Livingtreasure

Because of my addictions to Farm Town, book reading, painting session and solving Sudoku puzzles, I already lose interest in writing blogs. There are just too many things to do now.

Last weekend, we have lost our Internet connection at home. Until now, it’s not yet re-installed. Our housemate wanted to change the plan for a faster connection but it’s almost two weeks now and there’s no reply yet from the Internet provider. Gone are those busy weekends. Gone is the weekend chat with families and loved ones. Gone is the harvest time in Farm Town. And I said to myself, some good things never last.

Due to absence of Internet connection at home, I find the urge to just write a blog and upload it in the office just to keep myself busy during weekends. I have just finished “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho and my mind flew with the author as I reflect a little.

I recalled my younger years and tried to remember when was the first time I started dreaming for my future. And I realize, I am a dreamer because until now I never stopped dreaming. There are many dreams realized yet there’s something missing. It’s not emptiness. It’s not something about satisfaction. There’s that greater dream that I wanted for so long. I knew how to reach that dream but I knew too it’s not yet the time to fulfill that dream. I have worked with various multi-national companies and performed significant roles in the workplace but my experience says I can only last for 3 years in each company that I have worked. After 2-3 years, I grew weary, get bored and look for another job in another company. That’s my employment trend. I have just realized that it’s because I am just following the signs of times towards reaching for my greatest dream. There are a lot of detours along the way, but it doesn’t matter because I believe there is a perfect time for everything. What matters are - I should be able to enjoy the journey towards reaching for that dream. I should learn the lessons from my mistakes. I should be able to understand God’s will and be grateful for everything. That way, I will not miss a single thing. And once I reached that special dream or destiny, then I will not regret what happened during the journey coz I have only beautiful memories to look back.

Why am I saying all these? It’s because I saw many people these days losing their jobs due to economic crisis. I saw many individuals no longer happy with their job but just don’t have the choice. I hear a lot of complaints. I can feel some pain of people working afar and not so lucky to land their dream job but don’t have the choice but endure the days that passed. I knew a few good people being terminated from their job even if they don’t feel like quitting. And I also knew people who would love to quit from working even if the job seems perfect and rewarding. I became sad for a while and realized people are free to dream what they want to dream. We can plan for our future but in the end it is God who determines the final outcome. And I agree with the king in the book when he said, it is all written by One Hand. Everything is written before the world began. No matter how perfect the situation may be, we cannot know the unseen. We still don’t know what God has in store for us. After settling these thoughts in my mind, I remembered what I really dreamed since before. I just want to be a plain housewife and a fulltime mom. My husband is very much willing to give this to me because he knew that this is my long-term goal. But I refused, coz I knew it’s not yet the time. Even if I want to realize it right now, still there are things beyond our control. When will it be, depends in God’s perfect time.

Some good things never last. Yes I agree with that… because there are better things that are yet to come. I always believe that there’s always a beautiful ending… And the ending depends on the size of our Faith.

My housemate and good friend, Judy Anne said early Tuesday morning – Life is short. I reacted and asked why the statement? She said, she’s supposed to say time is so fast and was wondering why she uttered life is short instead of time is so fast. I interrupted her statement to rebuke her of any negative vibes that will come with that statement.

But yes, life is short. Early Tuesday morning, when I sat in my office space and busy doing the daily routines, an email from a friend caught my attention. It’s a hair-raising email subject for me. Our colleague, Pablo June Jala way back Lapanday days died from an ambush while they are on their way to a critical place in Mindanao. I felt so sad for his family especially that he has two very young kids left.

I just find it so strange. On Monday night, despite the sleepiness, I was browsing my friendster and Pablo or Buloy’s friendster bulletin caught my attention. I clicked his bulletin and read as it goes – Am I going to hell? Marawi, here I come! I would like to comment on his bulletin but due to a very slow internet connection, I prefer not to send and was just browsing his profile and pictures. I never knew that his bulletin is the last update that I’ll hear from him. I remember before I flew to Dubai, I met him in Gaisano mall with her wife and we had a short chat together with FCF and Grace. There I learned from him that he is working with PDEA and we knew that it is a dangerous job.

