Merry Christmas!

hey y'all! i would like to wish all of you my dear readers a happy, blessed and peaceful christmas. happy ... because it is the season to be one and everyone deserves to be whether your life the past year has been an unhappy episode of problems, trials and tribulations. blessed... because with all the unhappy moments of the past year, i feel that some of us, if not, most of us are still blessed in one way or the other. so, be blessed and stay blessed. peaceful... because some of us experienced storms, turmoils in our life the past year, this christmas season, i prayerfully hope, will be a season where we can all find peace... peace in our hearts, peace in our homes, peace in this world and peace with all the people around us. so have a MERRY CHRISTMAS y'all!!!

EXCHANGED VALUES Author Unknown

Here's something to think about. I got this from a dear friend and am posting it here for you my very dear readers...

An old proverb says that "The world is a net; the more we stir in it, the more we are entangled."

Max Lucado, a prominent author and minister, tells this story about a prank that occurred years ago: It seems a couple of prowlers broke into a department store in a large city. They successfully entered the store, stayed long enough to do what they came to do, and escaped unnoticed.

What is unusual about the story is what these fellows did. They took nothing. Absolutely nothing. No merchandise was stolen. No items were removed. But what they did do was ridiculous. Instead of stealing anything, they changed the cost of everything. Price tags were swapped. Values were exchanged. These clever pranksters took the tag off a $395.00 camera and stuck it on a $5.00 box of stationery. The $5.95 sticker on a paperback book was removed and placed on an outboard motor. They repriced everything in the store!

Crazy? You bet. But the craziest part of this story took place the next morning. The store opened as usual. Employees went to work. Customers began to shop. The place functioned as normal for four hours before anyone noticed what had happened. Four hours! Some people got some great bargains. Others got fleeced. For four solid hours no one noticed that the values had been swapped.

How Does This Apply to Our Lives?

As price tags were exchanged, valuable goods became cheap, and the cheap became valuable. This can happen to us. We exchange things that are important for those that, in comparison, are unimportant- the world honors success and hard work, so we devote ourselves to jobs we can't wait to retire from, while ignoring marriages that we entered in to for a lifetime; we seek clean, healthy homes, but let them become dumping grounds for the pollution contained in some television programs, movies and popular music; and, we want our children to have strong character traits like honesty and integrity, but spend far more time taking them to athletic events and other activities than tending to their spiritual and moral needs.

Yes, the world is a net; the more we stir in it, the more we are entangled. Seeking "happiness" and acceptance, we buy into the world's values and do what is popular. But if the world's values can produce true happiness, why is there a constant effort to create and promote new forms of amusement and entertainment?

Focus your time and attention on what is valuable to you. While doing so, put your spiritual needs at the top of the list. Nothing should come before your relationship with a man named Jesus. Even though he was dead, he is now alive, seated at the right hand of the throne of God. He understands, he knows, he cares. And he nourishes those who seek to be fed.

As Erwin Lutzer observed ...

If you are not nourished by the Bread from heaven, you will stuff yourself with crumbs from the world. Real nourishment comes only from Jesus Christ. You'll be eternally sorry if you exchange real nourishment for crumbs.

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36)

whose fault?

why is it that people tend to find fault in others... is it because people are naturally fault finder's or they just find fault for the heck of it. we sometimes would like to speak our minds, to tell the world how we feel, or simply how we are and how we do in our daily lives. seldom can you find someone that would be willing to listen, much less, sit down and talk about all these things. when you do something, or like when you say something that touches a nerve, why do people react so wildly? is it because that something that you said maybe the truth, and that knowing the truth hurts. has it ever occurred to you sometimes of how tired you are? of how sick you are with the way life is treating you? how you wished that your life was running the other way around? and how you wish there would be a surefire way to get out of these and fast. the only way that i do know, and is as surefire to workout is to come before JESUS, our Lord, our Savior and Redeemer. He alone heals, He alone forgives, purifies and blesses us whatever our life is turning out to be. so in this season of Christmas, let us all take time to reflect on our lives and our actions of the past year and take this opportune time to come before our Lord in reconciliation. it doesn't matter whether it's your fault or somebody else' . Merry Christmas y'all! God bless us.

busy bee!

hi y'all. i've been very busy of late, i can't find the time to abuse the pc and disrupt the lives of my blogger friends. this is the time of the year that is my business's peak season. just so you'll know, i am into the catering business and this is my hottest season relative to my business. so sorry, no new postings for the time being. i'll try and catch up with y'all next time. have a great weekend guys and gals! ciao!

Online Shopping Safety Guide by: Ian MacKenzie

Hello friends, here's something that is very important nowadays. And since its the season of giving and sharing, a lot of you folks might do your shopping online. Here are some safety guides for online shopping.

