MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

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To my wonderful friends/readers 
here in Blogspot, 

visible and invisible..... 

May the joy, peace and blessing 

of the Holy Family 

fill your homes this Christmas 

and remain in your hearts 

forevermore.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

WHY ME, GOD?

 

 

 

 

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A good friend just recently asked this question on the phone...... "Asan siya kung kelangan ko siya?" Well, as the chat carried on I learned it was God she was referring to. Translated she meant -- 'Where is God when I need Him?' -- I countered though gently that I was the wrong person to ask that question to.
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She became silent. And I got worried. So I encouraged her to talk... vent out whatever it was that was bothering her in that moment it seemed. I got what I asked for .... a long line of woes that if you strung each to the other it would circle the globe! Twice if you let it.
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Well, that's as much as I can tell about my dear friend. Oh don't worry about her because after much nudging she finally went to see their family's friend-priest. She'll be fine.
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My friend is so much like the rest of us... some of us.... most of us, in small or big measure, vocally or quietly in the silence of our hearts. We do it all the time...or at some time in our lives.. in dire situations of fear, desperation, hopelessness, anger, misery, and overwhelming loss. Punching bag natin lagi si God. We always blame Him for the seemingly unfathomable problems of our lives and of the world. We always blame Him for those things we do not, cannot or fail to understand. Why this? Why that? Why me? Why my loved ones?
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But, I think, nobody alive can provide you with the answers you may be seeking, wanting or needing. Not from people anyway, I think. I understand it as something which is between you and your God. Like I pose my own share of mind-boggling questions to Him, too.
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Now you might wonder, too, if I get answers to those questions. Well, I think I do or I did but not in the way I want it or wanted it. And not at the time I needed it. It doesn't happen that way. God does things HIS WAY.
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I have learned that everything is all up to Him really. . We are only asked to ... believe, trust, and be of good faith. He answers but to see the answers we must learn to see them through His eyes. That is the real challenge.
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Why am I writing about this now? I feel for my friend and I want to say that she need not feel strange or weird for feeling the way she does. She's not alone. People are the same everywhere, basically. We simply try to cope in a diversity of ways with who we are and what we know...... and how we relate to our God.
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Blessings to you, everyone!

A PAINTING -- A MEMORY FROZEN IN TIME

 

MOTHER NATURE - MY ETERNAL LOVE

 

 --- Do you know why I love road trips,especially out there in the provinces? It's the pleasure of gazing at a wide expanse of meadows and fields and of the blue skies that I love. Blue skies punctuated with clouds white and light, stationary or in flight. Add to that the landscape of mountain ranges and the rich greens of trees and forests and the magnificence of the plant kingdom. There's nothing like it.

These were my thoughts when I painted this back then. And it has been a constant theme in my paintings.... the diversity of Mother Nature's landscape. She's a beauty and always will be to my eyes, heart and mind. I love her and always will.

I'm bringing this here to share with you who, I believe, also share the love for Mother Nature.

Thank you.

BECAUSE LIFE TRULY IS NOT ALL JUST ABOUT YOU OR ME

 

--------- We know that life is short. That all that is given us by the Divine is ... today. The present time wherein we live our truest selves... good or bad. Yet I also think that we still are given the choice to plan or manage it according to our preferences or likes or dreams or goals. But when you or me or they are through with all of that and soon realize that, like it or not. life is not all about us though it seems or appears to be --- we come to a halt and think about it. Because life is truly not just all about you or me..... not about our individual preferences in clothes, shoes, books, cars, hobbies, talent, career, profession, food, vacation, job, travel destination, people etc.... Life is so much more than that!
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Because life is also about sunsets and sunrises... seas and oceans... forests and mountains... plants and animals of such rich diversity... countries and their domestic concerns... universal problems... diversity of culture and race... differences in all the areas of life and living where people inhabit... and so much more.
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These things fill up our day. With and through all these we learn... unlearn... and relearn. These are the very things that make up a day in the life of a person. And the very things which help or make us grow. But that also depends on you .. on us.... respectively. We alone can make our day matter... or not. We alone can make the day and life worth living... or not. We alone can decide whether to continue living in our ivory towers and comfort zones or go down and out where real living is.
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Still..... whatever may be there in our minds and hearts gathered through the years, we must each strive or aspire to live life today as if it was our last day on this lovely planet. Live ---- love ---- learn ---- and grow not just the self but for others, too. Because today... the present day... is indeed special. Special means, I think, living it with the rest of humankind. By God's design.

