Hearts Desire.....

"Scarborough Shoal" Disputed Territory

2012-05-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

Scarborough Shoal (also known as Scarborough Reef/Panatag Shoal/Huangyan Island/Minzhu Jiao/Bajo de Masinloc) - Geographically situated not too far from the also-contested Spratly Island and Paracel Islands, this mound of sand has similar sovereignty issues to it's more well-known neighbours. The Philippines controls and runs this group, but China (People's Republic of China) lays claim to it, as part of it's Paracels, Spratlys, and Zhongsha Islands Authority, and Taiwan (Republic of China) expresses sovereignty too, in the context of being the 'true ruler of China'. Fishing is important in this part of the ocean, and this is probably the main reason for such a high demand on an circumspect isolated bunch of small low-lying islands and reefs.

Scarborough Shoal or Scarborough Reef:(Chinese name: Huangyan Island, Philippine name: Panatag Shoal, Bajo de Masinloc). , more correctly described as a group of islands and reefs in an atoll shape than a shoal, is located between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon Island of the Philippines in the South China Sea.

The shoal was named after a tea-trade ship Scarborough which was wrecked on the rock with everyone perishing on board in the late 18th century.

Geography

The shoal forms a triangle-shaped chain of reefs and islands (but mostly rocks) 55 kilometres (34 mi) around with an of area 150 square kilometers. It has a lagoon with area of 130 km² and depth of about 15 metres (49 ft). The shoal is a protrusion from a 3,500 m deep abyssal plain. Several of the islands including "South Rock" are 1/2 m to 3 m high and many of the reefs are just below water at high tide. Near the mouth of the lagoon are the ruins of an iron tower, 8.3 m high. To the east, the 5,000 - 6,000 meter deep Manila Trench separates the shoal from the Philippine archipelago.

It is about 123 miles (198 km) west of Subic Bay. The nearest landmass is Palauig, Zambales, on Luzon Island in the Philippines, 137 miles (220 km) away.

Activities in the Surrounding Area

The shoal and its surrounding area are rich fishing grounds. A significant number of Chinese fishermen have been arrested by Philippine officials in this area, particularly during 1998-2001. Most arrests were for alleged using illegal methods of fishing and catching endangered and protected species.

There are thick layers of guano lying on the rocks in the area. Several Filipino-sponsored and Chinese-sponsored diving excursions and amateur ham radio operations, DXpeditions (1994, 1995, 1997 and 2007), have been carried out in the area.

Sovereignty Dispute

The People’s Republic of China and Republic of China (Taiwan)

Map depicting China's territory in South China Sea, by Ministry of the Interior, ROC, 1947

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan) claim that the shoal was first discovered and drawn in a map in the Yuan Dynasty as early as 1279 and was historically used by Chinese fishermen. In 1279, Guo Shoujing, a Chinese astronomer, performed surveying of the South China Sea, and the surveying point was reported to be the Scarborough Shoal. In 1935, China regarded the shoal as part of the Zhongsha Islands. In 1947, the shoal was given the name Minzhu Jiao. In 1983, it was renamed Huangyan Island with Minzhu Jiao reserved as a second name. In 1956, China protested Philippine remarks that South China Sea islands in close proximity to Philippine territory should belong to the Philippines. China's Declaration on the territorial Sea, promulgated in 1958, says in part,

The breadth of the Territorial Sea of the People's Republic of China shall be twelve nautical miles. This applies to all territories of the People's Republic of China, including the Chinese mainland and its coastal islands, as well as Taiwan and its surrounding islands, the Penghu Islands, the Dongsha Islands, the Xisha Islands, the Zhongsha Islands [italics added], the Nansha Islands and all other islands belonging to China which are separated from the mainland and its coastal islands by the high seas.

China reaffirmed its claim of sovereignty over the Zhongsha Islands in its 1992 Law on the territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone. China claims all the islands, reefs, and shoals within a U-shaped line in the South China Sea drawn in 1947 as its territory. Scarborough shoal lies within this area.

China further asserted its claim shortly after the departure of the US Navy force from Subic, Zambales, Philippines. In the late 1970s, many scientific expedition activities organized by State Bureau of Surveying, National Earthquake Bureau and National Bureau of Oceanography were held in the shoal and around this area. In 1980, a stone marker reading "South China Sea Scientific Expedition" was installed on the South Rock, but was removed by Philippines in 1997.

The Philippine government has proposed taking the Panatag issue to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, but the Chinese government has rejected this, insisting on bilateral discussions.

The Philippines

Territorial map claimed by the Philippines (not fully acknowledged by other countries)

The Philippines claims that as early as the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, Filipino fishermen were already using the area as a traditional fishing ground and shelter during bad weather. In 1957, The Philippine government conducted an oceanographic survey of the area and together with the US Navy force based in then U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in Zambales, used the area as an impact range for defense purposes. An 8.3 meter high flag pole flying a Philippine flag was raised in 1965. A small lighthouse was also built and operated the same year. In 1992, the Philippine Navy rehabilitated the lighthouse and reported it to the International Maritime Organization for publication in the List of Lights. As of 2009, the military-maintained lighthouse is non-operational.

Several official Philippine maps published by Spain and United States in 18th and 20th centuries show Scarborough Shoal as Philippine territory. The 18th-century map "Carta hydrographica y chorographica de las Islas Filipinas" (1734) shows the Scarborough Shoal then was named as Panacot Shoal. The map also shows the shape of the shoal as consistent with the current maps available as today. During the 1900s Mapa General. Islas Filipinas, Observatorio de Manila and US Coast and Geodetic Survey Map includes the Scarborough Shoal named as "Baju De Masinloc".In 1792, another map drawn by the Malaspina expedition and published in 1808 in Madrid, Spain also showed Bajo de Masinloc as part of Philippine territory. The map showed the route of the Malaspina expedition to and around the shoal. It was reproduced in the Atlas of the 1939 Philippine Census, which was published in Manila a year later and predates the controversial 1947 Chinese South China Sea Claim Map that shows no chinese name on it .Another topographic map drawn in 1820 shows the shoal, named there as "Bajo Scarburo", as a constituent part of Sambalez (Zambales province).

The Scarborough Shoal is not included within the territorial lines defined in the Treaty of Paris (1898) between the United States, Treaty of Washington (1900) between Spain and the United States,Convention Between the United States and Great Britain (1930), 1935 Constitution of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 3046 "Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines"(1961), or the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) asserts that the basis of Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction over the rock features of Bajo de Masinloc is not premised on the cession by Spain of the Philippine archipelago to the United States under the Treaty of Paris, and argues that the matter that the rock features of Bajo de Masinloc are not included or within the limits of the Treaty of Paris as alleged by China is therefore immaterial and of no consequence.

The Philippines bases its claim on the principle of terra nullius, which holds that it was previously unclaimed by a sovereign state, which is also applied by the Philippines in its claims to the Spratly Islands. By virtue of the Presidential Decree No. 1599 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos on June 1978, the Philippines claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the baselines from which their territorial sea is measured.In 2009, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo enacted the Philippine Baselines Law of 2009 (RA 9522). The new law classifies the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal as a regime of islands under the Republic of the Philippines.