• Do not share your user names or passwords.
• Use only secure Internet browsers that allow secure transmission of data -look for the closed padlock symbol in the bottom right corner of your screen and the ‘https’ prefix in the website address line.
• Only give your credit card details when you initiate a purchase.
• Keep a record of your transactions, either by keeping your email confirmations or by writing down the confirmation numbers provided by the merchant.
• Carefully check each of your monthly credit card and bank statements and look for unauthorized purchases and withdrawals.
• Confirm the retailer’s delivery and return policies before you make a purchase.
• Never respond to an unsolicited email request for personal or account information, even if it appears to be from a trusted source.
• Never send payment information, including credit card numbers or bank account information by email.
• Educate yourself about online shopping and safety at http://www.visa.ca/en/personal/securewithvisa/shoppingtips.cfm.
• Choose difficult passwords. Avoid using ones that are easy to guess such as your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, or telephone number.

Happy shopping y'all! Merry Christmas!

How to Lose the Holiday Weight Gain

Hello y'all! been very busy of late trying to finish detailing the car of my father in law who just came out of the shop for a much needed body repair. for those who don't know, auto detailing is one of my hobbies. just love tinkering with the car and restoring everything to how it looked as it was when it got out of the factory. anyway, i am posting this as the start of the christmas season is finally here and with it comes parties, parties and parties to attend to. here's my two cents worth on how to lose that holiday weight gain.

1. Eat fruits and lots of vegetables. They'll give you more food for less calories.

2. Spice things up a little. A little salsa can add a lot of flavor to a baked potato and for fewer calories.

3. For sweets, grab a low-fat yogurt instead of ice cream.

4. Besides cutting on calories, a high fiber diet can help prevent cancer, heart disease and digestive illnesses.

5. And lastly, exercise. burn off that added weight by riding your bike or if your still up to it, do some push-ups and sit-ups. walking too can help you. start by going around the block and increase the distance as you feel getting stronger day by day. my advise: try to steer clear of those diet pills. its better to lose that added weight gain the natural way.

So happy eating y'all. let us also try to thank the Lord for blessings that came our way this christmas and for the whole year. and for those who may have a little to spare, share your blessings especially to those who may have nothing to eat this christmas. Merry Christmas y'all!

Christmas in November

the old lady has come and gone. left for manila yesterday. it was such a great three (3) days with her. we weren't able to talk that much owing to my limited time, but i will cherish always those three days she spent with us, me and my kids... talking, laughing, and cooking (yes! she cooked something for my kids). was just so happy that in spite of her age, she was still sprightly and in good health. i can't help but be teary eyed as i look at her now. the face that once was so strict looking has lost its fierceness and that booming voice that used to quiet us (me and my siblings) and was so authoritative then has suddenly turned soft. the lines showing on her face are more prominent now than the last time i saw her back in '05. however, that chinese-ilokana look that has so captivated my dad was still present. still beautiful at 70 even with all the hardships that she went through in life and in raising us, her children. mama, if you could read this, i would like to thank you for coming over. for me, it was like christmas in november. i have told you this before but let me just repeat it again. i'm sorry for all the pain that i have caused you. what you have told me as regards to my kids will be remembered and implemented (mama knows best) and i assure you that i will try my very best for history not to repeat itself. i love you mama.

Gifts for Kids

thinking about gifts for the little one's this christmas... here's something that might help you decide on what to buy.

1. Educational toys - These toys teach children problem solving techniques, from the simple one's to the more complex. These kind develops logical thinking and improves our kid's observation skills.

2. Bicycles and other ride-ons - These promote fitness and reinforces a child's fondness for outdoor activities. just be sure to check the safety equipment that goes along with it. in my time, i've gotten one as a reward for having good grades in school and safety gears were not in vogue yet at that time. i've had my share of cuts, scratches and bruises but then its all part of growing up.

3. Puzzles - this type challenges the child's ingenuity. it teaches the recognition of patterns and increases their deduction skills. my favorite pastime as a kid growing up. the kind that you get to do alone on a lazy afternoon while waiting for the guys to come out and play.

children nowadays are very fortunate as they have these kinds of toys available which can teach and train them on many things. in my time, it was all wooden guns, sipa, tumbang preso and that sotdrink bottle cap which we flatten and insert strings with and spins. we would sharpen the edges and battle it out until a string cuts loose. my friends and i always had a blast playing that game. and one more thing, before deciding on what toys to get for the little one's, make sure that the toy would be approriate for your child's age, otherwise, your child might not thoroughly reap its benefits. or worse, it may just end up as something that your child will dismember and eventually will just add clutter to his/her room. and lastly, those old and beat up toys can still be of use... donate them to orphanages or abandoned child institutions or the underprivileged who may not have something to give to their kids this christmas. Share y'all!

Don't Throw that Food Away

Here's a reminder to y'all not to throw your holiday feast surplus. Stock 'em up in the freezer or fridge and recycle them into an entirely new and delectable dish after the holidays.

Here are some of the food that most likely will end up as leftovers:

1. Ham - this can be recycled into healthy gourmet sandwiches with additional layers of cheese (queso de bola) lettuce and tomatoes. just use salad dressing or mayo if desired.

