Growing Old

This was posted in FB by one of my schoolmates in high school and I am touched by the letter. I'm a parent now with little kids and I do see myself on the mom and dad's position and I remember my parents too. Once you become a parent you will better understand your mom and dad.

A Letter from Mom and Dad

When I get old, I hope you understand 'n have patience with me
In case I break the plate, or spill soup on the table because I’m losing my eyesight, I hope you don’t yell at me.
Older people are sensitive, always having self pity when you yell.
When my hearing gets worse 'n I can’t hear what you’re saying, I hope you don’t call me ‘Deaf!’
Please repeat what you said or write it down.

I’m sorry, my child.
I’m getting older.
When my knees get weaker, I hope you have the patience to help me get up.
Like how I used to help you while you were little, learning how to walk.
Please bear with me, when I keep repeating myself like a broken record, I hope you just keep listening to me.
Please don’t make fun of me, or get sick of listening to me.

Do you remember when you were little 'n you wanted a ballon? You repeated yourself over 'n over until you get what you wanted.
Please also pardon my smell. I smell like an old person.Please don’t force me to shower.
My body is weak.
Old people get sick easily when they’re cold. I hope I don’t gross you out.

Do you remember when you were little? I used to chase you around because you didn’t want to shower.
I hope you can be patient with me when I’m always cranky. It’s all part of getting old.
You’ll understand when you’re older.
'n if you have spare time, I hope we can talk even for a few minutes.
I’m always all by myself all the time, 'n have no one to talk to.
I know you’re busy with work.
Even if you’re not interested in my stories, please have time for me.

Do you remember when you were little? I used to listen to your stories about your teddy bear.
When the time comes, 'n I get ill 'n bedridden, I hope you have the patience to take care of me.
I’m sorry if I accidentally wet the bed or make a mess.
I hope you have the patience to take care of me during the last few moments of my life.
I’m not going to last much longer, anyway.
When the time of my death comes, I hope you hold my hand 'n give me strength to face death.

'n don’t worry..
When I finally meet our creator, I will whisper in his ear to bless you. Because you loved your Mom 'n Dad.
Thank you so much for your care.
We love you. ! ♥

The "U" in Jesus Poem

This poem was shared by Ptr. Joby last Sunday and just wanted to share it to you as well. Let us share the love of Jesus to others. 

THE "U" IN JESUS

Before U were thought of or time had begun,

God even stuck U in the name of His Son.

And each time U pray, you'll see it's true

You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,

For U, He was born; that's why He came.

And His great love for U is the reason He died.

It even takes U to spell crUcified.

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand 

He rose from the dead, with U in His plan. 

The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew, 

and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U. 

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,

He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

Go into the world and tell them it's true That I love them all - 

Just like I love U.

So many great people are spelled with a U, 

Don't they have a right to know JesUs too? 

It all depends now on what U will do,

He'd like them to know 

But it all starts with U. -- 

What is your Bowl of Stew?

I am glad that last Sunday we are able to attend church. It is one of my goal for this year, 2011, to be able to worship and praise God every week. The topic then is that we should not be to complacent and stay in our comfort zone. The title of the sermon is Live in Godly Discomfort. We should learn to go out of our comfort zone to be able to improve and not be afraid of changes. We should not stop knowing God and share how good He is. But one thing that strikes me during the sermon is the story of Esau giving up his birth right for a bowl of stew.

In Genesis 25, you will be able to read the story of Esau when he agreed to have a bowl of stew in exchange of his birth right. During those days, the first born gets twice the inheritance of his siblings and he would be the head of the household. But since Esau was too hungry he did not think if the consequence of what he did. In our life sometimes we make decisions without thinking of the consequences. Will you exchange your family, your career, your friendship for a bowl of stew?