IT'S THE PERSON AND NOT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MATTER

 

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I certainly agree with the above quote.

It's the person not the circumstance, not his money nor connections, not his education nor titles.  These temporal material things don't matter really where it matters most although these may have their uses, too.  But when you are up with tough challenges, it's really who you are which will define how it's all going to end.  Or how the battles will be won.. or lost.

 

THERE IS A STORY IN ALL OF US. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT

 

 

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I remember this from long ago........

One day I was at the window just looking out and watching the world and people go by.... feeling relaxed and good with the day. That's when all the chores are done, of course, and Mom's already at the kitchen cooking up something for the evening's meal. Oh yes, she always starts early; never on rush mode whenever preparing for the family's meal. 

Well, I was enjoying the view of lush trees at my neighbor's yard across the street ... quite amused by the lively chirping of birds flitting here and there among the branches ... when a group of people came walking by. Men and women in their middle ages and gauging from the chat going on have just come from a meeting at the chapel three blocks away. There was no missing that as they spoke in voices similar to that of teenagers with their voice boxes turned on 'loud' while chatting!

I sat there quite amused though admittedly mildly irritated too as they blew away my calm and peace. Oh well, another day........

So then my attention was riveted to them now. I saw this woman who was vigorously pressing a point she considered very important with hands flailing in the air as she addressed the group. One guy simply smiled and looked away. Another bearded gentleman argued without waiting for her to finish. The silver-haired woman walking beside her with deep frowns on her forehead shook her head slightly in apparent yet unspoken disagreement. Another woman in wedge shoes (I noticed because it looked too heavy for her thin small feet) listened intently behind the woman speaking. While the short heavy-set woman beside her walked poker-faced, not listening, I could see. Dead-ma. And this gentleman a few steps behind them (on purpose I thought) looked at them with or in utter amusement.

I turned towards Mom and said.... "What's with people?! Can't they at least agree to disagree?"

"Hold it there, young lady." she quipped still not leaving the kitchen as she could very well see the street from where she stood. Obviously she noticed what I was seeing outside the window and I was even sure that she caught the loud voices, too. She never misses anything. Are mothers all like that!?!

"Each one in that group is who he or she is because something or someone put it there. There is always some bias... prejudice... preference... judgement... insight... preconceived notion... expectation... perception... experience, or understanding behind every thought, word, or deed coming out from that person.  Those things and more have influenced or shaped that person and will continue to do so for the rest of his life. Perhaps adding some more, both good and bad, as new opportunities and challenges arise.

There is a story in all of us. This is what we're all about.

The exchange you saw were simply the display of responses by every individual in the group each lifted from their individual and personal memory bank of information gathered from day one of life. They respond according to what they know or to what or how they were programmed from birth.

Two things: 

One is the mechanical response. You turn it on like you do a car.... turn the key, it starts, and it runs. The other is the thoughtful response. You turn on your memory bank, sift through the data, select what is appropriate, and set it to work.

Experience will tell you that a well-thought out response will give you an edge of success over a problem. A thought response will help you evaluate the problem better and might even see the solution contained therein. A thought response gives room for creativity and a better-defined course of action."

"Wow! Mom, who wrote that? I'd like to have that book." I exclaimed wide-eyed and impressed.

"Experience." she smiled with a special glint in her eye as she turned back to her cooking. Oh it's a smile I'm familiar with whenever she scores a point. Bigger points, bigger smiles. I get that from her all the time. But you know what, I'll take that smile anytime-anyday-anywhere..! Happily!!
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Through the years, she was always there for me. Thanks, Mom!
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Love your mothers. Learn well from them

GIVING SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE

This post is in remembrance of kind hearts and gentle souls who have touched my life through the years.  With their hearts spilling all over the place they gave me a glimpse of rainbows, moonbeams, lovely meadows, heaven, hope and faith where at times there seemed to be none.  They gave me so much with so little. With just being their simple, sincere, and humble selves they showed me and taught me about the beauty of the soul... of life... of the world... of a Magnificent God.

