LIFE'S CUP

ATTITUDE

2011-06-03T06:06:00.000-07:00

Jerry is the manager of a restaurant in America. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would always reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"

Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him, "I don't get it! No one can be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"

Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today. I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood I always choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I always choose to learn from it. Everytime someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I always choose the positive side of life."

"But it's not always that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Jerry said "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice.You choose how you react to situations You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. It's your choice how you live your life."

Several years later, I heard that Jerry accidentally did something you are never supposed to do in the restaurant business: left the back door of his restaurant open one morning and was robbed by three armed men. While trying to open the safe, his hand, shaking from nervousness slipped off the combination. The robbers panicked and shot him.

Luckily, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital.

After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released fromthe hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body. I saw Jerry aboutsix months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied. "Then, after they shot me, as I lay on the floor, Iremembered that I had twochoices: I could choose to live or choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared?" I asked.

Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me. I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the Emergency Room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man.' I knew I need to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything."

'Yes,' I replied.

The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!' Over their laughter, I told them, 'I am choosing to live. Please operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'."

Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day you have the choice to either enjoy your life or to hate it. The only thing that is truly yours that no one can control or take from you is your attitude, so if you can take care of that, everything else in life becomes much easier.

The New You

2011-05-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

A middle aged woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God, she asked "Is my time up?" God said, "No, you have another 43 years, 2 months and 8 days to live." Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a facelift, liposuction and a tummy tuck. She even had someone come in and change her hair color. Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it. After her last operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was killed by an ambulance. Arriving in front of God, she demanded, "I though you said I had another 40 years?" God replied, "I didn't recognize you."

Time Management !!!

2011-02-14T04:24:00.000-08:00

One day, an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget.

As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said,

"Okay, time for a quiz" and he pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?" Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes."

The time management expert replied, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted.

Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

What are the 'big rocks' in your life, prioritizing things to be done at a time.., time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these big rocks in first or you'll never get them in at all. So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar first.

source: unknown..

THE CHILD WITH A BIG HEART- KESZ CRIS VALDEZ

2011-01-15T23:02:00.000-08:00

A few years back, Cris “Kesz” Valdez was like any other streetchild – he begged and cursed on the side. He would rather sleep on the pavements than go home and get a beating from his father or brother.

Instead of being in school, then three-year-old Kesz was digging into the dumpsites of Cavite with his siblings to augment the income of their father, a sidecar driver, and mother, a fish vendor. He would rummage the garbage for plastic bottles and other recyclable materials and sell it to earn at least P20 a day.

“Pag wala akong nauwing pera sa pangangalakal, binubugbog ako ng tatay ko,” Kesz looks back.

There are traces of that hard and painful life in his eyes, but those days are gone for now 11-year-old Kesz. His life and personality have changed tremendously since he was taken under the care of his kuyas. One of them is CNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida.

Kesz is not only the youngest volunteer at Peñaflorida’s Dynamic Teen Company (DTC) but he has also established his own group called “Caring Children” with a mission to help people in the only way he can — by saving money and playing Santa Claus to the needy.

THE CHILD WHO BROUGHT ‘BAD LUCK’

Kesz was one of the beneficiaries of DTC’s Kariton Klasrum. Like Peñaflorida and 17-year-old Emmanuel Bagual of M.Y. Rights, Kesz was also discovered by their mentor Harnin “Bonn” Manalaysay who founded Club 8586, the mother organization that later on gave birth to three more separate but complementing groups such as DTC, Mind Your (M.Y.) Rights, and Caring Children.

“Unang nakita ko si Kesz maraming galis at may mga pigsa sa ulo, natutulog sa may convenience store. Binili namin siya ng pagkain at inimbita sa kariton, pero humihingi siya madalas ng pera. I tried to hear his story. Bakit dun siya natutulog? Bakit marami siyang putok sa ulo? ‘Yun pala inuuntog siya ng kuya niya sa bakal,” recalls Manalaysay who could only help by giving food and education

through DTC at that time.

But when Kesz got into an accident, Manalaysay decided to take him under his care permanently.

“Nung five years old si Kesz habang nag-uunahan sila papunta sa truck ng basura, tinulak siya ng isang kasamahan niya sa nasusunog na gulong. Nasunog ‘yung likod niya at ibang parte ng katawan. Later on, binigay siya sa amin nung nanay niya dahil malas daw ‘yung bata, mamamatay lang daw kaya sa amin na lang. Sinabi ko, ‘hindi ko aampunin ‘yung anak mo. Pero papatunayan ko sa ‘yo na ‘yung anak mo hindi malas. ‘Yung anak mo, siya ang tutulong sa ‘yo pagtanda niya. Siya ang bibili ng bahay para sa inyo,” recalls Manalaysay.

And true enough, Kesz is now a changed boy with a bright future ahead of him. The incoming Grade 5 pupil is active both in school as an honor student, and in his group, as the president.

BIG HEART

At seven years old, Kesz was already being trained by his kuyas to think of a solution to problems in his community. He first thought of raising funds to provide slippers to poor children. Later on, his funds were used for projects that helped the poor, the needy and those affected by calamities.

Kesz sells ice candies to his classmates and to visitors of the Sunday School and Club 8586. He earns about P200 a day and saves it in an improvised piggy bank.

For his first charity project, Kesz gave eight pairs of slippers with toys and clothes to his fellow kids. But on his second year of operation, Kesz had to use his savings for something else.

“Si Teacher Donna, yung tumutulong sa akin sa pagbenta ng candies, siya din ang tinulungan ko. Narinig ko sa ibang teachers na may sakit ang nanay niya, nag-aagaw buhay at nanghihiram ng pera pang opera. Kahit hindi pa man December, ‘yung time para basagin ko ang alkansiya, lumapit ako kila Kuya Bonn at nagpaalam kung puwede kong gamitin na ‘yung naipon ko para matulungan si Teacher Donna,” shares Kesz who also gave his teacher a heartfelt letter saying he loves her and doesn’t want her to lose her mother.

Extremely thankful to Kesz, Teacher Donna happily shared the touching story with her churchmates. They, in turn, helped her pay it forward to him by donating 18 pairs of slippers, food and clothes to his charity!

Kesz also used his group’s savings to help last year’s victims of typhoon Ondoy. Caring Children likewise donates books to public schools in Cavite.

“Kesz is really resilient, dedicated and passionate. He has a big heart to volunteer. There’s this one time na hindi ko makalimutan, umuwi siyang puro dugo ‘yung damit niya. Sabi niya nasabugan daw ng light bulb ‘yung kaklase niya, kasi binato nito ‘yung fluorescent kaya pumutok at nasabugan siya. Dinala ni Kesz sa clinic ‘yung kaklase. Sabi niya kawawa daw ‘yung kaklase pero mas kawawa ‘yung school nila kasi walang nurse, wala ring gamot, bulak at iba pang gamit panggamot,”

relates Manalaysay.

That incident urged Kesz to gather his group members for another project — they donated first-aid kits to school clinics.

‘TEACHER’ KESZ

The young philanthropist looks up to Penaflorida and dreams of becoming a teacher himself.

“Pangarap ko pong maging teacher. Gusto kong makatulong at turuan ang mga bata. Idol ko si Kuya Efren dahil po nagtuturo siya sa mga bata ng walang bayad. Gusto ko siyang gayahin,” reveals Kesz.