The DFA further cites the Island of Palmas Case, where the sovereignty of the island was adjudged in favor of the Netherlands because of effective jurisdiction and control despite the historic claim of Spain. The Philippines has exercised effective jurisdiction and effective occupation of the shoal since its independence. It also explains that the Exclusive Economic Zone claim on the waters around Scarborough is different from the sovereignty exercised by the Philippines in the shoal.

China's naval intrusion to the Philippine territory since Saturday April 7, 2012 in the Scarborough Shoal / or also called Panatag Shoal is a follow-up to its recent forays into Philippine western territorial waters. It is the fifth times where China Intruded the Philippine Territory since June 2011.

China has confronted Philippine military and civilian vessels in the following places:

Recto Bank
Rajah Soliman Reef
Quirino Atoll
Escoda Shoal.
The recent is the Panatag Shoal / Scarborough Shoal.

All four lie a few dozen kilometers off Palawan but 2,000 km from China's nearest island-province of Hainan; Scarborough is 220 km off Zambales but more than 800 km from Hong Kong. China's pretext of protecting its fishermen and seismic surveyors is not unique. As in the last two decades, it trespasses into Philippine offshore oilfields and abets fish poaching to prop up a shaky counterclaim over the West Philippine (South China) Sea.

Source: Wikipedia

5 Signs that you have outgrown your relationship

2012-05-09T07:45:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, the ease with which we fall in love is also the ease with which we fall out of love. This can happen because the relationship has run its course; your partner and you now want different things out of life; you’ve changed as a person and cannot relate to the relationship anymore. The comfort and habit of being in a relationship may work as a hindrance and not allow you to take the necessary steps required to call it off. But if you notice most or all of these signs, then you know you must confront the obvious and make a decision before it’s too late.

1. The most difficult thing in a relationship is to keep the excitement going. A certain drop in thrill levels is understandable, but if you feel no or minimum excitement about being in the relationship or with her, then you know you’ve outgrown the relationship.

2. Earlier you couldn’t get enough of her and now all you want to do is not be together. An obvious lack of interest and the need to avoid being together is another sure shot sign that you’ve outgrown the relationship.

3. A basic level of attraction is obviously imperative in the relationship. If you’re no longer attracted to her physically then the relationship has hit a dead end. If the spark is dead, then there is no point in keeping the relationship alive.

4. We’ve said time and again how important communication is in a relationship. The lack of it can spell doom for you and your lover. If you’ve stopped communicating or don’t talk as much about everything as you did before, then you’ve hit the wall. Either you can make a serious attempt to get the communication up and running or you can do the brave thing and call it off.

5. This can happen to anyone and it does happen ever so often. Your life goals change as you grow and mature as an individual. Your needs in life and what you expect of yourself is a process that is constantly evolving. It could happen that when you'll started you were both on the same path and now, with the passage of time, your paths have diverged. If this has happened, it is better to call the relationship off than attempt to combine roads that are in total opposite directions.

Yoga: Art of Self Concentration

2012-05-08T09:01:00.002-07:00

Yoga is a Sanskrit word which defines a majestic art which maintains physical, mental as well as spiritual discipline of our body. Through the practices of Yoga, we discover that concern for the happiness and well being of others, including animals, must be an essential part of our own quest for happiness and well being. The fork can be a powerful weapon of mass destruction or a tool to create peace on Earth.

It is a very famous saying by B.K.S IyegnarYoga teaches us to cure what needs to be endured and endure what needs to be cured. Yoga is the art of seeking and discovering the universal reality by following a set of physical and mental exercises. This truth is revealed when there is complete harmony and peace between body, mind and spirit. In Sanskrit, the word Yoga is derived from 'yog' which means yoke or to join. More contemporary rewards of Yoga are accomplishing physical beauty, youth and vitality that makes it so popular.

The primary goal of this majestic art, Yoga, is to attain a state of perfect spiritual inside and perfection which requires mediating on our super soul. The goals of Yoga are varied and it ranges from improvement of health till the achievement of Moksha. If we talk about the goals of Yoga according to the concept of the Hindu Monist schools like Advaita Vedanta, Shaivism and Jainism, Yoga is primarily performed to attain Moksha which is liberation from all types of sufferings of this world in between the cycle of birth and death.

Yoga - Its Significances

Yoga is performed by practicing its various Asanas which have been developed over more than 1500 years. These Asanas of Yoga have come into existence with the primary aim of promoting our physical, mental as well as spiritual development. Each Asana is particularly designed to focus on only specific areas of the body. The special effects of Asana include:

Building strength in specific muscle groups
Stretching specific soft tissues including muscles, ligament and tendons
Opening specific joints
Developing balance and concentration
Massaging and stimulating internal organs

These special effects can have individual significant benefits, but by combine individual Asana into a carefully developed and balanced routine e.g. the Hatha Yoga practitioner can develop their entire physical body, internal organ function and mental clarity.

Yoga - Its importance in the Modern society:

In the present modern scenario, Yoga is very essential to be performed because technology has given rise to certain new types of physical ailments such as nervous, tension, stress, insomnia, different types of allergies, mental illness such as constant cravings, mental instability and so on. So now we have reached the stage where, we have to make the use of our higher life forces to get rid of these maladies, otherwise, the future of man and society will be in jeopardy. It has already been proved that Yoga has got power to prevent and cure most of the diseases without medicine. So, Yoga is the primary requirement to adopt with today's lifestyle.

Benefits of Yoga in our life:

Yoga has several benefits like on physical level, Yoga helps in curing of psychosomatic diseases, non-infectious physical diseases. Yoga help us in developing a beautiful, all buoyant and healthy body. On the mental level- it can improve the powers of memory, concentration, logical thinking and creativity. On the behavioral level- it cures bad habits and addictions. On the spiritual level-it helps in achieving self purification. In Yoga, the man goes transcendental and experiences bliss which refreshes him thoroughly. In the advanced stage of Yoga, one attains direct perception of the self-realization.

