YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO YOUR DOG

When dog and its human hug… 🤗💖

Humans have a lot going on for them …. Job, career, travel, hobby, recreation, book, movies, clothes, gadgets, vacations, house and home, family and relationships, goals and dreams. Plus many others more he can create himself. 

Your pet dog does not have all these. All he has is ---- you. You are his morning, noon, and night. You are his world. You are his life. Each day of his life (about 12 canine years) revolve around you. He adores you with hugs and dog kisses and doggie eyes. Follows you around the house. Obeys your every command, except in his playful moods which is every day! Protects you from strangers with a growl.. the fiercest, at least this side of town. He senses your every mood and feels your feelings, too. My Maxie, in my solitary moments, would jump up the sofa and sit so close to me placing her head on my lap. It never fails; love is the healing balm to the soul. And dogs know how to give it. Sometimes I think dogs are angels in disguise.

Your pet dog looks up to you for tons of love, care and affection.. for protection from harm.. for comfort in times of sickness.. for food when hungry.. for a nice warm bath whenever he’s dirty.. for company when he’s feeling lonely, too. You’ll never know just how precious your hug or petting means. When you bring in a dog into your home, he now becomes family.

You – yes ordinary puny human being you – mean the world to her. Sabi nila baligtarin mo ang 'dog'.. g-o-d.

Now you know why.
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REST AND BE THANKFUL

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I always meant to write every week. But it did not happen. Although the willingness to write is there and the words come piling up into my head. But 'have to admit that it won't come out and be written. So then, what was holding it back, you may want to ask.😊

Simple. Times when all you want to do doesn't happen because something else other than what you planned to takes dominion over it. And that something else isn't even of mind-boggling importance. Weird but it's there. It could take you through a day or two.. or even a week or weeks. But you stay there in that moment and just simply... be.

Mom once said to me --- "You get such days when things are not what you want them to be. But there they are staring you in the face. It's not because you did something wrong or you need to do things right. It's more like an intermission or a break or similar to a director telling his crew to 'take five'." 

Well, she further added --- "..don't fight it. Don't even try to be brilliant and devise ways and means to get over it. It might give you the feeling or impression that life is standing still. Strangely. It seems like it yes.... and yet for a reason."

"What reason?" I asked. 

"You'll find out soon enough." she smiled knowingly.

Mom was right. To cut a long story short, I got more from my break than what I could have gathered with my brain working on double-time. And I saw a lot more things to be thankful for.

It works different from person to person. Depending on how you perceive life to be. But it certainly benefits the mind, body, and soul. 

Take five, people. Rest. Embrace it. Thank God for it😊

God bless you.

THE WORLD AWAITS YOUR LIGHT

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"There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." --- Edith Wharton

Stumbled on this quote while cruising down the internet. Yup I have seen this before. In fact, several times. And I think 'have used it too in one of my blog posts long ago. But it never grows old. The message holds true now as it did back then.

It's a choice ....
the candle or the mirror?

Perhaps someone out there may be wondering 'what is this light all about?' Well, it isn't totally meant in the spiritual sense. Some shy away from this task. I know. It is a personal thing between you and your God. But a bit of it cannot harm anyone or yourself either. Yet when we speak of 'light' there is always a connection to the Divine.

What it suggests is sharing the basic goodness of man. It is being that person we were designed to be in the first place. It is doing the things which promote or build peace, happiness, harmony, understanding, courage, faith, compassion, respect, responsibility, consideration, cooperation, generosity, kindness, and other tools of goodness and benevolence towards others and the world.

It is bringing forth this goodness.. your light.. to others .. to our world.

Nope, it need not always be in a grand or grander scale. But it has it uses, too. Rather it can be the simple ordinary things in the daily flow of life done extraordinarily well with your personal stamp of good. Reaching out to a single person or a greater number are both the same in the same spirit of the light.

Either way carries the light to the world. Thankfully it does. I remember mom say....... "Be that light where you are. Grow where yo u are planted. Use your God-given gifts. With a diversity of ways and reason laid out for you. Bring that light to one another .. to the world. It's all by Divine design."

