-shape body that expanded my sides, resembling an angry cobra when flexed---or even when at rest. It was why I was given the alias "Cobra" when I joined Tau Gamma Phi in FEU as a solo batch.

In college, my workout project was to do 50 push-ups and 70 squats. When I did them in 4 sets, I did 200 push-ups a day and more than 400 squats a day. It was awesome, developing in me a strong determination, patience, will and confidence, besides toning my muscles, giving me stamina and muscle strength. Much later, these no-gym, no-equipment floor workouts gave me an incredible edge when I started with serious weight training at the home gym of my childhood friend, Arturo, or Thor, as I fondly call him. I developed muscles of a novice bodybuilder.

But that was short-lived. Life became a lot more busy when I married and had sons, and much later the busyness resulted to some strange illnesses that took away my strength physically and mentally. My doc said I was suffering from depression and anxiety. I had (and have) a very happy marriage and family life, with some usual small problems, of course, but nothing that would warrant a severe depressive emotion. 

We all have bouts of depression and anxiety--even Jesus had them and the Psalmist--not to mention Job, but I could not figure out how my depression could trigger strange illnesses. All my medical tests had normal results, so even my doc was puzzled. She wanted to give me a small dosage of valium, but I didn't take it. I told the illnesses to get out!

You know what I did take? Long, continuous talk sessions with Jesus in quiet moments. I had these moments before the illness came, but this time I had them more intensely, probably as intense as Jacob's when he wrestled with God and didn't let go until God's angel touched his hip to give him a limp, and which changed his name to Israel. 

I also had a name change, and more resolve to get out of the stupid situation and fight depression and anxiety that weren't supposed to be there. I was angry. 

From being bed-ridden, I got out of the box and started working out again---starting with walking around our housePinoy to walking briskly around the yard, and then in the street, and then around the block. This period took months. After a year or two or so, I was back in business. Thank GOD, no more depression and anxiety related illness. From 3 push-ups a day, I progressed steadily to 30 and then 50 push-ups per set. And gradually, I returned to my weight training plus Filipino martial arts. I am able to lift weights again. I have normal complete blood test results, no maintenance meds, and normal vital signs. Normal everything at 64. Praise the LORD JESUS CHRIST!!!

The thing is to determine to start being fit and healthy NOW. It's never too late. I have my simple secrets to my kind of fitness that I share in my free e-book found below. The secrets won't turn your body into a Mr. Universe physique, but fit enough for your age, especially if you are my age. Mix the secrets with bible faith, prayer and a healthy diet (low carbs with intermittent fasting now and then) and you're on your way to a fitness just right for you. 

You can do the workouts right inside your housePinoy. No need for gym equipment or membership, though which are also good if you want them. And don't forget to check with your medical doctor before you start anything. If he gives you a go signal with these fitness secrets, congratulations. But I'm sure your doc will approve at least 2 to 3 workout secrets in my e-book, especially brisk walking.

HEALTH FOR PINOYS AT HOME

Though I appreciate a donation, this powerful e-book is yours with or without donation. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com (NONJoiner is my blog) and ask for the FREE E-book, "MY SIMPLE SECRETS TO FITNESS." You get an email back in about 2 seconds or less with a download link to the e-book. The email also contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). But with or without donation, the 80-plus page e-book is yours for FREE.

Pinoy Homes Have Invisible Gyms

Because they're invisible they're very rarely used. Almost never, in fact. But count on it, most Pinoy homes have built-in invisible gyms. Exactly why there's no reason, whatsoever, to be unfit, unhealthy, rusty or sickly if you're a Pinoy living in the Philippines.

Property Setbacks 

They're required by housing laws as space allowances around a dwelling structure. Properties should have setbacks (perimeter free spaces) to keep houses at a safe distance from each other. Secondly, to attain some privacy, so neighbors can be kept from hearing or seeing each other. But setbacks are more than that. They're private pathways for brisk walking or jogging. 

Understandably, property trends today seldom allow for circling around the yards because of firewalls attached to the property lines. But still, almost all lots have small backyards for laundry which can be used for skipping rope and squatting workouts. A parallel bar can easily be attached to the side wall or installed separately as a stand-alone structure. 

Door Jamb Pull Ups

What I often used when I was in college was the top portion of a doorjamb, either the door in my room or at the main entrance to the house. The top jamb had about an inch of ledge jutting out on which I clawed my fingers and lifted myself for the pull-ups. It was tough but it strengthened my arms and fingers. I was able to do 10 reps.

Later, since our backyard was dotted with full-grown guava trees, I chose two sturdy branches to hold on with both hands and pulled my body weight up several times. Or, I looked for two very thick "Y" branches of the same height and put over them a one-and-half inch round steel bar or lead pipe from which I did my pull-ups.

