Manji ( my dearest friend from Shell) always sends me these messages almost everyday. She used to send this to my HP address and I made a special request to send it to my alternative email add the moment I left HP.

The Secret to Managing Frustrations “A man’s wisdom gives him patience…” (Proverbs 19:11 NIV).

It’s amazing how fifteen minor frustrations at the office can add up to one big, bad attitude by the time you head for home. Frustrations come in three varieties: 1. Interruptions: Unexpected visitors or phone calls when you have a deadline to meet or something important requires your attention. Our best plans are often interrupted. 2. Inconveniences: While interruptions are usually from people, inconveniences are usually situations involving things: the copy machine breaks down, traffic jams up, or you can’t find what you need when you need it. 3. Irritations: Long delays, unreliable people, playing telephone tag, catching a cold, obnoxious clients, etc. But the truth is you can’t eliminate these. No doubt you’ll face all three varieties this week, but you can keep them from stressing you out. What’s the secret of managing your frustrations? Don’t resist it, but don’t overreact or blow up. Don’t resent it; don’t internalize you anger. Don’t resign to it; don’t have a pity-party. Instead, reduce it. Treat it as insignificant. Put the frustration into proper perspective. It’s just a minor setback, a part of living, no big deal! It’s certainly not worth a heart attack. Follow these rules for stress management:
• RULE #1: Don’t sweat the small stuff.
• RULE #2: Realize it’s all small stuff! The Bible says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience…” (Proverbs 19:11 NIV). The only way we can see all stuff as small stuff is to view it from God’s perspective. When I am in tune with God, I remember he has everything under control even though I don’t! So I don’t have to sweat it:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV).

Pray this prayer: “Lord, help me to be filled with your love, joy, and peace, so that when I’m squeezed and pressured it is your love, joy, and peace that spill out of me.”

1. for the daily dose of wisdom

sangkatutak na excel formulas and linkages- i know that excel is so powerful, it requires a powerful brain too. i have an observation–i’ve been through 2 aussie bosses- and they are both inclined to do work automation. Hmmm…Excel here i come and goodluck to me. I am pretty excited of the new things I will be learning- Tips and Tricks anyone?

2. For stock trading- ang aking bagong pinagkakaabalahan. Monitoring stock movements which has been unpretty these past days. It means though that it is best tmie to buy provided at the right price! We had our first 2 lot ( meaning 2000 stocks) bought at 1.09 per share, it is related to real estate stocks which is most likely to boom in SG! Hopefully…While EU economy is diminishing, stocks are in trouble but as the cliche say, whatever comes down, will go up in the future!

3. for the daily dose of inspiration and moments to take my breath away! Oh, extremely thankful that I am alive, healthy and happy! oh, yeah, di ko pa po birthday —–Chuck’s will be soon

ang 1st of May- and my stomach is still bulging. I am yet 52 kgs and there ain’t hope to pull this down. Di bale, there is a way to hide the bel bel off.

So what I have been praying for?

- That God give me the patience to focus on the good things and give other people the benefit of the doubt. Masakit ni sa dughan. But then, there are a lot of wonderful things happening around me that is worth focusing on.
- That God will grant Pem’s desire to work in SG
- That I will make sense to my new job and will enjoy it.
- That Toni’s health will improve.

The guilt feeling doesn’t wears off.
I apologized to Chy for being a bitchy mom to her. I am not supposed to flare up that way. She is just a kid. My God, I apologize. I was too much.

She reminded me that it is almost Mother’s Day and that she is preparing a card for me ( hahahha..it was supposed to be a class secret)

I love you my daughter….I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you.

of Cheyenne’s caretaker. Please good heavens hear me.
I need someone to look closely on her now. She needs close monitoring. I need her full health back. Haaaay….
I am so irritated of other kid’s stupid un-hygienic practice. I can’t let my daughter go on like this. She needs to eat the food she likes which I believe are healthy stuffs. I just can’t go on like this.

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The good heavens answered my call. My sister Naksi is coming to Singapore soon!
Thank you, dear!
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Alright, I need a new flat! Oh, my …we have finally grown here in SG. But one thing to pray for—-for Pemz job to get confirmed and so I will finally move over to a new place. I indeed have loads of stuffs running through my mind. I need to offload. I am overwhelmed.
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On another note, I thank my guts sometimes but this fearless guts also leads me to trouble. I am in horrible CONFUSION.
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In conclusion, I am in definite need of Chy’s caretaker and perhaps mine? ( Lord, please show me the way, I know you have the answers in the right time)

( got this from Emy’s facebook notes)

when we are too well-pleased with ourselves
when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, because we sailed too close to shore.

