FAITH OR FEAR?

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Somebody out there, I know, is struggling with worries, problems, hurdles, challenges and is close to teetering on the so-called 'edge of the cliff of hopelessness'. Life, as we know it to be, is not all sugar and spice and everything nice. Sometimes it can be bitter and ugly and everything bad.

People react to this in a diversity of ways and means groping, stumbling, falling ... but amazingly rising up again and punching back at life even harder than before. Why? Because people are tough. It's in their DNA.

These make up stories of courage, strength, sacrifice, diligence, responsibility, hard work, sorrow, sadness, fear, hope, disappointment, misery, and the fighting against all odds scenario of life. I know; I have my share. But who doesn't?!

But whatever the things people go through it can never be denied that faith plays a huge role in their lives, be it in a small or great measure.

Faith, too, as many would agree is not easy. It can't be bought, haggled for, blackmailed into, coerced, forced, faked, pushed or pressured.

Faith is ---- your understanding of your God. And your response to that.

Be of good faith. The God you trust can be depended upon.

Have a blessed Sunday, friends!
God bless you.
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(Thanks to the internet for these wonderful images of magnificent inspiration.)

----- YET YOU'RE NOT DONE GROWING

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There's an advantage in having or rather living close to the street. In fact, my patio is just about a few feet away from the road. That's how the residences are constructed in my subdivision area. Not complaining because it works to my advantage as it provides me with a vast source or inspiration for the writing. People, particularly, with their human quirks and uniqueness, make for a rich deep well of interesting thoughts, ideas, observations, and learning.

So one day while watering my thirsty plants on the patio two middle-aged ladies sauntered down my side of the street engaged in earnest chatter. In their unhurried pace easily I could hear snippets of their conversation trailing down to my ears. Also because Pinoys have this not-always-pleasing-sometimes-irritating habit of talking in very loud voices I wasn't missing anything at all.

Lady 1: ..Uyy alam mo bang si Selya ay kumuha ng cooking lessons? Ayun, twice a week ata ang class niya. Komyut pa siya puntang Makati para lang diyan. ----- (Hey did you know that Selya's taking up cooking lessons? Commutes to Makati for her classes twice a week.)

Lady 2: Ano ba! Pinag-aaralan pa ba yang pagluluto?! Aba eh sarap na nga yang puchero niya eh. Walang tatalo din sa kanyang lech flan. ----- (What for?!.. she needn't take cooking lessons! Her puchero's superb and her leche flan's unbeatable.)

Lady 1: 'Sabi niya marami pa daw siyang dapat matutunan sa pagluluto. May balak yatang magtayo ng carinderia. Tapos restaurant din balang araw. ----- (She said that there's so much yet to learn. Plans to put up a carinderia and perhaps a restaurant one day.) - A carinderia is a small local eatery in the neighborhood selling and serving food.

Lady 2: Ay ewan, aksaya lang yan ng pera at panahon! Yang si Selya oo, di na makuntento. Tsaka, tanda na niya para mag-aral pa noh! ----- (Gosh, that's simply a waste of money and time! That Selya has never learned to be content. Besides she's too old for that.)
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And the rest of the conversation trailed away as they walked farther and farther from my house.

That got me thinking.................

Tell me, is it really a waste of time to seek further growth.. improvement.. development.. more education?   Should one be content with what he has achieved this far?    Does learning have to stop at some point in our lives?   Cannot one build new goals, ambition, or dreams?   Or perhaps pursue old ones that yet haven't found its day?   Does age have to stop you from learning?

Well, while going through my old files I found this one (though how I wished that I knew who wrote it) and probably is the answer to those questions.........

"NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU THINK YOU ARE -----
YET YOU'RE NOT DONE GROWING." 

Have a great Sunday, friends. Don't let anyone stop you from reaching for the stars. God bless you.

(Big thanks to the internet for these wonderful images.)

BE OF GOOD COURAGE AND BE KIND

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Life is not all fun and stuff. You know that. I know that. We all know that. There are the times when you wished you were somewhere else... perhaps the moon or mars!? I do. Particularly when people come into my space without the slightest good intent. Oh yes, the world is made up of both the good and the bad. A famous writer (whose name I forgot now) once said that "..... a person has both the good and the bad in him and he is defined by the choices he makes".
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Okay, following that line of thinking -- then when that person who with all of his sanity and humanity chose to be mean to me -- therefore he is a bad person. On the other hand, another person who chose to be kind, sympathetic and helpful to my plight -- therefore is a good person. And then when I want to bash into smithereens the head of the bad person and reward with kindness the good person --- I am then both good and bad. Simple lang noh?!!
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But... I chose not to be bad in my responses to such situations; I wasn't raised that way. Besides I believe in a Divine Presence who sees everything and gives to every person according to what he or she deserves, both good and bad. So there!
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I have learned so much from Mom. She was all-patient, forgiving, generous, tough, resourceful, long-suffering, but of such staunch faith in her belief in the Divine whose fairness in all things can be depended upon. The results she may have expected or prayed for may have come not promptly as she hoped for but her faith always was proven right. God has His ways, in His time. I saw that in her life. I was made sad though that she didn't live long enough to see her vindication. But I was glad that God honored her faith. In all things.
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I have loved this from the first time I heard it from the movie "Cinderella" ---- "Be of good courage and be kind". That movie now is among the very top on my list of favorites.
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It reminded me of Mom... the story of her life. Courage in a tough life and kindness of a heart which knew how to understand.
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Never mind the bad people and things and stuff which come into your life. But choose your responses to it. Your responses will define who you are. And.. God sees what people may not see nor understand. That is sufficient.
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God bless you.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS

---- A pet dog loves you for whoever you are... whatever the color of your skin... the race you belong to... whoever you pray to. It don't matter if you are blind... crippled... deaf... mute... single, married, divorced, or betrayed, brilliant or intellectually challenged.  It won't matter if you feed him steaks or food scraps. Your anger or ugly mood won't stop him from loving you. He follows you everywhere you go, content and happy in your company. He won't leave you not even for the slightest reason or whatever his mood is. He is happy when you're happy; sits close beside you when you're lonely and blue. He protects you and your home from strangers, rushing to your aid at the slightest sign of threat. He has no issues with whether you are rich or poor..... a high and mighty king or a lowly street-sweeper.  He doesn't care a hoot if you are the CEO or the janitor of the company. Those things mean nothing to him. All he knows is that he loves you --- and that's forever!!
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If humans could do those things, too....... Imagine how good and wonderful this crazy world of ours could and would be!!
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Meet Maxi, my adorable companion (shown in picture). I love her, too .....and that's forever, too. And in case you would wonder, more canines and felines have made our home their home, too. Ain't that just crazy?!?!
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Enjoy a great weekend up ahead, folks. God bless you!!