Staying in the Vineyard

The long months away from here were very busy months, juggling from Batangas to Manila and forth. The odds increased when I was demanded a 150 out-of-school children to teach through our BLP Program (Basic Literacy Program) under the ALS of DepEd Batangas. And mind you, it's all for nothing!

Friends say, " What do you get from it?" I said "Nothing". "So why stay?". they asked. All of my friends now are engaged in business if not in their own professions.

I was only 18 when I discovered that I will be a Vineyard worker. When I got my degree in college and have my own business, when this call materialized. That's why I retained the non-stock,non-profit nature of my business. I also found out that my ancestors were Vineyard workers, and it's running down up to the present generations of our clan. Most of my cousins and my own family are all Vineyard workers. My parents said that it's a very noble thing to work in the Vineyard. My brother, who is a AVP in JP Morgan, is a Vineyard worker, so as my other brothers!

The Vineyard is the richest and largest company in the world. No retirement. The tenure is secured. No one gets hungry. No losses, just dividends to earn. And if you have a business, connecting your business to it means profit! The qualification needed to be employed may be a bit difficult, but it's worth it! It's system and principles may be different from the common but they're easy to follow and apply.

But most of all, you get to meet it's Owner 24 hrs a day. Everytime you need Him, He's there. So problems are that hard to solve. And He also stays even if you don't ask Him to be around.

Why I stay?

Because it's an honor to serve Isa Al-masih (Christ the Messiah)!

What I Did Last December

I made it through the 2008! I can say, that year was a rather difficult one for me. But I got plenty of blessings to from the Almighty, and am so thankful about them. I am also thankful about friends who got so positive insights towards things, who reminded me about turbulence and opulence, of changes and finding new "cheese", and of "burning" the past in order to get to the future.

I got my best Christmas and New Year. There was no lucrative food around. Noche Buena came in with coffee and brownies, and New Year with macaroni salad, kapeng barako and loud shouts and noises, the 12th midnight chasing children in the neighborhood with our "torotots", and ending the new year with a series of movies in HBO till 4am. I've never felt so free and so happy, feeling so light and things so easy! Up to now I still have it.Was it because the difficult situations of 2008 was solved?No, they're still here! What happened? Because a great change took place inside me, inside my mind. I began to sleep well, eat plenty, smile and bloom a lot and looked at things differently than before. And I found out that when you smile, the whole world smiles at you, is true.

What I did?
1. Love myself. I gave myself a vacation.
2. Travel.
3. Enjoy being with my family and tribe
4. Re- frame my mind.
5. Read Stainless Longaniza by Bob Ong, Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson, Your Best Life Now by Ptr. Austin, the Bible and my journal.
6. Play the brain twister

When you smile, the whole world smiles at you!

At the Parade

It's a very long walk joining the Gregorio Del Pilar Baile La Calle
It's sad we were not allowed our students to participate in the street dancing ( which we usually do every year, even bringing home an award to make the school
proud).

It's amazing nobody in my staff got aching feet.

I took some pictures which can be seen in our school's friendster account. The Baile La Calle is the most enjoyable and awaited event in our town because of the informality and the challenge to dance in the street bringing out the creativity in every participant.

In my years of teaching Makabayan, I admired this hero Gregorio Del Pilar because of his loyalty to his profession. This hero who became the shield of Emilio Aguinaldo, the hero I do not like because of his envious ambition that caused the death of Andres (Andres Bonifacio) and Goyo (Gregorio del Pilar). And I appreciate our town for recognizing Goyo as hero of the present youth and have this annual Baile La Calle in his name.


I happened to see some of my coleagues in this parade. All have different reasons for joining in.
1. get a tan
2. get exercise to slim down.
3. it's a higher up order.
4. to enjoy.
5. to dance
6. to promote & advertise
7. no reason at all.


PS:
Crayon Sinchan, please post your number & name here. Want to know u.

Doors

The doors that I thought are open are not yet open after all. They're still images. Images of doors.

Shall I open them? Or do I need to beg God to open them for me? Or shall I wait, do nothing, just allowing the time to ripen and open those doors for me?

Those are the questions hanging in my mind.

Doors are opportunities. Doors are chances to a lot of new horizons.

Sometimes, I can't help ask my Creator but later on say sorry for asking questions.
But I can't help it. It's tough nowadays.

I rode the bus and the jeepney "unendlessly" today. Met a friend and then ride again.
I can't help thinking, what must I do?
What scares me?
To make a mistake.
It's but a normal thing to commit a mistake.
A failure might lead to success.
What really scares me?
What shakes my knees?
Because I will do them alone.
Take the chance. Maybe it will work.
No fallback?
It's a whirlwind!

An invitation came: Free bus ride from Manila to Cagayan! What a nice invitation for someone who's not yet done thinking.

I just came back from the South. The rain and the traffic was so heavy on the way here. I was surprised by ...bills!

But am at peace. As usual, I did my ways to make ends meet... to keep us going.

I found:

1. my old friends. they're still my friends!
2. new friends
3. new opportunities
4. open heaven for me

" Those who look up in the sky, day dream. But those who look inside, grow!"
- Carl Jung