One Thing

Restless tonight
Cause I wasted the light
Between both these times
I drew a really thin line
It’s nothing I planned
And not that I can
But you should be mine
Across that line

[Chorus:]
If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn’t that be something

I promise I might
Not walk on by
Maybe next time
But not this time

Even though I know
I don’t want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

[Chorus x2]

Even though I know
I don’t want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

Even though I know
I don’t want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

[Chorus x3]

Flat Tire

A newbie on the road, I carefully drove. All tires were new, and there were a lot of roads ahead to choose where to try them on. Everything was a learning experience, everything was new. Then a new and shiny road appeared out of nowhere, it was too inviting and there were no second thoughts, I just veered off toward it.

The road was too wide, too smooth, a highway? Maybe. So I didn't notice that I was speeding off at a rate that I would have thought of at first. I didn't notice that I wasn't thinking anymore, that I didn't care anymore. I was enjoying the satisfaction that adrenaline rush gave me. I was enjoying the speed more than ever. I never thought to stop, or to look left or right. The wheels were spinning so fast that I hardly noticed anything at all. I just simply enjoyed the speed.

With the wheels running at wild speed, I never noticed the sharp object that I hit. I was still running at such speed when I noticed that I was suddenly slowing down because the wheels were deflating. The sharp object that I didn't see has punctured my tire and now it has completely put me to a halt. I got a flat tire.

I was stranded in the middle of nowhere. But deep in my thoughts, I know that somewhere, sometime, I would be able to find a spare tire. I would learn how to use the tools and change the flat tire. And when that time comes, I will try to drive more slowly and carefully. I will try to see signs and stops and bumps on the road. And I will be careful to notice sharp objects.

When my tire gets repaired or changed, I will be smart enough to think so I will never have flat tires again.

Rapunzel: Tangled

The Chair

There he sat again. At the same time everyday, he slowly makes his way towards that seat. He just sits there for what seemed like hours. He doesn't seem like he was waiting for something or someone. He doesn't seem like he was watching the stream or the people passing by or the trees and birds and other animals. He seems to be just sitting there without a care in the world. It seems like he is transported into another world. And maybe he is.

As he sit there, he looks so peaceful. In his solitude, it's as if he is another man. And maybe in his thoughts he is. Maybe he thinks he is somebody else, a billionaire, a powerful man, a famous celebrity. Perhaps he thinks he is with his family in a better place, with all the people he loves. Maybe he dreams that he has traveled the world, seen places and met people. Maybe he thinks he has no illness or that his wife and children are all safe and healthy and happy. Maybe he imagines that he is in a world with no war or hunger or poverty and sickness. Perhaps he dreams he is a better man.

In that chair he becomes everything he has ever wanted. In that seat he has everything he longs for. And if that chair gives him peace and happiness and contentment, then perhaps everyone should have a seat of their own.

Mini-Shopaholic

Nothing comes between Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) and her bargains. Neither act of God nor budget crunch can shatter her dreams of wall-to-wall Prada. Every milestone in her well-shopped life (travel, long-lost sister, marriage, pregnancy) inspires new vistas to explore in the name of retail therapy. But now she faces her greatest little challenge yet: Becky’s two-year-old daughter, Minnie.

While motherhood has been everything Becky dreamed it would be—Baby Dior, Little Marc Jacobs, and Dolce & Gabbana for toddlers—adorable Minnie is wreaking havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. Her favorite word is “MINE!” and her penchant for Balenciaga bags, Chanel sunglasses, and online purchases has no rival under age five.

Becky is at her wits end. On top of this, she and her husband Luke are still living with her parents. Thankfully it appears house buying attempt number four is a go! Until a huge financial crisis causes panic everywhere, and nobody wants to shop—not Becky’s personal shopping clientele, not her friends, nobody. And with Luke in the doldrums, it’s time for Becky to step in—with a party: A surprise birthday party for Luke (on a budget) is the perfect antidote to everyone’s woes. At first.

Will Becky manage to keep the party of the year a surprise? Can she hire jugglers, fire-eaters, and acrobats at a discount? Will enlisting the help of Luke’s unflappable assistant to convince him to have another baby realize her dream of matching pom-poms? Will Minnie find a new outlet for her energetic and spirited nature (perhaps one with sixty percent markdowns)? She is, after all, a chip off the old shopping block. And everyone knows a committed shopper always finds a way.

Source: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7415016-mini-shopaholic

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1)

I still can't quite get to grips that it's already the last installment of the Harry Potter series. I'm excited and I don't want to accept the fact that it's the beginning of the end. Yet, I was so looking forward to it.

And finally it's here. I would say that it's the film in the series that I liked best. I liked the way that the entire movie was in no hurry. Every Harry Potter book has so much in it that when made into movies a lot details are cut off. But since The Deathly Hallows is a two-part film, most of the essential parts in the book are all in the movie.

I wish that every Harry Potter movie was made into two parts. But if it did, perhaps I would die in anticipation every time I would have to wait for the next part. I can say that I am completely satisfied with this latest Harry Potter film and I can hardly wait that for the second part next year. Next year? Ugh! The waiting is a torture!

Is Forgiveness Always Divine?

A child takes birth and brings joy in the life of everyone with his smile. He is always happy himself and at the same time he makes everyone happy. As he grows older he experiences sweet and bitter incidents that encircle his life. The sweet experiences of life remain cherished. But when someone looks back upon the bitter ones, he is frustrated. And he is keen to punish the people responsible for adding bitter experiences in his life. He wants to make their life bitter too. But such grievances do not help others in rectifying themselves. Rather they become more aggressive.