Interview with Rick Warren

Got this e-mail from a friend and just want to share it with you...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An  Interview with Rick Warren (REMEMBER, HE WROTE  'PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE') 
  In  the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren,  Rick said:  People  ask me, What is the purpose of life?   And  I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation  for eternity. We were not made to last forever,  and God wants us to be with Him in  Heaven.  One  day my heart is going to stop, and that will be  the end of my body-- but not the end of  me.  I  may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am  going to spend trillions of years in eternity.  This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.  God wants us to practice on earth what we will  do forever in eternity.  We  were made by God and for God, and until you  figure that out, life isn't going to make  sense.  Life  is a series of problems: Either you are in one  now, you're just coming out of one, or you're  getting ready to go into another  one.  The  reason for this is that God is more interested  in your character than your comfort; God is more  interested in making your life holy than He is  in making your life happy.  We  can be reasonably happy here on earth, but  that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow  in character, in Christ  likeness.  This  past year has been the greatest year of my life  but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay,  getting cancer. I  used to think that life was hills and valleys -  you go through a dark time, then you go to the  mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe  that anymore.  Rather  than life being hills and valleys, I believe  that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad  track, and at all times you have something good  and something bad in your life.  No  matter how good things are in your life, there  is always something bad that needs to be worked  on.  And  no matter how bad things are in your life, there  is always something good you can thank God  for..  You  can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on  your problems:  If  you focus on your problems, you're going into  self-centeredness, which is my problem, my  issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to  get rid of pain is to get your focus off  yourself and onto God and others.   We  discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers  of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not  going to heal Kay or make it easy for her- It  has been very difficult for her, and yet God has  strengthened her character, given her  a  ministry  of helping other people, given her a testimony,  drawn her closer to Him and to  people.  You  have to learn to deal with both the good and the  bad of life.  Actually,  sometimes learning to deal with the good is  harder. For instance, this past year, all of a  sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it  made me instantly very wealthy.  It  also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never  had to deal with before. I don't think God gives  you money or notoriety for your own ego or for  you to live a life of ease.  So  I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with  this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me  two different passages that helped me decide  what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm  72.  First,  in spite of all the money coming in, we would  not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no  major purchases.  Second,  about midway through last year, I stopped taking  a salary from the church.  Third,  we set up foundations to fund an initiative we  call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip  leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and  educate the next generation.   Fourth,  I added up all that the church had paid me in  the 24 years since I started the church, and I  gave it all back. It was liberating to be able  to serve God for free.  We  need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for  possessions? Popularity?  Am  I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt?  Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be  driven by God's purposes (for my  life)?  When  I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my  bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else  done today, I want to know You more and love You  better. God didn't put me on earth just to  fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in  what I am than what I do.  That's  why we're called human beings, not human  doings.  Happy  moments,    PRAISE  GOD. Difficult  moments, SEEK GOD. Quiet  moments,     WORSHIP  GOD. Painful  moments, TRUST  GOD. Every  moment,      THANK  GOD..

God's Gift

While traveling going to work last night I read this quotation inside the cab. Just want to share it with you.

"I asked God for all things so that I can enjoy life, He give me life so that I could enjoy all things."

How to Live a Better Life

I've read this story before but a friend of mine send this again while I was working at work. I would like to share it to you guys and hope you get inspired and live a better life.

***

John is the kind of guy you love to hate.   He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say.  When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be
twins!'


He was a natural motivator.


If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.


Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!'

'You can't be a positive person all of the time.

How do you do it?'


He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today.  You can choose to be in a good mood or...you can choose to be in a bad mood

I choose to be in a good mood.'


Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or...I can choose to learn from it.  I choose to learn from it.


Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or...I can point out the positive side of life.  I choose the positive side of life.


'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.


'Yes, it is,' he said.  'Life is all about choices.  When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.  You choose how you react to situations.  You choose how people affect your mood.


You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.  The bottom line:  It's your choice how you live your life.'


I reflected on what he said.  Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business.  We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.


Several years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower.


After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back.



I saw him about six months after the accident.


When I asked him how he was, he replied, 'If I were any better, I'd be twins...Wanna see my scars?'

I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.


'The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter,' he replied.  'Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices:  I could choose to live or...I could
choose to die.  I chose to live.'


