War Between Two Worlds-The War Within

     For every battle, there is a winner but for each War, everyone is a loser... for both sides have to suffer the consequence it has brought on. The ever-present war within is the most complicated of all wars. The war that could make another war on its own or a war for real.     

     Can you ever stop it? Will you ever stop it? Are you going to stop it? There is a war going on. A battle.. that nobody could interfere to stop it. No negotiations. No peace treaty could restrain what is going on. Only one will be able to rekindle it. The war within, indecisiveness? confusion?..no..it is a battle. A battle between two worlds, two ideals, two minds, even two lives. For one typifies what is right, what to wait, and what to hope. And the other one, what is to feel, what is waiting, what is hoping, new life, new heart..but not sure of what is to gain for having either side. How to loosen it..how to let it be... how to let it go. Can't hide, can't run away from it. Let it cross the bridge to wait and see what will happen..but, the time to decide is right now! I, only I would ever put it to a halt. Which is which I will have to be...only I can decide and yet I will be the one to cry for getting in and let it in...

Meanings Through Affixes

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     Words that are considered base words actually came from other older words, possibly even from another language. These words are called roots. Root words and some affixes can take a newer form and in some cases shift in meaning.

     Affixes are of two types, the prefix, and the suffix. A prefix is added at the beginning of a word while a suffix is added at the end of a word. Knowing the meaning of common prefixes and suffixes is a vocabulary strategy that will help us determine the meaning of a certain unfamiliar word. Breaking down a word into its part is called structural analysis. Through this breaking down or structural analysis, we can assign meanings to these smaller parts and will be able to analyze the meaning of a particular word. Here are some common lists of affixes with their meanings.

                      

What's Your Personality Type?

     

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     Each one of us is unique. We were conceived with a combination of chromosomes that made us different from our siblings even if we're twins. We were all born with different temperaments. We have our own set of inborn traits. The way we dress and walk and talk and act is part of our personality. 

     According to Florence Littauer, author of Personality Plus, there are four types of personality. Each has its own uniqueness in every given situation and circumstance. Take the Personality Profile test

The Sanguine Personality 

The popular. The extrovert. The talker. The optimist.

Sanguine's Emotions

Appealing personality, talkative, storyteller, the life of the party, good sense of humor, color memory, physically holds on to listener, emotional and demonstrative, enthusiastic and expressive, cheerful and bubbling over, curious, good on stage, wide-eyed and innocent, lives in the present, changeable disposition, sincere at heart, always a child.

Sanguine at Work

Volunteers for jobs, think up new activities, looks great on the surface, are creative and colorful, have energy and enthusiasm, start in a flashy way, inspire others to join, and charm others to work.

Sanguine as a Parent

Makes home fun, is liked by children 's friends, turns disaster into humor, and is the circus master.

Sanguine as a Friend

Makes friends easily, loves people, thrives on compliments, seems exciting, envied by others, doesn't hold grudges, apologizes quickly, prevents dull moments, and likes spontaneous activities.

The Melancholy Personality 

The perfect. The introvert. The thinker. The pessimist.

Melancholy's Emotions

Deep and thoughtful, analytical, serious and purposeful, genius prone, talented and creative, artistic or musical, philosophical and poetic, appreciative of beauty, sensitive to others, self-sacrificing, conscientious, idealistic.

Melancholy at Work 

Schedule-oriented, perfectionist, high standards, detail-conscious, persistent and thorough, orderly and organized, neat and tidy, economical, sees the problems, finds creative solutions, needs to finish what has been started, like charts, graphs, figures, and lists.

Melancholy as a Parent 

Sets high standards, wants everything done right, keeps home in good order, picks up after children, sacrifices own will for others, encourages scholarship and talent.

Melancholy as a Friend  

Makes friends cautiously, is content to stay in the background, avoids causing attention, is faithful and devoted, will listen to complaints, can solve others' problems, has a deep concern for other people, moves to tears with compassion, and seeks an ideal mate.

The Choleric Personality  

The powerful. The extrovert. The doer. The optimist.

Choleric's Emotions

A born leader, dynamic and active, compulsive need for change, must correct wrongs, strong-willed and decisive, is unemotional, is not easily discouraged,  independent and self-sufficient, exudes confidence, and can run anything.

Choleric at Work  

Goal-oriented, sees the whole picture, organizes well, seeks practical solutions, moves quickly to action, delegates work, insists on production, makes the goal, stimulates activity, and thrives on opposition.

Choleric as a Parent  

Exerts sound leadership, establishes goals, motivates a family to action knows the right answer, and organizes the household.