We may possess grievances against many persons, and that too, may be for a number of reasons. You may be angry on someone for insulting you. Again you may want to put someone in prison for stealing your jewelry. May be these are valid reasons to be angry. But how far are we benefited from possessing grievances against others? Anger not only destroys others, it destroys us. Anger is fatal, forgiveness is rejuvenating.

However, forgiveness is an emotion that evolves from within a person. It can not be imposed. We can only forgive a particular person for his wrongdoing if we sincerely love him/her. Perhaps that is the reason why we can forgive our adolescent son when he is a little arrogant but can never do the same for our servant.

Lovers forgive infidelity of their partners. Why do they do so? They do it out of love. Some may say that "If we forgive our unfaithful partners, we would be taken for granted. Besides, our self respect is important." May be that is quite true. But if we never forgive our partners, we may deprive ourselves of affection and care that can be ours. When you forgive him/her even after he/she is unfaithful, you give him/her an opportunity to be happy. Simultaneously, you give yourself a chance to be happy too.

Surprisingly, forgiveness is something quite unpredictable. Perhaps most of the human emotions are. I personally know of a woman who was orphaned in her childhood and used to stay with her Uncle. He despised her for being a burden on the family. After she grew up, she complained that she had always been a neglected child. In some way she wished to punish him. But after some time her Uncle met with a heart attack and passes away. Sometime later she forgave him.

We may wonder why did that woman forgive her Uncle after his death? Did she feel sympathetic about him? Or did she forgive him because there was nothing she could do? I feel that would remain an unsolved mystery. But from the above incident we can infer that forgiveness is an emotion which is influenced by circumstances. Quite often we possess grievances against a person when he is alive but eventually forgive him after his death.

However some argue that forgiveness is a sign of weakness. A person forgives a wrongdoer when he fears the latter. I feel forgiving someone out of fear may be better termed as compromise. This is because when you forgive someone out fear you look for something in return. If we forgive a person fearing that he/she may be cause us more harm otherwise, that would be for own benefit. But forgiveness is selfless. It never looks for consideration.

Perhaps the greatest instance of forgiveness is depicted in Bible. Lord Jesus forgave the people who crucified him. He suffered the pain in silence. Did Jesus get any benefit out of it? No. Jesus did not get any benefit from the pains, because he never wanted anything. As I said, forgiveness is selfless.

Jesus died. But he became immoral in the minds of his followers. Forgiveness has always been regarded as a virtue on the part of the forgiver.

In the play "The Merchant Of Venice" William Shakespeare describes forgiveness. A few lines are quoted below.

"The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."

The above words describe forgiveness. It is a virtue that blesses everyone. It purifies our heart, it purifies our soul. It makes our lives sublime.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Forgiveness-Always-Divine?&id=297908

The Last Airbender

The film begins with a fourteen-year-old Waterbender girl named Katara, and her older fifteen-year-old warrior brother, Sokka from the Southern Water Tribe, unfreeze an Iceberg with a 12-year-old boy Aang, and a flying bison named Appa, inside of it. This attracts the attention of Zuko, the Prince of the Fire Nation who was exiled by his father: The current Fire Lord Ozai. Arriving to Southern Water Tribe, Zuko demands the elderly under the impression that Avatar is an old person until Aang is found. Aang surrenders himself to Zuko as long as he agrees to leave the village alone. Aboard Zuko's ship, Aang is at Zuko's mercy, but he dares the two escorts that he could take them both in a fight with both of his hands tied behind his back. Eventually he manages to maneuver away from the guards before Katara and Sokka arrive on Appa, making their escape. Aang and friends visit the Southern Air Temple where the Avatar learns that he was in the ice for a century and the Fire Nation wiped out everyone he knew there, entering the Avatar State and revealing to the world that the Avatar has returned via spiritually significant statues begin to glow, just like Aang's eyes and tattoos. It was there Aang meets up with the only known remaining "flying lemur", naming it "Momo" as it joins Aang's group. Meanwhile, Commander Zhao invites Prince Zuko and Iroh for lunch, only to humiliate Zuko in front of his men.

Arriving in a small Earth Kingdom town that is controlled by the Fire Nation, Aang's group are arrested while helping a boy named Haru there. They then incite a rebellion with reminding the disgruntled Earthbenders that earth was given to them through the air ducts. Soon after, Katara finds a waterbending scroll that she uses to perfect her skills while helping Aang master waterbending as they make their way to the Northern Water Tribe and liberate more Earth Kingdom villages in the process. During a side track to the Northern Air Temple on his own, Aang is betrayed by a peasant and captured by a group of Fire Nation Yuu Yan archers, commanded by Zhao. However, a masked marauder, the "Blue Spirit", helps Aang escape from his imprisonment. Aware that Zuko is the "Blue Spirit," Zhao arranges the prince's demise. But Zuko survives the attempt on his life and, with Iroh's help, sneaks aboard Zhao's lead ship as his fleet departs for the Northern Water Tribe to execute the plan he and Ozai set up with the scrolls from the Library detailing the spirits there.

Upon arriving, Aang's group is welcomed warmly by the citizens of the Northern Water Tribe. Sokka falls in love with Princess Yue, while Aang and Katara master their waterbending skills under Pakku. Once the Fire Nation armada arrives, Zhao begins his attack while Zuko infiltrates the tribe on his own, capturing Aang while he entered the spirit world to find the dragon spirit to give him the wisdom to defeat the Fire Nation. Coming to his senses, Aang battles Zuko before Katara freezes him. As the battles escalates, Iroh watches Zhao slay the moon spirit Tui, causing the waterbenders to lose their power. However, Yue, who was imbued with some of the energy of the Moon spirit when she was a newborn, sacrifices her life to revive the Moon spirit. As Zhao is drowned by Waterbenders after Zuko and Iroh leave him to his fate, Aang uses the ocean to drive the armada back. Aang now fully embraces his destiny as the Avatar and prepares to continue their struggle against Ozai. When news of Zhao's death and Iroh's betrayal reaches him, Ozai appoints his daughter Azula to capture both her Uncle and Brother.

