teleport to heaven

teleport to heaven http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/ Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:07:17 -0000 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:54:00 -0000 teleport to heaven http://images.arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/logo http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com 100 100 If you have P500,000... <a href="http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SIcO7AoKCjwAAHggFLQ1"><img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SIcO7AoKCjwAAHggFLQ1/500-peso-concealed-value-1.jpg?et=V2ZIQBGpx3Xo2NVsKiEmTg&nmid=0"></a>I was just thinking about this today during one lull moment in the middle of my work day... If you have P500,000, not the exaggerated P1 million, just P500k -- its for you, not for your tuition fee, or for your business, or for anybody else, it's yours -- how would you spend it? http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/109/If_you_have_P500000... Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:54:00 -0000 Eraserheads - the reunion. Whooa! <img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://philmusic.com/main/images/stories/news2007/02/limits-1.jpg"> The Eraserheads -- the Philippines' The Beattles, like it or not -- is <a href="http://philmusic.com/main/content/view/165/1/">reuniting in a one-night only concert come August 30</a>. Wait, I sounded like I'm narrating a poem, not shouting. Let me try again... IT'S GONNA HAPPEN! ERASERHEADS IN A REUNION CONCERT! WHOOAAA!!!!! I was in high school when the Eheads revived the pinoy rock music scene. I admired "privately" -- can't let the "brethren" know. "Rock music is of the devil", if you know what I'm talking about. But heck, I'm free! I can shout -- Ely, Raimund, Buddy, and Marcus will be together in one stage -- maybe for the last time, this time for good. O pano Pare Ko, Huling El Bimbo na to! Let's wait for August 30 With A Smile! http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/108/Eraserheads_-_the_reunion._Whooa Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:05:00 -0000 Johann, fight like Simba! <img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1391/767143931_cec92eac54_m.jpg">A couple of weeks ago, I realized things in my life -- through my 4-year old son, Johann. * * *When I was a kid and a bigger kid would push me around, either I sit in the corner and run to my teacher crying. "Ma'am, si Totoy po tinulak ako. Huhuhu!" I don't fight with kids. Even if they hurt me, I won't fight back, or even defend my self from being hurt. * * *I was taught that Jesus hates the kids that fight, or even those who just fight back and defend themselves. Jesus wants us to be "good boys" -- isumbong mo nalang sa teacher. So, if kids were bullying me, I run away and cry. * * *Unfortunately, I have carried with me this kind of thinking to adulthood. Whenever I am faced with challenges, it's hard for me to fight back -- whether the opposition is a person, a problem or a lost opportunity. I "chicken out". I am afraid I might hurt somebody even if I think it's the right thing to do. I wasn't aggressive in pursuing things. * * *Poor Johann, this "don't fight" principle ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/107/Johann_fight_like_Simba Mon, 14 Jul 2008 05:15:00 -0000 Are you a failure? <a href="http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SHR2mwoKCjwAAFyzRhQ1"><img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://images.arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SHR2mwoKCjwAAFyzRhQ1/hancock1_large.jpg?et=XrSx2rguDTmq44iMI0cmLw&nmid=0"></a>Last week was exciting. Guests came. Popcorn popped. Dark hall darkened. The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/graceplace/2653745347/">worship band rocked</a>. And Kuya <a href="http://prudemar.multiply.com">Prudy</a>, he was <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/graceplace/2653745339/in/photostream/">retro</a>. And inspiring. God was all over last Sunday when we started "At The Movies". Let's continue, never stop, this Sunday. Last Tuesday during our regular meeting, Kuya Prudy showed me his message and the outline. After reading it, I want to raise my hand and give my life to Jesus. :D Seriously, this Sunday's going to be awesome. We'll have the same set up. The lights will flash inside the dark room. Popcorn's all over again. Inside a church service. How cool is that? And... The good news of God's love will be shared. This Sunday, The message is entitled: HANCOCK: When you feel you're a failure. Don't forget to bring the friends that you brought last week. And bring some more new ones! We want them to experience God at <a href="http://graceplace.ph">Grace