Monday, June 22, 2009

Anticipation

Another idea of Jojo's:

I can hear the roaring thunder. I can see the flash of lightning. As I stand still in the middle of the vast and empty meadow, my anticipation started growing. The sky is turning from blue to gray, making the meadow an immense shadow in the growing darkness. I close my eyes. I can hear the gentle rustling of the trees surrounding me. But there are no birds that can be heard. All the animals have long before scurried away to shelter. The wind is starting to blow harder and colder. I can feel its breeze already damp with coldness. It makes me feel like being pricked with a thousand tiny needles. Yet I remained still. Here I stand alone. I am not betrayed by fear. I close my eyes tighter and face the now dark sky. I stretch out my arms wide to welcome the coming downpour. I wait with baited breath as my anticipation reaches its peak. It is as if I can already feel its cold drops on my skin, taste its sweetness on my lips. This is my bittersweet moment, so sad and so beautiful at the same time. I know something will happen and some part of me wanted to prevent it but I don’t have any power to stop it from happening. And as the rain finally falls, I decide to accept that it is really happening. As the first drops hit my face, I felt my own drops of tears, and the rain and tears blended together. I drop onto my knees and gently and slowly open up my eyes. Though everything is a blur and darkness and coldness, I felt no fear. I suddenly feel the calm and peace the rain brings, knowing that after this rain, a beautiful sun will shine toward a new morning.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Warning: YM Hacker on the Loose!

This is not a chain or spam email, just a warning to all Yahoo Messenger and Yahoo Mail users out there. As I am totally relying on my YM account as most of you also are, I feel it’s just right to give you this warning.

Just this morning, I received an instant message (YM) from one of my contacts, asking me for a favor. Since I know the person, I said yes and asked what favor. She said she wanted to show me pictures of a girl who she thinks I know and sent me a link. She asked me to click the link and sign in. It was this link - http://surney15.t35.com/image.html

When I clicked the link, it was a yahoo flickr site asking to sign in my email and password. As I don’t have any doubt that I am talking to someone I know, I was about to sign in when I received a text message on my phone coming from the same person. The message said her YM account had virus and if someone sends instant messages asking for favors, ignore it. I got confused and called her. I then understood that her YM account has been hacked. Somebody else was using it. She cannot login anymore but at that moment while I was talking to her, her YM account continuously sends me messages asking me to sign in. She said it all started when she clicked a link similar to this and signed in. She got disconnected immediately and wasn’t able to sign in anymore until this moment. I also found out that the person using her account sent the same message to one of our common friends who was also on her contact list asking for a SMARTLOAD! Our common friend can’t believe that she was asking for a prepaid load so she asked around until we came to this conclusion.

It’s obvious that another hacker is on the loose. Just be careful and send this warning to everyone you know.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Saddest Birthday of My Life

Oh, yes, it's my birthday. I'm 28. And I'm supposed to be happy, coz it's my special day. But I don't feel any happiness. I don't feel that today is something special. Worse is, I even cried early in the morning. I don't know why but I wasn't able to help it. I just feel a tad frustrated about everything that's happening around me. Everything feels so wrong, so tiring, so sad. Everything is the same, or getting worse. I just feel bad and nothing is worth celebrating. Maybe just the fact that I'm still alive, and healthy enough to have another birthday. Sigh. It really feels like the saddest birthday of my life.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

A Poem for my Mother

Through the years, I sit and look back,
A good mother, you really have a knack;
You have raised me strong and wise,
To live a life without rolling the dice.

At first it was just me you have to endure,
Two more siblings seem to be the cure;
To make our family happy and complete,
With daddy and us, no need to compete.

Our life may have been hard and tough,
Staying together, in hardships we laugh;
Now I am here to help with the struggle,
You are never alone, in this lifelong battle.

Fifty-four years have quickly passed by,
Priceless memories in your heart surely lie;
Even before until forever we are beside you,
Our dearest mother, we’re born to love you.

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Bulilit!

This is a very nice tv commercial from Camella Homes. It seems that the cute little girl has grown so popular in a very short period of time. Her name is Trisha Louise Canete, Chacha Canete for short. Watch the video and for sure you're gonna love her too!

Twilight Saga: New Moon

See the official teaser trailer:

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer in HD

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Halo


Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make up a sound

I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light

I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again

Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
The risk that I'm takin'
I'm never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Halo, halo

Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace

You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

How to Have a Breakthrough in Your Life

Have you ever been denied a visa?
If not, believe me, you don’t want to experience it.
I’ve been denied a visa. Twice. From the US Embassy no less.
Look into my heart and you’ll find two ugly scars.
I remember my first attempt.
I was still in my teens.

