Today's Password - March 25, 2017, Saturday

Word of Life - March 2017

March 2017 Word of Life

We can live like the first Christians and witness in our lives to God’s overwhelming love. If we, his followers, are truly reconciled among ourselves, we can speak convincingly of God’s reconciling love for the world.

“Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20).

All over the world, there are blood-soaked wars. They seem endless, and they embroil families, tribes and peoples. Twenty-year-old Gloria told this story: “We got news of a village that’d been burnt down. Lots of people lost everything. With my friends I collected some useful things: mattresses, clothes, food. We set out and after an eight hour journey we met all those people in such terrible need. We listened to them, dried their tears, hugged them and tried to comfort them. One family told us, ‘Our little girl was in the house they burnt down. It felt like we were dying with her. Now, through your love, we have the strength to forgive the men who did this!’”

The Apostle Paul also experienced this kind of forgiveness, and it completely changed his life. He, the very one who was persecuting Christians,1 met God’s free-given love. It came in a completely unexpectedly way as he was travelling. God then sent him out in his name 2 as an ambassador of reconciliation.
This is how Paul became a passionate and credible witness to the mystery of Jesus who died and rose again. He spoke of Jesus who had reconciled the world to himself so that everyone could know and experience a life of communion with him and one another.3 Through Paul the Gospel message reached and fascinated even pagans, those thought to be furthest from salvation: “Be reconciled to God!” he said.

Despite our failings that discourage us or the false certainties that fool us into thinking we have no need, we too can meet God’s mercy. His love is so excessive! We can let it heal our hearts and in the end set us free to share this treasure with others. Like this we will give our contribution to God’s plan of peace for all humanity and the whole of creation. This plan overcomes the contradictions of history, as Chiara Lubich suggests in this passage:

“On the cross, in the death of his Son, God gave us the highest proof of his love. Through Christ’s cross, he reconciled us to himself. This fundamental truth of our faith is fully relevant today.

“It is the revelation all humankind awaits. Yes, God is close to all people with his love and he loves each person passionately. Our world needs to hear this proclamation, but we can proclaim God’s love if first we proclaim it, again and again, to ourselves — until we feel surrounded by this love, even when everything would make us think the opposite.… All our behaviour should make this truth credible.

“Jesus said clearly that before bringing our offering to the altar we should be reconciled with a brother or sister if they have anything against us (see Mt 5:23-24) … So let’s love one another as he loved us, without being closed or prejudiced, but being open to welcome and appreciate the positive in our neighbour, ready to give our lives for one another. This is Jesus’ main command, the mark of Christians, valid today just as it was at the time of Christ’s first followers. Living this word means becoming reconcilers.”

Living like this we will enrich our days with acts of friendship and reconciliation: in our own family and among families, in our own Church and among Churches, in every civil and religious community to which we belong.

Letizia Magri

1. See Acts 22:4 ff.
2. See 2 Cor 5:
3. See Eph 2:13 f

Password / Passaparola of March 9, 2017(Thursday)

Keep hope strong.

Rafforzare la speranza 

When you are down, burdened by your humanity, abandon yourself to God. Give yourself to Him. 

He will take care of things.

Chiara Lubich
(God loves us immensely p37)

Goo.N Slim and Comfort Pants Review and Experience

      Goo.N (Japan Quality) is the second pant diapers that I bought from Lazada lately.  It comes in 3 sets of 22 pieces. I bought this in bulk as  I think I can save and true enough compared when I just buy from the supermarket. Before I bought this brand, I also did some research, and I guess it has been a bit overstated, hehe.

   

Goo.N - Front Package

Goo.N - Back Package

   Goo.N is Made in Thailand by Elleair Internation (Thailand) Co.Ltd. This is only sold online as I have never seen this in the local stores or drug stores.  The price is not as expensive as Babalab or Drypers though. This is perfect for babies that wee and poo often. It has a super absorbent pad and keeps your baby dry but do not soak him/her for too long as the pants tend to fall because of gravity, hehe.  The design is very simple and subtle unlike my Babalab and Dryper favorites that has colorful and vivid designs. Well, if you go for comfort and practicality, Goo.N is for you, too. 

   Below is my nappy size comparison. As you can see, Babalab(L) is much bigger and longer. Thus, Goo.N is better for babies who just graduated from their medium size pants.