But tarry not; we don't have a thousand lifetimes. God bless you.🌹

ORDINARY IS SPECIAL IF PASSED THROUGH THE HEART

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I don’t quite remember who said this…. “Ordinary is special if passed through the heart.” Or maybe I simply forgot to write down the name. I found this quote on a small slip of paper as I sorted through old files intending to remove stuff which no longer serve its purpose. It’s regularly done to keep files down to the minimum because I don’t have much space to hold things and stuff in the house. Having the penchant for taking down notes or anything worthy for the writing (done 24/7 anytime-anywhere-anyplace), I would say to you yeah indeed ‘have gathered so much to fill up several plastic bins which have made our limited store room space its permanent home. So before the room explodes to the rafters like a paper bomb, I might as well make serious effort to trim it down to manageable levels. Thus the frequent sorting.

Now back to the quote…..

It made me think…..

Firstly, several things are rendered or labelled ‘special’. Those could be experiences, moments, things, possessions, places, and people. Maybe a particular song which brings back lovely memories every time it’s played on the radio. Or maybe there’s a particular brand of car which you hold dear to your heart because it was your first car bought with your own pay check. Or you consider this particular person a very special friend because he or she has stood by your side through thick and thin through the years. Or you simply can’t make yourself discard this sweater which apparently has seen better times because you wore it on your first date. 

But have you thought about this, it’s not really the thing per se which makes it special. Although some things are regarded special by some people for its artsy design, high monetary value, or being itself exotic and rare. 

A song is just one of many thousands composed... a car one of several brands on the market… a friend one of dozens in a select group you’ve bonded with… and the sweater one of three items you wear to fight off the cold on occasions. Just the ordinary usual familiar everyday things in our life journey. Which usually are commonly ignored or taken for granted. They're just there.
Until…..
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..These things pass through our hearts ...touching it ---creating experiences, milestones, moments, memories. We are made happy or sad by it. But each time we would respond to it too…with our hearts.
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That, in any language, makes it special. Very special.
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Have a lovely weekend, friends. God bless you. I SEE you. YOU are special.

DIVERSITY IS ON THE BLUEPRINT OF GOD’S CREATION -- That's You and Me and the rest of mankind

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A good friend of many years was ranting on the phone apparently pissed off by another friend’s behavior. She sounded hurt and angry. But to know what to say to her I had to get to the bottom of it first, I had to ask why. Well, if she called me then she would be willing to tell that much, right? And so I asked.

The gist of the problem was that the other friend didn’t respond positively to my friend’s dilemma as the latter expected her to. To cut a long story short, the matter wasn’t thoroughly resolved as I had found out later as emotions were still running high on the emotional chart but at least she left our chat with a few things which perhaps and I hope would help shed some enlightenment or learning.

That can be quite a problem to many of us. We each deal with the world and with life through our own eyes, understanding, and perception. We heap on a lot of expectations on a lot of things. That’s the human way as we’re often told. We see the world and people as we are and not through somebody else’s eyes. Now that means there are millions of --'as we are'-- out there colliding in this same world we all share. But diversity in our world is an interesting and wonderful thing as it lends color to our existence. Imagine without it how boring life can be.

Yet that can also create a problem or two when it runs against individuals who are typically diverse in character and personality, when they unexpectedly find themselves in an unpleasant situation one day. Like my friend had just experienced.

All around us every day we see a continuing exchange or interplay of everything that is human interaction.. such as diverse situations, personalities, experiences, events, dealings, connections, relations, associations and even so much more. We get so involved in it. It can be quite overwhelming sometimes and can drain the senses down to low... very low. Thus our coping engine will and would sputter or gasp or maybe even breakdown. But as human flaw would dictate it we would lash out in the only way we know how...through our emotions. I know because I do. And experience tells us that in most cases it’s an easy formula to fail.

And so I have learned that life is not always about me. Nope, it’s not about you either. It’s about us... trying to live this life in the best way we can, individually and collectively, by truly learning to understand each other....you have your own mind, beliefs, preferences, and conditioning as I have mine, too. All is valid. Embrace differences as we embrace likeness. Peace in the midst of such diversity can be beautiful, too. That's worth trying for, don't you think so too?