2. Chicken - this can be used likewise as a spread for sandwiches with the addition of mayo, chopped onions, mashed potatoes, freshly ground pepper and minced celery. Or you can stir fry the chicken with assorted vegetables (i.e. snow peas, carrots, cabbage), then add egg noodles for a delectable chicken chow mein.

3. Bread - can be used for making puddings and/or can be toasted then ground for use as bread crumbs to your fried chicken and breaded pork chops and can be used as an extender for pork embutido.

4. Pork or Beef Roast - i personally use these two for menudo. just add a can of liver spread, potatoes, carrots, green peas, raisins and bell peppers then cook in tomato sauce and voila! instant pork or beef menudo.

these are just some of the probable leftovers in your holiday feast. i will post another one as soon as i can come up with another list of probable leftovers. Finally, christmas is practically around the corner and here's hoping for a happy and healthy feast to y'all! Bon Appetit!

GOOD NEWS!!!

now here's a bit of a good news. my brother, the youngest one, called me up last night to inform me that he will be coming over to mindanao next week to accompany someone and he'll be making a side trip to my place and guess who he's taking along for the visit, MY MOM! i was so elated that the old lady (still sprightly at 70) will be coming over. last time i saw her was in '05, my last visit to manila. this will be the first time that she'll be coming over since our move here in mindanao. the first time also that she will be able to meet in person my youngest daughter who was "made in mindanao". just one of two grand daughters, all the rest are boys (6 of them). my kids are so excited they can't wait until monday. especially so for my two boys who she last saw when they were 3 and 1 yr. old. now they are 11 and 9. that makes it 8 years that she wasn't able to see them. but i guess i'm the most excited seeing her again. timing is just perfect! and in this times that we are economically challenged, i am so thankful to the Lord for this. just the perfect gift for Christmas!

Home Grown

While lazily surfing the net one afternoon, i decided to check on Reverbnation, which i haven't done in quite a while and guess what i came across... i found out a number of songs of unknown Filipino Artists. while listening to some, i can't help but be amazed at the way our local artists have evolved. they're good and so world class. if you like a sampling, kindly press the play button on the music player on the sidebar. i wish that some of them make it as i believe some, if not most of them have the potentials. who knows, with a little luck and all the right breaks... they just might make it. --->

BAD NEWS!

My former unit leader in the renewal called me last night to relay a most shocking news... a very good friend of mine also from the community passed away two days ago. it was a shock to me and rendered me sleepless for the rest of the night. He was a dear, dear friend. I never forget to pay him a visit whenever i am in manila. the last time i saw him was way back in '05. he was still ok then but was on medication already for hypertension. he was much older than me but the age gap really didn't matter as this guy was a go-getter was flexible. he was friends with anybody and very respected in our community and was for a long time, president of the Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) in our area. We'd spend countless hours talking and laughing on practically about anything in life. he was a good listener and one that i could always run to for an ear on my many litanies and sentiments. this fellow is what you may call the been there, done that kinda guy. he lived a full life and has had his share of vices one can think of. in the years that i have known him, he struck me as a loyal friend and a very obedient worker in the Lord's vineyard. we have gone to provincial missions together and was and always is the driver that will ferry the entire delegation to our provincial sorties. driving being his best skill and mind you, he has driven anything and everything that has wheels on it. he was one of a couple of persons i would permit to drive my car.

What me makes me doubly sad is that i can't get to pay my last respects to a dear friend for economic reasons. i would like to remember him as he was the last time we saw each other... full of life, smiling and laughing at the sight of me and after the usual pleasantries, sat down for a round of beer...

tito eli, i will miss you and always remember that you will always have a special place in my heart. goodbye my friend... or should i say... until we meet again.

TAGGED!

I've been tagged! Big thanks to MOMnificent for this. The tag asks me to post 8 random facts/habits about myself and tag 8 others in the process as soon as this is posted. Well, what can i say about myself? I'm probably what you may call as your regular guy in the neighborhood. And as i've said, am just a simple man with very simple wants in life... anyway, i'll try to be very brief as possible:

1. i'm a proud dad to three (3) beautiful, intelligent and kulit children. Pics of them are on the sidebar below, ang "tatlong itlog" as i love to call them. am married with a "wife" of course... harharhar.

2. was born up north but grew up in quezon city. an ilocano who migrated to the city of golden friendship (cagayan de oro) in december of 1999. i'm a lover of great food and i love to create culinary specials for my 3 most ardent fans, my kids. (who else, lol). that is why i am also in the food business, a canteen concessionaire to be exact, running 2 concessions for a multinational company and a local one here in mindanao...

3. i love reading. i read just about anything i can get my hands on. reading for me feeds my mind, entertains and quenches my thirst for information...

4. i can carry a tune, (so they say) and i can dance as well. was a former member of the 1st generation of dancers at the "party circuit" and had my own group, "The FSC" during my younger years. i'm more of a dancer than a singer. but now, dancing cook na! harharhar...

5. i love to go out for a walk... my own quiet and reflection time.

