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seize the day!
...seize whatever you can
cause life slips away
just like hour-glass sand...
(carolyn arends)
"there is nothing
that makes men
rich and strong
but that which
they carry
inside of them.
wealth is of
the heart,
not by the hand."
(john milton)
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Thursday, November 24, 2005
i have these moments when tears would fall down my face for no reason and yesterday was one of those days.
it was the early office hours and the early bird that i am, i was still by my self when it happened. didn't know why, just like the many times it had occured in the past. when this happens, i start to become sentimental about life, mine at least (didnt wanna waste those tears for no reason! :) i would usually begin to think of how im getting old and the prospects of going through it alone and with nothing to my name. good that most of the times, almost at an instance, i am able to snap out of it especially when i remember to count the many blessings that the good Lord has showered me with and how there are many others who are suffering so much more as compared to whatever trivial circumstance i am in. and that although i have nothing material, i have my family and lots of friends that make me feel loved and needed.
today is the first day of my travel to the big 40 (but of course, this is according to the accepted notion) i have marked my 39th but hey, life for me, as i'd like to think (and its rightly so), has begun long before i'll turn 40... it started the time i had the Lord beside me and known Him in the real sense of it. it begun the moment i was gifted with families (yup, i have many!) and friendships that has contributed to making me the person i am now. i celebrated and am celebrating not just me, my life but also the great people that THEY ALL are to me... i love you, guys... cheers to us!!!
Posted at 3:11 pm by ephimethea
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Tuesday, September 13, 2005
"the word happiness comes from the same root as the word happening, suggesting that happines is based on something happening to us. happiness is circumstantial. if i pay off my car, i'm happy... if my friends say nice things about me, i'm happy. there is nothing wrong with happiness. it's wonderful. the only problem is that it is based on circumstances, and circumstances have a tendency to shift...
joy, on the other hand, is something which defies circumstances and occurs in spite of difficult situations. whereas happiness is a feeling, joy is an attitude. a posture. a position. a place... it is not a feeling, it is a choice. it is not based upon circumstances, it is based upon attitude. it is free, but it is not cheap... it is a promise, not a deal..." -- you gotta keep dancin' by tim hansel
"one of the most common obstacles to celebrating life fully is our avoidance of pain. we dread pain. we fear pain. we do anything to escape pain. our culture reinforces our avoidance of pain by assuring us that we can live a painless life.
advertisement constantly encourages us to believe that life can be pain-free (but) to live without pain is a myth... to live without pain... is to live half-alive, without fullness of life. this is an unmistakable, clear, unalterable fact... many of us do not realize that pain and joy run together. when we cut ourselves off from pain, we have unwittingly cut ourselves off from joy as well." -- celebrate the temporary by clyde reid
"you and i were created for joy, and if we miss it, we miss the reason for our existence... if our joy is honest joy, it must somehow be congrous with human tragedy. this is the test of joy's integrity: is it compatible with pain?... only the heart that hurts has a right to joy." -- how can it be all right when everything is all wrong by lewis smedes
Posted at 8:48 pm by ephimethea
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Monday, September 12, 2005
Giver of life, creator of all that is lovely,
Teach me to sing the words to your song;
I want to feel the music of living
And not fear the sad songs
But from them make new songs
Composed of both laughter and tears.
Teach me to dance to the sounds of your world
and your people,
I want to move in rhythm with your plan,
Help me to try to follow your leading
To risk even falling
To rise and keep trying
Because you are leading the dance
(author unknown)
Posted at 10:03 pm by ephimethea
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Saturday, September 10, 2005
its been more than three months since the last time... could it be that im losing my fire in blogging (drama, eh;)? or is it the busy-ness that i can't find even a teeny-weeny time for this? these are actually better reasons than not blogging for lack of things to write about which could mean a boring life and i say that that isnt so! (at least i dont wanna think of it as that:)
well, what follows is a most recent email message i got from one of my favorite girl friends... a very good friend... she's actually one of my life heroes, especially when it comes to her faith in The Higher Being... i was so touched that i immediately asked her permission to have this posted here... i hope you will be encouraged and be touched the way it did me... tells a lot about how God works for those He loves and those who love Him...
