DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED

In life, we all need to understand that it is important not to take anything for granted : your friends, loved ones, family, studies, job, and even your own life.
Human beings have a curious capacity to take things for granted. The most exquisite diamond loses its lustre with familiarity. The most compatible intimate becomes boring as time goes by. Even God’s beautiful miracles like the daily sunrise and sunset fail to astonish most human beings because they have become a routine! Repetition and time - dull our sense of wonder and thus we all took everything for granted. When a thing becomes familiar to us, the mystery we have projected onto it is lost. We see it without the overlay of our imaginings. For instance, how many of us really notice each breath we breath in or we just took for granted we are still breathing and kicking?
I know, we can't live our life taking note of every single thing everyday though, but every now and again, we need to examine this wonderful world, those around us, those who love us and we should reciprocate their love or deeds no matter how small or big it might be. We don’t need to buy flowers, presents or any monetary valued things to appreciate them. Just words of appreciation or a smile, which are of no monetary value, is sufficient to tell them that you care and appreciate them. Money can’t buy happiness – so they say. You all might disagree with me on this but it is also said that "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" << Matthew16:26 >>Personally I must admit that I am neither perfect nor excused for taking things for granted in my life. I have been a culprit of this weakness one too many times. And it is a hard thing to come to terms with, no matter how much I have tried. But being human and human err, we have to continue trying no matter how difficult the task is. We have to keep reminding ourselves each time and appreciate our loved ones – show our love for them, thank them for loving us, find time to be with them in time of happiness and sorrows, value their sacrifices for us. Don’t take things for granted!
Seldom have we appreciate or notice little deeds of love that others have for us and we usually let these little things passed as if nothing happens. A simple un-noticeable love of a mother is when she prepared food on the table or washed your clothing or even swept your room. Now ask ourselves honestly, have any of us, just at least once, ever said “mom, thank you for the wonderful meal” or “mom, thank you for washing my cloths”. Or maybe when a child helps to wash the family car. Have the parents ever said “Thank you son/girl for washing the car”? We only seem to noticed big and glaring deeds around us or those deeds that have great impact on our lives especially monetary deeds – such as when we get gifts, Christmas or birthday presents or maybe ‘ang-pau’. We will be laughing and saying ‘thank you’. How selfish have we been! We took everything for granted.
I wish people will realize that there is no harm in telling someone you care, each and every day, thanking them for even the little un-noticeable love but there is more harm than imaginable in doing the exact opposite. There isn't a time you will regret letting someone know that you appreciate them – no matter who they are to you – but there will always be a time you will regret holding your tongue when all you wanted was to let them know you cared but was too late. But then as the saying goes “The greatest weakness of most humans is their hesitancy to tell others, how much they love them while they're alive."

Our life in this wonderful world is so short and life is very fragile. Each and every one of us, somehow or rather, will have to answer the call of our Creator. We don’t know when, how or where that call might be. It’s all a matter of time and it’s all in the hand of our Creator. Only He and He alone knows. "Before someone's tomorrow has been taken away, cherish those you love, appreciate them today. For tomorrow may be too late."


Sincerely yours with love always,

Anger

On my life journey, I have found many wonderful experiences but as well hard lessons from which my lack of understanding and learning from them, lead me further from my Creator.

I have always heard, “Love yourself so you can love others”, “Let go of the past” “forgive yourself first, then others”, “Be patience, don’t push it”, “Alike attracts, so do good for good to come to you” etc. however the hardest one, was learning to deal with anger. I have to let go of anger to discover how to open more doors into my spirituality.

My sense of justice became an injustice towards me, and how I let it almost destroyed my soul with anger. Comparing myself to others, sometimes I get justice or the thought of what justice should be like and ran into a conquest to make things right. However, I learn in the hard way that what could be the sense of justice for me, is not likely justice for others. Obviously, in an imperfect world it is hard to be perfect and even harder to make others see perfection thru my eyes. What room spirituality has in a negative mind full of thoughts of anger? The answer is NONE.

