Is your Mom your Leader?

“A parent is a leader. It’s the most important leader in the world.”

Reading this from Bro. Bo Sanchez’ message made my mind ask so many things to myself.

I have not been so “me” lately!  I’ve been physically weak, ‘been wanting to still do a lot of things the usual that I used to, but there is this stinging unexplained pain somewhere that makes me stop just to give my body the chance to recuperate.

Good thing though, every time I stop, I ignite myself to claim for God’s healing. Humbly it would bring me to sobs because no matter how strong I want to remain, God might have been giving me such leeway for me to have that “breathing space” which would also give my kids the chance to affirm now that God is giving them “their turn” to make visible — the things that they’ve learned from their mom.

Parent as I am, I then ask myself: “had I been a good leader to my kids?”; “did I accomplish a task having been sent as a mother to them?”; “would my leadership make our kids whom God wants them to be?”

Too early as of yet to get some answer maybe … but I may just represent all the other parents out there who strive to keep that SPARK the best we could, no matter how much sacrifice we have to overcome each day; yet, just as Jesus said to his disciples, we parents do cry out for this too:

“Whoever loves me will keep my word; Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.” — JN 14:23-29

So for YOUths out there, as much as your parents strive to kindle their light to lead your way to God’s wisdom, may you also strive to ignite your “heart” not only to hear your parents’ voice but most importantly to “listen” to that “inspiration” coming from their deepest intention to make you a Very Inspired Person who would in turn be regarded as Very Inspiring Persons to others too – because there within your HOME, you’ve met your very first VIPs: Very Inspired & Inspiring Parents!

And to us parents, WE MAY BE WEAK AT TIMES but so long as we never turn “that spark OFF” we will always be God’s follower and our kids’ influencer! #sunset

“Leadership is intentional influence.” — Michael McKinne

Work Out that Pane

Source: Work Out that Pane

Just “Allow GOD!”

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Luke 4:21-30

Wag kang “umasa lang” … kasi baka masaktan ka!

Kung meron kang mga “sana” sa puso mo, MANIWALA KA!

— “maniwala ka” na pwedeng maging totoo ang bawat pagkakataon na

     gusto mong may mangyaring maganda, kesa sabihin mong “ayoko na!”

End of January na – THE DOOR of the YEAR!

For some of us, baka kakaumpisa pa lang ng 2016, parang ang dami na agad nangyari!

‘yong ni-#wish mo na i-#wow ka ng mga tao sa paligid mo dahil all the while alam mo sa sarili mo na you did #work the best you could – pero feeling mo NOBODY LIKED nor appreciated you — parang si Jesus lang in today’s Gospel – rejected in His own community:

And he said, “Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.

This month — which is named after the two-faced Roman god Janus for his simultaneous capability to look back, yet look ahead – could have been spent for deep reflections on how 2015 has been so that we would be able to identify our “for keeps”, for “let-go” and for “move-ons” in 2016 – otherwise, we would be cluttering on disorganized thoughts which would eventually show in our decision-making all throughout another year.

When despised and situations turn weary and “wackos” prevail, “Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away!” And you know what He did instead? — He went on cleansing, healing, curing and building bridges to the hearts of “those who believe and who open the door for progressive healing of their body & soul” – from then ‘till now!

Si Jesus, nasaktan din pero hindi sya “umasa lang” – HE DIVERTED POSITIVELY and NANIWALA Sya that HE HAD TO OVERCOME THE PAIN because many would want to be #blessed until this very year – all because of His “unfailing love”!

Sana kasama ka sa naniniwala na magkakaroon ka ng AMAZING 2016 habang sinasabi mo sa sarili mo na hindi ka “umaasa lang” dahil you are WOWED, you WISH and WORK with God’s heart. #sunset

 

MISSION IN YOUR “CORE”!

Cor Dei 27. 16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Mark 6:30-34

Can we not just LOVE and REACH OUT?

In our Last week’s Gospel, God told us that He is sending us to a mission but with the instruction to SIMPLIFY: take nothing for the journey but a walking stick!

If one day you’ll be face to face with God and He’ll ask you to report what you’ve done to fulfill such mission, what would you tell Him?

… would you brag that you did it all well, mission-accomplished?

… or would you complain that it was difficult, you’ve given up the mission?

