Sabbath Party

my guilty pleasure double wink! haha! :))

2010-10-14T10:52:00.003+08:00

these are different from my previous list in that, i know that i can do without these things but still, would love to have it also...just for my sanity's sake and for pampering myself every now and then...

1. i love pussy red on my nails

2. i love my regular mani-pedi

3. i love going to the spa

4. i love my foot reflex with full body Swedish massage after

5. i love my regular hair spa

6. i love my foot spa

my secret pleasure wink!

2010-10-14T10:27:00.003+08:00

there are things that i failed to openly admit to myself before which i will do so now, before its too late!...naaahhh...:) hehe!...just so that i can just get this out of my system and acknowledge it for myself that i do have these things in me and will continuously be part of Me. :)

1. i love kissing

2. i love hugging

3. i love to be "guided" like in a gentlemanly way, whether crossing the street, getting off from the jeepney or tricycle, entering a room, opening the door, sitting on a chair...

4. i love talking to myself

5. i love daydreaming

6. i love writing

7. i love differently colored pens

8. i love walking in the mornings

9. i love taking long baths

10. i love swimming

11. i love laughing and / or crying hysterically inside the moviehouse

12. i love corny jokes

13. i love to laugh at things that were not meant as jokes but are life's realities

14. i love quality time

15. i love sleepovers, slumber parties and sleeping together

16. i love my family

17. i love breakfasts

18. i love my moms cooking

19. i love God

20. i love nature

21. i love kids

22. i love music

23. i love to praise God!

24. i love honoring

25. i love encouraging others

26. i love Shola

27. i love Lingkod

28. i love my AG's

29. i love my service

30. i love Neverheards

31. i love my friends

32. i love my work

33. i love my advocacies

34. i love crafts

35. i love D-I-Y

36. i love the art of doing something out of nothing

37. i love travelling

38. i love the Philippines

39. i love Europe...I'm fascinated with it!

40. i love fashion

41. i love art

42. i love people who are REAL

43. i love museums

44. i love trade fairs

45. i love events

46. i love bazaars

47. i love books

48. i love thermal blankets

49. i love sleeping with 3 pillows

50. i love the radio...most especially in my earphones en route to work. :)

51. i love vegetables

52. i love Conti's, Oh My Gulay, Omakase

53. i love Hotel Sofitel

54. i love Prince Albert

55. i love commuting

56. i love long drives

57. i love shawls

58. i love praying

59. i love meaningful and funny conversations

60. i love people who make me laugh...most especially at myself!

61. i love good food....I believe that I'm a foodie, a food critique, a gourmet and a connoseur at heart! :)

62. i love giving gifts...and preparing and giftwrapping!!! :)

63. i love cooking, doing the laundry and ironing clothes

64. i love managing the home

65. i love swimming

66. i love taekwondo

67. i love drinking water

68. i love sports

69. i love interacting with people

70. i love to arrive in style. :)

71. i love to be productive

72. i love to stand up for what i believe in.

73. i love being crazy, whimsical, mad, serious all at the same time! :)

74. i love building and nurturing relationships

Points of View by Joey Albert

2010-10-11T16:26:00.001+08:00

Look, it's happened once again
It happens ev'ry now and then
Feeling the hurt and hatin' all the men
Ready to stop it all

That's when I need a friendly face
To see me through these lonely days
Just to put some sunshine in my place
Don't take too long, I need you

Here I am
I haven't gone that far away,
And since I am
The kind of friend you know
Would stay with you through all the pain
Never to leave you in the rain
Ready to listen to what you've been through
Your woes and blues and share each other's...

Points of view
We've been there once before
And kept our points of view
It doesn't really matter if they're never quite the same
We have our rules in diff'rent ways,
We play the games of diff'rent folks with diff'rent strokes
And keep our points of view.

See, the world seems bright again
It only darkens now and then
Most of the time there's just no telling when
Look up and see you've got me.

Here we are
We may have gone our diff'rent ways
But since we are
The kind of friends who'll always stay
No matter what the pain,
Learnin' to love that cap o' rain
Ready to say we're here to stay in ev'ry way
Although we've got our diff'rent

Points of view
We've been there once before
And kept our points of view
It doesn't really matter if they're never quite the same
We have our rules in diff'rent ways,
We play the games of diff'rent folks with diff'rent strokes
And never really change our

Points of view
We've been there once before
And kept our points of view
It doesn't really matter if they're never quite the same
We have our rules in diff'rent ways,
We play the games of diff'rent folks with diff'rent strokes
And keep our points of view.

My Terrific Morning

2010-10-11T16:02:00.002+08:00

(as I shared last October 7 to the Wondergirls)

hello to my dearest Wondergirl sisters!

please allow me to share this with all of you...:)

Today, I woke up to the whiff of my Papa's perfume, rushed downstairs, bursting open their bedroom door exclaiming "Happy Birthday Papa!!!" and kissed him. :) He was busy dressing up to hear mass first thing in the morning and Mama was busy cooking in the kitchen because she wants me to still partake of the special breakfast that she prepared for my Dad...papasok pa kasi ako pero today, I can afford to be late .

As Ma was about to finish, Papa came back with a stranger in tow...a man whose name is Carlos Barboza. Papa was saying that he went to the church, but realized that there's no mass service, saw the man, asked for his whereabouts and knew that he hasn't eaten for 2 days. As he was explaining, he staked out on his own 4 days ago from Naga, on foot, to try his luck in the city. Later on, he realized that the city's just too harsh on him and he wants to return home, to his family ...his 3 sisters. He is single and their family is quite poor.

It's just funny how, as I was peeling off my shrimps (which is like a "major" meal for breakfast...kasi mas bagay talaga sya for lunch eh..hehehe!!) ...I was just so moved by my Dad's compassion that my vision suddenly got blurred and tears were streaming down my cheeks...kakainis! napaka iyakin ko talaga! :) Pero, you know, it's Papa's birthday today...how apt it is for him to teach me a lesson on kindness, compassion, mercy, love for your neighbor (for somebody ...a total stranger)...ang galing!. God speaks thru my Papa and para hindi nya ma-obvious...I said, "Ang hirap namang balatan nitong hipon! late nako! hehehehe!!!". As I gulped the last few parts of my coffee, with tears still streaming down my cheeks, and rushed to take a bath...I just wondered in amazement how truly personal God is, how wonderful and how earnest is He in giving the simplest yet most essential message that He has for each of us. For truly, it is in the smallest of details, that He will magnify His greatest work, his most perfect plan...as it unfolds in our lives.

Godbless your day!!!Love you sisters!!!

carla

p.s. I will miss you all tomorrow in our prayer meeting because I have to attend to an important engagement, but rest assured that I will see you on Saturday for our DOP and Korean Day!!! Yehey!!!...can't let this moment pass me by without letting you in my thoughts now...God is Good always always!!! :))

COMMENTS:

By Marvs: "I think you should not eat shrimp for a while.. especially in front of your dad..hehe..

May God bless your compassionate father.

Happy birthday to your Dad! :)

Ang dami nyong nag inform na wala bukas :(

See you on Saturday.

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By Luke: I'm a wondergirl too?? hehe… YSB na lang sis… thanks sa sharing.

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By Niña: Wow. What a wonderful sharing from a wonder girl. Thank you ate for sharing this. I admire how compassionate your family is. We are extra blessed to have a sister like you. You really are a sensitive woman of God and I honor you for that. Thank you thank you thank you… I love you!

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By Ants: Thanks for the sharing, pards:) Hindi biro yong ginawa ni Daddy mo bringing in a stranger into your home...mana ka sa kanya in your generous heart! God bless your family! And pabati na lang kay Tito ng belated Happy Birthday...

Tama ka...that it is in this small everyday personal messages from Him that we get strength from and makes us know He is always there caring for us.

See ya Sat, wonder girls!

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By Ate Ketty: Thanks Carla for sharing. I was touched while reading your message. God really showed that He is a loving God to the man and used your father and your family to show it. May the Lord bless your family even more.

Happy birthday din sa papa mo.

….. sorry Luke pero ano ung YSB? Boyband din? hehehe

Thank you and God bless

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By Geh:

Thank you for sharing this Carla. And belated happy bday to Papa!
--------------------------------------

Posted by: "Michelle Robles"

Wed Oct 6, 2010 9:41 pm (PDT)

Awwww.... naiyak naman ako sa sharing mo for today Carla. It is
indeed wonderful; and your Papa reminds me of our BIG PAPA above. My
boss gave me a book last week entitled "The Shack" and your story
today reminded me of what I read in the book. I'll lend it to you
after I finish reading it; I'm sure you'll love it.

Send our birthday greetings to your dear papa. Warm regards to your
Mom too! We miss her cooking... :)

Thanks for prioritizing Yas' party tomorrow. I know you're very busy
and I appreciate you taking time to join us.

Love you dear!

See you tomorrow,
Michelle

P.S. Anniv dinner on Monday!!! Yey! I'm excited to see you all.
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Posted by: "Tina Bulchand"

Wed Oct 6, 2010 9:59 pm (PDT)

Wow, Carla, thanks for sharing this wonderful true experience. I thought things like this only happens in inspirational movies, but it's good to know that goodness and kindness is still IN. It's really nice to hear this because life sometimes gets too fast or too tough and then there's nothing left in the day to be consciously kind or even reflective of your actions. Just want you to know that I welcome such cheesy stories because I need it for my spiritual sanity. :)
I love you, girlfriend! I super duper miss you all and I'm bummed that another whole year passed by without us being together. But to be honest, I don't feel the distance or the absence, because you all are ever present in my life.
On a side note, I've been re-watching the entire dvd collection of SATC just for kicks lately (i'm now on season 4 hahahha) and so I am actually in a daydreamy mood, kind of imagining that i'll be meeting up with you guys after work or making up situations in my head and then thinking what one of you might have said in such situations. It's food for my soul really. I know it's juvenile and childish to be daydreaming constantly, but hey, who can blame me for reliving the best times I've ever had in my life???
love you all!-tina

---------------------------------------------

Posted by: "HCMI PADER, Audine P."

Wed Oct 6, 2010 10:30 pm (PDT)

Hay naku!... I'll start missing you guys na naman... :-( :-( :-(

Makataya nga sa lotto mamaya, baka manalo ako ng jackpot and if ever I
get to win hundreds of million (hundreds talaga ha!) maybe we can all
meet up at the Bahamas or even Marrakech (no visa dun and in honor of
SITC ) and have the best vacation ever :-)

-- Audine
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Posted by: "Lourdes Grace P. Daluz"

Wed Oct 6, 2010 10:45 pm (PDT)

Good morning world!

Oo nga kaka-miss kayo....siguro mas feel natin ngayon kasi it's our
anniv month - 20 years na tayo!!!!

Lam nyo, nung weekend nagpaka-video queen na naman ako and yun basta
lagay lang ako ng lagay ng mga songs and kanta lang ng kanta....tapos
biglang "points of view" na tapos feel na feel ko and tulo nang tulo ang
luha ko! Grabe feeling ko nasa ASAP ako grabe ang performance level kasi

Trying to sing the song and mega emote! I was reminiscing Tami's party
nung kinanta natin yun....

Nway, I'm thinking of doing something very special for our anniv...sana
we can record the song together tapos gawa tayo ng MTV ekek....si Gino
kasi medyo nahihilig sa mga AVP .....so start gathering our old pics na
tapos ayusin natin this December....

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Posted by: "benefrida"

Thu Oct 7, 2010 1:06 am (PDT)

Gud am friends! :)
It's nice to wake up with your wonderful messages...

Yvet, in case you didn't notice in Tami's 18th bday, I didn't actually sing my lines... Hehehe... So pwede bang backup dancer na lang me or something... :)

I wish to be Married

2010-10-04T17:42:00.002+08:00

Dear Universe,

I just want you to know, that it is my desire to be Married. I never imagined myself, nor felt to be in any other vocation. I dreamt of my husband and kids all the time! :)

As a wife, I wish that I can be the most loving, supportive and fit wife that will bring out the best from her husband. I will lovingly prepare each dish that He wishes and I will manage the household for him.

As a mother, I wish that I could be a full time and hands-on mom who can be there for her children on every step that they will take in this world, to nurture them, guide them, love and protect them unconditionally.

I wish that my Husband would be my Priest, Protector and Provider. He would have a personal relationship with God, a close bond with each member of His family and would meet all my essentials that I listed in my journal. Even though initially, I would be afraid to live far apart from my family, if it is my Husband's wish to work and settle in a different place that He discerns is best for us, then I would support Him in his decision as my leader in our own family. I would grant Him my trust for the decisions that He will make and I will constantly pray for His success in all His endeavors.

if I will wish well...

2010-09-27T17:21:00.002+08:00

i wish that i will return to my ideal weight of 130 lbs. by September 2011.

i wish that i will love the One who loves me back. May the One I love, love me back.

i wish that i will get married before year 2013.

i wish that i will fulfill all the things that I placed on my dreamboard and everything on my AG dreamboard as well before year 2013.

i wish that i will get to travel to Asia, Europe and New Zealand before 2013.

i wish that I will enroll in my graduate studies in Development by 2011.

i wish to attain financial freedom in 5 years.

i wish to fulfill all my essentials and preferences with my lifetime partner. :) May he be a Priest, Protector and Provider.

i wish to have 4 kids, borne by me. :)

i wish that my parents will be around until they get to see all of us (me & my sisters) married, their sons-in-law and grandchildren.

i wish to cook like my mom. :)

i wish to acquire all the best traits and character that my parents have.

i wish to marry into a good family.

i wish to be close to my future parents-in-law most esp. my future mother-in-law.

i wish to also have a tightly-knit family. :)

i wish to fully support my parents financially and take good care of their health.

i wish to live out the Lingkod way of life until I have my own family. :)

of new discoveries and finding joy in the now

2010-09-26T22:35:00.002+08:00

Last Saturday, sept. 25, i met with my perps 93 batchmates in our final meeting before our first fundraiser, Laugh for a Cause on the 30th. As I looked around the table at Max's, I can't help but feel giddy towards our forthcoming event and also happy with the ensuing camaraderie with my batchmates. I have no classmate in sight and yet I felt that I also truly belong with this group. Maybe because we share in the same excitement, the same love for doing what is good and right and for really being our true selves. It was such a gift to be in that moment....of realizing that these are amazing people with me and I'm just in awe of the vibe around the group.

Excited to be Thursday...oh my...:)

Excited to praise you!

2010-09-24T15:29:00.002+08:00

early this week, I requested for a friend to pray for me...specifically. I shared my 5 prayer intentions....and this week, I just witnessed how his will was revealed in each moment....I'm just so overwhelmed with awe and joy of this gift today....being in this moment, of being loved and cared for by you is really an awesome experience!!!

of positive vibes, of phone calls after lunch, of Master B's wise advice, of Friday sleep-overs, of breakthroughs and living that extraordinary life that You alone deserve and nothing ever less than that....

cheers!!!

where presence is a gift

2010-09-21T16:53:00.002+08:00

....take and receive Oh Lord, my liberty..take all my will, my love, my memory...all these I own, are thine...

Lord, thank you for granting me today with so much hope...for the past weeks, I've been feeling a bit down...because of demands at work, being pulled at different directions...and yet I'm hanging on to you Lord, with complete trust in your direction for me. You are my light, you are my delight...you are the source of my joy and my love. Thank you for that simple chat with a friend. I never thought that such an exchange will give me an added reason to look forward to Christmas. Though there is not certainty yet as to where He will spend it...I'm just hanging on to the hope that He will spend it here in the Philippines. Given that, I have to start preparing for that...to try cooking tapa, paella and buko pie...:)) Yes, my top 3 menu targets for next month!!!...Lord please help me cook with love.....:))

10 Weight Loss Tips That Work in One Minute or Less

2010-03-03T10:32:00.000+08:00

Lord, please help me in my Doubt

2010-03-01T10:16:00.002+08:00

i know that today should really be a glorious day because it's my lola's birthday and I will also watch "Miss You Like Crazy"tonight with brothers & sisters in the community...unfortunately, i received some fresh news this morning about a movement in the leadership of the branch...which saddened me somehow... because now that i'm really enjoying her company, truly bonding with her, then she will start moving on to somewhere...

another thing which bothers me, which i know is not good, is my doubt...my doubt of your love Oh Lord for me...i know, this is not really connected to the first reason, but i am just feeling, that the person that i like will also leave me...that i feel, that he has a connection to my first reason...Oh Oh...i know, this is really so bad and mean of me, to presume this way...but Lord, please help me to fight this weak side of me. i really feel that there is something there, something beneath what i see....i'm really sorry Lord, may be this really shows how weak i am ...am truly very sorry....it's just that i still feel that i still am nobody in his eyes and not deserving of his love, loyalty and faithfulness....

Celebrate My Birthday Book Project: Fundraising on the Book Publishing about Norlie Maniego

2010-02-24T22:14:00.001+08:00

Dearest Friends,

A pleasant day to everyone!

Wow, time really flies!. Next week will be the start of my birthday month, my exact birthday will fall on March 23 and I will be turning 34 "tender and joyful" years old!.

I just wish to let you know that this birthday is really special for me because I wish to celebrate it this time with a beneficiary, which is the Book Project on Norlie Maniego.

Please allow me to share with you a bit of information about my dear sister Norlie. I came to know and befriend her through my community, Ang Lingkod Ng Panginoon --- a Catholic Movement of single, young professionals with the mission of "Christifying the Workplace". Norlie was the eldest in a brood of four children. She had a different childhood experience -- instead of growing up with her parents and siblings, Norlie went to live with her spinster aunts who are sisters of her mom, Esther. She spent her primary and secondary education within Laguna and pursued an Information Technology Degree in AMA Calamba. Most of us know Norlie as a woman of strength, her strength being rooted in her faith in the Lord. In her service as Lingkod Cavite's Branch Woman's Moderator, Norlie was truly an example of humble and committed service to the brothers and sisters. She was a woman with a gentle and quiet spirit but who also knew when to speak her mind. She was a prayerful sister and was blessed with a gift of healing. Norlie succumbed to cancer around May 2009.

I took part in this worthy project because I dearly love Norlie. She was truly an inspiration and a true testament of God's unwavering faith, hope and love for all of us in the community. I wish to invite you to celebrate my birthday by supporting the publishing of Norlie's book. We hope to raise P200,000 by March 31, 2010. I hope that you can share your blessings and make my birthday a memorable and life-giving experience.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Carla Asperilla

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Donations may be deposited to the account of Ma. Yazmin Diangson, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Savings Account No. 0016566698. Kindly scan and e-mail or fax a copy of the deposit slip to Yazmin.Diangson@pmintl.com.

Fitness Junkie Tips

2010-02-19T14:05:00.002+08:00

1. Mark’s Daily Apple. Mark Sisson is one of the leading advocates of a return to the diet and activity style of our primal ancestors, and the author of The Primal Blueprint. Here are his tips:

Cut out grains. This may sound crazy at first, but try going without them for a month – at the very least. For one thing, grains come preloaded with anti-nutrients, chemical defenses like gluten and lectins that are designed to dissuade animals from eating them by causing digestive issues and “leaky gut” syndrome. Grains are seeds, and if a plant’s seed is eaten and digested, it doesn’t get to propagate any new plants. Because reproduction is the ultimate goal of life, plants will do anything to ensure their seeds survive. They’re also packed full of carbs, which should also be minimized in a cutting, leaning-out phase. (Note: There is no requirement in human nutrition for carbs.) Consuming carbs stimulates insulin secretion, and insulin promotes fat storage. Too much insulin (read: from eating too many carbs at once) will reduce the sensitivity of your insulin receptors. Your pancreas, in turn, thinks you need even more insulin, and releases even more of it, and the cycle continues. To avoid this and really lean out, and if you really need the extra fuel, limit your carb intake to the immediately post-workout period, when your muscles are starving for glycogen and the glucose from the carbs will go straight to your muscles, instead of to your midsection. And when you do eat carbs, avoid grains and sugars; opt for starchy vegetables, like squash or sweet potatoes, instead.
Make your short, fast, intense workouts even shorter, faster, and more intense, and your long, slow workouts even longer and slower. A common impediment to real leanness is overtraining. We’re inundated with the idea that “more is better” when it comes to working out, but the reality couldn’t be more different. Excessive exercise gives your body the “danger” message; throughout the course of our evolutionary history, high levels of activity – running, lifting, throwing, climbing – generally meant something was chasing us or we were chasing something else. When you spend an hour jogging on the treadmill or cranking that elliptical machine, your body goes into that flight or fight mode automatically. When you weight train seven days a week, your body thinks you are in mortal danger. Why else would you be subjecting your body to that kind of stress on a regular basis, if not for survival’s sake? Cortisol is the stress hormone, and too much cortisol leads to insulin resistance, weight gain, and muscle waste. Overtraining is the classic way to secrete excess cortisol. That said, intensity is important, but only in small doses. Instead of spending two hours in the weight room, keep it to a maximum of forty-five minutes, but make it a good hard all-out effort. Even twenty-five minutes will work. Push yourself harder and faster and shorter, and you’ll get better results in less time. By the same token, instead of running at 85% of your maximum heart rate for an hour and burning primarily glucose and glycogen, go for a three-hour hike, or even just a walk around the neighborhood. By keeping your heart rate at no more than 75% of your maximum, your body becomes a fat burner. If leanness is your ultimate goal, there’s nothing more effective than limiting the secretion of cortisol and maximizing the use of fat for fuel. Then pick one day a week where you do a series of short, all-out sprints, with the heart rate at max for 15-40 seconds. Short, intense workouts improve insulin sensitivity and minimize cortisol, while long, slow workouts optimize the use body fat for energy.
Intermittent fasting. My last tip is my personal favorite, and it might just go against everything you’ve ever heard about proper fitness and nutrition: fast once or twice a week, preferably before your workouts. Intermittent fasting – going 18-30 hours between meals every once in awhile – can actually stimulate fat burning while maintaining muscle mass and conserving strength. It’s an old holdover from the early hunter-gatherer days, when the hunt wasn’t always successful, but we still had to develop a way to extract enough energy till the next meal. Our bodies always turn to body fat for energy first; in fact, that’s why we store body fat in the first place – to save for energy for later, leaner times. For the person who’s almost lean, but not quite there yet, throwing in a fast once or twice a week can really be the difference maker. I’d even try ending each fast with an intense weight training session and waiting an hour after to eat to really get the full benefit.

