THE NEXT ACT

……… the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind. C.S. Lewis There were times that I could not figure out the streamline between bragging and being confident. There were moments that I wanna take charge and be zealous in order to get the right result but I was prevented by the thought that maybe people might think that I was just showing off which jeopardize my focus on doing it right. It’s a matter of examining myself consistently about the intent of my endeavours. .It’s a matter of making sure that pride does not tarnish my true intention in the process. C. S. Lewis (my all-time fave author) said that pride is a dangerous vice to obtain for it will lead you to all kinds of sins. Lucifer left the kingdom because he is too proud to accept that man was made in...

Discipline is the key to growth.  The word keeps ringing in my ear as if it is becoming my personal watchword.  It might be something that I have to sink into my system as I come to realise that the many flaws that I am keeping have come from lack of discipline.  It might be important tool to solve many of life’s problems particularly some of my personal issue. God has a way waking me up to reduce some my setbacks.  Endeavours to sort life will be easy if not for discipline.  Discipline coincides with pain most of the time.  Yet those things that hurt instruct.  I hate pain.  And maybe this is why I dillydally so us not to go there.  My procrastination wins over as I hope that the stern undertaking will go away.   Skirting around the problem does not go anywhere.  I need to meet them head on.  Get on with it.  I got to suffer through them once and for all.  Suffering is a gift.  Make the most of it....

There is a point that we need to change for the better and yet we are held back by our comfort zone.  Who Moves The Cheese is a book that speaks the same thing and I am so grateful to my cousin's hubby who gave it to me.  And I just thought about it when I was reminded by many instances that I have been dragged back by so many unchangeable circumstances in the light that moving forward is the option to take.   Do not attach the changeable to the unchangeable. I have written a song that was in line with this statement as a home work in the song writing course I took in the past.  It was a song about a lost that was attached to many existing and haunting unchangeable things.  Milk is always milk.  A baby does not stay a baby.  A baby has to grow and needs to move forward and let go of the bottle.  A butterfly needs to leave the cocoon to spread the wings.  People may have thought that their cocoons are their comfort zones until they let go and...

I haven't ridden the roller coaster since Euro Disney of my ancient self until I rode with my son who was doing it for the first time. He tested the water first. Oberving how the passengers who went ahead of us. Finding that they are still alive he hopped in to one of the cars and he got the thrill of the life time. I got the thrill as well but not the ride but how I see my kid's thrill. I had my moments and energy of being so charmed with the loops, the scare and adventure in my hey day. Not anymore. Now I won't do it for myself. I am too old for this. The palpitation rate says "A-ah, take it easy".  I know my limits. The ride is just a few seconds I thought. And to my son it would have been a slow motion moment which may  take one frame per minute to delight. I ride with and for my son. Let' do it!  And there yah go.  That few seconds sucked away the liquid in my throut I thought I needed a drink. My whole head complained a bit which is not case in my younge...

I watched the whole episodes of the Bible shown in History Channel.  I like it.  I Like how they approach the story which is more like a mild version of Game of Thrones.  Each episode starts with a caption saying that the series would show as close as to what has been told in the Bible.  But in the line of telling it as it is, they highlighted as well humanity, politics, war, grief, sacrifices, brutality, death, miracles, faith, love, conviction, envy, murder and evil.  There are some who had made bad reviews of the series about inaccuracies in the story, too much violence, racial/ethnic portrayals and too Hollywood.  Angels are portrayed like warriors in hoods who know how to fight like Ninjas.  Satan looks like Obama.  I think it is also History Channel or maybe National Geographic that showed a study of how the parting of the Red Sea possible in a technical point of view which is maybe caused by a pulling back of water as preemption of a tsun...

Who wants to suffer in the first place? You may say that if it ain't for something good you prefer to have a worry-free, careless, fantastic life.  I would rather lie down on the beach than crawling in the wilderness.  Or I prefer to eat a burger over a plate of mashed carrots.  Or I would rather watch TV than mowing.  But there must be something good behind the pain. Sacrificing is making you suffer for a good cause. A lady colligue of mine shaved her whole head in support for the cure of her bff's cancer. She used to sport a fantastic short blond hair sparkling a flyaway on her back neck.  And she was willing to go bald.  She came over my desk bald and all with a money basket. I who has been used to credits did not have cash at that moment but I promised to go over her desk to donate once I got the cash which I did.  Sweet. I mean who would refuse to give money to someone who has deprived herself from looking good to show that she cares and tha...

Who am I not to give in to the one who knows me best?  He knows the numbers of the strands of my hair.  He already knew me before I was born.  He knows what’s best for me.  He created me in His image and likeness.  He has given me gifts.  He has given me freedom to exercise these gifts.   The reasons of my existence is how I was created and in accordance to the gifts given to me.  The only thing that absolutely matters is giving back the favor.  The only thing that matters is to submit to Him for He has already plans for me.  The plan is in light to how I was perceived when He created me.  Who am I in the eyes of the Almighty?  What am I in the grand design?  Am I fulfilling it right?  Am I in the proper place?  If I am doing what I am supposed to do for His Glory, I won’t allow anyone to snatch away the achievement for the one that is being snatched is the fulfillment of the work that He has started....