Even if he misses his family who seldom visits him, he prefers to stay where he is and continue doing what he loves to do.

“Ayoko na po umuwi sa pamilya ko. Mas gusto ko na po dito kila kuya Bonn. Kasi maayos ang buhay ko dito. Nakakapag-aral na po ako,” ends Kesz who loves the Bible teachings he learns at Sunday school.

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Baby joy for Britain's most inspiring couple: Martyn survived grenade attack and Michelle lost twins - now couple have something to celebrate

2010-10-24T23:18:00.000-07:00

The nursery is finished, there have been numerous trips to Mothercare and the car seat is boxed and ready in the hall. They are preparations any expectant parents might make, yet for Martyn and Michelle Compton, every addition to the pretty green and yellow nursery is poignant.

When they first met the couple talked openly of their desire to have a family one day. It seemed a simple enough wish. But then Martyn, a Lance-Corporal in the Household Cavalry, was posted to Afghanistan on his first tour of duty.

Five weeks after his arrival, in July 2006, Martyn and his colleagues drove into a Taliban ambush. Three of his friends died instantly when a rocket-propelled grenade slammed into the armoured vehicle he was driving. Martyn survived both that and a second grenade attack but suffered 70 per cent burns to his body.

He was in a coma for three months and when he regained consciousness, his once-honed body was ravaged, his face unrecognisable. His eyelids had been fused inside out and he had lost his ears, nose and hair. Then only 22 years old, he was told he might never walk again. Instead he endured endless operations and determinedly learned to walk again so he could accompany his fiancee down the aisle.

Michelle and Martyn had known each other for only five months and been engaged for two weeks before he left for Afghanistan but her love and support never wavered.

The couple were married at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, near Folkestone, Kent, on July 12, 2008. Now, it’s only five weeks until their baby is due. They are delighted, yet even this happiest of occasions has been marked by tragedy. In July last year, Michelle went into premature labour, giving birth to twins, Harry and Freya, at 22 weeks. The babies died that same day.

Bright future: Martyn and Michelle on their wedding day in 2008 and,

below, before Martyn was injured in Afghanistan

For a couple who have endured so much suffering, it seemed particularly cruel. But there isn’t a hint of self-pity as Martyn and Michelle talk for the first time about their loss.

Their four-bedroom home in the village of Sedlescombe, near Battle, East Sussex, is warm and welcoming. Surrounded by a menagerie of dogs, goldfish and a parrot, Bud, they display quiet dignity.

Michelle, 30, says: ‘When I found out I was pregnant, we were ecstatic. When it was twins, we thought, “that’s the perfect family”, particularly as it was a boy and a girl.

'This time we were still over the moon but a lot more cautious. We didn’t buy anything until a few weeks ago. We weren’t going to tempt fate.’

It was on the weekend of their first wedding anniversary that pregnant Michelle first began to feel unwell. She says: ‘We were going to London because it was our wedding anniversary.

'We arrived on the Friday and were going to go out for a meal but I had really bad lower backache. I got some paracetamol but the pain wouldn’t go away. ‘It got so bad we called Martyn’s gran who used to be a midwife. She said that doesn’t sound right, you need to get yourself to hospital.‘We got to University College London Hospital at about 10pm. They said, “You’re in labour and you’re going to have to give birth”.’

Harry was born at 1.10pm the following afternoon, weighing 1lb 4oz. Freya arrived ten minutes later weighing a shade over 1lb 3oz.

Michelle says: ‘Freya came out breech (bottom down) and they said her body was so bruised because her skin was so fragile, there was nothing they could do. She lasted 44 minutes.

'They put her in a dress and hat and handed her to me. She was so tiny but perfectly formed. She was smaller than a child’s doll. I was holding her when she passed away.’

Meanwhile Harry had been placed in an incubator.

‘He was doing well,’ says Michelle. ‘He came out without a bruise on him and he cried when he was born. We’ve both said we’ll never, ever forget that cry. We went down to see him and I put my hand in the cot and he grabbed my finger.

‘But then they said there wasn’t enough oxygen in his blood. We asked how long they were going to keep him on the machine and they said another hour. But we decided for his sake to turn it off. He died at 11.45pm.’

The following day, their wedding anniversary, Michelle and Martyn returned home, shellshocked.

A week later Harry and Freya were buried together in the graveyard of their village church. Michelle says: ‘It was pretty dreadful at first. We did keep saying, “Why us?” ’When we got back from the hospital, I couldn’t go into the room we had prepared for them. It was months until I said to Martyn you can open the door.’ Slowly, they put their lives back together for the second time. Michelle returned to work teaching at Bexhill fundraising for the Household Cavalry Operational Casualties Fund. Doctors could not explain why Harry and Freya were born so prematurely. So when Michelle became pregnant again, there was fear as well as joy. She says: ‘When they said it was one baby it was a bit of a relief. ‘Everything was fine. I passed the 22-week mark but then at 24 weeks a scan showed the neck of my womb had started to open. I burst into tears and said I can’t go through this again.

‘I have what they call an incompetent cervix. The growing baby puts too much strain on it and so it opens. There are no contractions, just backache. That’s why I didn’t know before that I was going into labour. The doctor gave me an emergency stitch around the cervix. Now I feel happier as the baby is near full-term.’ Meanwhile Martyn, 26, has made remarkable progress and is in the sledge hockey squad for the Paralympics.

However, there is no escape from the emotional and physical impact of his injuries. He says: ‘I’ve had about ten operations in two years. They took bone out of my elbow to help the movement. The skin between my fingers had become webbed and I’ve had that removed. They cleaned my head because of infection and fixed my top lip. It’s never-ending.

'I spoke to [Falklands survivor] Simon Weston a while ago and he still has stuff done. It’s up to you and how much you can take. ‘I do lots of physio and I play disabled ice hockey. You use sledges rather than skates. I don’t know if I’ll make 2012. But we’ll see. I want to stay in the Army for now. It’s nice to raise money for the lads. We’ve got a fashion show and fundraising dinner at the Dorchester on Tuesday, Fashion For The Brave.

‘I’ve got used to life now. I’ve had to but it’s still difficult. People staring, that’s not very nice. I still find it hard to go out sometimes.’

Martyn and Michelle’s strength and love for each other is genuinely humbling but they refuse to see it that way. Michelle says simply: ‘I fell in love. You fall in love with someone not just for their looks but their personality.

'If Martyn doesn’t change as a person I’m not going to stop loving him. I would never walk away.’

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Love is blind because love is unconditional

2010-10-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

This story was broadcast on ABC’s 20/20 Friday night. It is a story of unconditional love, devotion, and yes courage, as well as inspiring to others. As I watched the story unfold, all I can feel was admiration.

Love is a mysterious thing, and when you heard a story that is amazing as this; you must take a moment to appreciate its phenomenon. Most of us look for perfection in the opposite sex. If it is not close to perfect, he/she has to be somewhat “normal” or at least resembling ourselves.

He is a handsome ordinary young man at 6 feet, 4 inches, and 19 years old. He lost his mother to cancer at 12, and suffered attention deficit hyperactive disorder. However, he has a reputation as a ladies’ man. In his high school year, his friendship with a special classmate become closer, and he fell in love with her.

She is 2 feet, 9 inches, and suffers from a rare kind of dwarfism. At 19, she became pregnant. She went through doubts, frightful moments, and confusions. After telling Jeremy that she was pregnant, they both cried for an hour, and decided to go through with it.