Dear friends,
It’s been a year since I left my beloved Philippines, yes it has been one year already, Sept 10 to be exact! Parang kailan lang, I joked about leaving my life back there and ready to face the stove, the sink and the laundry. Well, I have left all right, and now 12 months after, I have had my fare share of cooking, cleaning the bathroom, dirty socks, broken nails, gardening and what have you. Looking back, am glad for the prayers (loads of it from all of you!) because it was your prayers that sustained me through the adjustment (which every immigrant, tnt, OCW went through). As I write this praise report, it helps me process all that has taken place over the course of this new chapter in my life journey. This is also my opportunity to declare God’s work in my life, to Him be all glory always! Also to let you know how your faithful prayers sustained me.
Here is a list of my first experiences dito …
1. Sing with a live band (at a local restaurant, I think I sang You by Karen Carpenter … clap! Clap! more Lynne, more, more practice!)
2. Go on long roadtrips with my hubby… see Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, Toronto, New York, Pennsylvania
3. Play host … our house is the center of most Fister gatherings … aaaahhh!!!! Many helpful hands but still!
4. Gardening, dinaan ko sa dasal, I bless my plants … Honestly, I was surprised that the flowers I planted blossomed -- yellow, red and violet flowers adorn our mailbox.
5. Lito and I attended a Christian conference, sponsored by a black congregation. If you watch TBN, you know what I mean. They are truly a bunch of lively folks! ;) by the way, this conference I attended also had Paula White as one of its speakers, and apparently, she is ministering to Donald Trump. The guy actually refers to Paula as his pastor. Donald Trump's favorite charity is Salvation Army.
6. Attend a formal military dinner when Lito was inducted as Chief Master Sergeant. It gives me goose bumps when I am with such dignified military men and women.
7. Celebrate Thanksgiving, Fourth of July celebrations
8. Have a reunion with the North America based Asuncions … in Toronto last April. I saw for myself how well-adjusted the families of my brother Claro and sister Gie are. It was signficant coz I realized that I can make this place my home. So now, thanks to that visit, I have made great strides!
9. A new home church. I still think of Bread as my home church but FCC or Filipino Christian Center is my home church away from home. I have made many new and pleasant relationships. It will take a while for them to grow but I am slowly building relationships which are genuine and supportive P.S. We also go to a dynamic multicultural church in Utah whenever we are in town (yep, this Mormon state is being redeemed by the Lord, one soul at a time!). The pastor is so cool! He only saw us once, and the next time we attended (two months after), he personally acknowledged us from the pulpit, calling us their friends from Washington D.C., naks!
10. Eat snake, crocodile and wild boar (all in the shape of decent looking sausages) at a latin restaurant in Salt Lake City. The spice killed most of the gamey taste, interesting taste but once is enough!
11. I failed my driving test once. (I beat you Marie!) Sa Pinas ang dali, atras abante, tapos! Katakot ang instructor, mukhang lalaki. But the important thing is I now drive and have conquered my fear of driving here (they drive faster but show more road courtesy). Nakatulong ng malaki that I drive in the Philippines.
12. Nadulas ako sa ice, last winter, while walking on the driveway, hindi ko alam kung iiyak ako o tatawa!
13. Reach 108 lbs. (sa akin mataba na ‘yon!). I was 100 lbs when I left Pinas. I know the double chin gives me away! My in-laws predict “tataba ka rin!” (yeah, katulad nyo!) to my face, the nerve of these people! ;)
14. I borrowed my husband’s black belt once, coz my black belt doesn’t fit me anymore aargh!
I can only praise and thank God, for His abiding grace and unfailing love. I try not to focus on the downside of being here, like being with my family, bonding with my girlfriends and spa/massage! God has in a very real sense … pampered me here. He has given me a husband who is so loving, kind and generous; a church which has welcomed Lito and me with friendship and support; a family, which has embraced me as one of their own (would you believe, I live harmoniously with my father-in-law), protection, strength and wisdom on a daily basis. The blessings of the Lord are truly pressed down, shaken together and running over!
