How Do We Welcome Each New Month In Our Life?

          November 2, 2013, Saturday- just seems to be another ordinary day for everyone....yet if you would like to check this out, this day is  the 2nd day of a new month, November. Are you aware of your own dynamics when it comes to welcoming each new month in your life? Or are you just like any typical person who seems not to care exactly what day or month of the year is it?

          Are you full of enthusiasm to start a new month? Are you full of regrets that you feel as if you did nothing special on the course of last month? At several stages of your life, you tend to measure things up either they're positive or the contrary by means of their consequences in your life. Yet if you take a closer look, a thing to become either positive or a negative is also a relative one. In fact, this could be different from one person to the other. What might be positive to you could be totally negative to the other person or vice versa. 

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geralt  /  Gerd Altmann

          No matter what, the important thing is that you are happy and contented on every move that you take. As months go by, you also need to move on with your life. Leave all those worries behind as you embrace a new and a fresh start with the entry of another month. All the while, you will realize that life is a constant journey and to be triumphant on its every phase, you must learn to face all its trials and successes openly and squarely. 

Good luck everyone to this new month.

                                            

MY DAILY INSPIRATION

          Our household community recently held its regular get together. And the last time we met, it allowed me to renew my self and gain further strength to go on with life. My fellow brothers and sisters were so enthusiastic to share their own moments with their loved ones. Hearing all of these, I came into a realization how marvelous life is. Being with loved ones and with friends are favorable circumstances that enable me to go deeper of myself and look back if where am I leading to in my own journey.

          Having said that, I know beforehand that my time is spent positively unlike when I will merely spend it to just stay it in idleness thus allowing me to just dumb myself with nonsense things. I admire the sincerity of my brothers and sisters in our sharing for this openness allowed me to have a deep understanding of themselves and of myself.

imagecredit:By Danilo Rizzuti, published on 19 April 2010

          Treasured moments like this are nevertheless imprinted in my heart and when I go back to my own self, this will serve as one experience that I can recall and extract strength. "I gain my strength from my husband and he does the same. Yet at one time, I realized that it is actually from God whom I am getting this real strength to face this life's struggles and trials"- Thus came one of the realizations of our sister in the group. While listening to this, I continued closing my eyes and inaudibly murmured to myself, "she is not alone in that predicament for that is exactly what I'm doing in my own trial stages". 

          Yes, everything lies in my God. He is my  main source of strength aside from my family (wife and little boy). Knowingly or unknowingly, He consistently guides me into the right path. To boot, He draws everything in me. Without His guidance, I am nothing.  "In Jesus, and through the relationship He offers me, I find my hope…He is my strength — my peace, my purpose and my power.:-Sylene Mack- president-Transformed by Grace community.  Thus, I offer to Him everything in my life-my joys, my treasures, pains, aspirations etc. Going back to our community, I am so grateful to have encountered the bond of friendship with these people. And as we proceed with our respective journeys in life, may the guiding hand of our Divine Creator continue to inspire and mold us into persons whom He wanted us to be.

                                                         

POSITIVE EFFECTS OF YOUTUBE: POLITICS, CULTURE AND NEWS

          Every single day, I read the news on the internet and view videos on Youtube. And at times, I say to myself that with all these modern technologies and wonders that we have today, we are becoming closer to one another- a very positive thing. And I observed that since the evolution of Youtube in 2005 until this time, enormous amount of influences have been imparted to all viewers and count me in as one of of those. Specifically for the Philippines, my home country, I would say that Yuotube has much impacted the world of politics while culturally also, it has emerged as one of the top influences when it comes to promoting the Filipino culture. Then next the area of the news reporting which for me, came as least affected among those areas (politics, culture) 

imagecredit: By Stuart Miles, published on 24 July 2012
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          Though I am now based in Australia yet I keep myself updated with what is going on in my country.Youtube videos showed how the Philippines emerged as the top economy in Asia this year.To put a further meat on the said comment, more Yuotube videos explcitly showed why the Philippines through the initiative of the president, Benigno Aquino Jr., was able to outgrow other performing economies in Asia. And it is such a source of joy to learn such accomplishment when I am far away from home that my country is performing positively amidst the present crisis in other Asian countries.  

