Do Broken Promises Deserve Second Chances?

I think the answer to this is YES... Not that everybody asking for deserves it, but what if?

Giving second chances to the person not only gives him the chance to possibly change, change or not, the better lesson of giving second chances is realizing that at almost "forty", I have learned to look beyond myself...learned to forgive..and learned to decide based not on my welfare but to consider what could be the consequences of such decision to the lives of my children...specially Gab who is too small to share his side of the situation affecting our family.

I remember my grandmother Eta telling me when I was small, every time I forget to do errands..everytime I get to commit mistakes..and every time I fail to get perfect score in quizzes...that it is okay.  " Just promise me you won't do it again or just study harder".

As I grew up being a teenager, promises became harder to keep.  Wanting to do things my way, to explore and try new things or simply just wanting not to conform to the "dos" and doing the "dont's". But Mama Eta as I call her, still said "everybody deserves second chances", just "don't do it again".

I do not know how many times I failed, I was scolded by my Mom or cried for mistakes I do all over..and over..and over again that I know I disappointed Lola Eta and maybe hurt her..but she stayed by my side and continued to love me, for who I am..and for What I have become.  She gave me countless "second chances".

Till the  time came Lola Eta left to get her place in heaven, now a wife and mother like she was, I realized why she tirelessly kept on forgiving..guiding..understanding. Despite hurting her and committing the  same mistakes and breaking my promises. I was loved.

The process of giving another chance, is difficult. Since it could make you feel depriving yourself the right to be mad at that person..or even, get even. I felt, Is it really what I want? To win against somebody hurting me?

I thought..didn't I love being given one?a further thought formed, could my pain be more that my love to deprive that person of another chance?

The answer is NO.  End of Story.

I feel happy, knowing that I have loved...

Hopeful: Getting a Fresh Start

Good Day to all of you..and to myself of course!

It has been almost 3 years since my last Blog dated July 2010..I have been wondering all these years " what I have been missing?" because I felt empty inside...floating...and loosing myself.

When I had fever over a week ago, I found myself useless...

But now, I just found my First Love again..I thought I already lost sight...my personal space..Just Me, and Im never losing "you" again!

I will revive my old self back into circulation.

I'll do my best to be more creative, practical and realistic in my future articles, so we'll both enjoy reading them, right?

See you soon! :-)

What drives you?

I have come across the book " A Purpose Driven Life"...

Haven't read it...planned to but no time, yet!

I am just curious here guys, just want to know, What drives you? to move on...to fight..to work..to eat...to strive...to struggle...to live?

If at all you have cared, for once, to ask yourself this simple question.

If not, we are no different from robots...just doing what is being told...for no reason at all, just to serve a cause.

I could only think of all the possibilities to this very simple question. I found out, it is not as simple as I thought:

Dream to become a SOMEBODY - this is a personal satisfaction of a thirst for self-glorification. To get the applause and affirmation of others, because we are Somebody BIG, Powerful...and a person with authority. A feel good situation...a situation of assurance that you, are enveloped with the welcoming embrace of society as a whole. Because you are Somebody who have made contribution, in whatever form.

Dream for the family-This is usually a common cry of people who join contests we usually see on television, showing all their talent, singing...dancing...do magic...et al..with all their might...

" I want to win in this contest...because I want to help my family... and I want to get them out of their miserable life. And the family you have ultimately enjoys the fruits of your labor...

Dream to be financially independent - who doesn't like to be able to buy the things you want and need and satisfy the pleasures of your physical thirsts...be it expensive food...chic clothes...fancy jewelries...luxurious sports car...fabulous house...or houses and cars at that...a dream vacation...not to mention the best gizmo's and gadgets galore! All the I wants...

Dream to be able to serve...to live a purpose. According to Abraham Maslow's heirarchy of needs, this is the highest form of all...one lives a life in preparation of the final destiny which is, should we leave to take a final bow, as we all are not exempted from this reality which is death...that he is ready to face his creator...that this life has been dedicated and devoted to the service of others...a selfless contribution to society....a life well lived in the service for...

Well...whatever is your reason for living, I know I remember one person who told me, a mentor...a father..."that you were born in this world alone...and to make this life an easier ride and an adventure of a lifetime...be it with family...or friends...

Should you make a difference...is all up to you....

Water help lose the excess pounds...

There was a time I tried everything,

from crash diets...doing exercise...taking slimming pills of all sorts...to almost not eating at all.

All in the name of a beautiful body...not necessarily healthy.

And all came as a weak solution to solve my weight problems. I am still...looking the same as I was before..only more tired...more hungry...and more frustrated.

Then after giving birth to my 2nd babay, my brother in law told me, he heard from a colleague, that what he does right after waking up...before doing anything else at all, he drinks at least 3 glasses of tap water everyday, not to include the 8 to 10 glasses a day required by health professionals around the world...this helps him move...unconstipated, and to cleanse his body from all the toxins and bad food and drinks he takes in...no diet at all!

I tried...not really thinking of trimming down, but just to follow. Nothing to lose, I've tried after all, for countless times.

