Ramadhan and Lebaran

What is Ramadhan? Ramadhan is a fasting month for muslims. The fast begins in the morning just before sunrise, at Imsak, and is broken at maghrib which falls at sunset. Fasting during the month of Ramadhan is one of the five pillars of Islam and an obligation for devout Muslims.

During the month of Ramadhan, Muslims must refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, marital relations or getting angry during the daylight hours. In addition, those fasting are supposed to refrain from bad habits - lying, getting angry, using bad language as well as to be more diligent in prayer and give to charities. It is believed that fasting heightens spirituality and develops self-control.

Actually the people who are expected to fast are: adults, the people who have reached the age of puberty . On the other hands muslims who are not expected to fast are: children, women who are having their period of menstruation , travelers, the sick, those with long-term illnesses, pregnant or breastfeeding women and the mentally ill.

The muslims who fast awaken early in the morning to have a meal before subuh. It is known as sahur. In order to awaken the faithful, the call to prayer is sounded from neighborhood mosques. In addition, groups of young boys do 'ronda'. They walk around neighborhoods beating on drums and other noise makers to awaken the faithful.

The breaking of the fast at sunset is a very social occasion for which special foods are prepared for gatherings with family or friends. When the muslims hear the sound of the athan on the television or radio or the call to prayer from the neighborhood mosque at sunset. The muslims know it's time to break their fast known as buka puasa. This is usually done with a very sweet drink, for instance; kolak and sweet snacks usually kurma. Maghrib prayer is done before a full meal is served. Then, they do Tarawih prayer. The prayer is held after Isya' prayer in neighborhood mosques and or at gatherings every evening at about 19:00 p.m. These tarawih prayers are not compulsory but most muslims do it.

At the end of the month of Ramadhan and its special religious observance is the Eid holiday, called Idul Fitri or Lebaran in Indonesia. Oh yeah... before they do Eid prayer, they should pay Zakay Fitrah. In the lebaran this is the time when Muslims visit their family and friends to 'Sungkem' to parents and the elders ask for forgiveness for any wrongs they have committed in the previous year. They express this wish in the phrase “Mohon Maaf Lahir Batin” which means "forgive me from the bottom of my heart/soul for my wrong doings in the past year".

Idul Fitri begins with mass prayer gatherings early in the morning at mosques, open fields, parks and on major streets. It is an amazing sight to see rows of hundreds of Muslim women all dressed in their mukena performing the synchronized prayer ritual. Muslim men tend to wear sarong, traditional shirts or baju koko and hats or kopyah to Idul Fitri morning prayers.

Traditional foods are consumed, family and friends gather to ask forgiveness and exchange greetings, new clothing is worn but it is not a must.

At last, forgive me from the bottom of my heart for all of my wrong doings. And Happy Idul Fitri.

Invitation

In this month, I got so many wedding and other kinds of celebrations invitations.
It's okay. I don't mind coming to the wedding or other acitivities.
But, yes there must be but.
But I don't like to come to the wedding or other celebrations if I don't know who has invited me.

Think Positively

The students of Senior High School have finished doing the final examination. 

We hope they will pass the test with the outstanding results. Although the criteria of passing the test is higher than the criteria in the previous year, we have to believe that they can pass it easily.

Why? yeah by having a positive thinking we hope the result is also positive. It means that we give ourselves good determination in our mind.   Our grand grand parents gave implicit examples for us. We should not judge something bad although the fact of the thing was bad. We often find that the pregnant mother is forbidden to say bad things, although it is not spoken, just in her mind. They believed that the bad things would happen to the infant. 

We often meet a child with invalid or not normal in his or her organs. Then, we asked his or her families, most od them answered that the mother when she had pregnancy she said bad things based on someone's bad habbits or bad characters. Even, the father did bad things, for example, he stroke a snake's head with a stick. 

Those are the example of thinking something badly. That's why mindset motivator always arouses  the audiences to have a positive thinking in his or her mind.

CELEBRATING THE MAULID, THE BIRTHDAY, OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD SAW

 All praises be to Allah, the God who chose Muhammad as the chosen prophet from the Adam's descendant. He sent Muhammad to give good news and warning to all mankind. He is the lamp that brightens the ways.

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I also bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger. May Allah bless our`leader Muhammad along with his companions and his followers until the end of the world.