Jeremy is Christianne’s strength in the physical sense, because Christianne cannot walk far nor lifting anything, Jeremy has to pick her up and carries her around. Christianne is Jeremy’s emotional stability because of her jolly personality. She tells it like it is!

Her baby girl was delivered by C-Section on April 4, Kryten Elise. The baby might be a dwarf too, but will be taller than her mom. As for Jeremy, he is a proud and happy father. He said having a child calms him down a lot since he has more responsibilities now.

Christianne is now known as the shortest mom in the world. Her story had gone around the globe, and many people had criticized her decision to have the baby.

I am, on the other hand, looking at this story at a different angle. I found this couple’s love story is extraordinary and worth of praise. I have heard the expression “love is blind”, but I think love is just beautiful

What can be more incredible when two humans just love each other for who they are, the way they are, and do not see limitations in other’s as handicap? Let’s just celebrate their love, and Happy family!

source

Loyalty: Lesson in a Dog’s Life

2010-10-04T02:27:00.000-07:00

You may know the famous story of Lewis and Clark’s expedition across the North American continent to the Pacific Ocean and back. But you may not have heard the story of a lesser-known member of the party, a brave black Newfoundland dog named Seaman. He was just a dog, but his story is a lesson of faithfulness and loyalty—a lesson that husbands and wives should consider.

Covering thousands of miles, Captain Meriwether Lewis, Second Lieutenant William Clark and their small band of companions made their way into American folklore. Captain Meriwether Lewis’ faithful dog, Seaman, accompanied the expedition the entire distance.

Seaman was Lewis’ faithful companion on a dangerous journey of many thousand miles. He defended his master’s party; he witnessed Indian skirmishes, death, disease, success and failure and he endured freezing winters and long hot summers. He was injured many times, but he pressed on.

Once, deep in the wilderness, Lewis had to perform painful surgery on Seaman to repair a life-threatening injury the dog had received from a wild animal. When a tribe of Native Americans stole Seaman, his master took the risk of retrieving him at gunpoint. Undaunted, the two pressed on.

Although the records are incomplete, there is even strong evidence that Seaman was loyal to his master unto death. According to Timothy Alden’s multiple volume history, A Collection of American Epitaphs and Inscriptions with Occasional Notes (5 vols.), after Lewis’ tragic and violent death in 1809, Seaman remained at Lewis’ grave until he himself died: “The fidelity and attachment of this animal were remarkable. After the melancholy exit of Gov. Lewis, his dog would not depart for a moment from his lifeless remains; and when they were deposited in the earth no gentle means could draw him from the spot of interment. He refused to take every kind of food, which was offered him, and actually pined away and died with grief upon his master’s grave!” (vol. 5, p. 98).

Seaman’s loyalty was a very good quality, and is a lesson for us in many ways. How loyal should we be? How faithful should fathers and mothers be to their children? How faithful should children be to their parents? How much more faithful should Christians be to their Lord and Master?

How loyal should a husband and wife be to each other during the long journey—consisting of numerous adventures, injuries and successes—that is called marriage? “Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. ’For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously’” (Malachi 2:15–16).

In his powerful booklet, God’s Plan for Happy Marriage, Tomorrow’s World Editor in Chief Roderick C. Meredith comments on that passage from Malachi, noting that, “among other things, marriage is a ‘test.’ It is a test to see how loyal you will be to God’s instruction regarding marriage and to your mate with whom you share this sanctified relationship. How much will you ‘give’ of yourself to this other human being? How much will you be patient, kind and humble in order to make it work?” (p. 9).

Meriwether Lewis had a faithful companion throughout one of the most amazing journeys in American history. His companion was not treacherous. His companion was faithful and loyal unto death.

But Seaman was just a dog. You and I are potential children of God and heirs to immortality (Romans 8:17)! We are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26)! We are told to have Christ’s mind—His character—in us (Philippians 2:5)! Seaman was faithful—how much more faithful should we be? To God? To our spouse? To our family?

Husbands and wives, you are on a lifelong journey. Be loyal. Repair those injuries. Heal.

source: Wyatt Ciesielka

Strong & Brave - Antonia Raissa Dawn Laurel

2010-10-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Antonia Raissa Dawn Laurel

A LAW student lost both her legs while another had to have one of her legs amputated following the blast that hit the final day of the 2010 Bar exams at the De La Salle University in Manila Sunday (Sept. 26, 2010).

The 25-year-old Laurel, a 2nd year law student at San Sebastian College, was among the 44 people injured in a melee between alleged warring fraternities.

She is now recovering at Philippine General Hospital’s (PGH) intensive care unit.

Writing her answers to questions from ABS-CBN’s Julius Babao, Laurel said that she was in the “wrong place at the wrong time.”

She, however, was thankful for being given a chance for a “second life.”

She said a bomb placed inside a small box exploded in front of her. However, she did not see who threw the bomb.

Raisa Laurel plans to continue her studies.

“I still want to become a lawyer someday,” she said in handwritten notes she gave to ABS-CBN News.

Doctors amputated both the legs of Raissa Laurel, 25, a second-year law student at the San Sebastian College. She was among 44 people injured in a fight between two warring fraternities.

Doctors declined to identify the other victim whose left leg they amputated, saying they were still trying to save her right leg and left hand. She and another female law student suffered shrapnel wounds and are still confined. Laurel said she was in the “wrong place at the wrong time,” but she was thankful for being alive.

Raiza Laurel plans to continue her studies. Her father, Roberto Laurel, was in tears while describing the pain of knowing that her daughter had lost her legs. He was also concerned that Raisa Laurel may become depressed because of her disability.

Her father, Roberto Laurel, was in tears while he described the pain of knowing that her daughter lost her legs.

“Another doctor, ‘yung anesthesiologist niya… approached me and explained, and he told me that my daughter would [live to] be a lawyer. So that was the happiest news last night,” he said.

“Naaawa ako ( i pity her), pero (but) she has that spirit of….definitely, one day she will become a lawyer. Iyon pong spirit na iyon, at ang kanyang ambisyon (That's spirit and her ambition), I hope it is not totally ruined with what has happened to her,” he added. “At least she would live, but I know na yung dating… confidence, I don’t know if she could gain back that confidence.”

He urged the government to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Gawan po natin ng aksyon ang pangyayaring ito (Let's make an action for this sad event).We are in a civilized world, and I believe that with what has happened yesterday, anarchy na po ang nangyayari eh… I appeal to the government, most especially to the Supreme Court… I’m sorry if I’m barking at the wrong tree pero sa tingin ko, sa inyo po ito, tigilan na po natin ang ganito,” Laurel said.

He thanked people who donated blood for her daughter.

source: http://www.eleksyon.co.cc/raissa-laurel-lost-her-both-legs-from-bomb-blast/

Kudos Raisa Laurel!! .. Bravest law student of San Sebastian College.. It's hard to believe and see the words she wrote during her interview with a newscaster julius babao (abs-cbn) -" wrong place at the wrong time" ..from there I could understand her total acceptance of the tragedy she met.. She added that during the melee, when a box was thrown at the side of her..she knew what could happened..She grabbed her purse embraced it that people may identify her after the blast..She was all in the presence of her mind.

What stroked me is the smiles and determination of a young filipina to move on with her life.. Thanked the Lord for the second life. And will pursue her ambition to be a lawyer. She lost legs!.. I don't see any regrets in her.. Her father was so hysterical for her. So sad that her confidence may lost..But she did not. What happened to her seemed for her to be just an ordinary injury a when it was not. She display a strong spirit and an open heart to move on.. I praise her family for all the support they gave her. Friend and not were there to boost her will power.

