It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything. This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Amen. -Fr. Oscar Romero late post but nonetheless worth posting... Thing I learned from my Grade 4 class - No one will care how much you know, unless they know how much you care.
- Loosen up! Laugh a little and smile a lot. It makes a difference.
 - Tolerance and ignorance is acceptance so do not tolerate or ignore disrespect unless you accept that they can be disrespectful to you.
- Everyone is naturally good-hearted. You just have to look closer and give them a chance.
- If you learn with pleasure, you will want to learn more.
- When you listen with your ears, it distracts. When you listen with your heart, it makes an impact.
- When you promise something, make sure to follow through. Nothing is worse than unfulfilled expectations.
- Sa lahat ng bagay, may pag-asa. In all things, there is hope.
- Every child is SMART. Some just need a little more encouragement and challenge.
- Work with love.
It's been two years. A lot has happened and I've seen myself go out of my comfort zone. I feel a need to revisit the past. Pictures and blogs about my students have made me look back into what I have left behind. I think I sort of know the feeling of a mom, leaving her son or daughter in front of the house of someone she knows could take care of her baby. I'm happy to know they've all graduated and are doing great but at the same time I feel sad for not being there for them. More than that, I feel a sense of joy seeing how they turned out to be loving and gifted children. Congratulations to Teacher Diane for being the teacher that they needed who guided them through all these milestones! Saludo ako sayo! As for my students, even if, you don't see me or I can't be the one to be with you physically and emotionally, you have been in my prayers and always will be.I hope the struggles of the past have made you stronger people. I will always carry the memories of our moments together - the wisdom and love I got from you. God bless with you new adventure in high school! | | A reader sends me a questionnaire in which he presents the profile of three world leaders who lived in the same period of history, and asks if it is possible to choose the best one using the following data: Candidate A was associated with witchdoctors and often consulted astrologists. He had two mistresses. His wife was a Lesbian. He smoked a lot. He drank eight to ten martinis a day. Candidate B never managed to hold down a job because of his arrogance. He slept the whole morning. He used opium at school, and was always considered a bad student. He drank a glass of brandy every morning. Candidate C was decorated a hero. A vegetarian, he did not smoke. His discipline was exemplary. He occasionally drank a beer. He stayed with the same woman during his moments of glory and defeat. And what was the answer? A] Franklin Delano Roosevelt. B] Winston Churchill. C] Adolf Hitler. So what then is leadership? The encyclopedia defines it as an individual’s capacity to motivate others to seek the same objective. The bookstores are full of texts on this theme, and the leaders are normally portrayed in brilliant colors, with enviable qualities and supreme ideals. The leader is to society as the “master” is to spirituality. This, however, is not absolutely true (in either case). Our big problem, especially in a world that is growing more and more fundamentalist, is not allowing people in prominent positions to commit human mistakes. We are always in search of the perfect ruler. We are always looking for a pastor to guide and help us find our way. The truth is that the great revolutions and the progress made by humanity were brought about by people just like us – the only difference being that they had the courage to make a key decision at a crucial moment. A long time ago, in my unconscious, I changed the word “leader” for the expression “warrior of light”. What is a warrior of light? Warriors of light keep the spark in their eyes. They are in the world, are part of other people’s lives, and began their journey without a rucksack and sandals. They are often cowards. They don’t always act right. Warriors of light suffer over useless things, have some petty attitudes, and at times feel they are incapable of growing. They frequently believe they are unworthy of any blessing or miracle. Warriors of light are not always sure what they are doing here. Often they stay up all night thinking that their lives have no meaning. Every warrior of light has felt the fear of joining in battle. Every warrior of light has once lost faith in the future. Every warrior of light has once trodden a path that was not his. Every warrior of light has once felt that he was not a warrior of light. Every warrior of light has once failed in his spiritual obligations. That is what makes him a warrior of light; because he has been through all this and has not lost the hope of becoming better than he was. That is why they are warriors of light. Because they make mistakes. Because they wonder. Because they look for a reason – and they will certainly find one. | I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.
