The Star of Bethlehem will be visible tonight for the first time in 2,000 years...

On June 30th, Jupiter and Venus will be merging into what is known as a super-star. The conjunction of these two planets has been building throughout the month of June and the result will be a dazzling bright spectacular on June 30th. Sky & Telescope suggest that a similar rare conjunction of Venus and Jupiter may have been what was known as the “Star of Bethlehem” in 3-2 BC and since then there has not been a brighter, closer planetary conjunction. That means that this is the first opportunity of seeing it so clear for 2,000 years!

Jupiter and Venus are the two brightest planets and are often visible from most large city centres.
Throughout June, in the West it has been fascinating to watch the distance between the planet Jupiter and Venus reducing. Yesterday Jupiter was approximately the width of the moon away from Venus and tonight (June 30) the distance will reduce by half when Jupiter passes directly above Venus. Venus and Jupiter will appear to be approximately one-third of a degree apart from one another. If we put our little finger up to the sky both planets would disappear behind it. As the two stars appear to merge together they will look like an extremely bright and brilliant double-star in the night sky.

It is definitely worth a trip outside and if possible take along a pair of binoculars or a telescope for a better view. A good camera with zoom is also a great idea to capture this very rare sight. When planet or star gazing it is always better to go to an area that is not lit up by streetlights as the darker the area that surrounds on earth, the more visible the spectacle is in the sky. Plus, we need to hope we have a clear sky so the view is not obstructed by clouds. The best time to see the planets is not long after it has gotten dark and we need to be looking to the West-Northwest to view them. Dr Hartigan explains, “After about two hours for most latitudes the objects will become difficult to observe as they begin to set. They are bright. You might mistake them for airplanes. ”Don’t miss this dramatic, rare and magical opportunity.

Many Christians see The Star of Bethlehem as a miraculous symbol of the birth of Jesus, however, there are many who see it as an astronomical event, such as, a pulsar, nova, comet or a conjunction that occurred at the same time as the birth.

Ancient Greeks, Romans and Hebrews believed that astronomical phenomena signified events that would happen on Earth, for example, the birth of important rulers or heroes. Eastern Orthodox Churches and others view the Star of Bethlehem, which led the Magi, as an angel or supernatural being. They believe the angel was sent by God to present a guide for the Magi so they could find the way to the Christ child and lead the world to the dawn of a new light of knowledge.

this article is from the www, thank you :)
~

red cardinal

A cardinal is a representative of a loved one who has passed. 

When you see one, it means they are visiting you. 

They usually show up when you most need them or miss them.

They also make an appearance during times of celebration as well as despair to let you know they will always be with you. 

Look for them, they'll appear.

Unknown Author

I have this cardinal bird tweeting in the pine tree at my window for several days now. it made me cry. above image is from the www. beautiful...

gate's yearly maintenance...

new steel fence that protects the plants from goats eating them... new santans and new king sago palms...really what i do for my former elementary school that shows my dedication and devotion :) if you donated a gate then it is a given that you are also responsible for the upkeep and maintenance so that's what i am doing...love never stops...after all my name is up there so i have to own what's necessary to make it nicer to look at, won't you ;? besides i love plants and flowers... their presence anywhere is definitely a paradise...

that's more like it :)

let's make it colorful and happier from now on :>...image is from the www, thank you...

blue hydrangeas, flowers that came from my dearly departed husband when we first met. yesterday i saw these flowers at the foot of Jesus at the Shrine of the Little Flower Church and it reminded me of him. now i know why it was in the color blue...

a secluded beach

this is what i want in a beach... secluded, private and you are alone by yourself...to think, to measure, to evaluate and to reflect who you are as a person. to think of God, your family and your friends. to plan the future, to make use intelligently of your God given life, the remaining years of it however so many. to aid a life in short...pic is patar beach, in bolinao, pangasinan, not mine... but TY to you who owns it for sharing...far from the pics i have taken of patar beach. maybe it was taken way back when it was really a quiet beach or maybe it is on the other end of this lovely beach...i dunno, but what i know is this pic makes me very happy :>

so few things these days make me happy. if you lose a husband, you lose a part of your life...people say you still have your children. yes, true and i am very thankful for them to God :)...we can go on with our lives but his memories will always be with us until the end of our times on earth...he was far from a perfect husband but he was what we had and btw his dad introduced me to him, his name was Jose, a nurse who graduated at U.P. and was the highest official of the University of Pangasinan, the director of this university then during his times. i was new here in the U.S. not owning a car yet so i took the bus one day going downtown and while waiting for the bus there was this old filipino man walking towards me. and he said "naning i have a boy for you" and it was tito, my husband he was talking about...and i took that as a sign from God...i was 31 yrs. old then. i came here in the U.S. when i was 26 years old. so it did helped when your dad will find you a wife, laughs. i went to his funeral and there i saw my future husband. really i never meant to marry yet, then. i thought that i still have a few more years to enjoy life as a single person but it wasn't meant to be...we named JC from his paternal grandfather, Jose Carlo, in honor of my father in law...so it was not love who found me a husband. it was mr. jose olegario, sr...or saint joseph...