To Antonia Raissa Dawn Laurel:
May you continue to inspire the world with your spirit..Touch many sad and struggling lives..I pray for your success destinations.. to be an excellent lawyer one day. You symbolizes the Philippines to rise and move to be a better nation!!!! Kudos Amiga Raisa!!!!!

DO YOU WANT A LIFE OF ABUNDANCE?

2010-09-07T06:24:00.000-07:00

I’m terrible when it comes to picking gifts for my wife.
The first gift I gave her was a dress. When I saw it, I thought it was beautiful. But when I gave it to her, I learned again the truth that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Because she said, “Oh Bo, I love you for giving me a dress. Thank you so much. But I suggest you stick to preaching. Your fashion sense is awful.” I pouted, “You mean you won’t wear the dress?” She smiled. “If I become suddenly suicidal, perhaps. In other words, I won’t be caught alive wearing that thing.”
But last month, I hit the jackpot. I finally bought her a birthday gift she really adored. I bought her a book. But it was no ordinary book.
It was a gigantic 1000 page book containing beautifully stunning pictures of the most gorgeous places all over the world. She loved the book because I wrote on the first page, “Sweets, when our kids are grown up, I’ll bring you to these places.” She loved the book because it wasn’t just a book. It was a promise. I promised, “I’ll grow old with you. I’ll stay with you forever. I’ll love you forever.” Because I wasn’t really giving a book. I was really giving myself. My marriage is abundant because these past 11 years, I’ve been giving my time, effort, attention, and energy to my marriage. Here’s what I learned: Life is not one bucket.

Life Is A Collection Of Buckets

You can’t expect abundance in one bucket when you’re giving into another bucket. Some religious people think that if they give their time to their religious bucket, their family life will be abundant too. That won’t happen. I’ve met a lot of religious people who are always in church, attending their religious activities, but they don’t give their time, attention, and energy to their family life. Thus, their family life is empty. They complain to God, “Lord, I gave my time to you! Why is my marriage suffering? Why is my relationship with my kids suffering?” Simple. Because life is not one bucket but a collection of buckets. If you want to harvest abundance in a particular area of your life, you have to plant in that specific bucket.Remember: Jesus said “Seek first the Kingdom of God…” If God is first, then there must be a second, a third, a fourth… Some people think God wants them to give all their time to Him and be in church all the time and serve in ministries—neglecting their jobs, businesses, and families. They reason that “because if I put God first, God will take care of all these anyway.” Not really.

Even Money

I met a woman recently who said, “Bo, for the past 22 years, I was serving the church fulltime. Without a salary. Today, I’m my 54, and I just realized I have no money for my old age. So I’m catching up, starting a small business and investing for the future.” In between the lines, I could tell that she was asking, “Lord, why didn’t you take care of me financially? I gave my life to you.” Many preachers I know simply tell people to give 10% to God. I’m one of the few preachers who tell people to give 10% to God (as a guide, not as a law) and also give 20% to their future in the form of paper assets, businesses, real estate, etc. Why? So that they can keep giving to God in their old age.
Let me state this again: I believe that God blesses us when we are generous to Him.But because we lack financial wisdom, many spiritual people simply consume all of His financial blessings. They spend it all. Instead of setting aside a portion and investing it for their future. If you want abundance in your finances, you need to give more time, effort, and energy into your financial bucket. Grow in financial wisdom, learn new skills, read financial books, attend financial seminars, and get financial mentors. So you see, financial abundance is much more than giving to your spiritual bucket. If you want to grow your money, you also need to give to your financial bucket as well.

Where Do You Want To Have Abundance?

Here’s my question.
What bucket of life do you want to experience God’s blessings and abundance? Another way of asking this question: Which bucket in your life is empty or lacking today?
Give to that specific bucket!
· If you want abundance in your “marriage bucket”, give time and attention and love to your spouse.
· If you want abundance in your “family bucket”, give more time and energy and patience to your children.
· If you want abundance in your “financial bucket”, give time to learn and invest in your financial future
· If you want abundance in your “spiritual bucket”, give your time, your service, and your tithes to God.

Season of Delay

Here’s my belief: When you give, you receive.
This is a law in our universe. You’ll even receive much more than what you gave. This is as sure as the sun rising tomorrow. This is 100% guaranteed.
Here’s the great mystery of life: When you give, you don’t lose. You gain.
People don’t see this.Why? Because between our giving and our receiving, there is a delay. If you want to receive the blessings of your giving, you need to be patient during the season of delay.
People expect instant returns. But the greatest things in life—a great marriage, a strong family, a happy friendship, financial freedom, and godly character—doesn’t happen instantly.When you plant, you don’t harvest right away. You have to enter into a season of delay.
So what do you do while you wait? Keep on giving.

Why Giving To God Is Crucial

Giving to God will train you to give in the other areas of your life. Personally, I don’t believe that tithing is a law for Christians. (Sorry, too long to explain.) But tithing is a great guideline and a fantastic training tool for greater giving. Because the first blessing of giving to God is not abundance but an abundance mentality. Without an abundance mentality, it’ll be difficult to receive abundance in every area of life.
I have a conspiracy theory.I believe that the entire physical and spiritual universe around you is conspiring, plotting, and conniving to give you massive abundance.One of the most difficult things to overcome is a scarcity mentality. That there’s a limited amount of blessings in the world.
God is an abundant God, not a God of scarcity.Today, I meet many people trapped in mediocrity and stagnation today because of their scarcity mentality. They think that God wants them to stay small, live small, and be small. I’ve met spiritual people who believe they should be poor. I’ve met good people who believe they should always remain in hardship because they are good people. I was like this for almost 20 years of my life. But when I was 30 years old, I changed my thinking. I decided I wanted to become a millionaire missionary. It was crazy but I believed it was possible.Today, I’m still a missionary. I run 9 non-profit organizations, doing beautiful work in the world. Only one pays me a salary. I can do that because I earn through my small businesses and other investments.I’ve broken out of that scarcity mentality. I believe God wants abundance for my life. And I believe God wants abundance for your life too. Have you ever met a parent who has a secret desire that their children suffer? Who prays, “Lord, please make my kids poor?” I doubt it. There are a few deranged parents out there, but a normal father and mother would want the best for their children.

God wants abundance for your life.

No, it’s not primarily money. Abundance is primarily about love. But I believe it includes money—but only so that we can love! Make Do With My Imperfect Love Last week, someone told me, “Bo, you’re so selfless.”
“No,” I told her, “I’m a selfish person.” I really am. I know myself!
But at least, I’m trying to love everyday of my life. Every morning, I pray, “Lord, help me to love the people you will send to my path.”
Before writing this article, I imagined you reading it and I prayed for you. Yes, I love you! My love is very imperfect, but you’ll have to make do with this imperfect love. This is all that I can offer you.
For the past 30 years, I’ve been trying to love people with this imperfect love. Let me share with you the 5 ministries for the poor that I’ve been involved in. And it’s true: When I gave love, I’ve received so much love. That’s been my experience…

Love abundantly.
And receive love abundantly as well.
May your dreams come true,
   Bo Sanchez

source
A climate mangles a rush myth.
http://freshhealtyfruit.blogspot.com

A True Story That Will Touch You Deeply

2010-09-02T23:01:00.000-07:00

I’m going to tell you a true story of a young woman who went through a most gruesome fire. When you read her story, you’ll realize that your trials are absolutely nothing compared to what this young girl went through.