Keeping the Faith

I was never much of a religious but I was always a believer. Sadly, my beliefs were always tainted by my pessimistic nature. But I have always tried on some improvement and the recent events make me happy to know that somehow I have really changed and am gearing towards positivity.

There are always hardships and pains but there is no point in moping about. You can't do anything about it because those pains are part of life. You can choose to wallow yourself in pity or give up altogether but you can always choose to be brave and go on with life clinging to your own faith to survive. And the latter is always the best option.

Even at times when you feel that you are already on the edge of a cliff, stand still. You will always be pulled away. You will always be saved. You just have to have faith.

I Love My Blog!

There are probably others out there who share the same thoughts as mine. I think blogging is one of the greatest inventions ever created. For quite a long time now, I was able to share my thoughts and feelings and express them in writing. I've kept diaries before but they have become cliche when blogging was made.

At times, you might feel like there's nothing to write about and it sometimes go on for days, even weeks. But there are times when you could write innumerable articles in one sitting. Sometimes it feels like all thoughts don't have enough space in my head and that they should not just swim there and I have to let them out. And here, alas, was my blog.

I should have taken up Creative Writing or Journalism as what I have envisioned myself taking up years before I had to make a decision. And though I did not, I don't have regrets. It's such a great relief to be able to sail away from everyday routine and breathe through writing. It's such a nice therapy, a break from the monotony.

Maybe if I had taken up a writing course and ended up in job in line with it, it would all feel boring. It wouldn't feel special like what I feel now whenever I write because writing feels like breaking the ice. And I feel free.

Between Cowardice and Hope

I never imagined myself to be such a coward. But maybe I actually am. I have never been eloquent about my emotions and I tend to run away from confrontations. Yes, I'm tough. Yes, I'm fierce. Some even feel scared of my brave facade. But maybe it was just that, a facade. When reality hits, I cower in a corner. As stubborn as I am, hate to be told of. I was always afraid of the truth that slaps me in the face.

Yet, we really have to face reality in one way or another. It may be harsh and difficult, and painful but it's the reality. I may be afraid and hide for a long time but reality remains there. And the only way to conquer it is to face it.

We may all have our strengths but we also have our fears and weaknesses. In this journey that I am currently taking, I have definitely learned one thing. I may have been one of the most pessimistic persons in the world, but I learned not to lose hope. And with that hope lies my faith and belief that one day, I will get over all these. Someday, I will just laugh at today.

And holding that hope within my heart, I will stand tall and brave. Then there's nothing to be afraid of, after all.

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination by JK Rowling

I heard a news last night regarding a Filipino businessman who was being accused of plagiarism after copying excerpts from JK Rowling's graduation speech in Harvard in 2008 which he also used in his speech he delivered in Ateneo de Manila University just recently.

I got curious and searched for the piece which JK delivered and I felt compelled to share it after watching and hearing it. It might be comedic and funny but in reality doesn't necessarily mean so. It's full of wit and brilliance that no other than JK Rowling can come up with.

J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

Source: http://harvardmagazine.com/commencement/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination

Hush Hush

Oooooh ooooh
I never needed you to be strong
I never needed you for pointin' out my wrongs
i never needed pain,i never needed strenght
My love for you was strong enough you should've known.
I never needed you for judgement
I never needed you to question what i spent
I never ask for help, I take care of myself, I don't know why you think you got a hold on me.
And it's a little late for conversations
There isn't anything that you can do.
And my eyes hurt, hands shiver, so look at me , listen to me because,

I don't want to
Stay another minute
I don't want you
To say a single word
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
There is no other way
I get the final say
Because
I don't want to
Do this any longer
I don't want you
There's nothing left to say
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby Hush Hush

I never needed your corrections
On everything from how i act to what i say
i never needed words, i never needed hurt, i never needed you to be there everyday
I'm sorry for the way i let go
Of everything i wanted when you came along
But i am never beaten, broken, not defeated
I know next to you is not where i belong
And it's a little late for explanations
There isn't anything that you can do
And my eyes hurt, hands shiver, so you will listen when i say baby

I don't want to
Stay another minute
I don't want you
To say a single word
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
There is no other way
I get the final say
Because
I don't want to
Do this any longer
I don't want you
There's nothing left to say
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby Hush Hush

No more words
No more lies
No more crying ooh ooh
No more pain
No more hurt
No more tryin' Oh Oh Yeah
Because

I don't want to
Stay another minute
I don't want you
To say a single word
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
There is no other way
I get the final say
Because
I don't want to
Do this any longer
I don't want you
There's nothing left to say
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby Hush Hush

Yeah Oh
Hush Hush, Hush Hush
I've already spoken
Our love is broken
Baby

The Last Song

The Last Song written by Nicholas Sparks is a story of a teenager named Ronnie whose life completely changed one summer that she spent with her estranged father. Ronnie was consumed by anger and rebellion when her parents divorced three years ago. She blamed her father for leaving them and so she has not spoken to him in three years.

But as Ronnie and her brother Jonah stays with their dad that summer, everything in her life has changed. During her first days she shouted a lot at her father. But she started to stay calmer after meeting Will, a nice and handsome guy whom she had a row with at first.

