Sweet, Sweet Spirit

I was a member of our church's Ladies Trio back home in the Philippines. One of the first songs we performed, and which became our favorite, was this old gospel hymn, "Sweet, Sweet Spirit" (we sang it in a capella). Listening to this hymn in YouTube brought me to tears.

I'd like to share with you this beautiful hymn of praise.

Have a blessed Sabbath!

Friday Quotes 16

On trials and adversity:

As the tree is fertilized by its own broken branches and fallen leaves,

and grows out of its own decay,

so men and nations are bettered and improved by trial,

and refined out of broken hopes and blighted expectations.

-Frederick William Robertson

Wordless Wednesday: Clouds

"Celebrate your success and stand strong when adversity hits,

for when storm clouds come in,

the eagles soar while the small birds take cover."

One stormy day in Hollywood, FL

wordless wednesday

On Screening Employees

The other day I was browsing through the employment application guidelines of the Florida State Attorney's Office. One item listed in the guidelines says that persons who have accepted a position with the office are required to take a polygraph examination. That's interesting. I worked for the Philippine Judiciary for 18 years before moving to the U.S. but I have not known of any officer of the bench or court employee who was made to undergo a polygraph test. Same with the Prosecutor's Office with whom we were closely working with. I know, however, that applicants for the bench undergo intensive background examination to determine their fitness for the job.

Private companies and government offices run background checks on potential employees, and the more sensitive the position, the more intense the employee screening conducted on the applicant.

Background checks may also include looking into a person's online activities. Our professor in Legal Assisting advised us to be very careful about joining online social networks and the kind of information (including pictures) that we post in these websites. The kind of things we do online reflect upon our person and may affect us in the future.

Ten Things I am Thankful For

It is easy to be thankful when life is good and everything around you is going great. However, when faced with numerous trials, being thankful does not come easy. Nevertheless, as Christians, we should cultivate a thankful spirit all the time.

"give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you, in Jesus Christ".

- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance".

- James 1:2-3

As a person in the midst of trials, what are ten things that I am thankful for?

• My trials have drawn me closer to the Lord. It has strengthened my faith in Him.
• I've learned to be totally dependent upon the Lord. He knows what is best.
• I have developed patience, perseverance and self-control. I know I still have a lot to learn but am getting there.
• I've cultivated a prayerful life.
• I am thankful for my friends who give me spiritual advise, emotional strength, those who pray for me, those who make me laugh and keep me company.
• I am thankful that I have managed to garner consistent "A's" in school.
• For the good health that I continue to enjoy.
• I enjoy going to school and I am thankful for the knowledge that I gained from each of the classes that I attend.
• I am thankful that I haven't had any problems with my baby (who's now 14). He is a loving, obedient and respectful young man. Although we are thousands of miles apart, he remains my source of inspiration.
• and most of all, I am thankful for the gift of life. I trust that the Lord has good plans for me :)

Filipino Blog of the Week

Woman on A JouRney won the Filipino Blog of the Week (week 187) contest ran by The Composed Gentleman.

A huge thanks to all those who voted for my blog.

My Prayer

This has been circulated through e-mail several times but the message is important and worth remembering:

I asked God to take away my habit.

God said, "No. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give it up".

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.

God said, "No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary".

I asked God to grant me patience.

God said, "No. Patience is a byproduct of tribulations; it isn't granted, it is learned".

I asked God to give me happiness.

God said, "No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you".

I asked God to spare me pain.

God said, "No. Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares

and brings you closer to me".

I asked God to make my spirit grow.

God said, "No. You must grow on your won, but I will prune you to make you fruitful".

I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.

God said, "No. I will give you life, so that you may enjoy all things".

I asked God to help me love others, as much as He loves me.

God said, "Ahhh, finally you have the idea".

When I opened my mailbox this morning, I saw this e-mail from my good friend, Cora R. She is not the first person to send me this. I have been a recipient of this forwarded message a couple of times but her e-mail is very timely because I need spiritual upliftment today.