Diversity... One of God’s special talents. Beautiful, isn’t it?

Here's something I saw online..... to quote (no author mentioned)
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"If you feel hurt, angry or upset at the actions of others, realize that every individual is acting according to his own mind, with its prejudices, beliefs and conditioning. Each person would have acted that way even if it were someone else instead of you. Thus, do not take their actions personally."

Unquote.
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Have a pleasant and blessed weekend, everyone. God bless you all.

STANDING IN AWE OF LIFE AND EVERYTHING IN IT

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Back at my laptop again after an early morning's walk.😍
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This morning's walk took about 30 minutes around the village up and down the mountain.... seeing green trees swaying to a mild refreshing breeze .... hearing the chorus of chirping birds, roosters crowing, and dogs barking their morning greetings.... and walking the streets that has seen its good days and bad (so much like life aye?). Of course couldn't ignore the flowers blooming their brightest from several gardens in the neighborhood. Each looking like new everytime I pass through the place. Amazing! Everything under a huge canopy of spotless blue skies. The bluest of blue -- it never fails to take my breath away.
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And ... rounding the bend I come across my good neighbor who lives about three houses away from my house. Probably in his eighties and a really kind friendly person. We chatted though but briefly as I had to take my leave to finish my walk while he was already at the tail-end of his.
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It is in moments like this that you stand in awe of the total tapestry of life. The birth of new plants and buds .. and the decay and withering away in its own allotted time. Everything is and has its own place and time. Same way in the world of humans.
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Everything in its whole and in its every nitty-bitty detail points to a magnificent Creator. One who is aware of our comings and goings. One who is constantly there for us. Who continually loves us, sinner or saint, unconditionally.
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Yup, and that includes the gorgeous smile of AJ as  he saw me coming in through the front door.😍
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Have a great and blessed day, friends. Pay kindness forward. The world needs plenty of that. God bless you.

BACK IN THE WRITING GROOVE AGAIN

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Sometimes writing becomes a struggle between ‘will I’ or ‘will I not’. Yet it really doesn't take much (as anybody would know that) if a bit of passion goes along with the writing. It comes easy when you love what you’re doing. As in other things whether that be cooking, singing, dancing, acting, playing an instrument, traveling, reading, teaching, painting, and many more. Not even a hundred horses or a thousand can take you away from that, right?

Yet sometimes too I can think of three good reasons NOT to write….

Top on that list ----- the absence of an idea for writing or in more romantic terms – an inspiration. Some call that the writer’s block. There may be dozens of ideas churning inside my head but nothing seems to stay still long enough to make some sense of it. That’s why inspiration does play a great role (to my mind at least) because it is able to sort out things and knit them together to form a better-understood-whole.

Secondly ----- the excruciatingly hot weather makes it impossible to sit on the chair longer than I can say the word ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’. And I don't even know if I spelled that correctly. My butt’s on fire more often than I want it.

Thirdly ----- there’s something I’d like to do too. Have you an old pair of jeans lying somewhere inside your closet? I do. So why not sew a bag out of an old pair of denim pants. Yup an idea that caught my mind when one day I saw that I had about 3 or 4 worn out denims lying inside the closet for ages now. Since ‘tote bags’ is another passion, I decided to put the denims to better use and at the same time find out if Mom's creative sewing talents rubbed off on me. Been toiling at it on certain days... the measuring, cutting, and the final sewing – by hand and not with a sewing machine. I have a portable sewing machine here but I prefer not to work it. You see, I'm bad with machines although I have managed to drive a car before. I hope that counts. Well, the bag is now ready with only the zipper and the handle to attach. Now I'm figuring out how to do the zipper because it looks like a tricky thing to do on a bag. Or maybe use Velcro instead of a zipper...... hmmmmm... (Took the photos below of the finished items for you, ladies, to see that you can do it too.) 😃

But there's a fourth one ----- Oh well, it's got something to do with great movies and TV shows – if there's a good one in town my family and I go see it. Too on television there's The Voice, CSI, NCIS, The Good Doctor, Hawaii 5O, MacGyver, CNN Philippines (and our local news too), Discovery channel, How'd They Do That, Amazing Race, Ellen DeGeneres .. And all those other interesting stuff like reruns of great movies (old and new) which gets your eyes glued to the box. And along with that perhaps a nice cup of coffee, or maybe iced tea, then again a lemonade, or some ice cream and chocolate cake while sitting on a nice comfy couch.... and too have your family around you.