Well, 3 months after, on my regular check up to the doctor when we are being weighed in on a regular basis, I was told I lost 5.5 kils, I used to be 69 kilos, now am tipping the scale at 63.5 kg...

Not sure if it is because of the water therapy...or the wonderful results of breastfeeding...or the countless sleepless nights....

Or even a combination of all the above.

All i know is, I did lose weight, and am still looking forward to losing more.

Just wanted to share here, It might also work for you as it did for me...

Good luck!

"He Never Sleeps..."

Early this morning, around 3:30AM Phil Time I went again to my favorite site to listen to good music...as this helps me fight back drowsiness and the strong call to go to bed...Which, I do not have the luxury of, as of now.

I came across Don Moen's inspirational song " He Never Sleeps".

Frankly speaking, I felt so rested and relaxed after hearing this song. Why?

Human as we are, isn't it that we find ourselves confronted by all sorts of challenges everyday, every second of our lives...specially for us adults...

That all the world's concerns lay on our shoulders...and sometimes feel burdened and tired, knowing when we sleep, we still wake up with the same situation and if we indeed are able to solve that problem now, there is always a new problem to show up.

Life is a never ending second in the battleground...

That we are soldiers, supposedly, always ready to fight...

But is not assured to always win,

Sometimes losing.

And that sometimes, our refuge to this battle is to go to sleep...and to overwhelm yourself with the comfort of nothingness...no need to think...to plan and make a move.

All in the comfort of SLEEP...

In the many years we have stopped to pray, how many times do you think have you paused to pray to our God, to ask for divine intervention? Most of the time getting answers, miracles do happen, Don't they?

Countless, you may say. Of course!

In my 36 years, I can't count the times I did pray...infinitely, sincerely or even half-asleep.

With this, have you thought even for just a while...How many billion people pray, every second, asking, thanking and praising HIM?

Whew! Great is Thy Name...

With the beauty, vastness and the wonders of His creation, I have no doubts...

He is working in ways we can not see!...

"So rest in His Love and cast all off your cares on Him..."

Mom's guide to a safe and enjoyable swimming spree with your kids...

Speaking of weekends,

I and my family have gone to a local resort to have a much needed rest and relaxation...taking after an aunt's advise to have one since I've been whining up on her a bit..getting too tired..and much pre-occupied.

So I thought swimming was best...we did for two weekends! for me, husband and two kids...

We ate, swam, ate...slept. Swam, ate, swam...packed our things ready to go home...refreshed and totally bonded!

until I came across the thought, when I slept...were my kids safe? there was a life guard on the pool and plenty of people around...does it give me an assurance they were indeed safe?

Drowning was a scenario far out of my mind...but is a reality too important to be not considered.

It is leading cause of injury deaths for children 1 to 4 years old...

I read it before that, you wouldn't even know a child is drowning. Tell-tale signs of drowning being flapping or waving of hands on the water...shouting for help and gasping for air are dramatizations we usually see on movies.

The fact of the matter is, our instinct would tell us...if we are drowning to gasp for air as we raise our bodies up, hands pushing down on water to get air...no time to shout and ask help...this usually takes seconds only right?

So what are signs of drowning Moms should be aware of?

• Vertical Body - when we swim it should be horizontal or head elevated on a slight angle right?
• Head lowered in the pool
• mouth at water level
• hair over forehead and eyes
• hands pushed down on water
• silence - Kids are and will always be universally noisy in the water. So, time to get up...if they're not and get them out of there.

Better yet, take turns looking after the kids when they are in the pool...regardless of depth! Have floating devices...teach you kids to swim...

Best, swim with them!

What I can do today...

I love Saturdays!!!

Much, much more than Sundays...

Saturdays give me the feel of a two whole day to do what I can't other days of the week.

I remember planning to cut grass on my little garden, arrange the flowers...talk to them!

Yes, I actually talk to them...

I was told when I was a little girl by my late grandmother Eta, that talking to plants would make it healthier, give sprouts faster...that plants actually understand us humans...

Lol! I was sooooo innocent then...But, it's true! Plants do get better color and are healthier...because when we talk...we exhale carbon dioxide right? Which they use for food, and in return, plants expel oxygen which we use to breathe...Indeed, plants and humans live a mutually harmonious relationship... and are beneficial to each other.

I also planned to go to the market, buy some real food...like fresh fish, fruits and veggies

things we haven't bought yet yesterday at the grocery...canned and frozen ones...and be able to ask my hubby to prepare my favorite "Chicken Sisig" served on a hotplate...yumm!

I can play with my two kids...catch up on quality bonding time...

Not to worry on other routine things mothers usually do...moms usually have this impression of not having much time to do all things needed to be done...I can't explain this...

I can watch a movie with my family...

should our budget permit a spur of the moment decision...let me check first, just to make sure!

I can clean the house!

Like really to the truest sense of it...a thorough, every nook and cranny thing "cleaning". I usually breeze up on tidying things at home or else, upon my Inspector Moms' quick visit...i might get a list of reminders I heard of since I was a little kid, LOLoudest!

Well...oh well, I can go think of a thousand things more to do today...or maybe tomorrow,

I just remembered, I needed to sleep first!