—-

2. Fitness Black Book. Rusty Moore is an authority on creating a lean, slim, athletic look. Rusty, btw, has a new ebook out that I’m reading now called Visual Impact: Mastering the Skill of Gaining Muscle Without Bodyfat. Here are Rusty’s tips for getting lean:

Focus on Creating a Weekly Calorie Deficit, Not Daily. I love the holidays, parties, picnics, social gatherings, wedding receptions, etc. The thing in common with all of these major life events is that they have good food (usually a ton of good food). You can still enjoy these events and eat all of that good food and lose weight. The way to do this is have days in the week where you go quite a bit below maintenance. By the end of the week you can still create a calorie deficit, even if you enjoyed plates of great food. Life is too short to miss out on pies, cakes, and homemade food made by loved ones.
When Eating Alone, Go Strict and Low Calorie. My rule of thumb is to eat lower calorie meals when I am eating alone. When I am not around friends and family, I treat eating as purely functional and eat pretty bland. This gives me much more wiggle room when I do meet up with friends or family. It works really, really well in keeping the calories down while still enjoying good food and couple of beers in a social situation.
Go Into Your Workouts in a Fasted State. Your body is in either a “fed” or “fasted” state. When your body is in a fed state it primarily uses carb-energy for fuel. It is the body’s preferred method of energy. When your body is in a fasted state it releases HGH. This hormone helps release body fat from stored fat cells into the bloodstream so you can use that for energy instead of stored “food energy”. Intense exercise also raises HGH levels. When you combine exercise with this fasted state, you create a great synergistic condition for fat loss. It works extremely well. Obviously you can’t overdue this and fast for way too long or exercise too hard, but done strategically this works wonders.
Avoid Insulin Spikes. When insulin levels are high, HGH levels are low. Insulin is a “storage” hormone. It helps store the nutrients from the foods you eat. A high level of insulin means a high level of storage (not what you are after if weight loss is your goal). You can avoid insulin spikes by eating foods with a low GI rating. Another method is to never eat carbs by themselves. If you eat a bit of fat and protein with your carbs there is less of a chance of a large spike in insulin. That is why I would recommend a bit of cream cheese or butter on a bagel than eating a bagel alone. I make it a point to never eat carbs without some fat or protein.
The Amount of Meals Per Day Doesn’t Matter. I think people should stick to what feels natural as far as how often they eat. Some people do better with 6 small meals and some do better with 2-3 meals. It really is the total calories that matter as far as weight loss goes. The idea that you metabolism will drop if you skip meals is slightly “old school”…research has proven that idea to be out dated. I am not saying that 6 meals per day is bad either, but it certainly isn’t necessary. If you do eat 3 times per day they have to be much smaller portions than the person who likes to eat 3 times per day. I have always been able to reach my lowest body fat percentage on 3 meals or less per day. It kills me to eat tiny portions!

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3. Zen to Fitness. Chris shares all around good advice for getting fit and finding balance in life. Here are his tips:

Stick to wholefoods 80% of the time. Nothing from a packet (lean meat, fruit, vegetables nuts and seeds. If your a vegetarian eat more protein packed legumes in place of the meat. Cutting out grains and dairy is also big for fat loss)
Go to bed slightly hungry (works a treat for leaning out).
Increase the intensity of your workout and aim to break a sweat (Checkout Crossfit.com for inspiration and Turbulence Training programs).
Relax more to bring down stress hormones and burn fat (Meditation, Visualisation, Deep Breathing).
Make sure you’re getting 7-9 hours of deep sleep each night.
Have a few cups of High Quality Green Tea a day.

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4. Fit and Busy Dad. Chris Lopez lives in Toronto and shares some great tips, workouts, and strategies for dads (actually all parents and anyone who is busy) who want to get and stay in shape. Here are Chris’ top tips:

Come to the acceptance that getting lean is incredibly simple to do, but very difficult. Once you reconcile your feelings towards getting lean and accept that you have to work your tail off, then you’ve overcome a huge barrier and will be ready to start.
You must plan everything: from your time, to your workouts, to your meals … everything must be meticulously planned.
Follow the rule of 165: it doesn’t matter as much what you do in the 3 hours you train per week as long as you’re working hard. What matters is what you do in the other 165 hours remaining. That said, here are the things that you should be focusing on are…
1. sleep 8-9 hours per night.
2. eat whole natural foods (known as Real Food) preferably mainly from plants.
3. train with intensity as opposed to training solely for duration (more does not necessarily mean better).
4. balance your high intensity exercise with complimentary practices such as yoga, tai chi, qi gong or mediation to manage stress.
5. keep a journal of what you’ve done and try to break records each and every time.

—-

5. Fitness Spotlight. Excellent fitness and health articles throughout the week, jointly written by two bloggers — Mike O’Donnell and Scott Kustes. Since I like both bloggers, I’m featuring both of their tips here.

Scott Kustes:

Ditch the alcohol. While I have nothing against a few drinks now and then, I find that after a drink or two, my food choices go downhill somewhat (in direct proportion to how much I drink). I’m more lenient about the kinds of food I’ll eat after drinking, even if just having one or two. Further, alcohol is just empty calories and isn’t doing you any favors in losing those last 10 pounds.

Mike O’Donnell:

Know that stubborn fat is stubborn for a reason. It usually it does not get enough of a hormonal signal (catecholamines) at the fat cells to start lipolysis (the release of stored fat to be burned up in the muscles). This is key, as you can’t burn stored fat if it never comes out of the cell in the first place
Having a calorie deficit state is needed of course in the overall equation to burn more fat than store over time. Although you don’t want to starve yourself in the process (and that will not lead to better fat loss in the longterm). Aim for a reasonable deficit such as around 12x/ideal bodyweight (this is just a rough number of course and you can adjust as needed).
Keeping and building muscle is a strong boost to your resting energy expenditure (up to 48 hours after training). Use resistance training with compound exercises, full body workouts and reps around 5-10. Any isolation work should be done last in a workout. Also using supersets of antagonist (opposite) muscles with short rest between sets (30-60 sec) will result in a greater post workout hormonal response and less time working out.
Keeping insulin stable is important all day long, so avoiding all sugar and anything that breaks down quickly into glucose in the body is the goal. High blood sugar will slow down/stop any reason the body needs to keep releasing fat to be burned.
The use of intervals is a good way to help boost adrenaline/noradrenaline (catecholamines) to help release fats to be burned. This should be done after using resistance training or an off day, but not every day. Going too hard too often will result in the body becoming overstressed and not recovering (which will lead to more muscle loss and more stubborn fat gain). After a short interval session (like 10 min) adding more slower intensity exercise such as walking will help burn the fat now released into the blood stream (and not overstress your body’s ability to recover).
Take fish oil as it will keep inflammation down, and result in more weight loss and quicker recovery. Also don’t discount the need for a good night’s sleep as the most powerful spike of Growth Hormone (catecholamine) comes in the first hours of restful sleep. Having less sleep or a stressed out lifestyle will only result in more muscle loss and stubborn fat gain.
Try adding caffeine (cup o’ Joe) 30min prior to a workout while in a fasted state (first thing in the AM, 2-3 hours after your last meal) to boost more intensity during the workout and adrenaline/noradrenaline release.

—

A 12-Step Program to Eating Healthier Than Ever Before

2010-02-19T14:01:00.000+08:00

“If I’d known I was going to live so long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” - Leon Eldred

As I mentioned recently, I was a junk-food addict in my not-too-distant past, and ballooning alarmingly around the waistline. I was addicted to burgers and sodas and fries and pizzas and sweets and all the fast food you can think of and most especially chocolate.

Today, while I can’t say I only eat wheat germ and fresh veggies picked right from my home garden, I generally eat healthier than I have ever done in my life.

How did I get from Point A (junk food junkie) to Point B (much healthier diet)? I’ll let you in on my secret (and it’s not a secret if you’re one of the many people who discovered this already): I didn’t go from Point A to Point B. It’s more like Point A to Point Z, with lots of points in between.

Actually, that’s the secret to any meaningful improvement, in my experience, but we’ll just talk about eating healthy for now.

Today I’m a vegetarian (mostly vegan) and I try to eat lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains and nuts and beans. I’ll admit that I still have burgers, though they’re veggie burgers instead of fatty meat burgers, and I usually have them with whole grain bread or buns and lots of fresh veggies on them. And I don’t use fatty mayo anymore, but Veganaise, which helps.

I also eat pizza, but it’s not covered in sausages or pepperoni, but veggies. I still eat burritos, but I try to fill them with low-fat beans, veggies, salsa, instead of fatty stuff. I really really enjoy soy yogurt and fresh berries, whole-grain cereal with soy milk, oatmeal with berries and nuts. Mmmmm.

My point is that I don’t deprive myself, but have learned to love foods that are at least a little bit healthier, and in some cases much healthier. I also don’t miss meat at all, but the secret to that is the baby steps we’ll talk about in this post.

The Problem With Most Diet Plans
New fad diets in books and magazines and the Internet are a dime a dozen. Some of them are actually pretty decent, but almost all of them have one single flaw that will make it very difficult for anyone to stick to them.

The flaw? They try to get you to change your entire diet at once.

That just doesn’t work for most people. I’ve tried lots of diets, and for the first week, I’m extremely enthusiastic and determined. But such a drastic change in diet is hard to sustain, and soon you give in to temptation and then it falls apart. We’ve all been there.

The Power of Small Changes
The title of this post is misleading, and I’ll admit that. Most people associate a “12-step program” with alcoholics anonymous or similar program, but this post isn’t about those programs at all.

That it is about is making changes to your diet one small step at a time. Baby steps. The miracle of this is that we adjust to these small changes after a couple weeks, until they seem normal and we don’t feel like we’re depriving ourselves of anything.

Take meat for example. Let’s say you wanted to become a vegetarian, and you cut out all meat from your diet completely. You’d feel very deprived, and you might have a very hard time. Most people wouldn’t last very long — maybe a week or two at most — before caving in and eating meat and feeling guilty.

But let’s say instead that you just started with beef. Well, at dinner tonight, you probably wouldn’t notice much because you could have chicken or fish or turkey or pork — all the stuff you might normally eat. After a few weeks, going without beef would seem normal, and you probably wouldn’t miss it much.

Repeat that process for pork, and soon you’ve cut red meat from your diet (assuming you don’t eat much venison or buffalo or otter or whatnot). Then do chicken — this might be a difficult stage for many — and just eat seafood for awhile. After a few weeks of that, though, you’d get used to it. Next step is dropping seafood, and soon you’re a vegetarian who doesn’t miss meat one bit.

I’m not saying you need to become a vegetarian. I’m saying that small steps, taken a few weeks at a time, makes the process much easier. I’ve done it with meat, with fried foods, with sweets, with eating more fruits and whole grains, and many other food changes, and it’s worked every time.

You get used to it, if you do it a bit at a time.

The 12-Step Program
Actually, what follows is just an example. You can use as many steps as you want, making whatever changes you want. This is just a sample of what can be done, to give you some ideas.

The rules:

Apply these changes, one at a time, until you get used to them. This will probably be 3-4 weeks per step. But in a year’s time, you’ll be eating as healthy as possible.
Focus as much energy as possible on each change for at least a couple weeks. Don’t deviate if you can. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.
If it seems too difficult, make a smaller step instead. For example, instead of cutting out sweets, just cut out cakes and donuts. Smaller steps make things much easier.
Always replace bad food with healthy food that you enjoy. What I’ve given are just examples — everyone has different tastes.

OK, so here’s an example of how this step-by-step process could work:

Eat fruits for snacks. If you snack on junk food during the day, have some fruits by your side at all times. When you’re feeling hungry for a snack, eat a fruit. One of those bags of small apples is a handy thing — you can’t go wrong with apples.
Drink water instead of soda. The only thing I drink (besides an occasional beer) is water. I’m not saying you need to do that, but try to cut out sugary drinks a bit at a time, replacing them with water.

Eat whole grain bread. If you eat white bread or bagels or whatever, replace them with whole-grain versions. Be sure to look at the ingredients — it shouldn’t say enriched wheat flour, but whole grain. Also try to avoid breads with high-fructose corn syrup (actually, avoid that ingredient in anything).
Add fresh veggies to dinner. If you don’t already, have some steamed greens with dinner. Cut out a less healthy side dish if you usually eat something else.
Cut out red meat. You can still eat poultry and seafood for now. You can later cut those out too if you want.
Make pizza instead of ordering. Homemade pizza is the best, and if you haven’t made it yet, you should. The simple way is to get a ready-made whole-wheat crust, although making your own tastes even better. Start with the simple version, though, as you don’t want to make things too difficult. For the simple version, just add some gourmet spaghetti sauce (not Ragu), cut up some veggies (I like tomatoes and mushrooms and spinach and olives, but you can use anything, even potatoes). Brush the veggies with some olive oil. You can add grated cheese or soy cheese if you want, though it’s not necessary. Bake till it looks cooked. Mmmm.
Nuts instead of chips. If you normally snack on chips, try unsalted peanuts or raw almonds.
Soymilk instead of whole milk. Whole milk is fatty (not to mention the suffering done by the cows in modern dairy factories). Soymilk is much healthier. You get used to it after awhile, like all the changes on this list, but if soymilk is a problem at least drink 1% milk.
Whole grain cereal. If you eat sugary cereal, try a whole-grain cereal instead.
Berries instead of candy. This is a recent change of mine, and it’s actually been much easier than I thought. I used to snack on chocolate candy all the time, but now I try to eat berries to satisfy my sweet cravings and it works!
Scrambled tofu instead of fried eggs. Scrambled tofu is a secret vegan wonder. Try this recipe.
Try some great veggie dinners. There are so many good ones out there if you haven’t tried them. Try my soup or chili.

If you implement 12 changes, you’ll probably be eating healthier than you ever have before. A great thing is that once you’ve done this, you’ll probably keep going, to 20 steps and beyond.

The Building Blocks of a Super Healthy Diet (with a sample meal plan)

2010-02-19T13:59:00.000+08:00

Most people know how to eat healthy, and know that they should — it’s just that when it comes down to implementing this knowledge, there’s a bridge that needs to be crossed from knowledge to action.

How do you actually eat healthy, instead of just knowing that you should eat healthy?

Create a meal plan, constructed with super healthy foods that you enjoy eating.

Now, there are three parts of that solution, if you look closely, and all three parts are equally important:

Create a meal plan. Without this, you’ll just know what to eat, vaguely, but you need to actually make a plan and implement it (meaning, go shopping for the foods in the plan and actually cook the foods and eat them).
Super healthy foods. A meal plan without this doesn’t get you to where you want to go. Build your meals around stuff that’s really good for you. You can add other stuff, of course, but the super healthy stuff should be the majority of the food.
Food you really love. This is key. If you don’t enjoy the foods, you won’t stick with the plan for long. No one can eat food they don’t enjoy for more than a month or so (usually less). It’s why most diets fail — anyone can stick with a diet for a couple of weeks, but if you feel that you are suffering by eating it, you’ll fall off it after a little while. Instead, make sure you love your food. Add variety, of course, and mix up the plan every few weeks, but stick with foods you love.

Given those simple components, the solution doesn’t seem so hard, does it? And with a super healthy meal plan like this — one that you love — you can pair it with some exercise and get healthier than ever.

What follows are some of my building blocks. They aren’t the only possible building blocks, and you shouldn’t use them exclusively, but they’re a good starting point for anyone. Below those building blocks are some sample meals you can use, but only if you love these foods like I do. Instead of following it exactly, use it as a starting place, as a few ideas you can use to construct your own meal plan — with foods you love, not ones that I love.

Super Healthy Building Blocks

Spinach and other greens. Spinach is my favorite of the greens, but other good ones include kale, bok choi, collards, dark green lettuce (skip iceberg), and other similar greens. Try to build a couple of your meals around these greens, as they are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. And best yet: super low in calories. You can eat a whole plate of greens and while they can fill you up, you couldn’t possibly get fat on them (unless you added a bunch of butter or fatty dressing or something like that).

Avocadoes. I love these things. Full of good fats and good flavor, avocadoes are perfect for salads, sandwiches, wraps and more.

Tomatoes. There are other good fruits and veggies, but tomatoes are one of my favorites, not only for their nutritional content but because of the flavor they add to any dish — salads, sandwiches, pastas, soups, anything.

Fruits. Don’t worry about their “carb content”. Fruits are incredible snacks, because they are filled with fiber and vitamins but are low in calories. I eat lots of apples, oranges, bananas, mangoes, pears, grapes, melons. I like to get a big back of small apples and just munch on them whenever I’m hungry. I also add fruits to all kinds of uncooked meals, chopped up or as a side dish.

Berries. They’re fruits, but they’re so special to me that I add them as a separate item. I absolutely adore berries. They are like a dessert to me, eaten cold and slowly and with my eyes closed. I add them to cereal, yogurt, smoothies, desserts, oatmeal and more … and of course just eat them by themselves.

Nuts. Full of fiber and good fats and protein. I like to chop them up and put them in hot cereal or salads or stir frys, or just eat them raw and whole as snacks (almonds are my favorites). I also enjoy almond butter instead of peanut butter (although I eat both).

Beans. Great sources of fiber and protein, low in calories, you can eat beans all day long. I like them in chili, soups, tacos and more. Get a variety — red, black, pinto, white, lentils.

Whole grains. This is a broad category that includes all kinds of cereals, breads, wraps, brown rice, pizza dough, and more. Try to go for as much whole grain as possible — if you see “wheat flour” or “enriched wheat flour” it’s not as good. I especially like sprouted grains, such as Ezekiel sprouted bread or English muffins or cereals. Oatmeal is good (avoid instant) as is muesli.

Olive or canola oil. You need fats, but they should be the good kind. Avoid saturated, although a little saturated fat is fine. I usually use olive oil or canola oil, although there are other good ones too. Again, nuts and avocadoes also provide good fats. I also use ground flaxseed on lots of things for fiber and good fats.

Lean protein. As a vegetarian, I eat lean vegetable protein — lots of soy protein and beans and nuts. Whole grains also contain protein, as do other veggies. It’s not hard to meet your daily requirements, even with lots of exercise raising your requirements. However, if you’re not vegetarian, fish and lean poultry are best, and lean red meat can be included if you don’t eat too much of it. Note: Please, let’s not get into another debate about soy protein or meat! Let those sleeping dogs lie.

Lean calcium. I try to stick to soy sources, but that’s not necessary for good health. However, try to stick with lower-fat versions, as whole dairy can have too much saturated fat. Lower-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese are good choices. Soy milk and yogurt are great because they are very low in saturated fat.

A Sample Meal Plan

This is not something you should just adopt wholesale, without making changes. In fact, if these are foods you don’t like, ditch the whole thing, but use it just to get an idea of what you can do. These are foods I love to eat, but you should choose your own.