And a fifth one ----- read a book! Oh never mind if it’s an old one, if it’s good I will take it down from my tiny library and read it again. And again if need be. There’s The Purpose Driven Life, 1000 Stories, Tuesdays with Morris, Dare To Fail, Laugh Again, All I Really Need To Know I learned In Kindergarten, Jacob the Baker, The Alchemist, The Aladdin Factor, Traveling Light, and other books too that didn't make the best seller list but are just as engaging to read.

 

So maybe what I'm trying to say is there's life outside the writing and blogging. And truthfully, I'm saying that I'm having the best of both worlds. The writing gives me so much pleasure indulging in such a rewarding activity with the added bonus of wonderful friendships found in that journey. It’s a good life and creates my greatest of blessings. Huge thanks to the Big Guy upstairs.

I guess it would be alright to say that with this post I'm back into the writing groove again after a brief hiatus. Love to be here with you again, lovely people. Sending you big hugs and generous blessings from the heart of God. ❤️🌹

LEARN TO APPRECIATE. BE GUIDED BY YOUR HEART.

 

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Was just sitting on the couch listening to the birds chirping merrily outside my window as a brilliant sun shines ever so brightly and I would presume will be expectedly hot in just a few hours or less. The weather man says it will be the hot season setting in by the middle of the month. Well, it's being felt already this early. But happily with this fine morning comes the wind rocking the tops of the trees. Now that is just the perfect foil to a hot day! Or if not, it would at least dilute its inconvenience to many.

Well, I'm waiting for the morning TV news to come onscreen. There's a lot going on in our time. I'm not political; I'll leave politics to the politicians. But I'm curious just like the rest of you. And we have our own individual views on every matter. All good. Free country.

Sana lang, we try to focus more on the positive. There are a lot of good in our lives, the people, our country if we just look hard enough. The universe says nothing is all bad nor is it all good. There's always a balance there.

"In Chinese philosophy and religion, two principles, one negative, dark, and feminine (yin) and one positive, bright, and masculine (yang) whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things." (Thanks, Google)

Every person has his or her yin and yang, too. We each interact with that. It shapes our relationships, our perceptions and beliefs, our likes and preferences, our choices. We are attracted to certain qualities in a person because it pretty well aligns with our preferences in character and personality. On the other hand, we distance ourselves from what we consider obnoxious in others because it does not ride well with what we consider good.

I remember this being said by Mom long ago.....

"Learn to appreciate. Be guided by your heart."

She spoke in general terms, she meant to appreciate everything. Nothing specific such as beautiful expressive eyes.. long silky hair.. poise and personality.. firm muscles and a fit body.. intelligence and wit.. money and position. Although, she added, that those have their own places and reason in our world.

She taught me a lot, in essence she meant -- "Appreciate all that is in life, the diversity it brings to you, both the good and the bad. Each are there for a reason. And if you're smart you will understand that it's there for you. Each is destined to play a role in your growth, progress, development. Nothing happens by chance or by accident. For that you should be very appreciative and thankful. Because you have all the help you need to grow.

Life is not a leisurely cruise down the boulevard. If it were, you would have certainly missed a lot. And have nothing worthy gathered on your plate.

See with the eyes of your heart. And appreciate its purpose in the bigger tapestry of your life. Appreciate everything around you... life, things, people, nature. And if you're with people family and friends, say it -- speak it -- tell them that you appreciate them. Now. Don't wait till the end of their lives to tell them so.

Remember nothing is all good nor is it all bad. But it's there for a definite purpose and reason. Appreciate what it does because without them you wouldn't be standing where you are right now.

All by Divine Design."

