Category: Thoughts to Live By

Wonderful sayings to carry through life….

Posted on

Surviving Life 101

In any situation in life, there are at least 2 ways to respond: the POSITIVE/CONSTRUCTIVE way and the NEGATIVE/DESTRUCTIVE way.

I have been pondering this as I try to guide my children through what they encounter as challenges in life.

For example, M1 is so unlike his brother M2. When something happens in school that is not pleasant, M1 reacts by becoming moody; M2, on the other hand, comes to me with a broad impish grin and tells me, “Guess what, Mom! I got my first GREEN SLIP!” (notice from school that he had several minor slip-ups) and walks away as though nothing happened.

It tells me that M1 is a more sensitive child. He is actually the more compassionate child in the family and would readily help out where help is needed. He is also the one who never fails to play with our dogs as soon as he comes home. But being more sensitive than others, his peers’ opinion of him means the world to him and he easily feels down when things do not go “right” in his perception.

Teaching our children how to survive the travails of life is not easy. But somehow, we have to try so that when hard times come, they will know how to cope and survive. I have had my share of survivals. Continue reading “Surviving Life 101”

Posted on

Perspectives of Suffering

Over the weekend, I was confined for severe pain arising from kidney stones. The pain was almost unbearable. I was writhing in pain at the hospital and no matter what position I was on the gurney at the ER, the pain remained. It was not something I would wish on my worst enemy.

Through the pain spasms though, I suddenly thought of my sister-in-law who passed away of breast cancer. On her last summer in this world, we had the privilege of being with her in the province. I personally had the chance to serve her in some way by taking turns caring for her every basic need during those weeks. And during the times she would suffer, we constantly talked to her about turning her suffering into use by offering it up for someone. That way, suffering did not end up useless but instead, gets transformed into a powerful tool for intercession.

Then my mind wandered to friends in the States. The wife was recently sent there on a work assignment by her company and was allowed to bring her whole family. Her husband had a stroke a few years back, paralyzing his entire left side. But over the years of therapy, he recovered enough to be mobile. A month into their arrival in the States, he again had a major stroke, this time paralyzing his right side. As of this posting, he is still in coma with no clear or positive signs of recovery. The wife, though devastated, has tried to cling to whatever faith and strength is within her.

So as I lay in the Emergency Room of the hospital, and as wave after wave of pain went through my body and groggy as I was from painkillers, I somehow managed to maintain one thought. I asked the Lord to use that pain to shower graces on my friends.

Looking at one’s suffering exclusively makes one wallow in self-pity. It is only when one sees it from the perspective of others’ sufferings that one’s own situation appears trivial or miniscule.

One more life lesson for me.

Posted on

Let It Go for 2007

I lay no claim on this beautiful food for thought. I just received it today in an email and was really touched by it. Hope we can all Let Go, and LET GOD!

Let it go for 2007…
By T. D. Jakes

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don’t want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can’t make them stay.

Let them go.

And it doesn’t mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you’ve got to know when people’s part in your story is over so that you don’t keep trying to raise the dead. You’ve got to know when it’s dead. You’ve got to know when it’s over. Let me tell you something. I’ve got the gift of good-bye. It’s the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It’s not that I’m hateful, it’s that I’m faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He’ll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don’t need it. Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn’t belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to……

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ……

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can’t treat you right, love you back, and see your worth…..

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you ………

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge……

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction……

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents…

LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude……..

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better……

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship…….

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won’t even try to help themselves……

LET IT GO!!!

If you’re feeling depressed and stressed ………

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying “take your hands off of it,” then you need to……

LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2007!!!

LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left.. think about it, and then …

LET IT GO!!!

“The Battle is the Lord’s!”

Posted on

50 Thoughts for Christmas (and for the rest of the year!)

I just saw this wonderful list in Ricky Lo’s Christmas article in Philippine Star and it was sent in by Robin Tong, a Xavier parent who has a flair for writing. It is a list worth sharing with you all. May it help us enrich our lives! And thanks, Robin!

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. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
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 paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile (favorite Borg line from Star Trek)
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 with 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. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
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 except 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. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your family will.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative! — dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
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. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Posted on

Life’s Wonderful Surprises and Simple Pleasures

A friend sent this via text today:

Sometimes we put too much passion on the biggest dreams & priorities in life

That we fail to love the smallest pleasures from simple things.

We search so much for the right choices, for the right paths to walk through,

For the right time & for the right reasons.

But life isn’t about searching for the things that can be found.

It is about letting the unexpected happen and

Finding things you never searched for.

Posted on

Happiness is in the Home

(At the stroke of 8:00 AM everyday, a friend takes the trouble to send me beautiful sayings — sometimes downright crazy jokes too!. I thank God for this friend because today, I received a most beautiful thought. Now I will look at my home from a totally new perspective…)


The Secret to Happiness


What is the secret to happiness? I found the answer in my home…..


The WALL says BE STRONG.
The CEILING says AIM HIGH,
The DOOR says BE OPEN,
The WINDOW says LEARN to GIVE and TAKE,
The CLOCK says TIME IS GOLD,
The CALENDAR says LOVE EVERYDAY as if it is the last day,
The CABINET says KEEP THINGS in ORDER,
The BED says TAKE TIME to RELAX,
The LAMP says BE the LIGHT,
And GOD, who is found everywhere in my house says —
KEEP THE FAITH BECAUSE I AM WITH YOU!