Insensitivity . . .

facebook

google buzz

Being  surrounded with insensitive people strangle. Do you think so? Well, I really do! These kind of people are burdens! When you are in this kind of an environment, you need to find a twist. Yeah, a twist! And what should that twist be?

 First thing first is . . . keep your grit! Let them be the person they are. And the person you are too! Maybe they are enjoying being insensitive or maybe just insecure with life. It’s their kind of a thing though, not yours. Just push on with what’s up for the day! Sitting down and whining never helps a bit. Things will come your way, no matter what they say. The best way? Bring them to prayer!

Never give up hoping when the ship goes down. Their insensitivity will let you down, that’s for real.  Grab a spar of something, just refuse to drown. You don’t just die because you’re being hit. Smile pacifies you and others you meet! Give the best of your smiles wherever and whenever possible. Smiling in the face of danger is like whistling in the dark. It gets you there and keeps you going even at the darkest point of your journey.

Affirming is best! To laugh at pain and trouble and to keep your composure even when surrounded with insensitive people will make your day great . . . it’s like leaping and enjoying with life’s uncertainty everyday! And it’s great thing to do. 

            Though at times we fail and unable to meet standards, it’s because we’re imperfect! Our shortcomings and weaknesses do not mean we are slow at following protocols, it’s just that standards measure a lot . . . stressful! What is more important is doing your Best . . . and not being the Best! Well, it’s up to you to agree or not, that’s my personal ideology!

            On the other side of the mirror, we have strong points. What others cannot, we can! And this is the better side of the world. God has given us all unique gifts so we share them out to others. The foundation for all of these is making a difference. And it has to start from us, and in us. By doing so, we may turn out to be a light that shadows the dark. Thumbs up to everyone who stands out in the midst of insensitive people . . . keep up your grit as best as you can! There’s no better thing than applying the 90/10 principle of Stephen Covey!

Proverbs 17:22 . . . “A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine:

 but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

           

Sting of Selfishness . . .

facebook

google buzz

Kindness is the opposite of selfishness . . . little acts can amount to something  as large as saving another’s life. Persevering in small acts of kindness can be a fantastic contribution to accomplish something worthwhile. Another lesson learned in building a rapport through little acts of kindness can last a meaningful legacy of friendship . . . if you put nothing into it, don’t expect to get something back. Remember that when pain or need or emergency strikes . . . it’s the presence of another human being that really counts! Your kindness can build a long lasting relationship! Whereas selfishness can damage a treasured relationship and turned it into a mess!

  I have read another story last night. It goes like this . . . A farmer’s son decided to get married. When his dad heard the news he said, “John, when you get married your liberty is gone!” The son questioned this and refused to believe it. The Dad said, “I’ll prove it to you. Catch a dozen chickens, tie them up, put them in the wagon, and go to town. Stop at every house and wherever you find the husband is boss give him a horse. Wherever you find the woman a boss, give her a chicken. You’ll give away all your chicken and you’ll come back with your team  of horses  intact.”

 John accepted the proposition and drove to town. He stopped at every house and had given away 10 chickens when he came to a very nice little house. The old man and his wife were standing out in front on the lawn. He called to them and asked, “who is the boss in your house?”  The man replied. “I am.” He turned to the lady and she said, “yes, he’s really the boss.”

            John was excited with the prospect of establishing the boss in this home, so he invited them to come down into the street; explained his proposition and told them to select one of the horses. The old man and his wife looked them over carefully and the husband finally said, “I think the black is the better. I choose him.” The wife said, “I think the bay horse is the better. I’d choose him.” The old man took another careful look at the bay horse and said, “I guess I’ll take the bay horse.” John smiled and said, “No you won’t, you’ll take a chicken!”

            Selfishness is a constant battle and no one can successfully master this conflict without outside help. Some of the most unselfish people I have known are in a lifelong struggle against selfishness. 

            In the conflicts of life you are facing there is only one road to victory! That’s found in Jesus Christ! Victory is won when we strive to be, say, and do what God wants us to be, say, and do. Then we, too, will live in victory over conflict . . . not in our strength, but in His strength! The bottom line will be determined on how well you handle this conflict in resolution.

             Taking hold of even the smallest share due to somebody can be a great lose from you, from me, and from everyone else. What more if we take hold of what is due to God? The Lord Provided everything man needs! But what belongs to God is God’s. So, Give to God what is due to him!