don't chase the sunset...

don't chase the sunset
for it is futile and useless
let's chase the sunrise
for it will be bright for awhile

darkness will follow
if you play at sundown
the moon's light is borrowed
while you dream of tomorrow

sunsets are rest time
sleep and quiet time
nothing will happen
for every body is beholden

creatures will be dreaming
of illusions that won't happen
let's wake up and remember
that sunsets are the end

in sunrise lies the real time
you'll see the truth and the real task
you can't tell in the dark
if games are being played at

but in sunrise the sun
will take the mask out
void of fake covers and colors
for the sun's rays will shine out...

image is from the www. beautiful, thanks for sharing :)

sunset signals the dawn of a new beginning...

you dragged your feet on to the door
it is heavy, your legs won't move
you were where you've been
but the job is not done, not yet
so you search for a new beginning
turning the leaf, turning over the pages
turning your life into a new day
with new shoes to wear and to walk with
to a new direction, new path, new light
new river to swim, new forest to roam
new waterfall to enjoy and bathe from
as you bid farewell to the past
as you thank for the brief encounters
that changed your life forever

what more of the long ones

so you are forever grateful

to God for bringing them to you...

Happy B-day dear Jesus...

Thank you :)

sunsets are closures but they pave the way to new sunrises, new hopes and new ways. a departure sort of, but it is a start of a new journey which when you look back you should have done it sooner. you should have been happier sooner but better late than never. you'll get there anyways...just the same...

the seasons of love

one day i woke up
and the keepsakes are gone
all curtains are drawn
the sun's light can't come inside

these waving, falling, colorful leaves
as tears are dripping down
yes, summer is just too fast
this heartaches filled world of us

autumn is really chilly cold
some rainy days with light frost
the coming winter is white
silence as the skies' ice flakes fly

landing on your numb face
outside your window pane
clogging your beaten path
and at the roof of your house

all the seasons of love
fresh new, sunny bright, golden and light
all live from moment to moment
spring, summer, autumn and winter night...

seems like love comes and goes like the season...that's not real love though. true love is here to stay until life's end, until sunset and till the next break of dawn...

time eats lives

it ticks and ticks and ticks
lives line up to board in it
hurry and enjoy the apple
few bites then torn into pieces

young spring then summer glows
favorite colors of the rainbow
adorned autumn's beautiful view
then frozen by winter's ice cold claw...

birth, maturity, old age then we all bid adieu. not a secret. not an illusion, a reality that to a lot it's hard to swallow. the more old, classic movies i watch at TCM. the deeper i felt about the reality of living and its ending...kinda sad but i feel happy in a way for that understanding. indeed truly time eats lives

global warming is here. the american sycamore tree in front of our house is still green. more than 2 decades ago most of its leaves were fallen on the ground by this time of year. it is already autumn but it is still green all around. not that i am complaining but year after year it seems like fall takes its own sweet time in coming over :)

water denotes spiritual cleansing in the bible in metaphorical form...

the music of our lives...

music is a rose with its thorns sticking out waiting to be plucked
music is a nectar filled honeycomb formed by the buzzing bees around
music is a salt hidden in sea water that flows on the shore by the beach
the taste of the bitter melon plant that special kind of gourd

see music is not always mesmerizing after all
it is solemn and sad, but sweet and soulful like the night
it is bright, clear like the sun and crisp like the wind passing by
lonesome like the wide eyed owl staring at the disappearing moon in the sky

now the question is, what music do you prefer, what music do you like...

it is a sign of how scarred is your life
it is a mark of how sad you'd become
it is a diary of how happiness ruled your past
it is a choice of your future that you alone can decide

so music is a choice of our ears and our minds
a choice of the future path in our lives
then after that we can hum and we can dance
we can sing the lyrics... for that is the music of our lives...

nothing...