'Weren't you scared?  Did you lose consciousness?'  I asked.

He continued, '...the paramedics were great.


They kept telling me I was going to be fine.  But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.  In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action.'


'What did you do?' I asked.

'Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me,' said John. 'She asked if I was allergic to anything 'Yes, I replied.'  The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply.  I took a deep
breath and yelled, 'Gravity''


Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live.  Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead.'


He lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude....I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully.


Attitude, after all, is everything.


Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.'  Matthew 6:34.


After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Clenched Fist Vs Open Hands

I was reading an article online about Getting Angry and I find it really interesting. When you're angry what do you feel? Usually we have this emotional intense within us that wanted to explode, we wanted to clench our fist and punch someone or in some cases we could be shaking until we release that feeling of rage, in short it is not a happy feeling. Learn to let go of that bad feeling and open your hands. When you wake up in the morning with a clenched fist, open them and let go.When you feel like you wanted to punch someone, open your hands and let go. Don't let anger, frustration or resentment overcome you.

Most creatures (like birds) doesn't have thumbs to close their fist, they don't reflect on their circumstances and calculate how miserable and angry they are. They are living one day at a time, doing the best of what they have. Look at all the good things that you have and thank God for every little thing.  Let you be in control. Once you experience the happiness of having open hands you will relax your finger as soon as you notice it closing. Happiness relies on your hands.

Steve Job, Commencement Address

It is avail and I was reading one of my friend's blog. One of her customer over the phone lead her to read and share about Steve commencement address. It is really an inspirational one and I wanted to share it too.

This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

Daddy, You Can Let Go Now

A friend of mine posted a video of this in facebook and it captured my heart. I want to share this to everyone. Also for all daddys out there.

Wind blowing on my face
Sidewalk flying beneath my bike
A five year olds first taste
Of what freedom's really like
He was running right beside me
His hand holding on the seat
I took a deep breath and hollered
As I headed for the street

"You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I'm ready to do this on my own
It's still a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go"

I was standing at the altar
Between the two loves of my life
To one I've been a daughter
To one I soon would be a wife
When the preacher asked
"Who gives this woman?"
Daddy's eyes filled up with tears
He kept holding tightly to my arm
'Til I whispered in his ear:

"You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I'm ready to do this on my own
It's still feels a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go"

It was killing me 
To see the strongest man I ever knew
Wasting away to nothing in that hospital room
"You know he's only hanging on for you"
That's what the night nurse said
My voice and heart were breaking
As I crawled up in his bed and said: 

You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Your little girl is ready to do this on my own
Its gonna be a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I'll be okay now daddy
You can let go
You can let go

Footprints in the Sand

I love this poem. I remember seeing this on one of the wall display at my grandma's house before. Several authors were claiming that they wrote the poem. For me it doesn't matter who the author is. What is more important is the contents of it.

Footprints on the Sand

One night a man had a dream

He dreamed he was walking along with the Lord

Across the sky flashed scenes from his life

For each scene he noticed two sets of foot prints in the sand

One belonging to him and the other to the Lord

When the last scene of his life flashed before him

He looked back at the footprints in the sand

He noticed that many times along the path of his life

There was only one set of footprints

He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life

This really bothered him

And he questioned the Lord about it

"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

You'd walk with me all the way.

But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life,

There is only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why I needed you most you would leave me."

The Lord replied

"My son, my precious child,

I love you and I would never leave you.

During your times of trial and suffering,

When you see only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you."

Be Thankful

In the past few days I'm annoyed with those people who owe me few bucks of money. I am on maternity leave and I don't have source of income. All of them have their own reasons. I am telling my husband how come they don't pay and it's been more than months now.