When I woke up, I was already wet with nervous sweat. It didn’t help that when I arrived in the US Embassy, I saw a humongous crowd of hopeful Pinoys outside the gates of American Heaven. They were standing in long lines, all of them begging for a visa. I felt their collective fear. It was nerve-wracking. Each step closer to the interviewer made my stomach churn. I could actually hear the loud beating of my chest and wondered if everyone else heard it. Dub-dub. Dub-dub. Dub-dub.

Finally, it was my turn.

I walked up to the glass window and said with a trembling voice, “Good morning…”

Am I Human?

The consul, a thirtyish guy with square spectacles, was all business. He looked at my passport. I bet he already made up his mind right there, but the interview had to go on. He asked, “So why do you want to go to the US?”
I said, “I’m a preacher and a Catholic convention is inviting me to give a talk.”
That was when I realized—My gosh, who in the world would believe me? A pimple-faced, scarecrow-looking teen-ager being invited to speak in a religious convention?
The man abruptly left his cubicle. I imagined he was laughing out loud and rolling on the floor. When he came back, he said matter-of-factly, “I’m sorry Mr. Sanchez, I can’t possibly give you a Visa.”
Again, I imagined him say instead, “I’m sorry Mr. Sanchez, you’re so totally unworthy of stepping on the beautiful shores of America because we only accept human beings.”

Another Rejection

The second time I applied, the interviewer was an American lady. She was very kind to me. Instead of saying, “I’m sorry, I can’t possibly give you a Visa,” she said, “I’m so very sorry, I can’t possibly give you a Visa.” But it still broke my heart. By the third time I applied, I thought I was already an expert in the body language of foreign diplomats. I got ready for another denial.

Here were the signs I was looking for:
If the consul has an emotionless zombie look on his face, I’d get denied.

If he shakes his head… Denied.
If he raises an eyebrow… Denied.
If he yawns… Denied.
If he looks at his watch… Denied.
If he inhales oxygen… Denied.
If he exists in front of me… Denied.

I’m A Human Being After All

So I was so shocked when he approved my visa. Just like that.
Without asking me a question, the guy said, “Have a nice trip.”
“Excuse me?” I asked.
He smiled and repeated himself, “Have a nice trip.”
“Where am I going?” I asked. But I finally got it. I almost ran out of the embassy jumping up and down. Hey, I’m a human being after all!

Life With A Visa

When I still didn’t have a visa, I remember visiting my neighbor who had a potted plant from the US. I put my foot in it and announced, “Hey guys, I’ve finally stepped on US soil!” When I didn’t have a visa, I couldn’t step on an inch of US territory. But because I got the visa, I’ve now preached in 34 cities in North America.

Friends, there’s something better than a US visa.
There’s a visa to the land of abundance and love and victory that God wants you to have.
I should know.
I’m experiencing it right now.
It’s Harvest Time For Me
People ask me, “Bo, how can you be so blessed?”
They point to my loving family.
They point to my fantastic job that blesses the world.
They point to my financial blessings from my small businesses.
They point to my incredible circle of friends.
They point to my irresistible good looks. (Note: “They” consist of my mother and my wife.)
Yes, I’m living a dream life.
Sometimes, I have to pinch myself. Is this really happening?
Let me tell you a curious thing that started happening when I hit 40.
In 2006, I was named Ten Outstanding Young Men, awarded by the President in MalacaƱang Palace no less.
In 2007, I was given the Serviam Award, the highest award of the Catholic Mass Media Awards by none other than Cardinal Rosales himself.
And just last week, another fantastic recognition: The Golden Gavel Award from Toastmasters International—the highest award given to non-Toastmasters for public speaking.
Do you know why I’m so blessed?
Here’s my theory:
There are two seasons in this universe:
• The Planting Season
• The Harvest Season

For 40 years, I was in the Planting Season. Today, I’m in the Harvest Season of my life.
It’s that simple. For years, I’ve planted and planted…and planted! Crossing the line between planting and harvesting was like receiving a visa to a land of abundance and ease. In other words, I’ve experienced a breakthrough. Let me describe these two seasons as simply as I can. I cannot think of a clearer explanation as this:
In the Planting Season, I chased after blessings. In the Harvest Season, blessings are chasing after me.

How to get to Harvest?
There really are only 2 Powerful Steps…

Step #1:

Even If You See No Results,
Keep Planting Many of you are getting tired of doing good, of doing the right thing.
Why? Because you don’t see the results. So you want to give up. Don’t! Or there will be no Harvest.
Perhaps you’ve been applying for a job, but the right job has not been coming. Never mind. Keep applying anyway.
Perhaps you’ve been reaching out to your son, but he’s still distant as ever. Never mind. Keep reaching out to your son anyway.
Perhaps you’ve been working on your finances, but you’re still buried in debt. Never mind. Keep working on your finances anyway.
Perhaps you’ve been working on your marriage but the relationship is still strained. Never mind. Keep working on your marriage anyway.
A wife said to her husband, “I’m so tired of our fighting. I can’t take it anymore. I’m leaving the house!” And the husband said, “Me too! I can’t take it anymore as well. I don’t want to stay in this house too! I’m coming with you.” That husband wasn’t about to give up! (Note: I’m not talking about abuse in marriage. These are the exceptions where it may be better for a husband and wife to live apart. In this article, I’m talking about the regular problems that slowly destroy marriages if we don’t work at our relationship.)
Some of us think if we plant, we’ll harvest. That’s not how this universe works.
You’ll need to plant and plant and plant…and then you’ll harvest. My friend, don’t give up. Believe that harvest is coming!