Actually, we now live in great month, namely the month of Robi'ul Awal. This month is the birth month of the noblest man namely our prophet Muhammad SAW. He is the perfect soul, manner and brain. the presence of him with all his excellence is aimed to be the greatest for all mankind.

Therefore, our oblgatory during this month is making the month of Robi'ul Awal as the month of celebration to commemorate the birth of the noblest man. By commemorating the birth of the noblest prophet, the muslim will be able to get worthly lesson from the life history of prophet Muhammad and His companions.

By celebrating the birthday of prophet Muhammad with deep thinking and contemplation hence the commemoration will awaken the heart of the Muslim to get back to the guidance of the Messenger Muhammad SAW.

Self Acceptance

 As human beings, we sometimes have not understood who we are. Why? It can happen when we only observe someone's good luck without considering they also have bad luck which we do not know.

Many people try to imitate others who are famous, their idols. Imitating in getting success in goodway is okay, but imitating only  in the appearance is not  good. 

We know from the tv or newspaper that there were many people who suicided themselves. The committed suicide would not happen if the people could accept themselves as what they were. The acceptance in this case the form of growth, development and the results of doing something. Maybe, some of you say" But if I accept myself exactly as what I am, I will only stay at home all day long without doing anything. I just sit in front of TV".

Stop, and say to yourself "I accept myself exactly as I am", and notice what happens. Some people immediately get a sense of peace and calm, while others experience internal arguments and discomfort. Whatever happens for you, don't fight it; accept it. Some people use the headline of 'positive thinking' to deny the reality of the current situation. This makes matters worse. Acceptance is the opposite of denial.

Paradoxically, when you accept things as they are in this moment (including yourself), you put yourself in the most powerful position to create change.

If you are finding something particularly difficult to accept, accept that you've been finding it difficult. If you get captured by strong emotions, accept that. You can accept yourself exactly as you are.  Don't think about others too much.

Have a fantastic day.

Hopefully, it can help us recieve ourselves as we are. Forgive me if I have mistakes.

 

SELF-MOTIVATION

  As human beings, we have different situation and feelings, sometimes happy but on the other days we might feel in bad mood. We have to motivate ourselves. Below are some tips to make up our happines.

1. All is well; there is nothing to fear.

I know this may come as a shock to you, but everything's OK. Having said that, no one is perfect. But it's worth reminding yourself that you've managed to come through everything that's ever happened in your life.

You're the spearhead of evolution. Some people worry about death, but it's perfectly safe; organisms of one sort or another have been doing it for billions of years :-)

Fears, worries and anxieties only come when a person imagines unpleasant things in the past or the future. When you allow yourself to get into the present, then suddenly you realise that all is well; there is nothing to fear.

2.You are more than you think you are

You are more than you think you are. There's an old saying, "The map is not the territory". A map of New York is not the city of New York , doesn't contain all the sounds, sights and smells that the city does (thank goodness!). The city is far bigger, richer and more vibrant than could ever be conveyed by a map.

A person's map of who they are (their self-concept) is not who they really are. You are far more powerful, capable and amazing than your map of yourself.

Just stop for a moment, and think about who you are, what your qualities are, your weaknesses and strengths. Then realise that there is more to you than you are aware of. You are more than you think you are.

3. People like what's familiar

People like what's familiar; after all, what you did yesterday worked well enough to keep you alive until today. This is a big success as far as evolution is concerned, so we are naturally inclined to use old habits of behaviour and thought.

When you've been doing something new for a while (whether it's going to the gym, tidying your desk or changing your thinking) its typically smooth sailing until you start to change. Then your nervous system sets off the alarm bells, and you start to feel like you can't be bothered to do it anymore.

This is the signal that it's working. When you feel that 'can't be bothered' feeling, pat yourself on the back. What you're doing is working, and you've got evidence. Then do it. People like what's familiar.


4. Today is practice for tomorrow

Today is practice for tomorrow. People like what's familiar, remember? Whatever you're doing today is becoming more familiar, so if you want to go somewhere new in your life, you need to start getting familiar with that.

Is what you're practicing today about where you've been, or where you want to be? Practice feeling how you'll feel and doing what you'll do when you get where you're going. Today is practice for tomorrow


5. Willingness is the key.

While today is practice for tomorrow, sometimes habits and beliefs can have a powerful hold, and it can seem like they'll never go.

Willingness is the key. Are you willing to have what you desire? Are you willing to let go of your old way of doing or thinking? Some people ask "Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want?" It's not that you end up having to do whatever it takes, but rather the quality of willingness that unlocks the door.