Yoga - Discover Its Types:

Yoga is of basically eight types. The majority of them engage the use of different Asana & Pranayams, which are meditation and breathing exercises. Here we shall discuss few of the well-known types of yoga, their methods and their benefits on the health:

Bhakti Yoga: The Bhakti Yoga is dedicated on the devotion and love to the God. This Yoga is primarily performed to realize the existence of the Almighty power in the universe.
Hatha Yoga: The Hatha Yoga was discovered by a very profound Yogi Swatmarama who belongs to India. The practice includes presentation of postures, exercises related to breathing, meditation, and cleansing actions such as Shatkriyas.
Jnana Yoga: The Jnana Yoga aimed towards separating the person from all the lavish facilities of the life .The person who performs this Yoga achieves calm, satisfaction of brain, confidence, aptitude for attentiveness and the staying power to survive.
Karma Yoga:The Karma Yoga is based on the devotion of all elements or karmas and their fruits to the Almighty. This Yoga helps in internal purification to discover our inner potential. This Yoga is designed to provide selfless service to the needy and poor people.
Astanga: The Power Yoga: The Astanga also known as Power Yoga was developed by a renowned yogi K.Pattabhi Jois. This Yoga primarily focuses on performing the poses in a certain order at a fast pace. Since, it is practiced at a fast rate; it requires a lot of endurance.
Birkram: The Hot Yoga: This Yoga was developed by Bikram Choudary and it gains its reputation of being the Hot Yoga. It is called so, because it requires 26 poses to be performed at a very high temperature of 95 degrees as according to Bikram, practicing at high temperature helps our muscles to loosen and it also helps in sweating which is a very important method of cleaning toxins from our body.

Whatever we choose, Yoga is a pleasing form of exercise and fitness for many people, as it holds many physical as well as mental benefits.

Lets have a look at some famous books on Yoga which are written by very profound literate to explore its important techniques and principles.

Yoga Poses/ Yoga Positions / Yoga Asana

Yoga is always considered as the most influential way of maintaining good health along with spiritual advancement. Yoga is practised in various poses and most of the poses are easy to learn and they also help in maintaining physical as well as spiritual growth.

Lets have a look at some Carmon poses of Yoga:

Shoulder stand: This is a very common pose of yoga which is practiced for rejuvenation of all body parts including loss of body weight also.
Bow pose: The bow pose of Yoga is practiced to produce excessive heat from the body which in turn helps in burning of extra body fat thus maintaining a healthy body.
Tree pose: The Tree pose is very easy to be learnt but it should be learnt with a clear mind. This pose helps in maintaining the strength of legs as well as the balance of our body.
Forward Bend: This pose is basically based on the spine and by practicing this pose, one can easily maintain the regulation of his/ her kidneys.
Sun Salutations: This Yoga is performed to warm up our entire body and this pose also helps in maintaining the flexibility of our body.

Mothers Day Prayer

2011-05-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

We thank You for our mothers to whom You have entrusted the care of every precious human life from its very beginning in the womb.

You have given to woman the capacity of participating with You in the creation of new life. Grant that every woman may come to understand the full meaning of that blessing, which gives her an unlimited capacity for selfless love for every child she may be privileged to bear, and for all Your children.

Watch over every mother who is with child, strengthen her faith in Your fatherly care and love for her and for her unborn baby. Give her courage in times of fear or pain, understanding in times of uncertainty and doubt, and hope in times of trouble. Grant her joy in the birth of her child.

To mothers You have given the great privilege and responsibility of being a child's first teacher and spiritual guide. Grant that all mothers may worthily foster the faith of their children, following the example of Mary, Elizabeth, and other holy women who follow Christ. Help mothers to grow daily in knowledge and understanding of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and grant them the wisdom to impart this knowledge faithfully to their children, and to all who depend upon them.

Assist all "spiritual mothers", those who, though they may have no children of their own, nevertheless selflessly care for the children of others -- of every age and state in life. Grant that they may know the joy of fulfilling this motherly calling of women, whether in teaching, nursing, religious life, or in other work which recognizes and fosters the true dignity of every human being created in Your image and likeness.

We beseech You to send Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to all mothers who sorrow for children that have died, are ill or estranged from their families, or who are in trouble or danger of any kind. Help grieving mothers to rely on Your tender mercy and fatherly love for all your children.

We ask your blessing on all those to whom You have entrusted motherhood. May Your Holy Spirit constantly inspire and strengthen them. May they ever follow the example of Mary, mother of Our Lord, and imitate her fidelity, her humility, and her self-giving love. May all mothers receive Your Grace abundantly in this earthly life, and may they look forward to eternal joy in Your presence in the life to come.

We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
AMEN.

Love Across Distance

2011-05-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

Hello World! Been a couple months since i stop writing, but now im back! While sitting infront of my computer i have only one in my mind "MY One True Love" who always inspire me and make me happy in many ways...

Asawa ko,

I know I said this many times but i still want to tell you again and again HOw much I love you.Thank you, Tim. What more can a woman say to the man who opened his heart to her, allowing her to feel the warmth of his love across the great distance that separates them? You truly have no idea what I feel for you.

I try to put this feeling into words, but fail miserably. This feeling of Happiness and at peace, of having both butterflies and a sense of calm, is a feeling that I have only dreamed about. As the days continue to pass, my love for you continues to grow. I never thought I had the capacity to love anybody as much as I love you right now. Yet, my love for you continues to mature, growing beyond the realm of my heart. It seems that you have become the fiber of my soul, the very reason for my existence.

I have no other words to describe the way you make me feel. No words, no actions could even come close. "I more than love you".More than anything in this world I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We have both been through a lot of distrust and discomfort from our past, and we have seemed to finally find that trust and comfort in each other. We are always knowing what each other is thinking whether something is wrong, or right. I want to thank you for always being there for me, and doing everything you can to make my life easier. I love you so very much Honey!

Forever yours,

Marge

Happy Mothers Day!

2011-05-05T17:32:00.000-07:00

Here's wishing you a Mother's Day
That's filled with every pleasure,
And a future that's as happy
As the memories you treasure!

I know I have not said it enough
The way I truly feel inside
I understand why you were tough
I know you were on my side

I put you through so much
And caused you so much pain
I know I seemed out of touch
And caused our bond to strain

But you were great through it all
You seemed ready to understand
There to catch me when I’d fall
Ready to lend a helping hand

Your faith in me saw me through
Your love for me paved the way
All I want to be I see in you
On this well deserved Mothers Day.

I know you're in God's kingdom just wanna greet you on the special day and say the words that i longed to tell you mom.I Love You and Thank You, YOU are the Best Mom ever..I miss you so much...

Feel so Empty

2010-07-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

I feel so down today I dont know what to do..I can’t take it anymore all I want to do is cry. I want to just go to bed and never wake up i’m having a really bad time today its just a bad day. ..

2010-06-25T00:35:00.000-07:00

I Love You so much honey! I miss you.....

My Business Loss

2009-10-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

I was inspired to read this article, and want to share also.

