Acknowledgments

  Thanks to my family-Mommy and Daddy, Col. and Mrs. Edilberto T. Lim, Sr.  My family’s guardian Ninang Belen and her husband Uncle Leonard, my brothers and sisters, Kuya Bong, Ate Annie, Kuya Jun, Carlyn, Winchie, and their respective families, with whom God has given in my life as my basic community-a life of value-loving atmosphere.   For encouraging me and endlessly expressing their high regard of what I am capable of doing-supporting me each time, every bit of the way.  For giving me necessary advice, reprimands and discipline all through my growing years and showed me by virtue of their concern, how contentment and happiness could be achieved through prayers and by valuing and prioritizing education, upholding morality, and living a healthful life.  To my wife Edna, for showing only the best of faith you have in me.  I can not love and thank you enough for all the love you have shown me and let me feel.  That one lifetime may never be enough to show my love for you-thank you.

 

     My utmost gratitude to my childhood sweetheart and friend Jing-Jing for helping me finish the publication of this book with her IT prowess-exchanging back and forth options of how I can post vital drawings onto the blog spaces.  Most especially, for sharing to me the redeeming POWER of the Words of God at a very opportune moment, in consoling and appeasing my mournful spirit at the time Daddy passed away in the 1990's.  Thank you so much.  Where henceforth, bible reading had been an integral part of my life. God bless you and keep you always. Bless your husband and children.  

  My childhood neighbors-schoolmates, and friends rolled into one Lan-Lan Amican and Dennis Hilario, for being a great companion all our growing years where we explored and shared life together as we grew to mature and learned from our youth.  The laughter , the long walks along the streets of Pilar and BF back and all day long.  With a basketball in our possession, how we could live and just stayed happy the whole day playing.  Our escapades of our youth all over Manila, (China town..hahaha), Makati, Las Pinas were all cool and memorable.  Bless you guys! 

  Last and definitely not the least-my hardcore Christian friend and brother in Christ Mr. TMR (Mr. Bombastic), to  his Dad, and the rest of the group-sa mga Hukbong Langit.  My personal gratitude to you is immeasurable-Salamat!  For keeping me company even when I lived nasty, as I had my share of  it  in life.  For the corrections-thank you.  For never giving up on me, in helping me see the real importance of discipline and happiness through righteous living.  For letting me feel so importantly involved in the re-creation of dimensions of life through hell or high waters.  For sharing with me what it is like to have companions, who have shown the meaning, and difference between true happiness from superficial kudos.  God be with you all always.

And to all those who have been part of the society I evolved in, with the Grace of God, for being there to be a vital component of my world, where social, religious, educational and cultural orientations, and status quo I have learned to view extensively and have taken a whole lot of considerations.

Again, for each one of you whom I can never thank enough for the faith you have with me.  The values in life you have taught me.  The encouragement and support of matters that we believe to be holy and true-THANK YOU.

  The fellowship we shared which are precious, by which you have made me advance the cause of heaven and righteousness to life.  Thus, being able to express and arrive at writing-the IRON SCEPTER.  Blessings, peace, and love!