6. if given the chance, i would like to live high up in the mountains where life is simpler, quiet and a lot colder (brrrrrr)...

7. if life would grant me one wish... my wish would be a peaceful, happy and fulfilled life with my family...

8. i love carpentry. i make cabinets, tables and other wood fixtures and my house is my showcase (where else!). harharhar.

so there! now i'm tagging the following friends in the blogosphere: 1. Juliana of PINAY WAHM, Eugene of BOLD-TALK, Lalaine of LALAINE'S WORLD, Meia of MEIA ONLINE, Renet of PHYSIOMOM, Wena of UNCOMPLICATED and Sam of SHOW ME YOUR INTEREST.

And the tag rules are as follows:

1 - Each player starts with eight random fact/habits about themselves.

2 - People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.

3 - At the end of your blog post, you need to tag eight people and list their names.

4 - Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’ve been tagged and to read your blog.

Tale of TWO Brains

I had a good laugh watching this and i would like to share it with all of you dear readers. its been a while that i had a really good one.
So! watch and laugh your heart out or better yet, laugh until you cry.

Five Ways to Get Your Spark BACK

We all feel low sometimes, right? Grouchy, fed-up and bored are all the words you could use to describe what it's like when you're feeling in a rut or like you've lost that spark that you use to have. Times like those are all part of the deal with being human (sorry to break it to you), but you'll run the risk of losing an important piece of yourself forever if those grouchy days and off-times merge together and last weeks, months or maybe even years.

Here are five ways to get you out of the rut and probably get your spark back.

1. SHAKE THINGS UP

If you've established systems and routines for getting things done, it certainly makes life easier. Of course, the flipside is that if you have everything tightly coordinated and run according to that routine, and everything you do every single day becomes the norm. You end up running on auto-pilot or cruise control, and it becomes your whole world.

So start to shake things up a bit. Make one or two simple changes to your day - whether it's your breakfast routine, your radio station, workout sked, route to work, lunch routine, etc, etc. It doesn't matter what the changes are or whether they're right or wrong, just make a couple of simple choices that will add some variety to your day.

Doing things differently and changing parts of your routine instantly takes you out of the norm and allows you to shake off the thing that make you feel confined. Stepping out of your routine puts you in a position when you're able to make different choices, see things differently and get a different result. It's the starting point for having a different kind of experience.

2. REMEMBER WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
If it feels like your sparks gone then i'm willing to bet that you've forgotten who you really are. way down deep. Your values are the building blocks, foundations and cornerstones for who you are, they're the things that are ten thousand feet down inside you that make you. A value is something in yourself, in others or out there in the world thats most important to you, and you could include things like trust, capability, love, family, nature, innovation, fun and a million other things.

Those times in your life when you've felt alive, buzzing or at the top of your game are times when one or more of your values are being honored, and it feels great because you're simply expressing and living in line with who you really are.

The times when you feel upset, angry or frustrated are times when one or more of your values are being denied, suppressed or repressed, it feels horrible because you're not living in line with who you really are.

Getting your spark back means connecting with your values that mean more to you and by using them every single day.

3. GET SOME NOURISHMENT.

Picture this... you are walking home from the market with a couple of bags of groceries, but the bags have holes in them . So, there you are, happily walking along, leaving a trail of your things behind you. When you get home you unpack what's left and ask, "didn't i have more than this?"

Nourishment is about plugging those holes in your life and making sure you have things that keep you feeling nourished... nourished in your head, nourished in your heart and nourished in your stomach. Remember, you can't give away what you don't have and can't spend energy you've already spent.

It doesn't have top be the big things in life that nourish you and its often the simplest little thing that strikes a chord, makes you feel like yourself again or makes you smile from ear to ear; calling a friend, taking a walk in the park or simply listening to your favorite song. Think about what keeps you balanced, the things that relax you or make you feel peaceful. Think about the things that make you feel like you again.

Yes, life is busy, but you need to prioritize your own nourishment or you will be running on empty. The fact is that you are important enough to spend time taking care of and because you are the only one of you there is, its you're responsibility to make sure you are okay.

4. CREATE YOUR PERFECT DAY.

This idea came to me a few years ago when a good friend suddenly asked me, "What would be your perfect day?" I'd never been asked that question before and I found myself spontaneously making up a story; telling my friend about my "perfect day" from the moment my eyes flickered open at the start of the day to the moment i hit the sack at the end of the day.

I went through each part of the day telling my friend what I was doing, who was I with, where we were, how it felt and what happened next. Bit by bit and without even thinking about it, i'd put together a rich, colorful exciting and comforting day which still holds true as my perfect day.

Just thinking about different parts of it makes me smile, makes me remember what's important to me and makes me feel human, my "perfect day" has now become like a good friend of mine, a friend that i can call on whatever I want to. So whats your "perfect day" like? Just shoot straight and see what comes out naturally for you. Write down words, ideas, themes or whole narratives, even draw pictures if you want to. have fun with it, play with it... its your "perfect day".