DON'T FRET OVER THINGS YOU CAN'T CHANGE

 

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I have been through a lot in life and this I'll say I could have been better off if I had learned not to be overly anxious, be a worry-wart, or be intensely wanting to change those things which basically I had no control over. Things which would not budge the slightest no matter the push, nudge, coaxing, or persuasion. Things which I thought would improve or be better off with my 'genius' (a human frailty we're all known for, one of many, also called ego) or influence. But then such effort would predictably only lead to mere frustration, disappointment, irritation, and anger, I learned soon enough.

Mom, I remember, watching on the sidelines (whenever such situations would arise) would simply smile quietly knowing me well as a hot-bed-of-lava in temper erupting with the slightest provocation, good or bad. The reason why my kid brother and I had our frequent spats in the house, mainly my fault. But love was always there; Mom made sure of that.

But I grew up and shed off layers which I finally realized didn't serve me well. Life, after all, is all about learning.. unlearning.. relearning. Mom made sure I didn't forget that too, of course.

I'm singling out these lines which I have stumbled upon while cruising down the internet. To quote....
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"In business or in life, focus on the things which you have control over. Don't fret over things you can't change or influence, no matter how you try. Things you have no control over. Because it probably was meant for somebody else --- a path for him to handle or cross, his (or her) learning, milestone, success or downfall. So do you in your own journey." - Unknown
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Does that make you think? It did to me.

Have a great day, folks. Make today matter with your best. God bless you.

FOR THE MOUTH SPEAKS WHAT THE HEART IS FULL OF

I'm resurrecting an old post done a few years ago. It's for a dear old precious friend. Just chalk this up as another lesson learned. This principle was taught me by mom. Here it is....

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Was cruising down Fb's Timeline, just watching a part of this great humanity go by in this little corner of the social media world. It's a huge crowd going to and fro and certainly leaving their footprints, knowingly or unknowingly, on the internet forever. No delete... no erase... no taking back. So be careful what you do on FB.

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Went further down the bottomless (or so it seemed) timeline page and stumbled upon this..... "Stop destroying your own life with your own words." ---Joyce Meyer.

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Now that is interesting, isn't it??

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Made me stop in my tracks. Made me think. So just what are those words which make us self-destruct?

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Hmmmm...let me try mention a few, for instance when we say.........

'Mamalasin ako nito ah!' (This is bad luck for me.) -- 'Masisira diskarte ko nyan!' (This ruins everything for me.)-- 'Nawala na ang pagkakataon ko!' (I lost a good chance there.) -- 'Ang hirap naman umahon!' (Tough to get over this slump.) -- 'Hirap maghanap ng trabaho.' (So hard to find a job.) -- 'Sino ba ako?!! Isa lamang hamak na bubuwit laban sa kaniya!' (Who am I?! Am just a small fry to theirs.) -- 'Bobo ako eh!' (I'm dumb! or I'm stupid!) -- 'Tinatamad ako!' (I'm feeling lazy.) -- 'Wala akong pera.' (I'm broke.) -- 'Na-depress ako.' (I'm depressed.)

Familiar to you, right? Many more out there being said unleashed without a thought.

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Amazing what we do to ourselves... just by the mere words that we speak. We can create our good and our bad by the words that come out of our mouth. Try listen to a person to what he says and you will know in good measure what his thoughts are. And those thoughts speak from the contents of his heart. It first begins in the heart.... and then the thinking follows..... after-which those thoughts spill out of the mouth Whether with self (self-talk) or with others. The potential is all there to build up or put down.... to create or destroy.... for good or for bad whether self-inflicted or upon others. The power of our words.

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'Garbage in, garbage out'... that's what a computer does and it all begins with what we put into it. And these verses come to mind, same principle with what God says to us......  "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." (Luke 6:45).

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And we do know, following that line of thought, that Somebody up there tells us ...... 'Whatsoever you shall sow, so shall you reap.' --Galatians 6:7

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So maybe we should be careful with our words. Same with the heart and the mind.

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Thoughts of blessings to you, my friends. Be blessed and stay blessed.

 

 

 

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