(Happy Valentines days to all!)
(got this from the book “The Love Letters” by Madelein L’Engle)
My love is lost.
And so it stays.
I count not cost
Nor look for ways
To love again
For I love still
And love is pain
And pain is naught
And love, like light,
Cannot be caught
And sun and rain
And nights and days
My heart have tossed
A thousand ways.
For love, like light,
Cannot be caught.
Fingers closed tight
Hold naught.
(It's the season of hearts again...hence, the theme for the next few posts)
"Love is a revolt against the finitude of the finite, the transcience of the transient, the relativity of the relative." – George Tyrell
In time passing, there are things you come to learn as well:
Codes crafted by our fathers
and silence of our mothers
as they spun tapestries of their secret songs.
In time passing, you have broken through – hurtling past law and language
defining you to ‘Other, Daughter, Sister, Wife, and Mother:
keeper of bones and beads.
And so you are all these, but always you are more.
Adam’s rib, apple-gatherer, candle-bearer;
though you have plucked the forbidden fruit still,
in time passing, you hold infinity in your womb
as from your blood and bones lie the primordial source:
revealing there your awesome power –
reaping there a rich harvest of sons and daughters
all sprung from your marrow.
In time passing, though time has etched hard works
and milestones upon your face
and your words are weighed with mother-wisdom
you remain stronger than light, gentler than rain.
I'm happy I was able to finish a school profile report for today! I was able to print the first draft! Yehey! I was able to keep my word and give Mrs. O a report this week. I'm grateful for significant realizations and time to process things. I'm grateful for quality time with A! (my apple ) I'm grateful to hangout with Jay, Rheza, Rico and Yui I am really grateful for unplanned but much needed meet ups. Kahit di natuloy ang high school dinner tonight, I'm grateful I was able to spend time with one of my best guy friends. (Thanks Bro!) Talking and hearing him calmed my very anxious mind and restless heart. I really admire and appreciate how you are. I'm also grateful to be alive! Cheers to second chances on things! Everyday is a chance to love more. I'm happy I'm almost done with one school profile report. Goal is to print two reports this week as first draft. I'm happy to talk to A! looking forward to ultimate and wakeboarding! Shaly, I tag you! :) Ikaw rin, A! ;) I'm happy that I'm seeing HS friends tom! It was also fun and interesting to talk to my PMA foster brother whose been in Sulu for quite some time now. It's cool that he's also doing community organizing there, working with public schools at the site. Sabi nga ng dad ko, the best tactic is through the hearts and minds of people. (hehe syempre puro happy thoughts dito. Today was a struggle of sorts as well. I mean, I don't always feel happy and there are things I need to work on but what's important is the realization that at the end of the day, there are things to be grateful for)  My feel good/happy song for the day: Better Together by Jack Johnson Thanks to A for that! I'm also grateful for having a happy dispostion for today despite some stuff. I'm happy to spend time with Belle (my 2-year old niece) and Sandy. Had fun being silly with them..hehe ako si Sandwich monster (with Cookie Monster's voice hehe) and Belle was the sandwich Sandy made. Hehe kulitan galore! Pati sa photobooth. (Post a comment to answer this question..malay niyo mabasa ni Santa ang multiply ko, ma-grant ang wish ninyo. ) It's been so long since I last blogged (well, atleast publicly.)
I guess writing right now, one of my motives will be to update good friends I haven't seen for ages about what's happening to me.
First of all, I lost my phone this week. I left it in the taxi I was in, when I went to Paranaque.
I'm assuming I've been texted many times about different things and my friends are wondering why I haven't been replying. I'm really sorry. This just adds up to my feeling of being detached the past few weeks. Things have just been quite hectic with work and Mama's garden (with the bazaars we've been attending.) Anyways, I hope to get my line again by today. Same number.
Hay, I don't even know how to continue this blog. I mean I don't want to just whine aobut how I've been so busy with work but I realized I need to slow down. I need to prioritize. I've experiened a number of changes and surprises this year. I'm still in the process of adjusting.
