I realized how I miss teaching so much. Now that I am back to the teaching arena- there are things that I need to sacrifice (Oh-ow what a term LOL). For the meantime, I need to bid FB goodbye, need to take a hiatus from blogging, need to limit my time in front of the computer (specifically, the internet). Honestly, I have now limited access to the internet, I don't have one right now. But then, considering that blogging is my source of additional income, i made it a point to post and update my blog at least once or twice a week, just like what I did right now.

I used to teach before even if I am already in the office working as an Admin staff but it has been limited to two sections or two subjects only. Unlike now wherein I get to handle seven classes per week. What I surely miss is my Drawing class, which now becomes my major preparation. After three school years, I am back again to the Drawing Room. Though I am a little bit sad because there were problems I encountered regarding room facilities and room assignments. But anyway, our Chairman is doing something to meet those needs. And it is normal to experience such problems during first week of school. Nevertheless, I am still happy that finally I am back to my first love.

As of now, there are lot of things that I need to catch up with. To be honest, there are tasks that were left undone like commenting on the blog campaign where I had participated (Hope fellow bloggers will understand me). I am praying that soon I could have a laptop of my own with internet connection. We're living separately from my parent's home so I do not have an access anymore. I am hoping as well that God would allow it to happen because for me, laptop is not a WANT, it's a NECESSITY. :)

I am so over excited today that I came too early in the school for my first subject LOL. I thought my classes will start at 8am but when I scanned my schedule, it was still 10AM. Anyway, what should I expect from my dear students for this school semester? I could only pray for the better. I knew for a fact that mostly freshmen students have the attitude of a highschool buds that is why I shouldn't expect for that "maturity level" among them. I just miss my teaching career that is why I decided to resign from the office and try my luck again in the academe world. I know I still have lots of things to catch up but then I have less worries because I have a very supportive colleagues- and I already asked God for wisdom about it.

I just hope and pray that my first day of school will starts well. I'll be handling Engineering Drawing, Fundamentals of Drawing and Educational Technology. Well, my dear readers a.k.a followers, please pray for me for more wisdom and strength. God bless everyone!

I don't know anymore how to deal with those people that have no word of honor. I am the type of person who gives value on promises. That is why it really get into my nerves when I meet people who just couldn't keep their promises. To give you an idea on how frustrated I am right now, let me share to you my story:

We are currently renting a room (just good enough for me, my Hubby and our baby). Our landlord lives in the second floor. When the occupants on the other room moved out just last Saturday my Hubby suggested moving to the vacated place because it is more convenient than ours. And I agree with him. Given the idea, I approached the owner and told her about our plans. She agreed with us saying that she supposed to tell me about it but naunahan ko lang daw sya. She also told us that she already expressed such idea to my Mother-in-law about it. So me and my hubby were really very happy and so when I went for grocery on Sunday, I bought all the cleaning materials that we need in preparation of our plans since we need to clean it first and disinfect everything because the previous occupants is a cat owner and we want to get rid of all those parasites that might be left in there. The owner told us that they need to repair the ceiling first and so we have been waiting for their "GO" signal. However, last night when I got home, I was surprised when my husband told me that the owner has the room inspected by prospective new occupants late in the afternoon. It sounded like a bomb to me considering that I was so excited for the plan. But I didn't say anything until the owner will really confirm it. So just this morning, the owner (the wife) told me that she forgot to tell me that before the former occupant vacated the room, a neighbor had been telling her to inform them because they are interested to rent it for their niece and that she never thought that the said neighbor was really interested about it until yesterday when the said occupant came. Out of great dismay, I told her that if that's the case, it's beyond my control considering that I am just a tenant. But she added that if we are really interested, the monthly rent is higher than our present rate, and the charge for the electric bill is not included. I was again a little bit shock. Why I was shock? Because never did she mention about it last Saturday about the rate because in the first place, the room area is the same only that everything is in there (the comfort room and the sink). Out of great dismay again I just told her to give it to the interested occupant because I could no longer afford the rate.

The feeling that I have right now might be misunderstood by some. But honestly, I was really so disappointed. I am disappointed because they were giving us false hopes. I am disappointed because they were not good in keeping their promises. I am disappointed because they were just so insensitive with the feeling. They should have told us about it before they offered it to us. They should have not given us false excitement, they should have not been definite about it if they weren't really sure. But then even if I am totally disappointed with them I tried to keep my calm with one thing on my mind. I want to find another place for us to stay. I just couldn't live with their presence any longer. Now I need to browse here in the internet hoping that I could find one.


