Avoid The Rush

For the first time, I tried making a video with my phone today; capturing myself rushing to an 8:00am appointment, while being hopelessly stuck in traffic (click video). Well, I was almost late, praise God I made it in the nick of time.

Most of us live a busy lifestyle. There's almost no time for anything; we keep on rushing. We rush to meet a deadline; we rush to work; we ask a supplier to do a rush order; we rush to the airport; and etc. Before we know it, we are stressed, and our health and family are affected.  Why do we rush?  Here are some culprits:

1. We like to be "Kings and Queens of Procrastination". A lot of us do things on the eleventh hour! We're adrenalin junkies doing the "Last 2 minutes", buzzer beater effort.  We often choose to enjoy first -- knowing that we'll suffer with the pressure. "I want to enjoy 30 more minutes of sleep" very well knowing that traffic will be terrible or "I want to go out with friends first" aware that the deadline's just around the corner.

2. We have this notion that we are more "Creative under Pressure." Well it took 6 days for God to create everything, and on the 7th day He rested -- and enjoyed the beauty of creation. God took His time. Beauty takes some time: the beauty of a well-detailed report; the beauty of a scholarly and well-researched thesis; the beauty of a well integrated graphic design; and many more works of art, beautiful art with ample time to create.

3. We think we have "The Ability to transform into Nocturnal Creatures". On the night before the deadline, we mutate into owls; as if sleeping is for the day (this is not in the context of those in the BPO business). We think, "I can do it all in just one sleepless night." Of course, when dawn comes and the hour of submission nears, we wished there was more time.

Let us take time and avoid the rush. Take time to pray -- and ask for strength and discipline to do the needed work, even if you don't feel like it yet. Prayer also helps you to meditate on what important stuffs to do first. Just do it! Start with the small and easy tasks. Before you know it you're on a roll and your momentum is unstoppable. Develop the "Now" habit. If you can do it now, why wait for later. Many of our problems can be solved in the next 5 minutes with a simple text, call or email.

"Complete it now, so that your eager willingness may be matched by your completion
of it out of what you have". (2 Cor. 8:11)

Rainy Days

It was raining hard and I was trying to get a ride, hoping not to be late for my appointment. I had no choice but to get a taxi. I had to spend more than the usual commute fare. I guess that's why they say that we have got to be prepared for the "rainy days."

In the "rainy days" of our lives we are forced to spend more money, exert more effort, use up more time, and be in discomfort.

So how do we prepare for the rainy days? What are we to do in these situations?

1. Save. Just like the ants, they store up food for the future. Although our intelligence is far greater than these creatures, they have it in them to prepare for the rainy days. I have heard that it's not how much you earn but its how much you save.

2. Adapt. We have to be flexible to the situation and find ways and means. There is a tendency to complain more rather than to find a solution. When in trouble, its easy to play the blame game. We have to manage and adapt. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

3. Pray. In these "rainy days" we will be faced with instances where our human capacity reaches its limit. There is nothing more we can do, but there is something more God can do. That is why in the lives of the saints and the faithful, there are always miracles. We have to believe in God who saves us.

Noah was prepared for rain. He saved by storing up food in the ark and by gathering the animals. He adapted to a life in the ark. He prayed for hope and salvation to come. There is always the glory of the rainbow after the rain, a sign of God's promise fulfilled.
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Pray, Share, and Advocate for Sendong Victims

Picture from GMA news network. Click pic for story

"There is a shortage of child coffins."

This is something that really shocked me upon hearing in the news about the devastation caused by typhoon "Sendong."  A few days before Christmas, and families are grieving. Many will be spending Christmas in evacuation centers with the fear of shortage of food, water, and clothing.  As of this writing the death toll is already 1,000. It's worse than Ondoy.

In a time like this, we can do the following:

1. Pray. Let us lift up to the Lord all those who died and are suffering because of the calamity.  We pray for God to comfort them, give them hope, and heal them. We pray for people to open their hearts and give generously to the victims.

2. Share. It is not enough to be thankful that God spared most of us from the typhoon, we must translate our gratitude into an act of sharing.  At any other time, in another circumstance, we could have been in their place. "Love your neighbor, as you love yourself (Mark 12:31)."

3. Advocate. Encourage others to also pray and share. Apathy has no place in a time like this.  It only takes one person to inspire another to do something great for others.

Pray, share, and advocate for the Sendong victims. Hear the Lord say, "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink...(Matthew 25:35)"

Donations are now being accepted online at www.cfchomeoffice.com/sendong