5. PACK IN MORE OF THE THREE "F's'.

FUN, FULFILLMENT and FREEDOM. The three "F's"... embody a whole lot of what people are looking for in life. Here are some quick definitions:

FUN, n. - a source of enjoyment or pleasure; playful activity.

FULFILLMENT, n. - To bring into actuality; to complete a feeling of satisfaction at having achieved your desires.

FREEDOM, n. - The capacity to exercise choice, free will, frankness or boldness; the absence of constraint in choice or action.

These 3 things have a massive influence on your experience of life, so think about it, where you are you on a scale of 1-10 against each of the 3 "F's"? How much fun are you having right now? How fulfilled are you? How free do you feel?

What would happen if you climbed a point or two on the Fun scale? What if you could add a point to your level of fulfillment or freedom? Chances are it would feel pretty darn good, so what is the one thing that you can do right now to help you climb up the 3 "F's" scale?

By themselves, each of the 3 "F's" are a powerful thing and can really help to enjoy where you are and feel alive. But when the 3 "F's" come together... well, just hold on to your hat because that's one hell of a ride.

caught in the act!

i am so mad and at the same time so disappointed with my eldest child. i caught him lying, and really caught in the act and lying to his teeth! and i gave him a good spanking for that. wish i didn't have to do the spanking part because it made me feel so bad afterwards. i promised myself that i would never spank my kids unless for a very serious reason or wrongdoing. guess i broke that promise...

there are a whole lot of things that i hate and the most that i detest is lying (who isn't?) in fact, told my children time and again to never, ever lie. wish i knew where they'd learn to do that... i never lied to them before, even in things that are sometimes beyond their comprehension. i earnestly and honestly try to answer their questions, whatever it is, to the best of my knowledge and in such a manner where the answer will be simple enough for an 11, 9 and 6 year old child to understand. somehow i reckon that i will have to be firm with them when it comes to discipline otherwise they may become somebody that i wouldn't want them to be when they grow up. this early, my eldest is showing signs of a rebellious attitude like making faces and banging on something when he doesn't get his way and like when her mom scolds him. when this happens, i just talk and explain to him that his actions are unnecessary and so disrespectful, then i try putting him on the opposite end of the situation and see how he reacts if those things were done to him. he seems to understand what i'm saying and apologizes afterwards. hiiiiiiiiiiiirap magpalaki ng anak! so now! who says that raising kids is an easy task?

How to Stay Young!

While leafing through tons of old paper yesterday, was trying to locate something of importance, i got hold of an old letter from a dear friend and am sharing it here for the simple reason that for people like my age may find significant...

10 Tips on How To Stay Young!

1. Throw out non-essential numbers. This includes age, wealth and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you are paying him/her.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening and whatever. Never let the brain idle. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop, and the devil’s name is ALZHEIMER’S.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourselves. Be alive while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: if it is good, preserve it; if it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next province, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away! STAY YOUNG!

Only Hope for the Philippines

i got this email from a pastor friend of mine and speaks of probably the only way that can bring our beloved country out of its present state. it was written by the Jesuit priest, Fr. James Reuter, SJ. i am sharing this to all of you and please feel free to copy this and pass it around to our fellow Pinoys out here in the blogosphere:

THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES

by Father James Reuter, S.J.

By her own admission, GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) rightfully assessed that over the last decades our republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its more progressive neighbors. Forty years ago, we were only second to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia, and Thailand . Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years toget to where Thailand is. Our national debt was US$28B when Marcos fled and is US$53B today. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam , but against Bangladesh; and we will be the most corrupt nation in Asia , if not in the world (we're already ranked 11th most corrupt nation by Transparency International). The signs are clear. Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We've seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, churchgroups & people's organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds. But not even two people's revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward. We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm. It's time to claim GOD's promise of healing of the land for His people. It's time to gather GOD's people on its knees to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. Is prayer really the answer? Before you dismiss this as just another rambling of a religious fanatic, I'd like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history. England 's ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers. The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most powerful nation today- a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer life. Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movement swept across the land. In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering. Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn,will lead to general prosperity. YES, we believe prayer can make a difference. It's our only hope. Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation ofour nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for 5 minutes of your time in a day, to fwd this message to your close friends and relatives. This is the kind of unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do,about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center. We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power. GOD never fails. Is there hope? YES! We can rely on God's promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will heal our land. By GOD's grace, we may yet see a better future for our children. "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Award!

hey y'all! Somebody's given me an award. Wow! Much love and thanks to Bogie of BOGIE's WONDERLAND for this award. truly appreciate this.