This is just among those frustrations about unkept promises... If I am going to enumerate them all it would be too many. I just hope some of them will be able to remember to keep it even to the last minute.

How about you, are you good in keeping promises?

 

They said, life is how we make it... What we are today is what we have decided yesterday.

 I completely ignore this truths before because I am over confident of myself when I made one of the greatest decisions in my life. I thought everything will fall in complete order. I thought everything will be okay. But the present truth indeed opened my eyes trying to point fingers on me while saying "I told you so...". 

No I am not complaining. However, if I should  only have paid attention with it, I should have a better results than what I have right now. I felt like a complete failure with my own decision. But this is life. I have decided for it therefore I should take it. I once consoled a friend who viewed life as so unfair with her. I gave her all the best encouragement that I could just to comfort her. But right now, I saw myself on her but with no one else to console me. Ironically, it's so funny.

Indeed, we should be careful what we have decided for. Think not only twice but for a considerable time. Weigh things out before engaging yourself with that decision. Once decided, you have to live for it. 

Decisions, decisions, Oh decisions! Do not decide out of strong emotion. Do not decide because you feel like doing it. Do not decide because you are compelled to do so. Decide only when you have thoroughly think about it, prayed for it and ready for its outcome.

The bottom line? Discern and Decide wisely.

The annual parade in observance of the Labor Day celebration was featured in the news last night. As usual, laborers were marching down in different cities and provinces asking for wage increase and the abolition of the contractualization. Sad to say, PNoy gave his statement against the said increase for this will affect the employment condition of the country. If laborers from private sector will increase for a P125- wage increase, this will cause some investors to have a cost-cutting among its employees. PNoy said that he will rely on the Regional Tripartite Wage Productivity Board to settle the issue. There might be an increase but not as much as P125. Well, PNoy got his point and I couldn't disagree with him. On the other hand, the issue about contractualization has been a long term dilemma among common laborers (and I am not an exception).

I've been working in both private and public sector for more or less eight (8) years now. Under private sector, the wage may not be within the minimum wage rate but I am covered with all those required benefits (SSS, PhilHealth and PagIBIG). However, when I decided to work in a government SUC, all those benefits were gone because of that No employer-employee relationship.  I am a contractual (and part timer lecturer at the same time). Though I can still continue with my contributions but in a self-employed status. The problem with this is that I was not able to continue with my contributions because it requires time and effort. Unlike in private sector where you will be deducted automatically for the contributions. Before, when I was still single, I am not really diligent in my obligations not until I got married. I got nothing from SSS though I have contributed from the past years when I file for maternity reimbursement. My application was denied because I was not able to contribute within the required months. That was really so disgusting but again I could only blame myself for that. Good thing I was able to update my membership with PhilHealth which really helps me a lot with my hospital bills.

The Laborer's Right was denied because only few from the Law-making bodies are supporting it. So sad, but that's the reality. For a degree holder like me, assurance for a permanent job has been a long-time struggle. But then, I am not closing doors, I know that someday I will have a stable job where my laborer's right is not denied and I can enjoy all the benefits that is due to me.

Hopefully, by May 1, 2013, I can be proud of myself with my new stable job. Amen. :)

Nobody is perfect.  This is a common adage which applies to all of us.

We are living in this imperfect world with imperfect people. All of us have struggles in life though in different degree. However, the imperfections of an individual does not make him a lesser being- at least it shouldn't be the case. But we cannot deny the fact that there is one who just cannot stand with the imperfections of the other. And that is inevitable. There are people who set standards that should be followed AND we ought to follow such standard. Failure to comply is tantamount to a certain consequences. We call it as an act of discipline. The word "discipline" according to WordWeb is a training to improve strength or self-control. Others defined it as an act of punishing. The latter is quite heavier. A misguided behavior needs an amount of discipline. But it should follow a certain process. And the word "process" means a particular course of action intended to achieve a result.

So, what are the course of action that should be followed in order to achieve a result when somebody has that unbecoming behavior? Allow me to put an emphasis on right and proper communication. How important is communication in settling an issue with somebody who violated the standards set forth by the authority? Consider this: A child will never understand why you suddenly spank him without even explaining to him the reason why. But, what if the child knows the reason? Won't you give him a chance to explain his side why he committed such an  act of misbehavior? Communication is a two-way process. We just cannot simply judge a person immediately with the way he behaves in our own point of view. We need to extend an ear for us to understand the reason behind his action.