Then one morning I decided to open my black book, "The Bible." I remembered we are not attending church for a few months now. As a read God's word there was this verse that helps me release the bad feeling that I have for those people who owed me.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said Never will I leave you, Never will forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5

The Lord let me realized that I should not be annoyed with them. Instead I should be thankful for all the blessings that I have. We were able to pay the hospital bills when I give birth, we eat complete meal everyday, we were able to provide David's need at school, baby Danielle's need like milk, diapers, expensive vaccine etc., we all have good health etc. I have a lot of things to be thankful for. Despite of me not being a good servant of God. I don't deserve a lot from Him but He is providing everything that we need. I asked God for forgiveness and praise Him for His amazing love.

Looking for a Romantic Partner?

Are you married or currently have a boyfriend? Are you bore about your relationship because your partner is not romantic? Most ladies want to have a romantic partner. Someone who will give them chocolates and roses even on a regular day, someone who gives surprise gifts on special events, some who whispers sweet words while you're dancing, someone who prepares a candle light dinner etc.

I was reading my blogroll and I saw this story "Reason to Love" on my bestfriend's blog. This story is about a woman who wanted to leave her husband because of him being not romantic or what she called insensitive. I was able to relate to the story because my husband is someone like him. He is not romantic but I know through his own special way he loves us, me and my kids. Read the story below and learn from it.

Reason to Love

My husband is an Engineer by profession; I love him for his steady nature, and I love the warm feeling when I lean against his broad shoulders. Three years of courtship and now, two years into marriage, I would have to admit, that I am getting tired of it. The reasons of me loving him before, has now transformed into the cause of all my restlessness.

I am a sentimental woman and extremely sensitive when it comes to a relationship and my feelings, I yearn for the romantic moments, like a little girl yearning for candy. My husband is my complete opposite, his lack of sensitivity, and the inability of bringing romantic moments into our marriage has disheartened me about love.

One day, I finally decided to tell him my decision, that I wanted a divorce.

“Why?” he asked, shocked.

“I am tired; there are no reasons for everything in the world!” I answered.

He kept silent the whole night, seems to be in deep thought with a lighted cigarette at all times. My feeling of disappointment only increased, here was a man who can’t even express his predicament, what else can I hope from him? And finally he asked me:” What can I do to change your mind?”

Somebody said it right, it’s hard to change a person’s personality, and I guess, I have started losing faith in him. Looking deep into his eyes I slowly answered:

“Here is the question, if you can answer and convince my heart, I will change my mind, Let’s say, I want a flower located on the face
of a mountain cliff, and we both are sure that picking the flower will cause your death, will you do it for me?”

He said: ” I will give you your answer tomorrow….” My hopes just sank by listening to his response.

I woke up the next morning to find him gone, and saw a piece of paper with his scratchy handwriting, underneath a milk glass, on the dining table near the front door, that goes…. My dear, “I would not pick that flower for you, but please allow me to explain the reasons further…”

This first line was already breaking my heart. I continued reading. “When you use the computer you always mess up the Software programs, and you cry in front of the screen, I have to save my fingers so that I can help to restore the programs. You always leave the house keys behind, thus I have to save my legs to rush home to open the door for you. You love traveling but always lose your way in a new city, I have to save m! y eyes to show you the way. You always have the cramps whenever your “good friend” approaches every month; I have to save my palms so that I can calm the cramps in your tummy.

You like to stay indoors, and I worry that you will be infected by infantile autism. I have to save my mouth to tell you jokes and stories to cure your boredom. You always stare at the computer, and that will do nothing good for your eyes, I have to save my eyes so that when we grow old, I can help to clip your nails, and help to remove those annoying white hairs. So I can also hold your hand while strolling down the beach, as you enjoy the sunshine and the beautiful sand… and tell you the color of flowers, just like the color of the glow on your young face… Thus, my dear, unless I am sure that there is someone who loves you more than I do… I could not pick that flower yet, and die… “

My tears fell on the letter, and blurred the ink of his handwriting… and as I continue on reading… “Now, that you have finished reading my answer, if you are satisfied, please open the front door for I am standing outside bringing your favorite bread and fresh milk… I rush to pull open the door, and saw his anxious face, clutching tightly with his hands, the milk bottle and loaf of bread….

