Your Angel's Name is ...Mother

http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=mothers'+day

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born. One day the child asked God, “They tell me you are going to send me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?” God replied, “Among the many angels I have chosen one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you.” Said child, “But tell me here in Heaven I don’t do anything else but sing and smile. That’s what I need to be happy!”

God replied, “Your angel will sing for you every day. And you will feel your angel’s love and be happy.” And, said the child, “How am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don’t know the language that men talk?” “That’s easy”, God said, “Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.” The child looked up at God saying, “And what am I going to do when I  want to talk to you?”

God smiled at the child saying, “Your angel will teach you how to pray.” The child said, “I’ve heard on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?” God replied, “Your angel will defend you, even if it means risking life!” The child looked sad, saying, “But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.”

God replied, “Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you.” At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard. The child in a hurry, asked softly, “Oh God, if I am about to leave now please tell me my angel’s name!” God replied, Your angel’s name is of no importance… you will simply call her

MOTHER!

I Am Glad The World Celebrates Mothers' Day

http://www.google.com.ph/imgres

When I was a kid I never heard that the world celebrates mothers’ day.  I could not recall that I would have to make greeting cards for mothers for this particular day.  I could only recall Christmas, Valentines’ day and mama’s birthday.  I rarely even gave her cards.  We were never used to festive celebrations either.  There were 6 of us kids so we could not compare who’s more favourite since our parents put our birthdays together on one occasion.  Either held it during mama’s birthday or papa’s or during their wedding anniversary.

Now that I am older and oohhh so married, I am so glad despite the commercialized presentations at the malls and how the media present it, that the world has acknowledged mothers.  You see I have never appreciated such celebration since it “came” to the Philippines (for I thought of it at first to be so westernized) until I became a mom last year. 

Motherhood has brought me to next dimension.  A deeper level of understanding relating with an innocent baby.  It has opened my heart to the most intimate of human encounter everytime I hold my baby in my arms.  Each moment with her  is like embracing God’s beauty.  Her innocence is an openness to one of the most beautiful miracles of life that I have ever participated. 

I am so glad that today (May 12, 2013) is mothers’ day.  I never thought though of something grand aside from the fact that I convinced my husband that we could spend it at the mall.  Yet we both decided for a simpler celebration.  Such that bond as a family at home.  I did not expect any surprises though except that the first one that greeted me is our  “assistant” at home named Welma.  I received her greeting with giggle while I was robbing my eyes very early this morning and adjusting how I sounded with my rather rough morning voice. 

I received a kiss from my husband too.  And was so overwhelemd with how my little girl just touched my face with both her hands while she surveyed my face with her cute eyes, smile and giggle.  My husband told me that, that’s Mikaela’s mothers’ day greeting for me.  Hmmm I wonder if she understood what it is all about but her gesture is more than enough of a mothers’ day greeting for me.  Her touch was like foretastes of the many images of heavens on earth.  Thank you dear God.

In the middle of the morning, I tried to post message at facebook and to my own mother that past away years back with the statement

"happy mothers' day to all mamas...and to my mama Gloria ...you may have passed away years ago...but I am carrying with me your legacy. Thank you kaayo mama...God bless your soul:-) I have now my little girl Mikaela...and she makes motherhood possible for me...and she is so lovely ma:-) And ohh...i now feel your sacrifice for me...it is not easy to take care of a baby...i am so glad and so thankful that you took good care of me...I love you mama:-) You are in my heart:-)"

I read this statement to my neighbour sister from where she commented how I put drama in the way I write.  Ehem…that is just me…heheh

After that,  Welma  went to the market for her regular Sunday assignment.  When she got home she called me from the sink while she took out her little “secret” -  three red roses.  I was on the verge of tears when she told me “Ate, I am giving this to you since I am far from home and I cannot give any to my own mother”.  I was so touched by her thoughtfulness.  I gave her a kiss for that beautiful surprise.

The afternoon was a combination of relaxed and tensed mode.  Relaxed since we all dozed off to sleep and a little tensed when we woke up rushing for the Church.  Even if we were a little worried of the possible heavy rain, we forged to hearing the mass.  All mothers were greeted and after the mass I brought my little girl as usual to the blessed mother’s photo in front of the Church, Sto Nino and the Divine Mercy Photo of Jesus. 

