ABC STARS Inspires

In the beginning, we lit a little candle in the dark. It is better to light just one candle than to stumble in the dark as one writer suggests... For some people they always look forward to the next morning. For tomorrow. Because tomorrow, certainly, the sun will rise. The sun is their light. They enjoy a sunny day. Having read Crossing the Threshold of Hope by Saint John Paul II, the pivotal point of becoming a stronger and wiser individual is to, metaphorically soar to the heavens with Faith in the heart. Thus, it can be referred to as the inner light. Or the Holy Spirit descending upon us, as His temple. After the Christmas Season, when we referred to God the Son as Emmanuel, which in Hebrew is "God is within", essentially, He came to bring light amidst the darkness to a world where sin is prevalent. Therefore it is more succinct to ask ourselves, "Who is our Light?" And, through enlightenment, we realise that, indee...

I remember telling myself last January that my New Year's resolution would be just to be zany this 2017. I just wanted to have crazy fun. Nothing illegal though. And, nothing immoral. I sung in public. That was really insane. I will not do that again for the rest of my entire life.  In hindsight, since the audience were all, practically, intoxicated with liquor, I thought to myself that they would not recall what happened the morning after. I was wrong. It spread like wildfire. So, I still sung last night. There are a lot more things that I have done, however, are too delusional to be written and are better left unwritten. Happy New Year 2018! Moreover, please do make a New Year's resolution.  We highly recommend it! - From the Inspires Team photo credit: Long Road Photography (formerly Aff) Happy New Year! via photopin (license) License: (license)

"You are going to die if you do it, Dustin!" He couldn't escape from the echoes of what the old man advised. He remembered the lady with hazel eyes in Karsaw saying something in Portuguese. That's what he did. The pain is not there anymore. He had seen their eyes. It didn't matter to him now. He died a long time ago. What he felt was misty hope and solid trust in the Lord. Lugubrious. That was all he felt. For a fleeting moment. Just for a moment. Then, he felt safe. He felt that he did his best. Penultimately, he walked away. Dustin returned to dust a few weeks later. One blue moonlight, he was, brutally, murdered. photo credit: Giuseppe Milo (www.pixael.com) After the sunrise - Dublin, Ireland - Color street photography via photopin (license) License: (license)

One morning, immersed in trial at the courts of the Manila City Hall, I wondered, what would Sta. Claus this Christmas Season 2017 give me? The burden I bear wear me down, making hazy my Crystal Ball. Would it add YEARS to my life, and LIFE to my years? Could it be? I sought my friend, the Captain, and went to his cabin and wellness lair. The healing hands of Weng, pressing hard to release welled-up tension. I went through excruciating but necessary pain, and i gasped for air! Taking in the Breath of Life, God's Blessing of Abundant Oxygen! Near the bay where the sun sets in soothing calm and majestic glory, Where Nations are United as a venue for the pursuit of Peace, A building stands among others in simple architectural Victory. Fourteen is a significant and meaningful number I wouldn't miss. Many steps and struggles I take to venture in this my existential sleuth. Alas! At SUMACS, I found and have been blessed...

It was my final chance for survival. A long flight from home to the Old World. I did not become well here in a Manila State of Mind. I did not have any expectation. It was my first time to fly to Germany then to be driven to Switzerland. She is a very pleasant lady. She said the only symptom she detected was the slight trembling of my hands. A disorder is the used term for it, although, I would have my own two cents worth of opinion about it. Everyone has a disorder like one Priest said the only difference is the degree.  Zurich is the epitome of order. It is probably the best City in the world to rewire one's thinking into something methodical, logical, and scientific. It is exact. When a Tram is scheduled to arrive at 7:13. Lo and behold, the Tram arrives exactly, at 7:13. I was amazed. Efficiency and Effectiveness, seamlessly, running towards one great river of confluence. Everything is systematic, structured, and serene. Yes. I found serenity. ...

Last Christmas I gave you my heart but the very next day you gave it away. This year... Stop right there. That is not, definitely, a Christmas Carol. It just starts off with the word Christmas in the beginning line. Last Christmas, on Christmas Day, I heard the sad news that there was going to be a powerful typhoon. So, I prayed in front of the Nativity scene and said, "Baby Jesus, Happy Birthday! Please protect my home." Then, I slept like a baby that night. The next morning, I woke up and no damage at all. When I met friends, they were recounting how horrific the storm was. It was howling like crazy. It was as if the weather conditions became beyond psychotic, lunatic, and delusional. It was unbelievable how the wrath of the storm, literally, destroyed everything on its path. I just kept silent. Really quiet. Because I didn't have those experiences. Because I prayed. Because I prayed to Baby Jesus. And, I held...