Sometimes our judgment focus NOT on the issue but to the person himself. The way we perceive an individual affects our judgment. I can attest to that because I am a teacher who dealt with different kinds of students with unique attitudes. In as much as I want to be objective with my assessment, I couldn't help the fact that my assessment sometimes depends on how I perceive the students without even considering their upbringing as well as the kind of environment they live with. I am very much quick to judge the behavior of my students. I became BIAS with my assessment. If I will insist on assessing my student this way then I could be likened to a man whose clean sheet of a paper was blotted with an ink as big as a dot. His focus was no longer on the white area of the paper but rather, his attention was focus on that minute ink blot and so he crumpled the paper and put it in the waste basket. Wow, what a waste indeed!

 Again, this should not be the case. 

This morning's devotional was a great reminder for me. The Book of 2 Corinthians 4: 18 tells us to focus on what is eternal, not on what is temporary. I have lots of wants in life. My heart's desires are quite many but only few were being granted. This somehow frustrates me a little. However, I realized that all my frustrations are futile. It only added to my stress. I admit, I was quite disoriented once again with my goals in life. I am aiming the wrong focus that is why it causes me lots of frustrations in life.

Lately, my hubby went through some "ordeal". And all I could do is just to stand by him. I could not lift a finger unto him because I am partly to be blamed with what happened to him. Now I am trying to focus on the good side in all that happened to him and that is he could now have all day to spend time with our baby. By just merely thinking about it, I love the idea of seeing my hubby and my son establishing a great bond with each other. He somehow express his apprehensions about our status and he asked me if we could make it. Of course, I should be positive with all things though deep inside I am quite in doubt but I told him that with God's help, we can make it. We also discuss about meeting both ends with our monthly expenses. I am hopeful that what we've been through right now will have a positive impact in the end.

Lot of things were running through my mind right now. I have lots of plans and I don't know as to what plans will work perfectly well. Still, God is in control of everything. Once again, I have to be firm with what I believe because God is never mistaken.

I still believe that God prepared a better future ahead for me and for my family. All I need to do is to aim the right focus.

Amen.

isn't he cute when he yawns? :)

 

It's another blessed Monday! Whew! Time flew so fast indeed... This Friday, by God's grace, my baby will be now two months old. I am not totally well yet but I am slowly recovering from this terrible cough. As usual, I don't have enough sleep because my baby's sleeping pattern compelled me to stay awake til 1PM. 

Another week to conquer, another challenges to overcome. It is through God's grace that we were able to get through our daily needs. It's been three Sundays already that we were not able to go to church. My hubby took a short term course in Electronics, unfortunately it falls on Sunday. His instructor is still trying to squeezed his availability for Saturday. I find it difficult to got to church alone with my baby because he is quite heavy already plus I need to bring along with me all baby stuff. Well, hopefully God will understand, after all it's not the attendance that really matters, it's the heart.

On the 26th, we will have an appointment with my baby's pediatrician. He will have his first shot of  Haemophilus Influenzae Type b HiB Vaccine which will cost us P 1,500.00 per shot or roughly 37 USD. I am still hopefully waiting for a big break... I mean, financial breakthrough. My income in article writing really helps me. As of now, I am still waiting for more opportunities. I am also accepting ghost writing from my co-bloggers because they can pay me immediately. I also enjoyed writing and it somehow help me in developing my writing skills (hitting two birds in one shot- earning and learning). I am beginning to love the life that I have right now. I try not to focus on the difficulties, rather, I try to be more positive in every challenges that we encounter everyday. It is not that easy, but by God's strength, which I always ask for everyday, I become stronger. My hubby was also very supportive though we have misunderstanding sometimes but at the end of the day, we have still each other, helping together to overcome it all. My baby is also a real blessing to us. I really love him so much. I feel complete as a woman simply because I already have him.  

