L.C. Clark's Blog, page 13

My Mother's Generosity

Mely, my mom   Mely, my mother was a woman of few words.  She was not like other women in our Pasay City neighborhood.  She hardly went out except to church or to the market.  She didn’t listen to or forward gossip.  She was not judgmental but was always conscious of what others might say.
   Once a month she took me to visit her in-laws, my father’s family in their home in Makati City.  My mom whispered the same instructions to me each time.  I was in grade school and she wanted to be sure I remember and practice it.  Here’s what she said to me:
   “When you get married, you have to support your husband’s parents financially.  After all, you won’t have that husband if they didn’t give life to him.  Whether they ask of it or not, give them a monthly share from your budget.”
   During Christmas season, before the 13th Month Pay became a law, my mother had an envelope with gift cash ready for each, to the mailman, the electric meter reader and bill collector, the water meter reader and bill collector, the beautician who does her hair, two housekeepers/nanny, and the dressmaker, (this was before the malls were built.)  For the men on that list, I was assigned to hand the envelope, for modesty’s sake.  If any indigent came knocking at our door, my mother never said “no”.  
   When relatives came for a loan or any financial help, she gave as far as she can afford.  On those times she said to me, “You have to be generous so that when you have children of your own, people will return the favor to them.”  Or she said, “You have to be supportive to your brothers’ wives, so they will make your brothers happy, the same applies to your children’s spouses.”
   My mother treated the housekeepers as family.  She refused to make them wear uniforms because she thinks it puts them down.  When I needed a chaperone going to dance parties, my mom insisted I took one of them with me.  Tina (in the photo), became like a sister to me.  I taught her the prevailing dance craze and introduced her to my friends as part of the family.

   I am just now realizing how my mother’s generosity affected my character.  It developed in me the social consciousness that guided my journey in this life.
See also:Pasay City Born and Bred Mother Said... The Lunchbox

On Big Eyes, the Movie

[image error] From: http://keane-eyes.com/   Before Gloria moved to California, she and her best friend Margarita used to see movies together.  In 2014, Margarita texted her to see the movie, Big Eyes.  Margarita said she had seen it and Gloria shouldn’t miss it because the movie is based on a real life Jehovah’s Witness.  That was about two years ago.
Damian Lewis
From: http://coolspotters.com/   Two months ago Gloria's daughter told her the movie Big Eyes is now available in HULU.  Gloria took note but she had a list of shows she binge watched from pilot episode like Homeland, Billions, Life, etc.  Obviously, she has fallen in love with Damian Lewis, the guy who put red head in fashion.  Then, she ran out of Damian Lewis’ shows.     

   So finally, she watched Big Eyes.  Three quarters of the movie showed Margaret Keane being dominated by her husband.  Gloria thought, she was different from her.  She would not have suffered like Margaret did.  

   Margaret was manipulated to be her husband's work horse while he took the credit for her talent.  He isolated her from her friends, yet she stayed ten lonely years.  When Jehovah’s Witnesses gave her a Bible study, she found the strength to make a change, to break away.
   At the end of the movie, Gloria realized she was no different from Margaret after all.  She stayed unhappily married for twenty three years.  She did everything she could to disguise her loneliness.  When she studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, she found the strength to make changes.  

   First, she threw away the eight feet plastic Christmas tree she set up every year to convince herself that she's got a happy family with presents around the tree.  It was a façade, no one in the family was happy.
   Second, she had a talk with the Elders of her congregation about the legalities and spiritual status of her marriage.  She sought to do what would be right in God’s eyes.  Due to a technicality, her wedding was not perfectly legal.  It needed fixing.  