Thank you from my heart to yours.

God bless you.

THERE IS BEAUTY IN DIVERSITY

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This morning went out for my usual early morning walk. As I was rounding the block and aiming for the hill... the rains came tumbling down! Ohhh.. there goes my early morning walk, I thought as I soft-jogged my way back to the house. And just when I was already in my house dress Mr. Sun came bursting out from behind the gray clouds shining brilliantly like he was enjoying the big joke he threw at me just a few minutes ago! Oh well.. !!

Yesterday's .morning walk was such a delight though. You would probably be thinking that walking these same roads, neighborhood, and hill repeatedly for so long now would have exhausted everything there was to see.

Maybe... or maybe not.

Things may look the same but not really.

Movement, Change, Birth. Growth. Decline.

Of such are the things of the earth and of life.

If you do not pay close attention, you will certainly miss its beauty, wonder, joy..... or miss to be awesomely amazed by it all.

Like this plant I saw up the hill.... a huge leaf standing tall and erect with its glistening young green color seemed to greet me with a huge "Hi five!!". And I hi-5'd back at it, grinning. Buti na lang walang tao sa kalye! :-D (Luckily there was nobody around that time of day!)

Not far from it stood this gorgeous flower ...once a shy tiny bud now proudly showing off its dazzling brilliant color in full bloom. Movement and change. It lends fresh color to the world.

Farther up ahead, I saw (again) this cluster of huge mushrooms (remember my post several months ago on the same mushrooms as large as my shoe?) ...but this time several have grown black in color (decline)... as new fresh ones sprouted nearby (birth).

Round the corner up ahead bloomed Birds of Paradise (thanks IC Guerrero for the name) standing proudly in a cluster, too, on the shoulder of the road. Birds of the same feather flock together, aye!? Just like humans do.

Then a handsome dog caught my eye as I continued up the hill. It appeared shut out of his human's home as he stood patiently waiting outside the gate hoping that somebody would open it and let him in. Just a thought here, if you can't take good care of your pets... don't get one. Don't even think about owning one. Because having a pet in your home is having another member added to your family. Be responsible for it. Love it like you would your child. My family has four dogs and eight cats. By the way, the word dog spelled backwards is God. It's just a reminder that nothing in God's creation is insignificant. Everything is .. for a reason. That means animals, too.

As I forced myself to walk past it (with a heavy heart), I came upon a middle-aged lady who was sweeping that part of the street fronting her house. When she saw me approaching she smiled a pleasant "Good morning!" That took the gloom out of my heart as I smiled back at her and moved on bouncing happily in my steps. Be generous with smiles; it can do wonderful things.

Walking downhill I saw a friendly neighbor who had a small bonfire going by the side of the road and under his fruits trees (several more I could see in his yard). I stopped to say hello. With a wide grin he said "Di ka talaga pumapalya noh?!" (You don't really miss your morning walks aye?!) I smiled even more with "Pwera lang kung umulan." (Except when it rains.) Stayed a few minutes more to admire his fruit trees now bearing fruits to which he said I was welcome to it anytime I wished so. Friends are the true treasures of a neighborhood, a community, a town or city, a country or of the world. They add to the spice of life and living with their own individual brand of uniqueness and with their blessed contribution to humanity.

As I neared my block and was just a few houses away from home ... I noticed the lush greenery outside a neighbor's gate. But these two particular bushes ... each different from the other in color and shape.... and yet sharing the same air, soil, and space stood side by side. Together. Happily. Humans can learn something from that.

There is beauty in diversity.

Have a lovely day and week. God bless you!

  

 

 

 

 

  

YOUR FAMILY IS BY DIVINE DESIGN

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- Sometimes we need to be reminded of things which truly matter in life. It's definitely not material things, they have their uses but it's not everything there is in life. 