We went home in a festive mode with a hearty dinner plus that tasty ice cream dissert. We thought the night would just end after  the family rosary prayer.  Yet I pursued with finishing some school work while my husband turned on the television where I saw some really very poor family from a very depressed …squatter area in Luzon.  I was really caught unaware to how I emotionally reacted to the kids being raised alone by the mother.  They missed meals, naked with big tummies, sleeps without blanket, very dirty surroundings.  And I just caught myself really shedding tears of remorse to how this family has survived the situation.

Then I just slipped my hand through my husband’s as I continued with my tears and told him how we have complained at times over some minor difficulties and there are a lot of people that have suffered more (oh I was just so glad that we did not have to be so lavish with this day) …with poverty in our country.

Really  I am glad there is mothers’ day but to some mothers that  are really very poor could not appreciate celebrating such.  You know why?  They do not focus on the celebration.  They are seeing where they are and how they could survive the difficulties that they are into.

I was so overwhelmed with what I saw.  Yet my husband just told me and pointed  to our house assistant Welma.  She is our mission.  We could be her own parents since she herself came from a very poor family in Bukidnon that could hardly eat their meals in a day.

There is so much to do in the world.  While others desire for so many things.  I do hope I  could invite any of you to  at least include in our desires helping even one person that really needs financial help.

You know what I desire so much after that?  My heart hungers so much to take care of a lot of God’s children.  The innocent ones.  More than that, one day I would focus my attention to taking good care of adolescents so that one day they would spend their energies  finishing their studies and become much better parents and provider to their own children someday…God’s dear children.

Again, I am glad the world celebrates motherhood.  But I would be more glad if we could be mothers even to children that are not really our own.  True motherhood does not only limit  to taking care of biological children.  It is also about nurturing and taking good care of those children that need our care, unconditional love, guidance, protection, those who have no one to run to or are rejected by their own families, etc. 

To the Ladies...

... we can be all mothers right? …in any way we can…J we just have to reach out and give ourselves…  To those that don’t have children…why not consider adopting one…Oh you could be the one that could save the future of one of God’s little ones who have no one to embrace him / her.  You can be what he or she longs to have in this child’s heart.  You could be this child’s answer to his / her prayers.  God bless you everyone and all the mothers throughout the world. :-)

“INVESTING” On Our Children

I belong to a Catholic Christian Community called Sowers Field Community.  Formerly (10 to 20 years ago) its membership was only limited to college students and young people / professionals.  Now it has extended its members to the members’ sons and daughters which now compose the children and the teens.

I have been “away” for some time in the community.  When manong Boyet (Joseph Lamberte) called me up   to handle the topic on leadership with the teens’ group, I readily gave it my “yes”.  I love being with adolescents.  I love so much the spirit of the young ones.  Being with them is like “playing” – with words, ideas and how they feel about things.  I get to “experiment” so many things with them through the “art” of questioning.  In short I can be naughty and “kulit” when I ask questions.

I fashioned the module into three stages :

God.  There was an assignment to bring any picture of God.  They were asked to explain what they see about God in the picture and how they feel about it.  They were also asked about what they know of God as a leader and who among the members of their own families they saw as model to leadership.

Family and Self.  They were asked first and foremost to draw an ideal  family  including a symbol of themselves.  Some of them have emotionally shared their experiences and how they look at their own families including its members. 

Leadership.  In this part, they were grouped according to ordinal position in the family such that all eldest go together, middle children and the youngest are grouped in the same manner.  They share their own roles in the family and  the call to leading regardless of whether they are the eldest, middle or the youngest.  They need to lead and model good behaviour.

At first I was sort of “rigid’ with my programming stating a per hour activity.  When I arrived there, I was so late thus I needed to adjust my time.  I simply decided to be flexible  and enjoy being with them.  True enough I did. 

