MY PSALMS OF LIFE

A psalm of life is an inspirational poem written by H. W. Longfellow as it gives the message to the coming generation. It gives the encouragement to find the purpose of life and achieve our goal. It describes all the difficulties that we'll find while achieving our goal.

Longfellow was thirty-one when he wrote “A Psalm of Life,” likely writing it to fight back the inertia of depression overtaking him after the death of his wife from the complications of a miscarriage in the latter part of 1835.

This poem is known for its optimism and the theme-right attitude of life. The poet gives out the message that pleasure or sorrow is not the goal of life. The purpose of life is to carry out all duties and responsibilities for the progress and good of all. We should realize life is shorter and quicker.

We are always in God's limelight.

Through the ages, people have experienced challenges that show God's hands - mothers and fathers, the young and the old, simple shepherds and popular scholars, soldiers and actors.

God watches over me - no matter how I feel right now: safe and secure in a wholly and warm hearted community or alone and feeling abandoned. God knows my doubts, worries, troubles and challenges in my daily life.

The Psalms became a very important part in my life. It happened purely by accident. Long time ago, I stayed in a hotel in a foreign country in Europe. I felt really uncomfortable. I'll not be boring you with details. I remember asking myself what the psalm writers also frequently did: "Where are you God? Why don't you help me?"

Yes, the presence of real enemies is also part of our daily life here and everywhere. Anyway, suddenly I found a bible in the bottom drawer of my night table. I started reading the Psalms... .

At the very center of the bible are these songs, the Psalms, rising up like a tune from the heart. They capture the innermost thoughts and prayers, and they still speak directly to our needs. For every emotion and mood, you can find a Psalm to match. The Psalms wrestle with the deepest sorrow and ask God the hardest questions about suffering and injustice. They do not tip flowery compliments to God: they cry out to Him, or shout for joy before Him.

In almost every Psalm you find the presence of God, not as a philosophical principle, but as someone, who can change your life, if you allow Him to do so.

I learned from my Philippine mentor, the late Monsignore Professor Dr. Dr. Hermogenes E. Bacareza, chaplain of the Philippine community in Berlin, said that the best way to read the Psalms is simple: to make these ancient prayers your own and speak directly to God. So many of the poems catch deep human feelings that you can't help but be moved by them.

It will take time to understand all Psalms; some might be boring or even self-congratulatory. Read them again and again. Psalms cries from the heart and songs of sorrow as well as joy - reflections for moods and experiences.

Since reading the Psalms, I learned and understood that for God, we're always in the limelight.

𝐏𝐋𝐆𝐔-𝐃𝐝𝐎 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞

 

Hundreds of Bagani leaders converged at the Laak Municipal Grounds, Monday, July 18, 2022 during the Araw ng Kapayapaan Celebration in Laak, Davao de Oro.

The Araw ng Kapayapaan recognizes each and every Bagani leaders in communities for their bravery and effort towards working hand-in-hand with the authorities to maintain the situation of peace and order in their respective communities.

In a statement, Governor Dorothy Gonzaga, expressed gratitude and honors every Bagani leader for their contribution to peace and order as determinants of progress and development in the whole province of Davao de Oro. 

Gov. Gonzaga mentioned that under her term as governor of the province, the administration will work closely with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to grant the Bagani leaders with assistance coming from the provincial government aside from its LGU.

Gov. Gonzaga also plans to meet with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army to further capacitate the Bagani leaders with the additional skills needed to perform their roles as peace contributors in the province. Moreover, the provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) offered rice assistance and canned goods for the participating Bagani leaders.

District II Representative Congressman Ruwel Peter Gonzaga also graced the event along with Mayor Antonio Libuangan of Laak, Vice Mayor Mark Anthony Honeyboy Libuangan, MGen  Nolasco A. Mempin of 10th Infantry Division, PBGEN Benjamin H. Silo, Jr. Regional Director of PRO XI, Provincial NCIP Juluis Mabini, and other dignitaries.

PLGU-DdO under the leadership of Gov. Dorothy Gonzaga will strengthen government initiatives and livelihood programs for the marginalized sector, thereby prohibiting the presence of communist movement in the province. (Jasteen Abella, 𝐼𝑛𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜s 𝑏𝑦 𝐽. 𝐶𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑧)

Pacquiao returns to boxing for charity

FOR A CAUSE Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao (left) and popular Korean YouTuber DK Yoo pose after signing the contract for their exhibition bout slated in December in Seoul, South Korea. The contract signing and press conference was held at the Bonifacio Hall in Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City on Wednesday night, July 20, 2022. PHOTO BY J. GERARD SEGUIA

By Niel Victor C. Masoy, Manila Times

FILIPINO boxing legend Manny Pacquiao will fight in the boxing ring once more.