          With regard to the Philippine culture, Youtube also brings a lot of help in its promotion since through this site, one can view and comprehend the various cultures of the Philippines which makes it a unique country. Eversince its occupation by the Americans, Japanese and finally by the Spaniards, it has made efforts to free itself from all those influences. The country did not stop to regain its freedom and continued with its own development. Thus today's social media becomes such an effective tool in spreading the vastness and richness of the Filipino culture.  Meanwhile, as seen on Youtube, the country again made world news when Megan Young, the country's first winner of the recently concluded Miss World pageant , made every Filipino proud. (reference 2)

          And going now to the least affected by Youtube in my country, I would still claim that Youtube's news reporting contributions are relevant for they enable viewers to own updates on the daily events all over the country. What made Youtube news relays more atractive to the viewers comparing to print media are the accompanying videos and footages that happen during the actual event. Thus just by acquiring access to the internet and viewing Youtube, any Filipino or even non-Filipino then becomes aware of today's happenings in the country. (reference 3)

          To end, I would say that since the beginning of Yuotube in the early months of 2005 up to this time, much has been evolving in the world of he internet video. As Robert Kynel puts it, "There's a lot of work to be done....."- 

(Reference 4)  ((http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/16/120116fa_fact_seabrook?currentPage=all)....hence with his words we can expect for more surprises and developments in the internet tv world-Youtube.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl_PSHXAqq8- Philippine Politics
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7iwmL13B0c- Philippine Culture
3.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoO3mAKqvpQ-Philippine News
4.  “It’s certainly not going to be easy,” Kyncl said of the new venture. “There’s a lot of work to be done, to make sure this works. But, as a friend who just landed a job at one of the networks said, ‘At least you guys are swinging for the fences. There are a lot of other people who are just sitting around and watching things happen.’ ” ♦- Robert Kynel- senior officer of Youtube.(http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/16/120116fa_fact_seabrook?currentPage=all)


                           
                                                        

LIFE IS A CONTINUING EDUCATION

          As I proceed with my life journey, I tried to reflect on past events of my life then realized that it is as if I am reading a book- in fact, my own book of life. With such reflection, I am so glad to be a participant of this life journey. Each day as I wake up, new learnings embrace me and they assist me to go on with my own personal development.

          Furthermore, I know that there is no limit and boundary over learnings. It only takes one's commitment to participate consistently in this journey that will make a consequent difference in his/her life. One noteworthy in life is when we share our various giftedness with each other. As you and me go on with our everyday learnings, we grow the more when we exchange life's wonderful stories.

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          Allow me to share with you this wonderful quotation, " Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is."- Isaac Asimov. I totally agree with Isaac in this sentiment of his. As I enter each day, I start to learn new things that contribute colors to this journey. Many people have joined me in this journey, first and foremost my wife Yanyan and our little boy, Kurt and I am so grateful to them as well as to my Divine Creator for shower of gifts.

          Thus, as we proceed with our varying trips called life, may we reflect on Isaac's words above and let us consistently remind ourselves that life's education allows us to be the best persons that we can be. As such, you and me can become agents of joy for others especially those who are deprived as a consequence of conflicts, crisis, wars, calamities etc. 

                                       

                                                                         

A MAN WITH A GOLDEN HEART

          Amidst the complexities of life brought about by both its good and bad events, examples of good deeds are shared by people who exemplified desirable actions towards mankind. And to set as an example for us at this time, we will know the contributions by a woman who had served as a concrete manifestation of goodness on earth.

          Mother Teresa of Calcutta extended extraordinary deeds to reach out to those who are poor, the underprivileged members of our society. She did not surrender even to the most difficult times in her life of service.  

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"Throughout her life on earth, and now even more fully in the Kingdom, she stands as a beacon of light reflecting the heart of God to those who seek him, who seek signs of his nearness and care in the darkness of human suffering and sin."- Rev. Joseph Langford 

Yes indeed Mother Teresa sets herself as an example of somebody who is a beacon of light for others. Nowadays, our world is so blinded by so many darkness like crimes of passion, poverty, corruption, scams etc. that there is a dire need for a continuous light to shine so as to ease the effect of such darkness.