Thank you, Lord, for this reminder.

I hope that this message will also touch your heart.

Weekend in Las Vegas

This weekend was uneventful so I decided to share with you memoirs of my weekend trip to Vegas a couple of months ago.

Scenic Sunday: Sundown at Magic Island

Sundown at Magic Island

Honolulu, Hawaii

Before moving to Florida, I stayed for three months at a condominium in Waikiki, which is right across the Ala Wai Harbor, Magic Island and the Ala Moana Beach Park. From the lanai of our 14th floor unit, I could see the breathtaking view of the waters especially at sundown.

However, nothing beats the view up close. The photos you see were taken during one of my afternoon walks.

CNN Hero of 2009- A Filipino

Efren Penaflorida is named CNN Hero of the Year. Mabuhay!

Let me share with you an article written by Ana Crayton, an educator and a volunteer of an educational campaign online:

Unconventional Classroom

(This group is all about teachers who have found alternative ways in teaching and changing the world.)

People would define a hero as someone who have fought for freedom, or someone who has given up his life for the sake of others. Heroes are like that, but some of them need not spill their blood to share a noble act to others - these are the modern heroes.

Third world countries suffer from severe crises, which includes education. This prevalent crises leads to a great number of crimes which mostly involve the juvenile. With this crisis, these countries consider education as a "privilege" rather than a right.

These juvenile crimes mostly include out of school youth. With lack of education, these youngsters also lack judgment of what is wrong and right. Although even students commit petty crimes, education is still the most effective solution to eradicating these crimes and working towards progress.

CNN released a list of candidates for CNN Hero of the Year. One of ten candidates is Efren Penaflorida from the Philippines. Penaflorida uses a pushcart classroom to teach children from slum areas reading, writing, and basically uplifts them and their community. He, with his team, roam around slum areas with a cart stocked with paper, pencils, crayons, tables and chairs.

Penaflorida himself is a victim of gang bullying in school. He consider this as a life-changing turn point in his life, and thus motivated him to build his pushcart classroom. His "mobile classroom" targets childrenn of 2 to 14 years old.

If looked at a different perspective, this pushcart classroom may be small as compared to what other heroes did. Although literally small, this move has helped many children not only in learning but in appreciating education as well. In the eyes of some people, this may appear to be "just a random act of kindness", but in the eyes of those who were taught, this act is something big, and thus, deserves an award known worldwide.

Efren Penaflorida's story should inspire other people, especially students, in giving value to education. In countries where education is a prevalent crisis, little acts of knowledge sharing is very significant.

Education make a people easy to lead,

but difficult to drive;

easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.

- Peter Broughman

Photo Hunt: Bird

February 11, 2008

Waikiki, HI

The bird standing on my shoulder is Teaky. He belongs to my very good friend, the late Cristina Tepper, the lady in red to my left. This picture brings bittersweet memories of our friendship. She is gone now but our good times together will forever be etched in my mind.

I miss you, Cristina.

photohunt

Gentle Shepherd

Being away from my loved ones is very hard especially during tough times. However, in spite of the numerous trials I face, I know God is with me through the people who continue to reach out and encourage me. Their prayers and advices give me strength and comfort.

The song I've chosen this week tells of our wonderful Shepherd who is there to lead us. As long as we continue to trust in Him, we are in good hands.

A blessed Sabbath to everyone.

Blog Award from a Bored Nanay

It feels good when you are appreciated, especially when the appreciation comes from a fellow blogger. The two awards displayed above came from a new kid on the block, a bored nanay living in style in this side of town.

Thank you, Vernz.