Ronnie and Will seemed to click on immediately but their relationship was tarnished by a gang of unruly kids led by Marcus who seemed to be interested in her but who was Blaze's boyfriend, a girl she met and considered a friend.

As she spent more time with Will, she had also learned a lot of things about her father. She learned that he was a very good person and that he never wanted to leave them. As the summer drew to an end, Will will be going to college in Vanderbilt while she and Jonah will return to New York to their mom, she discovered that her dad has a terminal illness, a stomach cancer.

Ronnie's world turned upside down. Just when she was starting to know her father again, he was dying. While their father stayed in the hospital, Jonah wanted to finish the church's stained glass window his father and him were doing all summer and Ronnie and Will tried to help.

Eventually, Will told Ronnie his big secret. A secret which made her so angry the day before his departure for college and they haven't talked since then. She stayed with her father to care for him during his sufferings. As her father steadily grew weaker, she felt a nagging feeling that she must do something special for him just as Pastor Harris felt that he must install the stained glass window for his father to see. The day she thought she was losing him, she finished the song her father had been composing. She played the piano again to play their last song in front of him.

When her father died, there was a small funeral and her brother and mother were there. She saw the sunlight streaked through the stained glass window and she and Jonah remembered their father. As she was about to leave the church, she noticed Will's parents, Tom and Susan, and thanked them for the donation that enabled rebuilding the church. She didn't expect it but Susan who did not like her seemed okay already and offered her condolences.

Then Will was there and they talked briefly, just a promise that he'll call her when he gets back from his trip abroad.

Ronnie tried to move on with her life without her father. She auditioned in Julliard and practice there everyday all the while spending more quality time with Jonah. She has also become in better terms with her mother. She no longer was a rebellious teenager. She has matured in a lot of ways during the past months.

Then Will called her one day while she was practicing at Julliard. She was surprised to know that he was there, just behind her. He told her that he'll be studying in New York and she felt happy that they will be together again.
***

Though I felt the story is quite predictable, I liked it. I liked the drama and the ordinary way the story goes. When I searched for the book, I found out that Nicholas Sparks wrote it after he co-wrote the screenplay of the movie. It was usually the other way around. Though I don't like Miley Cyrus much, I would like to watch this movie.

The Longing

It has been a very long time since I last had a true and relaxing vacation. And I am dying to have another one! Though I am not really in a capacity for a luxurious vacation, I am longing for some kind of relaxation in the next weeks that I'm going home for the delivery of my baby.

I am dreaming of relaxing in tranquil blue waters, with white sandy beaches, in a hammock tied under coconut trees. There I will lay wearing comfy swimsuit that will suit my bulging tummy with sunglasses and a big beach hat. A server will bring me a nice cold coconut juice which I will drink with a straw directly from the fruit. Then I will prop open a nice book to read while enjoying the rushing of the waves to the shore in the background.

At dinner, I will succumb to a delectable and sumptuous feast. With large buttered and grilled prawns, squid and lobster. I will douse the barbecued pork belly in a nice spicy sauce and eat it with a pot of steaming hot rice. Then I will drink a refreshing green mango smoothie and have some sweet ripe mangoes as dessert.

Before going to bed, I'll pamper myself with a hot bath in my cottage with the bathroom and tub overlooking the silent waters now with purplish glow in the night air. Then a masseuse will come in to give me a relaxing massage that will soothe me to a long and restful sleep.

Ah, how I long that all these be true!

How To Use Your Words To Create Your Reality

Do you want to know your future?

So many people are awed by Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, Jean Dixon, and even Madame Auring (yes, her!) because they claim to predict the future.

Friend, I have a big announcement to make: You can predict the future.

You don’t have to look for a prophet, a seer, or a fortune-teller to know your future. You don’t have to consult the horoscope, the crystal ball, your palm, tea leaves, or fortune cookies to know your future.

You can predict your future.

How? All you have to do is listen to your words.

By examining the words that come out of your mouth, you’ll know your future. Guaranteed.

Let me share with you three people…

Where Do You Want To Go?

Nineteen years ago, I had a friend who was always miserable.

Constantly, I heard “Glenda” say, “Life sucks,” and “Life is terrible,” and “I’m doomed,” and “I’m a looser.” I heard her always sigh with heaviness, “Hay buhay, parang life…”

We lost touch for 11 years.

But I met Glenda recently

Guess what. Her life is still miserable.

Her words created her reality.

My other friend, “Marcel”, liked talking negatively about his health. Ever since I can remember, he kept saying, “I’ll die when I reach fifty.”

I would tell him, “Fifty? My gosh. Don’t say that!”

He’d say, “My father died in his fifties. My grandfather died in his fifties too. So I’m sure I’ll die when I reach fifty.”

True enough, at the exact age of fifty years old, Marcel was walking in the sidewalk. All of a sudden, he fell like a log. Wham. He died of a heart attack.

His words created his reality.

The Bible says that your tongue is like a rudder of a big ship. Like a rudder, your tongue directs your life.

So let me ask you: What kind of future do you want to have?

Don’t use your words to describe your reality. Use your words to create your desired reality.

Another way of putting it: Don’t just talk about where you are. Talk about where you want to go.

Use Your Words To Direct Your Future

My third example is my 84-year old mother.

Last Sunday, Mom was limping.

By Monday, she couldn’t get out of bed. She said her leg was so painful, she couldn’t move it. She couldn’t even walk to the bathroom by herself.

By Tuesday, she was so depressed because we had to put her on a wheelchair. She hated the idea. “I don’t want to be paralyzed!” she said. The entire time, she was moaning and groaning, complaining about the pain and her condition.