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Once she said, " Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love". That is exactly what this world needs- a world so wounded by man's insensitiveness and indifference- a LOVE that is so genuine that allows each one to go down into the level of those oppressed and poor.

          In our own way, can we identify a Mother Teresa in our hearts? Can we allow ourselves to become men and women with golden hearts so that we will also become lights to guide the deprived members of our society to lasting peace? 

WELCOMING WITH WARM HEARTS A NEW SEASON: (HAPPY FATHER'S DAY)

          Today is the start of the month of September. While we say goodbye to August, we warmly welcome this month with enthusiasm and excitement as we also open our hearts and minds to any opportunity for growth and for sharing with others. Aside from that we also welcome the season of spring and it positively conveys to us warmer weather and a clearer atmosphere around us. 

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          Moreover, this new season brings us a clearer vision to many opportunities for new surprises and inner peace within us. We all know how each day differs from the other days yet we all know as well that every day, different situations allow us to fulfill our dreams in life. What makes this day more interesting further is our celebration today of Father's Day.

Thus we honor all fathers out there and even though our commercial world nowadays constantly insists us to acknowledge fathers with endless list of "perfect gifts"  on a mere material value yet in the real sense of the word, there is no perfect gift to bring honor to all these dads just on such level.

          Their examples display to their families every moment in their lives make it more meaningful to every child to recognize their contributions to every child's development. Instead everyone needs to understand on a more deeper level the relevance of all dads that they all deserve a heartfelt recognition and appreciation.

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          As anyone recognizes and acknowledges any father's love and sacrifice for the family, may we bear in our minds their constant welfare so that they can continue extending their genuine love to their families. We could never reach this far if not for our fathers' love and companionship, all the self-sacrifices they offer just to allow us to be who we are today.  

EVERYDAY JOURNEY

          Each day brings both significant and non-significant  experiences to everyone. From the moment that one wakes up in the morning up to the time that he/she goes to sleep, different events unfold in one's life. Summing up everything that happens in a day, one could always say that life indeed is a constant journey.

          Today as a weekend, I wake up with much vigor reflecting that just like any other day, this day becomes a complete manifestation of God's unconditional love for me- another new day, another new gift, another new positive manifestation of His great love for me. In fact, I could claim that I have various reasons to be grateful to HIM since I am blessed with a family of wonderful and loving people- my wife Yanyan and my son Kurt. Everyday becomes a wonderful and a fresh beginning for me because of their presence to my life. 

mommy yanyan and kurt

           Each day, as I wake up, these two significant people become my source of motivations as I encounter and embrace life's challenges and trials. Like any ordinary human being, I come face to face as well with life's trivialities- at times, my conviction to life is tested, at times my goal in life which is to be a constant God fearing individual is put into test by plenty difficult situation YET with my own faith and the LOVE I receive from these two significant persons in my life, everything seems to be so light.

          Armed by this realization, I am ever thankful to God for extending to me these gifts in life- my family. How about you, can you identify those important people in your life and have come to realize that they are your source of joy in this life's journey?

MAN's GREEDINESS

          Recently, I had the opportunity to attend one gathering and I was so glad about the sharing of ideas especially on the topic man's greediness. The exchanges of ideas and experiences were very moving and realistic most notably that they came from the participants' own life experiences. 

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          There were several concrete experiences shared by the audience like somebody shared that she works so hard in her job sometimes taking two jobs in a day. She is doing it so that she can save for her holidays. She asked then the group and the facilitator if she committed a greed or not. Varying explanations were given such as:

- it is greediness if she in the process forgets her other commitments especially towards her husband and the children;

 - it is greediness if she hurts somebody in the course of doing such routine;

 - it is not if she never forgets to take care of herself

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          Another topic that caught my attention is the one on one's transformation. As shared, it is not an easy process to undergo transformation especially if it involves radical shift. Furthermore, it is never been an abrupt reality or instant but rather, it takes time to experience the process and it asks as well from the involved party the consistency so that the change can be attained.

          Basically man is composed of both negative and positive therefore to be able to embrace oneself as real and genuine, he/she needs to let go of all negative emotions and allow the positive energy to flow into one's life.