rain, rain, rain

there hasn't been a drop of rain since the start of the year and we are now beginning to feel its effects. there has been rotating brownouts of at least 5-6 hours per day and its really getting into the nerves of some people, me included. the power company expects it to get much worst and if the rains don't come this may or earlier, the power deficit may get much worst. at present, we are having power shortages of up to 400 mw and its still early march! i dread at the thought of what will happen if this continues. a great portion of the whole country is practically dependent on hydro power so water is a must to get these power plants working. i also wish that the government has contingency plans regarding this... and government people are so busy now with the elections coming this may and hopefully, they won't focus much on it (the elections) and instead put to task some people to look for alternative power sources to address the huge shortage the country is experiencing now. agricultural food sources are greatly affected already, rice and other staples included, and is expected to post record prices due to its scarcity plus some medium and small scale bussinesses are already reeling from the effects of these power outages. here in mindanao, there is really no pronounced dry season as compared to luzon because rain is well scattered all throughout the year, supposedly, but now its different... last year, january to be exact, came the rains which practically submerged our city rendering thousands of people homeless and moving to higher grounds with damages running into the hundreds of millions of pesos. this year has been the exact opposite. DRY! so my dear friends, i ask you to please storm the heavens and include us all in your prayers so that the rains will come early this year, not so much so that we'll all go under water again, but just enough so that farmers can plant again and this power outages will be restored back to normal. ciao!

parang aso?!!!?

ang hirap pala pag nag-iisa ka sa mundo... katulad ng isang aso na gumagala sa lansangan, walang malinaw na direksyon na patutunguhan. lakad ng lakad, gutom at nag-iisa. minsan binabato, sinisipa, pinandidirihan, kinukutya't nililibak, kulang na lang patayin ka. malungkot, pero sadya sigurong ganyan ang buhay, at ang tao... minsan malupit, walang awa at walang pang-unawa, pero masuwerte pa din kung minsan ang isang asong gala, lingid sa kanya ang tunay na kahalagahan ng buhay, may sariling mundo, naghihintay ng panahon kung saan, kailan at paano matatapos ang paglalakbay... hihinto at hihimlay... upang hindi na kailanman maglakbay... paano na kaya kung ang tao itinuring na parang aso???!!!

The Lord's Prayer

I cannot pray "OUR," if my faith has no room for others and their need.

I cannot pray "FATHER," if I do not demonstrate this relationship to God in my daily living.

I cannot pray "WHO ART IN HEAVEN," if all of my interests and pursuits are in earthly things.

I cannot pray "HALLOWED BE THY NAME," if I am not striving for God's help to be holy.

I cannot pray "THY KINGDOM COME," if I am unwilling to accept God's rule in my life.

I cannot pray "THY WILL BE DONE," if I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.

I cannot pray "IN EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN," unless I am truly ready to give myself to God's service here and now.

I cannot pray "GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD," without expending honest effort for it or if I would withhold from my neighbor the bread I receive.

I cannot pray "FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US," if I continue to harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot pray "LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION," if I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.

I cannot pray "DELIVER US FROM EVIL," if I am not prepared to fight with my life and my prayer.

I cannot pray "THINE IS THE KINGDOM," if I am unwilling to obey the King.

I cannot pray "THINE IS THE POWER AND THE GLORY," if I am seeking power for myself and my own glory first.

I cannot pray 'FOREVER AND EVER," if I am too anxious about each day's affairs.

I cannot pray "AMEN," unless I honestly say "Not MY will, but THY will be done, so let it be.

Maligayan Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon(MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!)

hi guys! am taking this opportunity to greet everybody a merry, merry christmas and a happy new year. not much activity in this blog practically the whole year and this "ina-tay" thing really has kept me super, super busy. anyway, i promise to post more frequently next year, i just hope that my schedules would really give me the time to do so. let me just share with you some of my blessings this year: with all the things that i've been through this year, i still can say that i am still blessed in a lot of ways. first up is i am so blessed being with my children, whom i love so dearly. being with them and getting to see them grow up everyday, was such a sight to see. cirscumtances might have changed a lot in our lives but nothing beats being with them everyday, getting to see their every antics, naughtiness and what have you. it was such a joy seeing them grow and see the changes that they undergo. they may have not totally adapted to the changes that have happened in our life but i can see that they are getting there, we all are... i likewise have been blessed with a relatively good health this year, relatively because there have been instances where i have been down with the flu but its just about that and nothing serious so to speak. i have also been blessed by having to know some really, really great people and friends in the community where i serve, CFC-FFL and the Servants for Family & Life. they have all been there for me and my kids without really asking them to. i also have been blessed to have spoken to and touch base with my dad whom i have not spoken to in a long while, i am happy that he is doing well and in the best of health. i feel blessed also that i was able to see life in another perspective. the Lord has really opened up a lot of things in my life and helped me to see hope amidst all the uncertainties and made me see and reflect in a lot of things. one can never really hide anything from Him, He makes you see things that are hidden and makes you understand things that are really hard to comprehend. anyway, have a merry christmas and a peaceful, blessed, prosperous and prayerful new year to y'all!!!