That day, I visited her and spoke words of faith. I said, “Mom, this is temporary. You’ll get better.” I prayed for her and taught her a simple healing exercise. I also told her, “Mom, you’ve got to change your words. I know you’re discouraged, but you’ve got to say, “I’m getting better and better everyday.”

She laughed. She asked, “How could I say those words when she had so much pain and could barely move her leg?”

“You’ve got to try!” I said.

But I called her Wednesday and she was better.

I called her Thursday and she began walking.

I called her Friday and she went down the stairs already.

And Sunday? She was at the Feast, walking around like nothing happened.

Perhaps you’re sick like my mother today.

Say, “I feel better and better everyday.”

Echo Joel 3:10, where it says, “Let the weak say I am strong…” So even if you feel weak, believe that God will heal you.

Let me tell you how this works…

Why Faith Words Work

I can explain it in many ways:

· Faith Words affect your emotions in a positive way.

· Faith Words—repeated again and again—create new neural pathways in your brain.

· Faith Words also train your Reticular Activating System (RAS) to be attentive to see the blessings you desire.

All that is true.

But here’s my favorite explanation: Faith Words aren’t just mere positive affirmations; They open your life up to the supernatural power of God.

In Biblical thinking, words aren’t just sounds or noise.

Words are imbued with God’s creative power.

In Genesis, God created the world by His words. He didn’t create light by mixing up stuff with His hands. He simply said, “Let there be light” and there was light.

The Bible also says that death and life are in the power of our tongue. Pretty awesome, right?

God Will Provide

In 2009, my friend Rey Ortega felt God was calling him to rescue babies from abortion. He discussed this with me and passed this dream to my heart. I told him, “Let’s start a ministry.”

Rey then told me, “But I have a problem. How can we raise money for this new work? I’ve exhausted all my friends already for our other work. They all now donate to our Tahanan orphanage and Pagasa scholarship for poor children.”

That’s when I told Rey my Faith Words. Just three words. I said, “God will provide.”

He said, “Wow, I’m impressed by your faith!”

Actually, I was hiding my fear. I was actually scared! In my mind, I said, “Oh no, here I go again, getting myself into another ministry…”

When I said, “God will provide,” we had nothing. Zero. But soon, blessings began to flow like a waterfall.

That month, out of the blue, My Ninang (godmother) called up my office because she needed a speaker for her little prayer group. Specifically, she wanted a speaker to share about the topic, “The Sanctity of Life”.

Obviously, the best speaker on the topic was Rey Ortega. He was the one who had this dream of rescuing babies from abortion in his heart. So I told Rey, “Give the talk. And share our dream to my Ninang. She’s rich!”

And that night, he did.

My Ninang heard Rey’s story and invited him for lunch the next day. When they met, my Ninang said, “You can use my building for your ministry. You have 300 square meters for your halfway house.” Not only that, she spent two million pesos of her own money to remodel it for our use.

We didn’t even call her. She called us.

Was that coincidence?

No. That’s synchronicity of grace. That’s the universe conspiring to bless us. We were no longer chasing after blessings. The blessings were chasing after us. Resources were rolling at our feet, begging that we take them.

“God will provide,” is a powerful Faith Word.

In May 2009, we began Grace To Be Born, a halfway house for pregnant womenin crisis and an orphanage for babies. In 6 months, we’ve rescued 15 babies from abortion.

Friend, are you praying for God to provide for you?

Here’s my belief: Sooner or later, your outside world will match your inside world. What’s does your inside world say?

Remember, your faith is more powerful than your sight.

Your sight can only describe your situation, your faith can direct your situation.

Let me tell you the story of Elijah…

I Hear The Sound Of Heavy Rain

Even When There Is No Rain

I love this incredible story.

For 3 years, there was a drought in Israel. Absolutely no rain in the whole land. In our language, a very bad El Nino.

But one day, the prophet Elijah told King Ahab, “Your problems are over. Go, eat and drink, for I hear the sound of heavy rain.” King Ahab was relieved and followed Elijah’s orders.

But was there actually rain?

None. Not a drop.

In fact, there was not a single cloud in the sky.

That was when Elijah prayed very hard. The Bible says he went up to Mount Carmel, bent over, and placed his head between his knees. If you pray in that posture, that means Elijah was desperate. I should know. That was how I prayed when I was courting my wife. (It worked!)

Elijah then told his servant, “Look towards the sea and check for clouds.”

The servant looked and said, “No clouds.”

You can imagine how worried Elijah must have felt.

So Elijah prayed one more time and told his servant, “Check again.” The servant looked and shook his head, “Nope, no clouds.”

The Bible says this scene was repeated 7 times.

By the seventh time, I can imagine what the poor servant was thinking. I bet he wanted to say, “Elijah, I told you 6 times already, the sky is empty. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilcho. When are you going to quit? When are you going to tell King Ahab that you made a big booboo?”

But Elijah didn’t quit. He asked him, “Check again.”

Big Clouds Come From Little Clouds

When the servant looked a seventh time, he said, “I saw a little cloud no bigger than a man’s hand, coming up from the sea.”

In other words, he was saying, “Uh, there’s a tiny cloud. But don’t get your hopes up too much. It’s so itsy bitsy tiny, I can cover it with my hand. See? I don’t see it no more.”

But that little cloud was enough for Elijah. He said, “Tell King Ahab to hurry home as he might be caught by the downpour.”

Wow. That’s faith.

And the Bible says the wind began to blow and the heavy rain began to fall.

Friend, it’s your turn to create your miracles.

Do you see an empty sky or a little cloud?

When you focus on emptiness, more emptiness will come. But when you focus on the blessings—no matter how small—more blessings will come.

Speak Blessing Into Your Future

Here’s my message: There’s a connection between what you say and what will happen.