Chairs

Dining chairs or solo sofa chairs are not just for sitting down. They're effective push-up stools for doing deeper dives that exert more muscle effort for the arms, shoulders and chest. Simply place each hand on a chair and rest both feet on another as you assume a push-up position. You're now in an elevated push-up pose. Lower your body as deep as possible and then push yourself up. 

You can also use a chair to rest both feet as you do push-ups with your hands on the ground or floor. This enables you to push about 80 percent of your body weight up against the gravity. 

Floor

You can do countless exercises on the floor, like body weight lifting (push-ups and squats), jogging in place, lounges and stretching, dancing, shadow boxing, sit-ups (on mats), tip-toes, among other things. As a teenager, I cleaned the floor manually using a cloth with floor wax on it, spreading the same evenly on the floor, and making it shiny by stepping on a coconut husk and rubbing that against the wax-treated floor. That was a super aero workout that kept me fit and trim and my metabolism actively burning. Strengthened my lungs too.

Stairs

If you're blessed to have a second floor, you should thank God for it because it's ideal for an aero workout good for cardiovascular and lung health. Simply go up and down several times a day. You may do it slowly or rapidly, taking two to three flights at a time. If you need to go slow, then leisurely climb up and down, resting now and then as needed. Either way, it's a great and very easy way to workout the heart and lungs.

Water Service Interruption

It's a common feature of summer in Metro Manila---water supply interruption. It can be a terrible nuisance, but with a positive outlook it's also a workout treat if you fetch water in big buckets in both hands. Like I did for years as a teenager. Each summer was marked with at least a month of zero water supply. So I fetched water from the backyard deep well and brought them in buckets to the kitchen and bathrooms. I did this several times a day, every day. It was a good workout.

Gardening

The kind of gardening I did as a teenager was backbreaking. I lifted logs to clear areas, cut some with a hatchet (we used firewood to for grilling fish), I dug into the earth using a heavy steel bar and opted to water plants, not with a hose, but by carrying buckets of water around the yards (we had plants all over our front, side and backyards). If you want a good workout, stop using water hose. 

I literally got myself an athletic fit and a bit ripped in high school and college by using our invisible gym at home. "Fitness equipment" is available all around every Pinoy home just waiting to be discovered and used. 

HEALTH FOR THE PINOY SOUL 

Though I appreciate a donation, this powerful e-book is yours with or without donation. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com (NONJoiner is my blog) and ask for the FREE E-book, "MY SIMPLE SECRETS TO FITNESS." You get an email back in about 2 seconds or less with a download link to the e-book. The email also contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P50 or P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). But with or without donation, the 100-page e-book is yours for FREE.

Why Buy at Coffeehouses When People Can Make Coffee at Home?

I prefer drinking coffee at home. Do you? Except when I'm out and someone invites me for coffee. Then I prefer coffeehouses to my home, which seldom happens. I mean, not many folks invite me for coffee, not even coffee at McDonald's.

Thank God my wife does.

But why do most people opt for coffee shops, especially those in malls? Baristas are one reason, with their expertise and special coffee devices--sophisticated coffee or brew makers, drippers, grinders, shakers and milk steamers, to name some. Pinoy houses don't regularly have them in their kitchens or coffee nooks. Then there are the various coffee flavors and mixes.

I try making my version of special coffee blends using whatever tools I find in my kitchen but end up in disaster, often adding Ovaltine to the weird-tasting concoction to save the expensive ingredients. Ovaltine is a coffee saver for failed coffee experiments, that is, if sweet and creamy is okay with you. You should try it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A real game changer.

Other folks prefer pure, black coffee, a heavy brew concentrate. I can drink that, though I find it a little too bitter, but it's the healthiest kind of coffee. I sometimes ask for cafe Americano but often have a few spoons of steamed milk added and some brown sugar. Yeah, I usually prefer my coffee with some milk or creamer and a tiny, mini, Lilliputan, nanoscopic amount of healthy sweetener like stevia, monk fruit or yacon syrup. Well, dark brown sugar will also do if there's no other option.

Why the milk or creamer and sweetener? Pure black coffee can harm your intestinal lining eventually and also make your stomach too acidic. But this is not to say I never take my coffee black. I do, probably once or 2 times a week.

But here's the thing. I prefer drinking coffee at home because I can control the blackness, and the milk and sweetener. Second, I avoid the alluring but fat accumulating carb-and sugar-rich flavors they put in fancy coffee. Third, I easily discipline myself to having a mug a day when at home. Fourth, it's much cheaper. And fifth, I avoid crowds. I like sipping coffee alone in quiet places with Jesus. 

Originally, coffee was made and drank at home. But when man (and woman) foolishly decided to get busier and busier (and stayed out more as far away from home), coffee shops came and home-made and home-drank coffee became less interesting. More people also became overstressed, depressed and anxious when they made themselves busier and found refuge in coffee shops with friends while enjoying sweet, flavored coffee which did much to their feeling of well-being and a mysterious sense of elation (not so mysterious, actually, because it's the combined action of caffeine and sugar). 