Also remember that I’m not a dietician. I’ve run these meals through online calculators, and most of the time you’ll get plenty of all the things you’ll need, from protein and healthy fats to the major vitamins and minerals, including calcium and iron. But don’t take my advice as the advice of an expert.

Each day, you would choose one of the meals from each category (more from the snacks), or mix them up if you like. Be sure to get a variety, and change the options every few weeks or so.

Breakfasts

Hot oatmeal (using rolled oats) with chopped fruits or dried fruits, flaxseed, and/or berries.
Kashi cereal with soymilk and berries or other fruits.
Sprouted grain toast with almond butter, chopped fruits on the side.
Scrambled tofu with tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, onions. (Try this recipe).
Fried brown rice — fry up with olive oil, onions, mushrooms, green veggies, tofu, soy sauce or tamari sauce. You can throw in some corn or carrots or other veggies.

Lunches

Veggie sandwich or wrap. Can have tomatoes, spinach or other greens, avocadoes, hummus, bell peppers, maybe some dijon mustard and/or Veganaise. Any combo that works for you. On thick whole grain bread or whole grain wrap.
Whole wheat pita with hummus. Add tomatoes and raw spinach and sprouts.
Veggie burger. Gardenburger is my favorite brand. On a sprouted grain bun, with dijon mustard and ketchup and maybe a touch of Veganaise, lots of veggies (greens, sprouts, tomatoes and avocadoes are my favorites). Add some homemade sweet potato fries (use olive oil and a little salt) if you’re feeling decadent. These fries also go well with the sandwich or wrap.
Amy’s Kitchen lunches. For when you’re lazy or in a hurry. Amy’s Kitchen has a whole variety of fairly healthy, vegetarian lunches made from whole foods. Very little processed stuff. The only weakness is that it’s usually high in sodium, but if the rest of your day is low in sodium (as most of these dishes are), then that’s not a worry.
Big salad. I like to use spinach or other greens, tomatoes, avocadoes, feta cheese, nuts, maybe some chopped fruit or berries, and a little bit of light vinaigrette (Newman’s Own is my favorite).
Leftovers from dinners or fried brown rice (see breakfasts)

Snacks

Fruits.
Chopped veggies. Carrots, broccoli, edamame are some of my favs. Dip in hummus if you like.
Nuts. Almonds are my favorites.
Protein shake. Good after a strength workout. I use soy protein, although whey is also a good choice, along with soy milk, frozen berries, banana and ground flaxseed.
Clif Bar. Good for before or after a workout (or during a really long workout, for that matter). My favorites are apricot or cranberry apple cherry.
Yogurt with berries or fruits and nuts.

Dinners

Tofu veggie stir fry. Just stir fry some onions, cubed tofu, and chopped veggies — various greens such as kale or bok choi work well, as do broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, anything really. Add some soy sauce or tamari, black pepper and anything else you’d like to add — nuts, sesame seed oil, ginger, garlic, a little honey all work well in different combinations. Serve over brown rice if you like.
Tacos. Some low-fat refried beans and/or black beans on soft corn tortillas with salsa (try Newman’s Own salsa or Amy’s), greens, tomatoes, maybe corn or even some Sour Supreme.
Chili. Here’s my veggie recipe. Great with brown rice or corn bread or on its own.
Spaghetti or other pasta. Cook any kind of pasta you like. Cook some onions with diced tomatoes and bell peppers and some tomato sauce and basil. Add some fresh Parmesan if you like. For a meatier version, cook some veggie “ground beef” (Bocca or MorningStar) with onions and then add some pre-made pasta sauce.
Homemade pizza. Get a pre-made whole-wheat pizza crust, add some pre-made spaghetti sauce, and then any chopped veggies you like, brushed with olive oil. Kale, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers all work great. Add some grated fresh cheese if you like.
Leo’s fabulous veggie soup. Simple awesome. Here’s the recipe. Will last you several days, even with a ridiculously large family like mine.

Five Simple Exercise Programs for Beginners

2010-02-19T13:56:00.001+08:00

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

I’ve been exercising regularly for a few years, with tremendous improvements in my health, and whenever someone asks me how they should start out in exercise, I tell them to just get moving!

Try to get moving every day — whether it’s walking, running, strength training, sports, running around with the kids, swimming, paddling, or whatever works for you. If you can do that, you’ll get healthier and fitter over time.

And it does take time. Any exercise program that promises results in a week or three or even a month is either lying to you, or not worth it — you’ll just gain it back in a short amount of time, because you haven’t changed your lifestyle or habits. So no, you won’t see quick results if you get active, but you’ll see long-term results if you stick with it. Have fun along the way and things will be great.

And what you eat is just as important. Make small changes over time to your diet — drink water instead of soda, or eat leaner cuts of meat (or go vegetarian), cut out fried foods, eat more fruits and veggies, cut out processed grains, changes like that — and you’ll be well on your way to a healtheir lifestyle and a fitter you.

But these generalized recommendations never seem to be enough. People want specific programs. And while I’m not a certified trainer or an expert in any way, I have found some simple exercise programs that work for me and others I know, and can recommend them. As always, if you have health problems, check with a doctor before getting into any kind of exercise program.

One last note: take it slowly. Your body needs time to adapt to the exercise, and if you overdo it you can injure yourself or burnout, and neither is good if you’re trying to stick with it long term. Progress gradually, in small steps, and you’ll stay injury-free and see great long-term results.

Program 1: Intervals for Beginners

Intervals are a great way to get intense exercise in without overdoing it. And they can be a lot of fun if steady-state cardio bores you to tears.

Start out with some steady-state cardio, though, at least for a month while you get used to moving more. Walking is a great way to start out, especially if you haven’t exercised in awhile and/or you’re pretty overweight. If you’re in decent shape with not too many extra pounds, start with some slow, light jogging.

After a month or so of doing this at least 3 times a week (4-5 is even better but not everyone has the time), you can add some light intervals. Warm up for 5 minutes first to prevent injury and to let your heart adjust to beating faster, before starting the intervals. For beginner walkers, just pick up the pace for 30-60 seconds, and then walk at a normal pace for 1-2 minutes to recover. Don’t overdo it at first. You can repeat this 3-5 times during your normal walk.

For people in slightly better shape, try walk/run intervals. Again, warm up for 5 minutes, then jog for 30-60 seconds followed by 1-2 minutes walking for recovery. Repeat 3-5 times and then cool down.

For those in even better shape, do jog/run intervals, where you jog slowly, pick up the pace to a steady run (not sprinting and not too fast) for 30-60 seconds, then back to a slow jog for 1-2 minutes recovery. Again, repeat 3-5 times.

After doing this workout for 1-2 weeks, add more intervals slowly until you’re up to about 6-8. Once you’re used to this, slowly increase the length of your intervals. Instead of 30-60 seconds, do 60-90 seconds. After a couple weeks of longer intervals, increase the intensity of the intervals — a faster walk, or a jog instead of a walk, or a faster run, depending on what you’ve been doing so far.

Intervals are a great way to burn calories and fat (assuming you’re eating fairly healthy and not overeating), strengthen your leg muscles and core, and just get healthier overall.

Program 2: Sports

This is one of the easiest programs on this list, and also one of the most fun. Basically: play a sport you like, or even a new sport you’ve never tried before, a few times a week. Again, the idea is just to get moving, and to have fun while you’re moving.

It can be any sport where you’re moving around a lot (golf, bowling, darts, and the like are great but don’t count) — just choose a sport to start with and give it a try. If you already love a sport but haven’t been playing it in awhile, do that — it’s important that this be fun for you. Do it 3-4 times a week. Or try a new sport — if you’ve always wanted to try soccer, or rugby, or rowing/paddling, or cycling, do it now! Find someone who knows how to play it, or join a club or group that will show you how it’s done, and give it a try! It can be difficult at first, but go easy when you start and really try to learn the rules and skills. Think of it as a fun challenge. You might be a little sore when you first start out.

Start with 30 minutes and progress gradually to 45-60 minutes a day, at least 3 days a week. Try to get to 4-5 days a week if you can.

After a month or so of one sport, switch to another to keep it fun and challenging. Keep doing this for a few months. After you’ve tried at least 3 sports, start to mix it up — do basketball on Monday, for example, then soccer, then swimming, then rowing — whatever you feel like, whatever seems fun, whatever it takes to stay active. The more you mix it up, the better.

Program 3: Circuits

This is a fairly traditional sort of program, but great nonetheless. Basically: you do one exercise followed by another and another and so on until you’ve done the whole circuit of exercises, rest for a couple minutes, then repeat the whole circuit. The exercises can be strength exercises, cardio, or some combination. The circuit format keeps things interesting, and keeps your heart-rate up so you burn more fat than if you rested in between exercises.

For beginners, remember to start slowly — it can be easy to overdo it with a program like this. I recommend you start with just 4-5 exercises, and rest 10-30 seconds between each at first. Later you can cut the rest period down until you’re not resting between exercises, only between circuits.

To start out with, choose 4-5 exercises such as: bodyweight squats, jumping jacks, pushups (you can do them against the wall instead of on the ground if necessary), jump squats (squats with a jump at the top), burpees (basically jump squats combined with pushups), dips, lunges, side lunges, wall climbers, pullups, jump roping, jogging in place, bicycle crunches. Some of these are tough, so if you have trouble with them start with easier ones or modified versions so they’re not so hard. Do a YouTube search if you don’t know how to do the exercises properly.

Do 30 seconds of each exercise, rest for 10-30 seconds, do the next exercise, and so on until you’ve done all 4-5 exercises you’ve chosen. Rest for 2 minutes and repeat.

When you first start, just do 2 circuits. Then after a week or two, add a third circuit, and then after another week or two add a fourth. When you’ve adjusted to that, add additional exercises (feel free to switch out new exercises whenever you like). Gradually shorten the rest period between exercises until you don’t rest at all during the circuit — only between circuits.

Program 4: Crossfit Light

One of my favorite exercise programs is Crossfit, because it’s an all-around program that focuses on your entire body, and all parts of fitness. If you do Crossfit, you’ll be in shape for just about anything, from sports to the military or law enforcement to any physical challenge you can think of.

However, Crossfit is not for beginners. It’s tough. If you’re in decent shape already, you should start Crossfit by doing a modified version of their Workout of the Day (WOD), which is posted daily on the main website. Modified meaning an easier version. After a few months, you should try to progress to the full version of the WOD.

However, complete beginners should start with an even easier version — let’s call it Crossfit Light. There isn’t any such program, but it’s basically modifying the WOD so that beginners can do it without killing themselves. An example of the past week of WODs:

Wednesday

Regular WOD: Push jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps (only one repetition, as heavy as you can, rest, then repeat 6 more times)
Light WOD: Push jerk with light dumbells, 10 reps, 3 sets

Thursday

Regular: Walking lunge 100 ft.; 21 Pull-ups; 21 Sit-ups (repeat circuit 5 more times, decreasing number of pullups/situps by 3 each circuit)
Light: Walking lunge 8 steps; 1 or 2 jump pullups, 5-10 situps (repeat circuit 3 times)

Friday

Regular: 21 Hip-Back Extensions; Run 400 meters (repeat circuit 5 more times, decreasing number of hip-back extensions by 3 each circuit)
Light: Supermans 10 reps; jog or walk 100-200 meters (repeat circuit 3 times)

Saturday – Rest

Sunday

Regular: “Helen” – Three rounds for time: Run 400 meters, 1 1/2 pood Kettlebell X 21 swings (or 55 pound dumbbell swing), 12 Pull-ups
Light: Three rounds (take your time) of jog or walk 100-200 meters, 10 dumbbell swings (whatever weight you’re comfortable with), 3-5 jump pullups

Monday

Regular: Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps (as heavy as you can for 1 rep, rest, repeat 6 more times)
Light: Deadlift with light dumbbells 10 times, repeat 3 sets

So you can see that instead of going for intensity, the light workout is much easier and more relaxed. Again, it’s just for starting out — you’ll want to make it tougher as you progress.

Program 5: Triathlon Light

When I trained for a triathlon last year, I felt fitter than ever before, because I was training for three sports (running, cycling, swimming). My body was getting an amazing all-around workout. However, if you’re a complete beginner, you’ll want to start out lighter than normal.

So you can start with three sports — perhaps walk/running, swimming or rowing, and cycling or the cycling machine. Substitute whatever sport/exercise works better for you.

Start out by doing each sport once a week (15-20 minutes a day to start with), and gradually increase over time until you’re doing each sport twice a week. Then increase the duration of your exercise until you get to 30 minutes a day.

Eventually, try to do the real three triathlon sports, as they have amazing health benefits, especially when you mix them up like this. Be sure to always take at least one rest day a week.

How to Make Exercise A Daily Habit

2010-02-19T13:52:00.000+08:00

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

Recently my friend and fellow blogger Scott Young did a great post entitled, “New to exercise? Make workouts daily“. It was an excellent post, and perfectly timed as it mirrors my own recent efforts at making exercise a daily habit.

The problem with trying to make exercise a habit, and it’s something that we’ve all faced, is that you usually try to exercise 3 or 4 times a week … and that makes creating a new exercise habit difficult. The reason is that the more consistent an action is, the more likely it is to be a habit.

Therefore, as Scott points out, and it’s something I fully agree with, exercising every day is more likely to result in a habit — something that becomes almost automatic, and much easier, instead of a constant struggle.

I’ve been implementing this idea in my daily life recently, alternating every day between different exercises: running, swimming, biking and strength workouts, as a way of reaching my goal of completing an Olympic-distance triathlon this year. I’m going to continue this habit change into the month of May. I made daily running a habit last year, when I was training for my first marathon, but this year I stopped when I got sick, so I’m re-starting the habit formation.

If you’re going to make this a habit, do a 30-day Challenge, and by the end of the challenge your habit should be pretty well ingrained. Here are some practical suggestions I’ve learned along the way to help make exercise a daily habit:

Set a time. Decide whether you’re more likely to stick with it in the morning or lunchtime or evening, and stick with that time. I’ve set the time of 5:30 a.m. every day, and I’m trying my best not to vary from that time. If you don’t set a time, you’re more likely to put it off until you have more time or energy, and then put it off until the next day. Soon, it’s not a habit at all.
Send yourself a reminder. I use Memo to Me, but there are a number of ways to send yourself an email or text reminder, so you’ll never forget. Then, when you get the reminder, do it right away. Don’t brook any delays.
Start small. This is perhaps the most useful suggestion of all. When I start exercising, I always start with lots of energy, enthusiasm and ambition. I think I can do more than I can. However, doing too much in the beginning leads to burnout, which leads to quitting your habit. When you first try to make exercise a daily habit, chances are, your body won’t be used to that kind of stress. The key: only do 20 minutes in the beginning, and do it nice and easy. Nothing hard. Even 10-15 minutes is fine at first, if you’re just starting out. The key is to get out there, get your body slowly used to daily exercise, and form that habit.
Progress later. Once your body is used to daily exercise, you can slowly start to increase the amount and intensity of your exercise. Wait at least two weeks before starting to increase — that’s the minimum your body needs to adjust. Once it begins to feel way too easy, you can start increasing the length of your workouts, to 30 and then 40 minutes, and eventually up to an hour. Once you do that, you can gradually increase the intensity — running faster or harder, for example. Try not to increase both distance and intensity at the same time.
Make it pleasurable. If you associate a habit with pain, you will shy away from it. But if it’s fun, you’ll look forward to doing it. That’s why, in this beginning stage of my new habit, I’ve been focusing on pleasure. I go slowly, enjoying the scenery, the fresh morning air, the beautiful sky as the sun rises, the quiet time of solitude and contemplation. It’s actually something I enjoy doing. An mp3 player with some great music helps.
Lay out your gear. The fewer obstacles and less friction there is in forming your new habit, the more likely you are to be successful. If you have to not only wake up early but get a bunch of gear together while half awake, you might just want to go back into bed. But if you lay out your workout clothes and shoes and watch and mp3 player, or whatever you need for your exercise, you’ll be ready to go with no friction at all.
Just head out the door. My rule is just to get my running shoes on and get out the door. I don’t worry about how long I have to go or how hard it will be. Just get out and get started. Once I’ve done that, it’s a piece of cake.
Mix it up. One thing I like about triathlon training is that daily exercise isn’t boring — instead of running every single day, now I’ve got a variety of sports to do, and that makes it much more interesting. But perhaps just as important is that with each sport, I’m using different muscles, especially with swimming. Sure, some of the same muscles are used, but they’re used differently with different stresses on them. What that means is that I’m not pounding the same muscles, every day. That gives them a chance to recover, because without recovery, you’re just breaking your muscles down over and over.
Have a relative rest day. Again, recovery is very important. Which is why you need to give your body a chance to rest. If you’re taking it easy, and only doing 20 minutes, you should be OK without rest days. But it’s still good to have one day of rest, where you’re not doing the same exercises as the other six days. You don’t want to skip the day completely, because then you’re not being consistent with your habit. That’s why I do one day of strength training, where I don’t use the same muscles as swimming, biking and running. If you need more rest, you could just do 20 minutes of walking, or even just a session of meditation. The key is to do something every day, preferably something that gets you moving (meditation isn’t the best example, but at least you’d be doing something) and keeps your habit formation going.
Don’t skip a day. It’s easy to say, “No problem, I’ve been doing it for five days … I’ll just skip today!” But that will make your habit formation harder. Consistency is key, so try not to skip a single day. If you do, don’t beat yourself up, don’t judge, don’t feel bad — everyone messes up sometimes, and habit formation is a skill that requires practice. Just start your 30-day challenge over again, and try to identify the obstacle that led to your skipping a day and prepare for it this time.

4 Simple Steps

2010-02-19T11:56:00.000+08:00

So how do we solve those problems? Keep it simple. Here are the 4 simple steps to start the exercise habit (and keep it going). I should note that you can use these 4 steps to start any habit.

Set one easy, specific, measurable goal. There are several keys to setting this crucial goal:
- Written: Write this down. Post it up. If you don’t write it down, it’s not important.
- Easy: Don’t — DO NOT — set a difficult goal. Set one that is super, super easy. Five minutes of exercise a day. You can do that. Work your way to 10 minutes after a month. Then go to 15 after 2 months. You can see what I mean: make it easy to start with, so you can build your habit, then gradually increase.
- Specific: By specific, I mean what activity are you going to do, at what time of day, and where? Don’t just say “exercise” or “I’m going to walk”. You have to set a time and place. Make it an appointment you can’t miss.
- Trigger: I recommend that you have a “trigger” right before you do your habit. For example, you might always brush your teeth right after you shower. The shower is the trigger for brushing your teeth, and because of that, you never forget to brush your teeth. Well, what will you do right before you exercise? Is it right after you wake up? Right after your coffee? Right when you get home? As soon as you take off for lunch? A trigger that you do every single day is important.
- Measurable: By measurable, I mean that you should be able to say, definitely, whether you hit or miss your goal today. Examples: run for 10 minutes. Walk 1/2 a mile. Do 3 sets of 5 pushups. Each of those has a number that you can shoot for.
- One goal: Stick to this one goal for at least a month. Two months if you can bear it. Don’t start up a second goal during that 30-day period. If you do, you are scrapping this goal.
Log it daily. This is the key habit. If you can log your workout, you will start to see your progress, and it will motivate you to keep going. And you have to make it a habit to log it right away. Don’t put it off, and say you’ll do it before you go to bed. As soon as you’re done working out, log it. No exceptions. And don’t make the log complicated — that will only make you resist doing the log. Just the date, time, and what you did.
Report to others. I think this is key. You can do it on your blog, on an online forum, with your spouse, or friends or family, or a workout partner, or a coach, or a group, or a class. However you set it up, make it part of the process that you have to report your daily workout to other people. It could be using an online log, or on a forum, or through email, or the phone, or just by telling your co-workers what you did this morning. But be sure that they know your goal, and that you are going to report to them, and be sure that they are expecting it every day.
Add motivation as needed. The first three steps might be enough for you to get the habit going. But if not, don’t just give up. If you miss two consecutive workouts, you need to look at why, and add a new motivation. Rewards, more public pressure, inspiration, whatever it takes. You can add one additional motivator, and then see if it works. If you miss two more consecutive workouts at any time, add another motivator. And so on, until the exercise habit sticks.

my lenten fast

2010-02-17T11:36:00.002+08:00

isn't it too much of a coincidence that my 6 months of probationary work ends today, Ash Wednesday?!?...wow!!!..Lord, you must be really up to something and now, I'm seriously pondering on what to offer up for myself this Lent.

1. fast for 4o days: meaning only 1 full meal / day and 2 light meals to go with it...

2. abstain from meat every friday.