Neither is it our jobs because we can always find another. 

Neither is it our friends, boyfriends or girlfriends, or husbands or wives because they are not forever and are also replaceable. . 

But if we lose our families... nothing can ever replace them. You won't get another one like them. Your family is tailor-made for you, by Divine Design. It's definitely flawed and imperfect and maybe farthest from your own personal expectations (maybe you have even considered your neighbor's family the ideal choice) ---- but to God's mind your family is what you need. 

God works that way most always --- He does not give you what you want but He gives you just what you need. When God says that is what you need, -- believe me, it IS what you truly need! 

Maybe it is hard to understand that. But you will if you would try to...... 

See your family through the eyes of God. 
Feel your family through the heart of God. 
Understand your family through the wisdom of God. . 

And know that God's wisdom works for your best. Always!
 
Love you all!

IN THE TURBULENT WATERS OF OUR LIVES

 

 

 

 

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I was on the first leg of my early morning walk and was passing through the main street of our village. On the fifth house from the corner stood a middle-aged lady just looking out into nothing (as she appeared to be) from her house gate. When I got nearer I give out a morning greeting.
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She smiled and said "Tinanghali ka ngayon ah." (You're up late this time) .Hmmm... I guess I have become a familiar person in the neighborhood with my morning walks.
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I smiled back and replied with "Napasarap ng tulog kasi eh." (I overslept)
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"Buti ka pa di ka nababagot sa araw mo." she countered with apparent exasperation. (Good for you not bored with your day)
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I was surprised by that remark because we weren't close friends and yet she says something quite personal like that. I believe it's something only shared with friends. Quickly I snapped out of my surprise and said....
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"Minsan dumarating din yan sa akin. Pero nilalakad ko na lang yan." and smiled even more. (It comes to me, too, but I work it out with a good walk)
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She looked at me with disbelief and mumbled glumly.. "Sana ganun din ako." (Wish I was that, too.)
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Well, I won't go further into that encounter. It's enough that I tried to make a respectful exit and resumed my morning walk. As she too turned back into her house with her mood apparently unchanged.
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But it made me think........
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The lady depicted very well that part of our lives which we don't really want to talk about nor put out up front for everybody to see. It's that part of our mundane lives in which we come face to face with --- The turbulent waters of life and living.
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weariness, ennui, apathy, unconcern; frustration, dissatisfaction, restlessness, restiveness, lethargy, lassitude; tedium, dullness, monotony, repetitiveness, flatness, dreariness; informal deadliness, boredom, exasperation, dissolution, confusion, failure.
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It's known to self but not to others. Sometimes though it slips out, like it did with the lady I met.
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But we try to cope with all that with what we know... with our habits, acquired skills and resources, insights and knowledge, beliefs and faith. Others would resort to temporal measures or relief.... with alcohol, smoking, drugs, extreme activities, or seclusion. Some would go on further by putting up a ---- mask, facade, wall, cover and pretense ----- all meant to deflect attention away from their inner turmoil or misery. We tend to hide our tears, most times.
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Everybody does his or her thing when life is the subject. It's ups and downs are dealt with according to what one knows, have learned, or was taught.
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I have learned that when the negatives of the day or life assail you -------- you can either bawl your heart out or bang your head on the wall or vent it all out on family and close friends...... or ..... stop everything, be still, and know there is a God!.
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God bless you with peace, love, joy, and faith.

MY PAINTING --- MY FAMILY

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This took several sittings before I got what I wanted from it. A good friend remarked ... "Wow! Isang upuan lang... painting na agad." (A painting in just one sitting. Wow!)

Well, that's not how it happens. Painting like any other effort or project takes time. Further, when inspiration comes it can also disappear into thin air without the slightest notice. Just like that. So sometimes it stays there on the table untouched until you're ready to take up the brush again. This can happen a few times more.