Monochrome Friday: Church in Las Vegas

a Catholic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada

photo taken on my visit in January, 2009

A Cigar is Just a Cigar

In Florida, where there is a large population of Hispanics and Latinos, cigar stores, cigar lounges, and bars are popular. In Broward County where I live, I can see a lot of them. When I first moved to Florida, I stayed at a condominium in Young Circle in downtown Hollywood near the restaurant row. There I saw a number of cigar lounges. I do not smoke and I do not like the smell of cigarette but sometimes when I pass along a cigar lounge, the aromatic smell coming from the place brings back good old memories of my hometown in Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Growing up in the early 70's, I remember the elderly men smoking cigars kept in those brown wooden boxes. It is amazing that in this day and age, those fat cigars that I saw when I was a girl are still around. However, there are also the slimmer ones like the Black and Mild cigars.

A good cigar is as great a comfort to a man

as a good cry to a woman.

- Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

On the Defense

When I hear about "Oklahoma", the first thing that comes to my mind is the infamous 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. That was the most significant criminal act of terrorism that happened in the U.S. until the 911 attacks in September 2001.

Talking about criminality in Oklahoma, according to a study published online, the state has the highest female incarceration rate in the U.S. Although the rate of crime reported in Oklahoma is not higher than that in other states, and the arrest of female offenders is about the same as that of the nation, yet, the incarceration of convicted female offenders is more than double the rate of that nationwide. It is important that these people must have the assistance of a good Oklahoma criminal defense attorney to help them with their legal rights for after all, every person is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

Quench Your Thirst

Seventy percent of our body is made up of water and it plays a very vital role in our bodily functions.

Nothing beats a glass of iced-cold water to quench our thirst. Tap water does not taste as good and not as safe as filtered or bottled water, and sometimes, we also run out of bottled water.

What about refrigerator water? How safe are they? If your refrigerator has a high quality filter like, for example, the gswf, it will filter out contaminants, giving you a fresher, odorless, cleaner, safer and better tasting iced-cold water and ice cubes.

I believe that water is the only drink

for a wise man

-Henry David Thoreau

Friday Quotes 15

The gem cannot be polished without friction,

nor man perfected without trials.

-Chinese proverb

When faced with difficulties, I console myself with the thought that the Lord will not give me more than I can handle. As long as I continue to hold on to Him, and remain steadfast in my faith, He will guide me all the way and I will come out of it a stronger and a better person.

Skin Talk

We all want to have clear and unblemished skin. Unfortunately, not everybody is blessed with a flawless skin. I have my own share of experience with blackheads and whiteheads and there was a time when I had to undergo acne surgery because of a severe allergy as a result of a facial treatment I had in a salon. I am blessed that my dermatologist is a very competent doctor because after she was done with the acne treatment, she got rid of those unsightly blemishes without leaving a scar. From then on, I never let anybody touch my face unless it is from my doctor's skin clinic.

The best way to avoid getting skin allergies and other blemishes is to keep our skin clean by daily washing with water and mild cleanser. Exfoliation is also helpful in removing dead cells. Good health habits like enough sleep and good nutrition also count. And we should be very careful about the stuff that we apply on our face. They can cause allergy and wreck havoc on our skin.

Respiratory Guard

Influenza, or what we commonly call the "flu", is an illness caused by viruses that infect our respiratory system. There is usually an epidemic of flu during winter time which is why as early as the month of September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have already been campaigning for people to get a flu vaccine to protect themselves against this deadly virus.

Not everyone has taken a flu shot so it is very important that we take care of our bodies and make sure our immune system is not weakened by unhealthy habits like staying up late and going to crowded and smoky places. We should cover our mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze to prevent germs from spreading. We should always wash our hands with soap and water. I also carry a sanitizer in my bag so that I can disinfect my hands especially when I am in public places. It is also best to avoid close contact with people who have flu-like symptoms to prevent ourselves from getting infected.

I live in Florida where the weather is hot and humid. However, these past few weeks, there has been a sudden change of temperature and the air has become very chilly. When I got out of class last week, I felt very tired and feverish. I knew I haven't been getting enough sleep and food lately so my immune system is not as strong. Instead of taking medication, I decided to try the Respiratory Guard lozenges (twice daily). The sample given to me contained fourteen lozenges which is good for one week. They are made of elderberry which has a very mild flavor. Elderberry is said to be rich in phenolic and polyphenolic compounds which is an anti-oxidant and boosts one's immune system.