Links:

Amiable Amy, Cookie's Corner, Bogie's Wonderland, Excess Baggage, (your blog/url here)

I would love to give this award away to my blogger friends according to the following rules:

1. The winner may put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Put a link to the person you got the award from.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to the blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees

My nominated blogs are :
1. Juliana - Pinay WAHM
2. Eugene - BOLD TALK
3. Iceah - Chicken Heart
4. Ms. Elle - The Noble and the Nonsense
5. Ilocana - Pinay Thoughts n Words

My message to these people:

The Blogworld has given us a lot of things to be thankful for and is so full of practically everything; an outlet for our creativity, in writing, in photography, in research, the best for me is to have the found the friendship of these 5 people... and i have found you people as real as possible and not just virtual friends. May the blogosphere be saturated by people like you!

And to Bogie, thanks for introducing me to blogging. May our good Lord bless you and keep you. Gbu!

Flu AGAIN!

I'm sick again! down with the flu... feels like it was only yesterday that i posted something about me getting sick and lo! its here again! i'm definitely going to see my doctor about this. this is so irregular! having flu twice in a span of about a month! maybe my systems breaking down, for what reason, i don't know yet and i'm definitely going to find out. gotta go for now, my two young doctor's told me to stay away from our pc for the time being. well... i hear sound advice coming from two doctor's to be. lol! will be back shortly and steal time at the pc when they go to school. hahaha!

10 Internet Safety Tips for Families by: Ian MacKenzie

While blog hopping today, I came across this post written by Ian MacKenzie of Edmonton, Canada and so relevant nowadays and pertains to the activities our children do while on the “net”.

Here are 10 safety precautions to get our kids out of harms way:

1. Encourage your kids to share their Internet experiences with you.

2. Teach your kids to trust their instincts. If they feel nervous about anything they see or hear online, they should tell you about it.

3. If your kids visit chat rooms, use Instant Messaging (IM) programs, online video games or other activities on the Internet that require logging in by name to identify themselves, help them choose a login name and make sure it doesn’t reveal any personal information about them.

4. Insist that your kids never give out your family’s address, phone number or any personal information, including where they go to school.

5. Teach your kids that the difference between right and wrong is the same on the Internet as it is in real life.

6. Teach your kids how to respect others online. Make it clear that rules for good behavior don’t change just because they’re on a computer.

7. Insist that your kids respect the property of others online. Explain that making illegal copies of other people’s work — music, video games or other programs — is a form of theft, plain and simple.

8. Tell your kids to never meet online “friends” in person. Those “friends” may not be who they say they claim to be.

9. Teach your kids that not everything they read or see online is true.

10. Encourage them to ask you if they’re not sure about something they see or hear. Control your children’s online activity using advanced Internet software. Parental controls can help you filter out harmful content, monitor the sites your child visits and find out what they do there.

Bedspace

I was awakened in the middle of the night (at 2:00 am) the other day by my two boys. Turned out the eldest chopped, as in, karate chopped the second one's leg just because of bed space. You see, my second one sleeps like a worm and feels like a whole room is his entire bed while the eldest sleeps like a log. It happened that the second one encroached on the eldest one's side of the bed and was irritated no end by the second one's foot hanging everywhere. (i had them share a bed just so the second one will learn how to sleep "quietly"). In retaliation, the second one pushed the eldest and shouted and in the process almost awakened the entire house with his indiscriminate shouting. I scolded the eldest one by the manner by which he woke up his younger brother and sent him to another room in the house to sleep. The following morning before going to school, I told him that we'll be having a talk after lunch. During our conversation, I taught him a thing about respect. It has been a rule in our house not to do unto others, what you don't like others to do unto you (did i get that right?). so i told him to never wake up a person, moreso his brother, that way again. That he should respect anyone who is sleeping even if that person snores, kicks, sleepwalks, talks, etc. I likewise told him that if it were the other way around, I bet he would have done something more drastic. In situations like this, I always make it a point to have them view things the other way around so they can get a feel of hows it like to be on the other end of a situation. He understood what I was saying and later on apologized to his younger brother.

Children do have different personalities and attitudes, we parents sometimes are at a loss on how to handle them. I just wish things are a lot easier to explain to our kids about certain things but sometimes i find it too hard and complicated to simplify things to them especially for questions that even an adult would find hard to answer. Parenting nowadays is really a struggle... a struggle to find the answers to our kids never ending questions, struggle to correct their bad behavior and struggle to keep our nerves at the end of a very tiring day. Yet, on the other hand, these little angels would sometimes, if not most of the time, light up our dark days, would welcome you home at the end of a horrible day and would still love you even if you are the meanest, grouchiest parent in the world. Haaaaaaaaay naku! I think i will have to put them on seperate beds from now on. HAPPY PARENTING TO ALL.

Friends

a good friend sent this and i would like to share this with all of you.

As we walk our path of life,
We meet people everyday.
Most are simply met by chance.
But, some are sent our way.

These become special friends
Whose bond we can't explain;
The ones who understand us
And share our joy and pain.

Their love contains no boundaries.
So, even when apart.
Their presence enhances us
With a warmth felt in the heart.

This love becomes a passageway,
When even the miles disappear.
And so, these friends, God sends our way,
Remain forever near! .

