An Invitation

“The night is dark and full of terror.”

That is the famous line from the TV series Game of Thrones, an adaptation of the book with the same title. 

It is a fictional line but it cannot be too far from reality.  

We are now in the age when every street and every corner is illuminated by man-made lights but we remain in darkness and hides in terror.  We live in the world of interconnected lives but with disconnected hearts.  We know what’s happening on the other side of the world but we don’t even care on what’s happening with our next door neighbor or the person sitting on the next cubicle in our workplace. We, despite all the glory and honor that man received in this world, still live in darkness and fear. 

But we know too well that there is fear only when one is left too long in the dark.  For from light, from illumination, comes forth courage and hope.  Light birngs forth true understanding and wisdom.  From lights comes life and freedom.  But that light must be searched with diligence, perseverance and eternal dedication.  We need to find that light, come what may.  But which light, for many have claimed to be bearers of light?  The Light of Faith, Lumen Fidei, which can only be found in Jesus.  

“Faith is not a light which scatters all our darkness, but a lamp which guides our steps in the night and suffices for the journey” (Pope Francis I, Lumen Fidei, #57).

For many of you who have been with us for more than a couple of years now, you know that try to dwell on the natural things and talk about how we can live the good life.  If you’ve been with us for quite a long time, you will realize that we are sharing with you things that may inspire you to live a life that you want.  But you will also be wise enough to see that we’ve been doing it the wrong way.  We encourage you live a good life instead of urging you to live a godly life – a life that imitates the life of Jesus. 

I invite you to join me, as I search for that light of faith.  This is an invitation for everyone, ordinary people who wants to go out of dark and run away from terror.  This is an invitation for everyone to march forward for their faith, their freedom, their life – both here and in eternity.  Join me in this journey of self-discovery and making Jesus more famous.   

We are going to change the theme of this site.  We will now be dedicating this site to the men and women who seeks to find not a good life but a godly life.

This is an open invitation – free of charge.  Join us as we journey towards life, using nothing but the light of faith to illumine our path, until we meet Jesus as He welcomes us in His loving arms.     

A Happy Hearts' Day - Me and Mrs. H

A few hours from now and people from all over the world would start being romantic again.  "I love yous" and "Marry Mes" will soon fill the air. But for the brokenhearted, what else is there and what's so specially with Feb. 14?  It's just another ordinary day that's been too much commercialized and over-rated.  Oh, well... it all depends on who you ask.

As for me, I had a great "pre-Valentine date" this morning! Yes, Mrs. H and I, we literally attended to the pressing concerns our "Pag-ibig." I'm talking about the Home Development Mutual Fund (or Pag-Ibig), a government agency in the Philippines.  Whoever thought of the idea of calling it Pag-Ibig (LOVE) is a genius.  Building a home and a great future, really starts with love.  By the way, PAG-IBIG stands for "Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industria at Gobyerno."

So, going back to my pre-Valentine date.  It was just a typical dine-in in a local fast-food restaurant in a noisy location in the Metro.  The only difference is that it's a workday and it's at 10 am. Who dates his wife at 10 am in a Thursday? Nothing fancy, nothing unusual, nothing special.  But our little chit-chat over some oily fried rice and unfiltered dark brewed coffees are much like the ones we always have, until it turned into a very uplifting conversation.

The conversation that started with sharing of our school and work experiences, ended up with in-depth analysis of why things happened, how did it happen and what we've become because of those experiences.

Some of the things that Mrs. H said this morning that really left an impression on me are these:

"You don't stop (doing something) because you are tired but because you are done."

"Job well done is a job satisfaction in itself."

"You don't have to listen to what others will say about you. Some will see your potential, others will not. Sooner or later, your true self will emerge and people will see your true worth."

"Your experiences, at school and at work, will mold you to the kind of person that you are - technical skills don't count that much- it's your attitudes and work ethics."

After that nice and sweet breakfast together, I now ask myself, "Do I really have to buy books, listen to audios and attend seminars to motivate and inspire me? I could just sit and listen to this amazing lady the whole day."

To all of you who will be celebrating "love day" this February 14, I wish you happiness and meaningful celebration.  With or without "special someone" fill the day with love.

To Mrs. H, I know we never really celebrate Valentine's Day, but I must say, you really know how make a man fall in love with you - over and over again - making each day a Happy Heart's Day.

P.S.  When I came home this evening, candies and sweets were waiting for me.  Ha ha ha! Same treats she has for her kids tomorrow.   