It was September 25, 2000.Maricel Apatan was an 11-year old girl in Zamboanga.On that day, this little girl went with her uncle to draw water.Along the way, four men met them. They were carrying long knives. They told her uncle to face down on the ground. And they hacked him on the neck and killed him. Maricel was in total shock. Especially that the men were their neighbors. She tried to escape, but the men ran after her.She cried, “Kuya, ‘wag po, ‘wag n’yo akong tagain! Maawa po kayo sa akin!” (“Don’t kill me! Have mercy on me!”) But they weren’t listening. With a long knife, a man slashed her on the neck too.Maricel fell to the ground and lost consciousness.When she woke up, she saw a lot of blood.She also saw the feet of the men around her, but she pretended to be dead.When they walked away, Maricel ran back home.Her Hands Were Hacked Too. But along the way, she saw that both her hands were falling off. Because the men hacked them too. She cried but she kept running. Sometimes, she’d faint and fall to the ground. But she’d regain consciousness and run again.When she was near her home, Maricel called her mother.Upon seeing her daughter, her mother screamed in terror. She wrapped her bloodied child in a blanket and carried her to the hospital.

Here was the problem: From her house to the highway, it was a 12-kilometer walk.It took them 4 hours just to reach the highway. When they arrived in the hospital, the doctors thought Maricel was going to die. But for 5 hours, they operated on her. It took 25 stitches to stitch together the long knife wound in her neck and back. Maricel barely survived.And she lost both of her hands.Ironically, the next day was Maricel’s birthday.

She was 12 years old.But alas, tragedy didn’t end there.Angels To The Rescue When they went home, they saw their home was gone. It was ransacked and burned down by the goons.Being very poor, Maricel’s family also didn’t have P50,000 for their hospital bills.

But God sent many angels along the way to help them.Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, a distant relative, paid for hospital bills and helped them bring the criminals to court. They were sentenced to prison.

Tahanan Ng Walang Hagdan helped her finish her studies.Today, she’s staying with the nuns at Regina Rosarii with Sr. Eppie Brasil, O.P.But this, I believe, is the incredible miracle. Instead of staying down, Maricel kept running. Instead of cursing God why she had no hands, she now uses her wrists in incredible ways that will boggle your mind. Maricel was cited as the most industrious, best in computer, and most courteous in the School for Crippled Children.

In 2008, she graduated from a course in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She even received a Gold medal for Arts and Crafts. Today, at 21 years old, Maricel is studying to be a Chef.

Yes, a Chef without hands. Nothing can stop this young lady from reaching her dream.

Real Winners Don’t Give Up!

Oh, it was a real gift. Because last Sunday, I invited Maricel to the Feast. We saw Maricel in front of us. And her joy, her smile, her radiance was amazing!

In lovely white Chef’s attire, I asked her to stand in front of the crowd. We cheered wildly.And then I led her to a table with lots of vegetables on it. I asked her to make a salad for me. Using only her wrists, she cut the vegetables and prepared a delicious salad.

I couldn’t help but cry. I looked around me and saw many crying too.
Because we were in front of an incredible winner.

Maricel Apatan

Don’t Lose Hope

Friend, are you a winner?

Stop focusing on your trial.

Stop focusing on your problems.

Right now, you may be undergoing fire.

Perhaps your marriage is being torn apart.

Perhaps you’re buried in a mountain of debt.

Perhaps the doctor said you’re never going to get well.

Perhaps your child is far from God.

Friend, don’t lose hope.

Don’t give up.

You will win the race.

You will win the prize!

In the fire, don’t be a carrot or an egg. Don’t weaken or harden. Rather, be a

coffee bean and let the fire set you free for action!

This fire will make you better.

This fire will make you grow.

This fire will make you succeed even more!

So focus on the finish line.

Focus on your dream.

Focus on the prize before you.

Stand up and keep running!

May your dreams come true,

From http://bosanchez.ph/winners-have-a-bias-for-action/

A Miracle

2009-10-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. 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 your 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 miracle you need."

That well dressed man was a surgeon specializing in neurosurgery. The operation was completed free of 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.

source
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Unless you became a child you will not enter heaven,Jesus said.... A child possesses innocence & has a little exposure yet possesses a large faith that can move mountains..

jerome paalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

A Stories To Live By - by Ann Wells

2009-10-14T22:23:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. "Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death. I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister's family lives. I thought about all the things that she hadn't seen or heard or done. I thought about the things that she had done without realizing that they were special. I'm still thinking about his words, and they've changed my life. I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them.

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event-such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market if I feel like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries without wincing. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as my party-going friends'.

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I'm not sure what my sister would have done had she known that she wouldn't be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food. I'm guessing-I'll never know.

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good Friends whom I was going to get in touch with-someday. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write-one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives.

And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special.

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is...a gift from God.

If you've received this it is because someone cares for you and it means there is probably at least someone for whom you care. If you're too busy to take the few minutes that it would take right now to forward this to ten people, would it be the first time you didn't do that little thing that would make a difference in your relationships? I can tell you it certainly won't be the last. I don't have to make up silly stories about people being hit by buses or crushed by falling disco balls for not sending this letter on. You've seen the result of this neglect in your own relationships that you have allowed to fade, dissolve, and fall into disrepair. Take this opportunity to set a new trend. Take a few minutes to send this to a few people you care about, just to let them know that you're thinking of them. It's even better if they're not the people you already correspond with every week. The more people that you send this to, the more blessed you will feel. And the better you'll get in reaching out to those you care about.

"You've got to dance like nobody's watching, and love like it's never going to hurt."

"People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there." - Unknown

"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
'Pooh!' he whispered.
'Yes, Piglet?' 'Nothing,' said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw.
'I just wanted to be sure of you.'"

source
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Everday is a blessing, everyone around you is a gift, everything has its time.. The important thing is you have loved and lived life to the fullness of your heart...This moment is the right time to take. Life is so short that you need to take every single moment always as a special occasion specially to the love of your life..

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealfruit.blogspot.com/

Can I See My Baby?

2009-10-14T00:23:00.000-07:00

"Real treasure lies not in what can be seen, but what cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known. Love sometimes no need to say much." An excerpt for an awesome inspirational short love story about the love of a mother for her child.

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped. The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window.

The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred. When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy...called me a freak."

He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.

The boy's father had a session with the family physician..."Could nothing be done?" "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured" the doctor decided. Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man.

Two years went by. One day, his father said to the son, "You're going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret," said the father. The
operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs.

Later he married and led the diplomatic service. One day, he asked his father, "Who gave me the ears? Who gave me so much? I could never do enough for him or her." "I do not believe you could, "said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know...not yet." The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come. One of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal the mother had no outer ears. "Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," his father whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they"?

REMEMBER...

Real treasure lies not in what can be seen, but what cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known. Love sometimes no need to say much.

Read the following, it's meaningful If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the lost for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family, an unwise investment indeed.

FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER,(I) (L)OVE (Y)OU

source
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Nobody cares more than a family you have. Take care & love your family for they are the only ones who will stand by your side..

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.co

Father's Eyes

2009-10-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

Bob Richards, the former pole-vault champion, shares a moving story about a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart. Practice after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games, this hopeful athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played. This teenager lived alone with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship.