I was so stunned with how they think and feel about things.  I realize they have so much to share.  Young people are so rich with realizations  and insights that we really have to spend time to ask them despite that they dragged me sometimes since some were so inhibited with answering some questions.  I guess some of them may not be used to my way of asking the questions yet I appreciate so much their effort of trying to hop into my world.  And again they amaze me so much. 

That was why I wished so much the parents were there to listen to their children talking.  If was the parent I would have cried listening from my own son or daughter sharing how she feels and thinks about things.  Some have shared unexpected insights given their age.  I felt that if their parents were there, they would be very proud of them. 

Yes it was such a wonderful experience and I thank the Lord for giving me the chance to be with young people despite having  fever, sniffing my nose from time to time or catching my breath or wiping my sweat, or eating some crackers during the session.

Another thing that really enlarged my heart and almost led me to tears was when I led that “Angelus” prayer during lunch time in front of the kids – both the grade schoolers and the teens.  It was tough. I realized I have not been praying the angelus for quite a long time.  I almost got lost.  What made me almost break into laughter during the prayer time was when saw some of the kids’ eyes on their food and some of them that I presume did not know the prayer looked like they have “locked jaw” as they looked at my eyes during prayer time (ooohhh so candid and sooo cute hahahah).

Kids are so lovely, adorable…so beautiful…so innocent and honest,  You can even read them through their looks …their eyes.  It did not matter whether they knew the prayer or not.  They were just simply a reminder to me that God…OUR BEAUTIFUL GOD is so present in them. 

As I quote manong boyet when I ambushed him to send me home,  “why not INVEST ON OUR OWN CHILDREN”.  Why not right?  In this manner we bring them closer to God and really closer to the mission that He wants of us.  One day we realize the same children will bring others to God too...

morning session with Gemwel, Jepcyl, Carole, Simon and Dino

L to R :  Liane, Micah, Gemwel, Jepcyl, Carole and Simon

engaged in an activity

so serious ha...

The round table discussion with future leaders

Morning Sesion ehem...my back heheh

When You "Don't Like" Your Boss

http://vannuys.olx.com/sales-reps-trainers-and-managers-iid-65658541

“Liking”  is  so much associated with emotion.  Emotions  go up and down and do some twists and turns.  Working with someone should not follow that way.  Someone can mean anyone in the workplace.

Let’s be more specific and that would be working with your boss, supervisor or manager or someone in the high ladder for the company to whom you would particularly submit yourself.  Your boss expects or may expect of you a lot from you.  But does your boss meet your expectations or what you expect of him?

So what if he does not meet your set of “so called” standards?  What if you got into your workplace with the following descriptions of your leader :

1.       Very disorganized

2.      Biased with evaluation

3.      Highly emotional and seem to spill “fire” everytime he talks

4.       Hungry with going up the ladder that projects as if the department accomplishments are his and his alone

5.      Does not seem to like having a department meeting or communicating necessary information that needed to be communicated to department members

6.      Does not appreciate your effort and positive contribution to the department

7.      Always absent

...and a lot more... and so you say ...”grrrrr why is this person in the position?”.  You stretch your patience to the limit that everyday working with this person is like carrying the buckets, loads of  big trucks of rocks all placed on your shoulders.  Just joking.  But really there are those inviduals that have really suffered so much working with these behaviors of leaders.  

Sadly also, working with someone or anyone is not about ”liking”.  You are primarily hired to do your job.   If we happen to like our leaders, I would call it a”bonus”.  Also, if your intention or motive of working is clear with you such that your work achieves so much of the purpose to which you were put into this world then the character or behavior of your leader won’t shake you a bit. 

This one secret I should tell you...nobody should stop you from doing good and to positively influence and affect the lives of others.  If a teacher doing his job well led to inspiring lots of students or if a simple laborer in a company led to others to a realization of valuing their work like that of a food chain crew that sings and dances while entertaining her customers.  Then that is making a defference by itself.

 If being pist off with one leader would pull your work performance down then you have allowed yourself to be a victim to the ”tempation” of being indifferent and some other negative emotions that would deviate you from your true prupose. 

And I should say, your ultimate purpose is ”to make a difference and to positively affect lives of others wherever you are”.  One poster I saw in the past says...”Grow where you are planted”.  Quite a mouthful but does that make sense to you?

