My Take On The Da Vinci Code

Personally, I think The Da Vinci Code is a brilliant novel. It is a wonderful work of fiction. Its protagonist & other main characters, plot, setting, and story flow kept me on the edge of my seat when I read it a year or so ago.

I agree with Dan Brown when he said that it is a springboard in discussing faith in our world today. I also agree with him when he stated that interpretation of the ideas presented in the novel is entirely "left to the reader".

However, I'm not satisfied with his answer when he was asked if he was a Christian. But even that can spark a lively (!) discussion on what a Christian really is.

I'm a proud bookworm and I will read any good work of fiction. I have read The Da Vinci Code and I think it is brilliant. Best of all, I am still a Christian; I have not given up my eternal life with God after reading the novel, because the theories presented in the novel urge me to investigate further. This leads me more to truths about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

I only hope that other Christians strongly against every aspect of The Da Vinci Code will not condemn (in the strongest sense of the word) those of us who like it for the great work of fiction that it is.

Click here to read Dan Brown's FAQ Page on his official website.

Yes, No, or Wait

The ALPHA Course that I took last fall taught me a lot of things about Christianity. One of those is about prayer. Nicky Gumbel said that, contrary to popular beliefs, God actually answers our prayers.

He may answer them with any of the following:

1. Yes
2. No
3. Wait

A "No" or a "Wait" is, logically, a valid answer. It's just that we want to hear "Yes" all the time.

Well, I had a hemithyroidectomy more than two weeks ago. The left half of my thyroid gland was removed because the doctor couldn't tell what exact abnormality he found in the needle biopsy. When he told me of the results of the fine-needle biopsy, he explained that the left half of my thyroid gland would be examined to see if it was a benign growth, a benign cancer, or a malignous cancer. Of course, best-case scenario is it's a benign growth, which means that I'd be fine after the hemithyroidectomy. Worst-case scenario is it's cancer; according to the otolaryngology specialist, thyroid cancer isn't life-threatening, which means that the other half of my thyroid gland would have to be removed through surgery and that I would have to take thyroid hormone replacement pills, calcium replacement pills, and vitamin D replacement pills for the rest of my life.

Since I talked to Dr. Maharaj (the otolaryngology specialist) about that, I had been praying for God's will in my life. While waiting for the bus to take me to the SkyTrain station, I said this aloud: "Your will, not mine." And I believe - I still do - that God let my thyroid gland grow for a reason. That reason is still not apparent in my life, but I know that there is one.

Anyone should expect, though, that I'd prefer the best-case scenario: that it is only a benign growth. I had been praying that I could accept God's plans for me, even if it meant that I would have thyroid or throat cancer. But deep inside my heart, I didn't want it to be cancer.

Seventeen days after the hemithyroidectomy, my prayers were answered in my favour. It's only a benign growth!

God is so amazing. He gave me the inner peace that I wanted and needed regarding my health. Everyday since the surgery, He reminded me that He is the pilot of my life; I'm only a co-pilot. Above all, He loves me and that He lets all things happen for my own good, even if I have to wait a long time for my prayers to have a "Yes" answer.

Thank You Father.

Also, I want to thank everybody who prayed - and are still praying - for me. My family. My true friends. My co-workers. Everybody who cared - and cares - enough to keep me in their thoughts and prayers.

"He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." - Psalm 62:2

Ready to Travel the Globe?

Hey ya! Got this weblink from a Yahoo group. Have fun!

http://www.fekids.com/img/kln/flash/DontGrossOutTheWorld.swf

Maui

I went to work today. Actually, I didn't have to, but I still did. Anyway, I was so tired and I just wanted to chill when I got home after seven hours of hard work and half-an-hour of lunch.

Then my mom told me that my sister bought us a DOG!

Oh my goodness! Even before I was born, my family has owned dogs, called askals - which means dogs other than pure bred ones. So I grew up with dogs around me.

So I waited for their return and anticipated seeing a dog. Then the doorbell rang.

I opened the door to my sister holding a furry puppy in her arms.

The name of the "furry puppy" is Maui, spelled exactly like the Hawaiian island. Maui is a month-old female Shih Tzu puppy. She was born on 27 December 2005. She's just as big as the plum purse that I bring to work or to outings.

Now we have to potty-train her. And we have to do it step by step. We built a fence around her and put her food, water, potty and bed there. If she pees or poops on any newspaper sheet that we put around her little area, we put the sheet on her potty so she'll learn to pee or poop on her potty. Eventually she'll learn to pee or poop where she's supposed to. When that happens, we're gonna give her treats!