Waaah. I just want to take a break. Looking forward to 2 weeks of Christmas break!
I need to be honest with myself. I can't do everything. I have to prioritize and stick to it.
Miss ko na si Ow, Nix, Jay (hs brkada), PGTB, Kay, Kev, Abro. Hope to meet Densio, Shaly, maybe AA people. =) Sana rin mga Strainers like Migmol. KP4 too. I miss playing frisbee. I miss studying (MA). I miss playing the flute. I miss spending time with family. Maybe that's why part of me feels MISSerable. =p Haha (too corny = too stressed).
I realized, as a whole (I like the word...haha sounds like), there are really some people who need to be avoided or confronted about how they are. Minsan kasi hindi na talaga tama. I was really stressed with two volunteer profilers who were with me this week. They were older than me, medyo KIA and quite rude.
Anyways, this blog is just my release of sorts. It will be better. I'm grateful for blessings such as my family and A. =) Looking forward to being sane again. =p Well silly sane.
taken from Ignatian Principles by Frank Holland S.J
This is really insightful. I highlighted the parts that struck me the most.
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God’s grace is helpless without plenty of personal effort on the part of man’s free will.
Man alone can open the door of his soul. God can only knock.
Our work is to preapre and dispose our souls so that God can work directly with us.
Once the foundation of the soul is cleared of the debris of self, God can build with His grace.
We get what we desire in the spiritual life. Since we are completely dependent on God’s grace
For everything. In prayer, BEG continually for grace and ask for nothing but the best.
What hurts our prayer most is too much love for created things and persons.
Because of this, creatures take us away form God when they should take us straight to God.
Strive and pray for an interior, heartfelt knowledge in prayer, a realization of God that
Can be “tasted” and “felt,” as it were. This is essential for advancement in prayer.
“Feelings” are important (though not necessary) in giving strength to the will in prayer.
We ought to ask God to teach us to love Him with our whole human being, not merely our will.
Growth in prayer means knowing God more intimately, loving Him more ardently,
And serving Him more faithfully.
Is there something that your “feelings” tell you that you cannot give to Christ?
Then act directly against feelings and beg God to take that precise thing.
The most important part of prayer is the decision to do something for Christ.
Everything else should prepare to confirm that.
Love and service are in reality the same. Action must flow from prayer.
Prayer must give itself to action.
The more genuine our prayer, the more continual our self-denial.
And the more continual our self-denial, the more genuine our prayer.
No one can prepare his own soul for God unless he knows himself.
Self-knowledge, therefore, is necessary in order that God may work with us. It's been quite long since I wrote a post here. I was planning to post a list of things one can do to help in elevating/ improving our country's plight in education but I was caught up in actually fixing my own commitments with regard to this. I am grateful things are becoming clearer now. In particular, I am looking forward to having a place to run the GK Sibol school in Molave, Payatas. I appreciate the presence of people who are helping me see things through - Marge, for bringing her preschool expertise on board along with a veteran Teacher, Simon for helping figure things out with construction. Anyways, if you're interested in helping out with this too, pls. PM me.  Back to my stories... I just want to share two things I think are important in social work 1. I was struck with one of the practices in the book "the Art of Possibility" by Roz and Ben Zander. The fourth practice is: "Being a contribution. Here's a story illustrating the paradigm behind it: Strolling along the edge of the sea, a man catches sight of a young woman who appears to be engaged in a ritual dance. She stoops down, then straightens to her full height, casting her arm out in an arc. Drawing closer, he sees that the beach around ehr is littered with startfish, and she is throwing them one by one into the sea. He lightly mocks her: "There are stranded starfish as far as the eye can see, for miles up the beach. What difference can saving a few of them make?" Smiling, she bends down and once more tosses a starfish out over the water, saying serenly, "It certainly makes a difference to this one."