Choleric as a Friend  

Has little need for friends, will work for a group activity, will lead and organize, is usually right, excels in emergencies.

The Phlegmatic Personality  

The peaceful. The introvert. The watcher. The pessimist.

 

Phlegmatic's Emotions  

Low-key personality, easygoing and relaxed, calm, cool, and collected, patient, well-balanced, consistent life, quiet but witty, sympathetic and kind, keep emotions hidden, happily reconciled to life, all-purpose person.

Phlegmatic at Work  

Competent and steady, peaceful and agreeable, have the administrative ability, mediates problems, avoids conflicts, good under pressure, and finds the easy way.

Phlegmatic as a Parent 

Makes a good parent, takes time for the children, is not in a hurry, can take the good with the bad, and doesn't get upset easily.

Phlegmatic as a Friend  

Easy to get along with, pleasant and enjoyable, inoffensive, good listener, dry sense of humor, enjoys watching people, has many friends, has compassion and concern.

     Knowledge of the personalities of each person can help us to understand other people and for us to function better in certain situations.  When we begin to understand our differences, we can positively look at each other and not try to make everyone be like us or vice versa.

Limbo

Disregarded, forgotten, unimportant..that is what she thinks of herself. One of obscure and unimportant standing unknown for many years. She was neglected, up in the air. Uncertain of those things around her. Unknowing whether somebody is coming or going. Lost dreams..confined to her own self-imprisonment. ..that's what she thinks of herself ..only because someone made her think that way. As the years passed by, that someone is on the same waving toss of neglect, unimportance, forgotten..for he is consuming the time given, wasting the gift and keeping the guilt on himself..she goes out to tell where she came from and that someone had caused her so much pain..still..the pain, it lingers..cannot be forgotten, cannot be disregarded though unimportant to make her going...How is it then to feel that someone with whom she shared so many wonderful moments has forgotten the hardships they went through..how she has suffered for the disrespect? Walking aimlessly, swayed by anger; thinking endlessly, crushed by pain; staring blankly, unable spirit..go out, fly or take a limb..and follow the light passing through to make it out from limbo.

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The Three Great Men of Israel: What We Could Learn From Them

     During my attendance at a post-encounter study of the Bible, we had a short discussion about temptations. It came to my mind the irony of how these three of the many great people of God faced decisions or choices they had made. What they did and how they managed with their trials.   Joseph, the so-called the dreamer for he had dreamt of his future and interpreted the dreams of other people including that of a Pharaoh. Samson was a man of strength that had killed a lion and three thousand men. King David, who was at a young age killed a giant with his sling and through faith in God. All these men have shown great faith in God and undergone trials that could teach each one of us a lesson.

     Joseph, son of Jacob by Rachel, his favorite among his 12 children, was sold as a slave by his own brothers. He was brought to Egypt and became a trusted servant of the Minister of defense. The wife of the minister seduced him but he knew that it was wrong in the eyes of the  Lord and he ran away from her. But then he was still instigated for the crime he did not commit. He was imprisoned, interpreted dreams, and became one of the ministers of Pharaoh. When the time came for Joseph to meet his brothers again who had sold him, he forgave them and realized that it should happen to save the people of Israel from a great famine.

     Samson, a Nazirite set apart from God since birth, was put under a special consecration governed by the Nazirite (meaning separated or dedicated) vow. No razor would ever be used in his head and great strength was upon him. God had apparently planned to provide Samson with unbelievable superhuman strength to be used against the Philistines. As Samson had grown, he seemed to lack the concern about Philistines' oppressive domination of Israel. Samson even tried to blend into their lustful and perverted society and married a Philistine much to the dismay of his disapproving parents. Sex is the bane of many a man and Samson didn’t resist its pull. He frequented harlots and seemed bent on following the destructive pulls of his flesh. One mistake after another-one loose woman to the next-that was the path Samson took during his twenty-year judgeship in Israel. He had been largely faithful to his Nazirite vow and at times made an effort to serve God, but his desire for Philistine women was his undoing. Unlike Joseph, he dabbles in the things around him, that later slipped him away from God's favor. He had revealed the secret of his strength to a woman he loved due to her frequent prodding. It was too late for Samson to realize his mistakes. The Philistines had gouged out his eyes, bind him in chains, fastened him to a grinding wheel in a dark prison, and made him grind grain like an ox, stepping in his own manure and continuous abuse from his captors.