Your Shadow and Your Past

In the office, there's this certain group that has been observing us for quite sometime now.  They're frequent visitors at our workstations, looking over our jobs, timing how long it takes for us to do a certain task, etc.  In short, they're there where ever we are.  That's why we call them our "shadows."

Shadows follow and never leave us.

Have you ever wondered why shadows are black?  Or, why are they always opposite from the light?  Or, can't we just leave our shadows somewhere else?  And, what's their use anyway?

Shadows, like the past, are just indicators of our presence but are not meant to replace who we are or what we are.   A shadow exists because there is a "light" that shines upon us. There are no shadows without light.

Shadows are black so that it will not be given more attention than our being.  In a stricter sense, it only shows that shadows are of less importance than who we are. And so is our past - it only tells us of what we've been before and who we once were. It is not as important as who we are right now.  Who would want to look and talk to a shadow if he or she can look and talk to the living, breathing, caring and loving person?

Shadows are always opposite the source of light.  The same with our past, we cannot look at our future and look at our past at the same time. We can keep looking at our shadows but in doing so, we  are turning away from the light.  The choice is always ours.

Can we leave our shadows somewhere?  Of course not.  The same way, we cannot leave our pasts behind or ignore it every time. But, we can make the conscious effort to set it aside and focus on the more important things - the people around us and the grand future that waits for us.

What's the use of our shadow, anyway? It is a reminder that we exist and are of physical beings. And, it also reminds us that between the shadow and the source of light is where we always stand.  Between the past and the future is the present.  A reminder that among the three - the past, the future, and the present - is a choice we have to make to LIVE THE GOOD LIFE.

So next time you see your shadow, remember to look on the opposite side, and there you will see the "source of light."

Be More....

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14

Disconnect to Connect

Facebook statuses. Tweets. Updates.  Everyone nowadays knows what you are up to, where you are going, what you are doing, what your likes are, what your dinner is, who your enemies and friends are.  Sometimes, when I think about these things, I feel like people are giving up their privacy, either unknowingly or unintentionally.

We are now living in a very "connected" world, as they say; this is what commercialism has been teaching us since the advent of phones, mobile devices, PDAs, and internet.

But, take a look around you.  Gone were the days when you would have to set aside a whole weekend to meet your relatives living somewhere far from home.  No longer do friends send letters through snail mails.  Mr. Postman no longer walks around the neighborhood to give you the letters you've been expecting for a week.  Going out for a walk or a nice talk under the moon can now be done by the use of internet.  (Where's the thrill of holding each other's hand in there?) Love letters became "wall messages" and tweets.

It is true that communication has been way, way faster these days than it was decades ago.  It truly made our lives easier.  We can do more things because information are shared faster.  We became more efficient.  But like any other things, use in excess is not good.  In a very connected world, we're losing the "human" touch.

Which would you prefer, someone telling you directly, face to face, how beautiful you are or simply commenting on your profile picture?  Which is more exciting for you, the sound of your mobile phone when you receive a text message or when you tear that sealed envelope to open that letter?  You did a good job at work, would like to received a "good job" message from your boss's email or a pat on the back coming from him?  I know it's really cute watching your baby kiss the screen of the phone or computer whenever you talked to her. But how about letting those sweet little lips touch your cheeks and her little arms thrown around your neck after a hard day's work?

I am not saying that these modern devices are bad or evil.  I am not saying that we should go back to sticks and stones, bamboos and tree leaves to communicate.  Technology is gonna be here with us for a very a long time, even after we're gone.  But what I am trying to say here is something you already know. That is, it is not true that if you disconnect from these devices and gadgets, you will be living a disconnected life.  Instead, it may just be the opposite.

Try to disconnect from your "world" for a short time, say for a day, and see how much changes it could give you.  You will have more time to attend to other "manual" things.  You can have time to go out, feel the sunshine upon your skin, feel the breeze touching your face, yes, even the dust and smokes of the city, you'll feel them once again.  But more importantly, you will feel again how to be connected with "real" people.  Can you still remember how it feels to laugh with your friends, be smiled upon and smile to a stranger you meet in the street?  Take a day away from your "connected" world and get real connection with the people that matters to you the most.  Re-connect with nature and see how you may be re-energized by the silence of the woods or the beach or the rushing waters of the rivers.

"What if I missed important things while I'm disconnected to the world?" you may ask.  Let me answer that with a question too, "Aren't you already missing the most important things in life?"

As I have said, these things are gonna be here for a long time.  Tomorrow, they may have different looks and names, but they will still be here.  How about your family, your friends, your neighbors, people you love... are they gonna be here forever?