First blogging of the year. I thought of scribbling and finding out how it goes. I think that has been the essence of the theme of this blog. Random thought I have called it and the title is a bit cliche to some. Not when I began putting up this blog site I suppose. I started it for the sake of writing and knowing myself. And I thought of sharing it to others by publishing it. But it does not count much if no one reads it.   Appreciation from readers is a plus and I am being thankful but then again I believe I benefit most to what I write.  It's like spitting out bits and pieces of what's inside my brain and laying them on the table for me to see. "Hmmmm. What have I feeding myself lately?"  And so that's how I discover more of myself.  They may be shallow to some readers and they  may be profound to others.  I thought of keeping my writings to myself but I have a divine urge to share it regardless of the outcome. It is not frustrating if it's not a hi...

We have shifted houses at last.   Who loves doing what we have done?   However, finally we’ve done it with many loose ends.   That’s okay, as long as we have moved.   One by one sorting junks will be the daily routine.   It will take a couple of days, maybe over a week.   The big eye opener is the reality that we ought to throw away things we don’t need.   Clothes, toys, old receipts, papers, empty perfume bottles and all sorts that we still brought in to the new dwelling.   Now that they are here in the new dwelling and exposed as a bit of nuisance, they are sorted with things to be disposed soon.   Nuisance: rude as it may sound, but they become as such to the things we ought to devote our attention with.   They have been in their good used before but it’s time to retire in order for us to move on.   I am sentimental guy and that is why I can’t give up that easy on things right away.   I still keep the two old faded cordu...

In my last blog, I mentioned about a dead snake behind my office computer.   It happens to be that I have so many cables around it.   I thought of figuring out how I arrived with this messy predicament.   I have two dongles for two delicate software I am using and once in a while I am plugging them in and out at the back of the computer the endeavour which is too tedious consisting of leaning, squeezing and back aching thus arriving in a strategy of installing two long cables plugged at the back serving as the insertions of the two dongles that is reachable in front. I got two external hard drives which incidentally need cables: one serving as back up and working area for the modelling programme and the other is my personal where I keep my music that I listen to while working: we were told by the head of IT that I we should not use the our personal network drive for keeping mp3s – so there.   Right now, I am listening to the Christmas songs by Christina Perri. ...

Sorting out electronic files may be daunting.   But when you get the ball rolling I am coming in to a sort of amusement of rearranging, folder creating, renaming, removing, replacing and assigning.   It’s a matter of prompting a quick start I would find myself enjoying the undertaking. It’s different with the physical cleaning which is not my best area of expertise but maybe I am just not doing my best effort.   Or the effort could not be enough in the light that there are things I don’t see that some skilful cleaners can see.   It’s like I am living in a parallel universe where some objects are just ghosts to me.   The socks on floor seem not there all the time or onion skins and sachets clatter unnoticeably while cooking for instance.   Anyhow, what can I say?   My office desk: Wires and cables lie like dead snakes all around the computer; files on shelves are yet to be sorted from what are needed and what ain’t; I got too many jugs and mugs ...

There are times that I have exhausted my reasoning on how to arrive in a decision.  I have put out all the cards of options on the table and rate them according to how we want it to be basing on our needs and a bit of our whims.  I may arrive with a decision out of our scrutiny and yet our confidence is not enough to say “this is it.”  Our own knowing falls short to give our thumbs up.  Opinions of others are sought and may give bearing but it may be yet not sufficient.  Is this good?  Am I being paranoid?  I believe that I am just being God Fearing that I consider that the last say would be the One above as I pray.  May he guide me to the right decision.  He completes the process.  Sometimes I may not receive an answer in the light that I should make a decision right away.  That’s an instance when I would get into relying on my own reasoning to choose yet praying that He would bless my last say.  I believe sometimes He want ...

Looking for a house is such a pressing task.  We are hoping that we could find the right place at the right time.  But what is happening at the moment is that we could not find a house that is just in the right complete package.  There is always something that put us off in each place.  We needed to increase the range of rate so us to broaden the likability of the options.  And yet we are staying in the backseat and waiting for the right house to just happen in midst of our time ticking out.  The list of houses is I may say hmmmmm just okay but I am still waiting for a big wow house.  Nevertheless the big decision would be when the three of us will be happy with the chosen one.  There are houses that are good and bad to look at in the picture but the opinion can be otherwise when you get to view the exact outside location.  Once you are happy with what we are seeing outside, we request for view inside.  But then why not reque...

