Technology, Politics and Elections

In the realm of the World Wide Web, traditional politics today has evolved into an Internet Politics. The face of the electoral process, at least in the Philippines, has become more sophisticated, exciting and more “political”. From the candidate’s campaign, to endorsements, to making a stand without going to shout in the streets, from the candidates’ update while campaigning from miles away, to updates as to who is leading (through surveys). Communication just became better (or worse?).

This is the third time that I am voting and for the past 2 times I voted, this is the only time where I can make a stand even from where I am. I don’t have to actually join political rallies or caravans to influence people and feel that I am able to tell everyone who I am voting for and who I am supporting. Thanks to the development of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Friendster. I can say that I am not just limited to the people who see me, but even to friends of my friends who might have the access to my posts or profile. This is aside from the fact that we can also share the exact post or blog, in case we really liked the contents of it.

With the emergence of technology, we have been given a stage to let everyone know who we are voting or supporting. We can freely express our sentiments, though virtually, our eyes are opened to other facets of the candidates we are supporting. On the part of the candidates running for a position, electoral expenses have also been cut to 50% or even more. Internet campaign, whether we like it or not, has provided them with a more cost-effective way of mobilizing our volunteers, creating more efficient avenues to let everyone know of their platforms. If we may ask, who are the voting public? It’s those who have an access to the Internet, or even the 1/3 voting population who are poor still have mobile phones where message updates are sent using multiple- receiver (send-to-many) setting, thanks to the availability of such software.

 The following is my analogy of Technology today being used in the Elections, at least in the Philippine setting:

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGE
Cost-effective campaign	Cost-effective cheating
Quicker tallying of votes	Quicker cheating
Smoother communication (real-time updates)	May be hacked to alter the smooth communication
High-tech presentation of platform (propaganda)	High-tech backstabbing of other candidates (black propaganda)
High-tech voting	High-tech cheating
Reach the unreached	Cheat the unreached
Easier (no manual counting)	Easier to cheat

For me, there has to be some balance between the use of technology and the manual process of some of our elections’ activities. We cannot virtually see sincerity unless we see the person. I hope that people are a little wiser, in terms of selecting their candidates, not purely based on what is passed on to them over the world wide web, but take time to know their candidates personally as well.

Since change is indeed inevitable, it’s the very character of elections here in the Philippines that also has to change simultaneous with technology. I personally embrace advancement, new innovations, and new technologies, all for the glory of a more comfortable life. But then again, the mantle of responsibility is still in us who uses them. It’s never an issue of technology, it has always been an issue of the people who abuse it and use it for their personal gains. Every Juan in this country should learn to advance as well, in terms of integrity, honesty, transparency, and purity of heart, as technology has been.

~come to think of it~

"Uhm, are you sure? I can be forgiven from ALL of my sins? I can't even begin to remember each one of them, but... are you really sure"? These were my lines as I innocently asked the person who did personal discipleship with me, that time, talking about God's forgivevess.

I can't imagine life without God's forgiveness and His power to transform and restore me to the person HE really designed me to be. Maybe, without God's restoration for me, I am dead right now. Possibly, I am:

1. Directionless. I am a person who is used to despise everything. I complain a lot but move/act less. I don't know what I want and I am never satisfied with what I have.

2. Barking at the Wrong Tree. I am still complaining about the government, about the people leading the government, etc. I never knew that God is the only One who can make lasting transformation to this country.

3. Still in School. Maybe in my max residency (if there is such a thing).

4. At my worst: My relationship with my family (parents), my classmates, my friends,etc.

5. Bitter. Maybe, with all the negative things done to me, I am still bitter and can't move on. My life probably will be filled with stress.

6. An Expert Man Pleaser. Everything I do probably is to please people. I am never secured to who I am and what I can do, but will always be concerned about how people will see and think about me.

7.  Confused. Probably, I don't have peace. My heart and life will probably be in chaos.

Though this is a list of the "probabilities" if I haven't encountered God in my life, I believe their opposite serve as the "MIRACLES" I can hold on too, in times of doubt, familiarity and unbelief. They can serve as a reminder of God's faithfulness over the years, of how He is able to transform and restore a person like myself.