3. fast on coffee

4. fast on softdrinks

5. fast on sweets

6. fast on over sleeping in the morning

7. fast on non-exercise days...meaning, have more time to exercise within a week, like 4 days/week, i should allot time to exercise...

8. fast on non-house cleaning / house chores weekends...meaning, have more time to clean around the house and do house chores...laundry, pressing the clothes, etc.

9. fast on non-savings day...meaning, have to consciously save...and have a mindset for savings.

10. fast on being late for work...meaning, have to set a goal that i have to be at the office before 8.30 am ...which i failed today because i came in at 9.33 am...but it's never too late....have to push myself harder this time...

Lord, please help me to fulfill all these things for you...i love you... :-) :-) :-)

I BELIEVE by Yolanda Adams (from the movie "Honey")

2010-02-09T15:03:00.002+08:00

They said you wouldn't make is so far uh uh
And ever since they said it, it's been hard
But nevermind the nights you had to cry
Cause you have never let it go inside
You worked real hard
And you know exactly what you want and need
So believe and you can never give up
You can reach your goals
Just talk to your soul and say

(Chorus:)
I believe I can (I can)
I believe I will (I will)
I believe I know my dreams are real (know my dreams are real)
I believe I'll stand (Oh yea)
I believe I'll dance
I believe I'll grow real soon and (That's why)
That is what I do believe

Your goals are just a thing in your soul uh uh
And you know that your moves will let them show
You keep creating pictures in your mind
So just believe they will come true in time
It will be fine
Leave all of your cares and stress behind
Just let it go
Let the music flow inside
Forget all your pain
And just start to believe

(Chorus:)
I believe I can (I believe I can oh yea)
I believe I will
I believe I know my dreams are real (All of my dreams are real)
I believe I'll stand
I believe I'll dance (I gotta dance)
I believe I'll grow real soon and (ooo)
That is what I do believe
Whoa oa oa YEA

(Music break)

Nevermind what people say
Hold your head high and turn away
With all our hopes and dreams
I will believe
Even though it seems it's not for me
I won't give up I'll keep it up
Look into the sky
I will achieve all my needs
I will always believe

(Chorus 2x)
I believe I can
I believe I will (I can)
I believe I know my dreams are real (I got strength)
I believe I'll stand
I believe I'll dance (I gotta dance)
I believe I'll grow real soon and (watch me watch me watch me)
That is what I do believe (I do believe in me)

I believe I can
I believe I will (oh yea)
I believe I know my dreams are real
I believe I'll stand
I believe I'll dance (I gotta dance)
I believe I'll grow real soon and
That is what I do believe (I do believe! yayeeyay)

My Loving Delay

2010-02-08T13:57:00.002+08:00

CUTE BLOGGER AWARD (or what you must really know about me)

Posted by Rosa --- January 5, 2009

Response by Carla: February 4, 2010

Carla: Sis, I know this is one year too late….pero am just not as confident as you to post this…hehe!!!...so I’m trusting you with this information about me….for your eyes only. J Sayo nalang…well, siguro the way I operate is that…I allow myself to be revealed slowly…or allow others to discover me…I don’t want to choreagraph or orchestrate things to happen…I just allow it to happen…or allow God to let it happen…maybe, yeah…I’m happier that way. J I love surprises so…I just allow God to surprise me that way.

Here are the rules for this award:

1. Each blogger must post these rules.
2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves.
3. Blogger that are tagged, need to write ten facts about themselves. You need to choose ten people to tag and list their names.

Here's my own list:

1. i've always teased people that i have five friends only. i think i have more ... but this simply means that notwithstanding the seemingly friendly facade and the ease with which i relate to people, i have a difficult time maintaining relationships. but i'd like to think that i am a loyal and loving friend, and once you've got me on your side, i'll love you and defend you and stand by you until i decide to stop.

1. Carla: I may always project confidence and being put- together but the truth is….I’m insecure. I am insecure about how I look and my size. I have this constant fear that people will leave me hanging….which pushes me not to easily trust them…I can easily put up a wall if I can feel the fear coming on…like fever…I just need to protect myself…and fast!!!..or else, recovery might take more than 3 years…hehehe!!!

2. 2006 was the toughest but also the brightest year in my life. that year, i found out i flunked the bar examinations. but that year, too, i found God working miracles every single day of my life. he gave me the remulla family who has virtually "adopted" me, he gave me lingkod, and he gave me new friends. and most of all, he gave me the grace to plow through all the materials again without any bitterness, rancor, or anger.

2. Carla: Eto medyo cheesy, but I’m kinda “cautious” whenever I decide to Love. I know myself so well…love in general ito ha….so I choose…like the time that I’m willing to give…the energy…lahat. I don’t do things half-hearted…most of all, whenever I love. Maybe you can brand my love as deliberate….siguro nga…yeah…I can be demonstrative but more focused on the person concerned only…am more that way…am not too comfortable with public displays…it’s not my style…the very few times that I have to…is because there is an urgency or dire need for it…pero alam ko..sa mga taong mahal ko…alam na alam nila…na mahal ko sila. Isang tingin lang, alam na nila. J

3. the songs on my ipod, put together, do not make much sense. i have worship songs and glam rock songs. i have fall out boy and britney spears. a year ago, i added a couple of pussycat dolls songs - which i happen to love with a passion - and a couple of months ago, ABB encouraged me to explore my musical horizons so i added an entire album of the primitives and some other artists i can't remember now. and you know what, i actually listen to all of them!

3. Carla: I love eating good food …because I grew up with a mom who loves to cook, a family who loves tradition and celebration and has a papa who is a gourmand…hehe!!!. Maybe you can say that my family has a big appetite…pero nabawasan na rin all thru the years….pero yung good food…talagang merong standard…either it’s good or bad…no in-between…that’s why, I’m inspired to learn cooking more because it’s my mom’s love language and I would like it to be mine too!!!

4. i am not a big fan of the beach. i prefer going somewhere cool like baguio or tagaytay than the beach. hence, i've never been to boracay.

4. Carla: I look up to my parents…because they are my first role models. J I take pride in what they went thru in life…my dad is a great storyteller…like my lolo. He always shares his experiences as if it was just yesterday. My mom is just so funny….there’s no dull moment and there’s always a reason to laugh…she’s all funny bones!!!. My dad may seem serious but really…he loves to makes funny faces, he is malambing and sweet too…and really quite the disciplinarian.

5. i love tuyo. i can eat tuyo every single day if it won't kill my kidneys doing that. in high school, i had it all the time one summer vacation so much so that when a classmate made a surprise visit one day, i couldn't invite him to eat lunch with me cause all the made prepared was tuyo and scrambled eggs.

5. Carla: Matatakutin ako. Yeah…siguro sa multo, taong lupa…all those stuff….I’m not a big fan of horror and suspense movies…I don’t enjoy gory stuff…I just don’t see the sense behind it all….malakas ang imagination ko and parang feeling ko, may third eye ako, just like Angel…my sister…nakakaramdam kasi ako eh…madali akong masaktan sa nakikita ko eh…

6. my first course in UP was molecular biology and biotechnology. i had visions of creating my own jurassic park. seriously, i just wanted a cool pre-med course.

6. Carla: I’m quite old-fashioned when it comes to Love….in relation with the opposite sex. The courtship, the treatment, the meet the parents and family….loveletters, songs, service….quality time….all those things. I don’t believe in “bridges”…yung papadaanin sa iba?...I believe in the wisdom of pursuit and of being conquered….

7. my biggest insecurity used to be the fact that i couldn't drive. the summer before college, i took driving lessons and got my license when i turned 18. my parents, however, never really trusted me behind the wheel so i never really drove. an ex-boyfriend attempted to help me learn how to drive so that i can share in driving duties since i lived so far away from him but eventually gave up when he felt that i was a lost cause. it wasn't until i was 25 and unable to commute because of an operation that i really forced myself to drive. in tita mayu's words - "lata lang yan. pag nasira, eh di ipagawa."

7. Carla: Most of the time, I measure things according to the basic tenets set before me by my parents. Those things include courtesy, resourcefulness, diplomacy, delicadeza, urbanidad, sense of community, hardwork, love for God, family, word of honor….things that are there and cannot be shaken off.

8. my brother, in describing me to his friends, has always referred to me as "my smart sister." when i met his friends after his accident, i was surprised when one of them blurted out "di ka naman pala pangit." apparently, the entire time that was what they thought "smart sister" meant.

8. Carla: I may have difficulty giving my trust yet LOYALTY is really one of my highest ideals in terms of friendship. With that comes commitment…not necessarily being physically present but I know, that countries, distance will not be a hindrance to our friendship. Ganyan ako….and my friends can attest to that.

9. had it not been for my mom doing my home economics projects, i may not have been able to graduate from high school. in fact, i think the only thing i did was the cooking and baking part which, thankfully, i love.

9. Carla: I usually have cramps out of water…most especially in my sleep. As in “pulikat”…like sometimes, in the middle of the night, while everybody’s asleep, I will just wake up crying because my legs are so painful. That’s why I love those thermal blankets…to cover my legs and to warm them most especially in cold nights.

10. in csa, we used to sing "yahweh you are near" all the time. it was a long song so it was sufficient so that all ten sections of my batch could take communion. singing it was very mechanical until i realized that my adult life is truly exemplified by the words of that song - i have run away from his grace and love so many times and he has pursued me relentlessly. i fear the day that i'll run away and i won't find him chasing after me.

10. Carla: I am a black and white person. That is the real me….no in-between…either yes or no…good or bad…happy or sad…serious or comical….the few times that I can be gray is when I’m trying to give way to another person’s comfort…pero ako uncomfortable ako….hehe!!!...so whenever I am, I just pray for God’s grace to help me manage it well.

hmmm... ten people who i want to answer this:

1. maxeene
2. pazi
3. anto
4. theo
5. annsley
6. Carla (I’m guilty..sorry )
7. lestie
8. rashel <-- who knows what we may be able to add to "the list"!!!!
9. paolo
10. dek

Sis, I know that I told you thru facebook, that I wish to catch up with you more…that I hope to have more chances to share my life with you…because we are not with the same AG anymore. Last year was kinda rough….siguro I was trying my best to set a good sail…to listen well to God’s leading for me…medyo I was really going thru a lot sis…and I’m sorry if I wasn’t able to extend myself to you as much. Towards the end of last year, it was like…God dealt with me individually and I also had a very bad back pain…na hanggang ngayon nandyan pa rin…and I’m trying to heal myself…hindi nga lang ganun kabilis as I hoped so…nakakalungkot pero challenging …sometimes I have to say no to a lot of people…lalo na if its physically taxing….sorry talaga sis.. …I just pray that eventually, they will understand…

Just so that you know sis that I love you…you’re my sister and that I’m concerned about you …even if we don’t see each other as much…quality over quantity…..there are a lot ways naman to communicate sis…

Take care always & godbless!!!

carla

10 day countdown to V-Day

2010-02-04T14:32:00.011+08:00

how will i celebrate valentines day this year?...there are many things that I can do for you Lord, as to ultimately express my love for you....i choose to do something special for you and You alone....in the past years I have celebrated Valentines with other people, my ex-boyfriend, friends, barkada, family...but always with other people...now it will be different, i will choose to revel in this moment with you....show me how do you wish me to love you...

the 10 day countdown starts today...how will i love you Lord?!?...how do you wish for me to love you?!?....

February 4, 2010 (Thursday): prayer time, had quality time thru breakfast with mama...chatted before leaving the house, made my officemates laugh today...brian, mia, ms. fe, ms. lerms, ms. ana...had a quality chat with cris about you lord...about the book that i gave him as a gift last christmas, submitted my application form to join the lasallian family pilgrimage..then when i got the thought for the day (in pink)...it says "perhaps there cannot be a better way of judging of what manner of spirit we are of, than to see whether the actions of our life are such as we may safely commend them to God in our prayers,"..sent e-mail prayer intercession on cancer healing for leo's papa thru neverheards yahoogroups,

February 5, 2010 (Friday): prayer time, gathered water for the house, brushed a part of the bathroom wall as papa requested, woke up ken, kissed mama goodbye, gives advice to Bry, greets & kisses Marian good morning, lunch date with Ms. Lerma, Ms. Fe & Teri, encouraged Teri to go to the clinic for a check-up, affirmed Ms. Lerms in yellow headband,

February 6, 2010 (Saturday):prayer time, had breakfast-playtime with Shola, prepared for Lord's Day, gave sharing about you Lord during the Lord's Day activity, had fellowship with brothers and sisters, asked update on JP's dad, affirmed Doms & Elson on the mass kit that was left behind, gave Rosa my enveloped personal sharing. Enjoyed time during fellowship.

February 7, 2010 (Sunday):prayer time, affirmed Shy, affirmed my brothers who brought me home, invited Rosa for a simple lunch on valentines day, heard mass with family, meals with family, confirmed date with Greta on Thursday, dropped by at wake of Leo's dad.

February 8, 2010 (Monday):prayer time, lunch with Ms. Fe, chat with Jet, playtime with Shola, dinner with Papa, Mama, Shola & Ken, encouraged Allan.

February 9, 2010 (Tuesday):prayer time, greeted Tin during lunch, attended to Mr. Sonny Alvarez, bought him brewed coffee, texted Ms. Fe.."pagaling ka".., asked Ms. Lerma if she's ok, supported Luke thru reminder e-mail for yahoogroups announcement, researched for Norlie's book, inquire from Mr. Bobbit Suntay on partnership meeting...

February 10, 2010 (Wednesday):prayer time, joined meeting for Norlie's book project, joined GA, lunch with Ms. Lerma & friends, affirmed Cris

February 11, 2010 (Thursday):prayer time, date at Danz Dish with Greta, quality time with Mike, Tita Cely, Tito Nick, On-On, Gay-Gay, helped Gay's friend.

February 12, 2010 (Friday):prayer time, adviced Ms. Fe, laughed with Toby on eyeglass, coffee with Cris & Toby, breakfast & lunch with Ms. Fe, quality time with community, balloon advice for Mama, affirmed Pazi.

February 13, 2010 (Saturday):prayer time, health check-up at Healthway, quality time with brothers and sisters during the planning, ALNP Manila Anniversary and Starbucks fellowship, joyride with Erik on the way home.

February 14, 2010 (Sunday):simple family lunch with Rosa. :-) :-) :-)

Free to Love

2010-02-04T14:28:00.002+08:00

It was four years ago, when I first met a sister named Norlie Maniego. It was during a Lingkod Cavite Anniversary and I thought to myself.. “will I ever get the chance to know her more Lord?”. Before that personal meeting, I have heard of her thru e-mail when I regularly receive a lot of e-mails on fundraising for her medical needs because she was cancer stricken. Thru those e-mails, I felt that this is one most valued and loved sister. And soon after, I learned that she was evangelized in Ang Lingkod Ng Panginoon Alabang then later on, joined the mission team for Ang Lingkod Ng Panginoon Cavite. Then thru that service, she became the Cavite Branch Women’s Moderator and has never stopped serving God since then. I have never known yet, the kind of life that she led, the challenges, struggle, joys, triumphs, not until she came back to her home branch in Alabang last year. And this is where I came to know the person behind the name, Norlie Maniego.

During our branch planning towards the end of 2008, when we had an overnight stay at Ging Sabas’ residence when I came to know that Norlie will be joining Lingkod Alabang to serve thru our action group. I was so excited because I remembered my thoughts way back 2006. And here she was, wearing her pretty floral hat, dangling earrings, cotton shirt and skirt. She was a picture of serenity, inner peace and joy. I didn’t feel that she was not well, I really believed that she was well and taken cared of by God. She was all smiles and very enthusiastic to serve her Alabang brothers and sisters. When we started with our action group the year after, in February of 2009, she always brought salads during our AG because that was part of her dietary requirement. I remember those times when we would laugh so hard and even cry so hard because of intimate and countless personal sharings. Everybody was truly honored by her presence and felt so lucky to be with her. In one of those meetings, I remember my sister Jean Arizapa who initially, was very hesitant to share but upon Norlie’s encouragement and prodding, shared her very personal experience that we were all so touched by it. It was a very moving experience for all of us and I will always remember that night, at Gloria Jean’s, when even the people at the counter became so quiet because it’s just our voices that were heard during the entire time inside the coffee shop. Even after that initial meeting, we asked Norlie if she can talk about the Proverbs 31 Woman. That is the name of our action group, P31 AG. We even had a yahoogroups, p31_AG@yahoogroups.com. She happily agreed to give the talk to us and we were just so glad to learn a lot from her. As the year went on, she was able to join the retreat at Ain Karin where we also had fruitful sharings about our individual journeys with the Lord. After that, on the night of March 22, she texted me to pray for her because her stomach was so painful. At that time, I was serving the branch thru the Intercessory Prayer Team. On the morning of March 23, she called me thru my mobile to greet me … “Carla, happy birthday!!!”. I almost cried when I heard her voice and asked if she’s ok because she texted me the night before. She told me that she’s in the hospital and the doctors are taking care of her. I told her that she doesn’t need to call me but she said that she wants to because it’s my birthday. I was just overwhelmed and touched by the gesture and really thanked God for her thoughtful gesture. After that initial hospitalization, her health gradually weakened. She wasn’t able to attend our action group and we constantly prayed for her speedy recovery. When I got back from Cebu around May, I already received countless text messages on the blood drive for Norlie. The day after my arrival, I went straight to the hospital to check on her and volunteered to look for blood donors. I was able to tap my personal contact from Red Cross and Philippine Children’s Hospital. It just went on until finally, Norlie joined our Creator around June of 2009.

It was just a brief time that God gave me to enjoy my dear sister Norlie. She has been an icon to the sisters of Lingkod Alabang. We get to see her sharing her personal testimony at GMMMACQ and she even grabbed the chance to give a talk at Lingkod Alabang during the first quarter of 2009 on Holy Indifference. She even dropped by during our garage sale fundraising drive for the NLTC 2009 / 25^th ALNP Anniversary to lend moral support. I’m glad that I saw a role model in her thru her service, intense love for God, brothers and sisters, her community. She always grabs the chance to attend fellowships even granting her state, she didn’t allow us to feel sorry for her or burdened by her. She’s always that shining light, that giggly and joyful laugh, that pair of twinkling eyes that greet you at the end of a day. She did not allow her cancer to hinder her from loving God in concrete action and choice. She’s like a bright, sunny day that sheds light thru the darkest corners of your being. Her humility was such that it allows you to see beyond who you are and clearly see how you can become with God’s grace in your life. I just feel honored to know of such a woman that I can hold in high esteem, a person who has deeply touched my life, even for that brief moment, will forever remain as one precious memory of sisterhood, of service and of love at its very best.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world
We were born to make manifest
The glory of God that is within us
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone
And as we let our own light shine
We unconsciously give other people
Permission to do the same
As we are liberated from our own fear
Our presence actually liberates others.”

---Marianne Williamson in the book “Return to Love”

ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES...that I basked upon God's love thru Lestie

2010-02-04T14:23:00.002+08:00

The difference between a strong woman and a woman of strength.

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape....but a woman of strength builds relationships to keep her soul in shape.

Lestie really started out and focused on God and her immediate family. Just as she fulfilled her role, so is her family that she blessed with. I remember this one time when she led us in the AG to do yoga at the park, with the stars above us, then our times together and with the community wherein, you also allow yourself to know other brothers and sisters thru your time and service. You open yourself to each new person and each new relationship as God’s grace flows thru you in your joy, wisdom and sharing. It is completely with complete pride that I sit back and witness you really fulfill what He destined you to be as one of the most admired sisters in our community.

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything...but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.

I truly honor you sis for leading the SAT Dental Outreach wherein it’s my first time to encounter such a set-up of its logistical nature. I feel so lucky to be part of your grand idea of allowing the children (of Sigla and SOS) visit the various dental clinics, from Pulang Lupa to Muntinlupa and enjoy the heartwarming experience. I believe that the activity was one of the best highlights of my first year in service and I am so grateful for the support that you gave me because we were in the same AG at that time. We even had an ocular visit of all the clinics and mapped the travel time for each volunteer together with Anto. I will always treasure that activity sis!!!

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...but a woman of strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

I remember sis, in one of our exchanges when you mentioned that you will accompany Nino to the PM in QC?, and your effort to invite your brothers…Erick and eventually..Christopher…this is really Faith in Action. It’s not just saying you believe, it’s actually living what you believe. And that is what impresses me about you, how fervent is your love for the Lord that you will stop at nothing for other people, most especially your loved ones to experience that same love as well.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be unexpected blessings and capitalizes on them.

