OBSTACLES - THAT'S LIFE TOO

🤓True, isn't it? And we thought that life would only begin after we have graduated from college, landed our first job, settled down with the right person, acquired that long awaited for position, possessed all the trappings of wealth, built our first house, and other things more which get us into a dizzying frenzy. And when we do.... we discover that time has run out on us, that we have lost our youth, that we have missed and too messed up on things which are more and most essential to life and living. We have heard and too have been told that so many times by our elders but we never would listen. We think we know better.
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Through the years I have learned to understand that the only true measure of true success is how you have grown as a person --- one who is created for a definite purpose. By God's design.
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When God wants you to do something for him... he enables you to do it... thus your talents or circumstances or situations, even the struggles. So it's not just about striving to achieve a good life for self. It's all about being the person after God's heart through it all. Life and living happens through it all.... the good and the bad. You are the whole package meant for one goal.
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Offer HIM your best. Learn to see your life through God's eyes. Because we tend to be quite shortsighted more often than not. Trust him to give you the best life you deserve. Trust the ONE who knows more about you than you would ever know about yourself. Life is what you make of it under God's guidance.
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Blessings to you.

GIVING YOUR DAY-YOUR LIFE YOUR BEST IS THE RULE OF LIFE

🤓Giving your day-your life your best is the rule of life. No matter who you are or where you are or whatever it is God has given you in small or greater measure. Tiny or huge, that best is not meant to be hoarded.. but to serve the world. Because life is not all about you but for the greater glory of God. Live it by divine design. ⚘

You may be the richest person in the world...or...its poorest but each is meant to help the other. And it's not always material. Something is always there to push you in that direction - divine mission.⚘

This is one world. One people under ONE GOD.⚘

Blessings, everyone. Have a great Day. 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.🌹

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."

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

 

 

 

 

 

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

A FAMILY IS NEVER PERFECT - BUT IS GOD'S PERFECT GIFT TO US

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Just got back from my early morning walk. Actually, it's already 8morning now and I consider that quite late for a morning walk. The Philippine sun is already out from behind the mountains of Antipolo which does not entirely contribute to a comfortable cool walk around the village. Plus the fact that the village dogs are already out on the streets also getting their morning exercise.... vocals and paws. Maybe next time I will have Scruffy my pet dog along to ward off these pesky four-legged bullies. Now that seems to be a good idea!
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This weekend that passed was spent in the lovely home of my daughter and her husband. It was a pleasant stay made so by the couple ... the loves of my life. Another love (youngest daughter) was there with me and another love (oldest daughter) stayed home with the pets and a much deserved me time. That is smart. We all do need ‘me- time’. I do. Yes, four loves of my life. My family.
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Old folks say that you can’t choose your family. Some families tell of dysfunction within the home which cause so much pain and heartache to its members. Others add to say that you only get the family you deserve. That could perhaps also be true. Everybody is a story and has a story for us to listen to – tales of happiness and woe. And, life being what it is, shall continue to send us lessons for our learning. Much of these lessons are learned in the home with family.
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Mother said these long ago….......... ‘A family is not perfect. It never is. Because each one (in it) is a different person... of different temperament... is shaped by its own acquired set of experiences- insights- perceptions… with his or her own good and bad… traveling his or her own road… and creating his or her own life story. In the natural nurturing order of things, they will expand or develop and in that process increase becoming finally their own person.... one day by Divine design.’
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Now we know why God created families. It is the perfect environment for growth and the only thing that can bring this about is … love.  Where else in this big wide world can this great love be found... but with and in the family.  It's the greatest love of all. Truly God's perfect gift.
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God bless all the families in the world!