Many years ago, I lost a lot of money in a businesses venture.
It was a big loss for me. At that time, I lost almost my entire net worth.
I was tempted to mope, to sulk, to carry a heavy burden for a long time.
Actually, I allowed myself to grieve for awhile—which was very healthy.
But I decided not to grieve for too long, or I would be stuck forever.
After some time, I declared, “God has something better for me.”
I chose to smile. I chose to look at the brighter side. I chose to believe that better businesses would come my way. In fact, I began declaring the unbelievable. I said, “I’ll earn ten times what I lost!”
Later that week, a friend asked me, “Is it true that you lost a lot of money in that business?”
I said, “Yes, I did.”
“It happens to you too, huh? And I thought people like you are exempt from these things. So why are you smiling?”
“Because I believe God is redirecting me to a better business. And I know that I’ll earn ten times what I lost.”
It was a big claim and some friends couldn’t understand why I was so relaxed.
But a few years later, what I declared happened.
I started new businesses and I began to earn ten times what I lost. What I lost—my savings for years—I earned in a few months. Today, my new businesses are multiplying. I ask myself sometimes, “What if I didn’t fail in that business? I would still be stuck in that business! I wouldn’t have the new business that I have now.”
And imagine if kept moping and sulking—would I have seen the new opportunities around me? Imagine if I kept mourning my loss—would I have had the energy to venture into something new?
Friend, don’t focus at the problems in your life.
Don’t focus on what you loss.
Instead, focus on two things: look at what you still have and look at the new things that God will give you.
And be grateful.

This is something we should all read at least once a week.

2009-07-24T00:05:00.000-07:00

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone...
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheque.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

The Inspiring George Carlin

2009-07-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

very inspiring message something we need to think about in life...

This is an awesome piece. If you have not read it, take the time to read it now. If you have read it, take time to read it again! GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died...and George followed her, dying July 2008)

Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent...and so very appropriate.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, ' I love you ' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin

True Love & Care

2009-07-11T01:33:00.000-07:00

I was born in a secluded village on a mountain.
Day by day, my parents plowed the yellow dry soil
with their backs towards the sky.

I have a brother who is 3 years younger than me.
I wanted to buy a handkerchief, which all girls around
me seemed to have. So, one day I stole 50 cents from
my father’s drawer. Father had discovered about the
stolen money right away.

He made me and my younger brother kneel against the
wall as he held a bamboo stick in his hand.
“Who stole the money?” he asked.
I was stunned, too afraid to talk. Neither of us
admitted to the fault, so he said, “Fine, if nobody
wants to admit, you two should be beaten!”
He lifted up the bamboo stick.

Suddenly, my younger brother gripped father’s hand and
said,” Dad, I was the one who did it!”

The long stick smacked my brother’s back repeatedly.
Father was so angry that he kept on whipping my
brother until he lost his breath.

After that, he sat down on our stone bed and scolded
my brother, “You have learned to steal from your own
house now. What other embarrassing things will you be
possibly doing in the future? You should be beaten to
death, you shameless thief!”

That night, my mother and I hugged my brother. His
body was full of wounds from the beating but he never
shed a single tear.

In the middle of the night, all of sudden, I cried out
loudly. My brother covered my mouth with his little
hand and said, ” Sis, now don’t cry anymore.
Everything has happened.”
I still hate myself for not having enough courage to
admit what I did.

Years gone by, but the incident still seemed like it
just happened yesterday.
I will never forget my brother’s ___expression when he
protected me.

That year, my brother was 8 years old and I was 11
years old.
When my brother was in his last year of secondary
school, he was accepted in an upper
secondary school in the central. At the same time, I
was accepted into a university in the province.
That night, father squatted in the yard, smoking,
packet by packet.

I could hear him ask my mother, “Both of our children,
they have good results? very good results?”
Mother wiped off her tears and sighed,” What is the
use? How can we possibly finance both of them?”
At that time, my brother walked out, he stood in front
of father and said,”Dad, I don’t want to continue my
study anymore, I have read enough books.”

Father swung his hand and slapped my brother on his
face.
“Why do you have a spirit so damn weak? Even if it
means I have to beg for money on the streets, I will
send you two to school until you have both finished
your study!”
And then, he started to knock on every house in the
village to borrow money.

I stuck out my hand as gently as I can to my brother’s
swollen face, and told him, “A boy has to continue his
study; If not, he will not be able to overcome this
poverty we are experiencing.”

I, on the other hand, had decided not to further my
study at the university.
Nobody knew that on the next day, before dawn, my
brother left the house with a few pieces of worn-out
clothes and a few dry beans. He sneaked to my side of
the bed and left a note on my pillow; “Sis, getting
into a university is not easy. I will go find a job
and I will send money to you.”
I held the note while sitting on my bed, and cried
until I lost my voice.

That year, my brother was 17 years old; I was 20 years
old.
With the money father borrowed from the whole village,
and the money my brother earned from carrying cement
on his back at a construction site,finally, I managed
to get to the third year of my study in the
university.

One day, while I was studying in my room, my roommate
came in and told me,”There’s a villager waiting for
you outside!”
Why would there be a villager looking for me? I walked
out, and I saw my brother from afar. His whole body
was covered with dirt, dust, cement and sand. I asked
him, “Why did you not tell my roommate that you are my
brother?”

He replied with a smile,” Look at my appearance. What
will they think if they would know that I am your
brother? Won’t they laugh at you?”
I felt so touched, and tears filled my eyes. I swept
away dirt and dust from my brother’s body. And told
him with a lump in my throat, ” I don’t care what
people would say! You are my brother no matter what
your appearance is?”

From his pocket, he took out a butterfly hair clip. He
put it on my hair and said, “I saw all the girls in
town are wearing it. So, I think you should also have
one.”
I could not hold back myself anymore. I pulled my
brother into my arms and cried.

That year, my brother was 20 years old; I was 23 years
old.
I noticed that the broken window was repaired the
first time I brought my boyfriend home. The house was
scrubbed cleaned.

After my boyfriend left, I danced like a little girl
in front of my mother, “Mom, you didn’t have to spend
so much time cleaning the house!” But she told me with
a smile,” It was your brother who went home early to
clean the house. Didn’t you see the wound on his hand?
He hurt his hand while he was replacing the window.”
I went into my brother’s bedroom. Looking at his thin
face, I felt like there are hundreds of needle pricked
in my heart.

I applied some ointment on his wound and put a bandag on
it, “Does it hurt? ” I asked him.
“No, it doesn’t hurt. You know, when at the
construction site, stones keep falling on my feet .
Even that could not stop me from working.”
In the middle of the sentence, he stopped. I turned my
back on him and tears rolled down my face.

That year, my brother was 23 years old; I was 26 years
old.
After I got married, I lived in the city. Many times
my husband invited my parents to come and live with
us, but they didn’t want.

They said, once they left the village,they wouldn’t
know what to do.
My brother agreed with them. He said, “Sis, you just
take care of your parents-in-law. I will take care of
mom and dad here.”

My husband became the director of his factory. We
asked my brother to accept the offer of being the
manager in the maintenance department. But my brother
rejected the offer. He insisted on working as a
repairman instead for a start.

One day, my brother was on the top of a ladder
repairing a cable, when he got electrocuted, and was
sent to the hospital.
My husband and I visited him at the hospital. Looking
at the white gypsum on his leg, I grumbled, “Why did
you reject the offer of being a manager? Managers
won’t do something dangerous like that. Now look at
you, You ar suffering a serious injury. Why didn’t you
just listen to us?”

With a serious ___expression on his face, he defended
his decision, “Think of brother-in-law. He just
became the director, and I being uneducated, and would
become a manager, what kind of rumors would fly
around?”