To those who knew him, I am asking for prayers for the eternal repose of his soul. May he rest in peace. Amen.

The church has given permission to the people the last part of the message.  The blessed Virgin appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.  This is proven fact, one of these children is still alive, her name is Lucia,  she is a cloistered nun and lives in a monastery in Portugal.

(N.B. Sister Lucia died at the age of 97 on 13 February 2005 at her Carmelite convent in Coimbra, Portugal, after a long illness.  Living in isolation in the cloistered convent, Sister Lucia reportedly lost her eyesight and hearing in the months preceding her death.)

Now the time has come, and permission has been granted from Pope John Paul II to reveal it to the children of God, in order not to create panic but to make people aware of this important message so everybody can be prepared.

The Virgin told Lucia: ‘Go my child and tell the world what will come to pass during the 1950’s-2000’s. Men are not practicing the Commandments that our Father has given us. Evil is governing the world and is harvesting hate and resentment all over. Men will fabricate mortal weapons that will destroy the world in minutes, half of the human race will be destroyed, the war will begin against Rome, and there will be conflicts amongst religious orders.

God will allow all naturals phenomena like smoke, hail, cold, water, fire, floods, earthquakes, winds and inclement weather to slowly batter the planet. These things will come to pass before the year 2010.

‘Those who won’t believe, this is the time’ your beloved mother told you ‘those lacking charity towards others and those who do not love thy neighbor like my beloved Son has loved you, all cannot survive. They will wish to have died, millions are unimaginable, they will come, and there is no doubt.

Our Lord God will punish severely those who do not believe in him, those who despise him and those who did not have time for him. ‘I call upon all of you to come to my son Jesus Christ, God helps the world but all those who do not show fidelity and loyalty will be destroyed’.

Father Agustin, who lives in Fatima, said that Pope Paul gave him permission to visit sister Lucia who is a Cloistered nun (she does not leave the monastery nor is allowed to receive any visitors). Father Agustin said that she received him greatly overwhelmed and told him: ‘Father Agustin, our lady is very sad because nobody is interested in her prophecy of 1917, though the righteous are walking through a narrow path the evil ones are walking through an ample road that is leading them straight to their destruction, believe me father, the punishment will come very soon. ‘Many souls will be lost; many nations will disappear from the earth. But, in the middle of all these, if men reflect, pray and practice good deeds, the world can be saved.  One of all these, if men persist with its evil, the world will be lost forever.  The time has come for all to pass on the message of our Blessed Lady to their families, friends, and to the entire world.  Start praying, to make penitence and sacrifices.  We are at the last minute of the last day and the catastrophes are near.  Due to this, many that were far from the church will return to the open arms of the Church of Jesus Christ.  The joining of the churches will result in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, England, Russia, China, Jews, Muslims and Protestants.  All will return believing and worshipping God our creator, in his beloved Son and in our Blessed Mother Virgin Mary’.

What awaits us? Everywhere there will be ‘Peace Talks’, but punishment will come.  A man in a very important position will be assassinated and this will provoke the war.  A powerful army will dominate all through Europe and the nuclear war will commence.

This war will destroy everything, darkness will fall over us for 72 hours (three days) and the one third of humanity that survives this obscurity and sacrifices, will commence to live a new era, they will be good people.  In a very cold night, 10 minutes before midnight, A GREAT QUAKE will shake the earth for 8 hours.  This will be the third signal that God is who governs the earth.  The righteous and those who propagate the faith and the message of the Lady of Fatima SHOULD NOT FEAR, DO NOT BE AFRAID.