You have a choice: You can say, “There’s not a cloud in the sky” or you can say, “I hear the sound of heavy rain.”

Perhaps today, you don’t see the healing happening yet in your body. But you can confess, “I’m being healed by God right now. Health and healing are flowing into my body. I’m getting better and better everyday.”

Perhaps today, you don’t see your child changing yet. He’s still making bad choices. He’s still hanging out with bad company. He’s still taking drugs. But you can confess, “My child is coming closer to God. As I speak, God is working in his life.”

Perhaps today, you don’t see your financial situation getting better. But you can confess, “I’m getting rich and richer everyday. God is prospering the work of my hands.”

Perhaps today, you don’t see yourself free from addictions yet. But you can confess, “I may have had addictions in the past, but God is starting a new chapter in my life. I may feel weak right now but I declare that God is making me strong.”

Like Elijah, you need to hear the sound of heavy rain even when there’s not a cloud in the sky. You need to hear the heavy rain of blessings into your life even when you don’t see anything yet.

Start speaking words of faith into your future.

Because your words create your reality.

Let me tell you my last story.

Use Your Words To Direct Your Future

Last year, one of my small businesses collapsed.

In a snap, it simply sunk.

Circumstances beyond my control pulled the rug beneath it and it came crashing down.

My small business was almost one year old. All of a sudden, in one day, I lost all my customers.

I wish I could tell you that because I’m a preacher, I smiled and sang, “Give thanks with a grateful heart…”

That’s not true. At least, not right away.

Believe me, I was so discouraged. I was so frustrated, I wanted to say, “This business is dead,” and “I’m a failure,” and “Why did I let this happen? I’m so foolish.”

But I didn’t say those words.

Because I knew words have power.

Instead of using my words to describe my reality, I decided to use my words to create my desired reality.

Every time I wanted to say those negative words, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and proclaimed with faith, “My business will rise up stronger than ever. This failure is temporary. This failure will make my business even better.”

For three months, I tried to resurrect my business. And I couldn’t do it. I felt like I was hitting my head on a brick wall. But no matter how discouraged I felt, I kept saying these faith statements, “My business will rise up stronger than ever.” And I didn’t stop trying to fix it.

And soon, I discovered the blessing within the problem. Because I had to start from scratch, I was able to change my business model.

Today, that small business is doing so much better. Today, I have more customers, more sales, and more profits!

You know what? Today, I thank God my business collapsed. Because it gave me the chance to transform it and make it better.

What happened?

My words—my Faith Words—created my desired reality.

Proclaim Those Faith Words

Look, I’m not saying that speaking Faith Words is all that you need to do to succeed in life. This isn’t magic.

To succeed in life, you need love, wisdom, mentors, action…

But speaking words of faith is incredibly important too!

May I suggest something?

I want you to take five minutes everyday declaring Faith Words. I guarantee that it can change your life. Five minutes in the morning, declare God’s word, including your positive beliefs about your life.

Here’s why. In Mark 11:23, Jesus said something incredible. He said, I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Friend, what is your mountain?

It may be sickness. It may be a troublesome relationship. It may be a lack of money.

Don’t just pray about the mountain. Don’t just talk about the mountain. Instead, speak to the mountain.

That’s what I did to my failed business. I told it to resurrect.

My message again: Don’t use your words to describe your reality. Use your words to create your reality.

Below, you’ll find God’s Word combined with my own positive words. I wrote these Faith Words so that you can speak them everyday. In fact, depending on your particular “mountain”, I want you to say these Faith Words not just once, but many times during the day.

Talk to the mountain of sickness:

“With long life, He satisfies me and shows me His salvation. I’m getting better and better everyday. I am getting stronger and stronger everyday. The power of healing is flowing through my body, mind, and spirit. New health, new joy, new peace, new hope is increasing within me.”

Talk to the mountain of a loved one going astray:

“My child (husband, brother, etc.) is growing closer to God. Deep inside his heart, the Holy Spirit is busy working, changing, and transforming him. He is set free from all his addictions. He will fulfill God’s purpose for his life. I declare that as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Talk to the mountain of addictions:

“I may have had addictions in the past, but God is starting a new chapter in my life. I may feel weak now but I declare that God is making me strong. God is setting me free.”

Talk to the mountain of relationship conflicts:

“God is blessing my relationships. Love is increasing. Service for one another is growing. Forgiveness, humility, and understanding flow like a river in my relationships. Old wounds are being healed. Bonds between us are getting stronger and deeper.”

Talk to the mountain of confusion in decision-making:

“The steps of the good person are ordered by the Lord. God directs my steps. God helps me to distinguish what is right from wrong. God shows me the paths to abundance.”

Talk to the mountain of financial difficulty:

“I’m rich and getting richer. I’m generous and getting more generous. God’s abundance is supplying my every need. Everything I touch prospers and succeeds. New doors will open before me. The right people will walk into my life. God will prosper the work of my hands. As I use my core gifts to serve others, I will be richly rewarded.”

Friend, there’s a miracle in your mouth waiting to be released.

Release it today.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

Source: http://bosanchez.ph/how-to-use-your-words-to-create-your-reality/

Movie Saturday

As there was nothing else to do on a Saturday, after waking up at 12 noon and eating brunch afterwards, the whole day was spent on the couch watching DVDs of various films.