My husband’s eyes filled up with tears, and then I
said, “But you lack in education only because of me!”
“Why do you talk about the past?” he said and then he
held my hand.

That year, he was 26 years old and I was 29 years
old.
My brother was 30 years old when he married a farmer
girl from the village.

During the wedding reception, the master of ceremonies
asked him, “Who is the one person you respect and love
the most?”
Without even taking a time to think, he answered,” My
sister.” He continued by telling a story I could not
even remember.

“When I was in primary school, the school was in a
different village. Everyday, my sister and I would
walk for 2 hours to school and back home. One day, I
lost the other pair of my gloves. My sister gave me
one of hers.

She wore only one glove and she had to walk far. When
we got home, her hands were trembling because of the
cold weather that she could not even hold her
chopsticks. >From that day on, I swore that as long as
I live, I would take care of my sister and will always
be good to her.”
Applause filled up the room. All guests turned their
attention to me.
I found it hard to speak, “In my whole life, the one I
would like to thank most is my brother,” And in this
happy occasion,in front of the crowd, tears were
rolling down my face again.

Love and care for the one you love every single days
of your life. You may think what you did is just a
small deed, but to that someone, it may mean a lot.

The Reason

2009-07-11T01:12:00.000-07:00

Lady: Why do you like me..?
Why do you love me?

Man: I cant tell the reason.. but I really like
you..

Lady: You cant even tell me the reason...
How can you say you like me?
How can you say you love me?

Man: I really dont know the reason,
but I can prove that I love you.

Lady: Proof? No! I want you to tell me the
reason. My friends boyfriend can tell her why
he loves her but not you!

Man: Ok ok!!! Erm... because youre beautiful,
because your voice is sweet,
because you are caring,
because you are loving,
because you are thoughtful,
because of your smile,
because of your every movements..

Unfortunately, a few days later, the Lady met
an accident and became a vegetable.
The Guy then placed a letter by her side, and
here is the content:

Dearest,

Because of your sweet voice that I love you...
Now can you talk? No!
Therefore I cannot love you.

Because of your care and concern that I like
you.. Now that you cannot show them,
therefore I cannot love you.

Because of your smile, because of your every
movements that I love you..
Now can you smile? Now can you move?
No, therefore I cannot love you...

If love needs a reason, like now, there is no
reason for me to love you anymore.

But does love need a reason?
I still love you... Because love doesnt need one.

Employees VS Boss

2009-07-09T00:13:00.000-07:00

When you take too long, you're slow.
When your boss takes too long, he's thorough.

When you don't get it done, you're lazy.
When your boss doesn't get it done, he's too busy.

When you make mistakes, you're an idiot.
When your boss makes mistakes, he's only human.

When you do something without being told, you're overstepping your authority.
When your boss does the exact same thing, that's initiative.

When you take a stand, you're being pig-headed and stubborn.
When your boss takes a stand, he's being firm.

When you overlook a rule of etiquette, you're being rude.
When your boss skips a few rules, he's being original.

When you please your boss, you're "ars-kissing".
When your boss pleases his boss, he's being co-operative.

When you're out of the office, you're wasting time.
When your boss is out of the office, he's on business.

When you're on a day off sick, you must be lying.
When your boss has a day off sick, he must be very ill.

When you apply for leave, you must be going for an interview.
When your boss applies for leave, it's because he's overworked.

2009-06-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

I Do (Cherish You) – 98 Degrees Music Code

TOTAL MARITAL MISCOMMUNICATION !!

2009-05-31T16:23:00.000-07:00

IT'S BETTER TO LOSE YOUR PRIDE TO THE ONE YOU LOVE, THAN TO LOSE THE ONE YOU LOVE BECAUSE OF PRIDE. (so true.)

