Let’s start with a prayer by Wendy van Eyck for the healing of others: “Lord Jesus, thank you that You love (name of person who needs healing). I know that You hate what their illness is doing to them. I ask that You would heal this disease, that You would have compassion and bring healing from all sickness. Your word says in Psalm 107:19-20 that when we call out to You the Eternal one You will give the order, heal and rescue us from certain death. In the bible, I have read of miraculous healing and I believe that You still heal the same way today. I believe that there is no illness you cannot heal after all the bible tells of You raising people from the dead so I ask for Your healing in this situation.
I also know from my experience of life on Earth that not everyone is healed. If that happens here then keep my heart soft towards You, help me to understand Your plan and help me to be excited about heaven. God, I thank you that [name of person who needs healing] belongs to You and that You are in control of everything that happens from our first breath to our last sigh. Amen.”
This near-sighted Ibaloy writer would surmise that nobody in this world could have imagined, even in their wildest dreams that we would ever experience a pandemic that is aptly likened to World War III. If only this were just a nightmare where we could all wake up from and be on business as usual mode. The reality, unfortunately, is that this “new normal” may take some time yet until a vaccine is developed according to health authorities. Let’s pray that a vaccine is developed sooner rather than later.
Speaking of business as usual, it’s great to learn that our hardworking city council is pushing for a measure providing a tax relief that would benefit local businesses whether or not they ceased operations during the extended community quarantine.
On second reading and for publication as of this writing, the tax relief measure allows settlement of business taxes until Nov. 30, without any interest or surcharges for delayed payment. Cheers!
Since local businesses provide much needed jobs and services, they deserve all the support they can get especially in these trying times.
FYI from Mayor Benjamin Magalong: “Sa patuloy na banta ng coronavirus, higit kinakailangan ang ibayong disiplina ng bawat isa. Habang unti-unti nating ibinabalik ang sigla ng negosyo at trabaho, ating ugaliing tuparin ang pagsunod sa mga patakaraang mapangalagaan ang kalusugan at kaligtasan na siyang susi ng isang prduktibong at responsableng pagtratrabaho. Anuman ang gawain, disiplina muna sa isip, sa diwa, at sa gawa.”
Here’s “A dream within a dream” by Edgar Allan Poe: “Take this kiss upon the brow!/ And, in parting from you now,/ Thus much let me avow-/ You are not wrong, who deem/ That my days have been a dream;/ Yet if hope has flown away/ In a night, or in a day,/ In a vision, or in none,/ Is it therefore the less gone?/ All that we see or seem/ Is but a dream within a dream./ I stand amid the roar/ Of a surf-tormented shore,/ And I hold within my hand/ Grains of the golden sand-/ How few! yet how they creep/ Through my fingers to the deep,/ While I weep- while I weep!/ O God! can I not grasp/ Them with a tighter clasp?/ O God! can I not save/ One from the pitiless wave?/ Is all that we see or seem/ But a dream within a dream?”
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