Disturb us, O Lord

when with the abundance of things we possess,
we have lost our thirst for the water of life
when, having fallen in love with time,
we have ceased to dream of eternity
and in our efforts to build a new earth,
we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim.

Stir us, O Lord

to dare more boldly, to venture into wider seas
where storms show Thy mastery,
where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.

In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes
and invited the brave to follow.

Amen.

By Sir Francis Drake, who along with being a sixteenth century explorer, adventurer, and legal pirate was also the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. He wrote this prayer during a voyage.

Obviously , I liked it.

the lazy weekend although I was absent from badminton today . I had to let Chy catch up with sleeping time. She has been sleeping late for the past 2 nights for our family movie nights. We watched State of Play Friday night and she was bored so she ended up enjoying her new HP Mini Notebook!. Saturday night was Star Trek . Both were impressive. We had a mid Saturday movie drama, And I love you so, not bad as well. I long for comedy this time, gusto ko nalang tumawa para ma entertain ako, ayaw ko na ng drama, bec I really dont want Chy to get that habit of me crying over movies.

Our luggage is almost ready, I mean 80-90% maybe. Packing was seamless as I had dada take care of his stuffs and Chy’s was easier to decide on. Except that she insisted to bring along her fave Disney tea party toys. We might have a tea party on the plane. Maybe the reason why packing comes in a breeze to me is that I have been used to this since November, from US to PHILS now AUSSIE. I never dreamt/planned any of these travels, so these opportunities comes to me as a GIFT. I will savor every moment of this!

Thanks Lord for the excitement and surprises in this lifetime! Thanks for keeping us SAFE.

Last Saturday after mass, we went out to eat ice cream after dinner. Andersens of Denmark is nicely created- we are surely coming back and grab one of these treat!

That is my exact feeling at this stage of my career.
To go up on stage with this feeling made me misty -eyed.

I thank Sandra for documenting my journey at the awards night.

Lord, this is not me- this is You and me together in this journey! And I continue to sing my songs of Thanksgiving!

All done!
1. Letter to Canada immigration in Manila for our withdrawal of application - they will come back to me on the eligibility of my refund . I hope they give back the PHP56k. Pls..I waited for 4 years without any results yet. Pls, I plead. I hope I am still lucky. I can’t resist comparing this to my Oz application. How slow this one was and how fast Oz was! Lucky to have granted our visa in 1 yr and 7 months! Fabulous!

2. Oz visa evidence on our passports- done in less than 30 mins. Wow…Very efficient, I sort of cannot resist comparing their processes to my country’s embassy. Like I waited for an hour to collect my renewed passport last month. And it was just mere collection.

3. Tickets to Australia- although I haven’t really sorted out whether am still with HP by that time or I would have leave credits, we booked the tickets anyway. It is Singapore Airlines at their promo rates- I can’t resist! And men—-the accommodation on this airline is a knock out! I don’t mind the Airbus 380. Hahahha. And for a 7 hour flight - it is something we are giggling of. We are USD1700 poorer though.

4. Tickets to HK via CEBU PACIFIC - Well, it was the one -peso sale so, I don’t mind paying USD100 for a round trip ticket for 3 ( SG-MLA-HK-MLA) Imagine! It is for 3! It would be Chuck’s bday celebration!

5. Samsonite at 40% off. Whew. Chuck was very aggressive when he decided for this. He said- ” I don’t mind paying the bucks- we will be traveling a lot! ” We got it as soon as my US visa was approved.

Lord, there is one thing- Pls keep us safe in all our flights. And pls guide our pilots along the way. These are long flights, pls don’t make them sleep and pls. guide them not to forget to land to their airport of destination. ( I refer to the latest incident of QantasNorthwest pala)

When you become grateful, you attract more of what you’re grateful for.

Gratitude is a blessings magnet.

This is an excerpt of Bo Sanchez message in his blog. I like reading the simple and practical thoughts shared in his site- and there are always magical words I could relate to. I am truly inspired.

I pray for all those who blessed me in many ways- that God continues to nourish them.

My Ate Lalaine- who showered me with love and generosity.
My Ate Day and Kuya Jo- for the understanding and generosity.
My Titas- who cherished the person I become and is so proud of me.
My Teachers- who believed in my capacity to achieve my full potential.
My Friends- who shared laughters, pain , victory and failures- who were always there.

I had my shares of misfortunes too- but I learned so much from it. And I know- I am nothing now without the hurdles of the past. Yes, am also grateful.

