MAKE THE CHASE MORE PRODUCTIVE

"You will recognize your own path when you come upon it, because you will suddenly have all the energy and imagination you will ever need." -- Jerry Gillies
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I remember young hopefuls I’ve interviewed for a job before. As I listened they tell me of their frustrations..... that they have so many plans, so many dreams, and yet never seem to know which one is the right one for them. Confused and bewildered they keep on hammering at a wide range of choices believing that the right one will eventually surface and that somehow things will break and they will hit gold. Well, maybe and maybe not. I’m not convinced with that method.
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It’s not always smart to spread yourself thin over a wide range of prospects.... quite unthinkingly. 'Suntok sa buwan' as a local phrase calls it. Besides that will wear you out faster than you can ever recharge yourself after. Pretty soon you will find yourself simply dragging your feet from one place to another with nothing much achieved. That’s a candidate for frustration and disappointment and a waste of precious time and talent – one which you can’t afford to lose.
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On the other hand, I have seen others take on a well-thought out and planned approach. They start out with a well-defined and definite sense of self and purpose..... equipped themselves with the proper education and training..... studied their prospects..... sorted out those which they believed will be a sure fit. They don’t bother with anything which would not fill the criteria they have set down. In such a way they succeed to narrow down the choices to the best of the crop. (This is what employers do, too) Once this has been decided, then and only then do they gear up for the pursuit and journey. Armed with a clearer vision of who they are.... what they have and.... what they hope to achieve thus the chase becomes more productive.
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Amazingly, the required enthusiasm energy and imagination needed to see it through did spring out or burst forth in unexplained measure. Sometimes even surprising one's self. And further down the journey the same enthusiasm energy and imagination would gain even greater momentum as the goal becomes closer and closer to one’s view and reach. This serves to affirm and confirm that you are indeed on the right track.
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Think. Plan. Hope. Believe. Execute.
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"Start believing now that we can be who we are." --- (Anon.)
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God bless you and your dreams.

PEOPLE -- IS GOD'S BUSINESS. FAITH IS OURS.

Today, January 13, Sunday, is a wonderfully sunny day over here.

One time not so long ago, we three friends were walking down the mall and one friend remarked.... 'haaayyy di na maubus ang mga tao sa daan..' (endless stream of people). The other looked askew at her but in jest said... 'pag walang tao sa mundo, wala nang trabaho si God' (literally translated, 'without people God won't have a job'). Well, that somehow managed to calm down the irritation of the other because they were now good-naturedly laughing their hearts out.

But she's right... people is God's business. The caring, comforting, consoling, guiding, guarding, forgiving, saving, providing, healing, managing, the coaxing and the reprimand, and the loving --- that is God's job description. And HE loves HIS job because HE's got lots of love to give. And anyone who does that kind of job must be very much in love indeed. HE is LOVE.

So why still do we worry and fret about what's next, what more to accomplish, difficulties to overcome, and about tomorrows? Simple. That's who we are.... 'O ye of little faith'. You and I, them, and plenty of others more.... we can't help but worry. We do that repeatedly over things we don't understand and even on those that we do. And God -- that's something we don't always understand. Right?

We worry in small measure or big, in the silence of our hearts or openly with our hearts splattered all over the place, alone or in the company of fellow-worry warts, in weakness, and sometimes even in strength.

Whenever the day makes me worry, (oh yes, there's plenty in the day and in life to worry about, we all know that don't we? we do that everyday every chance we get)...... I run to these .... Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd... Psalm 91: The Lord is my refuge... But essentially to this    JEREMIAH 29:11 ...

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I WILL BE FOUND BY YOU," says the Lord.
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If there be contradictions to life vs. His word, that is NOT His fault. It's us --ourselves- who create or form our lives by our thoughts, words, and deeds.. good and bad. Know it or not but we receive or block blessings by the strength or lack of FAITH. It's all there --- the spiritual power is ours... the blessings are all there ready for our taking... 'the yoke is easy and the burden is light'. That is His promise. Why is it so hard to believe that?!

FAITH. Learn it... unlearn that which destroys it... relearn to remember it. That, incidentally, is our job description. Let's try to do our job well day by day.

Hope you're all having a pleasant and blessed weekend.
God bless you all!

BELIEVE

What am I saying, am having enough problems believing that myself. It's hardest when the chips are down or when future prospects seem bleak or when doomsayers say that our world is wildly spinning round and close to tottering out of control.

But you know what... I must believe or I will simply go nuts with this wild crazy world of ours. I must believe that there is hope, courage, faith, goodness, compassion, fair play, honesty, love, truth, trust, kindness, integrity, talent, professionalism, justice, and ... believe that people everywhere do really care about our world - mother nature - and of each another.