i am grown up but why is the sun so high to grab
i am tired almost half of the time on earth to live
but why can't i tell you that my life is a blast

are all the things that i have i did not sweat
are all the days that i have i did not helped a lot
are all the moments i borrowed from God is a waste of time

tell me how to make my remaining years
not filled with complaints, pain and tears
tell me how not to burden my loves that i lived in vain

will i go off the road and take the unusual path
will i jot down some unconventional plans
that no one yet has set their foot prints from

yes: words, words, words, quotes, quotes, quotes
they're useless and nothing IF IT IS NOT YOUR OWN
plow the fields, row the boat and turn that engine on

everyone have it in their brain and soul
some are laid to them in silver platters
that their own workers envy and secretly adore

some will have to shed their blood
to reach their goals for you're nothing
if you just dance, dance, dance there on the floor

spending the money that you didn't fight for
that you didn't earn, that actually you didn't own
for others had worked for you, others had sweat for you

and nothing is tasteless and useless
and nothing else matters if you dance
on the music that it is not your own

your maid is holier in the eyes of the Lord
for they serve you with all their loyalty
love and trust with their own sweat and blood

the security guards are better standing still
ready to defend you when danger looms
where are you in all of these? the Lord will ask...

belittling maids and security guards instead of loving and respecting them...if you changed your course thanks a lot... if you did not...just do not say bad words that should be good enough :) yes, i hope that boost of an ego from a secret love one would help...let's pray :)

where there is pain there will be gain

if you worked hard
you will have your reward
if you're trustworthy
you will find your glory

people remembers
if you are faithful to the rim
for lies are poisonous sharks
that can kill and bite

you'll reap your rewards
with perseverance and spark
you'll find the sun smiling
when you're forever kind

everyday is a journey
with new roads to see
every dawn is an opening
for the sun to spread its bounty...

somewhere in time...

theme song of the movie with the same title, filmed in my state at the time of my arrival in the U.S...starred by jane seymour and the late christopher reeve... a movie classic, one of my favorites. life is a movie...superb, wonderfully played piano piece, thanks maksim :)

IT ENDS AS IT DID BEGIN, WITH MUSIC...

inner thoughts, inner feelings
undying melodies, eternal hymns
they played, they reverberates

the alpha and the omega
birth, death and in between
stories told as these music airs

sad, tear laden, melancholy
wild, loud, unending verses
lyrics a puzzle or direct

nevertheless a priceless past time
worth your while, worth the moon, the stars
worth the sun, and your days and nights...

SOMEWHERE IN TIME...

somewhere in time
where the waves of the ocean
meet the shore i found you

somewhere in time
when the sun was bright
without clouds in the sky there you are

only to leave like we all do
only to say goodbye
only to bid adieu for eternity

only to be remembered
but never to be forgotten if we're lucky
for the rest of our lives...

we all live somewhere in this life's time machine as it drives along or as it rolls along moving through the years maybe accompanied by the music of that time, 100 years ago or 100 years to come. there will be music of the future as there was music of the past. yes, we will all be gone with the wind, gone as time leaves us by. thanks for a blog like this for we can now leave a mark of who we are.

in the meantime as we enjoy this precious gift called life which was given to us by God, i wonder what will the future brings. i can only hope and pray to Him that it will be more of joy and more of fun for that is what i want like everyone else :)

mother angelica's life's quotes

"we can not put off a change of life for tomorrow or old age, for there maybe no tomorrow"...

we can go on living thinking that it might not work but how will we know if we did not try...thanks mother. at 92 you are not only living a life full of years but a life full of task that you have extra ordinarily had accomplished. a life dedicated to God like the pope's life. a life meant for the divine. a life full of inspiration for us...

Mother Angelica is the founder of the EWTN, the Eternal Word Television Network where we can hear mass everyday if we can not attend mass at church for some reason or another. It has millions and millions of Catholic viewers around the world...

please click here for her 18 quotes... 

perhaps...

                   

perhaps life is just a moon beam
that passes by so quickly
perhaps love is just a movie
void of truth and reality
and time is like a thief
that steals your vitality
and time is like a river
that flows so endlessly

then what can you hold onto
when the sun is at its end
just memories of each moments
of laughter, sadness and the rain
just memories that flew away
when your kite is off your sight
just memories of love you thought
you had it in your heart

they're all just memories now
that you can leave behind
as you close your door
as you take your steps out
without looking back
at the windows of your life
that you opened up so many times
without regrets, without a doubt

as you walk out into that beach
at the crack of dawn when the sun
is about to rise, listening to the waves
reminiscing the past good times
as your feet feels the fine, sandy shore 
you wonder about the future to come
as you welcome new beginnings
new hopes, new days of your new life...

let's chase the sunrise

let's chase the sunrise for it will be bright for awhile
let's plan the journey for it will be over the hills and the valleys

we'll fly above the sky into heights we can only dream of for now
let's bring the triumphs, the laurels and the plaques of life

filled with boundless hopes, heaps of faith and heartfelt desires
tomorrow's fulfillment is just days and our heart's beat to count...

