Peace Corner

1. Wake Up!! Decide to have a good day. “Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up!! The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!! Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. “He who guards his lips guards his soul.” Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!… For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. “Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good…” Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up!!… To the Lord.
“I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.” Phillippians 4:13

 6. Reach Up!!… For something higher. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding.  In all your ways, acknowledge Him, And He will direct your path.”
Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up!!…   Your Prayers.
“Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING.”
Philippians 4:6

1.      Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the   ultimate anti-depressant.

2.     Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3.  When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, ‘My purpose is to________ today.’

4.     Eat more foods that grow on plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. 

5.     Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

6.     Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7.     Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8.    Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9.    Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

10.   Life is too short to waste time hating anyone

11.   Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does

12.   You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree

13.   Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present

14.   Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15.   No one is in charge of your happiness except you

16.   Frame every so-called disaster with these words:
       ’In five years, will this matter?’

17.   Forgive everyone for everything

18.   What other people think of you is none of your business.

19.   GOD heals almost everything. . . and He can heal everything if it’s in His plan. We just need to trust His bigger picture

20.   However good or bad a situation is, it will change

21.   Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22.   Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23.   Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
       ’I am thankful for _____.’
       ’Today I accomplished______.’

24.   Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25.   Please Forward this to everyone you care about.

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING THROUGH THE DESERT. DURING SOME POINT OF THE JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE IN THE FACE. THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING, WROTE IN THE SAND: TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE. THEY KEPT ON WALKING, UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS, WHERE THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A BATH THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING, BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM. AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM THE NEAR DROWNING, HE WROTE ON A STONE: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE “. THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND ASKED HIM, “AFTER I HURT YOU, YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW, YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?” THE FRIEND REPLIED “WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY. BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US, WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE WHERE NO WIND CAN EVER ERASE IT.” LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE. THEY SAY IT TAKES A MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL PERSON, AN HOUR TO APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN AN ENTIRE LIFE TO FORGET THEM. TAKE THE TIME TO LIVE! DO NOT VALUE THE THINGS YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, BUT VALUE WHO YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE !

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, ‘I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would Love to spend some time with you. The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my Mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. ‘What’s wrong, are you well,’ she asked? My  mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.  ‘I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,’ I responded ‘just the two of us.’ She thought about it for a moment, and then said, ’I would like that very much.’                                                              

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary. She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel’s. ’I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,’ she said, as she got into the car. ‘They can’t wait to hear about our meeting. We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant,  was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half-way through the entrees, I lifted my eyes and saw Mother sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.‘It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,’ she said. ‘Then it’s time that you relax and let me return the favor,’ I responded. During the dinner , we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, ‘I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.’ I agreed. ‘How was your dinner date?’ asked my wife when I got home. ’Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined,’ I answered.A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her. Sometime later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: ’I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but, nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me.‘I love you, son’  At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: ‘I love YOU’ and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time  they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till some ‘other’  time.

Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married… somebody doesn’t know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother’s heartstrings. Somebody said a mother’s job is done when her last child leaves home… somebody never had grandchildren. Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don’t need to tell her… somebody isn’t a mother. This is to all the GREAT ‘mothers’ in your life and to everyone who ever had a mother. This isn’t just about being a mother; it’s about appreciating the people in your lives while you have them… no matter who that person is! Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes…  your destiny.  ‘Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle’.

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. Didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunization. Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Chewed on. Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts. I slept all night. Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep. Before I was a Mom. I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put him down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom. Before I was a Mom - I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom - I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

To all mothers out there… HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing Their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, “Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver And precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty.”

Then the second tree said, “Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take Kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull.” Finally the third tree said, “I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest Tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the Hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always Remember me.”

After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, “This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a Carpenter, “and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.

At the second tree the woodsman said, “This looks like a strong tree. I Should be able to sell it to the shipyard.” The second tree was happy Because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.

When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened Because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come True. One of the Woodsmen said, “I don’t need anything special from my Tree, I’ll take this one,” and he cut it down.

When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box For animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not At all what he had prayed for. The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams Of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end.

The third tree was cut into large pieces, and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams. Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and They placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event And knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.

Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second Tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn’t think it was strong enough To keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and Said “Peace” and the Storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.

Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the Streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came To a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the Top of a hill. When Sunday came, the tree came to realize that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as was possible, because Jesus had been crucified on it.

The moral of this story is that when things don’t seem to be going your Way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, God will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had Imagined.

We don’t always know what God’s plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.

May your day be blessed. And until we meet again, may God cradle you in the palm of HIS hand.

A man of 92 years, short, very well-presented, who takes great care in his appearance, is moving into an old people’s home today. His wife of 70 has recently died, and he is obliged to leave his home.

After waiting several hours in the retirement home lobby, he gently smiles as he is told that his room is ready. As he slowly walks to the elevator, using his cane, I describe his small room to him, including the sheet hung at the window which serves as a curtain.

“I like it very much”, he says, with the enthusiasm of an 8 year old boy who has just been given a new puppy. “Sir, you haven’t even seen the room yet, hang on a moment, we are almost there.” “That has nothing to do with it”, he replies. “Happiness is something I choose in advance. Whether or not I like the room does not depend on the furniture, or the decor — rather it depends on how I decide to see it.”

“It is already decided in my mind that I like my room. It is a decision I take every morning when I wake up.” “I can choose. I can spend my day in bed enumerating all the difficulties that I have with the parts of my body that no longer work very well, or I can get up and give thanks to heaven for those parts that are still in working order.”