… MINE WOULD BE these lines:

“Lord, IT HASN’T BEEN EASY po making others realize that there are certain things in their lives which they need to CUT OFF & CLEAN UP. Some of us have secured ourselves with position & possessions in life and authority that we find it demeaning to be humble to accept our mistake, not minding the harm that such pride is causing to some relationships. Some of us are not even cautious and reflective of the words that we say, the actuations that we show and the decisions that we abruptly make.

Lord, along the Mission, I did strive to be HAPPY – I always did! Despite some mis-interpretations from those you asked me to “mission-out”, at the end of each day, I would find every reason to write in my “thank you journal” my gratitude that i was able to triumph over the insults that I got because I chose to “lift up to YOU what I have no capacity to control at certain moments”.

Thank you so much Dear Lord for THE WALKING STICK that you allowed me to bring along this journey. Sometimes my eyes may not show some glow because I am struggling TO SIMPLIFY IN THE MIDST OF COMPLICATIONS but YOU KNOW that WITHIN MY HEART is the DEEP JOY because YOUR ASSURANCE of BEING IN MY LIFE is my REAL TREASURE which makes me STRIVE TO FULFILL A MISSION.

P.S. nga po pala Lord, Thank you SO MUCH for TRUSTING me on this opportunity – I CLAIM po that these persons you’ve assigned to me ARE ALREADY A WORK IN PROGRESS!” #end of my face-to-face talk with God!

 One day, BECAUSE GOD KNOWS how difficult it has been, He would tell us:

“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”

By then, the LEGACY of our sacrifices will be THE CORE of the persons we lovingly served because at the end of it all, they responded to MISSION-IN positive inner attitudes for themselves. #sunset

/@ProfGail67[twitter]/@gailmontero.47/blogs@trendingprof47.wordpress.com

*** Published in The Feast Bulletin, Issue #27.19 July 2015. SIMPLIFY Series. Talk 1: Treasure. MISSION-IN! by Gail S. Montero

THE REAL ESSENCE OF BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR!

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: MARK 6:7-13

If you make LOVE your motivation,

YOU CAN make this world a better place!

Yet, if you are an Entrepreneur, as I’ve said “YOU ARE” during the earlier part of this Series, YOU SHOULDN’T FALL in LOVE!

Ironic, right?

We wouldn’t really understand unless we STRIVE TO FEEL BEYOND!

Today’s Gospel while we also end this Series, SHOULD BE A GREAT REMINDER of what makes JESUS, ENTREPRENEUR: THE GREATEST BUSINESS MODEL IN THE WORLD.  

Looking into Jesus’ BUSINESS STRATEGY:

1. He REACHED OUT when He sent the 12 Apostles to perform cleaning-up tasks to the 12 tribes of Ancient Israel for whom [towards the future: Rev 21.21, 25-26] He prepared 12 Gates in the Four-Walled Glass City of God which are always open to welcome the glory of all the nations into it.
2. He TRUSTED & WORKED WITH A PARTNER when ⁷ He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
3. He GAVE ASSURANCE of His Presence with His Partners when ⁸ He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick.
4. He WAS CONCERNED about HOW THEY WOULD FEEL along the way that’s why He told His Partners ⁹ to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
5. He PROVIDED MOTIVATION — for He was sure that there will be REJECTION all along. ¹¹ Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet.
6. He OFFERED COMPROMISE & HEALING OF RELATIONSHIPs each time the Disciples anointed with oil those whose unclean spirits were cured.

NO ONE would ever find it easy to JUST GIVE-IN to somebody’s directives specially if along the way, we’re bringing with us the justifications of OUR PAST and the attitudes that we’ve already been used to, all the days of our life.

IN LOVE, we should STRIVE NOT TO FALL!

Falling in love is just an indication that we’re giving-in to that temptation of being impatient, stiff in understanding, EGO-CENTERED whose pride we protect against any insult because we are “in authority”, abusive, insensitive, unpredictable, hot headed, desirous of others’ approval in the midst several unrecognized pretenses which are at times at the expense of hurting another’s compromise.

IN LOVE, we should instead strive to GROW.

— no longer with our OLD SELF, no more of the baggage of the past

— enough of “doing our own thing” because we aren’t LONE-NOMADs!