   The Elders gave her a choice between having a second wedding to remove the technicality or walk away and be single again.  When she heard that it would not be a transgression if she left, she felt as if a weight had been lifted.  With prayers and Bible passages to guide her decisions, she sold their two story, four bedroom home and split the money between her and her husband, as fair as her conscience allows.
From:http://printcentralandsigns.com/   She was baptized in December 1991, at the Lovers of Freedom Convention.  She got freed at last.
See also:Prince, The Jehovah's Witness Invention of Weapons A Proof of Genesis 

The Girl at the Airport

   Gloria, a Jehovah’s Witness senior citizen came home to Manila for a vacation in January, 2016 at the height of the ‘Laglag Bala’ controversy.  She was so wary that she wrapped her Coach purse in paper then covered it with duct tape.  She checked-in a one regular size luggage securely locked after watching the YouTube video of how easy it is to open zippers with ball pen or pencil.     When she arrived in Manila, a female airport employee in white security uniform with a handheld CB Radio hanging on her belt caught up with her as soon as she passed the immigration and security counters.  The airport employee offered to help her with the wheeled luggage she dragged around.  Gloria respectfully declined the offer.  The woman continued to walk with her until they reached the spot where arriving passengers awaited their pick up.  They sat on the bench provided for those with last name that starts with the letter ‘C’.
   They sat facing the four meter wide curb and the street that brought in the cars picking up arriving passengers.  Fely wasn’t where she should be.  The airport employee asked Gloria for the phone number of the person picking her up, her cousin Fely.  She offered to call Fely because Gloria did not have a cellphone roaming in Manila.  Their call kept going into Fely’s voicemail.  After several tries, they gave up.
   All the airport employee’s kindness made Gloria more fearful.  She asked herself “why is this woman hanging on to me?”  An hour later, Gloria decided she would stay put, sleep on the bench if necessary, until Fely comes to find her.  She remembered an old friend who worked as an airport porter.
   “Do you happen to know a porter named Mario?  He’s Jehovah’s Witness,” she asked the airport employee.
   “Are you a Jehovah’s Witness?” the airport employee replied, without answering her question.
   “Yes, I am,” Gloria said.
   “Are you a Regular Pioneer?” the airport employee asked.  The term Regular Pioneer refers to an organization ministry privilege in the Watchtower organization.
   “Are you a Jehovah’s Witness?” Now it’s Gloria’s turn to ask the airport employee.
   “Yes, but I have recused myself since I married a non-witness man.”
   “Were you disfellowshipped?  Were you reprimanded?”
   “No, but I felt I no longer belonged there,” the airport employee sadly replied.  Gloria guessed that the woman might have heard some unkind, judging words from fellow worshippers.
   “Are you legally married to the man?” Gloria asked.
   “Yes.”
   “The very first Jehovah’s Witness I met said something that stayed with me.  He said, “Humans judge each other harshly than Jehovah himself.”  I also married a man who was not a Jehovah’s Witness.  I am still a Witness to this day.  Jehovah owns the organization.  You are not in the organization for anybody else other than Him.  You deserve to be there if you want to stay.” Gloria said strongly to the sad woman.
   Immediately after that conversation, Fely came walking towards them saying, she had walked back and forth past their bench less than four meters away but didn’t see them.  Neither did Gloria and the airport employee see Fely.  Amazed at the implied miraculous mishap, Gloria and the airport employee stared at each other.
   “You see how much Jehovah wants you back?  Fely and I could not find each other until after we’ve had that talk.  You need to go back to being a Witness now,” Gloria said, the airport employee hugged her, both of them close to tears.
   “regarding whatever our hearts may condemn us in, because God is greater than our hearts and knows all things” (1 John 3:20)
   Gloria, in the stress of travel or maybe due to a senior moment, forgot to ask the airport employee’s name.  She hopes they find each other again on her next trip home.
See also:Google It On Theories The God of the Poor