I was reading one of the entries of a member of a group of Christian Bloggers about Christians nowadays being underrated for the reason that some of them don’t act what they speak. Looking at it in a cynical angle, it seems that they are just a bunch of charlatans. But hey! Come on. Nobody is perfect. Anyone has its flaws. We are all sinners. We stumble once in while. Don’t be too hard on them. One thing good about Christians is that they have a track to follow. Once they caught getting off balance and swerving a bit as long as they have a clearer vision of their true north and intend to go back, I guess they are still cool. However, we are indeed imperfect but that's not a reason for us not to aim for perfection. I always like the idea that people should always find us faithful. Aiming for perfection does not mean that you got to be a member of all the religious org that you knew or you got be well versed in the bible or you got to be a theologian or you got to be a...

If I have to find out if a law to be passed is making sense, the only way that I can resort  is to complement it with the divine law. The Holy Book gives ten fundamentals as written in tablets. If it falls at least to one of them, most likely it is good to go. I am only putting it simply but in a complicated world, complicated politicians and with complicated peoples' habits and ways of life, most likely it shuns away the true north as the deciding factor and clings on to more selfish reasons.  A law can be a tool for enforcers to abuse powers and its abolishing sounds a good idea. I am not a law maker and I have no degree to support what I am talking about. And I have no ambition to hold political office. All I am saying is that fundamentals are what it holds it together.  They will not run out and become obsolete. Complication may bury them. But it does not mean they 're gone. Until your system makes no sense, you are still stepping on the solid platform which is wha...

Nothing's more fun than doing what people say you can't do! Sometimes being underestimated has the advantage of giving someone something he thought he is never gonna get from you. Sometimes they mock and then BAM it happens right on their face eating every bit of their words. There are also people showing off looking at you for a slight of envy yet all they can get is a blank face. In the first place envy should not be entertained whether you got it or not. A blank face is what they can get especially from people who are trying to be righteous. You know very well that your intellect is being undermined when the answer to your question is somewhat silly and yet the one who answers thinks he got away with it by thinking you are naively convinced. Sometimes I think that I don't look like what I can do. There was a time when I managed to accomplish a big task and the comment that I got was that it was too good to be true. Peer review followed and in the end it's true. ...

When we are truly confident and secure, the opinions of others cannot control us. There are times that I feel crashed and there seem to be no reason to go on. But once I kneel down and listen to the Giver who is saying "Stand up and carry on", even in the midst of feeling that I got nothing to carry on, I go ahead carrying nothing but His Word. My confidence and security are drawn from Him and nothing else.  It is in this situation that I realise He is more than enough. My confidence is not anymore coming from who I am but from who He is to me. The weaker I am the stronger He is in me. There is no reason for me to be insecure for His grace is always at hand. I am confident in Him and whoever says otherwise is irrelevant. Who am I competing against? No one. For I live according to what I am becoming confident about. I am secured in my place because of Him.  I don't need to step on others to rise up because His arm is already pulling me up.

I sit still and make the most of my quiet time. It was Sunday morning .Eventhough I dont feel like I benefit from sitting still I carry on with the endeavour because this is the time I allot to commune with the Devine.  Dryness I recon. Should I exert my effort to be creative in order to water down the dryness of the moment?  Destraction sometimes lingers. What should I prepare for breakfast today?  I am thinking about fried rice. Sorry. The spirit is willing but the tummy is weak. Where are You?  What's the daily reading?  Nothing's happening but my faith which is willing to finish off what seems to be nothing. Though I dont feel any discomfort with the silnce. He's here joining me, I know. Maybe this is what i need: sitting still and be comforted.

It had been a long awaited dining experience with a craving that had never gone ahead. We have attempted in the past to satisfy the cravings by improvising the dish with pork mince, pork crackers, fresh onions, fresh bell pepper and mayonnaise which we succeeded in coming near to the enjoyment of the taste of sisig. We have been contented with it and we almost have forgotten that there is a better life. But that better life of enjoying sisig takes you to head back  home which will take you to its origin in Angeles City or spending a nice night out in Trellis combining the spoon full of sizzling wonder with San Miguel Beer. O man.  Let's make this happen at home in NZ. I have kept my faith up so as to realise everything will fall in to place.  True enough God is good, our path crossed with one who would be willing to come up with a genuine dish. Once I was told that what we needed was a hog's head, the quest was on to find the head. Nah! It was  not exactly ...

One of the reasons why one has difficulty to change for the better is people make it difficult for them. People’s minds somehow do not want to shift from the past knowledge about the person to a revitalized person. No matter how an ex-convict has been renewed, some companies are hesitant to hire someone like him. No matter how the person has realized his past mistakes and how he tries to start anew, some people already branded him a bad boy and they will treat him that way. “Stop treating me as a womanizer, I am family man for goodness sake. Stop offering me a smoke, I am quitting. Stop thinking that I am bum; I have a descent 8-hour job. Stop mentioning to others that I am temperamental, I am learning to control it now.” It is easier to change when people would support the change. The more the information about your old self has spread the more difficult it is to expect support from others in establishing your new you. You may want to move to another place, leave your rubbish behind a...