I let the hours; days; weeks pass thru, and although I tried the task to fill my time with activities in order to forget events and prevent myself to revive the words spoken but the words “forgive and forget” became impossible. In my negative mind, doubt came alone not only question my life but question my spirituality as well. The solution and message was right on my face but anger blind me so good, I could not see it or rationalize with it. It came to my mind, that when we die it’s obvious we do not take memories with us. We take the emotions that certain memories caused us in our paths alone with the emotions we caused to others, as a task of what we came to learn in this lifetime.

Warmest Regards,

Someday

Someday someone might come into your life and love you the way you've always wanted.

If your someday was yesterday, learn.

If your someday is tomorrow, hope.

If your someday is today, cherish.

Warmest Regards,

Hoping For A Better Tomorrow

As I look back at all that I have being through the years and believe me, it takes guts to share a part of my life with anyone that might stumble on this blog. The way I look at it, we are all mirrors of each other. Some of you might have live this already, some of you are glad that haven’t live this at all, or perhaps like me… some of you may wonder what is next... I only hope that you understand, despite all the bad things we go through life, we have to keep on living…because not everything is bad, there are moments of joy worth living for...Years of lessons, trials, tears, self-discovery, physical losses and letting go of what no longer worked in our life. Sometimes we have to forgive the events that happen in our lives, as well as forgive ourselves for the feelings and actions we put through those events.I know it’s not over….for there might be more days, months or years of challenges, survivals, triumphs and more to let go of what is not enhancing our soul...but for sure I know, with hope and prayers, that it will be a lot better than the past and that alone, keeps me going......Hoping for a better tomorrow!

Warmest Regards,

In Life, Nothing Lasts Forever

In life, we wish for the best, but hope for the worst. So in the end, we are not oblivious to the outcome. Either way, we should be contented with the way it turned out. Happy if it goes our way and content when it does not. Life is too short for us to be satisfied with our lives; you can always do better, always move on up.

If you can dream it, you can make it a reality. Pain is just a factor of our existence; with it can cause a person to weep; without it, we will never know how much one individual means to us.With life, comes great responsibility. The paths we choose can impact many lives. So treat people how you want to be treated and love as much as possible. In this life, nothing lasts forever. In a split second, a person’s life can be forever changed, either by a mistake or a "I know my way home" kind of anger. Worst a person you cared most may not be around forever.

We are allowed one life and one life only. Life is meant for us to live, not to be constricted by fear. That is why I say “Live life to the fullest in every way possible, because we all die in the end. Live life now so you can look back and be happy.”

Most see life as you are born, you live, and you die. But it is not that simple. Within peace, there is hate. Within love, there is pain. Within happiness, there is suffering. People spend their whole life wondering what life could be, when they could be living life on what it can be. You never can get back the time you have lost; but do not regret lost time, because in the time you pity yourself, you could be out doing something with your life.

Live every day a little bit like it is your last; life is just too short. Life can be a beautiful thing but it too can be so hurting especially when everyone you love and let into your heart, goes and breaks it. Ultimately it is the beholder of the heart that suffer.... so follow your heart and mind, just like the sea water that flows freely with the current.

Warmest Regards,

Happiness

I'm just like a clown with a face that's being painted intentionally to appear being happy but deep within.... no one knows! For happiness is only felt by the heart of the beholder!

Warmest Regards,

On My Blessed Day

As I celebrate my birthday alone today at this hour 12.50am, I am trying to recall what my life was like for the past years that I've spent in this world. I believe that my life is like a large puzzles that are comprised of many parts and all of those parts are important in order to see the fullness of what GOD has meant for my life. When I look back over my life there are so many parts of my puzzle that were full of happiness and also hurtful. I have no complaint on all those happiness puzzles that was fitted into my life except to thank God for them.

The only hurt that I am truly sorry of is my disobedience to the Lord and in my lack of awareness of who He truly was and who He was to me...to my life. Yes, I must admit that I am a Christian but am I a good Christian, a faithfully one? Or am I just the seasonal Christian who only rejoiced during Christmas day?

