ako si JOYJOY

itas the other way around :/

WAG kANG PAkAkASiGURO! BILOG ANG MUNDO, MAAARiNG NASA TAAS KA NGAYON, BAkA BUkAS NASA BABA KA NA - MAY KASAMA PANG T*E!!! 

Junia is the first book in what is now a trilogy - Junia, Marcus, and Grain of Wheat - by Michael Giesler, in which we are introduced to a slice of Roman society in which Christianity is fighting to take hold. 

Self-described as fictional history, this book give a fine, albeit brief introduction to the lives of Christians living in Rome in the early to mid 2nd century (about 140 or so). While the earliest persecutions of Christians in the Roman empire started with Nero about 62 AD, in the mid 2nd century it was still quite illegal (thought not unheard of) to be a Christian. 

Christians lived with the constant fear, the ever-present “Sword of Damocles” of accusation … accusation of that “heinous crime” of being a Christian, of being faced with the the very real decision of remaining faithful to the Lord vs. denying Him, of gaining eternal life at the cost of this one (right now!) vs. a continued, ignominious earthly existence. That choice was faced early and often by Christians in Rome in this era, and the characters of this trilogy are no exception. 

Yet it is into this seemingly insurmountable weight of popular persecution that the Church drove, standing up to the lies and slanders with faithful purity, with the radical message of the Gospel of Life - with holiness and joy. 

As a result, in a relatively brief span - a few hundred years - the unknown sect of Christianity swept through the known world, converting even pagan Rome. 

The author has done a fine job of making this reality tangible, of giving us a taste of what our ancestors in the faith were willing to do to retain that faith. The books are very fast reads, yet convey quite a bit of factual context as well. 

If I have a criticism it is that they are too fast, that I would have appreciated lingering longer in this world a bit, in getting to know some of the characters better. Perhaps I’ll feel differently after the third volume (Grain of Wheat), up next and promisingly thicker … don’t know yet, but I will report back in the review of that volume. 

In any case, in this day and age where many either take their faith for granted or have casually let it slide away as either too much trouble, inconvenient, or irrelevant, it is perhaps quite instructive to consider just what price the early Christians were willing to pay for that very same truth, for that relationship with the very same, unchangeable God.

This is a marvelous little story that contains quite a lot of depth for its small size. Ultimately, it is a tale that graphically illustrates Tertullian’s famous phrase, “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” 

Junia is the 2nd century daughter of a rising Roman senator who is also a Stoic. Junia embraces her father’s stoicism, and like her brother Marcus is interested in learning various philosophies, but she is most fascinated by the actions of her best friend, Marcia. A tragedy leads Junia to discover the shortcomings of her own beliefs and the beauty of a discredited religion. 

A common problem for novels documenting the conversion of someone to Christianity is the author’s inability to make the conversion believable. Typically, the person in question converts too suddenly or appears to convert for no noticeable reason. This is not the case in “Junia.” Giesler relates a clear and believable path that Junia follows from irreligious stoicism to faith in Christ. He does a wonderful job presenting the various philosophies and religions present in 2nd century Rome in a non-forced way; combined with his detailed portrayal of 2nd century Christianity, you really feel that you are transported back to the time of the catacombs and martyrs! 

This book is very readable for both adults and teenagers. I would not necessarily recommend this book to the youngest of readers (i.e. under age 12), as it does deal with some adult topics that might not be appropriate for that age. But it would be a wonderful gift for a teenager to show them how the Lord has worked in all ages and all situations to bring people to him. 

How can anyone, living comfortably in the 21st Century, possibly relate to the early Christian martyrs, those champions of the faith who were fed to the lions or beheaded for their beliefs? Fr. Michael E. Giesler has built a bridge across time in his book, Junia. With a clear understanding of ancient Roman history and a deft hand for spinning a good yarn, Junia is the touching story of an adolescent girl who converts wholeheartedly and then gives up her life rather than renounce Christ. This book is a page-turner from the word go, and the character of Junia is warm and likeable. Her cheerfulness and devotion shines not only across the centuries, but across the generations.

Well worth the read. As with most Christians today, we take are faith for granted and don’t even stop and realize how difficult life was for our early church brothers and sisters. Although this is a fictional account of the lives of a few early Christians, the book still reflects the truth and reality of everyday life of our church! Every faithful follower should own a copy of this book. My daughter-in-law is just finishing the book and I hope the rest of my family takes the time to read it also.

SUMMER is your season.
AUGUST - in the 12 month cycle is your month is your month.

NEW eBook!  For a more detailed horoscope the Chinese Astrology Predictions and Feng Shui for 2012is the essential guide for the upcoming year, with charts, recommendations for special charms, and Feng Shui adjustments Plus, be introduced to your astrological protection Buddha, all in one place.

Personality :
Of all the animals of the Chinese zodiac, your are the most intelligent. Your pranks, finesse, and craftiness get you out of the most delicate situations without a scratch. Particularly at ease in public and at parties with beautiful people, you are charming, surprising, and entertaining with the faces you make, and your irresistible, funny stories. You can also laugh at yourself with astonishing lucidity. Your character is that of a “happy pessimist” and you adapt easily to any context - and not without a certain amount of cunning. Confronted by a muscle-bound adversary, you use servility and flattery to lead him by the nose. Your skillfulness in the art of manipulation has no equal and you easily play the actor to soothe those around you. Crocodile tears and shameless lies are part of your daily bread. If you are caught, you have the good grace to recognize the error of your ways and can make others forgive you. You jump from branch to branch, from problem to problem, with an incredible degree of fickleness that borders on childishness. It is difficult to keep you in one place; at the least sign of boredom, you swing to another tree. But behind your mimics and gestures hides an old monkey that the Chinese name The Wise One. Your fault: You want to be first at any price…

Famous people born in the Year Of The Monkey: Eleanor Roosevelt, Rod Stewart, Jennifer Aniston, Ashley Judd, Celine Dion, Elizabeth Taylor, George Lucas, Jake Gyllenhall, Julius Caesar, Katie Couric, Leonardo da Vinci, Lucy Liu, Michael Douglas, Omar Sharif, President Harry S. Truman, Robert Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Tom Hanks, Venus Williams, Walter Matthau, Will Smith

Work :
Ambitious, inventive, and gifted, you work on all fronts with incredible speed. You constantly need new projects to undertake and daring challenges. You are resourceful in business, skillful in negotiations, and insatiable in all that you do. Your good humor easily motivates the troops. While success comes to you easily, it quickly becomes difficult for you to manage. Success goes to your head and you become arrogant and mean to those around you. No - one would hesitate slipping a banana peel under your feet - a pirouette and you’re gone!

Money :
You love money because it is an exterior sign of your value. A Monkey never works “for nothing” - all the more since you spend your money to create a comfortable, luxurious life for your family. You love to make them happy by giving them sumptuous gifts and often buy expensive, impractical presents on the spur of the moment. You don’t hoard money and claim that you will never be lacking in anything. You are lucid and lucky.

Love :
Passion exalts your imagination so you dislike the routine of everyday life. You idealize your partner but can’t bear that they are only human with faults and manias like everyone else. But you can’t live alone. You are an eternal adolescent, in love with the stars and with a taste for seduction. You are gifted in seducing and ravaging hearts with no sense of guilt. Being funny, imaginative, and mischievous are your favorite arms. To seduce you, a person must tell you that you are the best, surprise you every day, laugh at your jokes, and never yawn with boredom.