Again going back to your boss...whether you like it or not, he is your boss.  You work with him for the company.  My own sister bluntly reminded me during my first year of work ...” He does not give you your paycheck.  So go ahead continue to work.  Do not allow him to ruin your career or the purpose to which you are called to do.”

If one day you decide to leave your job, it should not be because your feel being opressed by your boss or leader.  It should be because you feel you want to move on and you are able to find a better place where you could best share yourself in service to others. 

I did experience the same thing.  And I felt at firts I had no choice but to go on working.  Everyday was like an unconscious desire for independence.  That was to pull away and perhaps submit my resignation one day.  I really did that in the end to give in to the growing restlessness in my heart.

Before I close this part, let me share with you something that caught me by surprise.  I know of someone who despite the effort of his boss ( I guess he has a good leader compared to others that I know of ) to reach out, he does not like him still.  You know why?  He sees his boss as his competitor. 

Hmmm, he is aiming to climb the ladder fast and wanted to at least do away with his boss leading him to do all types of havoc or shall I say ”commotions” of negative talks in the department just to ruin the reputation of his leader.  Wow such a brave soul to do that. 

Well...what about you?  what challenges would you be willing to face in your workplaces related to the leadership of you bosses?  

Thanks for dropping by my friends..God bless you all!!!

The Power of Prayer

I set my alarm clock each morning for the milk feeding of my little girl.  I hardly spend immediate time in prayer as I rush to the feeding set and prepare for it.  Feed.  Make her relax for a while then have her early morning bath. I take my breakfast and say my prayer before meals prayer in rush.  Make my daughter take her “solid – puree mixed” blended vegetables.  After which  I would remember late in the morning that I forgot to pray.  So I would mention some “rush” prayer. 

Rush…rush …rush.  I seemed to have done things in rush particularly my time for God.  I am a little ashamed to admit that there was a time that this has become a routine.  Not until I heard a Eucharistic celebration where the priest that just joined an Asian convention …a so huge gathering of the devotees of the Divine Mercy shared how it was when he joined it.  What struck me the most was when he said “…we are underestimating the power of God”.     

What did he mean by that?  Underestimating the power of God  meant that we are walking around living our life not minding at all what God could have done with our life.  We have not really accessed Him in all capacities.  He is so available each moment yet, each of these moments is spent as if He is not reachable.  We live life “doing our way” most of the time.

Let me give you an example.  I and my husband like so much to discuss anything including our plans for the future.  In my own moments, I would always feel so far from those we discussed or I felt negative about them that they felt so unreachable.  After hearing that mass with that priest I felt God has to be involved in our plans.  So I shared the same with my husband.  I had difficulty though answering his question “how would we know if our plans are what God wants and wills for us?”.  That is such a big question to answer (which I would deal in my future writing in the simples possible way that I can) yet, we really decided to make time for it so that we would be guided in our plans. 

I guess I and my husband just reached that point when we both felt God has to be seriously involved in our lives and life as a family.  We would want also to prepare our daughter to a future where she could stand firm and grounded with her values.  And we could not see any other way of doing it except really bring her closer to God through prayer

We do pray together as a family – rosary and the Divine Mercy devotion.  I and my husband were able to witness first and foremost how our now 9 - month old baby responded to it.  Before each session starts, I make her sit on my lap.  When we start with sign of the cross, I feel in all those prayer dates together that she starts to compose herself and stops with hopping on my lap together with her giggles and some of those sleepy cry.  She simply participated by being silent and listens to whoever is talking. 

Her eyes seem to try to figure out what we are doing.  At my end,  I do not totally understand how she automatically behaved during prayer time but I sensed some calming effect it gives to her including her moods.  And if she is so sleepy already she just dozes off in my arms. 

At times when I was so ON with those angry mood, I felt its power when I automatically ask for help from God to calm me down.   And I could easily think and process myself immediately right there and then.  I could sense that I could immediately weigh its consequences and decide to immediately move away from it.  Through the grace brought about by prayer, I learned how to set aside the personal desire to be satisfied with my anger.  Another grace brought in by prayer is forgiveness.  In fact after I decide to forgive,  the funniest of all is that I am  able to forget the incident including the train of thoughts and reasons why I should be angry. 