Sabi mo nga sis sa GI Joe… “ Knowing is half the battle”…that singlehood is a time of mission…to quote from your blog entitled “Salvation for an addict”…the Lord has been very gracious to me because even before Easter came, he gave me opportunities to communicate to the person I have not talked to for a year, to connect with the person I have ignored and treated indifferently for 4 years and to love the person I haven’t been purely loving my whole life. Yes, you clearly capitalized on dying to yourself, you openly submitted yourself to this calling and I believe that it brought you to where we are now…I see your Mom, Erick, Christopher, Nino…and they are all so well.

A strong woman wears a look of confidence on her face....but a woman of strength wears grace.

We enjoy all the girly stuff, all the womanly stuff….we always and forever would love to share for the entire stretch of our lifetime…but nothing can be ever as graceful as writing about Sex. And you posted it for everyone to read. It was such a brave thing to do and I believe that you have it, the gift of tackling such issues that still touches and delves into the very fabric of how we are as God’s children, still embodying his image within the very word of what we say. I believe that, by being Calvinists ourselves, we can always face whatever life besets us and trust the Lord for being in control of our lives.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

Here is an excerpt of one of your best thoughts when you said that…life is such a waste if waking up is just all about work. I personally don't want to have a eulogy where I am depicted as the best dentist. That's just so sad. I'd rather be the best sister, the best daughter and the best wife and mother in the future. I will always remember this journey that I had, in all those moments with you…laughing our merry way to Tagaytay en route to She’s wedding, our heartfelt precious joyrides after AG and PM…even while commuting, our bus ride home from Baguio, our joyful screaming amidst my sleepiness which I forgot altogether inside Theo’s love boat and really so many memories that I will always go back to and cherish whenever I will miss you. For I know, that the moment I dared myself to be really wild in the community was also the time that I saw you by far stepping on a chair and singing your fiercest rocker voice …that is quite truly your moment to behold. I love you Sis and may your light keep on shining in the Land Down Under…I will pray for you always and see you in December 2010. Godbless!!!

With Love Always,

Carla

waiting in silence

2010-01-25T14:50:00.002+08:00

We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God.
—Psalms 48:8

Most of the time, we don’t wait. And we certainly don’t wait in silence. Most of the time, we hurry and we push. We split time into tenths of seconds. We fret when a traffic light turns red and holds us up for a bit. The press of hurrying creates harried and hassled souls, disconnected from life and from kindness itself.

By contrast, in Spanish, the verb esperar means both “to hope” and “to wait.” I have a native plant called esperanza in my gardens. It grows and blooms in the driest conditions, offering copious blossoms in gold or orange. When the blooms come, I am reminded of waiting in silence on loving-kindness. I am reminded of something that my usual pace all but obliterates: there is a way of being and knowing that is grounded in timing I did not create. There is a way of being and knowing that dimly remembers that waiting in hope is an attitude of faith.

Waiting in silence, creating space for steadfast love to grow within, may be the most essential practice of all. It is in many ways the spirit of Advent, that time of the Christian liturgical year when we practice the waiting of gestation and hoping, of trusting in new life not yet fully known.

Thomas Merton, Trappist monk and author, remarked that life is a perpetual Advent. He sensed that in that waiting, trust began to grow. Trust in God, trust in the Holy One who is beyond all that is created and is the source of all things, seen and unseen. Trusting and waiting allow the loving-kindness that is the essence of God’s own Life to grow in us, and to bear fruit that we never expected.

Grant me O God the capacity to wait in hope, to allow your own loving-kindness to grow in me, for the life of your world. Amen.

Hard at Goodbyes

2010-01-09T21:32:00.002+08:00

God is my refuge, my rock and my deliverer...a help close at hand..in times of distress...so I will lift my eyes unto the mountain from whence comes my help...from the Lord enthroned on high ...he is my rock and my salvation, I stand firm. So the song goes...

Last night, I honored my dearest sister Lestie as she embarks on a new chapter in her life. I know that it's a new mission that she has embraced, one that she has to do while she's still single and it's for the good of her family. It's such a shameless thing to admit that I was having a hard time letting go yet I know, that as truth be told, I really love Lestie so I am letting her go to pursue her dreams and hopes for herself and her family. It was the same way with Mayo also, not really for herself but more for her family. Maybe I'm selfish when I say that I would rather see them near me, so that I will readily know that they are just safely nearby. And yet, my tears just unabashedly released itself, out of helplessness, for myself, who experienced such great love from them, that I fear, of not finding it again, that kind of great love, that they freely gave me. It's an insecure thing to say, yet it's true. I have allowed myself to be enveloped by their love, such that I didn't feel the love that others were trying to give me. That nothing can surpass their love and I just basked in it. Now I'm a bit lost without it....without them.

I hope that thru this time, when they are letting me go...I can manage to be content with Your love alone. By seeking You, I trust that everything will just be alright, everything will just fall into place. As you pursue your hopes, I will continue on living each new day, with joy and love in my heart. I will not be lost Lord because you are in me. You will always be with me.

Believing that 2010's My Year

2010-01-04T16:41:00.002+08:00

A lot has happened from the time that I literally rocked my boat...going into a career that's totally far-off from my own experiences...then choosing to go into NGO where I discovered how meaningful my life could be...I accepted all the challenges and sacrifices that it gave me knowing that the lives of the children will greatly benefit and that I will be part of the greater solution to the problem. I'm thankful for everything and now, I'm on the road to living my life to the fullest.

I know I asked for this a lot of times in the past...but I think it was not yet the right time for me then because my profession was not yet where it is supposed to be. But now, I just feel like things are finally getting in place and in sync Lord....I'm expecting your favor Lord in this area of my life....I surrender this to You with complete trust...You are in control.

where madness and insanity meets

2009-12-17T10:45:00.002+08:00

it suddenly feels like a Friday each day...what with all the generosity that's been extended to us in the workplace, there is absolutely no reason for either one to be selfish...

just the other day, i had a long chat with a friend who is having a hard time with herself...she just can't help but feel vulnerable towards the attention that she's getting...thank God because I went thru the same experience myself and I was able to share with her what I went thru myself....it was really hard but I was able to brace myself thru detachment and affirmation. in this case, for myself, I also go thru the same motions of..."I don't deserve him" or "they are prettier or sexier than me" or "all of them get his attention but not me because they are all better than me"...crazy I know but these are my periods of insanity...I kill my feelings with these thoughts so that my longing will be forgotten...even if, as much as I do my best to erase his image in my mind and heart, in each waking hour, he is still there....I just have to make a conscious effort to not rest my joys on him but really more of on Him who blessed me with this feelings, desires, longings....He who made me to be this amazing person who loves her family dearly, who gives her best in her work and service in the community, He who granted me all my mistakes and still the grace to rise above it...I guess, given all my human failings such as being weakened at his very sight...gives me the hope that in His best time, He will work thru all my feelings to allow me in becoming the woman that He wants me to be.

When everything's up to pace and my heart's at a standstill

2009-10-22T21:55:00.002+08:00

when i boarded the jeepney earlier and saw Ays looking so lost, I gave him a simple laugh about his job woes...which is to say that i went thru those same things myself and survived it. now, i have a different set of concerns in my mind...or heart for that matter. i believe that i got what i prayed for in terms of my job. dom said that i do deserve this, that this is really for me. ging said that God opened the door for me and i'm so glad. it's just that, sometimes i wonder, what's next Lord?, maybe admittedly, i find myself wondering if "this" is the time to also enter into a relationship or still into the preparation stage?...which was quite long already to speak of. i just hope am not too anxious to do anything crazy...it's just one of those times when i get to think about such things and allow my mind to wander off into this kinds of ideas. do i know myself enough this time?....please..i need to know for sure...

phenomenal woman

2009-10-20T11:01:00.001+08:00

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

still i rise

2009-10-20T10:59:00.001+08:00

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

WOMAN

2009-10-20T10:57:00.000+08:00

That woman is a success
who loves life
and lives it to the fullest;
Who has discovered and shared
the strengths and talents
that are uniquely her own;
Who puts her best into each task
and leaves each situation
better than she found it;
Who seeks and finds
that which is beautiful
in all people and things;
Whose heart is full of love
and warm with compassion;
Who has found joy in living
and peace with herself.

My Regenesis

2009-10-16T10:22:00.002+08:00

I just realized now in my "new" job that all the things that God allowed me to experience before was for good reason. I 'm glad that I listened enough to know that all He asks of me is to obey. It was His will for me to hop from one job to the other. That was his way for me to learn. It may seem so unideal for me at the time but it was not for waste. The time when my boat was rocked (2005) was the time also for God to affirm my gifts, where I can truly serve Him, in the area where my skills lie. It doesn't stop there though because He also led me to a new territory (2006) where I will gain new skills that will equip me for the long-term work that I will be doing for him. It was without any regret that I took on my non-profit experience wherein I discovered my love for writing, development work and children. The environment also allowed my heart to soften from my hardened past. My experiences in interacting with my co-workers allowed me to know myself more and see ways in which I can be kinder, gentler, warmer, BETTER.

Just last night, as I was sitting inside I Republic, enjoying the hearty banter between my boss and the others, I realized that I'm truly, truly happy and I just feel so blessed by you Lord. These people that you gave Lord are all here to help me to finally realize that I Am Your Woman, that I'm here to serve and honor you thru my life. As 2009 began with the feeling that you are calling me to a new place, I was without any doubt, secure in the comfort of your love. The eye-opener question from a brother jolted me out of my reverie and gave me the urgency to move forward. My backpain around July gave me the opportunity to listen intently to your every word which just led me to where I am now. For your great blessing to my family, most especially when my sister had dengue and later when my parents asked for a computer that will support them in livelihood, I am just so grateful!!!

for 2009...please allow me to pray for you

2009-01-15T09:49:00.000+08:00

my personal thanksgiving to my Creator for allowing me to arrive at this state of euphoria amidst every storm is to request for the chance to offer a simple prayer for every concern that you have. it can just be anything and i believe that with you and i together in loving God, our joy can be just as complete for Him too. :-)

My Dearest Lord, we bask in your almighty power. That in You, we find our ends and beginnings. We abandon ourself to you because our past, present and future belongs to you. We beg for your forgiveness in our apathy, neglect and selfishness. We rejoice in the air we breath, in our daily commute to work, in the countless times that we open our eyes each morning. We believe that you are always beside us in every choice and decision that we make. Purify our intentions and bless us with a life of your steadfast love. Thank you for our sadness, our weakness and our feelings of unworthiness. For in these, we always come down to our knees in humble surrender. We love you dear Lord and we continue on living this life for your glory. Amen.

perfect end and amazing beginnings

2009-01-15T09:33:00.000+08:00

finally...I will grab this chance to blog..yipee!!!

with so many things happening last December and January, it was just one complete headrush...a simple case of so many things yet so little time...with the end of the year xmas parties, reunions, weddings...I believe that on top of it all, I saw how the Lord worked thru my relationships with the people who mean so much to me. From my co-workers (where we had a "tropicana" inspired out of town swimming party), brothers & sisters (music and lyrics inspired), girl friends (intimate) and the weddings..wow!!!...each one as thought-provoking as the other...all in all, was really perfect quality time. :-) Of course, my family had a big role in all these because we also had our very own simple yet festive and joyful celebrations...we had an exchange gift at 3am of the 25th and heard mass together all throughout...it was all on a high note. :-)

i didn't expect anything at the start of the year and yet, "My Firsts" for 2009 was really happy also. :-) I just looked at it as a mirror of where I am now in my life. :-) As I look back, it was all with so much thanksgiving to God for the many things that He allowed me to do and give. In my private and public life (naks!!!), I can truly see Him work. :-) Super talaga!!!

Prayer of Abandonment by Charles de Foucald

2008-10-27T15:23:00.002+08:00

My Father, I abandon myself to You
Do with me as You will
Whatever you may do with me, I thank you
I am prepared for anything
I accept everything, provided Your wll is fulfilled in me and in all creatures
I ask for nothing more, my God
I place my soul in Your hands
I give it to you, my God
With all the love in my heart
Because I Love You

(given by Ir, CLP Batch 14 Commitment Night - 10.24.08)

Multiplying Love

2008-10-16T13:43:00.092+08:00

The 8 Stages of Life

2008-10-06T17:03:00.003+08:00

Our eight stages help you manage your job, career or business by describing the major focus of each stage. Knowing what to expect can help you identify opportunities and avoid pitfalls.

Stage One: Exploring

In this first stage, you are busy exploring many ideas about life and work. You usually start this stage in childhood and it accelerates during adolescence. Often this stage is marked by experimenting with life styles, values and methods of self expression. You are trying to define who you are and who you are not. Key activities include discovering what you are naturally great at, finding (and discarding) role models and learning what you love and hate.
All these help you identify interesting work (or ideally the ingredients of the work you love).

Stage Two: Focusing

The second stage is entered when you are ready to start seriously focusing on the best ideas you discovered while Exploring. This happens naturally as teenagers start to show preferences for school subjects, after school activities and hobbies. Focusing continues throughout high school and into college as students pick majors or choose a vocational program.
The major career activity is gaining the knowledge and skills to be offered an entry level job in your dream profession or trade, or to become and entrepreneur and start your own dream business.

Stage Three: Working

The Working Stage begins when you complete your full time studies and start working. With your first adult or full time job, you take on the adult responsibilities of supporting yourself and your family. Your basic job skills come from what you learned during the Focusing stage and what you learn on the job. To gain additional skills, knowledge and experience, you may move around within a company or industry.

In the beginning, your major focus is on learning the ropes and earning a paycheck. Over time, however, the emphasis shifts to increasing the size of your paycheck, benefits and responsibility. Many people decide (consciously or unconsciously) to remain in this stage for the rest of their life.

Stage Four: Excelling

If you choose to move to this fourth stage, your attention shifts from earning paychecks and promotions to excelling at what you do. Achieving great results takes center stage, driven by an emphasis on developing and using your skills and knowledge.

The benefits of excelling at your work brings great performance reviews, larger paychecks, and more career opportunities. It also opens up the possibility of moving into the next stage.

Stage Five: Mastering

Few people move into the fifth stage of Mastering. Here your focus shifts from achieving excellent results to understanding and mastering the work process itself. In this stage, the work and worker blend together and extraordinary results flow with a minimum of effort. At this level, personal skills, materials, tools, methods and the environment are all mastered.

Stage Six: Transcending

In this rare sixth stage, your focus shifts to harmonizing with the underlying creative process and principles. Using the extraordinary knowledge and experience you have acquired, you can bend, break and transcend the accepted rules. Often you produce original and unique results that defy popular beliefs of what is possible.

Stage Seven: Life Calling

A life calling often defines or redefines your life's work. Your calling can can range from having a vague sense there is something you must do to envisioning clearly what you want to accomplish.
A life calling can come at any time, causing your perspective to undergo a mild to radical shift. It can be heralded by a loss, a life crisis or a series of noteworthy events. Often this stages prepares you to enter the Re-genesis stage.

Stage Zero: Re-genesis

On rare occasions, a person will reach the end of a life or work cycle before they run out of life force. The zero stage of Re-genesis is the process of undergoing a fundamental life transformation. Like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, you emerge transfigured. A new and different life awaits to be discovered. To understanding it, you must start again by entering a new Exploring stage.

READY. SET. GROW.

2008-08-13T16:56:00.002+08:00

Ready, Set, Grow!
Lingkod Alabang Branch Council August 2008

I. Ready “God Will Bless You in Your Service”
- Be open to the blessings that can only be experienced when you are serving.
- But be ready to be tested, corrected and molded.
- God molds us into a foundation built upon His strength.

“My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when He rebukes you. Because the Lord corrects everyone He loves, and punishes everyone He accepts as a child”.
– Hebrews 12:5-6

II. Set “Your Service Is Your Mission”
- Our mission is to live, love and serve God unconditionally.

“You should think of us as Christ’s servants who have been put in charge of God’s secret truths. The one thing required of such servants is that they be faithful to their master”.

- 1 Corinthians 4: 1-2

1. To live : the way of life that God has given us.
: to live in prayer and worship with a thankful heart.
: to believe and be firm in our faith.

2. To love : to love God is to love others.

“If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we
have not seen b, if we do not love others whom we have seen”.

– 1 John 4: 20

: to love means to value relationship over success.

3. To serve : to serve with the right intentions.
: your service comes from the overflowing love of God in our life.
- Pray for your service and value your mission.
- Strengthen your prayer time.

III. Grow “Your Mission is Part of a Bigger Mission”
- When people see that they are part of a bigger plan, they get motivated to serve.
- our mission in the branch is part of a bigger mission.
- since our mission is part of a bigger mission, it now becomes “our mission”.
- God directs all this mission to work as one for His glory.
- If it is our mission, then it requires us to serve along with other people
- when we serve the brothers and sisters, we do not attach the brothers and sisters to our
selves but instead we connect them to the body.
- we join them in growing with the community.
- Appreciate your differences
- the best collaborative partnership are usually not with people who are just like us but with
people who have different skills, abilities or in short different gifts.
- you learn from one another.
- this is the time when you will be tested of your service “relationship over success”.
- avoid distinctions, be there for the brothers and sisters and build relationships.
- don’t correct them if you did not yet build relationship with them, the outcome is that they’ll
look at you more as a disciplinarian or a mere problem-solver “relationship over
corrections”.

Conclusion:
Who you become is more important than what you have done. In the end, you will not be asked of what you have accomplished for the community in your service but instead you will be asked of how the service helped you in living, loving and serving God.

“And so those whom God set apart, He called; and those He called, he put right with himself, and He shared His glory with them” – Romans 8:30

“…And all of you must put on the apron of humility, to serve one another; for the scripture says “God resists the proud but shows favor to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5 : 5

To Live is Christ, to persevere we bear fruit. – Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon Alabang 2008

Calayo Summer 2008

2008-06-06T15:36:00.031+08:00

TRUE INTIMACY

2008-06-03T17:32:00.002+08:00

Human relationships easily become possessive. Our hearts so much desire to be loved that we are inclined to cling to the person who offers us love, affection, friendship, care or support. Once we have seen or felt a hint of love, we want more of it. That explains why lovers so often bicker with each other. Lovers' quarrels are quarrels between people who want more of each other than they are able or willing to give.

It is very hard for love not to become possessive because our hearts look for perfect love and no human being is capable of that. Only God can offer perfect love. Therefore, the art of loving includes the art of giving one another space. When we invade one another's space and do not allow the other to be his or her own free person, we cause great suffering in our relationships. But when we give another space to move and share our gifts, true intimacy becomes possible.

The Balance Between CLOSENESS and DISTANCE

2008-06-03T17:25:00.002+08:00

Intimacy between people requires closeness as well as distance. It is like dancing. Sometimes we are very close, touching each other or holding each other; sometimes we move away from each other and let the space between us become an area where we can freely move.

To keep the right balance between closeness and distance requires hard work, especially since the needs of the partners may be quite different at a given moment. One might desire closeness while the other wants distance. One might want to be held while the other looks for independence. A perfect balance seldom occurs, but the honest and open search for that balance can give birth to a beautiful dance, worthy to behold.

One with my One True God

2008-01-30T17:23:00.001+08:00

Return To Love

2008-01-14T12:05:00.000+08:00

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?. Actually, who are you not to be?. You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

--- Marianne Williamson in the book "Return to Love"

THEME FOR 2008

2008-01-04T11:26:00.000+08:00

Personal Theme: Love. Abide. Serve.

Professional Theme: Greatness in Small Things.

It is with great excitement that I was able to discern my theme for this year. Jesus invites all of us to "Come and See" his hand in our life. I submit myself to Him knowing that I can trust Him with my life. In his hands, he can take care of all my plans and my desire this year to be in a relationship. I need not do many things, just to remain in his heart.

The Mary Season

2007-10-31T17:14:00.000+08:00

Excerpt from FOR THE WOMAN WHO IS ALL WOMEN --- To All Those Who Are Working To Create A Better World...by Paulo Coelho

2007-10-15T12:38:00.000+08:00

The Persian poet Rumi once said that life is like being sent by a king to another country in order to carry out a particular task. The person sent may do a hundred other things in that other country, but if he or she fails to fulfill the particular task he or she was charged with, it is as if nothing had been done.

To the woman who understood her task.

To the woman who looked at the road ahead of her, and knew that hers would be a difficult journey.

To the woman who did not attempt to make light of those difficulties, but, on the contrary, spoke out against them and made them clearly visible.

To the woman who made the lonely feel less alone, who fed those who hungered and thirsted for justice, who made the oppressor feel as bad as those he oppressed.

To the woman who always keeps her door open, her hands working, her feet moving.