'We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere.'
-Tim McGraw

When being right is wrong... by: Ian MacKenzie

There was a time in my life when I just had to be right. I would go to great lengths to prove to the other party(s) how right I was. Funny thing, no one ever thanked me for setting them straight. For all the knowledge I had :P, people rarely asked me to enlighten them.

It can take a long time to figure out you’re just being a jerk! Now I try hard to keep my trap shut. I’m not perfect and sometimes slip back into know-it-all-ness, but the predictable response back reminds me that it’s not always right to be right.

Gail Blanke suggests four questions to ask yourself next time you’re feeling “right”:

1. Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy?
2. What’s more important to me: making someone wrong for the moment or having a great long-term relationship?
3. What would happen if I let go of the urge to correct and concentrated instead on the rewards of connecting?
4. Could I let someone else be right for just a minute before I say what I think?

Growing Up!

I can’t help but be amazed at the very fast rate my eldest son is growing up. I was looking at him today and it seems like it was only yesterday that I was cradling him in my arms. WHEW! Time sure does fly. He is a boy of 11 years now and starting to get so conscious of his looks that taking a bath, dressing up and looking himself up at the mirror seems to take forever. He’s even discarded his Batman and Spiderman tees for a more casual and mature looking clothes and of late has been going crazy trying to style his hair ala Johnny Depp. Loads his top with tons of hairstyling gel and walks ever so slowly so as not to ruin his funny looking hairstyle that looks like a bed of thorns! Hahaha. Funny, but I was the exact opposite when I was at his age… and he peppers me with questions like, when and at what age does hair appear on my armpits, under his nose and any other place where hair grows? Is my “Adam’s Apple” protruding already on my throat? Did my shoulder broaden already? All of which I try to answer truthfully and honestly. One time, I was busy doing something and he starts battering me with his growing up questions and I say rather annoyingly: “Why you so concerned about these things and why are you so in a hurry to grow up?” He didn’t answer my question but I told him that: in time, you will grow up to be a fine young man and all these questions will eventually be answered… in time. Now he may not be that satisfied with the way I answered his questions but I try to answer them truthfully and in such a way that I may be easily understood by an 11 ear old boy. Perhaps children of today’s generation maybe totally different from my time with all these techie gadgets and toys that they go crazy about. Cellphones, Mp3 players, Xboxes, laptops, internet, friendster, MTG, pokemon, etc, etc, etc. During my time it was sipa, taguan, jolens, patintero, siyato and tex and tirador. WOW! Even toys and games do evolve. I think somebody out there will agree with me that the games then were a lot better than all the stuff kids nowadays are playing with. Well, I just hope that the kids of today will likewise learn to play the games that I grew up playing with. Signs of the times………………….

Accident...

I was contemplating on writing a post today but somehow my mind’s all messed up that I can’t think of something to write about. Well… let me just share with you a reflection that I had regarding an incident that happened a few months ago. It was a gruesome accident that I witnessed involving a passenger van and a ten wheeler truck. The passenger van was Cagayan de Oro bound and full of passengers while the truck was coming from a warehouse and backing up onto the highway when the accident happened. The van crashed onto the truck and apparently the driver of the van did not notice or see the truck at all. The van was beyond recognition and as a result, a young lady perished. I presume that there was no other casualty except for this young lady who later on I came to know as the daughter of someone working for a large multinational company located here in Mindanao. I do not know the family of this young lady personally but I feel for their loss. Hence I decided to write this to reflect on this very unfortunate experience. I too am a parent and a husband, maybe a lousy one, sometimes grouchy but nevertheless a parent to 3 lovely and beautiful children and a husband to a gorgeous and charming woman. There comes a point in time in the lives of our children that we as parents have to let go. Terrified? Yes! The thought that they will be on their own terrifies me, a lot of what if’s, the how? and the what? There are a whole lot of questions that need to be answered. Some of the answers I may never know in this lifetime, but there is one thing that I am pretty sure about; I love my children and that love I suppose is beyond measure. I think that only GOD knows how much I really love my kids. Maybe that’s how we are as parents. We have this fear inside of us every time a child or our children leave home. Its like, we wish that a part of us has to go with them, to look after them, to protect them, to keep them safe, to remind them that it is time to eat, that its time to go home or that its time for this and time for that, to take a bath, blah, blah, blah, etc. But it can’t be, at some point, we will have to let go and like it or not, they will be on their own. To make and find their own life and purpose in this world. And when that time comes, it will be terrifying for us parents. Maybe, we’ll just pray to the ALMIGHTY for their protection and well-being.

When I was still young, I never really knew why mama would always pester me with all sorts of reminders, I never knew why she would scold me if I would come home late, and I never knew why she does what she does to us, her children. I never knew… never understood… in fact, resented it to the point that I would find ways to make her mad or angry… until I too became a parent. Well maybe, that’s how the cycle goes…

Perhaps, I’ll just pray to the good LORD that he prepares me for the time that day will come… to strengthen me and dispel my fears. In the meantime, I would like to also mourn the loss of that young lady to that horrible accident. I pray that her parents and family find meaning in the loss of their beloved daughter.