Moreover, it is grace to be able to see more of the goodness of the person than bank on and stick with the lie that the other is no good or good for nothing (hmmm let me give you a tip…do not listen to the voice in your mind that says that).   As I see the goodness in the other and the capacity of the other to continue to really care and do good for others, I am able to feel compassion to extend myself even more. 

Let me end this by going back to that priest sharing his homily during the mass.  He mentioned that since he no longer underestimates the power of God, he asks not of small things but really huge ones.  And He found God to have provided them all.  Hmmm I thought that time how he was able to convince God with those huge requests (hheheeh).  He said he explained to God how others would be blessed even more if He grants them.  As simple as that.  But let me give you another tip… God does not really need  an explanation…ahahah He can read our motives through our hearts. 

Hmmm. I hope you have seen the other point, too.  Whatever we ask for in prayer…it will be granted for as long as it is in line with His will.  His mission…of doing good to a lot of people.  So you may now wonder why some of our prayers were not granted?  Oops I may be to judgmental hehe please don’t get me wrong, some would really come in His own time.   Hmmm we can never manipulate God to have it our way right.  It is always His ways of doing them…for His mission…His time…for the Good of His people…:-)

PS.  Some of those we ask for in prayers may not be really for us…Just trust that God knows better.  Trust even in pain.  In your pain you will learn…and soon enough even without understanding…you will feel God’s gift of …PEACE…

But let me give you another tip… a very close friend told me yesterday that she has been asking God in prayer describing in detail what she wanted.  She almost gave up.  It took years for God to answer them.  And He gave them beyond what she expected.  “Cloud 9” ang friend ko ngayon hehehe…I am sooo happy for her.

....Do not ever ...ever underestimate the power of God...nothing is impossible for Him...you and I know that...He has the Power...He is the greatest power of all...in prayer:-)

From Being YOUNG and RECKLESS...to Being...WISER:-)

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=wisdom+photos

When I was younger I was so idealistic and reckless.   Idealistic for me means following what is ideal, what is supposed to be even if not really acceptable by the values of the majority.  Reckless means that I react outright to whatever was contrary to what is ideal. 

I remember having to represent a group that told me about their complaints.   After that I ended as if I was the offended party and the one labelled as the problematic one.  I realized that I could have facilitated instead so that those individuals would have done it themselves.  And so I ended up regretting what I did.  Well, I was young, aggressive and so generous with my help. 

As I aged a little, I was more “careful”.  Careful meant more of listening and discerning before I acted on something.  Obviously I learned my lesson and I learned the hardest way. 

Let me talk about wisdom.  They say that wisdom is gotten from a learned experience.  For me learning means being able to “open” one’s consciousness to something new after a painful  experiences including all the happy and joyful experiences we have.  

Let me share my moments of gaining wisdom:-)

I was wiser

....when after the death of my mother I realized I could still go on with life and that there is still meaning to life and living. 

.... to realize that staying single did not really mean that I had no choice to be happy.  

...when I risked leaving my 10 – year job as guidance counsellor in order to embrace the invitation to travel abroad.   

...when I submitted myself to the painful grilling of a Jesuit priest that processed me through a live out 19^th annotation retreat. 

... when I started putting into writing all my insights and share them to you my readers in this blog sight without minding at all whether you would agree with me or not

...when I realized that I had to let go from the comfort of my single life and take off that shield and leap into married life. 

...when I left my job and chose to take care of  until  I delivered my fragile little girl. 

...to realize that I could not please everyone.

...to realize that some individuals may be threatened by my wise, honest and matter of fact answers to the questions during job interviews

...to realize that my younger years have become my training ground to becoming who I am…

...to realize that I would rather shut up my mouth and listen rather than arguing my point and having to prove to others that I am right

...when I realize that I have to stay on the ground and embrace humility in the midst of abundance and success  never to attach myself with accomplishments and titles. 

And…I am NOW WISER… to realize I need God even more and that everything that I have right now is a gift and thus, I continue to share…and share…and share…

And …it is wise to realize that there are a lot more to learn from life …hmmm this is not to exemplify that fact that you can share with me your wisdom to life so that I may grow tooJ  …right friendships?