I work with inspiration; I don't paint for painting's sake. The result may not be a Van Gogh or a Picasso (from my tiny untrained hands) but certainly it will be one which would make my heart happy. I think that matters. :-)
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Allow me a few thoughts about this (watercolor) painting.
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That body of water there represents my family. Calm and serene waters. Of course it can be rough and unruly at times in rain and in storm. But that passes soon enough and goes back to its tranquil state. That place of peace is bounded by a mountain range, huge rock formations, and lush trees.These three things represent the three essential parts of our family life..... faith, love, courage.
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FAITH (the mountain range)
---- in a God whose great love makes all things possible.

LOVE (the lush evergreen trees/forest)
---- which lends all things its freshness, happiness, harmony, joy.

COURAGE (strong rock formations)
---- which keeps together the hope and belief that everything has its reason for being but that which faith and love can always conquer.
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God bless you, friends. Have a lovely and blessed weekend

THE POWER OF WORDS

 

 

 

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This is where we bright (that's what we think of ourselves) and yet puny (that's the reality in the spiritual world) human beings fail in almost all of our relationships every time. Sad but true.
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I had a niece, smart pretty intelligent successful, who can talk you out of anything... with her words. The thing is she thinks herself to be so good that she swims in that hostile pool of ego and pride without even noticing it.
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One day, she came to me with a satisfied grin on her face.
Seeing it I remarked.. "That face gloats."
She replied... "She was saying the wrong things and I simply corrected her. She deserved it. "
"According to you."  I replied.
"Awww c'mon, tita, don't give me that."  she countered pouting.
"And why not?! Did it ever occur to you to wonder what your words did to her?"  I questioned.
"Yeah, I made her realize that she was wrong."  she answered.
"Did you ever stop to think that she could be hurt very bad, right there in the heart where most everything in life matters?"
"That's her problem."  she countered still gloating.
"On the contrary, it's yours. One more thing, it takes so little to be kind."  and I walked away leaving her with her own thoughts.
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The post below was done in October 2013 and I'm bringing it back here to be reminded of the importance of .... words. So that I may avoid falling into that same hideous pool my niece has fallen into. It helps to be reminded often, forgetful creatures that we are.
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Here it is.....
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The new parish priest of our community was celebrating his first mass and with a homily on the subject of  'the power of words'. To sum up, it was truly a good homily delivered in a uniquely light hearted sincere manner yet made such a huge dent on everybody's thoughts if you could gauge it from the attentive response of the people there.
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Made me think................
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WORDS. What do we know about it except to speak it, to communicate with, or to express our sentiments with. We often take it for granted. Like it's part of our physical body of eyes, ears, nose, extremities, and mouth. So no big deal.
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BUT it IS a big deal!
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Do we know what words can do? It can make or break, build or destroy, make happy or cause someone to be miserable. 'Make' 'Build' 'Happy' would be easy to understand. Its effect is almost always visible. It's a no-brainer.
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On the other hand, 'break' 'destroy' 'miserable' hits very deep. That's a place nobody can see. Can be very hard to understand.
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When someone says to us... 'I love you', I am sure that would quickly transport us up to the skies rocketing even higher. Everything to our minds come out rosy and every living creature lovable. Oh I know because just like you I've been there too.
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Now when somebody else says... 'I don't like you', I am sure that we would according to our personality type respond to that accordingly. Strong types would deliver a straight punch to that person's (very ugly) face ..... while weaker souls would simply walk away and yes wither away with all that hurt and pain sinking lower deep inside. And if some still don't know it, bullying makes that happen.
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I have learned.......
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Words may be simply a tool, one of many, of our existence but it is such a powerful one. We should care for it as much as a handyman usually cares for his pack of tools with love and careful attention. We should use it with care, too. Unlike a fool who lets loose a barrage of anger, hate, or meanness through a language which belittles, disparages, depreciates and totally cuts down to size its object deliberately down to the ground... obliterating it with great force. Sadly, we do that often to our... families, spouses, children, parents, friends, the elderly, employees, students, equals, and even to strangers.
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We have hurt a lot of people with those ugly words and also at many times have been hurt a lot by those same words.
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So then ......why don't we be extra careful in our choice of words, in how we speak them. We should not try in any way be the cause, for any kind of reason thought of as just or something, of anyone's misery or heartbreak deserving or not. If we must say something, choose how to say it. There's enough misery going around in our world to think of adding more to it. Mother Earth is hurting from all the negativity forced down upon her.... 'let's cut her trees down', 'let's throw our trash into the rivers', 'let's bring down the mountains and build a mega mall', etc. Action springs out from words. We did that to her, we're doing that to her. Unless we seriously try to curb old mean harsh habits of speech we shall be doing it to her repeatedly until, well, she explodes. And we shall explode along with her.
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Remember the allegory of the ... rock or boulder and on it a continuing fall of tiny drops of water --- drip - drip - drip..... through the years. And then one day to everyone's amazement a hole was punctured on what was once solid rock. That's what words do to anyone or anything it touches. Words can pierce the soul.
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Let us try to help ease that pain or better yet to whack off the negative vibes to pieces with a good concentrated dose of positivity. We can do that with WORDS! .Words carefully chosen have the power to restore joy, good, well-being, hope, courage, inspiration, strength, love, faith, and trust. These can help create a better place and world for us.
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That, by the way, is also by God's design. HE wants us to be responsible owners and givers of the gift of words.