Now I am very sure that no one will ever love me as much as he does, and I have decided to leave the flower alone… That’s life, and love. When one is surrounded by love, the feeling of excitement fades away, and one tends to ignore the true love that lies in between the peace and dullness.

Love shows up in all forms, even very small and cheeky forms, it has never been a model; it could be the dullest and boring form…. flowers, and romantic moments are only used and appear on the surface of the relationship. Under all this, the pillar of true love stands… and that’s our life…

3 Facts About Life

3 Facts About Life

1. You will be disappointed.

"Nobody is perfect " - its a very common quotation which is real.  No matter how good your child is, no matter how perfect your family is, you have a best friend for life, good stable job, very nice boss, lovable person surrounding you - expect they will disappoint you one time or another.  Its a fact, that's why we should love unconditionally and expect flaw from them.  And also remember no matter what you do people who loves and cares about you will get disappointed at you as well in some point. 

2. You will not always understand why things happens.

Isaiah 55:8-9 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,"

declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Things happen for a reason.  If right now you have a problem like one of your love one has a very rare or incurable disease, financial issue, disobedient child, your job is at stake, your wife/spouse is unfaithful, death of a love one etc. you name it.  Don't blame God for what is happening.  God works in ways we will not be able to understand.  When we pray don't put God in a box like you are telling Him what to do.  He knows what is best for us. As long as you are following His ways he will lead you to the right direction. 

3. What ever happens to your life will either cause you to become bitter or better. 

We don't have control of what is happening or going to happen.  But we have control or choice on how you will react on the situation.  Example your child broke your favorite figurine, you have a choice on how you will react.  You can get mad, spunk him, and let him feel your anger or you can tell your child how important the figurine is but let him feel he is more important and next time he should be careful so that mommy will not get sad.  If you do the first option you prefer to become bitter and the second option helps you to become better.  In every situation don't let your feelings take over but instead take a pause and ask God what would be the best thing to do. 

- this 3 Facts was mention on last sunday service by Ptr. Joby Soriano.

What I learned on March 1 Sunday Service

We as a grown ups spend much of our time in the work place.  5 days a week are spent at work and some have 6 working days.  Do you go to work just to earn money?  How do you to treat your boss, co-employees and people under you? What do you think God wants us to do in the work place?

After the service it come to my realization that I should value my job so much , it is God's blessing to me.  Now a days there were a lot of lay offs everywhere and I should be thankful that I do have a good stable job. I should show respect and obedience to my boss since God put him there for a reason.  

We should be good steward, use our job for God's glory.  Change our focus, instead of thinking that you are working for your boss, look at it as you were working for God.  Since God gave us this job then we should know how to cultivate it.  Do not be hypocrites by doing your job well when your boss or someone is looking at you.  We should be doing our best at all time and always remember that there is God who sees all our hardwork. 

As good christian we should have integrity.  We should have integrity in our private life and in the work place as well.  Having this we will gain trust and respect from our co-employess , our boss and the company.  Most of all God will be glorified because we are doing the right thing. 

In short, we should be different and everybody would see that we are exceptional.  It is because we are working for God and not for men. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

For more info about this sermon Click on the link below.

Sermon by: Ptr. JP Masakayan (CCF Alabang)<---- (Click here to access the sermon)

Amazing Love

Last Sunday when me and my husband went to church, I was touched by this song "Amazing Love."  Its really amazing how great the love of our God is.  Though we are not worthy of his love, He gave Jesus to redeem us from our sin. Please watch the video below that I got from you tube.  I hope this would also touch your heart. Jesus Loves Us All!

AMAZING LOVE

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well, you're spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well, you're spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be
That you my king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you
Amazing love, how can it be
That you My king would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you 
In all I do I honor you

I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well, you're spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

A Simple Story of True Love and Care...

This story was send to me thru email by one of my officemate. The story is quite long but its worth reading. It touched my heart and made my eye teary. Read the story and learn from it.