Thanks for being here my very wise friends:-0 God bless you all:-)

PS...let me highlight ...HUMILITY...as the key to gaining ...GOD'S WISDOM:-)...will you take the challenge with me?  I may be struggling but by God's grace...I am doing it:-) ....hmmm but still struggling hahahhaha mwah mwah

What Being Contented Means to Me

https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=Contentment+photos&newwindow

 CONTENTMENT  for me means being able to go home to a family, embrace my husband and little girl, share my stories of the day, laugh, cry and laugh again.  And more than anything pray with them.  Is there anything more?  Of course there are things other than that but still I prefer my family as my top in the list of the meaning. 

I was living a single for a long time.  I was searching and searching long and tirelessly for my purpose but I never really found something that mattered so much except that I had to contain myself with work ,  further  studies, acquiring things, travels, etc. 

I had lots friends, too.  And they meant so much to me having journeyed with me in my single life.  They are still my friends at the moment.  Most of them have families of their own.  Those singles I rarely meet.  Yet I found the treasure and great memories of them sticking with me through my single life. 

That time also, I had menial desires to have more – money, popularity, excel in academics and to really compete in a lot of ways.  I realize that I had to keep up and stay standing through those desires.  I kept pursuing them yet again I saw them as a mere product  of that restless pursuit of some things that I hardly knew what they were.  I was so lost. 

When I decided to commit to married life.  Things have changed including my perceptions with life.  Many of those things that I valued when I was single they are becoming blurred.  Competing and being noticed do not really taste good.  Complaining about a lot of things do not make sense at all.  I really thought my world has become smaller through my family my time outside may be limited as I am contained with so many things at home.   Yet I realize that where I am is a much better and “bigger” world. 

Here’s why:

My family is better and bigger since it is in here where I found the true meaning of unconditional  love and sacrifice.  I have set aside for awhile my career in order to stay with my little girl when she was born.  When I feel so angry with my husband, I cannot just drop him off or let our marriage fall apart because of that anger. I had to make time with my husband to talk things out.  Saying sorry and forgiveness are so much part of us.  And I thank God for giving me a very forgiving and all embracing husband to my imperfections.

We may not have the luxury of those long dates together when we were still singles  since we don’t allow any nanny yet to take care of our baby but I and my husband make time for each other even late at night when our baby is asleep to have some fun praying together, watching TV, discussing a book we both read, eating midnight snacks, discussing our “not so good behaviour” during the day, resolving some issues in our relationship, or simply drinking our coffee, or just talk while in bed while we snuggle each otherJ ( really fun haJ).

Now that I have gone back to my post graduate studies with the support of my husband, I find it more challenging to manage my time such that while I take care of my daughter at home, I find time to read my notes, prepare my assignments and paper works even up the wee hours of the morning,  then feed my daughter and sleep really late and wake up first to take care again of my daughter.

Sometimes, I find myself sick yet still manage to decide in my mind that I have to be well for my daughter.  And miracle of all miracles I did recover from that.  I really learned not to entertain illness in my mind even if I feel like almost getting sick already.  I learned not to be negative about my health.  I learned to believe in my mind and heart that I am well and very healthy to extend love to my family. 

Going back to my single life, after school, I had my time out with friends, eating out and talking not minding at all the time.  Now that I have my family,  I would excitedly imagine my daughter in my arms plus my dear husband that’s waiting for me at home, too (we take turns with my daughter while he reviews for his “major exam” that he will soon be taking for his career too).

Life is really good …as it is…  I realize we have a choice to go for an uncomplicated path.  And the grace of each moment is made available to all of us through our very own families.  When I made a choice to get married and our daughter came along to join us last year the most of what other say that “they are contented with life” …I found it in full…through my very own family.  I thank the Lord for such a big blessing that He gave me and my husband two years ago through our wedding.  It is not a perfect path yet, God made it a perfect “training” ground for us to see more of His presence in our daily living.  God simply made my family as my simple “seat of contentment” with life. 

Again…Thank you dear God.