With so much gratefulness to God's goodness and grace, I am who I should be. Thank God for showing me the truth which set me free- in all aspects of my life. I am not perfect, but God is so perfect and He is worth all my trust, hope and faith. Things around me are definitely not perfect too. I got problems every now and then, but even though, I am happy that God is with me, therefore, who can be against me.

I thank God for His forgiveness because it teaches me to forgive and love people even more. Because of His forgiveness, I am able to live my life with so much security and at the same time, I am able to let go of the negative things done towards me.

Indeed, there is nothing to boast. There is nothing to personally be proud of. If there is something to be proud of, is the fact that my God is able to graciously give more than what I am able to accomplish. It is so tiring to trust myself and at the end of the day, it is still futile, not enough.

Lord, more of you and less of me.

1 Corintians 1: 26- 31 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Somebody- for my Love

somebody

I am currenly listening to a song entitled "Somebody" by Depeche Mode. It just struck me and pushed me to write something about my love...

Here's the lyrics of the song and how I see them from her...

I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life- really my life, my everything, my work, my desires, the things that I am hoping, my dreams, my jokes, my all, etc.
Share my innermost thoughts- she knows what I feel and think and sometimes, even before I say them, she already knows.Know my intimate details- she knows my inner desires, my longings and needs and respond to them at onceSomeone who'll stand by my side- her support is endless
And give me support- like i said, she altruistically cares
And in return
She'll get my support- i give her everything i can, for i know she needs it too
She will listen to me
When I want to speak- she lends her ears whenever i say something, no matter what they areAbout the world we live in
And life in general- i feel like a hero whenever she needs my help, she makes me feel like "the man"Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
She'll hear me out
And won't easily be converted- a woman of faith, a woman of conviction. she believes God's Words and reiterates them to me when needed, and she does it without putting me down or accusing meTo my way of thinking
In fact she'll often disagree-  a lot of times, but she securely stands at the end of the day, letting me feel that I should be making the decisionsBut at the end of it all
She will understand me- she is soooo good at this, i love her more everyday because she is thisAaaahhhhh....

I want somebody who cares
For me passionately
With every thought and
With every breath- I am glad I found her, finally
Someone who'll help me see things
In a different light- I admit, she knows a lot of things that I don't, but she creatively puts it in an encouraging athmosphere

and so on...

My wife, she is so dear to me. She will always be the one, the woman I always loved and love and will always adore. I thank God everytime I think of her. She is a gift from above. She is a gift to my children. A gift to me.

Lord, thank you for my wife. Thank you for bringing her to my life. I pray for grace and understanding, so I can be a better husband to her. Bless me so I can bless her.


~for you Connie~
Happy 4th Year Anniversary of Love, Partnership, and Faith!

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Parenting Advice (As I Learn, I Share): Never Allow Others to Discipline Your Child

The main people responsible to discipline our children are us- parents. Not the grandparents, uncles, aunties, or other relatives. Not our neighbors or friends, or pastors or godfathers and godmothers. Especially not the YAYAs.

I remember someone said "If you don't want the police to discipline your child in the future, be the one responsible now". I can't agree much.

Discipline when the child disobeyed. If the child was hurt already, don't spank him or her again because he or she suffered the consequence already of his or her disobedience. And rod on the butt, not above it, not below it (I always fail on this, specially when my boys have diapers, I heard we should remove the diapers when rodding them).

Parents should not point on each other as to who should discipline. It's a team effort. The person who is there when the disobedience happened should be the one who should discipline. If the father/tatay is present during the disobedience, he should be the one who should discipline the child.

When rodding, use a small rod/stick not a baseball bat or something that will really really hurt. Don't use your hand because the hand should be a symbol of love and care for the child. The rod takes the discipline symbol. The goal is to leave a sting, not a mark or wound! Never rod when you are angry, or else, it will be painful on the child's part. And your emotions goes with the weight of your hand- you will lose control.