If you really like adventures, here's an interesting affirmation to try on for size: "I am willing that my present and future be totally unlike my past." Willingness is the key.

Hopefully, they can help us motivate ourselves. Thanks to Mr. Jimmy who gave the inspiration to this posting.

THERE IS ONLY NOW

   Time does not really exist, it's just an idea. The past is an idea which iscalled a memory and the future is an idea too which is called a plan or a fantasy. The present or now is all that exists, yeah, because that's where we are at present or now.

Stop for a minute and allow oourselves to get in touch with this moment. Whenever we have accomplished anything worthwhile, it's been in the present. All our moments of tremendous insight have also taken place in the present. As we think of all the experiences of great pleasure we have ve had in our life, when they happened, it was now. This is why today is practice for tomorrow - because our neurology always thinks it's now!

So what 'now' are you getting more familiar with? What now are you practicing. By the way, most of fears have relation to either the past or the future. As the past and future do not exist, we can relax; there's nothing to fear. There is only now.  

Have a nice and wonderful day. 

Instead of Sleepy

  We have finished holding the first semester test this morning. The English itself was held three days ago. Last night I tried to do correction. Unfortunately, the rain was falling hard and it made me catch fever and I only slept.

This morning, I corrected the result of students tests. I found some good and bad works. Luckily, I had held the remedial test, especially for the daily test. I also gave chances for the students to practice a lot in the class, so it gave the students chances to upgrade their score in their daily activities or assignments. I gave certain points for the students who are active in asking, answering certain materials and express their ideas as well.

Now, I am attending the yearly cooperative members' meeting. It began at 11.00 am. It has been finished yet. The meeting runs smoothly. The participants are so active that we are anjoying the meeting. The are many questions asked by the members to the board. And they are answered clearly and satified the members.   

Responses of I Stop Smoking

After I posted "I stop Smoking", Everytime I meet my friends who visited my blog. They give  many comments. Some support me to stop smoking. They like my way in changing the life. Change to be good (hijrah). Yup. Stop smoking means stop burning my own body, especially the mouth, throat, bronchial tube and the lungs. Moreover, we do not add the air pollution.

Otherwise, there are also some friends who look down upon my 'Hijrah' (decision) not to do smoking anymore. They said,"You will smoke again someday. You have been addicted with cigarettes".  It is true. As I wrote in "I stop Smoking", I have planned to stop smoking for a long time. I decresed the the total of cigarretes which I smoked one by one, day by day. Then, I changed the cigarettes with the light or mild ones.  At last I stopped it. 

I have decided and it my own decision. No way back for smoking. 

Sharing Knowledge

  It is great!. In the early of 2009, today, we have special guests who manage the library of SMA Negeri 1 Papar. There are three people. They are Mrs. Rurin, Mrs. Mimit and Mr. zain. They want to study how to manage school library mainly in managing the digital library.

We welcome them happily. To share what we have with the people who need it is quite great. We love it and we enjoy sharing kindness. We have a commitment we like helping others who have difficulties in handling a certain thing, in managing the digital library as well. We will help the people who want to be helped as long as we can handle the problem.

As we know, the electrical devices or computerized matters, in this case digital library, have many advantages. For example, it can help the librarians find the information of the book easily. It can be the title, the author, the publisher, the year of publishing the books etc. Moreover, they are also able to know which books have been returned and which ones are still available in the library.

On the other hand, they also have disadvantages. If the electricity is off, we can do nothing with the computer. We should do the things manually.

I STOP SMOKING

In this new year. I want to be different. I have an important thing. It is my plan. I have planned it for a long time. My Plan is I Stop Smoking this year.

I want to stop smoking. I confess that I had smoked for a long time, more than twenty years. So it is hard to stop it. People say that I had addicted with smoking. I know it. That is why I say that It is hard to stop smoking.

There are so many people who had tried to stop smoking but they failed. I have my own way in trying to stop smoking. I anchor my mind. STOP SMOKING. By doing so, I want to have a healthy life.

I believe I can stop it. I want my relatives, my friends support me to stop smoking. It is important not only for me myself but also my environments.

Remind me if you know that I am smoking. You may say "You said that you stopped smoking, Why are you smoking now? Did you break your marvelous plan, stop smoking?"

Thank you for those who support my plan to stop smoking. And for those who want to stop smoking, let's try hard to do it. Keep in our mind "I stop smoking"


Wish Me Luck.