"INA-TAY"

hello blogworld! its been quite a while that i haven't updated this blog and i sure do miss my friends in cyberworld... anyway, i have been very busy in my new role as "ina-tay" to my 3 lovely kids; well, busy, is an understatement to say the least. apart from tending to our small business, i have to do everything from house chores, to marketing, to taking part in my kid's school activities... the list goes on and on and on and on... whew! its hard but i'm not complaining, my daily toils sometimes gets the better of me but at the end of each day, i always thank the good "ONE" above for His blessings. i always look up to the end of each day with stories from my kid's day at school, likewise at the time we spend talking and swapping stories during dinnertime until we all retire for the night. its lights off at around 8:30-9:00 in the evening. well, sleep is a luxury for me, and i'd be happy if i get at least 8 hrs of sleep each day. you see, my day begins at 3:30 in the wee hours of the morning, when a lot of you guys are still snoring in dreamland and ends at around 8:00 in the evening, with no catnaps in between. so its all work for me up until saturday, and my saturdays are very "sacred". i tend to keep it that way now because thats when i can really enjoy my sleep and wake up at around 7:00 or 8:00 in the morning the following day. bawi ng tulog kumbaga! and sundays are my kid's day at church, we all serve during CLS' (for all of you CFC-FFL out there). i serve with the music ministry while my kid's join up with the other kids for their weekly KFL activities. i also am with the SFL as coordinator attending to 5 members. so, thats basically what our week looks like. i hope to post pictures here soon as i get hold of my cam which is with the repairman for a much needed r and r. btw, i still don't have my connection at home and am posting this via the internet cafe and my time's almost up and will try and post another one soon. see y'all around... ciao!!!!

T H A N K S ! ! !

hi y'all! i would like to thank all of you my blog friends out there for visiting my blog. something came up and i could not find time to update my posts and return the favor of your visits here. i wish i could let you all in on what's happening with my life, but its something very serious and might affect the future of my family, my kids specially. for the time being, i will be taking sometime off to attend to these very important matters and would be asking you my dear readers and friends for prayers for me and my kids. it pains me so much that all this has to happen at this stage of my life, but i would like to assure you, my friends, that in time and with God's help and blessings, all these will come to pass. in the meantime, thanks to all of you for keeping me company and for making my stay in the blogworld such a memorable experience. thanks y'all! be back soon... ciao!

Alternative?

Hey guys, its love month (February) already. How are you going to celebrate your valentines? I suppose it’s with your special someone. And that could be the girlfriend, boyfriend, hubby or the wifey. Anyway, Valentines is supposed to be celebrated with that special someone who is very close to your heart. I am asking this because I have learned from a good friend who is planning an “alternative celebration” to that special day of hearts. Why “alternative”? Alternative in the sense that the couple celebrating is planning on a not so typical celebration like going out to a sumptuous, romantic dinner, a little nightcap with a little drinks and the everafter afterwards (hehehehe, you all know what I mean). Anyway, the alternative celebration my friend is planning is to celebrate this special day with one homeless child to care for in one day. According to my friend, they have so much love in their relationship and family and will be using that love they have to care for somebody who is in need of so much love. And they found a street child to care for and give love to for one day. Very noble love. I can’t help but be envious as this is not your regular celebration. I would have loved doing something like this. I just thought that it was just great to use that love that they have for each other and share it with somebody else. It’s a kind of a “pay it forward” stuff but a bit different. I don’t know about you guys, but it sure looks more romantic to me. So, got any alternative ideas than the usual flowers and chocolates? How about dinner on top of a tree or a nightcap inside a cave, (to creepy!) how about going bungee jumping after a splendid dinner (hate what might happen afterwards, yuuukkkk!) or picture this... just the two of you with the setting sun as backdrop, having dinner and conversation and what have you, on top of a barge about a mile offshore... very romantic eh! not so, cause there'd be sharks circling by and be careful not to go into a fight as somebody might end up as fishfood for the night... just joking guys! wishing you all the very best in this here month of hearts. ciao!