The first few months were indeed difficult, lahat ata talagang dadaan doon! I adjusted sa climate, culture, being married, housework, etc. I remember what my sister-in-law advised me, “Don’t look back.” And that advice helped me to embrace the present and the future. So, 12 months after, honestly, I am happy where God has “stationed” my husband and me, I like living abroad.
Now, a familiar face from Bread is here and going through the adjustment period. I saw at church on Sunday, Matet and Willy Aranza. Matet and her daughter, Townee, recently arrived, petitioned by Willy. They temporarily live about 15 miles away from where I live. It’s interesting that as I celebrate my one year here, the Lord has brought a familiar Bread person, a connection from the past.
God is good and so is HE to you! Wherever HE causes HIS name to be honored, HE will come to you and bless you (Exodus 20:24)!
I celebrate you and the person you are to me,
Lynne ;)
Posted at 10:07 am by ephimethea
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Friday, May 27, 2005
how can one person be so loved by many but be hated by someone? can a person be both a curse and a blessing… a champion and a loser at the same time? how must one feel knowing that he/she may have caused another person’s misery? just thinkin’ aloud…
Posted at 3:10 pm by ephimethea
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looking back to my future
this technology that makes you see instead of hear conversations never cease to fascinate if not amaze me.
recently been chatting with some of my high school friends, and its sooooh cool to actually converse with them, sense or no sense. some are already based some place else more comfortable, but most, like myself, are still trying to make life in this very life-unfriendly place (no one’s ‘really’ complaining though)
we reminisced on our former (?) childishness and talked on our gained (or what we may perceive to have) maturity. it brought a nice, warm feeling inside of me and i know it did them, too, cause the chatting has become more often the past week ;-)
we had all been able to look back to our past and it gave us a new-found zest in reaching that which is still ahead… REUNION!!!
“ang di lumingon sa pinanggalingan, di makakarating sa paroroonan.”
Posted at 10:42 am by ephimethea
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Friday, May 13, 2005
A lecturer, when explaining Stress Management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, “ How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranges from 20 g. – 500 g. The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it.”
If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance. In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
He continued, “ and that’s the way it is with Stress Management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.”
"So before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don’t carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you’re carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. Relax; pick them up later after you’ve rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!”And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
1. Accept that some days you’re the pigeon and some days you’re the statue.
2. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
3. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
4. Drive carefully. It’s not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
5. If you can’t be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
6. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
7. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
8. Never buy a car that you can’t push.
9. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then, you won’t have legs to stand on.
10. Nobody cares if you don’t dance well. Just get up and dance.
11. Since it’s the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.
12. The second mouse gets the cheese.
13. When everything’s coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
14. Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
15. You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
16. Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
17. We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors. But they all live in the same box.
18. A truly happy person is the one who can truly enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Posted at 2:00 pm by ephimethea
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Tuesday, April 19, 2005
a blogmate (who is first and foremost a cousin) called my attention to it… i didn’t notice that it’s really been months since the last time… went to check and my, oh, my! am i really this bad? must i explain myself for being so slack a blogger?
it was actually a choice to be an employee of integrity as against that of being a conscientious blogger. you see, i have access to two computers: one in the office (which, of course, is to be used for office-related tasks) and the other, in the house, which is owned by one of the two sisters i live with. the second one was, for a time, stationed in the room i share with the other sister. and it was there, at night (when my creative writing juices are on the high), that my entries were cooked up. well, this sister (who owns both the house and the computer) was working on some project couple of months back so the computer was re-stationed in her room.
so there… gone are the days of my being an honest employee (but at least, i am back to blogging ;)
Posted at 2:34 pm by ephimethea
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Monday, January 24, 2005
intimation (noun) -- an answered survey; could be the only thing you have when you have nothing else to write for a blog entry. (epimethean dictionary, p. 25637)
1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A SECOND HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
hmm... tataya muna ako sa lotto so i can build the first house first... gusto ko, by the beach na secluded or any place thats quiet...