I will -- believe. Even if prices go skyrocketing high pushed by greed and materialism, I will believe that good people out there will band together and lend their voices to reason and right. Even if justice is misused and mismanaged, I will believe that the rule of law will catch up sooner or later. Even if wrongdoing, cheaters, power, wealth, beauty and fame are idolized out of proportion, I will believe that not everybody adheres to that point of view. Even if politicians manipulate the ignorance and poverty of the small man of the streets, I will believe that a hero will rise and champion the poor and underpriviledged. Even if they say that the good won't survive our world, I will believe that the good will prevail no matter the obstacles placed in its way. Even if friends tell me that I am wasting my time being nice cos people are generally bad, I will believe that people deep inside are basically and truly good. Even if we have our differences, I will believe that we can always find a common ground. Even if my dreams are frustrated and shattered now, I will believe that I can dream again another time. Even if they tell me that I can't be this or that nor do this or that, I will believe that I can be anything I want to be and that everybody has talent and potential. Even if they say that there is no God, I will believe that He is there or better yet right here in my heart.

And even if our world looks bleak and dreary and that the year that passed staggered heavily weighed down by so many troubles... I will believe that this NEW YEAR could be better because many do still care enough to make it better.

A HAPPY PROSPEROUS AND BLESSED NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!

FAITH IS WHERE THE BIGGEST BATTLES ARE FOUGHT

I need not go far to write bout this subject. This is right on my turf. It’s not that I have become an expert in this. Rather that I have fought so many battles on its front. If I were to sum up the whole of my life I would do it in just one word --- FAITH. Because that’s what it was then, is now, and always will be tomorrow and thereafter. It is how I connect with people, family, do my job, and manage myself. And I look to the universe believing that it would do what is best for me arranging the odds and ends of my blotched life so that it would make some sense to me at least.

Now you probably wonder, if faith is already there so then where would the battles be fought in all that?

The battles fought are in trying to keep the faith.

Those times when the pricks and thorns of life hit us at every turn, when people we trust suddenly are unkind and betray us, when we stand correct and yet still be misunderstood, when we are beaten down on the ground and nobody stops to pick us up, when we lose our fortunes homes family and then friends suddenly are nowhere to be found, when opportunities are nil and we stand on flimsy chances, when our health fails us and strength slowly ebbs away, or when our own thread of faith slips away and we begin losing faith in self --- these are the battles where faith is put to the test. Or maybe it should be said this way --- these are the battles where a person is put to the test. Sometimes when things get so rough and tough and there’s nothing or no one in sight to help us stay on track… faith fizzles out. That’s when we need a good boost quick. And where will it come from? From that tiny voice from within which says that all is not lost. And that all that’s needed is to set our gaze unto heaven and there we will find help and refuge. Yes, it’s that steady flame of faith – the mustard seed of faith just waiting to be summoned to the fore of our lives.

Faith is never lost. Because faith, I believe, is always there inside the person. But alas man is more often unable to summon faith when and where needed. Always it’s a struggle with rousing that tiny bit. Maybe it’s because we have so little confidence in our selves or we don’t trust our fellowmen enough. Maybe we’ve been wired to believe only those things we can see, touch, and hear. Maybe we don’t fully understand our God? Maybe we aren’t truly convinced that He can do something with so little? Sometimes even with nothing at all. Are we not often coaxed to muster up faith even the size of a mustard seed? That shouldn’t be hard to do, right? It’s only a teeny weenie size of faith and not a huge dramatic portion to bring forth our prayed for desires hopes or dreams. It must have been us being referred to with these words ‘O ye of little faith’ –thus spoken in utter frustration but by a very patient God. Wow, He sure loves us so much to put up with our foolishness and stupidity.

I am that stupid fool too but I have learned through my battles that I can’t live without faith --- Can’t go around disbelieving, not trusting, not hoping nor ignorant of possibilities that could happen anywhere anytime with anyone or anything that’s out there just waiting to be tapped or called forth to serve its purpose in my life. Faith is here simply within me in the core of self lit like a small candle in the dark… steadfast in its glow, unbending undimmed. It’s all up to me then to bring it forth and make it shine. So can you.

So then let it shine --- in all of our days, on everything we touch with our own lives, with every little word that comes out of our mouths, or every new thought born in our brains. Let Faith illuminate the space or every nook and cranny of our being… drench our souls with its sweet fragrance. Henceforth let’s make this faith ours – and a worthy offering to a patient loving merciful God.