      King David, had great faith in God. Fighting the giant of Philistine with a mere slingshot he killed it. He knew that God would help him to fight. David's faith in God caused him to look at the giant from a different perspective. Goliath was merely a mortal man defying an all-powerful God. David looked at the battle from God's point of view. But what made him fall?..he coveted the wife of one of his armies. He had caused the death of this man, Urriah the Hittite by putting him on the frontline to be killed. At his death, King David had his wife brought to his house and became his wife. The Lord was displeased with what he had done, so God sent Nathan to tell King David that he dishonored God in what he had done and that God would bring trouble into his household as a consequence of what he did. King David later asked for forgiveness for the things he did. Realizing what he had done David repented of his sin and asked God to restore him.

     What we could learn from these three great men?.. Run away from temptation, and make a stand against doing it as Joseph did. His life became a blessing for following God. The Egyptian Pharaoh had him as the second-in-command. He was able to save Israel and Egypt from the great famine of seven years. And one more thing, he forgave his brothers for what they had done. Joseph had thought that his brothers who sold him as slaves to Egypt were a purpose of God for a great job he would partake in saving His people.

     What we could learn from these three great men?.. Do not conform to the ways of the world. Seek the Lord's will, do the purpose you have been created for as Samson had not done. Always remember that sex or lust of the flesh is one of the primary sins that could take us down. Giving in to the desire of our flesh more than the desire to do the right thing might bring us to our own destruction, our miserable life, or a sad end.

      What we could learn from these three great men?.. Realize your mistakes as early as possible. It is better to be convicted by our own conscience rather than be convicted by other people. Heed what your brothers in Christ or elders are saying. To realize is not well enough if you haven't confessed and asked for God's grace and mercy to forgive you. As King David had done, he realized his mistakes right away as God sent a prophet to rebuke him, he asked for God's forgiveness, and he restored his faith and joy of his salvation unto God. Though David's wrongdoing as a consequence led to the chaos of his own household, God's grace and mercy were upon him. He was faithful to God, nonetheless, God had chosen David's line from whom HIS only Son would be born.
     In all of our trials/temptations, we could do as Joseph did, literally run away and do what was right. Though Samson was able to realize his mistakes and have his thoughts toward God before he died, he had lived a miserable life under his enemies. I am sure no one wanted to have a fall. There are consequences for everything that we do. For every temptation that we encounter, the decision is ours to make and it's better to say no. In all stances that we have fallen, God is there to forgive us, His grace and mercy can be counted on. King David, when rebuked by the prophet Nathan for the sin he had committed and as commanded by God, asked numerous forgiveness in the Scripture. Through it all, God had restored him but still, the consequences of what he did might be unbearable for a man without faith in God and King David was a man of faith. So, it's better to run away and keep our focus on the truth and the loving arms of God...

Y O U

     YOU have been my companion since I was a child in a noisy and darker place...YOU're the ONE I've been calling to save me from the wrath of my Mother... they never knew...I thought I had forgotten, but it's all coming back..maybe because of the same situation that I am going through. I was surprised to find out the reason why I had those nightmares, woke up crying calling for my father..the same nightmare haunting when I was a child..it's all coming back...they never knew...only YOU. I don't understand what is beneath. 

     Until one day, wasn't able to contain what is within..unleashing it because of anger..rage. It's a mistake, it's painful. I know I've hurt YOU, I have caused YOU pain. I left. I knew YOU never wanted me to do those things. And yet YOU never left me. YOU stay with me and I give up..it's YOUR turn now..laying all the things on what I had done, I almost lost it..the one important thing YOU have given me. 

     Now it's between YOU and me again...YOU're the only One who understands..the only One who can control me. The pain of past mistakes. The pain of losing from YOUR sight. The pain of not looking back to where I was and the memories of what YOU had done for me since I was a child. Now the nightmare is coming back...I wouldn't risk losing from YOUR sight. I am still the child YOU have known, a bit older, a bit changed for YOU. It's in YOU whom I could cry all out, I could be me. YOU know me. YOU understand. YOU love me.

Our Father..How Great is His Love

     

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    Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom comes, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.... a line of praise for our Great Father who founded the family, who gave up His Son for us to be saved.

 "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." (John 3:16-17, NIV). 

     The heartbreak He had felt when He provided salvation for us. The decision of giving up His only Son to suffer the mocking of the crowd. Every lash and pain, every weight and humiliation of our sin, the agony of being alone and abandoned....the Father's heart was deeply pained. Yet to save us all, He let it be so that whenever we believe in the reason that His only Son had died for us and risen victoriously, we have a right to be His child and call Him Our Father.

     He is there looking at us, seeing how we grow...teaching us...He knows every bit of us...He understands...He is there waiting for us...