God is SENDING US “TWO BY TWO” to train us TO THE REAL WORLD OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP – the LIFE that we’re ENTRUSTED WITH!

TWO-BY-TWO STARTS A FAMILY!

If WE CAN make LOVE our motivation,

WE CAN make this world a better place – but it SHOULD all begin @HOME!

— the perfect place to LEARN & EXPERIENCE that

THE REAL ESSENCE OF BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR

is to HUMBLY show that there is GROWTH IN OUR CHARACTER

and that WE are God’s presence to the people within OUR FAMILY!

Afterall, it’s never too late! WE STILL HAVE TODAY! Let’s MAXIMIZE TIME! #sunset

                                                                    If we make love our motivation!

/@ProfGail67[twitter]/@gailmontero.47/blogs@trendingprof47.wordpress.com

*published in The Feast SM Sta. Rosa Bulletin.Issue#26.12Juy2015

My Related Post: https://trendingprof47.wordpress.com/2015/07/09/god-sent-us-two-by-two/

God Sent us “Two by Two”!

Our paths had to meet for reasons we may not understand; and then  “Two by Two” — AS PARTNERS, God sent us TO FULFIL A MISSION and @ that, we need some alignments & compromise!

Gone should be the days when we “do things on our own, for our own”!

Gone should be the days when all that we consider is our own feelings and disregard what & how others would feel because we assert the “SELF” that we are. Normal as it usually is, along the journey, we’re bringing with us our BACK PACKS: fully loaded with reasons why we think, act & talk the way we do — some are our strengths; and some are our weaknesses which both make us Beautiful, endowed with the image and likeness of God.

Relationships matter! It could never be true that “lone nomads” never yearned to have somebody by their side! We may not be aware, but let’s be more ALERT of such “pretences” — for more often than not, we may just be too proud to make amends but the truth of the matter is that: we’re actually in unspeakable need of acceptance and concern and approval and praises and commendations and the likes — all of which would actually give us that sense of belongingness and worth as a person. Well, this is normal & there’s nothing to be ashamed of — BUT, we may tend to become egocentric if we would yearn to receive these favours “at the expense of”, or “in disregard of” the other’s equal needs like ours.

Family is the most important relationship we should STRIVE TO WORK FOR!

Sometimes, a Husband may not understand why his wife would get mad at him when out of his anger, he already forgot to be considerate in his actuations toward their kids. In the same way, Kids may not be able to fully grasp or may resist the many things their parents want them to understand.  Sometimes too, parents may not perceive the intended meaning of where their kids are coming from with the reactions that they give.  MANY TIMES AMIDST ALL THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS, “a Wife and a Mother at the same time” could only absorb and tolerate and manage that much.  Without everybody being sensible enough, some hearts could STRIVE TO MEND  — but yearning for an answer: how would we ever BREAKTHROUGH?

“Two by two” HE MADE US “PARTNERS”! — but why You and why Me? — Only God knows!

It could never be anybody’s fault why it had to be us!

So TWO-GETHER, we should never be each other’s opponent!

Then He made us PARENTS!

It will never be easy! — it actually never is!

Individually, we both have our own PASTS. our own USED-TO-BEs. our own good and bad EXPERIENCES which explain “THE WHO THAT WE ARE TODAY!”

We may justify that HABITS & ATTITUDES throughout those years have already been something we can never do without. — But the thing is, while Jesus is sending us off at PRESENT TIME, He doesn’t want us to bring anything — not anything from our past — except A PIECE OF STICK: OUR FAITH — GOD’S ASSURANCE that He would be with us every step of the way.

God wants our YOKE to be easy as we deal “hearts-on” to the Mission that He wants us to accomplish in OUR PRESENT LIFETIME — for it’s not only us whom He declared “partners” — but the “two of us” as His partners!

HOPEFULLY, may we see eye to eye &  feel heart to heart with Him  in all HUMILITY for us to willingly GROW IN-LOVE: THE KEY that would make EACH HOME one of the DOORS OF GOD’S UNFAILING LOVE!

OVERCOME YOUR FOCUS!

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: Mark 6:1-6

HINDI OPTION ANG SUMUKO!

Divide Single-Mindedness!

Ang dami-dami nating pwedeng makita kung hindi lang tayo nakatitig sa iISA!