I am glad I took Respiratory Guard because I haven't felt any flu-like symptoms after that. Of course, it also helps that I do not abuse my body by endulging in unhealthy habits. I do not smoke, drink and am careful with the kind of food I eat. I also do not stay out late at night going to crowded places. Respiratory Guard is a natural flu vaccine.

This review is a result of a feedback campaign by Respiratory Guard

Wordless Wednesday: Cocktail Time

Gerard's Restaurant

Plantation Inn

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

wordless wednesday

Overweight

When I came to the U.S., I gained a lot of weight. Thirty pounds, to be exact. In fact, I have become this big that my classmate in high school whom I haven't seen in like five years or probably more, could hardly recognize me when I came to pick her up at Adventura four months ago. She said I looked like I have been taking steroids. Ouch! My ego's hurt.

I admit, I have a problem about my weight. A lot of Filipinos who are now transplanted in the U.S. are faced with the same problem. There are a lot of good food here but they wreck havoc on our bodies. As the saying goes, "a few minutes on the lips, forever on the hips". I also admit that I have acquired a couple of bad nutritional habits since coming here. Back in the Philippines, I was not a soda drinker. Now, I drink a lot. Although I only drink diet and caffeine free soda, still, it contains large amounts of sodium which is not good for the body. I also eat a lot of carbohydrate-rich food and lack regular physical activity which, obviously, are the reasons why I gained this much weight. Back home, I was able to maintain my weight because I was into badminton, bowling and street fighting (which included kickboxing) - and healthy food.

We have been taught that correct diet coupled with exercise is a good way to lose and maintain one's weight. There are also diet supplements available to aid in weight loss. If you go to nutrition stores, you will find different kinds of diet pills, appetite suppressants, fat burners. If you read their labels, they all claim to be the answer to your weight problem. However, before deciding what or whether to buy a diet supplement, you should do some research to know which diet pills that work. Meaning, which ones are safe and effective. Don't forget: caveat emptor.

Scene from the Top

Early morning trip to the summit of Mt. Haleakala, a dormant volcano

in Lahaina, Maui

Watching the sunrise around the crater of the volcano

Mt. Haleakala

Lahaina, Maui

Hawaii

7 Titles, 7 Divisions, 1 Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao became a seven-weight, seven-time world champion in Las Vegas last night, a first in boxing history.

Congratulations, Pacman!

...and thank you for bringing honor to the Philippines!

Masskara Festival

I come from Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Bacolod, known as the "City of Smiles" and the "Sugar Capital of the Philippines" is popular for its Masskara Festival which is celebrated yearly from October 1 to 20. For twenty straight days, local and foreign visitors enjoy the merrymaking, street dancing, beer drinking, street parties, and parades around the main thoroughfares of Bacolod.

"Masskara" ("Mass" means crowd; and "kara" from the Spanish word cara which means face) was coined by famous cartoonist, painter and cultural artist, the late Ely Santiago (a Negrense), whose many art works depicted the many faces of Negrenses overwhelmed with grief with the happening of a series of crises: the loss of their loved ones who perished in the famous MV Don Juan tragedy; the economic depression brought about by the collapse of the sugar industry; a serious drought which was followed by two destructive typhoons.

The Masskara Festival was envisioned in 1980 to add color to Bacolod City's Charter Day celebration. The organizers adopted a smiling mask as the symbol of the festival to represent the happy spirit of the Negrenses in spite of the many problems they experienced.

When I was still in Bacolod, I always looked forward to the fun and festivities of Masskara, especially the street party, the countdown and the fireworks display during the Charter Day celebration (October 19). Also a much-awaited event of the festival is the dance competition and street parade of groups in different colorful masks and costumes.

Thanks to my former officemates at the Hall of Justice, Cecile Linga and Misyel Tupaz, who shared with me their Masskara 2009 memoirs.