To the woman who personifies the verses that other Persian poet, Hafez, when he says:

"Not even seven thousand years of joy can justify seven days of repression"

To the woman who is here tonight, may she be each and every one of us, may her example spread, may she still have many difficult days ahead, so that she can complete her work, so that, for generations to come, the meaning of 'injustice' will be found only in dictionary definitions and never in the lives of human beings.

And may she travel slowly, because her pace is the pace of change, and change, real change, always takes a very long time.

TAKING A JOURNEY

2007-09-20T11:50:00.000+08:00

Online Retreat Guide - Week 1

Let's begin at the beginning.

This is the first week of a 34 week journey. We begin at the beginning - our story. Prayer is about our relationship with God. We will begin to grow in this relationship with God, in the midst of our everyday lives this week, by simply reflecting upon our own story. There may be times we will want to take a period of prayer to reflect upon our story this week. What is most important, however, is that we begin by letting this reflection become the background of our week.

Did you ever get a song in your head and realize that it was there for a long time, no matter what you were doing? This is like that. Throughout our day, each day this week, we will have in mind the memories that have shaped us. (Note especially, the "Getting Started" link at the right for how to do this.)

Let this be the image. This week, let's go through the "photo album" of our life. Let's go back to our earliest memories. Let's let the Lord show us our lives. What "pictures" are there? With each part of my life, what "scenes" do I remember? Who are in those scenes? Some photos will be of happy times, some will be quite sad, others will be difficult to re-collect at all. They all constitute our story and the journey that has brought us to where we begin this retreat.
Take it easy. Go slowly. Take a little bit each day. Being faithful to this exercise will help tremendously to prepare for the weeks ahead. Write down notes or memories or stories, if you like. Feel free to share any grace you discover, using the link to the right. Your sharing might be a gift to someone else.

End each day, before going to bed, with a few interior words of gratitude to the One who has accompanied me through my life, even to this day of presence with me.

Some Practical Help for Getting Started This Week

Each week, there will be some practical help to prepare for this week's retreat and for getting the most from it.

The first and most important point is to begin this journey with great hope and confidence. God is never outdone in generosity. So, if we make even a small change in our weekly pattern, that is a tremendous opening for God to work in us. One way to affirm this hope and confidence is to express it for just a brief instant, each morning, at the same time each day - as I'm finding my slippers, or as I'm brushing my teeth, or while I'm pouring that first cup of coffee - "I know you are with me today, Lord."

Each of us will have a different amount of time we will be able to give to this retreat each week. We recommend, that if your time is limited, just checking out each of the links on the right hand column of the weekly guide. Then, it is possible to return each day to read or reflect upon one or another resource provided for the week. In the case of one of the readings or prayers, we might want to print that to read it again later. Making use of all the resources will enhance the retreat experience.

This week's guide offers us the opportunity to review our life stories through the photo album of our lives. Throughout these weeks, we'll make use of the practice, habit, exercise of letting a reflection or image be part of the background of our day. All of us are aware, from time to time, that there is stuff that occupies the background of our consciousness. The song that plays in our head is a common example. This retreat invites us to practice taking advantage of this facility our brain has. Rather than having that space filled at random with stuff that just comes and goes, we will focus it more consciously. While doing all the ordinary tasks we do in our everyday lives, we will be using that background space to give a distinctive tone to our week. This won't be a distraction to our work, or take any extra time away from our work, but it will eventually make a difference in how we experience our work. It just takes practice.

Concretely, for this week, we all know the outline of our story. This isn't new material. What is new is that I will consciously be aware that I am reviewing my life story this week. I can plan it fairly deliberately - as an example: Monday and Tuesday, I will be remembering the images of my childhood; Wednesday and Thursday, my teen and early adulthood; Friday and Saturday, the rest of my adult life. So, throughout Wednesday - as I'm finding my slippers, driving to work, walking to my first meeting, walking to the restroom, looking at that image on my monitor, walking to the parking lot, getting supper ready, sharing a memory with a family member, and while undressing before going to bed - during all those brief everyday times, I'll have in the background the formative images that shape my story during my teen years.
It's about feelings. Each picture in my life story has feeling attached to it. I might look long and hard at that image of myself on the playground in 5th grade. Feelings come to the surface if I let them. Or, that picture of myself in that relationship in my early twenties. We know there are feelings there. There are powerful feelings associated with the birth of a child, the death of a loved one, the change of jobs, terrible family crises, images that come to mind throughout my marriage, battles with people I've struggled with. My feelings will help me see and experience how these pictures tell my story, who I am today.

It's about God's fidelity. This isn't a sentimental journey. With every picture in my story, there is a grace offered me as I look for God's presence there. If, throughout this week, I imagine God's having been present there with me - even when I didn't notice or feel it at the time - that would be a tremendous grace, unifying my life.

It's about gratitude. With every memory, every image and feeling, practice saying, "thank you." Even the painful ones. Even if I was not grateful then. Even if it involved some bad stuff I did to myself or others. The Lord was there, loving me. Let gratitude now touch and span throughout the story of my life.

It's about a journey. This is only the beginning. We have 34 weeks. We will move slowly. And, all we need to do is give God just a little space to transform our every day lives, a moment at a time.

For the Journey

Do you know what's good for you? Knowing and then doing what we know is good for us are two distinct things.

I know that jogging is very good for my body and spirit, but going over to the Recreation Center is not only a good idea, but something I don't always want to do.

Taking vitamins is good for us, the medical profession tells us. We are just beginning to believe them, but again we don't all take them all the time. We resist those activities which do not give us immediately thefeedback desired. We might begin a diet Monday morning and Tuesday morning we step lightly on the scale hoping to find less of us there. We want results and pretty darn quick!

We begin these weeks of exercising our spirits according to the pattern given by God to us through Ignatius Loyola, accompanied also by this human resistance to what is good for us.
First guidance then is this: do not expect, look for or demand progress. Enjoy and live the process, even though as with physical exercise, you might not like doing them every day. As with a diet, you might have to give something up, like time, activity and accomplishments. We allow God to give the increase, the insights, the progress. We begin expecting God to be busy laboring on our part of creation which we have found quite unfinished as a work of art.
This is the first guide, don't stop here; the journey is worth the expense. Go for it!

In these or similar words ...

Dear Lord,

This seems easy, going back through the ‘photo album’ of my life. Can I really call this prayer? I can go back to my earliest memories, of being a toddler. I wonder what connection this little child has to me?

As I move through my life, into school, learning to read and expanding my world, I can notice things in this ‘album’ that I don’t want to see. They are difficult memories that cause pain and I thought I had put them away permanently. Not everything in my childhood was good. Where were you in that, Lord? Were you with me as I watched the shouting, the arguing?
There were good times, too. Running so freely as a kid, climbing trees, exploring the banks of the creek and sledding down the big hill in winter. There is a freedom to those moments and I sense you in that too.

As I got older, I made choices, Lord. For some of them, I ignored you completely and tried to pretend you didn’t matter in my life. But you stayed with me so faithfully anyway. You guided my headstrong decisions into choices that helped me into a loving life and a good marriage.

Thank you, Lord, for your constant presence in my life, especially today.

Dear Lord, I feel a little uncomfortable. This kind of prayer is new to me and I’m a little more comfortable using someone else’s words. But I tried it yesterday and it wasn’t hard, it just didn’t always feel like prayer.

I return today and I look at the places where it hurts, the memories where I want to squirm, pull away and try to forget again. It hasn’t always been easy in my life. Were you really with me in all of it? I feel you so strongly now, but I never thought much about you during those times.

How have these difficult times shaped me into what I am today? How has your faithful guidance helped me unseen over the years. Please help me to see your presence in my life and to be guided by it.

Readings for Week 1

THE COURAGE TO ACCEPT ACCEPTANCEby Peter Van Breeman, S.J.

There is a basic principle in theology which states that faith or Scripture contains the answer to the deepest questions of the human heart. Faith is about life, my life. Faith is like x-raying my human existence. It helps me to live better, to be more human, to be more integrated. Faith is to discover that there is only a oneness: God is the deepest Ground of my being.

The Question
One of the deepest needs of the human heart is the need to be appreciated. Every human being wants to be valued. This is not to say that everybody wants to be told by others how wonderful he is. No doubt there is that desire, too, but that is not fundamental. We could say that every human being wants to be loved. But even this admits of ambiguity. There are as many varieties of love as there are species of flowers. For some people, love is something passionate; for others, it is something romantic; for others, love is something merely sexual. There is, however, a deeper love, a love of acceptance. Every human being craves to be accepted, accepted for what he is. Nothing in human life has such a lasting and fatal effect as the experience of not being completely accepted. When I am not accepted, then something in me is broken. A baby who is not welcome is ruined at the roots of his existence. A student who does not feel accepted by his teacher will not learn. A man who does not feel accepted by his colleagues on the job will suffer from ulcers, and be a nuisance at home. Many of the life histories of prisoners reveal that somewhere along the way they went astray because there was no one who really accepted them. Likewise, when a religious does not feel accepted by her community, she cannot be happy. A life without acceptance is a life in which a most basic human need goes unfulfilled.
Acceptance means that the people with whom I live give me a feeling of self-respect, a feeling that I am worthwhile. They are happy that I am who I am. Acceptance means that I am welcome to be myself. Acceptance means that though there is need for growth, I am not forced. I do not have to be the person I am not! Neither am I locked in by my past or present. Rather I am given room to unfold, to outgrow the mistakes of the past. In a way we can say that acceptance is an unveiling. Every one of us is born with many potentialities. But unless they are drawn out by the warm touch of another's acceptance they will remain dormant. Acceptance liberates everything that is in me. Only when I am loved in that deep sense of complete acceptance can I become myself. The love, the acceptance of other persons, makes me the unique person that I am meant to be. When a person is appreciated for what he does, he is not unique; someone else can do the same work perhaps even better than he. But when a person is loved for what he is, then he becomes a unique and irreplaceable personality. So indeed, I need that acceptance in order to be myself. When I am not accepted, I am a nobody. I cannot come to fulfillment. An accepted person is a happy person because he is opened up, because he can grow.

To accept a person does not mean that I deny his defects, that I gloss over them or try to explain them away. Neither does acceptance mean to say that everything the person does is beautiful and fine. Just the opposite is true. When I deny the defects of the person, then I certainly do not accept him. I have not touched the depth of that person. Only when I accept a person can I truly face his defects.

To express it in a negative way: acceptance means that I never give a person the feeling that he doesn't count. Not to expect anything from a person is tantamount to killing him, making him sterile. He cannot do anything. It is said that children with rickets scratch lime from the walls. People who are not accepted scratch acceptance from the walls. And what are the symptoms?

boasting: in a subtle or obvious way they provide themselves with the praise they want so badly.

rigidity: a lack of acceptance causes a lack of security on the path of life and, a fortiori, lack of courage to risk one step to either side of the path.

inferiority complex: this simply defines the above conditions.

masturbation or any other superficial joy: deep down there is so much lacking that they endeavor to get whatever they can out of life in an easy way.

the desire to assert themselves, the frightful power to impose themselves, the excessive need for attention, the tendency to feel threatened, to exaggerate, to gossip, to suspect others: these are other symptoms of lack of acceptance.

The really balanced person does not have to indulge in these measures. Erik Erikson in his book, Young Man Luther, writes: In (his) first relationship man learns something which most individuals who survive and remain sane can take for granted most of the time. Only psychiatrists, priests and born philosophers know how sorely that something can be missed. I have called his early treasure "basic trust;" it is the first psychosocial trait and the fundament of all others. Basic trust in mutuality is that original 'optimism' that assumption that 'somebody is there,' without which we cannot live. In situations in which such basic trust cannot develop in early infancy because of a defect in the child or in the maternal environment, children die mentally. They do not respond or learn; they do not assimilate their food and fail to defend themselves against infection, and often they die physically as well as mentally.1

The Answer
I am accepted by God as I am--as I am, and not as I should be. To proclaim the latter is an empty message because I never am as I should be. I know that in reality I do not walk a straight path. There are many curves, many wrong decisions which in the course of life have brought me to where I am now and Scripture tells me that "the place on which you stand is holy ground" (Ex 3:5). God knows my name: "See I have branded you on the palms of my hands" (Is 49:16). God can never look at his hand without seeing my name. And my name--that's me! He guarantees that I can be myself. St. Augustine says, "A friend is someone who knows everything about you and still accepts you." That is the dream we all share: that one day I may meet the person to whom I can really talk, who understands me and the words I say--who can listen and even hear what is left unsaid, and then really accepts me. God is the fulfillment of this dream. He loves me with my ideals and disappointments, my sacrifices and my joys, my successes and my failures. God is himself the deepest Ground of my being. It is one thing to know I am accepted and quite another thing to realize it. It is not enough to have but just once touched the love of God. There is more required to build one's life on God's love. It takes a long time to believe that I am accepted by God as I am.

How often have we been told that it is important that we love God. And this is true. But is it far more important that God loves us! Our love for God is secondary. God's love for us is first: "This is the love I mean: not our love for God, but God's love for us" (1 John 4:10). This is the foundation. Karl Rahner once made the remark that we live in a time when there is much interest in Church politics (e.g. the pill, the reform of the curia, celibate priesthood). This may be the sign of a deep faith. It can also be the sign of a lack of faith. The basic faith is that I know myself to be accepted by God: "We ourselves have known and put our faith in God's love towards ourselves" (1 John 4:16). This is the content of our faith--"God's love towards ourselves." The whole Apostles' Creed is nothing but a statement twelve times over of belief in this very love which God has for us.

On the night before he died, Jesus prayed to the Father: "that you love them as you loved me…so that your love for me may live in them: (John 17:23, 26. NAB). It seems incredible that God loves us just as much as he loves his son, Jesus Christ. Yet that is exactly what Scripture says. We human beings are divided in many ways: 1) in time--For us, one minute comes after the other and our time is spread out. It is not so with God. God lives always in one ever present now. There is no division. Eternity means that the whole of time is condensed in this one moment which lasts forever; 2) in space--We have certain limited extensions It is not so with God. God is completely one; 3) in love--We are divided in our love. We like a person very much (90%) or in an ordinary way (50%) or very little (20%). God does not measure love. God cannot but love totally--100%. If we think God is a person who can divide his love, then we are thinking not of God but of ourselves. God is perfectly one, the perfect unity. We have love, but God is love. His love is not an activity. It is his whole self. If we but grasp some idea of this, we understand that God could not possibly give 100% of his love to his Son and then 70% to us. He would not be God if he could do that. When we read the dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena, we get the impression that God has nothing to do but simply occupy himself with Catherine. And that is right. The undivided attention of God is with her and with each of us.

Tillich defines faith as "the courage to accept acceptance" and he means acceptance by God. We may think that such faith does not demand much courage. On the contrary, it may sound sweet and easy. But courage is required and very often it is courage that is lacking. Why is it courageous to accept acceptance: Firstly, when things happen to us which disappoint us, we are inclined to complain "How can God permit this?" We begin to doubt the love of God. It takes courage to believe in God's acceptance no matter what happens to us. Such an act of faith goes beyond my personal experience. Faith is then an interpretation of life which I accept. Secondly, God's love is infinite. We can never grasp it, never get hold of it, much less control it. The only thing we can do is jump into its bottomless depth. And we do not like to jump. We are afraid to let go. The Swedish convert Sven Stolpe says that faith means to climb a very high ladder, and there while standing on the very top of the ladder, to hear a voice which says, "Jump, and I'll catch you." The one who jumps--he is the man of faith. It is courageous to jump. And there is the third reason which is more subtle but nonetheless real. It is fairly easy to believe in God's love in general but it is very difficult to believe in God's love for me personally. Why me? There are very few people who can really accept themselves, accept acceptance. Indeed, it is rare to meet a person who can cope with the problem "Why me?" Self-acceptance can never be based on my own self, my own qualities. Such a foundation would collapse. Self-acceptance is an act of faith. When God loves me, I must accept myself as well. I cannot be more demanding than God, can I?

Psalm 8

A hymn of praise.
Infants and stars
and all creation sing praise.
Marvel in God’s glory and join this song.

Lord our God,
the whole world tells
the greatness of your name.
Your glory reaches
beyond the stars.

Even the babble of infants
declares your strength,
your power to halt
the enemy and avenger.

I see your handiwork
in the heavens:
the moon and the stars
you set in place.

What is humankind
that you remember them,
the human race
that you care for them?

You treat them like gods,
dressing them in glory and splendor.
You give them charge of the earth,
laying all at their feet:

cattle and sheep,
wild beasts,
birds of the sky,
fish of the sea,
every swimming creature.

Lord our God,
the whole world tells
the greatness of your name.

Psalm 139

Comfort in being known,
comfort in being seen.
May God give continuing guidance.

You search me, Lord, and know me.
Wherever I sit or stand,
you read my inmost thoughts;
whenever I walk or rest,
you know where I have been.

Before a word slips from my tongue,
Lord, you know what I will say.
You close in on me, pressing your hand upon me.
All this overwhelms me-- too much to understand!

Where can I hide from you?
How can I escape your presence?
I scale the heavens, you are there!
I plunge to the depths, you are there!

If I fly toward the dawn,
or settle across the sea,
even there you take hold of me,
your right hand directs me.

If I think night will hide me
and darkness give me cover,
I find darkness is not dark.
For your night shines like day,
darkness and light are one.
You created every part of me,
knitting me in my mother's womb.
For such handiwork, I praise you.
Awesome this great wonder!
I see it so clearly!

You watched every bone
taking shape in secret,
forming in the hidden depths.
You saw my body
grow according to your design.

You recorded all my days
before they ever began.
How deep are your thoughts!
How vast their sum!
like countless grains of sand,
well beyond my grasp.

Lord, destroy the wicked,
save me from killers.
They plot evil schemes,
they blaspheme against you.

How I hate those who hate you!
How I detest those who defy you!
I hate with a deadly hate these enemies of mine.

Search my heart, probe me, God!
Test and judge my thoughts.
Look! do I follow crooked paths?
Lead me along your ancient way.

10 Ways To Motivate Yourself

2007-09-06T12:12:00.000+08:00

1. Write down your goals. It will help you gauge how far you’ve gone and how far you need to go to attain them.

2. Don’t linger in the past. Learn from your mistakes and move on.

3. Respect other people’s opinions. Ultimately, getting along with other people can also affect how you spend your time getting to where you need to be.

4. Don’t be prone to burnout. Take a break when you need to recharge.

5. Get into the kind of work that you like. You can solve this by just applying for jobs that you believe would bring you joy in the doing.

6. Expect a lot of bad turns to go your way. Do not set yourself up for unreasonable tasks.

7. Remember the why's of your actions. Keep a record of your decisions: start a journal and refer to it occasionally.

8. Shape your own style. Learn to work with your own rhythm.

9. Be exposed to inspirational sources. Listen to good music. Read books. Watch movies that could elicit the kind of sentiment that will give you that groove to work on tasks at hand.

10. Know that you're not alone. Everyone feels lost sometimes. Some people takes several years to figure out what they really want to do with their lives, so don’t stress it.

From the Inside Out

2007-09-06T11:59:00.000+08:00

The things around us doesn't change. We change.

I happen to chance upon this line from an outdoor signage. It was so poignant that I'm going thru a lot lately on things that are internal. Changes that I need to apply on my own account, in line with viewing a specific person. I was told, that the very reason, why I'm now working here, is not for my own reasons but for this person, that I need to save this person from falling into the the life that is far from God. Sometimes, it's not as easy as it looks to make the effort to appear happy with the person when all you gain are cynicism and disdain. I am now in the habit of purging my friends and contacts who doesn't bring me any good in my life. I choose not to attach myself to negative people. But My Lord, why do you wish me to be the one to reach out to this person?. I pray that I will be granted with the grace to accept this task and forebear all the consequences that come along with it.

On Dependence...Dying to Self

2007-08-03T17:19:00.000+08:00

...sometimes I find myself waking up fully knowing what to do and what is expected from me. Yet, there are also times when I feel so afraid to make the first step into the unknown, into the vast world of nothingness.

Initially, finding love is not part of the gameplan, not part of the whole equation. How can I when I know fully well that my time will not permit it?....but at times, it strikes me as funny because it just knocks unexpectedly....and I'm just quite uneasy to open that door.

When one says that he is afraid, has fear written all over him because of how I handle my relationships now, is just as real as it gets to be. Fear will always be there, anywhere we go. Yet, we continue to step into the path, out there so that we will get to see how it is like.

I am also afraid....yet I try...and I will always try...because I trust.