Ang dami nating pwedeng maramdaman kung hindi lang iisang pakiramdam ang gusto nating pagbigyan.

…come to think of it, there are a lot of wonderful things, people & situations na dapat nating mapansin from sunrise to sunset … isama na natin ‘yong pagbangon natin sa madaling a raw:  even with our eyes closed, alam natin na naandyan pa din ‘yong family natin — na despite some imperfections ay  pwede pa din nating maging dahilan kung bakit tayo bumabangon; at si God, ang daming inihandang opportunities para sa atin sa loob ng buong maghapon.

Problem lang is …

we never get to see those wonders kasi we opted to FOCUS our attention to our own assumptions which make us feel that we’ve got to do a lot of “proving our SELF” to people whom we think “never appreciate us!”

we are NOT AWARE of our OWN SHORTCOMINGS because we keep on FINGER-POINTING that our pains are all because of what others have done.

Kaya naman in effect … 

we are no longer aware na ‘yong totoo, tayo yong hindi na nakaka-appreciate sa mga pagre-reach out na ginagawa ng iba towards us.

Today, let’s strive to DIVIDE OUR “SINGLE-MINDEDNESS”! Let’s not be too focused on the “not so favourable things” that are happening around us; neither on the self-concept that we are neglected by whatever cause – kasi ang totoo, even Jesus was despised by His own relatives and we couldn’t imagine how “painful” it was … but because He stood by the truth that He is PURE IN HIS INTENTIONS, He kept on reaching out to those who are “close-minded” – all because HE LOVES GENEROUSLY WITHOUT ANY AMOUNT OF PRETENCE!  #sunset

========== published in The Feast Bulletin, Issue#25, 5 July 2015

/@ProfGail67[twitter]/@gailmontero.47/blogs@trendingprof47.wordpress.com

Do you “Make Tents”?

Hi Friends, it’s 2nd Sunday of Lent, may we strive to make some little preparations for our Spiritual Growth 

Pls Consider God’s Silent Message: Mark 9:2-10 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+9:2-10

Sabi nila, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!”

But come to think of it … TRUE BEAUTY is not actually something that we see
– but “that thing that WE FEEL”! – it should be right there “in the heart” of an imperfect person who allowed him/herself to be held up for “a radiant makeover”

– not for long period of hours in front of a mirror
– but in life’s training grounds!  

Yet, not many of us are willing to go through such metamorphosis because we are more often apprehensive & pertified by “what we think we know”, yet no longer aware that we’re already being anxious with what we want to believe in.

When we don’t understand what’s going on in our life … when we struggle on things & we’re not comfortable with what’s happening … when we’re confused & we don’t know what to say; much that we actually don’t want to explore outside of our comfort zones … we’d rather “make tents”!

“Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,“Rabbi, it is good that we are here!

Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.”

When we secure ourselves in-ward & hide-away; when we don’t respond in a loving & wise manner; when we tend to be self-centered & protect ourselves with pride; when we misinterpret good intentions & doesn’t want to “listen” … it could’ve made us feel good that we’ve already built our tents — BUT it doesn’t maximize our experience “being here”!

Dear Bros & Sis, God wants us to be BEAUTIFUL and He hopes that today, we could be inspired by His Transfiguration while He intends to make us realize how cool He is for giving us our family to whom He entrusted our complete “change of heart” so that such beauty will not only attract some beholders but will “affect” God’s legacy through us 🙂  #sunset

Saranggola.

Please read God’s Silent Message: Mark 1: 12-15

Have you ever wondered how cool you could be “if you were a kite?”

May pising nagdudugtong sa atin pero tayo pa rin ang bahalang pumili kung saan tayo pupunta habang “Sya, na may hawak ng pisi”, hinahayaan Nya tayong pumili kung saan natin gusto. Niluluwagan “Nya” ang pisi para malaya tayong pumunta to that direction of our choice. Mahalaga sa Kanya na “hindi Nya mabitiwan ang pisi” kahit na piliin nating lumayo sa Kanya. And even if “He’s THE ONE HOLDing” that string which CONNECTS US to Him, binibigyan Nya pa din tayo ng pagkakataong pumili kung lalapit tayo or lalayo sa Kanya.

