A comment box

 I have been a poor blogger for about a year. I rarely write what I have in my mind on to my blog, especially the English one.  

Actually.. there are many things in my mind. But I cannot dig and put them on papers or on my blogs. I feel  blocked.

A year is not a short time. But it seems I know nothing how to manage my blog. I did not realize that blogspot is different with wordpress. Then I got the information from Mr. Afatih's blog that they are different. For instance, the comment box. In wordpress, we can use the comment box directly. On the contrary, in blogspot, we should manage it first. 

I remembered some of friends told me that they could not give any comment in blogspot.  I told them that they should fill the comment box with their opinion and send. But I myself have never tried it. 

Frankly, I often open Mr. Afatih's tutorials when I have difficulties to manage my blog. But I did not find this information.  Thanks God, You gave me Your 'hidayah' this afternoon. I also thank to Mr. Afatih. I got the information here : http://afatih.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/cara-bikin-kotak-komentar-blogspot-seperti-wordpress/#comment-46016 . We know that the tutorial was uploaded in 2008.  And I just got it several minutes ago!.  It is a kind of 'hidayah', isn't it?

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.