Pacquiao, however, is not fighting because he wants to fill his personal bank account but rather said he is returning to the sport he loves for a "charitable cause."

Aside from raising funds to rehabilitate the devastated areas in Ukraine and help the people affected in the Ukraine-Russia war, the 42-year-old Pacquiao said he is fighting martial artist and Korean YouTuber DK Yoo so he can continue his charitable mission of building houses to homeless Filipinos.

"This exhibition fight is a charitable event to continue my mission of giving houses to our homeless compatriots," said the former senator during the press conference for his exhibition fight against Yoo at the Bonifacio Hall in Shangri-La The Fort in Bonifacio Global City on Wednesday.

"Actually, I have a lot of 'Pacman village' left to be finished so the proceeds of the event will be used to continue our mission to help," added the only 8-division world boxing champion, who retired from professional boxing with a 62-8-2 win-loss-draw record.

The Pacquiao-Yoo exhibition match dubbed as "The Champ and The Master" is set in December in Seoul, South Korea. It will be a six-round bout and each round lasting for two minutes instead of the regular three minutes.

There is no agreed weight limit for the bout.

The 42-year-old Yoo is a popular YouTuber, a master of 15 disciplines of martial arts and the founder of Warfare Combat System.

He said he respects Pacquiao so much that he is facing him first in a series of exhibition matches he has planned for himself.

"Manny Pacquiao is my most respected player. After Manny, I'm taking on other opponents but he's the first," said Yoo.

"I'm not saying that I'm going to win. Actually, I know that I'm not going to win but I will do my best to pull off a surprise against him."

Germany and Hamburg legend Uwe Seeler dies, aged 85

Uwe Seeler, hands on a balcony, smiling, in black and white

By Jens Krepela, DW

The news of Uwe Seeler's passing was confirmed by his former club, Hamburg, on Thursday, citing information received from the late striker's family.

During his playing career with Hamburg and West Germany, which spanned from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s, Uwe Seeler was known as one of the world's best strikers and had many honors bestowed upon him. 

Three times Seeler was voted West Germany's Footballer of the Year, in 1960, 1964 and 1970 — the year he was also awarded West Germany's Federal Cross of Merit. Even though he never won a title with West Germany, in 1972 he became just the second man to be named honorary captain of the national team. He helped Hamburg to a German football championship in 1960, three years before the formation of the Bundesliga, as well as a German Cup title in 1963.

However, his public image was formed not so much by his footballing achievements but more by his down-to-earth, straightforward and easy-going personality, which earned him the nickname "uns Uwe" (our Uwe).He was also widely respected for his sense of fair play, having only been sent off once in his entire career. His rejection of a high-priced offer from Inter Milan in 1961 also endeared him to the Hamburg fans.

Uwe Seeler was born into a sporting family in Hamburg on November 5, 1936. His father, Erwin Seeler, was one of the city's most popular footballers from 1920s to the 1940s, so it came as no surprise when he too joined Hamburger SV in 1946. He established himself as a top goal scorer in the Oberliga Nord (then the top tier of West German football) between 1956 and 1962. When Hamburg became one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963-64, Seeler became the new league's first top scorer with 30 goals.

West Germany coach Sepp Herberger gave Seeler his first call up to the national team in 1954 and he made his first appearance at the age of just 17. However, it was at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden that he established himself as an international star. Three years later, he wore the captain's armband for the first time. In 1966 he was a member of the West German team that lost 4-2 to England in the World Cup final in London's Wembley Stadium.

Four years later, though West Germany would get their revenge in the World Cup quarterfinals in Mexico as Seeler scored with the back of his head to give them a 3-2 win over England. Shortly after that World Cup, Seeler retired from international football, making his final appearance for West Germany against Hungary in September 1970. He played his last match for Hamburg in May, 1972.

However, even in his post-playing days, Seeler was never far from the game he loved. He successfully ran a clothing company and worked as a representative for a sporting goods manufacturer. He also served as president of his beloved HSV from 1995 to 1998.

A sculpture of a replica of Seeler's right foot, was unveiled in 2005 and stands in front of Hamburg's home ground, the Volksparkstadion.

Although he has now departed, in Hamburg and throughout Germany, Seeler will always be fondly remembered as "uns Uwe" (our Uwe).