Even though the son was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands cheering. He never missed a game. This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to. But the young man loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior.

All through high school he never missed a practice nor a game but remained a bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands, always with words of encouragement for him.

When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he did. The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always puts his heart and soul to every practice, and at the same time, provided the other members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed.

The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed to the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and was sent season tickets for all the college games. This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at college, but he never got to play in a game.

It was the end of his senior football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram. The young man read the telegram and he became deathly silent.

Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice today?" The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on Saturday."

Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines, the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back so soon. "Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today," said the young man. The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted is worst player in this close playoff game.

But the young man persisted, and finally feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can go in." Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed, blocked, and tackled like a star.

His team began to triumph. The score was soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and ran all the way for the winning touchdown. The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders. Such cheering you never heard.

Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said, "Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic! Tell me what got into you? How did you do it?"

He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my dad died, but did you know that my dad was blind?" The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games, but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I could do it!"

souce
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A father's love never loses his sights to his son... A son who sees his father's faith will never give up the extra ordinary thing...
jerome pagalan
http://freshhealtfruit.blogspot.com/

Kindness Pays

2009-10-11T22:29:00.000-07:00

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his
way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was
hungry.

He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost
his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she replied "Mother has taught us never to
accept payment for a kindness." He said... "Then I thank you from my
heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt; stronger physically,
but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give
up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors
were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in
specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in
for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor's gown he we nt in to see her. He recognized her
at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best
to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the
business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked
at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room.
She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her
life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught; her
attention on the side as She read these words.....

"Paid in full with one glass of milk." (Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
GOD, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands."

source
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A person in need is a person indeed.. Kindness offered doesn't says but will be heard in due time...

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

Acts of Kindness By Patricia C Behnke

2009-09-30T23:59:00.000-07:00

We do not always know how those little acts of kindness have left an imprint on those around us.

We forget in the every day bustle of our lives to remember the little things we do are often the ones that remain unforgettable.

Sometimes little acts of kindness can become giant deeds to the recipient and can make all the difference in the world. And we may not even have realized what we have done.

When I was eighteen I decided I knew everything there was to know in the world and graduated from high school with a brick, not a chip, on my shoulder and a mental block the size of a cement block.

By the time of my graduation open house, I think my mother had actually stopped speaking to me. I had rented an apartment in Ann Arbor, 30 miles from my parents, and had gotten a job as a clerk typist for a large corporation. Now in my mother’s world a daughter didn’t do this kind of thing. I was supposed to live at home and work or go to college and receive my Mrs. Degree.

But I had no use for college or for anyone’s advice and believe me, when I’d made up my mind on something, my family had learned in a mere 18 years, to leave me alone.

Enter my high school government teacher. He was the only one who took a few moments to try and talk to me.

“You’re far too smart to not go to college,” he told me at my open house. He had practically pushed me into a chair in my parents’ living room and he sat on the ottoman at my feet. “You’ll not be happy as a clerk typist.”

He refused to let me protest and tell how worldly I was having grown up in a town with a population of 1,200. I still lived across the street from the old hospital where I had been born.

Because he took those few moments with me, I began to reevaluate. I kept remembering his words. They weren’t a command or a question, but a statement. And because he had bothered with me at all, I began to open my mind to other possibilities. By the following January I was enrolled in college and within 4 years was back substitute teaching at my alma mater.

And my mother was speaking to me again.

When my mother contracted double pneumonia four years ago, I wasn’t sure when I should go back to Michigan. She had a 50/50 chance for survival and my brothers and sister-in-laws didn’t know what to tell me.

One of my sister-in-laws went to the doctor and said, “Her daughter is in Florida. When do we tell her to come?”

He didn’t hesitate. “Now.”

I arrived within 24 hours with my mother still trying to pull out of it and still conscious. She nearly pulled the IV out of her arm reaching for me when I walked into her room.

I never thanked that doctor for his act of kindness. He probably has no idea what it meant to me to arrive at my mother’s bedside while she still knew I was there.

I never thanked my government teacher either. And I don’t know how to reach him now.

But I can thank the friend who took the time this weekend to listen to me and offer advice. It only took a few minutes of his time, and he probably doesn’t even know how important it was to me, but it provided me with a lifeline. He knows who he is, and I appreciate his kindness.

Those acts of kindness need not be with someone we know. A simple smile, a grateful word, a slowing of our pace to let someone else go first in line at the grocery store. We probably do many of these things unconsciously, but try to consciously help someone and the benefits are tremendous.

Not only does the recipient benefit from those precious few moments, but also we can leave our own lives for a moment and think of someone else for a change.

It’s better than aspirin as a reliever of pain.

source
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Do you believe that there is a super natural being always telling us what really make us happy & peace? yes, there is..act of kindness that we see in every person we meet..

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

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A 'Yes' Face by Charles Swindoll

2009-09-26T20:20:00.000-07:00

During Thomas Jefferson's presidency he and a group of travelers were crossing a river that had overflowed its banks. Each man crossed on horseback fighting for his life. A lone traveler watched the group traverse the treacherous river and then asked President Jefferson to take him across. The president agreed without hesitation, the man climbed on, and the two made it safely to the other side of the river where somebody asked him: "Why did you select the President to ask this favor?" The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the President of the United States who had carried him safely across. "All I know," he said, "is that on some of your faces was written the answer 'No' and on some of them was the answer 'Yes.' His was a 'Yes' face."

"The most significant decision I make each day is my choice of an attitude. When my attitudes are right there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme and no challenge too great." - Charles Swindoll

SOURCE

BE ON THE SAME TRACKS OF SOME SUCCESSFUL INDIVIDUALS - LEARNED FROM THEM... THEY HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE TOWARDS LIFE & IT BROUGHT THEM TO THEIR LIVES THEY WANTED NOW

jerome pagalan

http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

Marriage One Liner

2009-09-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops.

Love is blind but marriage is an eye-opener.

There are two times a man does'nt understand a woman, before marriage and after marriage!

A successful husband is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. A successful woman is one who can find such a man!

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband. A man never worries about his future until he gets a wife!

A man will pay $2.00 for a $1.00 item he wants. A woman will pay $1.00 for a $2.00 item she does not want!

Married man live longer than a single man, but married man are lot more willing to die!

If your dog is barking at the back door and your wife is yelling at the front door, who do you let in first? The Dog of course...at least he'll shut up after you let him in!

A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the begining of a new argument.

Any married man should forget his mistakes because there is no use in remembering two people the same thing.

Before marriage, a man yearns for the woman he loves. After marriage, the "y" becomes silent.

I asked my wife, "Where do you want to go for our anniversary?" She said, "Somewhere I have never been!" I told her, "How about the kitchen?"

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little. To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all !

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he does'nt. A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change and she does.

She ran after the garbage truck, yelling, "Am I too late for the garbage?" Following her down the street I yelled, "No, jump in!"

Marriage is an institution in which a man loses his Bachelor's Degree and the woman gets her Masters.

A husband said to his wife, "No, I don't hate your relatives. In fact, I like your mother-in-law better than I like mine."

The honeymoon is over when the husband calls home to say he'll be late for dinner and the answering machine says it is in the microwave.

A little boy asked his father, "Daddy, how much does it cost to get married?" And the father replied, "I don't know, son, I'm still paying for it."