I realized it's not about how "grand" your way of helping is. Sabi nga sa BBBS climb namin before "big dreams, start with small steps." [Densio, this reminded me of you. I'm sincerely sorry for the meet up that didn't push through. I really believe in your green itch movement! =) I hope you know that.] I'm starting by prioritizing and slowly focusing on one commitment at a time. I think what's also important is involving more people. I'm grateful for people who are willing to share their talents to help. (which reminds me, I still have to meet up my friend who wants to help out in making school reports) 2. While I was reviewing CLE with Sandy, I was struck with one story in their book. It was about wildflowers. They say wildflowers are one of the most beautiful flowers. I mean, look at orchids, aren't they wildflowers that are rare and hard to find? The question is: who waters those wildflowers in the forest? Does someone put fertilizers on them to grow? I realized, it's important to make sure one works for herself/himself in becoming successful in life. But, it's not just about that. There is beauty in surrendering and knowing that, bottomline is, God will always be there to make us bloom into who we are meant to be. No need to worry. We just have to give our best in everything that we do. Eh kung plants nga, di niya pinapabayaan (mas magaling pa nga siya mag-alaga, wildflowers are usually more beautiful than the ones that are grown by people), tayo pa kaya? All things will fall into place. Sometimes, I guess, it just takes time. I feel loved when...The Five Love Languages My Primary Love Language is Quality Time| My Detailed Results: |
|---|
| Quality Time: | 9 | | Words of Affirmation: | 8 | | Physical Touch: | 6 | | Receiving Gifts: | 5 | | Acts of Service: | 2 |
About this quiz Unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. It can be helpful to know what language you speak and what language those around you speak. Tag 3 people so they can find out what their love language is. Take the Quiz!
Check out the Book anyway
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Be good anyway.
Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People need help but may attack you if you try to help them. Help them anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
[from a sign on the wall of Shishu Bhavan, a children's home in Calcutta)
Even if there are things that make some people so hard to love.. I hope you'll continue doing the good that you do. I hope you'll remain honest and real to yourselves and to each other. That's what's important (not what other people say about you.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Still, okay lang din magrant. Kailangan ng "hingahan!" hay, some people can just be so..hehe sabi nga sa sharing, one can't help but feel mad at someone who hurts the people you care about.'
Sabi nung isang CLC couple I met this afternoon, hiritan nila to each other when they find themselves fighting.."What's the better way of loving?!" in a teasing, "fine, even if you make me mad, I know we care for each other" tone.
Anyways, miss ko na PGTB (my own unit) and this is just me talking to myself. I hope to attend PS soon! I feel like a prodigal son ehehe need to find balance with my sched.  Hi! I'm compiling one-liners about Fr. Dan so I can put it into a simple presentation for him on his Golden Jubilee celebration on Sunday. Here are some sharings: Pls. add more and comment so I can do justice to the presentation for Fr.Dan to show how much we appreciate him with how he has touched our lives. Thank you! à Fr. Dan is like a lamp who brings light and inspired young people.
à I admire his faith and love for God and his passion to spread such great faith and love to others – Regina Nonato à Fr. Dan is like a father because he is gentle, patient and forgiving. à What I love and admire most about him is His calmness. – Genie Lorenzo à What I admire about Fr. Dan is his serenity – Benjoe Panahon à I will never forget how Fr.Dan always succeeds in putting things in the right perspective – God’s. à I will never forget Fr.Dan saying “listen” à I will never forget Fr. Dan in his blue polo, with a pen in his breast pocket and a compilation of notes on his table during group sessions in retreats. à I will always remember one of Fr. Dan’s metaphors –that having peace from God is like the sea. Regardless of the disturbances on the surface, it will always be calm at its depths.” – Abby Carreon à I love how Fr. Dan marries science and religion so beautifully. à I love His humility despite his God-give talents (ie: wisdon à “voice of God” à I love His simplicity amidst a materialistic world. – AJ Rodriguez Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you do not know something, For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge, Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes, They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, Because it means you’ve made an effort.
It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. A life of rich fulfillment comes to those Who are also thankful for the setbacks?
Gratitude can turn negative into positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, And they will become your blessings.
I got this from my co-teacher before. She gave this when I was having a hard time in my first year of teaching. | |