SPREAD


SPREAD is a fresh, funny, and racy look at the trials and tribulations of sleeping your way to a life of privilege in Los Angeles. Comic and karmic, the film is an “immorality tale” about a gorgeous guy who gives women what they want in order to live exactly as he likes. In SPREAD, Nikki (Ashton Kutcher) isn’t a gigolo. He’s a sexual grifter, a fun-loving, freeloading hipster who understands his greatest assets are his looks and sexual prowess, which he uses to charm his way into the hearts of the city’s richest women and enjoy their lifestyle. Nikki gets a free place to live, fantastic gifts, A- list access, and plenty of sex. The women get to feel young, beautiful… and utterly fulfilled in the bedroom. It’s a mutually beneficial set-up. Nikki’s latest conquest is Samantha (Anne Heche), a stunning middle- aged lawyer who gives him more than he’s ever had before. But then he meets a gorgeous waitress his own age named Heather (Margarita Levieva). She comes to visit Nikki at Samantha’s house while Samantha is out of town, sees what an incredible place it is… and comes to the mistaken conclusion it’s his. Unbeknownst to Nikki, Heather lives by playing the same game. When Samantha comes home, she discovers Nikki’s infidelity and he’s put out on the street. With nowhere else to turn, Nikki pulls out all the stops to win Heather over and they begin to form their own kind of bond. Sexually charged by a game of one-upsmanship, each shows the other their best grifts, and they unexpectedly begin falling in love – the one thing they can’t do in the life they lead. Soon, the truth of their unfolding relationship forces a choice between love and money, and Nikki has to decide whether he can live on his own once and for all in the hopes of finding something real.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women…in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul’s wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships-past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love…or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.

Up in the Air

George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a corporate hatchet man who loves his life on the road but is forced to fight for his job when his company downsizes its travel budget. He is required to spend more time at home just as he is on the cusp of a goal he's worked toward for years: reaching five million frequent flyer miles and just after he's met the frequent-traveler woman of his dreams.

Drowning in a Big Pool of Sh*t

When it rains, it pours. This has been a cliche for God knows how long but still it rings truer every time. How come when one problem arrives, a series is usually in tow?

You get buried underneath until there's no room to breathe. Then you drown slowly, painfully, gasping for breath, trying to reach to anyone who could rescue you. But sometimes, there just isn't anyone. You're on your own.

Then you get to choose. You'll have an option to struggle with all your strength, with all your courage, to paddle hardly just to resurface upwards, to be able to fill your lungs with air.

Or you choose to stop struggling, to just simply lay still, to let the numbness take away your soul. To be able not to feel pain anymore. To calmly welcome the coming oblivion, the promise of nothingness.

When you're in the middle of that pool, the only thing that matters is your choice.

Deadly

I was thinking if I'm running late. I'm meeting Mara at Deli John's for a brunch and I left my phone at home and didn't wear a watch. I wonder what time is it already. I woke up just in time but got held up a bit at the train station. Maybe I'm still on time.

Mara and I are friends since first grade. We were both wearing braces then and looked almost identical. Many people has mistaken us for twins. We went to school together until high school and was only forced to separate during college. She decided to take a course in Mass Communications while I pursue a teaching course. However, I wasn't able to finish my studies because I got pregnant at eighteen and the father of my child did not want any responsibilities so I was forced to work to raise my child.

I worked shifts at three different jobs just to support my child and to pay the bills. I never opted to ask for my parents though they are willing to support their grandchild. The only thing they insisted on was the apartment for us because they wanted their grandchild to have a decent place to live in. I feel tired most of the time but I never compromise my time with my daughter. Katie is such a sweet child and she's all I have in the world. All my problems all go away whenever we were together.

But I still feel something in my life is missing. Not a lover because I have a number of suitors but I just feel like I'm not yet ready for any of them. What I really wanted was to continue my studies and put up my own kindergarten school. Then I won't have to work three jobs and I'll have more time with Katie. Whenever I thought of this, I thought of Mara. She's what I have dreamed to be. Successful in her career, being the producer of a lot of shows in the biggest television network in the country.

She travels to any place she wanted. I remember that it was both our dreams to travel together and explore different places. But I could not do that now. Mara, however, lived her dreams, our dreams. She's smart and beautiful and very successful. She lives in a large manor in the most exclusive subdivision in the city. She owns several cars and countless properties all over the country and even in some other parts of the world. Everybody loves her and she was once married but the marriage didn't work out well and so they divorced. But still, she exudes an aura of extreme happiness with her success.

I was already in front of the deli and I saw Mara already seated inside from the large glass walls of the restaurant. I smiled at her and she smiled back. She was as immaculate as ever now with a bob cut which made me think of Victoria Beckham. I already knew that whatever hairstyle or outfit she sported, Mara will still be able to carry it with style and grace. I started towards the entrance of the restaurant but stopped when I heard someone call my name. I instantly caught sight of someone familiar. Ellie waved and ran towards me. I glanced back at Mara with a plea on my face and with sign language asked her to spare me some minutes while I talked to Ellie.

***

Carrie looks exactly the same as I had remembered her. We haven't seen each other for almost a year but she still wears the same shoulder-length wavy hair in auburn. I saw some stress lines on her face when she smiled at me but she still looks gorgeous yet simple. No one would think that she already has a six-year old daughter. At that thought, I can't help but feel pain.

When Carrie got pregnant, she was so scared that she wanted an abortion especially when Brad left her on her own. But I advised her not to and that she would be able to make it. Though she was not able to finish school because she had to work for her child, I felt that she became stronger after giving birth to Katie. She became the source of her strength and even if she worked several jobs, I knew she feels satisfied whenever she sees her daughter growing up lovely and smart.

I offered her financial help several times but as strong as she was, she always refuses and I admire her for exceptional strength and bravery. It was that strength that I fear I do not possess. Everyone thinks I am strong as successful as I am, little did they know that I was never whole.