A man said his credit card was stolen but he decided not to report it because the thief was spending less than his wife did.

A man who muttered a few words in the church, found himself married. A year later he muttered something in his sleep and found himself divorced!

Marriage is like a mousetrap. Those on the outside are trying to get in. Those on the inside are trying to get out.

Marriage puts a ring on a woman's finger and two under the man's eyes.

Marriage is a rest period between romances.

Bride: A woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her.

Don't marry for money, you can borrow it cheaper.

Getting married is similar to going to the restaurant with friends. You order what you want, and when you see what the other fellow has, you wish you had ordered that.

May you grow so rich your widow's second husband never has to worry about a living. - God forbid.

Marriage is a romantic story, in which hero dies in the first chapter."

Every man should get married some time; after all, happiness is not the only thing in life!!

Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others. -Oscar Wilde

I don't worry about terrorism. I was married for two years. -Sam Kinison

A psychiatrist is a person who will give you expensive answers that your wife will give you for free.

Men have a better time than women; for one thing, they marry later; for another thing, they die earlier. -H. L. Mencken

Love is holding hands in the street. Marriage is holding arguments in the street.

TV has no place in love. Marriage is a fight for remote control.

Love is dinner in your favorite restaurant. Marriage is a take home packet.

Love is talking about having children. Marriage is talking about getting away from children.

Love is cuddling on a sofa. Marriage is one of them sleeping on a sofa.

In love you go to bed early. After marriage, you go to sleep early.

SOURCE
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MARRIAGE IS BOTH LOVE & SACRIFICE... IT HAS TWO DIFFERENT STORIES - THIS GIVES LIFE... ITS PURPOSE IS TO FILL THE ONE'S LACKNESS & CONSUMING ONE ANOTHER'S GIFTS

PS. MARRIAGE IS A TWO DIFFERENT WORLD THAT WORKS AS ONE INSPITE OF THE DIFFERENCES..

jerome pagalan

http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

GRAPES

2009-09-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

The combination of crunchy texture and dry, sweet, tart flavor has made grapes an ever popular between meal snack as well as a refreshing addition to both fruit and vegetable salads. American varieties are available in September and October while European varieties are available year round.
Grapes are small round or oval berries that feature semi-translucent flesh encased by a smooth skin. Some contain edible seeds while others are seedless. Like blueberries, grapes are covered by a protective, whitish bloom. Grapes that are eaten as is or used in a recipe are called table grapes as opposed to wine grapes (used in viniculture) or raisin grapes (used to make dried fruit).

Health Benefits

Grapes contain beneficial compounds called flavonoids, which are phytonutrients that give the vibrant purple color to grapes, grape juice and red wine; the stronger the color, the higher the concentration of flavonoids.
These flavonoid compounds include quercitin, as well as a second flavonoid-type compound (falling into the chemical category of stilbenes)called resveratrol. Both compounds appear to decrease the risk of heart disease by:

Reducing platelet clumping and harmful blood clots
Protecting LDL cholesterol from the free radical damage that initiates LDL's artery-damaging actions

Grapes and products made from grapes, such as wine and grape juice, may protect the French from their high-fat diets. Diets high in saturated fats like butter and lard, and lifestyle habits like smoking are risk factors for heart disease. Yet, French people with these habits have a lower risk of heart attack than Americans do. One clue that may help explain this "French paradox" is their frequent consumption of grapes and red wines.

Protection Against Heart Disease

In a study in which blood samples were drawn from 20 healthy volunteers both before and after they drank grape juice, researchers found several beneficial effects from their juice consumption.
First, an increase occured in levels of nitric oxide, a compound produced in the body that helps reduce the formation of clots in blood vessels. Second, a decrease occurred in platelet aggregation, or blood clotting, by red blood cells. Lastly, researchers saw an increase in levels of alpha-tocopherol, an antioxidant compound that is a member of the vitamin E family, and this increase was accompanied by a 50% increase in plasma antioxidant activity.
These findings confirmed the benefits found in an earlier study, where researchers found not only an increase in blood antioxidant activity, but also discovered that grape juice protected LDL cholesterol from oxidation, a phenomenon that can turn LDL into an artery-damaging molecule. (Although LDL is often called the "bad" form of cholesterol, it is actually benign and only becomes harmful after it is damaged by free radicals or "oxidized."
Additionally, investigators have found that phenolic compounds in grape skins inhibit protein tyrosine kinases, a group of enzymes that play a key role in cell regulation. Compounds that inhibit these enzymes also suppress the production of a protein that causes blood vessels to constrict, thus reducing the flow of oxygen to the heart. This protein, called endothelin-1, is thought to be a key contributing agent in the development of heart disease.
A study published in the journal Hypertension sheds new insight on the mechanisms of action through which resveratrol inhibits the production of the potent blood vessel constrictor, endothelin-1 (ET-1). Resveratrol appears to work at the genetic level, preventing the strain-induced expression of a gene that directs the production of ET-1. Normally, ET-1 is synthesized by endothelial cells (the cells comprising the lining of blood vessel walls) in response to free radicals formed as a result of strain or stress. Resveratrol prevents the expression of ET-1, at least in part, by significantly lessening free radical formation, thus preventing the production of the agents that, in turn, activate the signaling pathways that control the creation of ET-1.

SOURCE
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That is why we have grapes...so try to eat as many as you can..

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

If You Really Pay Attention

2009-09-22T21:20:00.000-07:00

Listen To Reading!

When I was a little bitty kiddy, about five, my Dad began a process … anytime somebody came and said something to us, my dad would say, "You remember what he said, honey girl?” I would tell my father what the person said until I got so good at it that I could repeat verbatim even long presentations of what the person had said.

And he did this all the time.

Finally, one day there was this old gentleman, Richard Thompson. I still remember his name, he lived across the street. And every time my Dad started to mow the lawn, there came Mr. Thompson. And so I would stand out there.

Dad says, “You might come and listen to this man, honey girl. He’s pretty interesting.” And so I listened to him, and then my dad would say, “What did you hear him say?” And I would tell him.

Well, eventually I was repeating all the stories he liked to share with my dad verbatim. I knew them all by heart.

And my Dad says, “You’re getting pretty good at that. But did you hear his heart?" And I thought, what? So I went around for days with my ear to people's chest trying to hear their hearts.

Finally my Dad created another learning situation for me by asking my mother to read an article from the newspaper. He says “Well, I guess if you want to understand that article, you have to read between the lines."

I thought, "Oh, read between the lines. Hear between the words."

So the next time I listened to Mr. Thompson’s stories, I tried to listen between the words. My Dad said, “I know you know his story, but did you hear his heart?” And I said, "Yes. He is very lonely and comes and shares his memories with you again and again because he’s asking you to keep him company in his memories."

It just came out of me. In other words, my heart echoed his heart.

And when you can listen at that level, then you can hear not only the people. If you really pay attention, you can hear what the Universe is saying.

--Paula Underwood, clan mother of the Turtle clan, Iroquois nation

SOURCE
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FORTHE MOUTH SPEAKS WHAT FILLS IN THE HEART

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

The Interview With God

2009-09-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

"Come in," God said. "So, you would like to interview Me?"

"If you have the time," I said.

God smiled and said:
"My time is eternity and is enough to do everything;
what questions do you have in mind to ask me?"

"What surprises you most about mankind?"

God answered:
"That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.
That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.
That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present,
    such that they live neither for the present nor the future.
That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived."

