As easy as 1,2 & 3

Is it always a question of who's right and who's wrong... or of who's dumb and who's intelligent... I dare ask this questions because apart from money, these has been the point of discussion if not, the quarrel for most of the time between husbands & wives. I say, it is never a question of who's right or who is wrong but rather a question of "is it the right thing to do?" and "will it be a beneficial to all members of the family? These simple questions should somehow be answered before the conclusion of every plan, decision and actions that we undertake as caretakers of our family. Each of us (husband & wife) has to do our part in building the lives of our children and that of our family as a whole. We should, likewise, be responsible for every mistake that we do and every wrong word that we say because what we do or say that hurts them now can still hurt them in the future. The grinds of daily life are sometimes too much to take, we get tired, we get bored and we get fed up with the usual routine but that’s just the way it is. You will have to find a way somehow to make your daily toils interesting, fulfilling and not boring. Raising a family requires a lot of hard work, sacrifices and even tears. The happy part is knowing that at the end of the line, we can all say, “I have done my part”.

I say also that being wrong doesn't have to always mean that you’re sorry, I say acknowledge the mistake, learn from it and move on. If you say sorry, then I guess one must be sincere in seeking the apology. Saying sorry is a whole lot different from BEING sorry. There’s a world of difference between the two.

In conclusion, family life, especially with children is no joke, never was and never will be. What could be tougher, raising a family with both husband and wife helping each other out OR raising the children all by your lonesome? I will hold forever in high esteem the single parents who single-handedly raise their children. That is hard and sure is one tough act to follow but, there will always be something missing in the balance. And that is the presence of one (spouse) to complete the whole equation. Differences can be settled with the proper communication and with God in between. I say proper because as grown ups, it is but right that we talk in such a manner that is not disrespectful and degrading. Everything is an easy task as long as we let the Lord in on our lives. Just let Him take control and everything will be as easy as 1,2 and 3.

Work & Prayer... perfect balance

has it ever occurred to you at times of how monotonous or mechanical your work is? do you sometimes feel burned out from too much work? how about the spiritual side of your life? or to put it simply, how is your prayer life irregardless of what you believe in? these questions may at one point in your life come at you. mine came at the close of this year and after giving it much thought and reflection, decided to put both in perfect balance. not too much of either. work is where we get food to feed our families, our loved ones... it is where we get the funds for our children's needs and schooling... it is where we get the funds to pay for bills and to pay for the many others that require payment, and for the so many other small things. but sometimes too much work may give you so much stress and may lead to an illness. we can't just have enough of something and we never seem to have that satisfaction to say that "these are enough". too much work may lose that spark, that passion that you used to have when you were starting out... or you may lose that yearning to learn, the challenge to excel or to be the best in what you do for a living. i just thought that putting certain things in its proper perspective will make me avoid that feeling of getting burned out. i started to refocus on the things that i have missed out on and boy! they sure are plenty. make no mistake, i am blessed by having to have to work at home and am literally, always there for my kids. it doesn't mean however, that just because i'm at home most of the time that i'm not missing out on some aspects on my children's life. its like i am there but the mind and spirit is too preoccupied with a thousand little things that needs attention all at the same time. for this year, i decided to just take it easy. not too easy that my lifeline will be the one to suffer. just a little balance to have enough time for anything, my kids and wife included. on the other hand, my prayer life has been blowing hot and cold at times. prayer is what we need as our food or nourishment for the soul, keeps us in harmony with our God. there can't likewise be too much prayer in your life as too much will make the other facets of your life suffer. i'm not saying that to be prayerful is bad. there are still a lot of other things to do in a day... like eat, sleep. study, read, etc, etc. even those leading a monastic life don't pray 24 hours a day. there has to be a balance between these two. lets just say that a 55 to 45 or a 60 to 40 in favor of prayer is not bad. there would still be a lot left for the other things in our lives. i just pray that i would maintain this all through the year.