I hope this post doesn’t make you miserable. I sincerely hope that we parents enjoy the company of our children while they are still with us. I too am a busy parent like most of you probably are. Sometimes it takes something like this for us to realize a lot of things, like how busy we are with work and how little time we have for our family more so, for our children.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE BLESSED? based on a fact sheet issued by the united nations

1. if you own just one religious book, you are abundantly blessed. ONE THIRD OF THE WORLD DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO EVEN ONE.

2. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, YOU ARE MORE BLESSED THAN THE 1,000,000 WHO WILL NOT SURVIVE THE WEEK.

3. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, YOU ARE MORE BLESSED THAN 500,000,000 PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.

4. If you have food in our refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, YOU ARE MORE BLESSED THAN 75% OF ALL THE PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD.

5. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a piggy bank somewhere in your home, YOU ARE AMONG THE TOP EIGHT PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S WEALTHIEST.

6. If you hold your head up with a smile on your face and are truly grateful to God for gifts received, YOU ARE MORE BLESSED THAN MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO HAVE FORGOTTEN SO.

7. If you can tap somebody's burdened shoulder, or hold his hand toe ease his pain, YOU ARE MORE BLESSED BECAUSE YOU HAVE REACHED OUT TO OFFER GOD'S HEALING TOUCH.

Come as you are, no jacket required...

I shook my head in disbelief. This could not be the right place, after all, i could not possibly be welcome here. I had been given an invitation several times, by several different people and had finally decided to see what this place was all about. But, this just could not be the right place.

Quickly, I glanced down at the invitation that i clutched in my hand. I scanned past the words, " Come as you are. No jacket required." And found the location. Yes, I was at the right place. I peered through the window again and saw a room of people whose faces seemed to glow with joy. All were neatly dressed, adorned in fine garments and appeared strangely clean as they dined at this exquisite restaurant.

Ashamed, I looked down at my own tattered and torn clothing, covered in stains. I was dirty, in fact, filthy. A foul smell seemed to consume me and I could not shake the grime that clung to my body. As I turned around to leave, the words from the invitation seemed to leap out at me... "Come as you are. No jacket required."

I decided to give it a shot. Mustering up every bit of courage I could find, I opened the door to this restaurant and walked up to a man standing behind a podium. "Your name sir? He asked me with a smile. " Jimmy D. Brown." I mumbled without looking up. I thrust my hands deep into my pockets, hoping to conceal their stains. He did not seem to notice the filth that I was covered in and he continued, "Very good, sir. A table is reserved in your name. Would you like to be seated?"

I could not believe what I heard! A grin broke out on my face and I said "Yes, of course!" He lead me to a table and, sure enough, there was a placard with my name written on it in a deep, dark red. As I browsed over the menu, I saw many delightful items listed. There were things like, "peace," "joy," "blessings," "confidence," "assurance," "hope," "love," "faith" and "mercy." I realized this was no ordinary restaurant! I flipped the menu back to the front in order to see where I was at... "God's Grace," was the name of this place!

The man returned and said, " I recommend the 'Special of the Day'. With it, you are entitled to heaping portions of everything on this menu. You've got to be kidding! I thought to myself. You mean, I can have ALL of this! "What is the 'Special of the Day' I asked with excitement ringing in my voice. "SALVATION" was his reply. I'll take it, " I practically cried out".

Then, as quickly as I made that statement, the joy left my body. A sick, painful ache jerked through my stomach and tears filled my eyes. Between my sobs I said... "Mister, look at me, I'm dirty and nasty. I'm unclean and unworthy of such things. I'd love to have all of this, but, but, I just can't afford it. Undaunted, the man smiled again... " Sir, your check has already been taken cared of by that Gentleman over there, "he said pointing to the front of the room. " His name is Jesus."

Turning, I saw a man whose very presence seemed to light the room. He was almost too much to look at. I found myself walking towards Him and in a shaking voice I whispered, " Sir. I'll wash the dishes or sweep the floors or take out the trash. I'll do anything I can do to repay you for all of this. "He opened His arms and said with a smile, "son, all this is yours if you just come unto me. Ask me to clean you up and I will. Ask me to take away the stains and it is done. Ask me to allow you to feast at my table and you will eat. Remember, the table is reserved in your name. All you must do is accept this gift that I offer you."

Astonished, I fell at His feet and said, "Please Jesus, Please clean up my life. Please change me and sit me at your table and give me this new life." Immediately, I heard the words, "It is finished." I looked down and white robes adorned my squeaky clean body. Something strange and wonderful had happened. I felt new, like a weight had been lifted and I found myself seated at His table.

I walked into God's Grace dirty and hungry. Stained in sin. My righteousness as filthy rags. And Jesus cleaned me up. I walked out a brand new man... robed in white.

Have you been to God's Grace. There's a table reserved in your name, and here's your invitation... "COME AS YOU ARE. NO JACKET REQUIRED."