Matthew 22:20 and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this?

and whose inscription?"

Matthew 22:21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them,

"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

Love does not embarrass . . .

facebook
google buzz

The 90/10 principle of Stephen Covey really blessed me so much. It has become a rhema (living word) to me since the first time I’ve heard it through Pastor Andoy Docena’s  illustration during a Sunday service. I have shared this once to a co-teacher, and the same way it blessed me, it has become more than a blessing to her also. Every time she’s confronted with mixed issues and problems, she immediately quote the 90/10 principle. I can say that it has become part of her system already as well as it is in mine.

 Our situation in life is how we perceive it. Remember that perception is a crafty matter.  In fact, it can be most misleading at times. If you look at a glass of water that is exactly level at the middle,  Will you describe it as being half-empty or half-full? It doesn’t change the level of the water in the glass, but it does have a lot to do with your point of view.

Too many of us have taken on a very cynical view of life. Our perception of the things can make or break us or it can build or ruin us.  This is simply an idea that a correct perception and outlook  will affect the way we approach life.

 I have read a story about a young family who invited a new pastor and his wife for a get-acquainted Sunday dinner. This story blessed me so much that not sharing it would leave me a loser. It would be depriving me of the privilege that God wants me to be an instrument on making a difference.  This is related to the 90/10 principle of Stephen Covey. 

 

 The mother of the home was quite concerned that this be a perfect affair. So, what she did was to drill the children days in advance about their proper behavior, what utensils to use, when to use them, and other important aspects.

Finally, the day arrived and the meal was prepared, and at exactly the right time everyone was invited to come into the dining room where the table was formally set with a white lace table cloth, the best china ware, good silverware, centerpiece, and everything. They all sat down at the beautiful, formal table and the father uttered the prayer of  blessing. And when the blessing was over, their little nine-year-old daughter reached for her glass of iced tea and knocked it over!

 The little brother jumped to get out of the way of the spilling tea and knocked his glass over, too! There was an awkward moment of silence as everybody sort of looked to the mother, realizing how disappointed she must be. She had gone to so much trouble and now there was this huge spreading stain in the middle of the white lace tablecloth.

But before anybody could say anything, the father flipped his glass of tea over, and began to laugh. The preacher caught on and flipped over his tea and started to laugh. The pastor’s wife knocked over her glass of tea and joined the laughter. Then . . .  everybody looked to the mother and finally with an expression of resignation she picked up her glass and just dumped it out in the middle of the table and everybody around the table roared with laughter.

 And the father looked down at his nine-year-old daughter, right beside him, and he winked at her. And as she laughed embarrassedly, she looked up at her father and winked back, but as she did, it flicked a tear onto her check and it rolled down her face. She continued to look up, almost worshipfully, at a father who loved her enough to be sensitive to save her from one of life’s most embarrassing moments.

Should the father have manifested the negative reaction after his nine year old daughter knocked the glass of iced tea, it should not have been the thing. The daughter must have been pained so much. The mother’s instinct upon seeing her daughter in pain would have been bruised by the negative reaction or maybe words. The visitors might have felt disgusted about the situation. The dinner must have been messed up should the father reacted negatively. 

 The 90/10 principle by Stephen Covey would always remain a living guidance in every way and in every circumstance I would be encountering in life. And if we do this, we are helping build faith and love in our hearts. And even people around us would be blessed. I wish a lot of people could practically live by this principle and so help make the world a little bit better place to live in.

One more time . . .  love comes to the rescue!  Love does not embarrass another. Such behavior should not be a part of our living together . . . whether directed to a spouse or children or extended family or any other friends! Love does not embarrass someone else! To embarrass another is to put him/her down.  How can you show love and at the same time cause embarrassment?

1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.

Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

First day of Classes . . .

facebook

Whoaaa . . . . First day of classes, here we are again!  Welcome STIers!  We have new students to meet today.  I knew that because I was serving the enrolment for the past week.   Though there were new first year students who enrolled but most of them were transferees  from other schools.  Although today is the first day of the classes, enrolment is still going on until the next 2 weeks I guess.

         Pressures will start to bounce back  again trying to find space for itself.  But I don’t want to think about it yet. I would rather affirm a better semester, a mature batch of students, a better relationship with every stakeholder of STI College, a better management, a better working environment, a better tie with STI allies and a progressive and promising future for the whole STI Family. 