Musings of Czar in SMS (part 1)

2007-07-09T14:44:00.000+08:00

One day, God had work for me to do. He showed me a rock and told me to push it with all my might. For many years, I pushed and pushed but nothing happened. The rock has not moved, even an inch. In discouragement, I asked God why I'm failing. The Lord responded, "your task is to push the rock. Never did I mention that you move it. Now, I, my child, will move the rock." ...... Obedience to God is easy if we only knew how to listen. He doesn't want us to suffer, he only wants us to learn.

Mastering Transformation

2007-01-10T17:06:00.000+08:00

As I look back at 2006, I feel so much relief and joy come over me. There were so many things that occurred which really strengthened my resolve in God. I am thankful that everything happened as it is and I am trylu grateful that I surpassed it all.

Looking forward to 2007, I need to maintain a healthy balance with my God, my Family and my Community. I wish to maintain everything as smooth and tight as it can be. I am hopeful for this year because "transformation" was revealed to me last year. I am excited at how I will exude the mastery of it this year. To remain always confident in God's will over me and joyfully witness for Him as I continue on with this journey of passionately loving Him in my life.

The Journey To My Heart --- part 1

2006-09-22T14:37:00.000+08:00

Allow me to introduce to you my HEART.

My Heart is joyful, passionate and loving. These are the things that it lives for. It was broken in the past yet was mended back thru God's grace. It once thought that "Men are just cockroaches who deserves to be crushed" but then again, regained some hope through a few good examples. It certainly beats slowly when it is tired...of disappointments, frustrations and temptations to give up on people. It beats faster when its excited on a good challenge, trailblazing ideas that seems crazy and out-of-this world. It loves surprises, is excited about reinvention and gets a kick out of make-overs.

Just recently, it has received some painful beating because it fears that it will be betrayed once again. Yet God's grace was so great because it generously received a blessing by being renewed through the pain. It has regained its faith in forever.

Forever in its trust to God's perfect plan. Forever in its surrender to God's will each day.

Embracing Yourself By Releasing Your Fears

2006-09-21T14:50:00.000+08:00

Jonah and Jacob lay their beds, thinking.

“Jacob,” asked Jonah across the dimness, “are you ever afraid of the dark?”

“The darkness illuminates our fears,” said Jacob.

“How can darkness be a light?”

“It shows you your fears,” said Jacob.

“Then it is a trap!” stated Jonah, sitting up in his bed.

“We are the trap,” said Jacob.

“How is that?” asked the boy.

“ All of us have caught ourselves being afraid,” said Jacob.
“All of us, at some point, have taken our fears to bed with us.”

“But, Jacob, even you?”

“All of us take our fears to bed with us,”said Jacob.
“Especially when we grow up.”

“Then how do grown-ups ever fall asleep?”

“By remembering, ”said Jacob, closing his eyes, “that even our fears need their rest.”

Finding God's Best

2006-09-18T14:30:00.000+08:00

We are all changing persons. We never are aware of it sometimes but change happens. It is beyond our control already. We grow through the pain and the sorrow in our life. In my own, I used to wonder why the Lord abundantly blessed me with so much pain during the time when I was in college till I started working. I was so confused and frustrated, I always questioned God about it. Deep inside, I know that there is a reason...there should be.

The gift of community has blessed me immensely in terms of the support that I need to answering all these questions. I came to understand why I have to properly respond to God's call FIRST and follow his will in my life before I learn acceptance. I was restored thru the power of his unconditional love. The love that I felt thru my family, my brothers and sisters in the community and my friends. I thought I was healed.

Till recently, I just realized that I'm not yet completely healed. There were some things that I couldn't let go of. I have to learn to let go of these things to embrace what the Lord offers me. The Lord embraced me again with his comforting words. The kind that really calmed my doubtful heart.

The picture is now all clear to me.

Seeing Christ in my Work

2006-08-16T14:32:00.000+08:00

My work now presents a lot of possibilities...possibilities of my own choosing. It's not hard to visualize what was set out for me. The path was laid out and all I have to do is become steadfast and forebear the tasks. At first, it was a surprise when I chanced upon this opportunity. The work demands a great deal of focus, cognitive and visceral energy. There is also the human side wherein there is developmental work involved. That side is the best reality that this work offers. The ultimate beneficiary of all of my output are the children. That in itself as a solution to this country's pervading economic problem brings hope to the heart of every Filipino who longs for a brighter future. The future wherein we can have a child-friendly environment, where each child can grow up in a complete family who is nurtured with love and respect, who can be assured that neither parent will leave for a higher paying job overseas.

There is no perfect company. There is also no perfect co-worker. Each environment presents its own frailties and challenge. I arrived at a time when the standards were just being laid down and professionalized. I came from the private sector where the demands were high and heartless even. This new opportunity is my chance to honor my dearest Lord, my ultimate Boss. I am here to please Him thru the work of my hands and thru the voice of the Spirit in me. I am just a vessel of his great love for these people. I discovered a lot of characters and each one is God's unique creation. I'm willing to listen and accept each person bearing in mind that each can speak of a message that God has for me. It's based on a genuine discerning spirit that I would know of his truth thru each person.

Each task poses a challenge. The kind that is not difficult at all to hurdle. Last year, when I slowly learned again how to trust His will for me, I struggled thru it. When my cousin shared that she chose to be "vulnerable" to the Lord, I was struck and found it incredulous to accept. Last March, the loudest message given to me was to surrender. I was dumbfounded!!!. It was hard enough to trust then this?!. I just allowed it to stay in my thoughts not until it really seeped into my soul. When I consciously made the decision to love, to accept and to understand then everything just went so well. Since then, life was was one big joyride..with different personal and professional challenges presenting itself left and right. I can now rest in the thought that no matter how much I struggle or how difficult the situation may seem, I am not alone.

Face painting @ Sigla 06

2006-07-08T19:19:00.000+08:00

my heartfelt thanks to my good friend, Jinky Reyes...for making these kids feel truly special on that day thru her creative face painting...

god bless sis.. :-)

GIVING HOPE: Pasko sa Hunyo 2006

2006-06-28T14:37:00.000+08:00

Let me start by giving you these words from Mother Teresa..."When once a chairman of a multinational company came to see me, to offer me aproperty in Bombay, he first asked:‘Mother, how do you manage your budget?" I asked other people like you come to see me and say the same. It was clear God sent you, Mr. A, as He sends Mr. X, Mrs. Y, Miss Z, and they provide the materialmeans we need for our work. The grace of God is what moved you. You are my budget. God sees to our needs, as Jesus promised. I accepted the property he gave and named it Asha Dan (Gift of Hope).We started the year with a plan to give the kids something for this school yearwithout the budget for it.We've asked for your help and "YOU"responded. "YOU" became their budget.It's clear! God has also touched your heart and it made you extend whatever help you can.The kids accepted the school supplies with a smile in their faces and joy intheir hearts.In behalf of the Sigla kids, we would like to THANK YOU for your gift, your gift of hope..(",)

God bless all of you!

Lingkod-Alabang Social Action Team

Psalm 115:1marvin / winnie

p.s. my heartfelt thanks to my dearest friends.....jehan, anafe, ms. mariz, ms. una, ms. ging, ms. stella, ms. belle, ms. emily, ms. jopad, ms. grace .....you never know how touched i am with your support and love. Rest assured that I'm here for you always...i love you all & God Bless!!! ......carla :-)

What I Stand For

2006-05-23T14:50:00.000+08:00

LOVE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PERFECTION
A Personal Tribute to Hermann Gmeiner

“The quality of the care given to a child is more important than the perfect application of educational principles.”

In all of the fifty six years since the first SOS Children’s Village was founded in 1949, I was struck by how SOS has weathered each obstacle that it faced. It was more than the war that has beset Hermann Gmeiner’s time, it was the kind of war that was battled within him. Beyond human convention and conflict, he set out to pursue a seemingly impossible task. Relying on his own will and faith, he set out to start the journey what SOS is now.

“Don’t we all of us sometimes feel that we’ve missed an important opportunity, that we’ve been living without recognizing the true meaning of existence?.”

The purpose by which all of us live gives meaning to our daily life. It’s when we take this to heart that we make an impact to society. It is the sincerity by which we conduct our actions even in the most extreme circumstances. It’s easy to be jaded when we are tired and weary. Hermann Gmeiner made a difference by being relentless in his pursuit. His own brokenness led him to have the determination to reach out to children and make their world better. He personally invested in the welfare of others. It was not with much self-interest that he dreamt for a better life for each child. The world can be a harsh and lonely place for dreamers like him. His passion was fueled by his faith, which did not desert him all throughout his journey.

“There is no point in looking for perfection either in each other or in society as a whole, for perfection is not in the nature of man.”

Believers have a choice about how they will respond to life’s tempests. Either they can cast blame while becoming resentful and bitter, or they can turn to the Lord and ask, “What is your purpose?”. Since recognizing God’s purpose and plan is the way that faith grows. Hermann Gmeiner surrendered himself to God’s plan, thereby allowing himself to be vulnerable to all that society will cast upon him. He chose to surrender himself completely with insurmountable abandon to God’s purpose for him. There is no task too difficult nor too impossible for him to set out for, he just did it. It was more than his words. It was his actions that typifies the character who is solely after God’s heart. He was five years old when his mother died. He experienced for himself how a child’s world falls apart when he loses his mother. But he also saw what looked like the end turn into a new beginning. In providing homes for children who have lost their own he has given a spiritual home to millions of people who refuse to give up hoping for a brighter, better, more meaningful world. In the most powerful way that he advanced onto his vision, he refined and aligned them with the interests of others. He clearly demonstrated that the surest route to real success is by bringing others along.

“We must learn to trust one another, to support one another, to love one another. Love always outweighs human imperfections.”

Building truth is like digging for gold. If we find a tiny flake, we keep scratching around until we come upon another. That little bit keeps us searching until we find a chunk the size of a marble, and so on. As a result, our intimacy with God grows stronger. Hermann Gmeiner’s shining example of obedience is the path by which everybody can emulate. For God’s principles are the truths with which we build a righteous and joyful life. In so doing, Hermann Gmeiner truly made his mother proud.

“Love children especially, for they are without sin, like angels. They live to give us joy, to purify our hearts. Woe unto him who hurts a child.”

My Prayer For Each Day

2006-05-23T14:20:00.000+08:00

I CHOOSE LOVE
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness.
I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God.
I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I will live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world.
Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so.
Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray.
Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid.
And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS
I will go without a peso before I take a dishonest one.
I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse.
I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret my trust.
My associates will not question my word.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control.
I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ.
I choose self-control.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS,
FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL
To this I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks.
If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then, when this day is done,I will place my head on my pillow and rest

LINGKOD NG PANGINOON

2006-05-04T16:47:00.000+08:00

L – OVE IS GOD’S ESSENCE
I - NTIMACY TO HIM IS HIS LONGING
N – URTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM SO YOU CAN
G – IVE UNTIL IT HURTS
K – NOWING THAT YOU HONOR GOD AS YOU
O – BEY HIS COMMANDS FAITHFULLY
D – EVOTED TO HIS TEACHINGS

N – O ONE WANTS TO BE ALONE
G – O AND SHARE HIS LOVE

P – PURIFY YOUR MOTIVES
A – AND SURRENDER YOUR DESIRES TO HIM
N – OT WANTING TO GO BEFORE THE LORD
G – ENEROUSLY SHARE YOUR FAITH
I – NITIATE ENCOUNTER
N – EVER LOSE A MOMENT FOR THE LORD
O – h! WHAT A GLORIOUS GOD WE HAVE
O – h! WHAT A LOVING GOD WE HAVE
N – OW IS THE TIME NOT TOMORROW TO GO AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

by: Susan Vidal 01.15.06 @ Evangelization Training - Lay Force

The Requirements of Waiting

2006-03-21T11:37:00.000+08:00

Psalm 27:1-14 1The LORD is my (A)light and my (B)salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the (C)defense of my life; (D)Whom shall I dread? 2When evildoers came upon me to (E)devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they (F)stumbled and fell. 3Though a (G)host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be (H)confident. 4(I)One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may (J)dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold (K)the [a]beauty of the LORD And to [b](L)meditate in His temple. 5For in the (M)day of trouble He will (N)conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will (O)hide me; He will (P)lift me up on a rock. 6And now (Q)my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent (R)sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will (S)sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. 7(T)Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice, And be gracious to me and (U)answer me. 8When You said, "(V)Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O LORD, (W)I shall seek." 9(X)Do not hide Your face from me, Do not turn Your servant away in (Y)anger; You have been (Z)my help; (AA)Do not abandon me nor (AB)forsake me, O God of my salvation! 10For my father and (AC)my mother have forsaken me, But (AD)the LORD will take me up. 11(AE)Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a (AF)level path Because of my foes. 12Do not deliver me over to the (AG)desire of my adversaries, For (AH)false witnesses have risen against me, And such as (AI)breathe out violence. 13I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the (AJ)goodness of the LORD In the (AK)land of the living. 14(AL)Wait for the LORD; Be (AM)strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Waiting on the Lord is a basic principle in the Christian life.The problem is that doing so runs counter to our human nature.We want to take action and grasp what we desire, but the Spirit says to sit still before God and receive from Him. To counter what “self” tells us, God’s Spirit will help us grow in four areas.

Faith. On his own, man can make little sense of the command to pause before the Lord.Human logic says,“Surely God expects us to reason things out”; however, only when we regard life from a faith perspective will the benefits of stillness become clear.During times of uncertainty or great stress, we find comfort as we are quiet in His presence. The more we develop a strong belief system, the better we will become at practicing this discipline.

Humility. To counter our natural inclinations, we must be convinced that we need God and that we cannot live without His guidance. Only then are we willing to submit our lives and ourselves to His way and His timing.

Patience. This characteristic is essential if we are to remain in our present situation and refrain from taking action until God directs us otherwise.

Courage. When people second-guess our motives or pressure us to make a decision, godly courage is required. Through our practice of quiet dependence on the Lord, we will be able to stand firm.

Waiting on the Lord is not a waste of time; it is a declaration that God is in charge. Furthermore, it demonstrates a significant investment in kingdom work.Why not invest your time in this wise way?

Skills Needed To Walk By Faith

2006-03-13T11:53:00.000+08:00

Learning to walk by faith requires time. As we have seen, Abraham listened to God and obeyed Him. Then over the years, he learned to master additional skills.

Dependence. The Christian life is one of reliance upon God. From the very start, Abraham recognized that his own physical sight was limited; he didn?t know the way. But he understood whom he could trust to meet his needs: God knew the plan perfectly and had all the necessary resources.

Waiting on God. This can be one of the hardest disciplines to master. Scripture shows that even Abraham, the great man of faith, had trouble in this area. While human nature wants action, God often says, ?Be still.? (2 Chronicles 20:17) He wants us to let Him act first. Our part is to meditate on the Word, listen for God?s voice, and hold off until He instructs usto act. The Lord, meanwhile, promises to bless those who wait. (Isaiah 64:4)

Confession. Abraham was not perfect. When famine threatened, he headed toward Egypt, not toward God. Then he lied, which made trouble for others. Later, Sarah found it too hard to wait for the promised child, so she took matters into her own hands. (Genesis 16:1-3) We also will stumble; but when we return to the Lord in repentance and acknowledge our failure, we will receive forgiveness and can resume walking by faith.

God knows we are imperfect people. He will patiently teach us faith-walking lessons over and over until we master them. Success will come if we maintain responsive hearts and teachable spirits.

The Gospel of Freedom

2006-03-01T13:31:00.000+08:00

Galatians 2:20

20"I have been (A)crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but (B)Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in (C)the Son of God, who (D)loved me and (E)gave Himself up for me.

When I start my day Monday morning, the one event I am most excited about is next Sunday’s sermon. I do not spend the week preparing a speech about what I think. No, I share what God speaks to my heart and teaches me.You are called to do the same for people in your life.

The passion to proclaim Jesus Christ is born from the Christian’s conversion experience, but enthusiasm can fizzle unless we continue learning and growing in faith. We have no reason to speak about someone we barely know.Conversely,conviction about who God is strengthens the desire to share. We have the remedy for all of the world’s ills—Jesus Christ! What good have we done for the kingdom of God or for our unbelieving friends if we stay quiet about Him?

Jesus does more than simply save people from the penalty of past transgression; He frees men and women from sin’s power every day.When Christ was on the cross, God saw each believer crucified with Him so that sin’s allure was broken. That means we can say no to those things that enslave others.The Gospel message we are called to proclaim frees others and teaches victorious living.

Most unbelievers are trying to live smarter, find a purpose, and be happy. Believers have the secret to life from Jesus Himself: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from me . . . and you will find rest for your souls”(Matthew 11:29). This is too big a secret to keep quiet.Open your Bible and pray today that God would reveal a truth you can share with someone else.

Partners in Christ

2006-02-16T16:31:00.000+08:00

With Love.........

Put no demands on love, and love will bring you much. Give love away, and it will be yours in greater and greater abundance.

With love, what was weak will grow strong. With love, what was impossible becomes real.

Love can find the beauty and value in even the most desperate situation. Love will bring hope where nothing else can.

Though love cannot be explained, it can never be denied. Love has its own reality that transcends the most oppressive limitations.

Love elevates what it touches to a higher dimension. When love is present, fears are calmed, wounds begin to heal, and joy is gloriously within reach.

Love, not because there is a reason, but because there is the possibility. Love, and you will know what you cannot understand.

-- Ralph Marston

A Passion to Know Christ

2006-02-16T16:15:00.000+08:00

Philippians 3:3-12

3for (A)we are the true circumcision, who (B)worship in the Spirit of God and (C)glory in (D)Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, 4although (E)I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5(F)circumcised the eighth day, of the (G)nation of Israel, of the (H)tribe of Benjamin, a (I)Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, (J)a Pharisee; 6as to zeal, (K)a persecutor of the church; as to the (L)righteousness which is in the Law, found (M)blameless. 7But (N)whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of (O)knowing (P)Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9and may be found in Him, not having (Q)a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, (R)the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10that I may (S)know Him and (T)the power of His resurrection and (U)the fellowship of His sufferings, being (V)conformed to His death; 11in order that I may (W)attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already (X)obtained it or have already (Y)become perfect, but I press on so that I may (Z)lay hold of that for which also I (AA)was laid hold of by (AB)Christ Jesus.

In today’s society, “passion” usually refers to sensuality or sexuality. But the word’s meaning— an intense desire toward something or someone—can apply to limitless life arenas, including spirituality. Indeed, the one place passion ought to appear is in the believer’s life: we should fervently seek to know the Lord Jesus Christ who saved us. When we claim to know someone, we often mean that we’ve accumulated facts about the person or simply are aware of his existence. Unfortunately, too many Christians “know” Jesus Christ in this superficial way. He is the world’s Savior, the virgin-born Son of God who accepted death in our place and then rose again to sit at the Father’s right hand.Those are the facts,but collecting and sharing data points will not bring lasting satisfaction.Who is this Jesus that willingly died? Why did He give His life? The quest for these answers begins a journey to intimacy and true knowledge of Christ. By recognizing Jesus as our Savior, we are blessed with redemption and a basic spiritual relationship. But though we’ve gained heaven, we can miss the treasure of experiencing Christ as Lord. Few people will delve deep enough into Scripture and spiritual intimacy to claim Him as their life—as the One who makes believers complete. The apostle Paul was so intimately acquainted with God that he viewed his own history and experiences as trash when compared with knowing Jesus. If you want to thirst for Jesus as Paul did, only Scripture and your experience with Him can fuel your passion. Start by opening the Word and drinking Him in.

On Fellowship as Serious Business

2006-02-13T15:02:00.000+08:00

..here's an e-mail courtesy of my good friend Lori who inspired me to ponder on the great importance of truly embracing life thru good fellowship with brothers & sisters, friends, colleagues & family...in God's love..

A Cup of Coffee

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old University of Notre Dame lecturer. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the lecturer went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, some plain-looking and some expensive and exquisite, telling them to help themselves to hot coffee.

When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the lecturer said: "If you noticed, all the nice-looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the better cups and are eyeing each other's cups."

"Now, if Life is coffee, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."

"Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee in it."

At times I wonder....a lot of us go to a lot of parties or occasions where there are endless programs, decors, food etc. yet we fail to see the small intimate details that make it so significant. These are the things that I really look forward to. More than the destination, its the journey......every minute of it...the preparation, dress-up, prelude, carpool, touch-up...long drive...everything ....amounts to a lot lot more than we can think of. In reality, most of us are really preoccupied with our destination without acknowledging the steps that leads us to that. In these fellowships, we remember that we are blessed with relationships that strengthen us, most especially when we feel like we are just hanging on to a thread...that thread suddenly transforms into a strong hemp of a rope....that hauls us back on to our path...continuously thirsting for God's love in our life.