Place</a>. And, don't you want the free Glorietta 4 Cinema tickets, too? :D http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/106/Are_you_a_failure Wed, 9 Jul 2008 09:12:00 -0000 Decide, or else... Dennis made a very elaborate discussion on the importance of <a href="http://dennis128.multiply.com/journal/item/190/leadership_challenge?replies_read=6">making the tough decisions in an organization -- in his case, his church</a>. Kind of making me think, because I'm basically having the same dilemma right now, this time not in a church setting but with my <a href="http://teamsparrow.net">own organization</a> and with my own personal life. Have you ever felt like a "chicken" for not acting out or delaying a decision that you have to make because... -- you don't want to hurt somebody else's feelings. -- you are afraid to fail -- you are not sure if the decision is right -- and, the future is unknown. ... and yet you have to make that decision. And you can't. You want to, but you can't. Really now, it's easier to be a chicken that to be a real man. http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/103/Decide_or_else... Wed, 9 Jul 2008 06:42:00 -0000 Midnight cabinet Erap popularized the term "<a href="http://www.pcij.org/imag/PublicEye/nocturne.html">midnight cabinet</a>". Its the term used to describe his buddies whom he meet to drink or even play cards or mahjong with, until early in the morning. <a href="http://graceplace.ph">Grace Place</a> has her own midnight cabinet too! While I was leaving my office at around 12:40 am (yep, AM, midnight!) last Friday, I saw them having their own "midnight cabinet" session. I couldn't help but take a snap shot of them. They didn't know I will post it here and broadcast their activities, but hey, it's my blog. No one dictates what I do or shouldn't do! So here they are. The Grace Place midnight cabinet: <a href="http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SHF7JAoKCjwAABqlKUo1"><img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SHF7JAoKCjwAABqlKUo1/07052008.jpg?et=a3X8kVPuNcan3sNHg4FbNw&nmid=0"></a> (Van, Frendel and Tzad) For the discouraged. For the burned out (who, because of our physical and emotional tiredness, doesn't feel the passion to pray anymore). For the whole Grace Place family. Know that there are people praying for you. For us. For the church. Let's thank God for the prayer team. http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/102/Midnight_cabinet Mon, 7 Jul 2008 02:09:00 -0000 Nagtatanong lang. Kailan ba pwedeng maka pag pahinga? Hindi ba parang nakakapagod na ang buhay? Nakakapagod mag-aral. Biruin mo, anim na taon sa elementarya, apat na taon sa high school, tapos 4 (o 5) taon sa kolehiyo. Exam dito, exam duon. Nakakapagod yon! Nakakapagod mag trabaho. Paulit-ulit. Paikot-ikot. May pera. Wala. Sweldo sa a-kinse, sa a-trenta. Gastos dito, gaston don. Tapos ubos na bago pa ulit sumweldo. Nakakapagod yon! Nakakapagod ang pamilya. Minsan masaya. Minsan hindi. Karamihan hindi. Makukulit na anak. Problema sa asawa. Pati ikaw problema din ng asawa mo. Problema sa pera. Ang daming problema. Kaya nga ang karamihan nag-aabroad nalang. Hindi naman dahil sa kailangan ng pera. Gusto lang talaga tumakas sa problema. Eh, ikaw, mag-aabroad ka rin ba? Isa na namang problema yan. Pero sa tutuo lang, di ba talaga namang nakakapagod? Kailangan ba pwede mag-pahinga? Pag matanda ka na? Eh, problema din kung paano ka magre-retire. O saan ka magreretire. Hindi ka ba napapagod sa buhay? Nagtatanong ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/101/Nagtatanong_lang. Wed, 2 Jul 2008 13:51:00 -0000 Headshot. Friend. A couple of light and wonderful things aside from the topic of depression and frustrations in life :D -- * I've changed my "headshot" here at Multiply and at Friendster last Friday. The reason for that is <a href="http://sovereigngrace.multiply.com/">Leonard</a> teased me for having a haggard looking headshot. Yeah, right. So I gave his a good one. The problem though is I received some disturbing comments. One comment I received is that it looked like it was taken from a studio. It is supposed to be a compliment, it meant that the picture is nicely taken. But, duh! I won't go to a studio just to post a picture for Multiply! That picture was taken through my iMac webcam with my blue office wall as the background. I just did some Photoshop editing to have some effects and that's it. Another comment is that I looked very matured on that picture. One side it's good, on one side it's not (who would really like to look old?) The worst comment is it looked like a boy-band shot. hahaha! Anyway, I changed my headshot already. :D If you want to ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/99/Headshot._Friend. Tue, 1 Jul 