On this blessed day that God has given me another year of life, I really need to do a soul searching on who am I. I have before me good and evil, life or death, blessing and curses. Which of these puzzles have I chosen to filled my life all those years? I guess I have been holding on to old negative behaviors, stinking thinking and painful situations....things that the Lord has said to let go of because I believe what He has for me is so incredible that words can not describe it. It's time now for me to choose what the LORD has for me not what the world has for me.

To my family...thank you for all those wonderful years!

Warmest Regards,

Foot Prints In The Sand

I have always admired this poem ever since I came across it 23 years ago. Too beautiful for any words to describe.

Warmest Regards,

Fear?

A few days ago, I had a very mild heart problem (or was it a heart attack/stroke, I don't know what medical jargon I should be using) early in the morning at about 3.30am while I was in bed all alone. And lately, I've had this "death" thoughts lingering in my mind and the risk of sounding painfully morbid, I can't shake this feeling that I might die soon. Why do I think this? I know these thoughts aren't from GOD. and I certainly hope it's not true, anyway. I'd love to be around to watch my children succeed in life and be proud of them. And maybe even to curdle and watch my grandchildren grow up.

I've been doing some fairly deep soul-searching to try and get to the bottom of all my worries in life especially that concern my aging parents, children, financial et cetera in my brain. A new one, this "death" thing looming over me, seems to be added to my already burdened brain.

Why do I have this feeling of uncertainty? Is it fear? What am I afraid of? Was it because I saw those sick and some helpless people yesterday when I sent my sister-in-law Winnie to the hospital? I'm still trying to figure that one out but for now, I must continually give myself and my thoughts to GOD and trust that HE has a plan for my life.

Warmest Regards,

This Moment

I may never see tomorrow. There's no written guarantee, and things that happened are history. I cannot predict the future. I cannot change the past. I have just the present moment. I must treat it as my last. I must use this moment wisely for it soon will pass away, and be lost forever as part of yesterday.

I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet. Be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete. The unkind things I do today may never be undone, and friendships that I fail to win may never more be won. I may not have another chance on bended knees to pray, and I thank God with a humble heart for giving me this day.

Whatever need to be done, it must be done THIS MOMENT

Warmest Regards,

Lessons I learned!

As I reflect upon my journey in life, I recall the numerous times when as a child I did not even know which path my life would take. Nor did I question, “who am I”? It all seems so long ago, it is but a distant memory; at 48 now,a few years to come I'll qualify as a senior citizen.

To my family, our paths will be separated one day since the bond that kept the family together will be crossed over, journeying onwards in the karmic cycle of life, hopefully towards realizing Nirvana. Meanwhile, when all the trials and tribulations in life proved to be too heavy, may He carry us.

Now as I myself draw nearer my journey’s end, I realize that pain & suffering in life is the wellspring from which come forth fortitude,self-control, and patience. Long-suffering & Patience is the fruit born of all the tribulations life has to offer.

Holiness is not prayer, or attending church or going to temples, etc.

Holiness is self-emptying, the acceptance of the good and the bad that life has to offer; a constant dying to self. That itself is the foundation of our faith. The simple acceptance of what life has to offer, taking each day as it comes.

My parents, my wife, my children and my sisters may not be perfect, but it is there in that particular garden of life, God has planted me – with the command, "bloom where you are planted’.

I firmly believe, I would not be what I am today, if the conditions had been different. I am responsible for my own life and for the direction it takes.

Who among us has not sinned? Who among us is perfect?

Once upon a time, my parents were young too.They suffered trying to put food on the table, providing for 4 children. It was not the easiest of task, and I admire them for the courage they showed in the face of adversity.

Life sometimes doles out huge crosses and we may even fall under its weight. It is in not giving up, and finding something to smile about, to be happy about that I admire most in them . It is the example they have given me, and a very good example if I might say so "To err is human, to forgive is Divine".

Warmest Regards,