Story goes like this:
TOTAL MARITAL MISCOMMUNICATION !!
A fatal misunderstanding and the person who loves me the most in this world is gone forever.
Cruel misunderstandings, one after the other, had disrupted the blissful footsteps in our family. Our original and noble intentions of having Mother enjoy some quiet and peaceful moments in her remaining years with us went terribly wrong as destiny's secret was finally revealed at a stiff price and before we knew it, every thing became too late.
Just two years after our marriage, hubby brought up the idea of asking Mother to move in with us from the rural hometown and spend her remaining years with us. Hubby's father passed away while he was still very young and mother had endured much hardship and struggled all throughout her own life to be able to provide for him and see him through to a university degree. You could say that she suffered a great deal and did everything you could expect of a woman to bring her son, my hubby to where he is today. I immediately agreed and started packing the spare room in the house, which has a balcony facing the South, to let her enjoy the sunshine and plant some greenery. While going through my chores, Hubby stood in the bright room, and suddenly just picked me up and started spinning me round and round over his head. As I begged for him to put me down, he said: "Lets go fetch mother." Hubby is tall and big-sized and I love to rest on his chest and enjoy the feeling of him picking me up any moment. Whenever we had an argument, and both of us refused to back down, he would pick me up and spin me over his head continuously until I surrender and beg for mercy. I became addicted to this kind of panic-joy feeling.
Mother brought along her countryside habits and lifestyle with her when she joined us. For example; I was so used to buying flowers to decorate the living room and she could not stand it and would often comment: "I do not know how you young people can spend your money, what do you have to buy flowers for? You also can't eat the flowers!" I would often smile to her tirades and would usually say: "Mum, with flowers in the house, our mood will also become better." Mother would continue to grumble away and hubby would just smile: "Mum, this is a city-people's habit; slowly you will get used to it." Mother would usually stop saying anything. But every time thereafter, whenever I came home with flowers, she would ask me how much the flowers cost. I would tell her how much and she would shake her head and express displeasure. Sometimes, when I came home with lots of shopping bags, she would ask each and every item and how much they cost, I would tell her honestly and she would get even more upset. Hubby would playfully pinch my nose and would say: "You little fool, just don't tell her the full price of everything and that would solve it." There began the friction to our otherwise happy lifestyle.
Mother hated it most when hubby would wake up early to prepare the breakfast. In her point of view, how could the man of the house cook for the wife? At the breakfast table, mother's facial expression was always like the dark clouds before a thunderstorm and I would pretend not to notice. She would use her chopsticks and make a lot of noise with it to show her silent protest.
As I was a dance teacher in the Children's Palace and I was usually exhausted from a long day of dancing around, I did not wish to give up the luxury of that additional few minutes in the comfort of my bed and hence I decided to turn a deaf ear to all the protests mother made. From time to time, mother would help out with some of the housework, but soon her help created additional work for me. For example: she would keep all kinds of plastic bags, accumulate them so that she would sell them later on, and that resulted in our house being filled with all the trash bags; she would scrimp on dish washing detergent whenever she was helping wash the dishes. So as not to hurt her feelings, I would quietly wash the dishes again.
One day, late at night, mother saw me quietly re-washing the dishes, and "Bam", she slammed her bedroom door and cried very loudly in her room. Hubby was placed in a very difficult position, and after that, he did not speak to me during the entire night. I pretended to be a spoiled child, tried acting cute, but he totally ignored me. I got mad and asked him: "What did I do wrong?" Hubby stared at me and said: "Can't you just give in to her once? We couldn't possibly die eating from a bowl however unclean it is, right?" After that incident, for a long period of time, mother did not speak to me again and you can feel the awkwardness of the situation hanging in the house.
During that period of cold war, hubby was caught in dilemma as to who he would please. In order to stop her son from having to prepare breakfast, mother took on the "all important" task of preparing breakfast without any prompting. At the breakfast table, mother would look at hubby happily eating his breakfast and would cast that reprimanding stare at me for having failed to perform my duty as a wife. To avoid that embarrassing breakfast situation, I resorted to buying my own breakfast on my way to work. That night, while in bed, hubby was a little upset and asked me: "LD, is it because you think that mum's cooking is not clean that's why you chose not to eat at home?" He then turned his back on me and left me alone in tears as the feeling of unfairness overwhelmed me. After some time, hubby sighed: "LD, just for me, can you have breakfast at home?" I was left with no choice but to return to the breakfast table.
The next morning, I was having porridge prepared by mother and I felt a sudden churning in my stomach and everything inside seemed to be rushing up my throat. I tried to suppress the urge to throw up but I couldn't. I threw down the bowl and rushed into the washroom and vomited everything out. Just as I was catching my breath, I saw mother crying and grumbling very loudly in her dialect, hubby was standing at the washroom doorway staring at me with fire burning in his eyes. I opened my mouth but no words came out of it, I really didn't mean it. We had our very first big fight that day; mother took a look at us, then stood up and slowly made her way out of the house. Hubby gave me a final stare and followed mother down the stairs. For three days, hubby did not return home, not even a phone call. I was so furious. Since mother arrived; I had been trying my best in putting up with her, what else did he want me to do? And for no reason at all, I kept having the feeling of throwing up and I simply had no appetite for food. Coupled with all the events happening at home, I was at the lowest point in my life. Finally, a colleague said: "LD, you look terrible, you should go and see a doctor." The doctor confirmed that I was pregnant. Now it became clear to me why I threw up that fateful morning and a sense of sadness floated through that otherwise happy news. Why didn't hubby, and mother who had been through this before, thought of the possibility of this being the reason why I threw up that day?
At the hospital entrance, I saw my hubby standing there. It had only been three days, but he looked haggard. I had wanted to turn and leave, but one look at him and my heart softened, I couldn't resist and called out to him. He followed my voice and finally found me but he pretended that he didn't know me; he had that disgusted look in his eyes that cut right through my heart.
I told myself not to look at him anymore, and hailed a cab. At that moment, I had such a strong urge inside me to shout to my hubby: "Darling, I am having your baby!" and have him lift me up and spin me round in circles of joy. What I wanted didn't happen and as I sat in the cab, my tears rolled down my cheeks. Why? Why our love couldn't even withstand the test of one fight? Back home, I laid on the bed thinking about my hubby and the look of disgust in his eyes. I cried and cried and wetted the corner of the blanket. That same night, the sounds of the drawers opening woke me up. I switched on the lights and saw hubby with tears rolling down his face. He was removing the money from the drawer. I stared at him in silence; he ignored me, took the bank deposit book and some money and left the house. Maybe he really intended to leave me for good. What a rational man, so clear-cut in love in money matters. I gave a few dried laugh and tears started streaming down again.
The next day, I did not go to work. I wanted to clear this out and had a good talk with hubby. I reached his office and his secretary gave me a weird look and said: "Mr. Tan's mother had a traffic accident and is now in the hospital." I stood there in shock. I rushed to the hospital and by the time I found hubby, mother had already passed away. Hubby did not look at me, his face was expressionless. I looked at mother's pale white and thin face and I couldn't control the tears in my eyes. My god, how could this happen?
Throughout the funeral, hubby did not say a single word to me, with only the occasional disgusted stare at me. I only managed to find out brief facts about the accident from other people: That day, after mother left the house, she walked in daze toward the bus stop, apparently intending to go back to her old house back in the countryside. As hubby ran after her, she tried to walk faster and as she tried to cross the street, a public bus came and hit her...
I finally understood how much hubby must hate me, if I had not thrown up that morning, if we had not quarreled, if...In his heart, I was indirectly the killer of his mother. Hubby moved into mother's room and came home every night reeking of liquor. And me, I was buried under the guilt and self pity and could hardly breath. I wanted to explain to him, tell him that we were going to have our baby soon, but each time, I saw the dead look in his eyes, all the words I had at the brink of my mouth just fell back in. I would rather he hit me real hard or give me a big and thorough scolding, though none of the events that happened had been my fault at all. Many days of suffocating silence went by and as the days went by, hubby came home later and later. The deadlock between us continued, we were living together like strangers who didn't know each other. I was like the dead knot in his heart.
One day, as I passed by a western restaurant looking into the glass window, I saw hubby and a girl sitting facing each other and he very lightly brushed her hair for her. I understood what it meant. After recovering from that moment of shock, I entered the restaurant, stood in front of my hubby and stared hard at him, not a tear in my eyes. I had nothing to say to him, and there was no need to say anything.
The girl looked at me, looked at hubby, stood up and wanted to go, hubby stretched out his hand and stopped her. He stared back at me, challenging me. I could only hear my slow heart beat, beating one by one as if on the brink of death. I eventually backed down. If I had stood any longer, I would have collapsed, together with the baby inside me.
That night, he did not come home, he had chosen to use that as a way to indicate to me: Following mother's death so did our love for each other follow. He did not come home anymore after that. Sometimes, when I returned home from work, I could tell that the cupboard had been touched. He had returned to take some of his stuff. I no longer wished to call him. The initial desire to explain everything to him vanished.
I lived alone. I went to my medical checkups alone. My heart broke again and again every time I saw a guy carefully helping his wife through the physical examination. My office colleagues hinted to me to consider aborting the baby. I told them No, I will not. I insisted on having this baby. Perhaps it was my way of repaying mother for causing her death.
One day, I came home and I saw hubby sitting in the living room. The whole house was filled with cigarette smoke. On the coffee table was a piece of paper. I know what this was all about without even looking at it. In the two months plus of living alone, I had gradually learned to find peace within myself. I looked at him, removed my hat and said: "You wait a while, I will sign." He looked at me, mixed feelings in his eyes, just like mine. As I hang up my coat, I kept repeating to myself "You cannot cry, you cannot cry..." My eyes hurt terribly, but I refused to let the tears to come out from there.
After I hung up my coat, hubby's eyes stared fixed at my bulging tummy. I smiled, walked over to the coffee table and pulled the paper towards me.
Without even looking at what was written in the paper, I signed my name on it and pushed the paper to him. "LD, you are pregnant?" Since mother's accident, that was the first time he spoke to me. I could not control my tears any further and they fell like raindrops. I said: "Yes, but it's ok, you can leave now." He did not go. In the dark, we sat, facing each other. Hubby slowly moved over to me, his tears wetting the blanket. In my heart, everything seemed so far away, so far that even if I sprinted, I could never reach them. I could not remember how many times he repeated "sorry" to me. I had originally thought that I would forgive him, but now I couldn't. In the western restaurant, in front of that girl, that cold look in his eyes, I will never forget, ever. We had drawn such deep scars in each other's heart. For me, it was
unintentional; for him, totally intentional.
I had been waiting for this moment of reconciliation, but I realized now, what had happened in the past was gone forever and could never be repeated. Other than the thought of the baby inside me that brought some warmth to my heart, I was totally cold towards him, I no longer ate anything he bought for me, I didn't take any presents from him and I stopped talking to him.
From the moment I signed on that piece of paper, marriage and love had vanished from my heart. Sometimes, hubby would try to come into the bedroom, but when he walked in, I would walk out to the living room. He had no choice but to sleep in mother's room. At night, from his room, I could hear light sounds of groaning. I kept quiet. This used to be his trick; whenever I ignored him, he would fake illness and I would surrender and find out what was wrong with him, then he would then grab me and laugh. He had forgotten that last time I cared for him and was concerned because there was love, but now, was there any more love between us?
Hubby's groaning came on and off, continuing all the way till baby was born. Almost everyday, he would buy something for the baby, infant products, children products and books that kids like to read. Bags and bags of baby stuffs were stacked inside his room till the room was full. I know he was trying to use this to reach out to me, but I was no longer moved by his actions. He had no choice but to lock himself in his room where I could hear him typing away on his computer keyboard. Maybe now he is addicted to web surfing, but none of those mattered to me anymore.
It was sometime towards the end of spring in the following year, one late night, I screamed because of a sudden stomach pain, hubby came rushing into the room, it was like he did not change and sleep, and had been waiting for this moment. He carried me and ran down the stairs, stopped a car and held my hand very tightly and kept wiping the sweat off my brows throughout the journey to the hospital. Once we reached the hospital, he carried me and hurried into the delivery suite. Lying on the back of his skinny but warm body, a thought crossed my mind: In my lifetime, who else would love me as much as he did? He held the delivery suite door opened and watch me went in, his warm eyes caused me to manage a smile at him despite my contraction pain.
Coming out of the delivery room, hubby looked at our son, and finally at me, his eyes filled with tears of joy and he kept smiling. I reached out and touched his hand. Hubby looked at me, smiling and then he slowly collapsed onto the floor. I cried out for him in pain... He smiled, but without opening that tired eyes of his... I had thought that I would never shed any tear for him, but the truth was, I had never felt a deeper pain cutting through my body at that moment.
Doctor said that by the time hubby discovered he had liver cancer, it was already in terminal stage and it was a miracle that he managed to last this long. I asked the doctor when did he first discover he had cancer? The doctor said about 5 months ago and he consoled me, saying: "Prepare for his funeral." I disregarded the nurse's objection and rushed home, I went into his room and checked his computer, and a suffocating pain hit me.
Hubby's cancer was discovered 5 months ago, his groaning was real, and I had thought that... The computer showed over 200 thousand words that he wrote for our son: "Son, just for you, I have persisted, to be able to take a look at you before I fall. It's my biggest wish now... I know that in your life, you will have many happiness and maybe some setbacks, if only I can accompany you throughout that journey, how nice would it be. But daddy now no longer has that chance. Daddy has written inside here all the possible difficulties and problems you may encounter during your lifetime, when you meet with these problems, you can refer to daddy's suggestions... Son, after writing these 200 thousand words, I feel as if I have accompanied you through your life journey. To be honest, daddy is very happy. Do love your mother, she has suffered, she is the one who loves you most and also the one who loves me most..."
From play school to primary school, to secondary, university, to work and even in dealing with questions of love, everything big and small was written there in my hubby's computer. Hubby had also written a letter for me:

"My dear, to marry you is my biggest happiness, forgive me for the pain I have caused you, forgive me for not telling you my illness, because I want to see you in a joyful mood waiting for the arrival of our baby... My dear, if you cried, it means that you have forgiven me and I would smile, thank you for loving me... These presents, I'm afraid I cannot give them to our son personally, could you help me to give some of them to him every year, the dates on what to give when are all written on the packaging..."
Going back to the hospital, hubby was still in coma. I brought our son over and placed him beside him. I said: "Open
your eyes and smile, I want our son to remember being in the warmth of your arms..."
He struggled to open his eyes and managed a weak smile. Our son, still in his arms was happily waving his tiny
hands in the air. I pressed the button on the camera and the sound of the shutter rang through the air as tears slowly rolled down my face...
THE END

This is beautiful! Try not to cry.

2009-05-31T16:01:00.000-07:00

This is beautiful! Try not to cry. She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the operating room. She said: 'How is my little boy ? Is he going to be all right ? When can I see him ?' The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we could, but your boy didn't make it.' Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer ? Doesn't God care any more ? Where were you, God, when my son needed you ?' The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with your son ? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university.' Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair ?' the nurse asked. Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally. The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his body to the University for Study. He said it might help somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said, 'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it will help some other little boy spend one more day with his Mom.' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold. Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help others if he could.' Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the last time, after spending most of the last six months there. She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat beside her in the car. The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter the empty house She carried Jimmy's belongings, and the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's room. She started placing the model cars and other personal things back in his room exactly where he had always kept them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his pillow, cried herself to sleep. It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said :

'Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving you, just 'cause I'm not around to say 'I Love You' . I will always love you, Mom, even more with each day. Someday we will see each other again. Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like the same things us boys do You'll have to buy her dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And, you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD ! And guess wha! t, Mom ? I got to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was somebody important. That's when I told Him that I wanted to write you a letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what Mom ? ;God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him ?' 'God said He was in the same place with me, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children. Oh, by the way, Mom, no one else can see what I've written except you. To everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper. Isn't that cool ? I have to give God His pen back now.. He needs it to write some more names in the Book of Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for supper. I'm sure the food will be gr! eat.. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I was a Special Delivery ! How about that ? Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me...

song reflection of 12 days of christmas

2009-05-31T14:56:00.000-07:00

One repeating Christmas story which is more legendary yet interesting in it's development as 'fact' (through the world-wide web vine) is about the origin of this popular Christmas song. This story is coming from the middle ages that Christmas was extended from a one-day celebration to a 12-day celebration. It begins with Christmas day and ends with the Epiphany twelve days later.

The story of the song develops that during this time period (mid-1500's to the early 1800's) people of the Catholic faith were being repressed by laws in England. To hide their Christianity but teach their faith, believers came up with a song that was a catechism for children to learn the Catholic faith, and each of the gifts was a clue to this.

In the song, 'My true love' refers to God, 'gave to me' refers to being baptized, and the 'partridge in the pear tree' is a direct reference to Jesus the Savior in the first verse of the song.