WHAT TO DO???  Bow your heads, kneel down and ask God for forgiveness because only what is good and is not under the power of evil will survive the catastrophe, in order for you to prepare and remain alive.  I will give you the following signs:  ANGUISH.. AND IN A SHORT PERIOD THE EARTHQUAKE WILL COMMENCE.. THE EARTH WILL SHAKE.  The shake will be so violent that will move the earth 23 degrees and it will return to its normal position.  Then, total and absolute darkness will cover the entire planet.  All evil spirits will be mingling around and free, doing harm to all those souls that did not want to listen to this message and those who did not want to repent.  To the faithful souls, remember to light the blessed candles, prepare a sacred altar with a crucifix in order to communicate with GOD and implore for His infinite mercy..

All will be dark; IN THE SKY A GREAT MYSTIC CROSS will appear to remind us the price that HIS beloved Son had to pay for our redemption.  In the house the only thing that can give light will be the HOLY CANDLES..  Once lit, nothing will put them off until the three days of darkness are over.  Also you should have HOLY water that should be sprinkled abundantly on windows and doors.  The Lord will protect the property of the chosen ones.  Kneel down before the powerful cross of my beloved Son, pray the Rosary and after each Hail Mary you must pray the following: ‘Oh God forgive us our sins, preserve us from fire of hell, and take all souls to heaven, especially those who are in more need of thy mercy.  Blessed Virgin Mary protect us, we love you, save us and save the world.

Pray 5 Creeds and the rosary which is the secret to my Immaculate Heart.  All those who believe in my words go and take the message to everyone.  DO NOT FEAR, FEAR NOTHING DURING THE LORD’S GREAT DAY.  Talk to all the souls now that there is time, those who keep quiet will be responsible for all those souls who will perish in ignorance.  All those who pay humbly the rosary will have the protection of heaven and those who are bound to die.  I will help them die in peace and they will be holy when they enter the other world.  I wish all my children to attend mass very first Friday and every first Saturday of each month, to confess and receive Holy Communion and in doing, do save the world from its TOTAL DESTRUCTION.

When the earth shakes, those who still do not believe in our Lord will perish in a horrible way..  The wind brings gas and it will disperse it everywhere, then the sun will rise.  Maybe you will survive this catastrophe.  Do not forget that God’s punishment is holy and ONCE IT HAS STARTED YOU SHOULD NOT LOOK OUTSIDE, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES; GOD DOES NOT WANT ANY OF HIS CHILDREN TO SEE WHEN HE PUNISHES THE SINNERS.

All this encompasses with the writings of the Holy Scriptures.  Read on the New Testament:  Lucas 21-5:121, 12:19,20:20, 29:33, Letters of St. Paul 3-8:4, Isaiah 40 1:5:9.  You must understand that God allows all this to happen.  The Pope and Bishops are now awaiting another message that speaks about repentance and prayer.  Remember that God’s words are not a threat, but good news. . Please arrange to forward to all your friends so we all can have the opportunity to repent and be saved.  We do not know if those receiving this message believe or not in God, but think that if you are receiving this message is for reason!!

Maybe the Creator is giving us the chance to be saved, no matter what religion or creed.  If you don’t believe this message at least send it to others, it costs you nothing.  To all those receiving it, they can have the opportunity to judge for themselves.  Remember that we can avoid a great deal if we practice the commandments that our Father God left us.  There are 10 simple things, that if we all put in practice we can obtain God’s pardon. 

Yes.  Last March 15, I became a victim for the first time of these so-called Internet hackers.  I was in the office and suddenly “Roel Mercurio” who was saved in my YM list sent me a YM message.  Since I knew the person, I replied to his questions.

He’s asking “Kumusta?”  What time dyan?  At first I’m a bit doubtful coz we don’t usually chat for personal matters.  I just added him as a YM buddy during Sumifru times when we are doing some audit fieldwork and YM is the fastest way to ask him about anything related to our audit.  I don’t want to reply but he kept buzzing and I don’t want to sound like “Others” to him.  I don’t want to give him an impression na hindi na ako namamansin or strikta or deadma na.  Being my ex-colleague, I replied to his YM messages.