Time flew so fast... 
you'll be surprised on how things work as the days go by.
each day is a big surprise, and a great opportunity too (FOR SOME)...
nevertheless, it's a privilege as well that we still survive.
it's normal for us to think and worry about the future...
yes I know exactly who holds our future...
it's HIM. No doubt about it, I mean, on His power...
for with HIM nothing is impossible.
However, my patience made me think the other way around.
I cannot imagine what lies ahead of me.
Yes, I keep telling myself that I should not be anxious 
about what may lies ahead
for I cannot add a day of my life if I kept on worrying.
I now have my baby.
I want him to have a kind of life that he deserves.
But with my status right now, it can't stop me from worrying.
Will I ever be able to provide all his needs?
Will I be able to survive the increasing demands of this world.
I have a job yet not for long...
I want to explore yet it seems like something is keeping me from doing so.
A fear begins to dwell on me.
I am so weak and so tired.
I keep on asking God for strength everyday...
Everyday I ask for wisdom.
But my mind is blank.
What keeps me going are the fact that I am still alive, I have a family 
and I have to survive.
BUT I cannot feel His hands anymore. 
I cannot feel His love.
Or maybe, I am just so insensitive of His presence...
Yes, there's nothing wrong with Him, absolutely nothing for 
God cannot be mistaken.
SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ME, I ADMIT!
My faith? My hope?
I don't know.
Life is arbitrary... uncertain...
Today, I am living a kind of life that is COME WHAT MAY...
BAD, but it's true...
That's exactly how I feel right now

"Overcome evil by DOING good"- this is a Biblical truth. But the question now is how? How can you keep calm if somebody yell at you or scold you for no apparent reason? It needs great patience to ignore such situation. The truth is, somehow it's quite hard to do.

But the Bible is clear with that kind of situation. We may find it too hard to comprehend but the Words of God speaks clearly about love and that includes loving those who persecuted us. In fact, we are also instructed to bless those who persecute us. God is not insensitive (you might think so). Always remember that NOTHING and absolutely NOTHING is hidden from God. He knew it when we cry out of desperation, discouragement and affliction. But always remember, VENGEANCE is not ours. Let us just continue to love other people especially those who are too mean to us. I agree with you that this is quite hard to do because I admit, I still have to deal on the area of patience. We are not alone on this journey. All we have to do is too seek for God's help and wisdom that we may be able to overcome all those pains by God's grace.

Have you been scolded today? Take a pause and lift up everything to God.

God bless everyone!

In my entire career as a teacher, dealing students who cannot understand a simple instruction is no longer new to me.Sometimes being too lenient in our class will likely result to being abused by your abusive students (what a term). I am just so disappointed today in my class. I gave them a video project which was supposedly due two weeks ago. However, due to some technicalities I wasn't able to check their work. Last week was University's Intramurals so I extended the deadline today so as not to spoil their week. To my disappointment, all of them were not able to accomplish the task that I gave them. I was really totally dismayed with their attitude that I dismissed them early before I could not hold on my temper. I truly felt disgusted with their irresponsibility. I told them not to tolerate such attitude or they will be the one to suffer in the end.I just hope they will give me positive results by next meeting.Grrr!

I was bombarded with the news this morning from our local radio stations about the jail break in our local provincial jail. Right now the police and other authority are in full force for manhunt operation. There were six who were able to escape but two of them were being caught back by the Police. When interviewed, one jail breaker said that they were just compelled to escape because of the delayed judicial process on their case. Well, as for me, it's no longer new. Justice delayed, justice denied as the famous quote goes. I really do not know what causes the delay but one thing is for sure: Not all of those who were imprisoned deserves to be there. Some were just being set up or framed up. They just don't have any money to post for bail. That's one of the sad realities that our society is adapting nowadays. I do not know what should be done about this. With those heavy files of cases piling up, specially those involving lowly citizens, perhaps, only time can really tell. 

Absolutely his color isn't BLACK. However, his name is BLACKIE, it rhymes with my name Jackie. He is every household's friend. He easily gets along well with, well, humans and it truly amazes me. The first time we saw him was when he stand outside our gate one night when we arrived home and playfully wagging his tail. He acted as if we are his owner. My husband told me that if a dog acted like that he is a friendly dog and he likes your company. I was hesitant at first because he was quite big and I am afraid he might bite me. We fed him that night and alas he is a vegetarian dog! or was he just so hungry that time. From that time on he became our regular visitor. However, last Monday he visited us again. That was the time when we packed all our belongings getting ready to move out. As if he can sensed that we are leaving, Blackie never leave my side. He just followed wherever I am going and he keeps on wagging his tails. I redirected him to his food but he seems to refused my offer. I talked to him assuming that he would understand what I am saying. I tried to push him away but he just won't let go. Wow, this dog is indeed so amazing. He might not able to perform tricks in front of me but his sense of attachment really amazes me. I deceived him by going outside the gate so he would follow me and ran back inside and close the gate. That was the last time that i saw Blackie.

Honestly, I miss him.

As part of the weeklong Silver Anniversary celebration of the Blessed Hope Christian Community Church International (BHCCCI), last Wednesday was the Solidarity Night. It is a welcoming activity for the delegates who came from different daughter churches. The church was jam packed not only with the members of the of the Mother Church but as well as with delegates from Negros, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental and United Kingdom! Right after the dinner the event was started with praise and worship then followed by various presentations from the different departments of the BHCCCI Mother church.