2008 08:10:00 -0000 At The Movies <img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3014/2622586409_ed55a45844.jpg"> Starting this Sunday, July 6, 2008 (not June 29 as posted), <a href="http://graceplace.ph">Grace Place</a> starts a new series called "At The Movies". It's a 3-week message series based on current Hollywood blockbusters this movie season. We Filipinos love to watch movies. In an article I read a couple of weeks ago, the author said that culturally, especially here in the city, we treat movies we watch as a social activity -- a date, a barkada gimik, or a family get together. We all love movies. Little that we know, though, that aside from enjoying it, we can extract timeless spiritual lessons from those. So, at Grace Place starting this Sunday, we're going to do just that. Here are the working titles: July 6 - "Kungfu Panda: When you think you're not good enough"July 13 - "Hancock: When you think you're a failure"July 20 - "Star Wars: When you want to push back the Dark Side" Invite your friends, get a free ticket If you're a GracePlacer, this instruction is for you. We believe that this is a great time to invite your ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/98/At_The_Movies Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:07:00 -0000 Weird <img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2127/2137716254_3704fcac2b_m.jpg"> (Picture I used to sell my MacMini online. Maybe it's my face that kept it from being sold! :D ) After I both an iMac 3 months ago, I've been wanting to sell my old MacMini. I've posted it at Mac forums, at <a href="http://tipidpc.com">TipidPC</a> and <a href="http://sulit.com.ph">Silit.com.ph</a> . A week has passed, a month, stripped off the price -- no one's interested. So I lost interest in selling it myself. I just didn't bother, had it sitting on another table. Then this week, I suddenly "hoped" this will be sold soon. "Hoped" -- sana mabenta na to. It's not even a prayer. And then, the weird happened. All of a sudden, which started yesterday, I got swamped with inquiries from prospective buyers. People texting me out of nowhere. I've received a bunch of emails. At one time today, I'm texting 3 different people all at the same time, all begging me to sell to them my MacMini. One buyer just rushed to my office during lunch break today and, without any negotiations at all, he simply played around the machine for a couple of minutes, handed me ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/97/Weird Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:35:00 -0000 My mighty mouse died <img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://www.mactips.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/mightymouse.jpg">... but with a little help from <a href="http://www.mactips.org/archives/2008/04/10/fixing-the-scroll-on-your-dead-mighty-mouse/">this guy</a>, he was resurrected. To life! Alcohol did the trick. I guess even dead things cannot resurrect themselves! I'm officially a 2-pointer. If you know what I'm talking about :-D http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/96/My_mighty_mouse_died Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:39:00 -0000 Depression-buster tips <img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:HVdNDRBv1Z6UqM:http://www.sitesplus.co.uk/user_docs/u/Image/Depression%2520from%2520defence%2520magazine.jpg">Somebody approached me last week asking me how he can fight depression. I am kind of wondering if I can help him -- because I'm trying to fight depression myself! Anyway, I gave several tips that somehow helped and has been helping me. Thought I should blog about it. When in a season of depression... 1. Rest. Most of the time, depression is caused by physical fatigue. And if you're physically tired, naturally you will be emotionally stressed out too. So, rest. He are some things to consider when resting:<ul><li>Actually rest. I mean, sleep. Don't just stop from what you're doing. (You may stop working, but went on with nightly gimmiks. Ano yon? :D</li><li>Withdraw yourself from people. It may or may not help. In my case it did. On my birthday last month, I made myself inaccessible even with my own family the whole day and a half. </li><li>Try to do things differently. Read a book you would have not read on normal day. Listen to a different type of music. Just last Saturday night, I listened to somebody else... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/95/Depression-buster_tips Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:10:00 -0000 Mixed. Work. Client. Abroad. Lost. Again. Sad. But. Locally. Great! Mixed. Emotions. <a href="http://wawilation.multiply.com">Wawi</a>. <a href="http://sovereigngrace.multiply.com">Leonard</a>. Freaks. But. Cool. Friends. Coors? <a href="http://wawilation.multiply.com">Wawi</a>. Pakisabi nalang. Grace Place. At the movies. Next week. Exciting! More. Later. Mixed up. Maxed out. But... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/94/Mixed. Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:12:00 -0000 Small potatoes <a href="http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/81/Quitting">Quitting</a> was a blog post I made last May 18. I actually didn't post it, I just placed it in my drafts. Until today. I want to give a contrast to what I was about to post. Nothing has changed much since then, really. But this passage from the Message paraphrase made a dent on me. I'm entitling this post as "Small potatoes", and you'll know why in a while. Feel the intensity as Eugene Peterson paraphrased 2 Cor. 4:16-18. For those of you who are on the ebb, read carefully, this one's for us. So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/93/Small_potatoes Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:54:00 -0000 Dad <img border="0" class="alignleft" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2074/1796769023_5bae52e609_m.jpg">Writing this quick blog while at the car wash. On father's day. Before we leave for Grace Place. So, this better be quick. I'm not really sure what's with the father's day/mother's day thingie. I grew up in the province knowing nothing about this. Never greeted my mom/dad a happy mother's/father's day. That's why I still feel awkward greeting my parents -- because I don't know if they can relate! :-) Makes me feel awkward too, receiving father's day greetings today. Should I feel like it's my birthday or something? Because that's the only day I normally receive an influx of txt greetings. Having said that, since I'm in the city -- sige na nga, happy father's day to all the fathers out there. A quick note about my dad before I end this quick post. You see, I've been a dad for 4 years. And looking at how my dad raised us, I feel uncomfortably lacking. - My dad never lost his temper on me. Very patient guy. Kahit gaano ako kakulit noong bata ako, hindi nagagalit. The only time that I ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/92/Dad Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:00:00 -0000 Depression I don't handle depression well these days. I told a good friend the reason: I've never been emotionally battered in my life than in this season that I am in right now. That's the reason why I suck in handling swings in emotions. One disappointment, you'll see me crawling to depression. How do I handle depression? I keep myself busy. I work. Work. Work. Sometimes, I do some things that religious hypocrites will curse me for doing. In the absence of friends to talk to, I dump off my emotions to <a href="http://twitter.com/arnoldgamboa">Twitter</a>, Yahoo status messages or Friendster shoutout as means of release. And, if there's any healthy way to treat depression, it's the gym. Oh, yes, before I forgot, I'm kind of feeling that you will suggest that I turn to God when I'm depressed. I do that too. In fact, because of this I feel closer to him. In a different way. You see, if the only thing you can tell God are praises, thanksgiving or worship, I just think that it's so superficial. Jesus is not only Lord, he is also a friend. And ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/91/Depression Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:56:00 -0000 Lessons <img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="https://www.midnightoilproductions.com/store/images/media/chalkboard.jpg">What I have learned in life for the past few months could be more than what I have learned in the past 20 years. So, I'm sharing these lessons -- it may not apply to you, though, but at least it is to me. I made these up, so don't quote me if it didn't work for you ;-) - If you've got THE balls, act like one. - Don't keep up with the Joneses if your last name is dela Cruz. - Doing the right thing IS NOT always the right thing to do. (this one's controversial, I know). - The most neglected people in an adult life are the parents. - Thinking about yourself above anything else is selfishness. Thinking about yourself isn't. That's all for now. More later, gotta go back to the school of life. http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/90/Lessons Tue, 10 Jun 2008 06:54:00 -0000 Human, too. <a href="http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SETPqAoKCjwAAGMrSWM1"><img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SETPqAoKCjwAAGMrSWM1/humantoo.jpg?et=eQAe%2B1TO3rfVlvpufiwqJw&nmid=0"></a><a href="http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SESt6woKCjwAAHgNS0U1"> </a><a href="http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SESt6woKCjwAAHgNS0U1">I'm