~thanks to Sir G.Alba

Parenting Advice (As I Learn, I Share): Say "Please" When Asking Favor From your Child

I grew up in a family that doesn't use the word "please" very much often. In fact, there is not an exact translation of the word in Tagalog, Ilocano, Itawes, or Ibanag. Only considered as prefix or suffix like "paki-" or "nge" or "man".


I was surprised that in the Visayan language, there is such a thing, which I normally hear that sounds like "palihog".


Growing up and not being able to use "please" a lot of times, I have learned to just say whatever request I have- to people. That is why even in the house, I am not used to using it (redundant). 


But I realized, it's true. Saying "please" should be deliberate. I have seen great results from my son, Matthew. I see a smile in his face and a sense of gladness to serve whenever I use the word "please". Sometimes, I sound very bossy already, just to use the word, I would think of things that somehow, I can apply it. Like a piece of paper, I would tell him "please give me that paper". I feel good that I see a glow in his face whenever I use the word "please". I wanted to teach him to say "please" that is why I am trying to use it, but more than that, I learned from his responses. 


When the word "please" is used, it's so good to do whatever the other person is trying to ask. It is one magic word because it changes the entire meaning of the request. It becomes sweeter, sincere, and you suddenly get a sense of responsibility and "importance". Suddenly, you feel like a hero. :) It's not really for the one requesting, because it is just a mere WORD, but it is more for the one whom the request is directed- to change the mood and it entirely changes what the sentence means or sounds.


Let's try to use PLEASE in our house, work, or whatever we are doing, especially with the kids. We'll definitely see immediate results.


~thanks to Sir G.Alba

The Diaper Story

I woke up one morning and was surprised at our helper's confession- "Koya, wala na pong diapers ang mga bata"... Hmm, kakabili ko lang noong isang araw ah ( I whispered to myself)?

That day was special because I am out of budget already. I did not want anyone to know. Not even Connie. I did not want to tell anyone. I wanted to ask God that day. As simple as a few diapers, but that should make a difference, specially that I have known my God to be faithful from the start. Will he fail me this time- with just a very small thing I am asking? He has provided for big things in the past, will he let me down this time?, I asked.

The whole morning, I was just at peace. No one heard a word from me. I was asking the Lord, to please don't delay. My obedience this time is to trust that He will provide- JUST IN TIME.

The day was about to end. Nothing spectacular is happening just yet. But I don't know, my faith is saying to patiently wait.

Now I am going home. No word still. Haven't shared to anyone. My confidence is on God. I love the kids and I did not want them to be uncomfortable without their diapers.

I reached home. No diapers. But as I sat and closed my eyes, God has provided- no strings attached. It's yours, for the diapers.

I can't brag of anything that I have because it is all from God. I can only brag about His faithfulness, of the Truth that He indeed answers prayers. After all, if He can't be Lord of all, what's the point of all these? I loved Him more because He is true to His promises. And he never fails. He's always on time. Thank you Lord! All glory, honor, worship, praise is Yours, forever and ever.

Matthew 6:8b... for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Who's on Your TOP LIST?

Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Lord, I want to know you more in a very personal way. I want to know what Your kingdom is and understand your heartbeat. Let me love what you love and hate what you hate. Help me be in your side all the days of my life and fulfill whatever is there in store for me. Oh how I want to know your will and see the promised land for me. Thank you that it is not just about the "things that will be given to me" (that is already a bonus) in return, but that I have fullness of life in you.

I appreciate a friend for reminding me not to focus on the blessings but on the one who blessed. Blessings fade away, but the One who blessed will remain- and that he never fails. :) God thank you for reminding me to fix my eyes on you- that even if everything is gone, I will remain, because I have you. In Jesus' name, amen! :)

Preparation

Preparation is indeed a word that describes if not all, majority of the breakthroughs and great things that happened in my life. What is wonderful about preparation is that it is not always pleasing and doesn't always bring a good feeling. Sometimes, it even challenges relationships, tests faith, provokes impatience, and shakes foundations. It reveals character. But always remember that once every storm strikes, with God alongside us, we always end up victorious. I can't help but reminisce our lives as a family last 2009 and how God showed his faithfulness and commitment for us- as a family.