Conceived in Heartbreak

   The Filipinos have an ‘old wives tale’ that babies conceived in heartbreak grow up to be grumpy while those conceived in bliss grow up to be cheerful adults.  This has been passed from generation to generation.  It has been used to tease irritable people as “ipinaglihi sa sama ng loob” (conceived in heartbreak).  Here’s what modern thoughts say about it.
   “Fetuses exposed to elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which possibly gets released in the mother's body when she's stressed out, could have trouble paying attention or solving problems as they grow up… “fetal programming,” the idea that events in the womb could prime the developing child for long-term health and developmental outcomes.” (LiveScience.com) 
   “In fact, given the intricate physiological relationship between mother and fetus, it would be somewhat surprising if dynamic aspects of the maternal environment did not serve to shape fetal development.” (child-encyclopedia.com) 
   “It is thought that high levels of stress hormones in the womb affect the delicate development of the unborn baby’s brain…The research, which tracked thousands of babies from the womb to school, found the hormones raise the odds of a child experiencing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other behavioral problems… The study found that mothers who were stressed in pregnancy, or had suffered a relationship breakdown or bereavement were twice as likely as others to have a child who was ‘mixed-handed’ at the age of five... Those who are mixed-handed use one hand for tasks such as writing and another for things such as throwing and catching a ball.” (dailymail.co.uk)
   The good Filipino husband knows, by tradition, to give in to the pregnant wife’s whims during pregnancy.  Apparently, it also makes him a good father to the unborn child.  The mother’s ‘blissful state’ contributes to the child's well being. 
   “Ayurveda, the ancient scientific system of Indian medicine, recommends that expectant mothers should be happy, pleased, always calm and satisfied. Ayurveda also suggests that their wishes should be fulfilled to keep their body, mind and spirit, in a blissful state...Research studies prove the theory that fetuses recognize their mother’s voice and start learning while they are still in the womb”(completewellbeing.com)
   Hence, it follows that the mother’s weeping, or the sound of someone yelling at her, the issues argued, verbalized disappointments and difficult situations that confront the mother during pregnancy will be ‘learned’ by the fetus.
   The Filipinos’ ‘old wives tale’ about babies conceived in heartbreak seems to have a scientific basis, proving once again the wisdom of the ages.
See also:Neglect, An Emotional Abuse Mother Said... 
Mother Said …Part 2

Conceived With Heartbreak

   The Filipinos have an ‘old wives tale’ that babies conceived in heartbreak grow up to be grumpy while those conceived in bliss grow up to be cheerful adults.  This has been passed from generation to generation.  It has been used to tease irritable people as “ipinaglihi sa sama ng loob” (conceived with heartbreak).  Here’s what modern thoughts say about it.
   “Fetuses exposed to elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which possibly gets released in the mother's body when she's stressed out, could have trouble paying attention or solving problems as they grow up… “fetal programming,” the idea that events in the womb could prime the developing child for long-term health and developmental outcomes.” (LiveScience.com) 
   “In fact, given the intricate physiological relationship between mother and fetus, it would be somewhat surprising if dynamic aspects of the maternal environment did not serve to shape fetal development.” (child-encyclopedia.com) 
   “It is thought that high levels of stress hormones in the womb affect the delicate development of the unborn baby’s brain…The research, which tracked thousands of babies from the womb to school, found the hormones raise the odds of a child experiencing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other behavioral problems… The study found that mothers who were stressed in pregnancy, or had suffered a relationship breakdown or bereavement were twice as likely as others to have a child who was ‘mixed-handed’ at the age of five... Those who are mixed-handed use one hand for tasks such as writing and another for things such as throwing and catching a ball.” (dailymail.co.uk)
   The good Filipino husband knows, by tradition, to give in to the pregnant wife’s whims during pregnancy.  Apparently, it also makes him a good father to the unborn child.  The mother’s ‘blissful state’ contributes to the child's wellbeing. 
   “Ayurveda, the ancient scientific system of Indian medicine, recommends that expectant mothers should be happy, pleased, always calm and satisfied. Ayurveda also suggests that their wishes should be fulfilled to keep their body, mind and spirit, in a blissful state...Research studies prove the theory that fetuses recognize their mother’s voice and start learning while they are still in the womb”(completewellbeing.com)
   Hence, it follows that the mother’s weeping, or the sound of someone yelling at her, the issues argued, verbalized disappointments and difficult situations that confront the mother during pregnancy will be ‘learned’ by the fetus.
   The Filipinos’ ‘old wives tale’ about babies conceived with heartbreak seems to have a scientific basis, proving once again the wisdom of the ages.
See also:Neglect, An Emotional Abuse Mother Said... 
Mother Said …Part 2