Tell me again about that story when you went to a far and away place, climbed mountains, crossed the oceans, and went to another continent, Grandpa.. please. You heard it maybe a thousand times already. Well, Grandpa, I would like to hear it a thousand times more. Okay then, as the old man looked intensely at his Grandchild. You were not born yet, of course, and I was quite young then. Oh, that story is one for the books.  A friend of mine told me that story. I thought it was you Grandpa?  Well, sometimes truth is more lovely and ever constant than fiction. It happened a long time ago... There were two brothers who lived in Saigon. Sad part is, the older brother died early. He left a beautiful family. The younger brother went to see his brother's son on the other side of the globe. That was the Uncle that did all those things, the traveling, and the whole nine yards. The Grandfather narrated the story from late afternoon until...

Ascension Press  and  Ascension Presents   in collaboration with  Inspires   give you this riveting magnum opus.‎.. Condensed Reflection by James Z. Carpio When I was a little boy, my siblings and I were told to wait for the scheduled time to open the Christmas Presents. I followed that rule of course, but then, I was excited about my gifts. What I would do is sit beside the tall ornate Christmas Tree, and I would look for my presents, then, I would hold them, and shake them a bit, and then peek a bit. And then, I would guess what they were and I could not wait to see them. That was the excitement of Christmas for me. There was one time my parents caught me and exclaimed, "He sure couldn't wait to open his presents!" And, they gave a hearty laugh. Attending a Catholic School is perhaps advantageous because we were prepared for Christmas. We went to confession and recollection. Advent rituals were done and followed acco...

More than a cathedral, is a pregnant mother! A living temple of the Holy Spirit! A loving tabernacle of life! No other Human handiwork approaches near it! So Mommy carried you with feeling! With pride! Her overflowing love was evident We were then campaigning far and wide, "Twill be a girl" she said, wherever we went, "She follows our second three boys in a row, "She'll be our third girl, sibling number nine." Indeed, with faith, blessings overflow. Greater than all our dreams is God's design! You came on Gaudete—Rejoice!—Sunday, God chose To give us Rose Maricon, our mystic rose! 17 December 1994

Before Tim's older brother, Charlton, died, he told him, "Timmy, I am entrusting you to seven angels." He added, "Never forget that, ever." Tim always wondered how his angels look like and, providentially, one by one, at different times he met and saw them up close and personal. The first one was in a form of an elderly man with hair white as snow. It was one fine November afternoon. Two angels, he met evening time, were in a form of a woman and a man with platinum blond hair. Even though it was dark he could see them as they were glowing and luminous. A pair of angels wearing white robes were waiting for him and they told him that they were going to climb a mountain soon. The rest of the seven would be with them and then some more. It was a cold December day and they were a group of twelve. Tim was the last one trailing behind the angels. When they reached the summit, they spent the night in a gargantuan tent. Tim woke up at 6...

That is my Papa and that is my Mama. Inspires, the website, is a story, a love story between my parents. While Mama and I were waiting inside a restaurant back in the day, she giggled like a schoolgirl, as she watched Papa walked from the parking area towards the restaurant. She said, "he, really, walks like an Officer and a Gentleman." When Papa was a widower, and he heard the song being played on the radio, a Tagalog song, entitled, Pasko na sinta ko or to say it in English would be, It is Christmas now my sweetheart, he sung along with the tune, longing to be with her, one day, once more. Ah!, those two are Lovebirds, they are always together. I used the present tense, as I believe in heaven, I believe the two of them are together again...  Those two sailboats are Papa and Mama. The red one is Mama who passed away early, gone too soon. Then, it took sometime for Papa to catch up... It seemed forever for him to get there. But, it made it ...

William Tucker's eyes welled up with tears of joy after reading the letter he got from the mailbox. His second son, Daniel, is coming home. William smiled as he read the line, "Dad, on any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team". Daniel's tour of duty in Siagrach is finished. The war is over. photo credit: archer10 (Dennis) 107M Views DSC07847 - Mahone Bay Home via photopin (license) License: (license)

I remember one friend telling me, I wish I could travel just like you. I told him one day you will travel as well. He has been traveling around the world now. I remember another friend, she asked, "Jim, will I be able to still get married?" I told her, "of course, there is someone I know who was able to marry too, who is somewhat in your situation." She was able to meet someone and is happily married until now. I remember someone asking me, "will I be able to get a job?" Sure, you would, I coached her, then, she did get the job. I remember doing things that people would follow suit. I am smiling now, as I think about someone who is living life, comfortably, because I showed him a life hack. I remember another friend who was really worried if the job proposal would materialize or not. I told him it's in the bag. He is now working in that company. I remember a friend who was in a stormy weather situation, metaphorically, and I ...

At the end of the tunnel was a bridge. There were two lit lamp posts. William Tucker was halfway before the end of the bridge. On the horizon were two trees. And, more lit lamp posts. Truly, he thought to himself, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. More than that, there is an abundance of light. And, he was amazed about its radiance. Then, he met three angels. They told him, "William, we have a message for you." And, he woke up, it was 5:14 in the morning. He saw Paula sleeping soundly. He decided to go to the dining room. He got a few sheets of paper and he wrote down the messages. To be continued... photo credit: Magdalena Roeseler via photopin (license) License: (license) License: (license)