2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, known as the "Pentateuch", whicH gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-Laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-Swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-Milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-Leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed

Others believe the song was simply a delightful rhyme set to music. The song was developed and used as a "memory and forfeits game" that was played by the children of this time period. The game was played by a leader reciting the first verse, and continued around, each child reciting the next verse.

Many Christians do celebrate January 6 as the Epiphany, also known as the 12th Day of Christmas, the Twelfth Night, Three King's Day. The word epiphany means an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being; an illuminating discovery as when the Magi finally found the baby Jesus.

Note that this story does not have "hard evidence" as to the true nature of the song and is more likely anecdotal. It can certainly be used today to teach a part of Christianity. We repeat this story because it is a fun song to learn as well as other Christmas-related songs - no matter what your faith.

Creating a Space to Dance Together

2009-05-31T14:51:00.001-07:00

When we feel lonely we keep looking for a person or persons who can take our loneliness away. Our lonely hearts cry out, "Please hold me, touch me, speak to me, pay attention to me." But soon we discover that the person we expect to take our loneliness away cannot give us what we ask for. Often that person feels oppressed by our demands and runs away, leaving us in despair. As long as we approach another person from our loneliness, no mature human relationship can develop. Clinging to one another in loneliness is suffocating and eventually becomes destructive. For love to be possible we need the courage to create space between us and to trust that this space allows us to dance together.

Beauty Around

2009-05-31T14:47:00.001-07:00

We don't have to go far to find the treasure we are seeking. There is beauty and goodness right where we are. And only when we can see the beauty and goodness that are close by can we recognize beauty and goodness on our travels far and wide. There are trees and flowers to enjoy, paintings and sculptures to admire; most of all there are people who smile, play, and show kindness and gentleness. They are all around us, to be recognized as free gifts to receive in gratitude.
Our temptation is to collect all the beauty and goodness surrounding us as helpful information we can use for our projects. But then we cannot enjoy it, and we soon find that we need a vacation to restore ourselves. Let's try to see the beauty and goodness in front of us before we go elsewhere to look for it.

The Husband Store

2009-05-31T14:39:00.000-07:00

A store that sells husbands has just opened in
New York City , where a woman may go to choose a
husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a
description of how the store operates. You may
visit the store ONLY ONCE !
There are six floors and the attributes of the men
increase as the shopper ascends the flights.
There is, however, a catch . . .. you may choose any man
from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a
floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit
the building! So, a woman goes to the Husband Store
to find a husband . ..
On the first floor the sign on the door reads:
Floor 1 - These men have jobs and love the Lord.
The second floor sign reads:
Floor 2 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, and
love kids.
The third floor sign reads:
Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love
kids, and are extremely good looking.
"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to
keep going.
She goes to the fourth floor and sign
reads:
Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love
kids, are drop-dead good looking and help with the
housework.
"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"
Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:
Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love
kids, are drop- dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak.
She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the sign reads:
Floor 6 - You are visitor 4,363,012 to this floor.
There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please.
Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.
Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a nice day!

You have to learn to be grateful for what you have to get more. When you are ungrateful you end up with nothing.

TEN suggestions for a brighter future

2009-05-31T14:33:00.000-07:00

1. Realize that life isn't always fair.
Accept what you must, and change what you can.

2. Think before you act. A moment of carelessness or anger can cause years of anguish and regret.

3. Look for the beauty in life, in people, in nature and in yourself.

4. Appreciate what you have. The people, the opportunities, the material possessions.

5. make tthe effort to have fun. it's a great way to bond wih others, and it makes some of the best memories.

6. set aside some time for yourself. do something you enjoywithout feeling even a little guilty.

7. accept others without judgement. everyone is unique, it's ok to be different.

8. forgive.bitterness and resentment hurt you more than the person you direct them at.

9.Learn. open your mind to new ideas and activities, and don't be afraid to try.

10. DREAM. make plans, believe in yourself, and go for what you want.

A MIRACLE OF $1.10

2009-05-31T14:28:00.001-07:00

Tess was a precocious eight year old when she heard her Mom and Dad talking about her little brother, Andrew. All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy didn't have the money for the doctor bills and our house. Only a very costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to loan them the money. She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with whispered desperation, "Only a miracle can save him now."

Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door. She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention but he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it! "And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. "I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he said without waiting for a reply to his question.
"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick... and I want to buy a miracle." "I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist. "His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?" "We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you," the pharmacist said, softening a little. "Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does you brother need?"
"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. "I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money." "How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago. "One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly. "And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to. "Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents - the exact price of a miracle for little brothers." He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said, "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you need."

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specialising in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.
"That surgery," her Mom whispered. "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar and eleven cents ...... plus the faith of a little child.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law......

The Ant and The Contact Lens

2009-05-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend,
There are times in our life when we go through struggles and hardships
that we do not fully understand. It is important that in these times of
difficulty we remain faithful and strong in the Lord and know that He has
a purpose behind that situation. It is easy to get down and depressed when
burdens pile up, but remember God's Word is true and He is faithful to
bring you forth stronger and victorious in the end.
(Ephesians 6:10-13) (Hebrews 10:23)
This is a good story that shows how God has a purpose in everything that
He asks us to do. God will never lay something upon your heart without a
great purpose behind it. I hope this message encourages your heart to
continually trust the Lord and know that He has great plans for your life
even though you might not see it right now. (Jeremiah 29:11)

THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS
Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she
was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In
spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and
started up the face of that rock.
Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was
hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked
out her contact lens.
Here she is, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds
of feet above her! Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping
the lens had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there.
Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and
began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her find her lens.
When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the
lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent,
with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the
face of the cliff.
She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that
verse that reads, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the
whole earth.” She thought, “Lord, You can see all these mountains. You
know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is.
Please help me.”
Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom, there
was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One
of them shouted out, “Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?”
That would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An
ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on its back.
Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist and when she told him the
incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a
picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, “Lord, I don't
know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully
heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for you.”
I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, “God, I
don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it
and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will.”
God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

Appreciate what you have

2009-05-31T07:07:00.000-07:00

Today upon a bus,
I saw a lovely maid with golden hair.
I envied her - she seemed so gay - and wished I were as fair.
When suddenly she arose to leave,
I saw the cruel braces as she hobbled down the aisle;
a victim of polio was she.
But as she passed -- a smile! Oh, God,
forgive me when I whine.
I have two straight feet.
The world is mine!

And then I stopped to buy some sweets.
The lad who sold them had such charm.
I talked with him.
He said to me, "It's nice to talk with folks like you. You see,"
he said, "I'm blind." Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes.
The world is mine!

Then walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play.
It seemed he knew not what to do.
I stopped a moment, then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word
and then I knew.... He could not hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears. The world is mine!

With feet to take me where I'd go,
with eyes to see the sunset's glow;
with ears to hear what I would know --
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I'm blessed indeed. The world is mine!

I would say then that we must be grateful of what we had even the littlest thing...Appreciating what we have is one of the best things ever.