Keep Showing Up!

Friend, if you want to succeed in life, you need to show up. In the US embassy, I needed to show up for my interview. And when I got denied, I just applied again.
When life denies you of what you dream for, here’s the key: Show up again. What if I got so depressed and I never tried again? I would never have been able to preach in 34 cities in North America. Remember that in the Planting Season, not all your seeds will grow. Many of your seeds won’t reach the Harvest Season. Some of your seeds will die. I remember one area of my life where I had to plant again and again, almost giving up because it seemed as though nothing was happening…

Planting Seeds Of Love
In My Emotions
For almost 30 years, I was run by my fears.Each morning, I would wake up with a profound sense of sadness. For many years, I didn’t know why I felt so sickeningly sad. Many years later, I was able to define it: it was shame. I had a shame-based personality, rooted in my molestation as a child and teen years. (I talk about this painful part of my life in my 2 books, Your Past Does Not Define Your Future and 7 Secrets To Real Freedom.) I was totally ashamed for who I was. I was ashamed that I existed in the world.
For years, I tried to please everyone. Because if someone didn’t like me, I would panic. I would die within. I was desperate for people to love me.
But daily, I planted seeds of love in my heart.
I received God’s love. I loved myself aggressively. I allowed others to love me. There were days when I was okay. But there were more days when my old fears would grip me again.
There were days when I wanted to give up.
I felt it was all a waste—that I would never get healed.
And then one day—I just noticed it—my fears were lessening. Its intensity weakening. My shame reared its ugly head less frequently.
I knew a miracle was happening.
I knew love was conquering my soul, edging fear out of my life.
Today, as I write this piece, my life has totally changed.
Harvest has come!
I now profoundly love myself. I’m no longer ashamed of myself. I cannot begin to describe to you the change in my inner life. It’s like night changed to day—and I’m a brand new person inside.
But there’s a second step to Harvest Season…

Step #2:

Plant In The Right Environment

The Law of the Harvest says, what you plant, you harvest.
But hidden in this Law is the need to plant your seeds in the right environmental conditions: Good sunlight and abundant water.
If I plant the right seeds in the wrong environment, there’ll still be no harvest.
What is the right environment? Faith.

You need to plant your seeds with blessing mindset. Faith is the water and sunlight of your seeds.

What is a blessing mindset? That no matter what happens, you expect to be blessed. That you expect good things to happen to you.
I know people who work on their finances—but don’t expect to be truly rich.
I know people who work on their family relationships—but don’t expect that they’ll ever get better.
I know people who work on their health—but don’t expect healing.
If you want to be blessed you have to expect to be blessed.
You have to expect the harvest.
Let me give you an example…

Develop Your Wealth Mindset
In my last Blog, I said that if you want to harvest more money, you have to plant value. Why? Because money is simply a symbol of value.
But why was it that for the first 30 years of my life, I was poor, even when I was planting the right seeds?
When I started serving God at age 13, preaching almost daily and leading non-profit organizations, I was already planting value into my life and enormous value in others—by helping countless of people. I planted what I believe are the 3 seeds of wealth—character (integrity), competence (gifting), and connections (relationships).

So why no harvest?

I didn’t have the right blessing mindset to make the seeds grow. In this case, I lacked a wealth mindset to make the seeds of money grow.
In other words, I didn’t want to become rich. I didn’t expect to be blessed.
It took years to get rid of my scarcity mentality. It came from…

•Wrong beliefs about myself: I identified myself with poverty.
•Wrong beliefs about God: I thought He wanted me to be poor.
•Wrong beliefs about money: I believed it was the tool of the devil.
I remained poor because I didn’t want the harvest.

I was already giving so much value to people, all I had to do was ask and I’d get paid handsomely. But I didn’t want to be paid.
So I remained poor.
When I hit 30 years old, I began to open myself to harvest.
I began to grow a wealth mindset.
And I began to grow my wealth too.

I remember reading all the books I could get on money and searching for all the mentors I could find. Sometimes, it seemed like the more I knew, the more confused I became. But I didn’t stop. I kept learning. Until everything made sense.