You know all these things already.  I am just here to remind you.  And as I remind you, through this "connected" world of the world wide web, I hope that I have made a little contribution for you to BE MORE and LIVE THE GOOD LIFE.

What Constitutes a Good Life? by Jim Rohn

Let me share with you an article from the jimrohn.com website.  It is on the net and free for all to see, so I guess I am not doing anything illegal by posting the article here. All credits go to Mr. Jim Rohn and to jimrohn.com.

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The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. The ultimate expression of life is not a Mercedes. The ultimate expression of life is not a million dollars or a bank account or a home. Here's the ultimate expression of life in my opinion, and that is living the good life. Here's what we must ask constantly, "What for me would be a good life?" And you have to keep going over and over the list. A list including areas such as spirituality, economics, health, relationships and recreation. What would constitute a good life? I've got a short list.

1) Number one, productivity. You won't be happy if you don't produce. The game of life is not rest. We must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity. What's the reason for the seasons and the seeds, the soil and the sunshine, the rain and the miracle of life? It's to see what you can do with it—to try your hand. Other people have tried their hand; here's what they did. You try your hand to see what you can do. So part of life is productivity.

2) Next are good friends. Friendship is probably the greatest support system in the world. Don't deny yourself the time to develop this support system. Nothing can match it. It's extraordinary in its benefit. Friends are those wonderful people who know all about you and still like you. A few years ago, I lost one of my dearest friends. He died at age 53—heart attack. David is gone, but he was one of my very special friends. I used to say of David that if I was stuck in a foreign jail somewhere accused unduly and if they would allow me one phone call, I would call David. Why? He would come and get me. That's a friend. Somebody who would come and get you. Now we've all got casual friends. And if you called them they would say, "Hey, if you get back, call me and we'll have a party." So you've got to have both, real friends and casual friends.

3) Next on the list of a good life is your culture. Your language, your music, the ceremonies, the traditions, the dress. All of that is so vitally important that you must keep it alive. In fact it is the uniqueness of all of us that when blended together brings vitality, energy, power, influence, uniqueness and rightness to the world.

4) Next is your spirituality. It helps to form the foundation of the family that builds the nation. And make sure you study, practice and teach. Don't be careless about the spiritual part of your nature; it's what makes us who we are, different from dogs, cats, birds and mice. Spirituality.

5) Next, here's what my parents taught me. Don't miss anything. Don't miss the game. Don't miss the performance, don't miss the movie, don't miss the show, don't miss the dance. Go to everything you possibly can. Buy a ticket to everything you possibly can. Go see everything and experience all you possibly can. This has served me so well to this day. Just before my father died at age 93, if you were to call him at 10:30 or 11:00 at night, he wouldn't be home. He was at the rodeo, he was watching the kids play softball, he was listening to the concert, he was at church, he was somewhere every night.

Live a vital life. Here's one of the reasons why. If you live well, you will earn well. If you live well it will show in your face, it will show in the texture of your voice. There will be something unique and magical about you if you live well. It will infuse not only your personal life but also your business life. And it will give you a vitality nothing else can give.

6) Next are your family and the inner circle. Invest in them and they'll invest in you. Inspire them and they'll inspire you. With your inner circle take care of the details. When my father was still alive, I used to call him when I traveled. He'd have breakfast most every morning with the farmers. Little place called The Decoy Inn out in the country where we lived in Southwest Idaho. So Papa would go there and have breakfast and I'd call him just to give him a special day. Now if I was in Israel, I'd have to get up in the middle of the night, but it only took five minutes, ten minutes. So I'd call Papa and they'd bring him the phone. I'd say, "Papa, I'm in Israel." He'd say, "Israel! Son, how are things in Israel?" He'd talk real loud so everybody could hear. “My son's calling me from Israel!” I'd say, "Papa, last night they gave me a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." He'd say, "Son, a reception on the rooftop underneath the stars overlooking the Mediterranean." Now everybody knows the story. It only took five or ten minutes, but what a special day for my father, age 93.

If a father walks out of the house and he can still feel his daughter's kiss on his face all day, he's a powerful man. If a husband walks out of the house and he can still feel the imprint of his wife's arms around his body, he's invincible all day. It's the special stuff with the inner circle that makes you strong and powerful and influential. So don't miss that opportunity. Here's the greatest value. The prophet said, "There are many virtues and values, but here's the greatest, one person caring for another." There is no greater value than love. Better to live in a tent on the beach with someone you love than to live in a mansion by yourself. One person caring for another, that's one of life's greatest expressions.

So make sure in your busy day to remember the true purpose and the reasons you do what you do. May you truly live the kind of life that will bring the fruit and rewards that you desire.