dreaming is living, living is loving and loving is the key...you loved it so you did it...above image is from the www, thank you...poetic verses remind me of anthony bourdain and his quote "i am the poster boy of alcoholism" sure does because in his programs it is all about the food and the drink, laughs...sorry tony, but still we love you ;)

divine dimensions...

i could have selected a flower in bloom
i could have picked a beach or a sand dune
but i've chosen the most important of all
the holy family that guides us to make
always the right decisions...

loving the divine is loving the one who made the ultimate sacrifice for us and that is what true love is all about. let the divine stand by our side and really the answer to our problems is the divine. we need to carry our own crosses, light or heavy. we need to recognize that looking out rather than looking in is the way to go. the magic of happiness? is to help others, aid a life so to speak. lose yourself to others and you will find happiness. we all know that love brings pain and  happiness. here's how love is defined by the divine...1 Corinthians 13:4-7...⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

stand by me, playing for change...the best song ever!...when musicians unite their created song is divine :)...

this beautiful art is from the www. thank you for sharing. the current music is "the power of love" by richard clayderman in piano...love, life, faith, friends and family. happiness is hidden in each one of those. if we realize that time owns us all and time takes all of us away sooner or later it is harder to be happy and yet even how brief our lives and happiness are we'll just have to take it for we don't have any other choice. one second of a smile, one moment of happiness is a lot better than the opposite. in other words...joy is the choice...(^_~)...and that's a no brainer...

how would you end a blog
will you just forget it exists
and leave all behind you without
looking back

how can you keep
all the memories that you
formed and woved without
holding back

you may just close the door
behind you and shut
all the windows without
reopening them back...

it sounds so easy but today is today and tomorrow will be a different day and a different mind frame. the reason why i can never win in ending this blog. but truthfully we are all losers for life is just a fleeting thing, happiness is not forever as all human kind will come and go. all will have to leave like doors that are closing but unlike doors, we can never reopen our life back...once it's gone, it is gone...that's why life is precious as it is divine...let's cherish life and not abuse it, let's love life and not hate it...for God is life and God is love :)

romance of the north sea

the sea, music, love...what else could be better?...friends, family, life and God :)

good times never fades
good deeds are often remembered
good melodies will not be erased
as good songs will always be in our play list...

timeless tunes as music is truly magic... the next tune is "the power of love" by richard clayderman, my favorite piano artist next to newell oler. for some reason something is being done to blogger that i can't use my music player at this time. hope it will be soon... but love is the most powerful emotion. we were redeemed of our sins by Jesus because of it. we make sacrifices, walk that extra mile because of love. at the same time love brings sadness to humans. yes, if they can not have the apple of their eyes due to some reason or another such as hindrances like age, status in society, one is rich and one is not...though always remember love conquers all...so stay positive always... who knows the goodness of our Lord will make your dreams come true as He did mine in so many times :) yes, there are loses but that's how life is, we win some and we lose some for it is not meant to be. it is as simple as that...so let the power of love propels us to a much more higher plane. on top of that mountain, into the deepest part of that ocean or on to that highest part of the sky...maybe happiness will be waiting for us...maybe...

maybe we don't deserve it ;? for we are given much already and we never had the chance to do it on our own, to stand on our own 2 feet but that is just an alibi. those who started with nothing did it. so there is something wrong with us, maybe...we think of ourselves all the time and nothing else...think of others, your neighbors for a change...

we had it better than the rest. a job, a social network, still we are unhappy. why ;? maybe because there is a reason that only us primarily knew. like we do drugs in the dark. drug is a powerful reason of failure. it is a doomsday mark for the younger generation. once you're in there is a minimal chance of you getting out on its clutches. it is a sign of weakness to those who fall prey to its honey aka venom...yup we are only humans, but not all did fall prey to drugs so why did you...there is something wrong and it is a lame excuse to blame your life for others had it rougher than you, so maybe it is you to blame ;?...maybe...

and yes, you thought that you're superior, maybe by the count of the books that you've read, by the hefty purse that your family has that you are just added as an owner because of blood. did it ever occur to you that you're just not an original kind, you need to read others account of the world rather than create or find your own...you are just a mere catcher of other's wealth and it is not on your sweat and blood that this dough had came by. to others you're lucky but to the wise it is a breed of low self esteem for there's no pride of accomplishment here for you... so maybe this is why happiness is hard to find, maybe...

and a psychologist or a psychiatrist won't help, because really we are all psychologist. we analyze people and make an impression of them right or wrong with just the datas before us without knowing them personally like what i'm doing here. so ergo, the conclusion is up in the air for you need to know people personally and first hand to have an accurate reading of their lives, no ifs nor buts ;)...and all that goes around comes around...if you do good, good will come your way and vice versa... after all we have a knowing God up there who is always looking at us and knew all what is in our hearts...