He rewarded us with the wind beneath, to give us “that push” which we need para tayo ay makalipad at para maabot natin ang tagumpay na gusto nating maabot …

BUT THEN minsan, naiiba ang ihip ng hangin at sa kung saan, dinadala nito ang saranggola hanggang sa lumayo na ito nang lumayo “sa Kanya!” … hindi halata, pero dahil sa nagpapadala tayo sa “masamang hangin pala” ay tuluyan na tayong napapalayo sa may hawak ng pisi.

Just the way we are in real life when that “gusty wind strikes” it would bring us to a situation na “parang ok lang naman ang mga decisions natin, parang everything is in its place naman, parang wala naman tayong ginagawang hindi maganda, parang wala naman tayong nasasabi at nagagawang nakakasakit ng kapwa; until such time na bigla na lang natin nararamdaman na “parang may kulang” habang inaakala natin na ‘yong may hawak pa din ng pisi ang may kagagawan sa mga nangyayari sa atin. We allow ourself na mapalayo tayo sa Kanya kasi feeling natin, dapat tayong magtampo dahil we thought na pinabayaan Nya tayong lumayo. Samantalang ang totoo, it has been our choice na hindi na lang lumapit sa Kanya kasi we allowed “temptation” to take advantage of our weaknesses.

As we are in the 1^st Sunday of Lent, God is modelling to us how cool He is because for us to know, He intentionally spent 40 days “in prayer” so that He could “stand still” FOR US!

“Repent and believe in the good news of God’s kingdom.”

Isn’t it cool? … Sa dinami-dami ng mga “selfie” episodes natin, God has been HOLDing-on to that string which CONNECTS US to Him kasi mahalaga sa Kanya na “hindi Nya mabitiwan ang pisi” kaya sana mas piliin nating LUMAPIT — just as Jesus did, our REAL MODEL!#sunset

Published @ The Feast Bulletin, Issue #7, 22 February 2015, 1st Sunday of Lent
#LightofJesus'Talk Series: COOL CHURCH! Talk 2: Models

 

Visible Invisible SIGNS.

Gospel Reading, 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Mark 1: 40-45

This may make us “leprous” …

Ang totoong paghingi daw ng tawad ay ang pagpapatawad muna natin sa ating sarili sa pagkakamaling nagawa natin. This happens by reflecting on what we did and “putting ourself in place of the person na nagawan natin ng kasalanan” para maramdaman natin kung gaano tayo nakasakit– hindi lang ng damdamin kundi pati ng pagkatao ng nagmamahal sa atin. If we will be humble enough to do this in our solitude, we will realize that our actions are already blemishing “God’s image & likeness” IN US. If on the other hand we will be protective of our pride because we did not reflect on our actuations & attitude, no wonder … we would never understand why the person we’ve offended opted to give us that “silent response” which made us hate that person all the more — instead of striving to prove the “sincerity of our sorry”. God has His ways of penalizing – not really US – but OUR DISOBEDIENCE. That “leprosy” which He allowed to struck Miriam in the Old Testament [Numbers 12:12-15] may still have a lot of manifestations in our modern times.

Whatever is “unclean in the inside” soon becomes “visible at the outside”

Sometimes, we’re just too proud to point our finger to others when we are “in isolation” – yet, we do not realize that while we do, our prevalent actions would indicate our “self-inflicted pains” because we didn’t open our heart to deeply understand God’s signals. But then again, laging kagaya ng dati, kahit na gaano natin “itulak si God palayo and no matter how hard we throw Him all the insults and blames”, STILL, with all of His RELENTLESS LOVE, He would sacrifice being pained even when we strongly resist that persistent HUG which He hopes to pacify us.

40 “If you will, you can make me clean.” 
–Naamam, a lepper

SHOULD we also learn this humility, “we will no longer be leprous” — when we surely know that God will always be moved with pity and touch us. As much as God replies with His ⁴¹ “I will; be clean.”, Dear Friend, Brothers & Sisters, Dear Child, may we also affirm our commitment: “I will Love, forgive myself & allow myself to BE LOVED!” Let us be a symbolic rock so that UPON US, God’s church shall be VISIBLE! #sunset

Published in The Feast Bulletin in Central Mall Binan, Cor Dei 06. 15 February 2015, Inspired by Light of Jesus Family's New Series: COOL CHURCH! Talk 1: Signs.