Be blessed, everyone. God pours out bushels of blessings right there into your day.
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(Thanks to the internet for these inspiring images.)

WHATEVER IT IS IT WILL BE GOOD. JUST LET YOUR HEART DO IT FOR YOU.

 

 

 

 

 

Long ago while sitting in a corner on top of a wooden stool with a sketch pad on my lap and pencil in my hand and wondering what it was I wanted to draw, Mama saw me from the kitchen (in this tiny humble home you can see everything just wherever you would be standing) and spoke out without moving an inch away from her cooking..... "Honey, whatever it is it will be good. Just let your heart do it for you." spoken in the dialect waray.
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Mom was a teacher in her time. I would guess that she was a good teacher... because she was great teaching in our home. She taught me a lot about life and living, not just with words or lectures but in how she lived life herself. She also said 'life is the best teacher of all' and that 'the heart always speaks the truth'. I learned much about hard work, resourcefulness, determination, courage, hope, faith, trust, believing in your dreams, and in building dreams with and through whatever life throws at you. Life's tough, she'd say, 'very tough but it's how you respond to it which ultimately will get you where you want to be, sooner or later. You may arrive at the end with a big brass band and deafening applause.. or.. bruised and battered, weary and shaken but still in one piece. All because you learned how to respond to its challenges. And all because you listened to your heart.'
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Time and life went by and gave me all that I needed to know and validated the lessons Mom taught. I can understand now, Mom......
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Your heart can churn out the best masterpieces... the best achievements... the best work of your life.... the best sketches or drawings or paintings... the best music or sonata... the best speeches.... the best articles or books.... the best cooking or recipes... the best flower garden in your neighborhood... the best homilies in church... or be the best mother, father, son,or daughter, uncle or aunt, grandpa or grandma... the best employee in your department... the best salesman on the job... the best mechanic in town... the best barber in the city... the best barangay captain in the district... the best senator or congressman in the history of our congress... the best policeman or soldier on the job... the best performances onscreen or onstage... the best president or leader of a country.... the best lessons learned... the best friendships for a lifetime... the best role in life you would find yourself in and be the best person you can be, by divine design. The best not as dictated by people with their own created standards. But the best with the best of who you are in your heart. Live with your heart, lead with your heart, listen to your heart.
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Well, I finished my sketch that day and when I showed it to her, she smiled and said "It is good." Lesson learned.
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Unfortunately I lost all my drawings in the big flood which hit the city that month and year. I cried. But she said.... "You can always draw again."
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She is right. We may fail on some ventures, fall from good fortune, lose precious treasures or people in our lives..... BUT..... we can rise up once more, shake the dust, and build again. That's my story; that's your story. It's our story ------ the rising, the falling, and the rising up again. But with our hearts all in one piece. Shining with our Light like never before every time! And you know what, God in all of His wisdom and magnificence put it there. Now you know you're special!
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God bless you, my dear friends!
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(Thanks to the internet for these wonderful images.)