“Everyday is a gift, and as long as I can open my eyes, I will focus on the new day, and all the happy memories that I have built up during my life.” “Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw in later life what you have deposited along the way.” So, my advice to you is to deposit all the happiness you can in your bank account of memories.

Thank you for your part in filling my account with happy memories, which I am still continuing to fill. . .

Remember these simple guidelines for happiness.

*  FREE YOUR HEART FROM HATE.

*  FREE YOUR MIND FROM WORRY.

*  LIVE SIMPLE.

*  GIVE MORE.

*  EXPECT LESS.

Have a Blessed Day dear readers!

It’s been a quite busy week for me, aside from a workload at the office, I need to check the Barong Tagalog of my eldest son Johnboy for his graduation, if the tailor marks an impressive job. They are by the way oblige to wear a Pinya Jusi Barong Tagalog with a chinese collar cut, that’s the fashion now as I did my research last week, quite expensive! But very elegant; of course, I still have my role as a mom to my children, a wife to my husband not to mention the household chores. Though I have my household help but still I need to set up things properly in the house at least once a week, that is during weekends its a different thing if your household is run by yourself your family will really feel your presence and your motherly affection.

We usually stay in the house during weekends that’s the only time we have with each other, together, we watch good movies through dvd, we chat a lot, we eat a lot together during meals which I always prepared for them, my way of catching up to them because of my busy schedules.

After that intimate bonding, on Sundays we go to church together, we do our groceries together, there are 5 in the family so we have different likes, needs, favorite foods and so on and so forth we really are full of joy and happiness, very fulfilling! I must say.

I just wish that what we have now will last forever even if the kids will have their own lives to handle someday being with them is really amazing. I also wish that every family will do the same thing no matter how simple our lives are it is in the family that we get our strength and inspiration to keep us going.

I am thankful to God the Father for this gift because I can’t imagine existing in this world without anybody with me, without someone that you call your family no man is an island really as they say. We really need our family, so if we do have this gift let us together savor their presence because we’ll never know what’s in store for us. 

Through the KALEIDOSCOPE…

Have you ever had a journal or a diary? It’s where your deep, dark secrets are thrown into a fray where there are no dark corners, no narrow alleyways just black and blue pen inked in pieces of paper. A blog is kind of like that except instead of being this really personal thing that you keep to yourself, it’s more of a really public circus for the entire world to see.

You all probably know the difference between blogs and journals anyway. I really don’t think there’s enough reason for me to explain what those differences are. I will, however, explain to you the difference between blogging and actually speaking to someone, about whether or not blogging is a good way to capture moments in your life.

Do you know that there’s a difference between writing in a blog and actually talking to people? Writing in a blog is easy– no one can judge you midway through the process. There aren’t any interruptions, no breaks in the turn; the ambience that you create stays till you’re done speaking.

And when you blog, you’re safe from mistakes. A small typo in the fray is your biggest concern. You can just type, untype and retype everything ’till you’re finally done with the post. You’re virtually as grammatically correct as you can get here– you don’t stutter, mumble or slur your words. You don’t repeat yourself over and over again. It’s a fixed, set block of words and letters. 

In speaking, however, anything can go wrong. You can stutter, mumble and slur what you’re saying - forcing you to say it again and again till you finally say it clearly enough for the person to understand you. You can forget what you’re saying and just sit there, looking all retarded and quiet. You can be interrupted at any time, even before you get the entire message out. It just kills the ambience, the mood that you’re trying to set in the conversation. And you have to face who you’re speaking to– see every reaction, every frown and smirk that they make at what you’re saying. It’s a painful process, speaking in person…

One thing I like about speaking though is that there really is an ambience. When you blog, it’s just there when you’re typing. After you finally post it, the mood you set is dead and gone. It was only when you were writing that the mood was actually something real, something around you. You set it for yourself, basically, when you blog. You can pour your entire heart out in a post while you’re typing it and realize that it’s just another block of words when you’re done posting… it really doesn’t mean anything anymore, it’s just there, really.

So does a blog really do justice to what one feels at a precise moment? Does it capture the passion of the writer in blocks of words, paragraphs written in verse? Well, it’s really up to how good a writer you are, Maline, Grace, Nelson, Andre, Yeng, Danny, Ize & Goldwyn.

There you are guys, I made it! I mean, I was able to tagged you in a different and simple way. So, keep them flowing. . . Good luck!

It’s Holy Week once again, that special time of the year when we “boil the hell” out of our hearts in response to God who gave His only Son, and in gratitude to Jesus who suffered, died and rose again for us. May this Holy Week give us all a chance to do three (3) very important R’s in life: Rest, Reflect, Renew.

I got these three things from Fr. Jerry Orbos, and it’s nice to know that as Filipino Catholics prepare for the various events in the final days of Christ’s life - His Passion, we will also be able to get the message of Holy Week for all the world, and it is not only that Christ suffered and died for us, but that He also rose from the dead for us.

The way Filipinos spend the week in total solemnity is something peculiar to the culture that values religious traditions. Holy Week in the Philippines starts with the celebration of Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday. It is on Palm Sunday that the Story of Christ’s Passion is read from the Gospel, which acts as a sort of preview for what will unfold during the rest of the week. Palm Sunday not only marks Christ’s entry into Jerusalem but, more importantly, symbolizes the faithful’s desire to accompany Christ, according to Fr. Diwa.

So as we get this chance to rest, let us also do some reflections on how to renew our lives in this life. Let us hear the Eucharistic Celebration it also gives hope that we sinners would rise again from our mistakes and sinful ways. Let us be prayerful and reflective during the days of Holy Week and to focus our thoughts and actions on God.