God's hands took mine and we were silent for while and then I asked:
"As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?"

God replied with a smile:
"To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can do is to let themselves be loved.
To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives.
To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.
    All will be judged individually on their own merits, not as a group on a comparison basis!
To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.
To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love,
    and that it takes many years to heal them.
To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.
To learn that there are persons that love them dearly,
    but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings.
To learn that money can buy everything but happiness and salvation.
To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it totally different.
To learn that a true friend in someone who knows everything about them and likes them anyway.
To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others,
    but that they have to forgive themselves."

I sat there for awhile enjoying the moment.
I thanked Him for his time and for all that He has done for me and my family, and He replied:
"Anytime. I'm here 24 hours a day. All you have to do is ask for me, and I'll answer."

People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.

source

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Try to learn to what God wanted us to learn !

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

2009-09-20T03:51:00.000-07:00

Fruit for Breakfast -The Secret To Healthy Living by Robb Ksiazek

Do you want more energy? How about more of the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that your body craves? Try eating fruit for breakfast! Fresh fruit – apples, grapefruit, strawberries, cherries, oranges, kiwi, melon, and grapes all count. In fact, any fruit works – and there are so many to choose from. Eating fruit for breakfast will get you on the road to having a healthier body right away without having to pump a lot of iron at the gym or take sketchy supplements.

Why diet on fruit for breakfast you ask? Well, to make it simple, fruit in its raw form is exactly what your body needs for energy. It is easy to digest and the sugar from fruit (glucose) is in the form that your body can easily turn into energy. Instead of your body putting a lot of energy towards digestion and turning the food into a useable form of fuel, it is already in an easily digestible form. The energy goes straight to you. Eating nothing but fruit until lunchtime – however much you want, is a sure fire way to lose weight and become more healthy, almost immediately.

How about a glass of juice – is that the same as eating an orange? Not really and here is why. Most juice that you purchase at the grocery store is pasteurized. This means that it is heated to a high temperature to kill any bacteria and make the shelf life longer. During this process of heating, many of the wonderful enzymes in the juice are destroyed. Not to mention that many juices are filled with preservatives and sweeteners and are made from concentrates – not the same as eating a fresh orange to your stomach or body! You’re better off with the real thing!

Try making a smoothie – here is a recipe that I find very refreshing.

    - 5 to 6 fresh strawberries
    - 1/3 fresh cantaloupe
    - 1/2 cup of fresh pineapple
    - 1 fresh kiwi (peeled)
    - About 1 cup of orange juice – not from concentrate

      (ed. note - ice if desired)

Blend all ingredients until smooth – and then enjoy! Making these delicious treats are a healthy way to start the day, improve your health, and lose weight!

If you’re not sure about eating fruit for breakfast – try it and see how wonderful you feel. If you aren’t convinced, eat a normal breakfast – eggs, pancakes, or a bowl of cereal and see how you feel after eating fruit for a week. It will probably shock you with how tired and lethargic this food makes you feel in the mornings. So, get your metabolism started the right way in the morning – enjoy a bowl of fresh fruit and start to feel better the old-fashioned way! Bon Appetite!

source

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Go and pick it !

jerome pagalan

http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com//

PS.. It's one breakfast juice you'd love

A Little Juicy!

2009-09-20T01:27:00.000-07:00

A young man goes into a drug store to buy condoms.

The pharmacist says the condoms come in packs of 3, 9 or 12 and asks which the young man wants.

"Well," he said, "I've been seeing this girl for a while and she's really hot. I want the condoms because I think tonight's "the" night. We're having dinner with her parents, and then we're going out. And I've got a feeling I'm gonna get lucky after that."

"Once she's had me, she'll want me all the time, so you'd better give me the 12 pack."

The young man makes his purchase and leaves.

Later that evening, he sits down to dinner with his girlfriend and her parents. He asks if he might give the blessing and they agree. He begins the prayer, but continues praying for several minutes.

The girl leans over to him and says, "You never told me that you were such a religious person."

The boy leans over to her and whispers, "You never told me that your father is a pharmacist."

source

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Haha..Don't talk too much to people you don't even know!

jerome pagalan

http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

The Fruit of Life - Apples

2009-09-20T01:18:00.000-07:00

Apples are more more than just a pretty fruit, they can also help you put a halt to the pound pillage. According to International Gold Gym registered dietician Tammi Flynn, theres a link between apples and fat loss. Apples and exercise are keys to healthy living. Eating an apple before each meal, combined with a low-fat diet and exercise three times a week, can help you lose fat more quickly.
Because apples fill you up fast, you eat less...
Apple fiber decreases the transit time of food in your digestive system. Plus, apples help to keep you hydrated. The natural enzymes found in apples help your body efficiently digest food that you eat.

The sugar in apples - It satisfies your sweet cravings without spiking your blood glucose level up and down like sweets.
Eating an apple before each meal - It's part of the fives recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. One medium apple about the size of a tennis ball is considered one serving of fruit.

source

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Go and pick one!

Save Now

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

Thanks for Your Time

2009-09-19T23:57:00.000-07:00

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.

Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday."

Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.

"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.

"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.

"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.

"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important... Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.

The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.

Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time.

The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture... Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked.

"The box is gone," he said.

"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.

Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention.

"Mr. Harold Belser" it read.

Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most...was...my time."

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet... thanks for your time!"

source

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AS A PERSON OUR TIME TAKES ONLY & PASSES ONLY ONCE-- WE DON'T HAVE INSTANT REWINDS!

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

A dried fruit - Touching life story.....

2009-09-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily,he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book. Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he deceived a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible.It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,and the words...PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? source --------------- A father's loves will always has his own special ways.. a son would only realize and understands his ways when he becomes a father..What pains left in the years passed should be patched up or everthing would come too late.... jerome pagalan http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/ http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

The Window" (Author unknown))

2009-09-19T05:40:00.000-07:00

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and   families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should hehave all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He   began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - and that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man   watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence--deathly silence.

The following morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his   first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

Moral of the story:

The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice...it is a positive attitude we consciously choose to express. It is not a gift that gets delivered to our doorstep each morning, nor does it come through the window. And I am certain that our circumstances are just a small part of what makes us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will never find lasting joy.

The pursuit of happiness is an inward journey. Our minds are like   programs, awaiting the code that will determine behaviors; like bank vaults awaiting our deposits. If we regularly deposit positive, encouraging, and uplifting thoughts, if we continue to bite our lips just before we begin to grumble and complain, if we shoot down that seemingly harmless negative thought as it germinates, we will find that there is much to rejoice about.

source

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Selfless for others, respect for others, is should be.. Our life's purpose is not about us rather it is about others!

jerome pagalan
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/

THE FRUIT of DETERMINATON

2009-09-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

In 1883, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before.

Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.

Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge.

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.

"We told them so."
"Crazy men and their crazy dreams."
"It`s foolish to chase wild visions."

Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever.

He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment.

It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.

He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.

For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man's indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do.

Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal.

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realised with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are.

Even the most distant dream can be realized with determination and persistence.

SOURCE

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IF YOU PERSIST IN REACHING YOUR GOALS IN LIFE - SUCCEEDED IT WITH FULL DETERMINATION INSPITE OF ANY OBSTACLES YOU MAY ENCOUNTER..AT THE END OF THE DAY, SUCCESS IS VERY SWEET...

Jerome Pagalan

http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/
http://freshhealthfruit.blogspot.com/