A NOT SO PEACEFUL DAY

 

 

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So what do we do when that comes to our day and life?

Maybe I will be hearing replies like.... 'not much' - 'I don't know' - 'who cares' - 'so what' - or other soul-wrenching remark such as 'life is mean and cruel'.

Some of us will simply grit their teeth - shrug their shoulders - or feign strength and courage as they carry their burdens and woes inside their backpacks while traveling down life's weary road.

Others will pray.

Allow me some thoughts.....

Whoever you are or may be... no matter your brilliance, wealth, beauty, power, or influence.... no matter your race,color, or creed

I believe that Someone still stands over you.... watching, guiding, protecting, and making sure that everything comes out right with you and your world.

But......

All according to His design, reasons, and plans for you. Do not try to read His thoughts or reasons or plans because these are way beyond your own understanding. Way beyond human understanding.

We, as mere puny individuals or people, are reminded every now and then in a diversity of ways He can devise (painful or not) of one simple task He asks in return ---- to have faith. He would be mighty pleased even with just one tiny-mustard-seed-size of faith!

That is all that would take to open the gates of heaven and release bountiful blessings as He promised. That kind of faith which keeps its eyes firmly set on Him... no matter what the world does to shake it up. No matter what the world does to make you think and feel that there is no Divine Presence in this ugly world, ugly people, and ugly life

And we struggle with that.. simple as it may seem. Why? Because we are a culture of 'instant coffee' ---- we want everything pronto! Solutions must come with a snap of our fingers and it must solve our problems ... instantly!! .We don't want to wait because waiting would mean suffering some more. .We don't want to suffer. I know this to be true. Life has shown me much of suffering.

Our greatest enemy is ourselves.

Yet, He does not give up on us so easily. Pheww! .. thank God for that!

Instead..... He says (and I am quoting this from my favorite book)
 
 "How I love you! How I lavish my love upon you in great generous helpings! The love of God is boundless, unequaled, in all the universe. None can slip from my grasp, none can go beyond my love, for there are no limits, no conditions to the tremendous love of God. Rest easy in this love. Curl up and rest easy each and every moment of your life. I am with you, I am beside you, I am with you. I am the great 'I AM'. Never do you walk alone, never do you work alone, never do you breathe a breath without Me, without my watchful love surrounding you, cushioning you from all of life's blows."
..............................
(Quote lifted from the book "Good Morning... God", by Pamela Steinke)

TREMENDOUS LOVE. Where else can you find that?

And because of His magnificent love we continue to have hope... keep on building new dreams... persevere with our faith... renew our strengths and courage... and believe again and again.

I hope this helps you with your not so peaceful day or days (when it comes). As it has helped me in mine. God bless you.

(Thanking the internet for these lovely images.)

A PEACEFUL DAY

 

 

 

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Days come to us in a bucket of wide diversity. They can be nice... pleasant... exciting... happy... boring.... dreary... monotonous... agitated... lonely... confusing... scary... mind-boggling... funny... interesting... bland... peaceful. calm... serene... high-energy... slow... hopeless... promising... creative... challenging... overwhelming... embarrassing... threatening... suspicious... and plenty more heaped on our plate. We respond to it in ways we each have been programmed for since birth by experience, habits, genes, and preferences. All that combined even makes for quite an interesting day.
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I like best a calm, serene, peaceful day. Everybody does, I guess.. It's unchanging. It's there just waiting to be called forth. Rising from the heart. Always from the heart.
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Peace.... then and now. What a lovely blessing!
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(Thanks to the internet for these lovely images.).

A PERFECT FAMILY

 

 

 

At the usual coffee bar I go to, I sat about two tables away from a group of young girls and boys who were spilling out their frustrations over the flaws seen in their families, respectively. It all seemed so huge hearing them talk about it. They all pined for perfection and yet according to the standards they each had set for themselves. That already by itself seemed shortsighted to my mind. I could be wrong but

That made me think.....