 

Bishop Genesis T. Udang, our Executive Pastor delivered his message with full of thanksgiving. He shared to the congregation how faithful God is with the church. He acknowledged God being the source of everything. He reminisced how the church was started and how it grows into what it is right now. He also added that just like the faucet, the leadership of the church was just the channel but the source of water (the source of life) is God Himself.

 

I am indeed so blessed to be a part of this church. 

 

Below are just some of the snapshots that were taken together with my office mates and church mates before the activity started:

just for fun

faces, faces

while waiting for the activity to start

 

December is still more than a quarter away but I can feel the coldness of the weather.... inside our office! LOL!

With the two air-conditioners in high cool thermostat, all I can do is to wear my denim jacket to warm myself.

But if you go outside, what you can feel is the scorching heat of the sun penetrating your skin (I need a little of it, though).

But honestly, time flew so fast... Indeed very fast. And if I am going to recollect my past for this year alone, a lot of things really happened. To mention a few, I said I DO to the man whom I really love, I BID GOODBYE to the man whom I admired the most (my Boss), WE MOVED to a better location, and I WELCOME my upcoming bundle of joy (I am a soon-to-be-Mom)...

Nevertheless, I really thank God for His faithfulness. Indeed married life is not a piece of a cake with all the trials that we need to deal and overcome everyday. But with God's help, everything just fall into places. His presence is very evident in our lives. God is still in control!

And that faith shall lives on forever!

Yes, this question has been haunting me for this past few days.

I have already overcome it before... and I need to do it again.

Due to rationalization in our institution where I was presently working as a multi-tasking individual (?), I need to undergo an interview tomorrow with the selection committee in order to get their favor (hopefully. Please pray for me.)

 I struggled much in oral communication than written comm. 

I preferred an essay type of exam than being interrogated in front of the panelists.

How disgusting but true.

I still have lots of things to learn... 

The do's and dont's that I need to study further...

Anyway, tomorrow is the moment.

Sigh.

"If God is with me, who can be against me?"

Today is Tuesday...

My day is quite busy with the special assignment assigned to me. We'll be expecting some  changes in the coming days but we are hopeful that all things will work together for good as promised by God on His Words (Romans 8: 28).

Anyway, thanks for visiting here. I will be writing and posting more soon if given the luxury of time...

For the meantime, need to do something important and I need to prioritize it...
30 days more to go... the day is getting shorter everyday.
Again, faith and trust are all I need.
Just Pray for me, for the two of us, and the life ahead of us... ☺

“The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan,” Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference. (PhilStar)

What's next then? Japan, one of the Asia's progressive countries was not spared to the nature's wrath! I saluted how Japan gave emphasis to doing and making things based on what is standard. However, some of their affected architectural designs that were earthquake proof were now torn down into rubbles. So sad. 

A rampaging wall of water several meters high slams a coastal

community following a powerful earthquake in Natori, Miyagi

prefecture in Japan yesterday. Right photo shows giant fireballs

rising  from a burning oil refinery in Ichihara, Chiba prefecture.AP

Unlike the 9/11 Terrorist Attack in the land of milk and honey, this land of striking scenic beauty was shaken not with human factor but with nature.

This is a wake up call for all of us.

In the Science point of view, the Mother Earth is slowly deteriorating and very much vulnerable to natural destruction. 

But all of these occurrences were already predicted even before these were preconceived by any human minds in our generation.

This was already revealed in the Holy Bible, the very Word of our Almighty God, the Creator.

Matthew 24
(The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times) 

 ¹ Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. ² “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” ³ As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

I have read this passage many times before and many times also it shivers me even by just merely thinking about it... 

Indeed, the sign of the end of the age slowly revealed:

 ⁴ Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.

Wars, famines, earthquakes? They are all happening now. And these are JUST THE BEGINNING. The crisis in the Middle East, the tsunami threat on Japan's neighboring countries and the shortage of food supplies that the world experiences right now have just started. Let us all be aware.

If we do not read His Word, we will have no idea about the truth. We could just simply blame it to the global climate change. Somehow, they are inter-related. As for me, the Science has just uncover what was written in the Bible thousands of years ago.

But all these things shall come to pass as we expectantly be waiting for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As His Word says:

Romans 13:11
(The Day Is Near)
 ¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

Let us keep ourselves alive, alert and awake with His Words.