We also had a little family meeting about scheduling her walks. I was assigned to the Saturday afternoon shift. Hehe.

I don't mind walking a dog. I remember when I didn't go to the 2004 family camp, I volunteered to take care of Manang Carmen's pug named Charlie so she could go to the camp. I walked that mega-hyper dog twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening) for two days. He was just mega-hyper (turned out he had diabetes) but he was OK.

I'm so excited to take care of a dog!

Wanted: Comfort Giver

Comfort Giver BADLY needed!

Preferably a human being. Regularly maintains hygiene. Skin-and-bones-type will not be accepted. Easy and pleasant personality. Emotionally attached persons will not be accepted. Knows Christ. WIP (work-in-progress) with Christ. Perverts will be kicked; they need not apply. Flips are preferred. Rather, Flip men will be preferred.

Apply directly. No cover letter needed. Resumes are optional.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Felice Anno Nuovo!

Re: Behind These Dark Brown Eyes

He wrote his blog on THREE-FIFTEEN in the AFTERNOON of Boxing Day?!

That was clearly before one of the most wonderful nights in my life. What the heck happened to him? Who's this girl?

Shoot. I'm getting paranoid.

Behind These Dark Brown Eyes

I had a very merry Christmas. It actually extended through Boxing Day (day after Christmas or anniversary of the tsunami).

How the heck would I know that it's gonna be sad?

See, he had this blog thing in MSN Space. I visited his profile, curious whether he wrote something about Monday night. Here's what he wrote:

"i'd have to say.. the most crushing part of it all is knowing I'm dispensable.. that more or less, u can be uknowingly playing the role as 'flavor of the week'"

If he was talking about Monday night, when I phoned him "for fun," he's wrong to think that he's only my "flavor of the week" - so wrong! Does he even know what I feel for him? Does he know that I'm scared and thrilled to fall in love with him? Does he even know that I've fallen in love enough for me to need a whole year to get over him if it doesn't work out? Does he even know that I cry because of him? Does he?

I'm not flirting with him. He's the one flirting with me!

But, then again, we haven't talked about anything serious for a long while. I think we're both avoiding a certain subject - for good reasons. So what the heck is he talking about?

If we could only talk about serious stuff... If we could only be courageous enough to talk about this certain subject in a mature way (heck, he even said, we can say anything to each other!)... But I don't think it's the right time.

I'm taking him seriously. If he could only see through the jokes, then he'd know that he's the most special guy to me outside my earthly male family members. If he seriously thought about my name in MSN, then he'd know that he's the reason my name contains "behind these dark brown eyes".

Because, behind these dark brown eyes, with all the smiles and laughter, there's a scared heart. A heart scared of falling deeply in love with him that I'd never be able to get over him.

Buon Natale

Buon Natale!

That's "Merry Christmas" in Italian. Found that out from About Italian Language website. If it isn't correct, blame the website. (Hehe)

Did I have a merry Christmas?

Yeah, I guess. I didn't get anything in my wish list, though. But that's OK; I don't expect anybody to give me a laptop, an iPod, a digital camera, "The Lord of the Rings" Special Extended DVD Edition, Quickbooks Premier 2006, a plane ticket to Switzerland or Ireland, or a new cellphone.

I got a purple jacket and a purple purse from my sister, chocolates from a lot of people, lavender eucalyptus aromatherapy bath set (as if I'm gonna use it), "Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul" from a college friend, a lovely memo pad from the Candidos, Givenchy eau de toilette, a non-purple purse and purple sandals from Manila, moisturizing bath soap from my mom's employer, and the entire "The Chronicles of Narnia" from my nephew. Actually, I bought the latter from him with my present - $30. Hehe. My mom's present to me will give this an NC-17 rating, so I won't mention it. (Kidding.)

What did I give this Christmas? Mostly money, either in form of cheque, cash, or gift cards. I did that so they're free to buy whatever they want - and, for some, because I couldn't find what they wanted for Christmas.

Anyway, I'm happy. My closest friends can attest to that. I'm not entirely OK - I'm anxious and scared about certain things in my life - but I'm fine for the season. It's the celebration of my Saviour's birth; how can I not be fine?

I just hope that, in 2006, I'll be able to listen to what He says more than I did this year.

Buon Natale!

And Happy New Year to y'all! (I don't know how to say it in Italian, but I hope I'm gonna be able to say more things in Italian next Christmas!)