USS Blue Ridge in Manila

It came as a very welcome surprise to learn that my former ship, the USS Blue Ridge, would visit the port of Manila. This was formerly a routine port of call but after the diffrent political dynamics between the US and the RP, that's been not so, the last decade or so. So it was with much excitement that I looked forward to the ship;s arrival. Iwas contacted by a former shipmate on the Mobile Bay that he will be flying in to Manila to meet the ship. Jeff Yancey flew in from Japan and we were able to see one another again after almost 9 years and he was very gracious in inviting me and my family to tour onboard the ship. My daughter Clarissa was able to go on a family day cruise while we were in Japan. So it was a return to the ship after about 20 years.

Entering DC Central brought back memories of the many General Quarters I was there. The last and most memorable was during the ship's REFTRA (refresher training), when the final battle problem presented itself. The DCA was killed and I took the mic for the 1MC and declared throughout the ship that, "The DCA is dead, this is Chief Vicencio, I am now in charge." I was asked if I was related to General Alexander Haig who uttered something similar when President Reagan was shot.

Why Must We Forgive? - Rick Warren

Why Must We Forgive?
by Rick Warren

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)

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We have to forgive the people who’ve hurt us, and it has nothing to do with whether or not that person deserves forgiveness. They don’t deserve forgiveness, but then, we don’t deserve it either.

We forgive those who’ve hurt us because God forgives us for how we’ve hurt him. To be honest, the reason we often have a hard time forgiving others is because we don’t feel forgiven ourselves.

But when Jesus died on the cross he paid the penalty for every sin that you or I ever committed or will ever commit. And if we’re going to be forgiving people, we first need to accept God’s forgiveness that comes from Jesus Christ.

Also, we should forgive knowing we will need God’s forgiveness sometime in the future. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV).

Carrying a grudge just keeps us stuck in the past, and when we’re stuck in the past, we’re controlled by the past. Our unforgiveness can control us. The Bible says, “Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple” (Job 5:2 NLT).

The Bible also says that only the foolish harbor a grudge (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Accept forgiveness from God and give forgiveness to others.

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