> > I was born in a secluded village on a mountain.
> > Day by day, my parents plowed the yellow dry soil
> > with their backs towards the sky.
> >
> > I have a brother who is 3 years younger than me.
> > I wanted to buy a handkerchief, which all girls around
> > me seemed to have. So, one day I stole 50 cents from
> > my father's drawer. Father had discovered about the
> > stolen money right away.
> >
> > He made me and my younger brother kneel against the
> > wall as he held a bamboo stick in his hand.
> > "Who stole the money?" he asked.
> > I was stunned, too afraid to talk. Neither of us
> > admitted to the fault, so he said, "Fine, if nobody
> > wants to admit, you two should be beaten!"
> > He lifted up the bamboo stick.
> >
> > Suddenly, my younger brother gripped father's hand and
> > said," Dad, I was the one who did it!"
> > The long stick smacked my brother's back repeatedly.
> > Father was so angry that he kept on whipping my
> > brother until he lost his breath.
> > After that, he sat down on our stone bed and scolded
> > my brother, "You have learned to steal from your own
> > house now. What other embarrassing things will you be
> > possibly doing in the future? You should be beaten to
> > death, you shameless thief!"
> > That night, my mother and I hugged my brother. His
> > body was full of wounds from the beating but he never
> > shed a single tear.
> >
> > In the middle of the night, all of sudden, I cried out
> > loudly. My brother covered my mouth with his little
> > hand and said, " Sis, now don't cry anymore.
> > Everything has happened."
> > I still hate myself for not having enough courage to
> > admit what I did.
> >
> > Years gone by, but the incident still seemed like it
> > just happened yesterday.
> > I will never forget my brother's __expression when he
> > protected me.
> >
> > That year, my brother was 8 years old and I was 11
> > years old.
> > When my brother was in his last year of secondary
> > school, he was accepted in an upper
> > secondary school in the central. At the same time, I
> > was accepted into a university in the province.
> > That night, father squatted in the yard, smoking,
> > packet by packet.
> >
> > I could hear him ask my mother, "Both of our children,
> > they have good results? very good results?"
> > Mother wiped off her tears and sighed," What is the
> > use? How can we possibly finance both of them?"
> > At that time, my brother walked out, he stood in front
> > of father and said,"Dad, I don't want to continue my
> > study anymore, I have read enough books."
> >
> > Father swung his hand and slapped my brother on his
> > face.
> > "Why do you have a spirit so damn weak? Even if it
> > means I have to beg for money on the streets, I will
> > send you two to school until you have both finished
> > your study!"
> > And then, he started to knock on every house in the
> > village to borrow money.
> >
> > I stuck out my hand as gently as I can to my brother's
> > swollen face, and told him, "A boy has to continue his
> > study; If not, he will not be able to overcome this
> > poverty we are experiencing."
> >
> > I, on the other hand, had decided not to further my
> > study at the university.
> > Nobody knew that on the next day, before dawn, my
> > brother left the house with a few pieces of worn-out
> > clothes and a few dry beans. He sneaked to my side of
> > the bed and left a note on my pillow; "Sis, getting
> > into a university is not easy. I will go find a job
> > and I will send money to you."
> > I held the note while sitting on my bed, and cried
> > until I lost my voice.
> >
> > That year, my brother was 17 years old; I was 20 years
> > old.
> > With the money father borrowed from the whole village,
> > and the money my brother earned from carrying cement
> > on his back at a construction site,finally, I managed
> > to get to the third year of my study in the
> > university.
> >
> > One day, while I was studying in my room, my roommate
> > came in and told me,"There's a villager waiting for
> > you outside!"
> > Why would there be a villager looking for me? I walked
> > out, and I saw my brother from afar. His whole body
> > was covered with dirt, dust, cement and sand. I asked
> > him, "Why did you not tell my roommate that you are my
> > brother?"
> > He replied with a smile," Look at my appearance. What
> > will they think if they would know that I am your
> > brother? Won't they laugh at you?"
> > I felt so touched, and tears filled my eyes. I swept
> > away dirt and dust from my brother's body. And told