So now you know why people go to coffee shops. 

HEALTH FOR THE PINOY SOUL 

Though I appreciate a donation, these powerful e-books are yours with or without donation. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com and ask for the FREE E-books, "MY SIMPLE SECRETS TO FITNESS" and "BEAT JOB INTERVIEWERS 10 WAYS." You get an email back in about 20 seconds or less with a download link to the e-books. The email also contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). 

But with or without donation, the 100-plus and 50-plus page e-books are yours for FREE and will help you discover your most inner strengths and manifest them to help you with your career, relationships and life! Get the free e-books and get a surprise bonus as well. 

Pinoy House of Prayer that Really Works

We all know it--a family that prays together stays together. Sadly, that's often the only reason why we pray--to keep the family intact, safe and prospering.

And we pass on that prayer tradition to every generation so that each generation doesn't really know what prayer is. They think it's anti bad luck.

Basically, prayer is asking God for things. That's what we've been taught. Yeah, but it's more than that. Definitely more. Prayer is regular conversation to develop a deep relationship with God. If talking is used just for asking for things, it can turn relationships sour.

First and foremost, prayer is building intimacy with God. You desperately seek to talk with HIM because you love to and you need to. You just want to be with HIM the whole day, all your life. This is the prayer we should pass on to our kids, that should mark a Pinoy home, even secure a housepinoy. 

Not just pray before meals...or when we're in dire need.

Wrong prayer traditions teach our kids to skip praying or hate it altogether. Worse if it makes them feel obligated to do so to avoid punishment, or as a way to earn God's favor if they give it their best--like a class recitation to get good grades.

No intimate relationship in these things.

Remember the first time you talked with your crush and he or she looked interested? Remember how you looked forward excitedly to have the conversation again and again, and that thought occupying your mind all day? 

Prayer should be the same.

HEALTH FOR THE PINOY SOUL

Though I appreciate a donation, this powerful e-book is yours with or without donation. Just email me at nonjoiners@gmail.com (NONJoiner is my blog) and ask for the FREE E-book, "YOUR POWER WITHIN." You get an email back in about 2 seconds or less with a download link to the e-book. 

The email also contains my GCash number in case you want to make a donation, P50 or P100 or whatever amount you have in mind (it will help my church ministry). 

But with or without donation, the 80-plus page e-book is yours for FREE and will help you discover your most inner strengths and manifest them to help you with your career, relationships and life! You also get short NON-Joiner emails.

Why They're Nuts Over Minimalism

Do you notice the fad on having less stuff in the house? I first heard of minimalism maybe some 3 or 5 years ago and the idea was borrowed from Japan, if I remember right. Some folks are beginning to find stuffy spaces too "noisy" and suffocating not just the airways but the mind most especially. Too much stuff clogs.

Photo by Bench Accounting on Unsplash.

Minimalism goes well with small dwellings in the Philippines but even in cramped housePinoys you'd see how they try to stock up with appliances because it's supposed to prove they're somewhat well-off. Few Pinoys appreciate having ample space in the house to give way to movement because the majority see more blank spaces as barely affording things and crowding up the house with stuff as being moneyed.

Well, finally some Pinoys are catching the practicality of it all. Some are even going nuts for it. Besides being cost effective and allows savings, minimalism is also highly maintainable and makes physical activities more possible so you have more leeway with mobility. It allows air to circulate more freely as well. But why isn't the idea really taking off in the country?

Because minimalism shouldn't just be a fad. It should be a mindset, a life principle applied not just on house designs but in all of life. It's a mindset that says only urgent needs should be possessed or consumed. It should rule your daily schedule, priorities, diet, thoughts, conversation and dealings with people. No excesses or extras but just the exact amount you really need.

It took people centuries to realize that having a lot of things is meaningless. Japan homes have been minimalist since the beginning (though I don't know when the beginning actually was) but minimalism got attention only in our times, some centuries hence. We have been thinking owning material possessions was the life. Now a growing number of us see how it sucks.

Jesus has been batting for it in his time. He said:

Life does not consist in the abundance of possession. [Luke 12.15]

The Old Testament, too, has been urging believers about a simple life, no extras, extravagance or prodigality. Having your "daily bread" was enough.

"...give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.” [Prov.30.7-9]

Does the church believe this? Nope. Just look at how they load up all kinds of electronic junks on their altars to make their worship sound good--not really to God but to the audience. In fact, they see you lacking favor if you have less in life and blessed if you have more. They know how Jesus lived (the Jesus they claim to worship) and owned no earthly possession, emptying himself, but see how churches buy massive properties to showoff and attract.

HEALTH FOR THE PINOY SOUL 

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