The Positive Power of Courage

2006-02-10T15:13:00.000+08:00

Joshua 1:1-9

1Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' [a]servant, saying,
2"Moses (A)My servant is dead; now therefore arise, (B)cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.
3"(C)Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.
4"(D)From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.
5"(E)No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; (F)I will not fail you or forsake you.
6"(G)Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7"Only be strong and very courageous; (H)be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.
8"(I)This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; (J)for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
9"Have I not commanded you? (K)Be strong and courageous! (L)Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

What do the following people have in common: Joshua, the Israelite leader; Daniel, the visionary; Jesus? 12 disciples; and the apostle Paul? Besides loving God, they all were in need of courage. Obeying the Lord required bravery?a firmness of spirit that could face crises without retreating.

Appointed by God, Joshua was to lead the nation into the Promised Land. Perhaps he thought,Who am I to follow in Moses? footsteps? or What if the people will not support my leadership? God spoke reassuringly to him three times, telling him to be strong and courageous.

Joshua responded affirmatively and built his bravery on two precious assurances.

Promise #1?God travels with us. The Lord pledged He would be with the Israelites in the new land, never leaving or forsaking them. In Hebrews 13:5,He makes the same promise to us. In fact, the Lord travels with us in a far more intimate way?through His Spirit living within us.

Promise #2?God goes before us. God promised to take care of the enemy before the Israelites arrived. They still faced battles, but He assured them of victory if they had faith and obeyed. Jesus has gone ahead of us to heaven with the spiritual battle already won. Our redemption has been secured,our place in God?s family permanently established, and our heavenly inheritance guaranteed. While our earthly trials continue, they are temporary.

If you build your life on these two pledges,then courageous will become part of your name.Why not try out how it will sound? Courageous _________.

SPIRITUAL JOY

2006-02-08T13:46:00.000+08:00

Acts 16:16-34

16It happened that as we were going to (A)the place of prayer, a slave-girl having (B)a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
17Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, "These men are bond-servants of (C)the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."
18She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I command you (D)in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!" And it came out at that very moment.
19But when her masters saw that their hope of (E)profit was gone, they seized (F)Paul and Silas and (G)dragged them into the market place before the authorities,
20and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, "These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews,
21and (H)are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being (I)Romans."
22The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be (J)beaten with rods.
23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding (K)the jailer to guard them securely;
24and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in (L)the stocks.
25But about midnight (M)Paul and Silas were praying and (N)singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
26and suddenly (O)there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately (P)all the doors were opened and everyone's (Q)chains were unfastened.
27When (R)the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about (S)to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!"
29And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before (T)Paul and Silas,
30and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, (U)what must I do to be saved?"
31They said, "(V)Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and (W)your household."
32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33And he took them (X)that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
34And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with (Y)his whole household.

Paul wrote extensively about spiritual joy, which had been tested and proven in his life through the “fires” of beatings, rejections, and arrests. As he sat in the Philippian jail, the apostle demonstrated what is possible for any surrendered believer: biblical joy through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

We can lose our gladness for several reasons:

1.Wrong focus. Paul and Silas were able to praise God despite severe trials because they centered on Jesus. Concentrating on our difficulties will cause delight to disappear. Refocusing through praise will bring it back.

2.Disobedience. Sin steals our joy because it separates us from the Lord.As we receive His forgiveness and obey Him, joy returns.

3. Regret.We crowd out gladness when we continue to feel bad about past mistakes and failures.Our Father wants us to believe that He forgives us (1 John 1:9). He also desires that we choose to live in His grace and move ahead.

4. Fear. Too often we attempt to live out the future before it has happened.With so much outside our control,we become afraid. Joy and fear cannot coexist.The Lord calls us to live by faith, asking Him to meet today’s needs and trusting Him with the future.

5. Someone else’s suffering. How can we rejoice when others are hurting? Romans 12:15 says we are to weep with them, but we are also to offer the hope of God’s presence,power, and provision. A downcast spirit is a poor witness for hope. (Psalm 42:11)

What excuse have you been using for your lack of joy? Fix your gaze on your Savior and let His joy become yours.

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

2006-02-08T13:32:00.000+08:00

In our daily grind...we aim high yet..we also stumble along the way. May this help those Christians in the workplace who continue to seek God's love thru their profession....

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you
worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't
happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does
happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time
schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough,
two are often too many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult
projects over time; don't lump the hard things all
together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concern. If a situation is a
concern, find out what God would have you do and let
go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a
situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards
for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an
extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps,
etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of
advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in
line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help
improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to
nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's
time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair
and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are
doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it
the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general
manager of the universe.

36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're
grateful for that you've never been grateful for
before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS
AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against
us?" (Romans 8:31)

The Butterfly Age

2006-02-06T13:07:00.000+08:00

I have here quotes from the book "Reaching for the invisible God"

"Love and accept the present moment as the best with perfect trust in God's universal goodness" "I take everything without exception as God's action in the sense of asking what I can learn from it and praying to God to redeem it by improving me" Be blessed in Jesus Name!

Bro, Thank you for this....it pretty much sums up the chapter of my life now....to just let you know....that when I experienced one of the most painful let downs in my life...my friend told me...Carla, you cannot just stop living your life because all the happiest memories that you've had are with this person...because you can CREATE MORE HAPPY MEMORIES....and I have created a mural out of those....this is one of the affirmations that means, I'm just on the right track...truly amazing really. ;-) am looking forward to life's fantastic & greatest adventures.... take care, carla --- MarvinMendoza@astec-power.com wrote: Brilliant string of moments Each thought you think builds your character. Every action you take creates your life. The small moments and the big occasions all go into the person you are. The public expressions and the private secrets all weave together to form the fabric of your life. Every moment counts, because every moment serves as a starting point for the moment that comes next. All those details, the ones you can't recall and the ones you can't forget, have brought you to where you are now. Every moment counts, and that can be a terribly burdensome curse or an amazing blessing. It all depends on what you do with those moments from here on out. Even when no one is watching, what you do still matters very much. Even when it seems that there is no way forward, moment by moment you can surely make your way. Choose to give your very best to this moment, right here, right now, and keep on making that positive choice. For there is no limit to where your life's brilliant string of moments can lead. -- Ralph Marston

THIRST IN HOUSTON

2006-01-17T16:22:00.000+08:00

(...shared this YM convo to brothers in the community last 12/15/05)

share ko lang sayo bro....this was like...a few minutes ago....my friend is trupnay629. :-) we knew each other since I was in grade 2. she just came home from work...i think its 9pm there now...in houston. ----------carla

trupnay629: hi there

fieryfeistyholic: hello there!!!...its exactly 10 days to go b4 xmas!!!

trupnay629: yup...m still not done with my shopping

trupnay629: how r u na?

fieryfeistyholic: ....am gathering materials for my xmas blog

fieryfeistyholic: am ok...daming lakad this month...did u check out my friendster?...

trupnay629: i sorta browsed it but haven't really had the chance to read the blogs

fieryfeistyholic: every weekend halos....fully booked!!!

trupnay629: That's good...Believe it or not I'm still working

trupnay629: although I'm home na

fieryfeistyholic: weddings, outreach, parties, dental-medical mission, gawad kalinga

trupnay629: u know we have gawad kalinga happenings here too but they're all linked to CFC/SFC

fieryfeistyholic: weekends lang un...weekdays syempre work, small dinners & parties.....the feast....hay naku...

trupnay629: must be nice to have that kind of social life...mine i work, work, and more work

fieryfeistyholic: really?..that's great!!!...what ru doing? ru involved or just a spectator?

trupnay629: I usually hear about it from my friends that are CFC members. I tried joining SFC but it just wasn't for m

trupnay629: me

fieryfeistyholic: if ur happy then why not?....ako naman....just want to live my life to the fullest...just want to glorify God thru it all...and not waste the blessings that I was given.

fieryfeistyholic:time will come that God will ask me how I lived my life...and I don't want to look back with remorse or regret....just the satisfaction that I made a difference...that I left a mark.

trupnay629:I know...that's why I so envy you coz u can do that. Although you've really inspired to be closer to God and start to really talk to HIM again.

fieryfeistyholic:that I gave my best ...in all the relationships that I was in....

trupnay629:I don't have the time just yet to be involved in anything outside of work but I do find myself enjoying times alone with HIM

fieryfeistyholic:everything is possible thru him. kailangan kasi gustuhin mo...bago may mangyari.....u have to want it so much.....you can taste it right at the tip of your tongue.

fieryfeistyholic:that's a start!!! ...good!! :-)

trupnay629:there's this radio station that I always listen to now coz it gives me the solemnity that I crave. It's a christian station and I simply love it. I don't even change the channel on my car radio anymore.

fieryfeistyholic:....but of course, bear in mind that when you start deciding to follow him, the road would be really tough....coz the enemy won't be happy...and will tempt you,to dissuade you from your decision...

fieryfeistyholic:...and you will have to carry your cross along the way....it won't be easy....

trupnay629:yes I know that...all I really want for now is to find inner peace and wellness with HIS help.

fieryfeistyholic:U just have to continue trying....just stick to what u desire....in your heart.....everyday...yearn for it...and yield to it....

trupnay629:Once I find that I'm sure things will get tough and I'm gonna have to really try not to lose it again."

fieryfeistyholic:Allow HIM to work in your life....you have to open the door...empty yourself of all that hinders you....confess your sins...coz that will hinder you as well...

fieryfeistyholic:Empty yourself...and allow his grace to enter your heart..

trupnay629:that is actually one of my goals before the advent is over. I need to hit the confessional and just open up.

fieryfeistyholic:I have this blog in friendster...its one of my YM conversations with my cousin...wherein we just realized God's great love....its entitled...Supercalifragelisticexpialedocious......read it!!

fieryfeistyholic:you better....that's good girl....step by step.....

trupnay629:I will. I'll read it before I go to bed. Really thanks for the inspiration. My mom thinks your transformation is beautiful. She's jealous too.

fieryfeistyholic:I have a public blog: www.sabbathparty.blogspot.com. You're free to post there....

trupnay629:Ok.

fieryfeistyholic:really? bakit nakita ba nya pix ko?

fieryfeistyholic:siguro kasi nga...am more at peace now.....kasi I know that God loves me so much...he died for me.

trupnay629:Yup, I showed and told her how you did it and she's amazed at the bloom that she sees in you.

fieryfeistyholic:everyday naman...we also die to ourselves...to give way for others diba?

trupnay629:Sabi ko nga sa kanya, siguro kung nasa Pinas ko I'll be right there along with you.

fieryfeistyholic:and that's when I'm amazed because I see how God works....iba talaga sya....suave lang eh....but he really makes things happen"

fieryfeistyholic: The Best really comes to those who joyously wait....

fieryfeistyholic: In our Season of Grace, God will allow us to bear much fruit for Him....that we may glorify him and be transformed by his love.

trupnay629: I absolutely agree :)

fieryfeistyholic: ...between now and that time...God's perfect time...when I will attain my heart's desire.....I am in my season of grace.

fieryfeistyholic: ....and this is a great opportunity for me to pay it forward....coz he wants my undivided attention, my prime time......

fieryfeistyholic: ...and the struggle continues...lahat tayo meron nuon...we struggle with our weaknesses....but of course..there's a difference between TRYING and STOPPING....

trupnay629: definitely

fieryfeistyholic: when you serve...and pray...not all the time that you win....a lot of times actually..you lose...yet you try...with complete faith....kasi ang importante...lumalaban ka...diba?;)

trupnay629: yup

fieryfeistyholic: ...at ibibigay nya sayo yung gusto mo....basta its according to his will. He has a great plan for you...which is above your own plans.

fieryfeistyholic: Prayer is the heartbeat of Lingkod.....O:-)

trupnay629: honestly speaking, I stopped making plans na. I figured if HE wants me to have what I desire I'll get it. If not, then HE has something better for me.

trupnay629: Well guess what, duty calls. I've gotta give my nephew a bath. It's past his bedtime na and gising pa si kulit.

fieryfeistyholic: o sige...miss you as always!!!

fieryfeistyholic: i love you!!!:x

trupnay629: i hate to end this chat but Alen wants Andrew in bed shortly.
Chat with ya again later. Miss ya sooooo much talaga. I'll read the blogs later. I love u din. Chat with ya again later. Miss ya sooooo much talaga. I'll read the blogs later. I love u din. :x

I SECOND THE MOTION

2005-12-14T11:21:00.000+08:00

Point Taken from Ms. Patricia Evangelista

I am in awe of this young lady, when she sparked a debate…on paper that is….in her PDI column –Rebel Without a Clue. Her argument – There is no single standard for the “right way” to be involved.

This column just figured into one of my quality time with my 16 year old / youngest sister. She asked me.. “Ate, ibig ba sabihin nito, pag pumasok ako ng UP, automatic nang magiging aktibista ako?”. I answered her “ Syempre hindi, you still have a choice. The best thing about being in college is being able to exercise that choice, and having the pleasure of seeing where that choice will lead you. Its an arena where you can fine tune your decision making skills. Of course, it would greatly help that you have a solid set of values behind you and a well grounded faith to guide you.” I also added..that I’m proud of the fact that she has a strong mind to fight for what she believes in and she won’t forget, first and foremost, the main reason why she is in school….that is, she is supposed to study and learn from her lessons & experiences. That is what’s urgent and important…everything else is nil. Of course, overhearing this conversation was my mom & dad who gave their 2 cents worth of opinion on the matter. They said, that they admire Patricia for her courage in having this concern out in public because they both are very concerned about how the youth of this generation are thinking. That she represents the vibrant set who is free and who is not yet jaded with her views. That she presented her ideas in a well- organized manner was good enough because it was clearly understood…most especially of the academic set…which is her main target.

It is but ideological for these professors to dictate on to their students how they can exercise their opinion. They are the vanguards of learning within that institution and they should be responsible for that power and not abuse it. Change can occur in this society if people will support each other and not adhere to the crab mentality. Being intimidated with other people’s ideas is not a productive way towards the global mindset. Change should start from within us.

They can start by looking at the mirror and asking the person that they see…the all important question, “Are you ready for change?”

My DG My Delight - Part 2

2005-10-28T10:23:00.000+08:00

there are a lot of things that i am thankful about.... :-)

first and foremost....to my wonderful DG sisters....you truly blessed me with so much more...i can always look back at our CLP with the fondest of memories....

this divine bond won't be possible without the all encompassing love and support from our DGL's....

my heartfelt thanks!!

My DG My Delight

2005-10-27T16:55:00.000+08:00

These are my DG sisters from my community...Ang Lingkod Ng Panginoon (Alabang). We were really exhilarated and happy because we just finished all of the talks which bonded all of us together.

LIKE A STRAWBERRY PEACH PECAN....

2005-09-20T17:45:00.000+08:00

i know that, there is only one person in the world who can remember this title, and on what exact occasion did i use this. in this case, allow me to say that, in this case, it symbolizes how sweet it is to stand up for the things that you believe in.

it is not as easy, nor difficult either. :-) it is a matter of course, of duty to myself. its definitely a nice feeling to arrive at, that i particularly understand where i'm coming from.....and where i'm going. its a peaceful thought, to rise above a situation....unscathed....unblemished....by jaded thoughts, reckless actions and unmindful words. its so easy to say that, I CHOSE YOU. :-)

that when i stepped out, basking under the gloomy skies and scattered rains, i realized that, i'm really blessed....with good friends, with a strong sense of purpose. life goes on....and i just continue on where i left off....and i had a wonderful and productive night ahead of me, wherein, i was able to accomplish great things, things that i never thought possible.

i miss sister pet, the art people, the cozy interiors, the moments at meteor garden, midday walks to ministop, chika minutes.., seamless and meaningless pop-ups, wall push-ups inside the ladies cubicles, my sponsors, associations, personal e-mails in the form of quizzes, my pc w/ butterfly, damaso, 3stooges etc.. THIS IS A CLASSICAL CASE OF A CAREER MINI-STOP, where the train has to re-fuel and realize that....there will always be the unhappy people who deserves a lot of prayers because, it can't be helped.

to whom is my loyalty? to God first and to myself second. :-) my blissful wishes to everybody....

1st Quarter of Fulfillment

2005-08-26T15:34:00.000+08:00

Another one of my eureka moments....when I heard one of my sisters talk about how life is...that its composed of 2 periods...the period of preparation & the period of fulfillment. And I say....wow!! I am so over with the preparation stage.....and I am now so engaged with the road to fulfillment!! I just found myself the other day sending an e-mail to my cousin...telling her that our life is and will just be as exciting if we never cease to discover what it can offer us...it remains to be as colorful given the gamut of emotions and the roller coaster ride that we go thru everyday.....I for one celebrate it by waking up each day thinking....that I should prepare for it by dressing to my part...the part that says....Yes Lord!! I'm ready when you are!! :-)

TO DEAREST PETRA AND DAMASO....
You make my journey more colorful & worthwhile...I feel so enamored with our intellectual and creative exchange. Life is so damn hilarious with you two around. :-) I feel so blessed having found two crazy "damsels" in the world dominated by sneezy wichikels & snazzy cheverlies....but hey!! I don't really regret being crazy when you're around....I simply love it!!! hahahaha!!!!

TO MY DEAR SWEET...
My heart breaks whenever I think of you leaving us....I will truly miss you darling...well, that's why I'm looking forward to our business together...I don't want to worry about you when you're far from me ok? :-) and pretty please!! ....e-mail me the pictures of us. :-)

TO MIDDAY WALKS TO MINISTOP...
There has been...no store yet...that has captured so much of my imagination and ....survival as this store. I can't survive my day not thinking about going there and...buying fortune cookies?! eeewww.....its more of bringing back my sanity for the rest of the day as strengthening my bond with my tag team....

Sabbath Party

my guilty pleasure ***double wink!*** haha! :))

my secret pleasure **wink!**

Points of View by Joey Albert

My Terrific Morning

Posted by: "Michelle Robles"

Wed Oct 6, 2010 9:41 pm (PDT)

Posted by: "Tina Bulchand"

Wed Oct 6, 2010 9:59 pm (PDT)

Posted by: "HCMI PADER, Audine P."

Wed Oct 6, 2010 10:30 pm (PDT)

Posted by: "Lourdes Grace P. Daluz"

Wed Oct 6, 2010 10:45 pm (PDT)

Posted by: "benefrida"

Thu Oct 7, 2010 1:06 am (PDT)

I wish to be Married

if I will wish well...

of new discoveries and finding joy in the now

Excited to praise you!

where presence is a gift

10 Weight Loss Tips That Work in One Minute or Less

Lord, please help me in my Doubt

Celebrate My Birthday Book Project: Fundraising on the Book Publishing about Norlie Maniego

Fitness Junkie Tips

A 12-Step Program to Eating Healthier Than Ever Before

The Building Blocks of a Super Healthy Diet (with a sample meal plan)

Five Simple Exercise Programs for Beginners

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

How to Make Exercise A Daily Habit

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

4 Simple Steps

my lenten fast

I BELIEVE by Yolanda Adams (from the movie "Honey")

My Loving Delay

10 day countdown to V-Day

Free to Love

ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES...that I basked upon God's love thru Lestie

waiting in silence

Hard at Goodbyes

Believing that 2010's My Year

where madness and insanity meets

When everything's up to pace and my heart's at a standstill

phenomenal woman

still i rise

WOMAN

My Regenesis

for 2009...please allow me to pray for you

perfect end and amazing beginnings

Prayer of Abandonment by Charles de Foucald

Multiplying Love

The 8 Stages of Life

READY. SET. GROW.

Calayo Summer 2008

TRUE INTIMACY

The Balance Between CLOSENESS and DISTANCE

One with my One True God

Return To Love

THEME FOR 2008

The Mary Season

Excerpt from FOR THE WOMAN WHO IS ALL WOMEN --- To All Those Who Are Working To Create A Better World...by Paulo Coelho

TAKING A JOURNEY

10 Ways To Motivate Yourself

From the Inside Out

On Dependence...Dying to Self

Musings of Czar in SMS (part 1)

Mastering Transformation

The Journey To My Heart --- part 1

Embracing Yourself By Releasing Your Fears

Finding God's Best

Seeing Christ in my Work

Face painting @ Sigla 06

GIVING HOPE: Pasko sa Hunyo 2006

What I Stand For

My Prayer For Each Day

LINGKOD NG PANGINOON

The Requirements of Waiting

Skills Needed To Walk By Faith

The Gospel of Freedom

Partners in Christ

A Passion to Know Christ

my guilty pleasure double wink! haha! :))

my secret pleasure wink!