2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?
brown Tubby pants, kupas-kupas na nga, eh!
3. THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT?
nakakahiya... secret lang ito hah... jane fonda step aerobics... ayun di ko na makita kung saan ko itinabi... hahah!
4. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
weekdays -- 6:30, 7:00 @ d latest; weekends -- 8:00
5. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?
mahirap sagutin yan kasi madami...
6. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
forgot the name but its an instrument na parang mga gongs... kulintang yata yun?
7. FAVORITE COLORS?
blue and yellow
8. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV?
as if!!!
9. DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE?
yup!
10. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
EBWhite's "Charlotte's Web" and CSLewis' "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"
11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON? --
grabeh! ang dream ko is to have a pic with colored trees behind me, so yeah... i like fall...
12. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
fly like superman so di na kelangan to get a visa to go to the US to see family and friends
13. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?
ayaw!
14. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
di, eh!
15. THE ONE PERSON FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
cant think of anyone...
16. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
saturday and sunday and someday...
17. WHAT'S IN YOUR CAR?
pwede ba imaginary car?
18. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
burger... i love mcdo's 1/4 pounder, yummy!
19. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?
tulips and lilies and sunflowers
20. DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?
brad pitt!!!
21. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM JOB?
simple lang... high school teacher... boring noh? or broadcast journalist...
25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
steamed rice and chicken-pork adobo with slice tomatoes on the side, naglalaway na ko just thinking bout it!!!
26. FAVORITE DESSERT:
pinoy-flavored ice cream... keso, ube-macapuno at mangga
27. FAVE ACTOR:
drew barrymore, jennifer garner, harrison ford, gwyneth paltrow (wala palang "h" yun?) of course, my brad pitt!... si mr. bean din, tawang-tawa ako sa kanya... gusto ko rin ang kagaupuhan ni george
clooney...
28. IDEAL DATE:
di ako maka-relate... sori ah...
29. IF YOU COULD CHOSE ANYONE TO BE YOUR MATE WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
dont ask na lang, baka mabasa niya ito, magsisi siya why siya nag-asawa...hahahah!
30. DREAM VACATION:
palawan (minus the terrorists), anyplace na may fall season ;)
31. IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING OUTRAGEOUS FOR ONE DAY, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
get a tattoo, red-colored hair and body piercing... kayanin kaya ng powers ko ito?
32. IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? i
hmm...
33. ULTIMATE DREAM:
hmm... (again)
34. UNFORGETTABLE MEMORY:
ucols going to the US... when we (my prayer group, MAG Kawan) went to Puerto Galera... playing with 3 month old macu... mica sleeping on her and my stomach... 5 month-old julio smiling upon
hearing me trying hard to make sipol...(in this order)
35. IF YOU COULD TELL SOMEONE OFF, WHO'D IT BE?
cant tell baka malaman niya lalong hindi lumarga!
36. WHO'D YOU LIKE TO MEET AND WHY?
yung aking partner in life kung meron man... hahah!!!
37. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN YOUR LIFE?
waking up each morning and thinking on how to make a life out of each day...
38. MOST SPECIAL THING YOUR PARTNER DID:
n/a
Posted at 9:21 pm by ephimethea
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Tuesday, January 18, 2005
i'd dare to make more mistakes next time. i'd relax. i would limber up. i would be sillier than i have been this trip. i would take fewer things seriously. i would take more chances. i would climb more mountains and swim more rivers, i would eat more ice cream and less beans. i would perhaps have more actual troubles, but i'd have fewer imaginary ones.
you see, i'm one of those people who live sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. oh, i've had my moments, and if i had it to do over again, i'd have more of them. in fact, i'd try to have nothing else. just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. i've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, and a parachute, if i had to do it again, i would travel lighter than i have.
if i had my life to live over, i would start barefoot earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. i would go to more dances. i would ride more merry-go-rounds. i would pick more daisies.
-- nadine stair, 85 years old
Posted at 8:29 pm by ephimethea
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