Then he asked me to open a link of his pictures.  I asked him why?  I told him I will open it later coz I’m busy and it might contain virus.  He said there’s no virus in it.  I just created a new website, can you check if it’s working?  As a blogger, I knew a lot of people like me created their own website.  And sometimes, you can earn when a lot of people opened your site especially when you applied for paid blogging which I have done before in my old website.  Thinking about this and trusting him, I clicked the link and suddenly I lost my YM connection.

So occupied with my work coz it’s a Sunday morning, I didn’t realize that it’s not just a mere loss of connection but my access was actually hacked.  Until Sheryl Solamo called me and asked if I’m sending her YM messages.  I told her nope.  We checked our YM and only to find out we are both hacked.  We both lost our YM access including our mails.  And from then on, somebody was using our identity through YM sending messages to our friends asking for cellphone loads, borrowing money and any other help.  If you experience the same thing, please don’t click on any links.  You might be the next victim.  Please inform your friends before it’s too late.  What I’m scared of is if they can fool our friends by using our name.  Please don’t believe anything they say.  I wanted to trace the person doing this. I’m waiting for him to send messages to my close friends and we’ll trap him.  I really hope they get caught.

Last night, I watched Ploning.  My eagerness to watch this movie springs from the fact that it was shortlisted as part of Oscar’s Best Foreign Film entry.  I was so curious of this movie and I want to know why it didn’t make it to the Oscars. The picture and cinematography were both great.  It’s not the typical Pinoy Indie film that will highlight the poverty, pollution, and all those sad stories.  Cuyo, Palawan is also a lovely and breathtaking place to be the setting of the story.  The story is good.  But overall, for me the entire movie is just good and not really fantastic.  You will start to understand what the story is all about when you reached 75% of it since it’s a dragging movie. I am not a certified movie critic but just sharing what the movie is like to me. 

Towards the end of the movie, I can somehow relate to some of the personalities of Ploning.  I am a transparent person.  You can see in my face when I am sad, happy or mad.  But there are times that I would rather keep my feelings to myself and not involve other people.  Be it a happy or sad moment, I sometimes do that and I know sometimes I am misunderstood.  You don’t know your happiness can hurt some people around you especially when you’re so overjoyed of the blessings you have received and you don’t know what others are going through.  But just like Ploning, there’s a sense of inner peace when you keep things to yourself.  You might be misunderstood but only people who are close to you can tell the real you.  In stillness, there’s so much acceptance, contentment, joy, gratefulness and trust to the Highest Power.  For me, being silent is not being coward but being brave and thankful.

I don’t know why I can’t see all my December and January blogs.  Something’s wrong with my website.  I can’t bring back my emotions on that time.  I can’t write exactly what I’ve written before.  tsk..tsk..tsk..

I am having pain in my knees lately.  Is it because of sitting down for the whole day in my desk and feeling tired to roam around for even just a short while?  Is it because of old age????  Hope not coz I still feel young.  Is it arthritis?  Is it because of the aircon at home, in the office, in the bus, in the waiting shed and everywhere?  Is it because of the come back of the winter wind lately?  Is it because of eating salty food from Pinas like tuyo (love it), bagoong and fruits dipped in salt?  Or all of the above?

A lot of people are worried about the global crisis.  Well, who wouldn’t worry about recessions, people losing jobs, businesses closed, rising cost of living and the like.  Some people even tell me all the negative things they can tell as if there’s no sign of hope.  Some had made desperate moves and decisions.  And a lot of people are still convinced that the worst will soon to happen.

What can I say is - Do not limit what God can do in your life.  Do not doubt God’s awesome power.  Amidst the global crisis, with all the recessions and negative stories here and abroad (both true and untrue), still there’s no need to worry.  There are a lot of things to ponder about God’s faithfulness and love.  There are a lot of miracle stories each day – every morning of our life, our wonderful families, good health, presence of true friends, our jobs, laughter and every single thing we have each day is already a miracle and a blessing.  What else do we need just to be assured of God’s love and providence?  Remember that there’s no problem or circumstance greater than God.  Just think about that.  Isn’t it enough reason to smile and stay positive?