wearing my "Jesus is human, too" t-shirt today. It is fast becoming one of my favorites. </a> I first wore this shirt during one of those last Sundays I spoke at Grace Place when I covered the topic on the humanity of Jesus. It was very personal to me as I was in the middle of something during that time. I preached to myself. I learned, as I taught, that Jesus underwent the exact human emotions that a typical human being would have. He felt lonely, abandoned, he was confused (oh, yeah, debate me on that!), at one point, he felt like giving up. And since he underwent these kind of sufferings, he can relate with what I'm undergoing though, and to yours. He wasn't just a distant God, he is also a close human friend. I have to constantly remind myself that Jesus is human, too. http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/89/Human_too. Tue, 3 Jun 2008 02:28:00 -0000 Authenticity Let me give a very controversial statement: most Christians, as time passes by, become less and less authentic. Here are the most famous lines we often hear from Christians: "Di ba Christian sya, eh bakit ..." "Christian ka pa naman..." or... Christian-christianan. Ok, the last one is my pathetic attempt to be humorous. The point is, these sentences assumes that a Christian is always in top shape -- spiritually, emotionally. When someone says he's having some trouble, we'd always have the cliches loaded -- "God will make a way", or "Be strong in Christ", or "You are a conquerer in Christ", or "You can do all things through Christ..." Make no mistake about it, I believe that these cliches are true. But it doesn't eliminate the fact that Christians also experience depression, doubts, even lost of faith. The sad thing is, because we are expected to be "perfect" because we're Christians, we hide the imperfections. We hide the doubts, the anger, the problems. We attempt to project as strong... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/88/Authenticity Mon, 2 Jun 2008 08:36:00 -0000 Questions I'm an <a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-us&q=define:+apologist&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">apologist</a> by nature. I grew up and received training from my former denomination as an apologist. I have been involved in online apologetics ministry where I met <a href="http://sovereigngrace.multiply.com/">one</a> and <a href="http://wawilation.multiply.com">two</a>, among others, very argumentative but really cool friends. Apologists always have answers to questions. That's not a good thing, by the way. Because I realized that even my canned answers to questions will be my worst enemies when I become the one who asks those. Honestly, I'm struggling with questions that I used to have answers, like: "Why is life unfair?" "Is doing the right thing always the right thing to do?" "Is it always true that 'winners never quit, quitters never win'?" (more about this one on another blog post) This is not the right venue for answering these questions. In fact, seriously, I'm not even looking for answers. I don't know why, but have you ever come to the point where you're tired of the answers and just want to ask questions? Anyway, what do you do when you have questions that are left ... http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/journal/item/87/Questions Tue, 27 May 2008 06:45:00 -0000 College buddies. Scanned. Those were the days... where we major in extra-curricular http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/album/9/College_buddies._Scanned. Tue, 20 May 2008 05:28:46 -0000 For web http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/album/8/For_web Thu, 8 May 2008 10:10:47 -0000 Johann's Playground Johann's got a Multiply site! Check him out, and add him to yours will yah! http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/links/item/5/Johanns_Playground Fri, 16 Nov 2007 06:16:24 -0000 Jaen Chronicles, part 4 (of 4): Johann and his baby goat Lolo Ben's "alaga", Johann's http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/album/7/Jaen_Chronicles_part_4_of_4_Johann_and_his_baby_goat Mon, 5 Nov 2007 04:51:05 -0000 Jaen chronicles part 2 (of 4): Isn't she lovely No, this was not taken from Baguio or any cool garden. This was taken from my Dad's goat feeding area where grasses are intentionally grown. http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/photos/album/6/Jaen_chronicles_part_2_of_4_Isnt_she_lovely Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:45:56 -0000 TeamSparrow, Inc. Team Sparrow, Inc. is a web development company based in Mandaluyong City, Philippines. http://arnoldgamboa.multiply.com/links/item/4/TeamSparrow_Inc. Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:07:54 -0000