> > him with a lump in my throat, " I don't care what
> > people would say! You are my brother no matter what
> > your appearance is?"
> >
> > >From his pocket, he took out a butterfly hair clip. He
> > put it on my hair and said, "I saw all the girls in
> > town are wearing it. So, I think you should also have
> > one."
> > I could not hold back myself anymore. I pulled my
> > brother into my arms and cried.
> >
> > That year, my brother was 20 years old; I was 23 years
> > old.
> > I noticed that the broken window was repaired the
> > first time I brought my boyfriend home. The house was
> > scrubbed cleaned.
> > After my boyfriend left, I danced like a little girl
> > in front of my mother, "Mom, you didn't have to spend
> > so much time cleaning the house!" But she told me with
> > a smile," It was your brother who went home early to
> > clean the house. Didn't you see the wound on his hand?
> > He hurt his hand while he was replacing the window."
> > I went into my brother's bedroom. Looking at his thin
> > face, I felt like there are hundreds of needle pricked
> > in my heart.
> >
> > I applied some ointment on his wound and put a bandag on
> > it, "Does it hurt? " I asked him.
> > "No, it doesn't hurt. You know, when at the
> > construction site, stones keep falling on my feet .
> > Even that could not stop me from working."
> > In the middle of the sentence, he stopped. I turned my
> > back on him and tears rolled down my face.
> >
> > That year, my brother was 23 years old; I was 26 years
> > old.
> > After I got married, I lived in the city. Many times
> > my husband invited my parents to come and live with
> > us, but they didn't want.
> > They said, once they left the village,they wouldn't
> > know what to do.
> > My brother agreed with them. He said, "Sis, you just
> > take care of your parents-in-law. I will take care of
> > mom and dad here."
> >
> > My husband became the director of his factory. We
> > asked my brother to accept the offer of being the
> > manager in the maintenance department. But my brother
> > rejected the offer. He insisted on working as a
> > repairman instead for a start.
> > One day, my brother was on the top of a ladder
> > repairing a cable, when he got electrocuted, and was
> > sent to the hospital.
> > My husband and I visited him at the hospital. Looking
> > at the white gypsum on his leg, I grumbled, "Why did
> > you reject the offer of being a manager? Managers
> > won't do something dangerous like that. Now look at
> > you, You ar suffering a serious injury. Why didn't you
> > just listen to us?"
> >
> > With a serious __expression on his face, he defended
> > his decision, "Think of brother-in-law. He just
> > became the director, and I being uneducated, and would
> > become a manager, what kind of rumors would fly
> > around?"
> > My husband's eyes filled up with tears, and then I
> > said, "But you lack in education only because of me!"
> > "Why do you talk about the past?" he said and then he
> > held my hand.
> >
> > That year, he was 26 years old and I was 29 years
> > old.
> > My brother was 30 years old when he married a farmer
> > girl from the village.
> > During the wedding reception, the master of ceremonies
> > asked him, "Who is the one person you respect and love
> > the most?"
> > Without even taking a time to think, he answered," My
> > sister." He continued by telling a story I could not
> > even remember.
> >
> > "When I was in primary school, the school was in a
> > different village. Everyday, my sister and I would
> > walk for 2 hours to school and back home. One day, I
> > lost the other pair of my gloves. My sister gave me
> > one of hers.
> > She wore only one glove and she had to walk far. When
> > we got home, her hands were trembling because of the
> > cold weather that she could not even hold her
> > chopsticks. >From that day on, I swore that as long as
> > I live, I would take care of my sister and will always
> > be good to her."
> > Applause filled up the room. All guests turned their
> > attention to me.
> > I found it hard to speak, "In my whole life, the one I
> > would like to thank most is my brother," And in this
> > happy occasion,in front of the crowd, tears were
> > rolling down my face again.
> >
> > Love and care for the one you love every single days
> > of your life. You may think what you did is just a
> > small deed, but to that someone, it may mean a lot.
> > Have a nice day everyone! May this story inspire you
> > in any way!
> >
> >