I noticed that there were so many people surrounding me while growing up who were so generous of their time, praise, resources to me. And I know why God sends somebody like them…

I have realized this in the past and It brings me down to my knees and cry of this utmost JOY!

You are an all-knowing God. I will not stop loving you more and loving your creation.

Thank you Lord.

While i know it is- sometimes, it is just too hard to reconcile this fact with how my fellowmen is suffering back in my country. I am not even sure if HOPE is the word to remind them of. Some of them might have lose hope now but I pray that -God continues to strengthen them to survive each day, and this lifetime.

Aking kabayan, bangon.

Lord, please hear our prayers.

My World Vision family supports this relief- you could course through cash donations to WVDF in Philippines.

striking in all parts of the world.

Flood in Philippines, Tsunami in Samoa are one of the latest.
My heart is breaking. The news ain’t good these past days.
Welcome, to climate change, we earthling cannot catch up.

Let us do our thing- Please.
Donate old stuffs that other people can use- will be dropping some of our stuffs in Lucky Plaza.
(Attn: Pinoys & non-Filipinos in Singapore, the drop off points for typhoon Ondoy victims relief operations is at Afreight Cargo, #03-09 Lucky Plaza, Orchard Road. Please look for Maureen or Marilyn. Contact numbers: 6235-1011/91117855.)
Let us be at least paperless to save the trees. Say no when they want stuffs packed in plastic, you can bring your own bag instead.
Recycle as possible.

God, pls bless our land. This earth is the only planet we have.

woke up too late for work, I decided to work from home today. Atleast,I would still have to work- finish some reporting for next week’s preparations. Next week would be hectic for me- sudden visits from top and few more changes coming in.

Change.
I have convinced myself that maybe change is good, maybe. I have been browsing some internal openings so I could pursue to financial analysis - but sometimes, I just don’t get the drive anymore. Except that ……

Thankful
There is soooo much to be thankful for in my present state. I have a job that yields a decent amount of income monthly- our savings is healthy, our life here in SG is good, we are together, I can’t complain.
Only my personal struggles is what keeps me sluggish. I got to get up and speed up that motivation again.

I am feeling sluggish lately, yet, am loving life to the fullest- pwede pala yun.

I wasn’t been very tolerant. I got so paranoid over things surrounding me. I had my own views and I sort of became overly attentive on the nega side, I confess. I chose to whine over it- to such insignificant crap.

I would have just accommodated it and believe that there will be better days. How can I be so sensitively foolish. To the extent of becoming selfish, immature and inflexible. I am irritated of myself - am such a a “sirang plaka”, repeating my whines over and over—–why can’t I just stop , pause,thank…that——I have matured, that I could pray that I am luckiest….

There will be changes along the way. Sometimes -nakakalason ang reality, you wanted to save a treasure and the more you look closely to it- you will find that actually it wasn’t a gem at all. And you started getting bothered , not only once and it recurs- it is becoming unhealthy. The seemingly beautiful like an angel is freaking you out. I don’t know if it just me all along- I knew I was different but I was working hard- to be better and better, trying to be kinder ,more generous and more sincere. But there are hiccups, yeah - I should better know that - mostly provocation, a test of attitude. Much to that I call my hastiness. I could decide out of intuition- I could be in jovial mood one day and could do hasty decisions out from my emotion that leads to regrets in the long run. As what I told myself- I am on the process, life can never be smooth sailing all the time, conflicts are just around the corner- i just have to be ready of my responses.

And from Mangie today, “If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously” A gentle reminder.

I should share this to hubby- we are actually on same boat, we need this reminder.

I suddenly have the feeling of hitting the sand soon…I missed it. I better plan our weekend- hmmm..i will make it extra special. I wish to go out for a honeymoon again..Maybe in December

Ghie shared this to me.
“Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be
perfect and  complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4)

She is the kind of friend who seldom forward mails to me. And it is typically surprising to find one in my Inbox. It is indeed beautiful.

And I could relate this to what Resty sent to me through SMS about 2 weeks ago;

” God said: If you never felt pain , how would you know I’m a Healer, if you never felt sadness , how would you I’m a comforter. Child, if life is perfect, would you still know me? ”

LIFE is designed to be imperfect and no matter how you tweak it, it can never be otherwise. That is why- there is patience, endurance, understanding, kindness , love…It is indeed challenging to be human. However, I chose to live this than living a half-life.

Amidst the tremendous life challenges that is seemingly endless- I always find peace in knowing that I am a very pampered creation. Sometimes, i wonder - what I have done to deserve this amazing grace I experience everyday? There is always a beautiful circumstance that catches my breath away!