One Day I Decided To Quit

One day I decided to quit...

I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.
I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"

His answer surprised me... "Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"

"Yes", I replied.

"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water.
The fern quickly grew from the earth.
Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed.
But I did not quit on the bamboo." He said.

"In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said.

"Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.
Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...
But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots.
Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle."

He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been
struggling, you have actually been growing roots."

"I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare
yourself to others .." He said.

" The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern ... Yet, they both make
the forest beautiful. Your time will come, " God said to me. "You will rise high!"

"How high should I rise?" I asked.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.

"As high as it can? " I questioned.

"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can. "

I left the forest and bring back this story.

I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.

He will never give up on you.

Never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness

Bad days give you experiences;

Both are essential to life.

A happy and meaningful life requires our continuous input and creativity.
It does not happen by chance. It happens because of our choices and actions.
And each day we are given new opportunities to choose and act and,
in doing so, we create our own unique journey." Keep going...

Happiness keeps you Sweet,
Trials keep you Strong,
Sorrows keep you Human,
Failures keep you humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going!

And as a postscript I may add, that just like a bamboo when it grows so tall, it can bend back to the ground and dance with the wind. It doesn't grow stiff and boisterous. So learn to grow roots and rise like the bamboo but never forget humility.

Summer Time!

Summer life in the Philippines is so fiestarrific. It is one of my favorite seasons, second to Christmas. Because summer here is synonymous to beaches. Almost the entire summer season, you'd find beaches in fiesta atmosphere.



The Philippines is very blessed with great summer getaways, from north to south and within the scattered islands, beaches abound. In the north, the Batanes islands welcome tourists and whale pods alike to its majestic hills and temperate waters.



In Pangasinan, the famous hundred islands entice you to go island hopping. In Boracay, the pristine waters and white sand beaches attract thousands of visitors all year. Puerto Galera, another popular white sand island boasts its attractive diving sites.



Down the south is Siargao beach, which is considered the surfing capital of the Philippines where international competitions are held. And then there is Bohol and Palawan islands, hosting the most diversified wildlife in nature. Their magnificent diving sites, beaches and vacation islands such as Panglao, El Nido and Aman Pulo entice even Hollywood celebrities.



I am looking forward to another nice summer dip in the beach, forget work, throw away stress and get in touch with nature.

Rice Crisis!

It's very ironical to know that a very agricultural country like the Philippines is actually experiencing a rice crisis. Some areas of the nation have people literally lining-up in stores for their daily ration of rice. And some people are now crying for help from the government which repeatedly assures plenty of supply. The price of rice zoomed from 24 pesos to 35 pesos per kilo of the same variant over the week and continually climbs.

The Catholic church has offered help in distribution of rice. Some restaurants and food chains have also offered to their customers half-orders of rice.

I really hope this will be controlled soon as police authorities have warned that crime rates will rise if the situation aggravates.

Happy Easter 2008

Happy Easter to all! Hope that the risen Christ finds His way into your hearts and that the reflection on the past Holy Week gives birth to a new you.

That is actually the basic message in the Easter celebration - rebirth. Which is why we have Easter eggs because eggs symbolize the nature of being reborn. It is the season of renewal. We reflect on our past past values, shed those that were not proper and instill in our hearts those that Christ wants us to accomplish.

The season of Lent re-echoes God’s call for us all to reorient and redirect our hearts toward God. What we love reveals what we value. The secret of having a meaningful and grace-filled season lies in what is hidden in us. May God find a contrite heart in each of us. May we be renewed!

In Him alone

I want to share this very meaningful song from Bukas Palad Music Ministry.

REFRAIN:
In Him alone is our hope
In Him alone is our strength
In Him alone are we justified
In Him alone are we saved

What have we to offer
That does not fade or wither
Can the world ever satisfy
The emptiness in our hearts
In vain we deny (REFRAIN)

When will you cease running
In search of hollow meaning
Let His love feed the hunger
In your soul till it overflows
With joy you yearn to know (REFRAIN)

DESCANT:
In Him alone is our hope
Unto Him I pour out my heart
He alone will save me
With His love and mercy.

Bo Speaks

I have always admired Bo Sanchez's talks. When he talks everyone is at all ears. Here's one reason why...

"Let me tell you a crazy story I heard recently. There's this husband who out of sheer love for his wife decided to prove it to her. So he swam the widest oceans, crossed the deepest rivers, and climbed the highest mountains to show his deep devotion to her. But in the end, she divorced him.

Why? Because he was never home.(Get it?)" - Bo Sanchez

A short anecdote on humility

I love Fr. Jerry Orbos' short but witty anecdote.

A child once asked his father: "Why do I need to be humble?"

His father replied: "My child, when you choose the lowly path, there is no place to fall and the only way is up."

and then there's this...

A thought to ponder, from a blood donor:

I gave blood, He gave His life;
I gave a pint, He gave it all;
the needle was short and sharp, the nails were large and dull;
the cot was soft and restful, the cross was rough and hard;
the med tech was kind and gentle, the soldiers were mean and cruel;
the crowd applauded my sacrifice, He was derided and reviled;
mine was given to prolong life, His was given for eternal life.

Hope each of us will learn humility while we are still "human".

Give Thanks

In view of the Lenten Season, let's pause and remember why we are here, how we were saved, and what we keep on forgetting...

Give thanks
with a grateful heart
Give thanks
to the Holy One
Give thanks
for He's given
Jesus Christ, His son

And now let the weak say
I am strong
Let the poor say
I am rich
Because of what
the Lord has done
for us

Give thanks...