Urgent and Important

We've seen this on seminars and workshops. For me, I am not so sure how many times I heard this on company training, but yes, this urgent - important diagram is indeed urgent and important to share.

I consider last March as one of my busiest month, ever. The week of our church anniversary landed on the same week of a regional campaign. The celebration was successful but not the campaign; just as I shared at my Stand Firm story...

For Them

I lit this candle today for them...

Them, who was once with us in this journey

People who shared a portion of their life with us

They, who extended their love unconditionally

and touched our hearts wholeheartedly.

Flydragon Flies

In our journey, there are these strangers that will somehow leave an impact in our lives...
People whom we do not know personally, yet touched our hearts even in very simple way.

Flydragon is one of my first few followers here in my blog.
She has inspired me with A little of this... A little of that
Reading her daily adventure makes blogging more fun and exciting with her witty stories... I looked forward to her posts, the birds and the flowers... her comments and once in a while hi and hello!

Home, Forever...

In the plane crash in India that killed 158 people, one of them is our former colleague, Jayaram Kotian.

(photo from Gulfnews)

Supposedly, Jayaram and his family are on their way home... to start another chapter of their life. He flew to India together with his wife and his 4 year old son... going home for good. He just resigned here in the agency and accepted a new job in his homeland.

After that flight should be the beginning of the fulfillment of his dreams... just like any other overseas workers, who wished to go back home for good.

But their beginning was the end... and so with the rest of 158 passengers, who have their own stories on that flight... 

As the agency talks and remember Jayaram, questions were raised: What if he didn't receive another offer at home, will it still happen? If he choose to stay, will his kid still be playing at home with his mother?

On my many blog posts about tomorrow... chapter endings and closing doors, we have put a Period on wondering about the future... we have understood that some good things never lasts... and that we all have to move Forward, March!

But such incident makes us wonder why such a happy situation ends with tragedy? 

Prior to this post was crashed - another air accident that happened in Manila wherein I also knew one of the passengers...
These stories of death of two different people who both have planned their lives and future well yet ended in a tragedy has left us with lessons about life and living.

-The fact the LIFE is SHORT remained constant and that no matter how much we complain about this long and sometimes, difficult journey of life... time will never be enough.

-We'll never know what will happen tomorrow, in as much as we have concreate plans and clear visions for the next day; we can never tell until we wake up the next day and smell the morning breeze.

-In as much as we want to secure the future, we will never be secured that we can still have this future. Retirement plans and life insurance wont give us the security. Will our beneficiary receive the pension that we invested over our lifetime with?
- Life is not about saving money and bank account but being accountable to every minutes we spent in our lifetime. It is not how many money you have counted in your hands, but how many lives your hand has touched.

- In all our ways, we have to acknowledge that we will never be enough and we need God to guide us in this travel. We have our ways, but without His blessings, it will never succeed. We have planned well enough, but God's plan will prevail...

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. - Proverbs 16:9
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. - Proverbs 19:21

As human being, we all have our goals in life. We all have build our dreams and we are all determined to achieve it. What differs is how we manage our time, how we value that dream and what do we do to fulfill it.

Just do not forget that we still have today... before we can come to see tomorrow.
Remember that time is running very fast and we can never bring back even a second that passed.

And lastly,

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal them. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:19-20

In His time, we will all cross the border... leave what we thought was valuable and realize that there is so much more than all these material things that we need to prepare.
Jayaram and his family, were now at home... in the final destination of their journey. Our prayers are with them... May they enjoy their retirement plans prepared up there, with our Creator...finally, he is home, for good, forever.

Crashed

A friend forwarded the news about the death of Gov. Raffy Nantes of Quezon Province - Philippines in a helicopter crash just few hours ago... I don't know him personally but I did one of his campaign material / AVP last 2007, when he first ran as Governor. We did his profile, and through that, I was able to have a look of his world...

I cannot remember the transcript anymore, but it is a story of "anak mahirap"; from rugs to riches, he shared his failures and success... the struggles of a shoe shine boy to a multi-million businessman and politician.

What is clear are his visions... his huge plans not just for his life but for the Quezonians...

Today was exactly a week after the election, where in the news, he did not make it in the gubernatorial race.
His political career crashed and so was  his life...

Despite his money, career and power... Gov. Nantes is now a part of history.

This is a reality that we all share. Our time will also come...
And our riches won't save us from that.

1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. / 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2

Whether rich or poor, we may be up in the air, under the water or walking in a vast land... we can never tell. No one can choose when, where or how. Death will come to all of us and we all end up in this world as an ash.

We may have the best plans for our lives... we might have planned well for our retirement, but no one knows what tomorrow may bring. We may have worked hard for our future, but no man can really secure his own future, for it is not the basis of our existence.
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' / Luke 12:20

A secured future doesn't vary not what you have, but on who you are to your fellowmen and to God.

One Black Saturday

Black Saturday was indeed black for the entire family as my cousin passed away...
A father of 2 girls, 9 y/o and 8 m/o, his life ended at 33. Not with any incurable disease nor a vehicular accident...
He took his own life, not for suicide but only for a bad joke...