Have a little faith.  Just a little faith and everything will be alright.

This year’s Valentine’s day is special for me coz this is the first time for 6 years that I’m with my husband.  Since it’s special, I booked a two-days stay in Hilton Hotel in one of the historic and beautiful emirates of UAE - the Ras Alkaimah.

Ras Alkaimah is about 3-4 hrs bus ride from Dubai.  But courtesy of my friend’s special someone, we reached there for only 1 hr and 20 minutes.

Our stay here is totally a relaxing and memorable one.  I can really call this a vacation.  We just stayed in the hotel, sleep and sleep and sleep then eat and eat and eat.  Surf the net.  Go for a quick shopping, site seeing and play tourists.  Write some blog, check friendster, multiply and facebook.  Upload some music, watch movies via cable TV, eat and sleep again.  I haven’t done these things for quite a long time now.  Thank God for this wonderful time to relax and unwind.

T’was a well-deserved vacation for the both of us.  And I wanna have more vacations and travels in the future such as this - inshallah.

in hilton hotel

with our valentine bears_so happy together

watching the view from our room

(A continuation of “It Must Have Been Love”)

When you feel that you truly love someone, how far will you go?  And how long will you stay?

Whenever a friend of mine relates to us her current situation with her so-called BF, I rarely say a word.  I just listen.  I will only say something when I feel that my thoughts or opinion is called for.  I don’t normally offer an advice especially on matters of the heart because we are not the same.  My views on love and relationships would be different from her views and with other’s views as well.  And for that, I respect her.  Whatever she is feeling and thinking right now, even if it contradicts with some of my views and principles of love, I totally understand her.  Nonetheless, I think of writing this blog to cite my reaction and opinion.  I don’t want to be unfair in my views but I just want to show both sides of the story.  At least, just to give them some thoughts to ponder just in case they read this write-up.

I have a friend, whom I can say – is deeply in love with a guy of different religion and race.  But I don’t think it could be a huge issue. At first I didn’t think that she is deeply involved with this guy because she just came from a previous relationship.  For me, it’s too soon to love.  The love she felt might just be “confusion”.  How could one so easily fall in love?  But I didn’t argue with my thoughts for even love at first sight works to some people.  There are really people who fall in love easily than others do that for me it is so superficial but for them it could mean the whole world.  It could mean everything.   It could be real.  And again I respect that.

When I listen to the stories and how their relationship blossomed, I somehow sensed that they are both in love with each other.  There are various efforts and gesture from the guy that I can say he is serious with his feelings.  But at the same time there’s a doubt in me of the maturity and sincerity of these two people and I am just not too sure too of the way how I analyze their situation coz it really confuses me as much as it confuses the two lovers.

First, I think they are already official lovers.  They treated each other special in so many ways.  They are exclusively dating and I guess have been exchanging the three magic words and could be more.  They go out a lot.  But I am just wondering why they kept their relationship a secret to other people.  Is it because of the complication of the situation once their officemates knew about it?  Or could it be for some reason like unpreparedness of the consequences and fear of fighting their love?  The answer, I really don’t know.

My points are just these:  Isn’t true love worth fighting for?  Isn’t it worth your time, effort and sacrifices?  Isn’t it a wonderful feeling to be open and shout to the whole world that you love someone and that you are willing to tell the world about that special person?  If there’s really a need to keep the relationship unknown to others, how long will you keep it a secret?  What about the future?  True love also comes with a responsibility.  It’s not just for today.  It should also think about tomorrow and the future for the good of the one you love.  True love is brave.  It doesn’t fear of anything.  It is always ready to take some risks if it means fighting for it.  It hurdles any obstacles.  It twists difficult situations.  True love is worth fighting for.  

Are you ready to get out of the comfort zone and go a little further?  You can expect a lot of trials as consequences of the current situation.  But for the name of love… it’s all worth it!

Happy Hearts Day!!!