Really, if on some days they get on your nerves or if they seem to impede your progress in whatever you have set out for yourself or when they seem to be oblivious to who you are and what you do..... think again.

If you wished that you had your friend's family as they seem to be so adorable and perfect.... think again.

If you feel that your wings are being clipped unreasonably (that's what you're thinking anyway).... think again.

If you feel that God isn't fair because He gave you such a not-so-cool family..... think again.

And THINK you should.

Wanting a perfect family? Don't sweat it at all because you can't and because you won't have one. You can't choose them as they can't choose you either. God had other things in mind when He gave you to each other. So if you're seeing flaws in them and you feel that you could be better off without them.... think again.

As a mother (as all mothers would agree), I die a thousand deaths to my own dreams, goals, preferences, and plans...... everyday. I can't be myself sometimes but I am me where it matters most to be me ----. a mother and friend. Aside from being the maid and yaya..... driver (to school and back)..... cook (well, pancakes at least)..... laundrywoman (hankies and socks matter too, right?)..... seamstress (broken zipper and missing buttons)..... and other dozen-and-one things they can think of for you to do for them. Not discounting too those times of feeding bottles, diapers, and thermometers of long ago years.

But that's okay because that's what mothers do. So much the same way that fathers have their own tasks rolled out for them, too. So do children... they too have their own respective roles to play as members of the family. That is by Divine Design.

God had something else in mind when He gave you your family and It may not fit your own set of standards and expectations of what a family should be. But whoever told you that HE has to consult you for everything HE does, particularly in your life!?

You don't get to choose your family, really. Somebody up there does that for you. HE is better at it than we could ever be by ourselves. Like many things in life ---- it may not be what you want but maybe it is what you need!

Further, allow me to quote these lines from the prayer of ST. FRANCIS...

LORD, make me an instrument of your PEACE.
Where there is hatred, let me sow LOVE;
where there is injury, PARDON;
where there is doubt, FAITH;
where there is despair, HOPE;
where there is darkness, LIGHT;
and where there is sadness, JOY.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as TO CONSOLE;
to be understood as TO UNDERSTAND;
to be loved as TO LOVE.
For it is in GIVING that we receive;
it is in PARDONING that we are pardoned;
and it is in DYING that we are born to eternal life. Amen
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Unquote

And THAT is what we do to each other in our families inside the home. Humans are not perfect but FAMILY LOVE IS!

May God bless you and your family. 

(Thanks to the internet for these lovely images.)

WHERE IS NUMBER 3?

  

 

 

 

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Mr. Quote Man sent me this story and I promised him that I would share it with everybody here. It's a good one and I think that you'll like it, too. It had no title to it, so I'm going to call it ...... 'Number 3'.
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NUMBER 3

It all started one lazy Sunday afternoon in a small town near Toronto in Canada.

Two school-going friends had a crazy idea. They rounded up three goats from the neighborhood and painted the numbers 1, 2 and 4 on their sides. That night they let the goats loose inside their school building.

The next morning, when the authorities entered the school, they could smell something was wrong. They soon saw goat droppings on the stairs and near the entrance and realized that some goats had entered the building.

A search was immediately launched and very soon, the three goats were found. But the authorities were worried..... WHERE WAS NUMBER 3??? 
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They spent the rest of the day looking for goat No.3. The school declared classes off for the students for the rest of the day. The teachers, helpers, guards, canteen staffs, boys were all busy looking for the goat No. 3, which, of course, was never found.

Simply because ………… IT DID NOT EXIST!

Those among us who, in spite of having a good life, are always feeling a -- “lack of fulfillment” -- are actually looking for the elusive, missing, non-existent goat No.3. Whatever the area of complaint or dissatisfaction -- relationship, job-satisfaction, finance, achievements .....

-  AN ABSENCE OF SOMETHING IS ALWAYS LARGER THAN THE PRESENCE OF MANY OTHER THINGS.

Let’s Stop worrying about goat No.3. Let's enjoy life instead !!!

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Thanks, Mr. Quote Man. And thanks to the internet for these wonderful images.
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May God bless you all! Enjoy your day.