The incident happened past midnight, he and 2 of our cousins were just hanging out just outside their house, until he showed his gun, removed the magazine and tease the two guys. Knowing that its not a good joke, the 2 decided to leave... wanting to prove that there is no bullet inside, he then pointed the gun into his head...
by this time, the 2 cousins were like few meters away... until they heard the shot.

Looking back, they saw him, slowly falling, with blood all around.

At that very moment, 2 lovely girls lost their father. A wife lost a husband. A parent lost their son. Siblings lost their youngest. A family will never be complete again...

All because of one mistake... a bad joke!

Our entire family are still shocked.
Each of us gathers strength from one another and from the One above;
The Only One who gives us courage to let go and move forward...
Our Lord God who can answer all the why's...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you now that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
James 1:2-3

I Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer, Michael

I never dreamed you'd leave in summer
I thought you would go then come back home
I thought the cold would leave by summer
But my quiet nights will be spent alone

You said there would be warm love in springtime
That was when you started to be cold
I never dreamed you'd leave in summer
But now I find myself all alone

You said then you'd be the life in autumn
Said you'd be the one to see the way
I never dreamed you'd leave in summer
But now I find my love has gone away

.

Why didn't you stay?

A well spent day brings happy sleep;
so a life well used brings happy death.- Leonardo Da Vinci

.

Farewell to the World's Greatest Performer Ever!

Farewell to my Friend, Tep

14 years ago, i met Tep at LAMS. we were both transferees.
i first hated him, because he seems so rude and really naughty... he is really Pasaway!
yet we became close... literally close since he instantly sits next to me during exams :)
our class is known to be the worst... and having stephen around, he was a big part of that.


one thing that i really admired about tep is being a real man. he never had a fight with anybody in the campus... instead, he is the friend of everybody. (im not sure if our teachers will agree)


from pre-schoolers to seniors, they know who is stephen sy.
the guy who sits next to our security guard waiting for the opening of the gate during dismissal.
the student who dont write anything on his notebook yet passed and graduated on time.
his blood is 75% alcohol and his breath is 80% nicotine...


tep didnt live a perfect life. he is always misunderstood. the easy go lucky man. the cool guy.
that is what most people knew about him... and that is why we all love him.


he might not lived according to standards, but he lived for other people...
he showed us a great example of what living and loving really is...
its not just money or having a good and promising job...
but more than that, living according to stephen is to give happiness and time to other people.
to give love to his family and care for his friends.


he might not achieved a lot professionally, but he is richer that anybody else here.
he is the boss of his life....


cherry and tep's family might be surprised seeing all the people who loved tep. he is everybody's bestfriend and touched the lives of many people... now, you know the reason why he stayed late outside... thank you for sharing tep with us.


stephen left a legacy of love and friendship. his life's journey is about giving happiness to his loved ones.

certainly, he will be missed... inuman wont be complete without him.. it will never be the same, without his crazy ideas and funny stories.


but all things have its own ending, yet it will also be a beginning.
today, tep is now at peace with our Lord God.
we are all mourning for his lost, but the angels are now cheering as he joined them.
he has given us so much happiness and its the time for him to share it up there!


Tep has finally reach the real heaven... sabi nga nila, dun wala ng beer!
its fine, nainom na ni tep lahat ng kaya nyang inumin... napagsawaan na nya un :)
and the cool reality is - may angel na tayo... at si tep yun.
for sure, he will be there to guide us always!


to you tep, you know how much i love you. i am forever be grateful for your friendship.
i will never say goodbye, for in the right time, i know that we will see each other again...

facing 2009

i will agree that the start of the year is not that good as we expect it to be...

here in Dubai, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain His Highness Shaikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Mualla, passed away last Friday (02/01/09) morning in London.
in the Philippines, flash floods welcomes the year in Cagayan de Oro City, and not to mention the problem in the government.
in Gaza, war continously kills innocent people.
globally, inflation is still down... financial crisis is felt everywhere.

people will say hi! how are you?
can you still reply - im good, thank you?

hours ago, a friend told me that she is in critical situation at work... hopefully, she wont be affected with the increasing numbers of terminated employees, and so as everybody. i hope that there wont be any termination anymore...

another close friend called me, crying... she told me that she is having a hard time in the office. stressed & pressured at work. deadlines... reports... its been 4 sleepless nights and she was so tired...

and another friend sent a message... asking for a favor to call somebody who borrowed money from her. she is jobless...

the three have something in common.
1. struggling to have her job
2. wanting to leave her job
3. needing a job
bottomline: Job - crisis. problem.

life may seems so hard these days. thick clouds might seem to cover the bright sky... giving up might be the common term used than fighting for. it maybe hard to get up from all the tragedies, but life always have its own way of twist & turns, ups & downs, push & pull.

it may seem impossible, but we must always try to look up in the sky, even if it was covered by clouds, surely, it will never be that dark after all...

it might be gloomy down here, but there will always be light on top of everything...