Boston Globe’s Spotlight on Crimes Against Children

   In 1981, Donald Roemer pleaded guilty to child molestation in Los Angeles.  In 1985, Gilbert Gauthe, was convicted of similar offences against 11 boys.  Those two were priests, but the abuse was seen as isolated incidents. There was no consistent pattern of a cover up.  The priests were simply moved to a different location without informing the authorities. (www.theguardian.com)
   In 1994, Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act was enacted as a part of the Omnibus Crime Bill as guidelines for states to track sex offenders.  Did priests got on this sex offenders registry? (ojp.gov/smart/legislation.htm)
   In January 2002, Boston Globe came out with the first of the 800 articles on the scandal involving 150 priests, in Boston alone, accused of sexual abuse on more than 500 victims that filed abuse claims.  The church-goers’ donations slumped by 50%.  That means the other 50% either agreed or didn’t care about the sexual abuse of children. (www.theguardian.com)
   As a result of the Boston Globe articles, on Monday, 8 July, 2002, six months later, the Catholic Church apologized for sex abuse committed in the Philippines.  

   “According to the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, about 200 of the country's 7,000 priests may have committed “sexual misconduct” - including child abuse, homosexuality and affairs - over the past two decades.” (BBC News)  That means going all the way back to 1982.  How many were the victims of the 200 priests?  Surely there wasn’t just one each, assuming the twenty years is accurate.
   The Vatican heard of the sex abuse allegations concerning about 3,000 priests dating back up to 50 years, according to Monsignor Charles J Scicluna, the Vatican's Promoter of Justice that investigates the complaints. 
   “The founder of a religious order that treats Roman Catholic priests who molest children concluded in the 1950s that offenders were unlikely to change and should not be returned to ministry, according to his letters, which were obtained by plaintiffs' lawyers… In a 1957 letter to Bishop Matthew Brady of Manchester, N.H., Fitzgerald wrote that abusive priests only pretended to repent and change “to be again in a position where they can continue their wonted activity”… The New Mexico treatment center closed in the 1990s in the face of lawsuits over priests who molested children while staying or after being treated there.  That means the priests still got access to children during and after the so called treatment.
   After the Boston Globe's investigative journalism that earned the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the can still has not given out all its worms.
See also: Neglect, An Emotional Abuse Who Created Sunday The God of the Poor

Boston Globe’s Spotlight

   In 1981, Donald Roemer pleaded guilty to child molestation in Los Angeles.  In 1985, Gilbert Gauthe, was convicted of similar offences against 11 boys.  Those two were priests, but the abuse was seen as isolated incidents. There was no consistent pattern of a cover up.  The priests were simply moved to a different location without informing the authorities. (www.theguardian.com)
   In 1994, Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act was enacted as a part of the Omnibus Crime Bill as guidelines for states to track sex offenders.  Did priests got on this sex offenders registry? (ojp.gov/smart/legislation.htm)
   In January 2002, Boston Globe came out with the first of the 800 articles on the scandal involving 150 priests, in Boston alone, accused of sexual abuse on more than 500 victims that filed abuse claims.  The church-goers’ donations slumped by 50%.  That means the other 50% either agreed or didn’t care about the sexual abuse of children. (www.theguardian.com)
   As a result of the Boston Globe articles, on Monday, 8 July, 2002, six months later, the Catholic Church apologized for sex abuse committed in the Philippines.  “According to the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, about 200 of the country's 7,000 priests may have committed “sexual misconduct” - including child abuse, homosexuality and affairs - over the past two decades.”  That means going all the way back to 1982.  How many were the victims of the 200 priests?  Surely there wasn’t just one each, assuming the twenty years is accurate.
   The Vatican heard of the sex abuse allegations concerning about 3,000 priests dating back up to 50 years, according to Monsignor Charles J Scicluna, the Vatican's Promoter of Justice that investigates the complaints. 
   “The founder of a religious order that treats Roman Catholic priests who molest children concluded in the 1950s that offenders were unlikely to change and should not be returned to ministry, according to his letters, which were obtained by plaintiffs' lawyers… In a 1957 letter to Bishop Matthew Brady of Manchester, N.H., Fitzgerald wrote that abusive priests only pretended to repent and change “to be again in a position where they can continue their wonted activity”… The New Mexico treatment center closed in the 1990s in the face of lawsuits over priests who molested children while staying or after being treated there.  That means the priests still got access to children during and after the so called treatment.
   After the Boston Globe's investigative journalism that earned the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, the can still has not given out all its worms.
See also: Neglect, An Emotional Abuse Who Created Sunday The God of the Poor