I grew up in a broken home, my mom left us for a younger man and my dad started drinking until he suffered from liver cancer. He died after a few months of being diagnosed and so I was left alone since I was fifteen. Though I was left with enough money to finish school, I persevere in my chosen career to mask the emptiness I felt inside. With this I became indeed successful.

Then I met Willard in one of my leisurely travels. We dated for a few months and got married in the same year. For a while I thought I was the happiest woman on earth, with all my career success and a wonderful husband. But only a few months after we got married, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and so I had a major hysterectomy. This could only mean one thing, that I will not be able to bear a child. Before we got married, Willard and I agreed to have several children since we were both the only child. The operation has changed everything. Though he supported me during the operation and throughout my recovery, after a while, I was seeing less and less of him.

Willard has various businesses in and out of the country and he was out of the country more often. I tried to understand this at first until he came home with apparently grave news. He wanted divorce. He said he cannot have a wife who cannot bear his children. I plead and told him we can find alternative solutions. But I felt that a bomb was dropped in my head when he told me he got someone pregnant.

All of these I have hidden from Carrie. Though she is my bestfriend, I could not bear the look of sympathy from her eyes. I told her that Willard had an affair so I decided to end it and it was what we both agreed to tell the world. He gave me that piece of self-pride so as not to completely humiliate me.

Whenever I look at Carrie and Katie, I could not help but feel the life I would have had. It was that one thing that made me empty once again, that took everything away from me. And now I see Carrie entering the deli, tired but contented having a child whom she loved and who loves her back.

***

The road was quite slippery this morning because the snow has slowly melted and it was drizzling the whole morning. I know I have to be more careful but I drove with speed because I was running late for a date. I know it was weird to have a lunch date but I should grab this opportunity. Allen and I met at a common friend's party two months ago. Since I met him, I had always looked forward to attending gatherings prepared by Bill just to see Allen again. I was unfortunate for a couple of parties but during the last one, I directly told Bill that I liked Allen and wanted to see him again.

But he was out of the country often, having relocated in Milan to attend to his several furniture shop businesses. However, he promised me that he would set Allen a date with me when he comes back. And this has been my lucky morning.

I dressed up and carefully prepared for our meeting. He will only be here for a few hours and I had to grab my chance. It took me longer than usual to dress up careful not to be overdressed yet I still wanted an impression. Before I knew it, I was running late so the option to take the train was out as the stations are always full at around lunch time.

Seeing the Deli John's from a block away, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was just in time, checking my watch. I chanced a glance at my reflection in the rear view mirror to check if I hadn't smudged my lipstick and if my hair is still in place from under my carefully matched beret.

But everything else happened in a flash as I stole a second to view the mirror.

***

I decided to grab a sandwich from Burger Joe's in front of Deli John's. It was already eleven o'clock but I knew I won't be able to have a decent lunch with all the workload that I just received with everything marked as "rush". I knew from the moment I saw the pile stacked on my table that it will be a working lunch. Again.

Working as Dana's personal assistant feels like sitting in hell next to Satan. When I started at Derby's Unlimited, I thought that I was the luckiest person to have been chosen by Dana Derby. Only after a few days that I realized I was gravely mistaken. I have to answer phone calls that seems to come in every minute. I had to type reports, prepare presentations, audit the sheets and bring Dana coffee every thirty minutes. To top it all off, Dana is the kind of boss that never compliments and tries to scrutinize your work for every little mistake that you might have committed.

I felt like quitting after a month but decided I needed the job anyway. The pay was good and more than enough for me though I just have to endure Dana's scowls and insults and yells every single day. Well, I thought that the pay compliments that little self-respect that was taken away from me.

I thought of ordering a nice take away from Deli John's but I didn't have much time to spare so I settled for a double cheeseburger and a coke at Burger Joe's instead. I took my food and had just opened the fastfood's glass door when I saw a speeding Nissan X-terra from the next block which swerved wildly to avoid a passing couple. The driver violently turned the wheel to the right where Deli John's stood from the corner of the street.

The driver probably already lost control of the vehicle as the car hit a lampost and skidded straight to the restaurant's glass walls. I just caught a glance of two women sitting opposite each other who both turned their heads towards the crashing car with utmost terror on their faces.

The Holidays

The Christmas and New Year celebrations didn't come out sad after all. On the morning of the 24th, we were all very busy preparing for the evening's Noche Buena. We had lots of food because we designated each and everyone to cook or prepare a little something and so we had 10 different dishes on the table. It was a simple Christmas dinner and some videoke afterwards.
On Christmas day itself, the rest of our friends arrived in the house at around 7pm for a simple Christmas party hosted by Toni and Don. We had several parlor games and it was a fun party complete with exchanging gifts. We planned to watch Avatar after the party but the theaters were all fully booked already. So they just all headed home happy and contented with our simple Christmas celebration.
On New Year's Eve, we had the same setup as Christmas, everyone prepared his or her own food. As usual, we prepared from morning til almost midnight. This time though, some friends joined us in the celebration. We also had fun as we tried to play "charades". We stayed awake until 4am because we had to go to Bapa Edie's place to celebrate there too.
At around 11am on New Year's day, I got a call from Haidee telling us that they are coming. As we have invited them, we got up to prepare the "leftovers". Later, Toni and the rest of the others arrived too and had lunch. After eating, We played another charades game and it was really a lot of fun. It was girls vs. boys and a mobile load was given as a prize. Luckily, we won.
They stayed until twilight after coaxing Karl to cook Arozcaldo and they surprisingly cleaned up the entire cauldron.
I also had my haircut. It was the first time in years to have my hair cut this short and to top it all, I have bangs! But I am not too happy about it. It just feels better to have a "new look" on New Year.