Back To Barracks For Me

Back to being a homemaker (in other words, shazzam, I am the housekeeper).

Have to wake up early to prepare breakfast. But before that, have to wash the glasses the guys used when they got thirsty at night plus the plates, the sets of spoon and fork left after their midnight snacks.

Then, check out the dirty clothes, separating whatever had to be separated (hiwalay kung hiwalay).

What is back-breaking is trying to tidy-up all the rooms in the house, from the living room, the dining room, the small but riot kitchen to the boys' "after-a-tsunami look", whew! No actual cleaning yet, just fixing the clutter (and not to mention the need to tackle the toilets).

Just staring at these swells up the head, working towards a blast of a headache.

The solution? Don't let all of these impress you.

Yup, I read in a book entitled "Don't Give Up", that we should not be impressed by the difficulties in our life. I interpret it as . . . we must not let these challenges overwhelm us.

My motto "Kaya yan. Hindi pa naman ako dumudugo" (can do, not in a bleeding state yet).

One. My first step, is just to stand still for a while, after seeing and assessing the situation at hand (but not too long for it might scare me).

Two. Then, just tackle the one that needs immediate attention then rest, go Facebook or play with the dogs (but again, not too long). That's Three.

Oh well, all things shall come to past. I add, " Do all these things for His greater glory." Finally, this lightens things up.

I go and just do it. Oops that's Four.

Click! See, there goes my rice cooker, the rice is cooked. Great! Celebrate the little victories. And that's Five. It helps a long way.

P.S. God loves me.

For Whom

Ikaw, para kanino ka bumabangon?
(For whom do you wake up and rise?)

I just love this line from a coffee commercial. It made me think seriously at a meaningful response.

For the past months, a portion of my time has been dedicated to the church and community activities. You know what? Ha ha, the change has became uncomfortable.

Though it's a good thing, at the back of my mind, a small voice was saying."Teka puro ka na lang service, wala ka na bang balak gumawa ng ibang bagay na may kabuluhan sa buhay mo?" (Your time has been spent mostly on service, do you plan to do anything meaningful in your life?)

But what is a meaningful activity . . . a meaningful life?

Yes, I've not spent much time now with friends (even relatives) and on things I used to love and enjoy. Seems like I've been missing out a lot on some things.

I was thinking about reducing my time on service and on community activities. Then again, where would I find real meaning in my life?

I was wasting some of my time on TV when this line popped out :
Ikaw, para kanino ka bumabangon?

I wake up early to be able to serve at the 7:00 A.M. daily mass. If I stop doing this, what replacement am I planning to put in place?

My, my, the Lord communicates to us in mysterious ways. I believe He is telling me to continue my service because it's a "Poka-Yoke" (fool-proof) way to growing and maturing in the Spirit. My service does not add an incy little bit to God, it is in reality not for Him, but for me.

Ephphatha! Be opened! I just have to be open so that I may hear what God wants me to do and I may speak His words for others to hear.

Talitha kum! Little girl, stand up! The Lord is encouraging us to cast all our worries and burdens to Him.

True enough, I am starting to have a balanced life. I am beginning to induce some of the things I want to do, without giving up my service.

I really believe that everything will work out good for me. I just have to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto me.

God has come (Emmanuel) to us and has overflowing Mercy. Good news for sinners like me.

Go and Dream

If you can dream it, you can do it.

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.

All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me... You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.

Mickey Mouse popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad 20 years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner.

Walt Disney

Getting Fit, No To Deafeat

My goodness, my body hurts.

I stopped doing housework myself for a period of 3 months now and I definitely gained weight. Actually, it's my life's cycle. when the "ber" months arrive, I do start to over-eat. This goes on until the Love month, February. Then, I just find myself a "Big Me" come March.

Therefore, as April approaches, I go get up and put my rubber shoes on for any activity I can get into. This starts with walking, running with the dog, attempt to go back to sports and an hour in the gym.

Today, in the gym, after a teeny weeny bit of lazy stretching, I mount the treadmill which felt truly alien to me, starting off at low speed. I learned my lesson. I do not want to end up with injured ankles, just like last year, when I overdid it the first day at the gym.

It seems ages just being on the treadmill for 5 short minutes at low speed. To think I even plan to stay for an hour. Uuugh! (or should I say bowow, aw aw, ouch).

I increased the speed. I feel exhausted in a couple of minutes and can't continue. I talked myself into holding on. The three minutes, I stretched to 5 minutes. I reduce the speed. After 3 minutes, I again find myself wanting to stop. I hang on to stay and complete the magic 5 minute mark. This gets repeated, talking myself to just complete the 5 minute cycle.

The message in the machine says "check your heart rate". Doing so, it registered at 130, I wanted it to go up to 170, whew! I increased the speed. To my amazement, my heart rate did not increase, the registered number even went down. I am tired. I give up on this heart-rate thingy. I do not want to look at the gauge anymore. I just kept on jogging then brisk walking on
the treadmill.

I realized, when I stopped minding my heart rate and just continue even at a low speed, the distance data kept on increasing. That's encouraging.

Guess what? I was able to stay on for 60 minutes. Yehey. I went home and drank a glass of sweet orange juice (not fresh, the ones bought in bottles, heheh.) I ate a burger with my son for breakfast.

Hey, I don't want to be hard on myself. I'll just get back to the gym every other day. Just do it for 21 days, I say. Go!