          As God started His timely intervention during the two-day seminar on October 29-30, 2010, He will see to it that everything is carefully taken as a step by step transformation, which I believe was part of His plan to bless STI College and its stakeholders. 

          STiers, we are moving forward! Let us hold on . . . work hand in hand for a brighter future! Let us help one another to pursue our dreams! A dream not only for ourselves but for everyone that aims progress and development. We are to take hold on making a great difference to help sustain the development not only of our own betterment but for the nation in general.

          Let us all pray that God will continue to work in the lives of the whole STI Family. . . that His favor will continue to abound and His grace will flow unceasingly. It is God’s will to bless, but first thing first,  we all should carefully give back to Him all the glory, all the honor, and all the thanksgiving due to Him.

          Let us stand in awe to the God of salvation who opened doors for STI College and its stakeholders to share the blessings to everyone around. Let us continue to pray for the people behind the success of STI College, who, in their simple but so magnanimous heart offered the best there is just to provide the needy. Let us all bring these great people to the knowledge of God through our earnest prayers and  by showing them our heartfelt cooperation and passion in molding students to become a better citizen of our society.

          Let us continue to lift up our parents through our individual prayer time, who in one way or another had been an instrument to their children to be able to become part of the STI Family.

Again, WELCOME everyone!!!

To God be the glory  . . .

A Celebration of Thanksgiving!

facebook

google buzz

Today is Sunday, November 7, 2010. In a while, I will be attending the church service at Phela Grande Convention Center along the national highway. It was decided to have the Sunday service there just this Sunday because the DBC (Dadiangas Baptist Church) family is celebrating its 48^th anniversary.  All the five Sunday services will be gathered together for the anniversary celebration.

  We arrived at Phela Grande Convention Center at exactly 9:05 A.M.. I thought we were  already late. But when we arrived there, the service hasn’t started yet. With me were my son, AJ and my niece, Traecy. My daughter BJ was attending the VCF (Victory Chapel Fellowship). We don’t attend the same fellowship. But I’m happy for her because the Lord has been using her effectively in the music ministry at VCF. 

 The Sunday celebration started few minutes after we arrived.  It was Deane Garces, the lead singer of the CenterPoint Band who led the Praise and Worship along with his back-ups. At the very start of the first song, I felt the presence of the Lord in the midst of the congregation praising Him. I felt good inside of me. It was some kind of a joy that is inexplicable.  I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. And God was comforting me inside and out. I can feel the shower of his love.  It was an all – out assurance that He is there no matter what happens. 

 There were showers of testimonies from all departments; starting from the young couples, high school, college, single working adults, and the mid and golden life. Everyone in the congregation was so much blessed. There was also the giving of blessings; rice, grocery items, and household items.  The favor of God and His grace were manifested intensely along with the testimonies of victory and healing.  

 The theme of the celebration was “Leaping Forward, Leading Change”. Pastor Andoy Docena emphasized Steve Jobs’ quotation which says, “ We’re here to put a dent in the universe.” As Christ’s followers, we are to take a stride on putting impression that the Kingdom of God is advancing tremendously.  And the passion to realize this has to start from us. We are to fix our eyes and give focus on what God has to accomplish through us and in us. 

 As Christians, there is no turning back, only looking forward,  accelerating our movements toward tapping the most out of the mission entrusted to us by God.  As apostle Paul accentuated in Philippians 3:14, “I’m running, and I’m not turning back.” And in 1 Corinthians 9:26, “ . . . I’m running hard for the finish line.” It only means that we are on a race. This kind of a race is for everyone to win. There are many wiles of the devil along the way that are wanting to bar us not to pursue. We don’t allow the devil to end up victorious. Like Apostle Paul, we are to stand with authority knowing that  we are more than conquerors through Christ who gives us strength. God will never leave us nor will he ever forsake us.  

 We need to continuously communicate with God and connect with Him through educating ourselves with the word of  God. Through our earnest prayers and supplications, we can be an instruments to change the world. Leaping forward and leading change can only be possible if we will start making a difference. 

 How many futures have hinged on such insignificant things? Little things are important in life and to God. Learn to pay attention to the little details of life, and you’ll be amazed what this can lead to.  If we interweave our life with God, we are actually allowing God to  rejuvenate  us  according to His plan  for us and in us.  

 Let us continue moving forward and onward, not forgetting that God is the author and finisher of our faith . . . The Lord be with us all!