That's our pet dog LuckyB, one of two in our home. Adorable actually, loves chest rubs.
😙Fiercely protective of his family. And loves bread.. 
Bloom where you are planted. -- Not everybody may be given grand or
perfect lives. I think that's for a divine reason. Imagine a world of
perfection...no growth, challenges, experiences, adventure, surprises.
Neither would there be the I-ME-MY-MINE of life and living.
Disappointing, won't it be? It would just be all the same... bland and boring. Yup, everybody is like you and you are like everybody else. No diversity of thrills and achievement.
I've read somewhere that we are not supposed to aim for perfection.
There is none on the planet. But there is this..... excellence!
The essence of life is to be the best you can be with who you are-what
you are blessed with in talent and skill. There is no excuse for being
so-so. I believe that God gave man his talent for a purpose. The trouble
is we tend to ignore our own potential and gifts. At the same time
admiring those who bring out theirs.
There is a diversity of
talent showered on people. Everybody. None exempted. Believe it. Rich or
poor, young or old, schooled or not, whatever your race..color..or
creed, good people or bad people. Yes, the latter have it too. God does
not discriminate.
But it's all up to us what to do with it. Right, it's a choice.
I believe that God didn't put us in this place, individually or
collectively, just to live mediocre lives. Mediocre meaning -- of only
ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate:
Neither did He give us our gifts just to hoard it or keep it inside.
Nope, that's not the plan.
His intent is two-fold as I
understand it to be. First, is using those talents to serve our needs,
growth, and development. Secondly, is using those talents to serve
others with - to encourage, to help, inspire, comfort, to bless. We are
one even if we live individually and separately.
So how do we do that?
Talents differ. We can be.... kind, respectful,
hardworking, generous, compassionate, thoughtful, giving, considerate,
persevering, courageous, strong, friendly, supportive, loving, does not
discriminate, unbiased, positive towards life, defender of the weak,
creative, of shining faith and hope, fair and just, caring towards
people and nature,... and so .. so much more. You may even surprise
yourself.
Giving more or being more is your gift. Honoring and serving your gift with the best you can be with it is... excellence.
Bloom and Grow where you are planted.
God bless you with so much more beyond measure.
--------
Remember Mr. Quote Man? He sent me this quote this morning in email. -----
"It is not enough to be very good if you have the ability to be
great." ---- (Alberta Lee Cox) "
.
"Pwede na" -- is a Filipino expression said in a negative tone and
meaning. It means 'that will do'. But that does not always have to mean it's
the best job.... the best effort.... the best work.... the best performance....
the best idea.... the best plan.... It could mean that the person saying this may be simply so much in a hurry, has a
deadline to catch, is impatient, is angry, doesn't care at all, or maybe --
just ordinary in his perceptions.
.
The word mediocrity comes to mind. Mediocrity is
defined as -- not very good, ordinary, average, middle-of-the-road, uninspired.
.
"That will do" would reflect on the task
performed, on the person who did it, and on the person evaluating it. As a
friend said 'misery loves company' and further added that mediocrity plays on
the same even playing field of incompetence and being ordinary.
.
I saw this scene on local TV in a sitcom.... a
mother chiding her daughter with this ------- 'Wag kang makuntento sa 'pwede
na'. Alam kong merong kang ibubuga.' - ('That will do' is not acceptable. Because
you can be more!)
.
Maybe we should teach our children to see
themselves as .......... able to do so much more, able to be the best, able to
shine bright and even brighter, and to believe in their own talents - skills -
abilities - and potential.
.
God does not create junk. Every living creation is
special - two-legged or four-legged ... An obra maestra! There is no mediocrity
in God's creation.
.
It is only man who thinks himself less and small...
when he is so much more, when he can be so much more! By God's design.
(Thanks, Mr. Quote Man, for the quote.)
You have seen this picture of the street sweeper before, so with the
quote by Martin Luther King Jr. below; so have I many times. But it's something we need to be reminded of
so often. We need to see this again and again and again until our eyes drop.
Because we always forget. We consider life as a ... let me see..... a pizza pie!
Oh yes... we crave for it, relish it, and then when sated forget about it. Then
one other new day the craving comes back, again we indulge, and then forget
about it... again!
.
But Life is something else unlike a pizza pie.
.
Life is so much more and it deserves even so much more from us. And that simply
put means ---- hard work.. seriousness... dedication... diligence...
brilliance... creative juices... intelligence... and whatever else a man would
do with his best talent and all.
.
Here's what I heard Mom say to my kid brother one day long ago; that day when
he wasn't feeling in top form and the stuff he was supposed to finish didn't
meet Mom's scrutiny. In short, tinatamad!
.
---- "Don't allow this 'that will do'- attitude (in Tagalog.. 'pwede na')
to take you down the steps of mediocrity. You can't and shouldn't be content
with only a half-hearted effort or simply just about one-third of your energy
or just put in a so-so performance. Nor leave a task hanging in mid-air just
because you don't feel up to it. Be firm with yourself. Give it your best shot
whatever the role you are made to play in life or asked to do at work or at
play. Being mediocre isn't in God's dictionary. In fact, God created plenty of
opportunities for you to become better or the best. No argument to that. So
temper your moods with discipline. "
.
Well, brother had it coming to him just because his inspiration suddenly fell
flat. But he listened and went back to the task with firmer resolve. The story
ended well and I learned much that day. There is no midway to excellence.
Discipline will get you there. Mom was a stern teacher not only in her
classrooms but much more in her home.
.
There is no excuse for mediocrity. There are no small jobs or big jobs.
Excellence covers it all. We are tasked to be......
.
----- the best mother or father to our children ...the best son or daughter to
our parents, the best teacher or student, CEO or a clerk, vendor, policeman or
soldier, doctor or nurse, caregiver, maid or janitor, priest or a nun, journalist,
composer, painter, writer or poet, businessman, carpenter or laborer, professor
or scientist, messenger, busboy, waiter, saleslady, politician, or a friend. Or
other roles and tasks life presents for us to do.
.
Martin Luther King Jr. says it superbly.......... to quote
.
"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even
as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote
poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth
will pause to say, --- 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job
well." ------ Unquote.
.
God expects us to do a good job. Always. Blessings, everybody