Babalab(left) and Goo.N(right)

    

Back

Front

    Goo.N reminds me of Mamypoko though the latter is softer and silkier. I still have to use scissors since I want to have longer ends to tie when I dispose the soiled one.  The bum of my son is dry but had to change immediately so his bum and willy-willy would not be soaked.  

    Since my son is getting to outgrow Goo.N pants, I am actually selling a pack online, haha! 

    Goo.N pants is not that bad at all if you are looking for slim and absorbent pants for your little one.  You can purchase this online like from Lazada.

My Review on Babalab Diaper Artisan Dress Up Pants

      As a mother, we always want the best quality of products at the same time getting the value for our money.  In terms of taking good care of my little one's bum, I have to consider the quality and affordability.  With this in mind, I get to try varied products especially diapers in small packs and if my son does not show any problems or rashes, then I buy in bulk. I have already tried Sweet Baby (from 1-4 months), Huggies, EQ, Drypers, Pampers, Happy, and Mamypoko. From the most affordable to the high-end nappies, hahaha!

      This time, I got these two brands from Lazada. Well, I thought of trying these other brands which I do not usually find in the local but online stores. Here I am sharing with you my experiences on these nappies.

Babalab Diaper Artisan
  

    First off is Babalab Diaper Artisan.  I ordered this Large pack that has 34 pieces.  I am not so sure whether Babalab also comes in a pack of 4 or 10. Large pants can fit babies that weigh 9-14 kilos. So, if you want to try this brand, I suggest you agree with your fellow mommies so you can buy and try together by purchasing this pack of 34.  I like the turquoise packaging and the design. The back cover has all the details you want to know about these pants.

    Absorbency-wise i rate it 4.5 as 5 as the highest. Its absorbency is amazing considering it's slim. Babalab claims to be safe and pure using natural ingredients.  This aspect is important to me because I also put the environment into consideration. I guess this comes out because I am not able to advocate cloth diapers with my son since we have water and weather problems in my place.
     True enough, I like the texture because it is silky, soft, and cloth-like and it snugs just right when my son wears it.

Babalab- front

Babalab-back

    These are the only diaper pants that have an after-use tape that makes disposal easy and nifty. I usually cut the pants at the sides making sure that I have longer ends so I can tie them when disposing of. You can just rip the sides off easily, roll, and tape away!

    Among the many diapers that we have tried and used, Babalab for me ranks the highest next to Drypers. Babalab is super-absorbent, has excellent air permeability, it has non-toxic water-soluble ink for wetness indicator, silky-soft, cloth-lie comfort that has soft sealing, and contoured fit waistband, and lastly safe and pure which is not harmful to the bum and environment. It is manufactured in the Philippines by Amplus Technologies, Inc., which makes me even prouder. I also reckon they export this to Korea as it has Korean translations, too.

    If you want to know more about Babalab Diaper Artisan, you can check their page at www.babalab.com.ph.

Today's Password 07.February.2017, Tuesday

Dilatare il cuore per amare l’altro

Enlarge our hearts to love others

“Let us try, in every situation, to be the first to love, with a love that is generous, supportive, and open to all, being especially attentive to those around us who are most in need of it. 

Let us try to love with a love that does not look for results. Let us make an effort to be instruments of God’s generosity, helping others to experience the gifts that we have received from Him.”

-Chiara Lubich

Today's Password ( 02.02.2017 ) Thursday

Essere capaci di ascolto e di misericordia

Be able to listen and be merciful.

“This is my son, my beloved. Listen to him!” (Mk. 9:7).
“When did the Son speak? Where can we find his Word? We can find his Word in the Gospels. Let us open them and read them with love. The Gospel is the Word of Jesus. But he speaks to us in other ways as well. He speaks to our soul in one special moment: in prayer, and the more we seek to love God present in our heart, the more his voice makes itself hear, the more it guides us from the deepest part of our being.

How different our relationships would be if we did more to cultivate this rare quality of listening, which at times is the only way to show our attention towards those near us, even strangers! This is the point: the best way to prepare ourselves to listen to the voice of God is to actually listen to our brothers and sisters.”

Chiara Lubich
(Word of Life March 2000)