FACEBOOK

One of the things that I like about the internet is a site called facebook. At first I didn't know if I wanted to get into facebook because I thought it was for the younger generation. But then all of a sudden, I started to get in touch with people that I have lost contact with long, long ago. People that I knew from Elementary School asked me to be their friend on facebook. People in High School that knew me, or even those who just casually knew me, reconnected with me. People that I thought hated me in High School are now in my network. It is quite funny, but the years have mellowed a lot of us, especially now that we have family and children ourselves. I also have reconnected with Church Youth Leaders from long ago that I haven't seen in over 20 years, but feel close to them because of Facebook. I also have some very dear friends from College that have reconnected with me, and I think that is really neat. I have several Minister friends that keeps in touch with me in facebook which is really neat. I know I can ask them for prayer or call on them for advise, as they are welcomed to ask me as well. I see their pictures and their children's pictures and I can see that even though they are far away, I can still get to know them through facebook. Yeah, there are many dangers in facebook, but if used properly, facebook can be such a great way to maintain friendships of the past. I am thankful for facebook....

FLOOD IN TUG VALLEY

I drove through my town the other day and I was just devastated at the scene that I saw. The picture above, with the building with the red roof, was formerly my son's Little League field. I don't know yet what the Little League will do about the games that was scheduled to be played. When the waters receded, the baseball field looked like a field of mud. The concession stand was layered in mud and all the equipment is ruined. As I continued to drive around, I saw people everywhere were cleaning up their homes, scooping up a lot of mud that accumulated. Many lost everything. Belfrey Middle School had 7 feet of water in it, and I believe they cancelled the rest of the school year. The flood of 2009 had made its mark and it is ugly. Churches, businesses, homes are destroyed. Cars are seen underwater, just as the first picture you see above. Yes , this is devastating. I thank the Lord that our home was not affected. The Red Cross is here providing relief. The Governors of West Virginia as well as Kentucky was here. The area we live in is right at the border of these two states so I saw devastation in two states. There is a lack of fresh water and there is a lack of bleach to disinfect the homes from the mold that can grow. It is going to take a long time for this place to get to normal. Please pray for the Flood Victims.....

CINDERALLA

As a father to 4 children, I just wanted to post this to show my kids that they are very important to me and will always try my best to be the best father I can for them.

Father, I pray that I can lead my children that you have given me, to follow you all the days of their lives. Help me to be a good example of what it means to be a Christian. Help me to show my children how much I love them while we are together here on earth, for we know everyday is a gift from you. Thank you for making me a father to my four children..... AMEN

MY LIFE

When I think back to my life, I am just amazed at how I arrived to be a preacher here in the heart of Hatfield & McCoy country. I was born in the other side of the world, a country called the Philippines. My parents decided to move to the United States to have a better life. Recently, I found out that my life would have been really different if things went a different way. When my mother first applied to get her work Visa here in the USA, she was going to do so with the thought of being a nurse in an Indian Village in South Dakota. However, the Visa process took a long time, and by the time she received her Visa, the opening in South Dakota was no longer there. My mom though had friends in New York City. So she decided to move to New York City with some of our friends to start a new life. She got a job and immediately started to save up so the rest of the family can join her in a few months. She was able to get us a nice apartment and when I came to the USA with my brother John and my father Ernesto, we had a place to stay and a new life in New York City.
I wonder how my life would have been like if we did move to South Dakota instead of New York City. I wonder if I would still be a Minister here in Hatfield/McCoy country. Would I have met my lovely wife Barbara, or would I have met someone else and married her? It just boggles my mind to where I am at today. But I know one thing. God is in control and I know God had a big hand in where I am today. My wife and I are raising 4 beautiful children who are very talented and are fairly disciplined. I can't imagine myself as anything else but a Minister of God's Church. Yeah, sometimes I wish I had more money, but I also know that God has always provided us with whatever we need.
I wonder what the next few years will take us to. My son Joshua will be in College in a year. My daughter Rachel, who is 14, wants to go to Johnson Bible College, where I went and met Barbara, and she wants to be a Missionary. My son Aaron is 12 loves to play baseball and loves to have friends and don't really know what he wants to do. Meanwhile, I have a 2 year old that will turn 3 on May 11th. He keeps me young and makes me proud to be a dad. He is quite a active boy and I am blessed to have him, as well as my other children. As I see a little more gray hair in my head, I wonder what thrills my God will have for me and my family as the days go by....I wonder...

OUR COUNTRY AND THE STIMULAS PACKAGE

As a Minister in a small church and in a Great Country, I am quite concerned of the economic trend our nation is in. My family came to this country in 1971 because it is the greatest nation on earth with a lot of opportunities for all. I remember coming into New York City and was totally amazed at the tall buildings and the beautiful city before me. To a lot of people around the world, whether they admit it or not, the United States of America is the modern day land that is flowing with Milk and Honey.

Today the nation is in shambles. I am still trying to recover from paying $4.00 a gallon for gas that now I think $2.00 a gallon is a bargain.... funny how perceptions change. Now there is a Stimulas Package out there that is worth TRILLIONS of dollars that the United States don't have, but we will print it and borrow it and let the future generations worry about them. Something is wrong here. I don't care whether this is led by Democrats or Republicans, the fact is that our nations is going down the drain. The more money we print, the less our dollars will be worth. How much longer before we start trading our Dollars for the Mexican Pesos?

I am not an expert at the economy and I hope I am wrong. I do not agree with our President, but I support him because he is my President. I pray that the leaders in this country will seek our God and seek out God's will for this country. Our greatest Stimulas Plan should only come from God above.

MY CHURCH

My church that I minister at is a small church but a very special church. It is located in the heart of Hatfield/McCoy country. The Fifth Avenue Church of Christ has a lot of special people that I have learned to love over the last year and I pray that the Lord will lead me to stay here in this ministry for a very long time. The church is located in Williamson, West Virginia while the Parsonage is located in South Williamson, Kentucky which is only a mile away. The area is more isolated than I am used to, but not that bad at all. There is a College nearby in which my wife Barbara will be taking Nursing Courses starting next Fall. She just passed her entrance exam for Nursing and I am proud of her. The people in the area are nice and friendly and the crime rate is low. The Linkous House, which is a Bed & Breakfast is right next door to the church and I highly recommend it. Our church sings Contemporary Music with a mix of some Traditional Hymns. In the picture above, you see daughter Rachel in front of the Church Sign. She painted the picture in the sign.... I am so proud of her!!! Please come and visit us whenever you can!!!

FRIENDS

Friends to me are extremely important, and as many of my friends know, I cherish my friendships with them deeply. I also try very hard to get in touch with friends of the past and surprise them with an email or a phone call. Currently I am still looking for some friends from High School with no luck, but I am sure I will find them someday.

My College friends are very important. I went to three Colleges. I went to Nyack College in Nyack, New York. Then I went on to Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa Falls, Georgia. Finally I transferred to Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, Tennessee. Through my travels, I made a lot of friends that I will always draw near to my heart. Hopefully they feel the same with me.

I had a friend in High School that I use to be very close to. We did a lot of things together and we went through a lot together. A few years ago I found him, even though he changed his name, and I was very happy. He talked to me a few times, but then he said, "The times we had was so long ago.... another lifetime." After that, he cut off all correspondence. I don't know why. I don't think I offended him. Yet, he felt that his past is the past. That hurt.

Yes friends are special, yet friends can hurt us. I know I have hurt some of my friends in the past. If you are someone special in my life and are reading this, I just want to affirm my friendship with you. Please keep in touch!!!