What Creates Homelessness

From: www.blogs.va.govWhat creates homelessness? Below are some reasons:
1. Unemployment - military training rarely qualifies for civilian jobs;2. The shortage of cheap housing; 3. Veterans with disability (PTSD) and persons with substance abuse; 4. Lack of family support – those who, all their lives, avoided to support their children, siblings, their own parents, and extended family like ex-spouse, cousins, uncles and aunts while they had the resources to do so, find themselves with no one paying back.  
   The first three are for society and governments to address.  The last one is a homeless by choice.  A man can choose to avoid paying his own children support by doing undocumented jobs or putting up a business in someone else’s name to.  
   I know someone whose children grew up and eventually became professionals without his help.  As he advanced in age, the undocumented jobs went to younger candidates and he had no employment track record for any legal job application.  
   Aside from Supplemental Security Income (SSI), he had no social security contributions to benefit from.  The monthly maximum SSI amount as of 2016 is $733.  Here, we factor in item 1 to 2, his unemployment due to age and inexperience, and shortage of cheap housing that his SSI can afford.  As for no.3, he avoided the military draft by marrying at sixteen, however, his substance abuse started when he was seventeen and continued till he was seventy.  
   His children has disowned him.  His ex-wives have moved on.  His parents have died and his siblings, in slightly better situation are not willing to adopt him.  The man now lives in the streets, in a state with four seasons.  That means killer winters and torching summers over 100 degrees.
   Another group of homeless by choice is the runaway.  I flew the coop at seventeen for no valid reason other than baseless pride and arrogance.  I wanted adventure and dangerous liaisons.  When I needed shelter, my cousin Ate Fely, in her kindness, took me in for a season.  
   I did not evade a military draft, on the contrary, I was war freak.  I did not ditch child support, in fact I have raised three professionals.  I worked all my life.  To this date, head hunters are still emailing me from my LinkedIn, for jobs I no longer have the health to do.  
   Fast forward to 2015, I went home from California at middle age.  I have come full circle.  I found myself back in Ate Fely's home.  She is still my go-to whenever I’m homeless.  
See also:
The God of the PoorCreator of Poverty Who Created Sunday