Allow me to write about preparation in general and in my life as a whole.

1. Marriage- God prepared me for great things. He prepared me to get married to a wonderful woman, filled with faith, excitement and love for God. A faith that shames mine (most of the time), a faith the blows away every unbelief and doubts that I experience. I am glad that God prepared me to accept that fact, that I married a woman who isn't perfect- but man, she's full of wisdom, when in comes to believing God for something.

2. Typhoon Ondoy- The people who adopted and helped us can attest as to how God has been faithful to us, especially during the last quarter of 2009. Although we lost material things, God doubled it. We did not see it as preparation at first, in fact, we were discouraged also, cried over what happened. I cried seeing my kids sleeping and transferring from one house to another. Then I thought, if that is how I feel as a human being, how much more is God's concern over us- His children that He died for? God prepared us indeed, not as we expected it to be- in our eyes, but He did.

3. Our children: Matt and Dave- This is one of the highlights of my life for the past 3+ years. I know that raising children is a challenge but discipling them is more than a challenge. It entails huge preparations. Who would I want them to follow? How can I raise the standard? How can I teach destiny? Humility? Teachability? How can I demonstrate Jesus in a manner that they can understand? God has prepared me and still teaching me about this. I remember, I have always looked up to the people who trained me in church. From the start that I joined Victory, I have always wanted to build a family the way my leaders do it. That is mainly because my Raising Children 101 lessons are outdated, but with God's help, he surrounded me with people who served as living examples/lessons whom I can learn from. I am not yet sure as to how things will work out exactly, because Matt and Dave are still young, but I am excited of whatever they will become- in God's perfect time. I remember Pstr. Joel sharing about Mt 6:8 saying, "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him". This one comforted me bigtime, not just with my children, but leading a family as a whole. Sometimes, I tend to get worried, but yes, my Father (take note of that word, it's really life-changing, because He's not just a God now, He is my Father) knows EVERYTHING that I need.. isn't that very comforting? :)

4. People- God prepared me and my wife for this. Actually, it's more of Him renewing our passion and compassion for people. Our desire to fish for men and women always reflects our desire to honor God and love Him. His very heart is for people. His Kingdom is all about people- feeding them, helping them, interceding for them, loving them, and training them to follow Christ. This is important- and I know how it meant for us ni Connie, having people surrounding us also, standing for us and praying for us- makes you feel and see God through them.

5. For the Future. Preparation is always for the future. It is like a plan. You won't prepare for your past. You won't prepare for your present. You prepare for your future. And there is always a reason why you prepare. You don't prepare for nothing, just because you want it- without any motive or intention at all. You prepare because you are aspiring for something. It is therefore safe to say that only those who aspire or dream for something prepare. What is the sense of preparation without the goal? It's like buying an airline ticket without a destination. How foolish would that be. But still a lot of people do that. They call it spontaneity. Fun. It's like going home without a route or specific road to take. Just go on and on and hoping that the road leads you to your house eventually (sorry, hope is not even the right word for this). The other way of looking at this is having a goal, but failing to prepare. It is like taking the boards without reviewing now. Aspiring to have the best wife, without being the best husband-to-be now. There is more, I can go on and on, but I hope my point is well-explained already.

I am glad that I have a big God who is preparing me for a great future. I can be sure that it is going to be marvelous. I can trust Him because of His Word. I can trust Him because He already proved Himself faithful, from the time that I learned how much He loved me and gave Himself for me, until the time that He blessed me with things I can't even begin to say that I truly deserve. What more proof can I say to convince me of His love and commitment for me on top of this- dying for me and taking away the punishment that I deserve? What more? It is even hard to do that to someone we love, how much more to our enemies? We were once enemies, but how come he loved us still? How come he wants to give us a hope and a future? What could we have done to deserve Him?

1 Peter 1: 13-14 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.

Hebrews 10:4-6 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.