"Desire sets the compass..."

Have you experienced uniting fantasy with reality?. . . or a reconciliation between  miracle/mystery with natural phenomenon?

In our private and individual lives, every year-end or when the new year commenced, we are confronted with “new year’s resolution”.  This is simply subjecting ourselves to self-evaluation, how far we are going in our pilgrimage or earthly journey.

The “mystical fiction”, the No. 1 New York Times bestselling book by Mitch Albom (as shown below) partially and positively answers the above-question re: “uniting fantasy with reality” and “reconciliation  between miracle/mystery with natural phenomenon”.

I acknowledge with much appreciation to the Christmas 2014 gift-giver, Archt Easter Colette P. Gloria-Nakila, UAP.  Thanks a lot, Yette!!

Interspersed with the historical background of the telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell claiming “Ahoy!!” over Thomas Edison’s “Hello!!!” as the most appropriate and standard greeting, Mitch Albom connects Heaven with the phone.

The introduction of Philip Yancey’s Soul Survivor is intriguing and timely that pictured two (2) separate scenarios.  He compared the mountainous pile of garbage at Smokey Mountain in Manila, Philippines with the debris of Ground Zero in New York City after the 9-11-2001 bombing.  A sense of closeness was built in me with Philip Yancey.

 

I was excited to open the Christmas 2014 gift from our architect daughter. I was moved with the heart-warming letter of Mitch Albom to his treasured Readers in the Philippines with his visit to Tacloban City after Typhoon Yolanda. I felt I am one of those avid readers who met him.  It provided a much greater intimacy that ignited me to go on reading.  I’m sorry I did not make it to his visit and book signing in SM City, Cebu.

Albom’s mystical novel, the first phone call from heaven may or may not increase our faith and belief in the afterlife, that there is Heaven.  I can sense skeptical Jehovah Witnesses (JW) friends who are laughing while reading with the highly imaginative, creative and “criminal” mind of the author. But, I think they should be entertained with the twist of events.

 

A group of them (JW) handed me the December 2014 issue of Awake, Watchtower and the handbook, What the Bible Really Teaches?.  In appreciation, I commented in a question form, “Is this your Christmas gift to me?”.  They were taken aback because they don’t celebrate Christmas and other Holidays of the Catholic Church.  Much more, they don’t believe in Heaven.  Doubtful and unsure, they said, “please look down on us when you are up in Heaven”.

Sometime in August 2014 when Judy was confined in the hospital followed by our only son, Francis John, I read and finished reading not a spiritual fiction, nor a Fifth Gospel but a religious novel.  It is a compilation of the Story of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Seen by Mystics.  Many discoveries/rediscoveries and or religious lessons are learned not written in the Bible which other Christian religions do not believe, being Bible-believing Christians (sola scriptura).

In our earthly journey, we may have several forms of wishes and desires especially during the New Year.  They may include material or financial blessings; physical & emotional health and spiritual well-being.  Mitch Albom claims, “Desire sets our compass but the real daily life events steer the course”.  Our ultimate “desire” must be with our Almighty Father in His Kingdom in Heaven so that this desire sets our “life compass” to that final destination.  In our journey, many good and bad events happen that may weaken or strengthen our steering ability. 

Literally, we have a BCBP brother, Kuya Ed Lanticse who is engaged in “compass adjustment” in his capacity as ship captain and COO of the Universal Shipping Management & Services (USMS), Cebu City.  Kuya Ed, I claim my “commission” for the advertisement and endorsement.

Are you aware that big or small “miracles” take place daily?  I recognize a “little miracle” when Dr. & Mrs. Sulpicio Bantugan were stranded for 3 days/nights at home because of Typhoon Seniang (Dec 28-30, 2014).

We had ample time to exchange notes regarding our respective “servant-leadership” with CFC on his part while mine with BCBP.  We travelled back in time as co-alumni of the Visayas Agricultural College (VAC) during our college days, our employment with the Visayas State College of Agriculture (ViSCA), our professional advancement at UPLB and many more including our respective love stories until my voluntary resignation in 1992 as horticulturist and his retirement last year (2014) as animal scientist.  We recognize the major role of God in our lives and our recent individual tests/trials or predicaments experienced in our respective families that may strengthen or weaken our faith.

Our family’s desire for the year-end 2014 was a closer bond with our first daughter who has a family of her own making a living in Brunei.  We were apprehensive and anxious over her emotional instability giving up her career over motherhood to take care of their 5 yr old son, the witty & persuasive Nykko and the 1 yr old twin daughters: the sweet & sensitive Zarah and the jolly & active Zitah.  I praise and thank God for His Divine Providence giving us the opportunity to be strongly bonded during the Christmas Season.

Those are our year-end “little miracles”.  “As what happens with all miracles, once life goes on, those who believe retell them with wonder. . . those who do not, do not” (Mitch Albom p. 322).

I admire Albom’s final acknowledgement in his mystical book, “anything created by my heart and hand is from God, by God, through God and with God”.  This is parallel to what I claim in the articles, “Why do I write?” and “How do I write?” @ www.nestofglory.blogspot.com posted January 31, 2011.  In my write-ups, I abide with Jesus Christ being the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. nmg