Benefits of Drinking Ginseng Tea

From Amazon.com   When I was in my 40’s, a friend of mine came by to sell me a very expensive item she believed would do my health a lot of good.  I wasn’t sick but I wanted to help her out so I bought the Red Korean Ginseng Extract.  I was impressed that it came in a wooden box like a treasure with a little bitty spoon used for measuring into a cup of tea.  It didn’t taste bad, but not the taste of typical tea.  After a month of drinking the ginseng tea I noticed my pee came with what looked like red sand that settled at the bottom.  I don’t eat or drink sand so I believe the ‘red sand’ could be kidney or bladder stones that the ginseng disintegrated and expelled.  
   Twenty years later, I came across the effects of ginseng on dialysis patients from Kidney Disease Symptoms, which sort of supports my theory on the ‘red sand’.  It says ginseng can:
“1. Lower high creatinine level - Creatinine level is one common blood test item that will increase with the decline of kidney function. 
2. Regulate blood pressure - Kidneys have the function of keeping fluid and sodium balance and secreting renin. When they are damaged, they fail to work normally. Ginseng is one famous nourishing medicine that is able to regulate blood pressure and restore cardiac function.
3. Improve hematopoietic and platelet function - In addition to cleanse blood, making EPO, which stimulates the body to produce red blood cells, is another important renal function. Ginseng or its extractive has the effects of protecting and stimulating hematopoietic function, so as to increase red blood cells, hemoglobin and platelet. This can alleviate renal patients’ anemia largely.
4. Boost immune system - In this case, ginseng can help improve their immunity and fight against various problems.”
   “Ginseng may help with stimulating physical and mental activity among people who are weak and tired. A Mayo Clinic study revealed that ginseng showed good results in helping cancer patients with fatigue.” (From: MNT)
From: wikimapia.org    Recently, I found Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Tea from Lucky.  I remembered the ginseng in the wooden box.  I tried it and after a week of drinking this tea with ginseng, I felt incredible energy.  That weekend, I attended an all-day convention in Cow Palace which ended at 5:00 pm.  The sun sets at 8:00 pm here in San Francisco so I had time to clean two cars, carrying the buckets of water from inside the house to our street parking.  WOW!
See also:More Thrift Tips If You’re Tired Of… Living on Dialysis

The Art of Preaching

   Preaching has been called a ‘vocation’ by Catholic priests, a ‘calling’ by Mormons, a job for those who pass around collection box as they preach in street corners and inside buses.  No one has heard of preaching as an art. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 4:2 said “Preach the word; be at it urgently in favorable times and difficult times; reprove, reprimand, exhort, with all patience and art of teaching.”
   Art is typically a painting, a sculpture or architecture.  Religious mages have been worshiped by pagans and those who claim to be Christians.  This article does not concern pagans.  The above Biblical passage would involve only Christians.  Painting and sculpture for religious practice has been forbidden in the Bible long before art schools happened.  The Book of Exodus 20:4, explicitly commands against creating images, whether for preaching or worship.  
   How can preaching be an art form?  The JW’s, follow what the Bible preach, and only what the Bible preach.  To encourage Bible reading, their art of preaching has taken many forms through the years.  
The ‘sandwich’ board worn by members pacing the streets;  The magazines, brochures and tracts have been translated to over 200 languages, using whatever printing technology is available. reflexiveaction.wordpress.com    www.pinterest.com  www.jwfacts.com







Books were written to put together Bible based articles to fit the age of the reader.  The books lead the readers to specific Bible passages that could help them on whatever situation they are experiencing.  Some were written to highlight Bible characters, its history and contribution to Jehovah’s plan of saving mankind through God's Kingdom, that Jesus instructed to pray for, "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.  Let your Kingdom come..."
When the internet arrived on the scene, JW.org was born.  It provides publication download for free,  with a choice of over 200 languages. 
To make preaching interesting and entertaining, videos are now available.  There have been Hollywood films with Biblical characters.  However, commercial films are created for profit, hence not available to every country, as restricted by subtitle language translation, and often sacrifice Bible truth for sensationalism.  
Cart witnessing has been added to catch those who door to door preaching don't find at home.  It may seem to be a throwback to the ‘sandwich’ board, however, cart witnessing gives away free copies of printed literature in different languages.  It serves as a billboard in places where one could not be put up, like inside a train station or along crowded streets.  

   The art of preaching, as Paul suggested in his letter to Timothy was taken seriously by the ‘faithful and discreet slaves’, purposely unnamed, to avoid taking credit.  They are simply following the organized preaching Jesus himself taught his disciples. "And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14)  
See also:Love at First Sight  The Preacher’s Business  DNA, Wine and Injustice