I also got into 8 small businesses—and failed in every single one of them. I lost tons of money. (I didn’t have much money then, so “tons” is a relative term.) It was devastating. Depressing! But I never gave up.

And then breakthrough came.

Today, money flows to me like a river. (Compared to my multimillionaire mentors, my river is more like a trickle from a leaking faucet. But it sure looks good to me!) I don’t look for business opportunities; Business opportunities come to me. And the right people, the right resources, and the right wisdom just come to me.
Yes, harvest has come.
And greater harvests are coming because I keep planting.

Even At Harvest, Keep Planting
Some of you are enjoying your Harvest Season in various areas of your life.
Don’t stop planting.
Don’t forget to take some of the seeds that you harvest and plant them.
If you do this, greater Harvest Seasons will come.


May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

Monday, June 1, 2009

Nuts - The Healthy Snack


Since I am on a diet (again!), I have nuts for snacks. I dug out the information on nuts below which may help us to fully appreciate these healthy seeds.

Nuts are very likely nature's perfect, bite-sized, convenient, power snack. They have many unique and health benefits and taste o-so-good. High in protein, fiber, antioxidants and monosaturated fat (in case you haven't heard the good for you fat!) Monosaturated fats protect from chronic heart disease and help to keep your belly flat.

The protein in nuts helps you feel full longer which results in you eating less. Recent studies have shown that consuming one ounce of nuts daily reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

The FDA recommends a daily serving of one ounce of nuts (approximately two tablespoons). Let's take a look at a few of our favorite nuts and all the healthy benefits they have to offer.

ALMONDS: A one ounce serving is about 24 nuts with 6 g. protein, 160 calories, and 9 g. monosaturated fat. Almonds are loaded with Vitamin E (an antioxidant that helps prevent heart disease and cancer) and magnesium (strengthens bones).

BRAZIL NUTS: A one ounce serving is about 8 nuts with 4 g. protein, 190 calories and 7 g. monosaturated fat. Brazil nuts are packed with selenium (an antioxidant) and phosphorus (strengthens bones and teeth & assists with energy metabolism.

CASHEWS: A one ounce serving is about 18 nuts with 4 g. protein, 160 calories and 8 g. monosaturated fat. Cashews are rich in selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron.

HAZELNUTS: A one ounce serving is about 20 nuts with 4 g. protein, 180 calories and 3 g. monosaturated fat. Hazelnuts contain large amounts of
Vitamin E.

MACADAMIAS: A one ounce serving is about 12 nuts with 2 g. protein, 200 calories and 17 g. monosaturated fat. Macadamias have the highest level of unsaturated fat (cholesterol lowering).

PEANUTS: (not actually a nut, but a legume, though often thought of as a nut so here it is) A one ounce serving is about 28 nuts with 7 g. protein, 170 calories and 7 g. monosaturated fat. Peanuts are a good source of Vitamin B3 (promoting healthy skin), Vitamin E and zinc (renewing tissue), potassium (muscles) and Vitamin B6 (immunity).

PECANS: A one ounce serving is about 20 halves with 3 g. protein, 200 calories and 12 g. monosaturated fat. Pecans are packed with Vitamin B1 (thiamine energy) and zinc.

PISTACHIOS: A one ounce serving is about 45 nuts with 6 g. protein, 160 calories and 7 g. monosaturated fat. Pistachios are full of phosphorus.

WALNUTS: A one ounce serving is about 14 halves with 4 g. protein, 190 calories and 2.5 g. monosaturated fat. Walnuts are rich in Omega-3s (reducing fat and cholesterol).

Keep in mind that all these wonderful choices need to be consumed in moderation (1 ounce of your choice daily) and in the roasted or unsalted variety. Now you know how healthy nuts are so how can you get more in your diet besides just as a snack. Here are a few ideas. Nut butters make great spreads on crackers, bagels, pancakes and fruit. Chopped nuts make a great, crunchy topping for salads or in your morning cereal. Use nut butters in soups and sauces for a unique seasoning. You can coat fish or chicken with crushed nuts instead of breading for great added flavor. Get your heart-healthy serving of antioxidant packed nuts everyday nature's perfectly wonderful, bite-sized convenience food.

Source: http://www.helium.com/items/824263-the-different-kinds-of-nuts-and-their-nutritional-value

Halfway Through the Tough Year

It's the 1st of June. We're already halfway through the tough year 2009. The year started of with a big bang- the global economic crisis that has gripped every nation and every individual. It felt like a sudden downhill crash and now that we're on the bottom, we still continue to go down.

It is really tough but all we can do is endure all the hardships because there is really nothing we can do about it. Innumerable people lost jobs, plunged down in the sea of debts, sunk into deeper poverty.

Despite all these hardships we are experiencing, we are all looking forward to rise up again. Some may have lost hope, but there are more who are wishing, praying and hoping to have better life in the near future. And this includes me.