Stethoscope your Greatness

Cor Dei 35. 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Pls Read God’s Silent Message: MK 8:27-35

                            Jesus’ “I AM” in SAM!

@SLMH, September 6, 2015.

She’s in that hospital bed – but with DevComTheories handouts, laptop & other “to divert stuff” with her on such bed. She was vomiting, but laughing all the way with Al-Dub’s organic-naturally “kilig-fun” magnetic stream.

And this, I found: “a stethoscope” of her own!  

— an instrument used for listening to sounds produced by the body. It is also used to listen to blood flow in peripheral vessels…

“She’s currently in pain — but she manages to smile; she’s been too brave to capture the procedures she had, and yes, with her own stethoscope, SHE LISTENS to her own blood flow to make herself ON-GUARD against any untoward clotting & misalignments.

“If a man wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and follow in my steps.” — Jesus

It’s never easy denying any pain when you’re in the midst of battling for your NOW and for your future — but because our very own Sam Timbreza, one of our Youth Leaders here in The Feast SM Santa Rosa, has been all throughout affirming her personal answer to the question raised by Jesus in today’s gospel: “who do you say that I am?”, SHE IS even STRONGER at her weakest point!

Such greatness! — through the eyes of faith.

With the gifts of family & friendships and because she listens to what’s on the inside, SHE IS DETERMINED to be “that salt” that will fulfill her God-given mission not only until she gets well but even now that she’s still striving to get SAVED by all means with her OWN INITIATIVE TO BE WELL and with the most POSITIVE CLAIM that she will find a KIDNEY DONOR even before that time-framed transplant six months from now.

Hopefully “this makes us PINOY” our dear Brothers & Sisters – may we relate with Sam’s story & inspiration & may we be that instrument that would answer our prayer for Sam & for her family, specifically for a “kidney donor”! Let us share this Identity of love for one another as we ENTER God’s Kingdom down here! ©sunset

 posted in The Feast SM Santa Rosa Weekly Bulletin. Issue #35.13 September 2015.  Inspired by the #LightofJesus September Series T.G.I.F.: Thank God I’m Filipino. Talk 1: No ID, No Entry.

Stop & Talk Awhile, Bring Jesus to ONE.

Feel God’s Message in Today’s Gospel:  Matthew 22:15-21,           29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

That one created an impact!

“Binalak nya lang daw ay simpleng kaininan over CPA (Chicken Pork Adobo) para sa mga “Lola” — pero umulan ng biyaya!!! May mga nag-share ng “time at talent” nila, may mga nag-donate financially; yung adobo nagkaroon ng kapartner na juice, nadagdagan pa ng ice cream (umulan pa nga ng ice cream), at may mga regalong naiabot kina Lola: ilang kahon ng grocery, mga relos, at rosas, at may simpleng pahabol pa!”

We could have resisted “being with her on her special day”. I for one, could have instead preferred accomplishing my “tons of things to do for the day” – pero ang galing ni Lord — He granted what her heart desired for her birthday — with her Mama Weng’s tireless assistance, her family’s support beyond measure,  her thoughtful friends, her The Feast Family: brothers & sisters  who shared in their special ways & the gorgeous Youths who chose to come “for a good cause” instead of being “tambayers” somewhere else.

It’s been years na din na di ako nakakadalaw sa mga gaya nila kaya sobrang na-miss ko “doing this thing”:

— Ang maging “present” para sa mga taong “piniling lumayo na lang sa kani-kanilang pamilya” dahil “di nila naramdaman na “mahalaga sila”.

— Ang “umupo sa tabi nila” para “hawakan ang kanilang kamay” at para “makinig sa istorya” na babaunin na nila hanggang sa “makita nila si Jesus” na hindi nila alam kung kailan at kung gaano pa katagal sila maghihintay.

— At ang “ipagdasal sila” hawak ang natitirang pag-asa na “baka may iba pang purpose si God sa buhay nila” kahit na ang ilan sa kanila ay “sobrang pagod na” – na ang gusto pala ay:  “I already want to LEAVE!” – sa halip na “I still want to LIVE!”

It has been an overwhelming experience beyond gifts – at dahil ‘yon sa simpleng “invitation” ng isang kaibigan na hindi naming nagawang tangghihan!

“Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar,

and give to God what belongs to God.” – Matthew 22:21

All that she wanted was to celebrate her birthday with them: with those 20 “grannies” in that Home for the Elderly & Abandoned.  That very simple candle-cake blowing and receiving that singled-out pink flower from a bunch of 20 red roses – yon yong para sa birthday celebrant!  At yong “paglapit, pakiki-tawa, pag-akbay, pag-assist at pagpapasaya kina “granny”, we just knew deep within our hearts that we brought Jesus to them when their eyes sparkled with joy and when their palms turned warm — “not wanting to let us go” !

When they “looked at us through the heart, and when they hugged us so tight, we knew that we’ve just made “a difference”! — not only to them, but also to ourselves because we have memorized  how it feels to be there to at least fill-in one’s “longing”!

So to this friend,  we’re more than thankful to her for discipling to us & for being a channel of opportunity to also be a Jesus to many!

And to you, our dear Feast Family, I know you can also challenge yourselves to be of SERVICE to a “longing” ONE, to listen to a certain SILENCE, and to soon tell YOUR STORY of how you’ve also brought Jesus to ONE PERSON within your reach.

Let’s give it a try within this week: STOP & TALK AWHILE even half-way with ONE! #sunset

Cor Dei_40/GOSPEL REFLECTION for 19 October 2014 by: Gail S. Montero, published in The Feast Bulletin, Central Mall Binan

Avoid the Temperament TRAP!

How do you feel right now?

Have you ever noticed  that you are at times impulsive or are you  aware that sometimes you are “unpredictable”?

Well if not, and if you really don’t mind about it, let me tell you now that it’s not something you just  have to shrug your shoulders about!

Ancient Greek medicine believed that  the above-mentioned “inclinations” could be considered  as possible “illness” due to an imbalance in the four types of body fluids: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.

It should be A CHALLENGE FOR US to  SELF-REGULATE those body fluids and  find the “right blending”.

A person’s PERSONALITY can be characterized by ONE HUMOR – thus the so called TEMPERAMENT  which is medically defined as our HABITUAL INCLINATIONS  or our mode of EMOTIONAL RESPONSES.

We didn’t understand this when we were still young – that’s why, many of us are not aware that OUR FAILURE OR WEAKNESS TO MODIFY our TEMPERAMENTS are actually the RISKS that we are continually creating to hinder building HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIPS. – why? – because “that very moment when we THROW an IMPULSE, could cause A DOMINO EFFECT”!

“That SHOUTING that you did to a CHILD could create an IMPACT which could be a dangerous part that would make up her Personality!”  — at least one of the COMMON DANGERS which we are not so aware of.

http://centerforparentingeducation.org/  states:  “Temperament is the part of the Unique Child that refers to the fact that all children are born into this world with their own individualized blueprints for reacting to the world around them. Based on a thirty-year study begun in 1956, temperament explains why some children are very easy-going while others tend to be more challenging for parents. Sometimes you hear these challenging children being called “difficult” or spirited; this is often because they have temperamental traits that make them more demanding to parent.

We may be that one “demanding child” back then or maybe until now; BUT HEY, we are no longer kids at this point!

PONDER on the “triggering concepts” in the following slides and BEGIN MAKING THE DIFFERENCE!

Watch your Temper!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note to my “bright & gorgeous students”: you may just choose a minimum of three [3] questions/concepts to PONDER-ON — those which you can relate the most 🙂

Credits to:

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=241

 http://personality-testing.info/tests/4T.php. This is a personality test of the four Ancient Greek temperaments.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/temperament 

http://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/child-development/unique-child-equation/temperament/temperament-overview/

 

What would your Heart Show?

“When the mind stops remembering,   the heart will never forget.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tba0bjevwfI

What if one day you will no longer remember, have you ever wondered what your loved ones would “see in your heart”?

The things that we do now, events that we plan about, gestures & acts of concern, appreciation & gratitude that we’ve always intended to give at this point in time … any of these might be “what they will see “in there” — good news is, WE CAN START TRAINING OURSELVES “RIGHT NOW” while we’re not sure UNTIL WHEN we could.

We don’t have forever! If things could  be “possible at hand”, why not MAKE IT HAPPEN while you can still enjoy EACH OTHER’S MEMORY?  

IF we CAN PLAN to be with others for quite some time for enjoyment, why not ALSO PLAN TO BE WITH THE PERSONS WHO COULD BE THERE WITH US FOR A LIFETIME?

Let us not wait for the time when the person who have done things for us, can no longer do and enjoy “a lot with us” because we kept on saying “there will be time for that…!” 

VIDEO CREDITS: http://www.wimp.com/

Your % Allotment. A Self- Approximation

This is “ME”

The “WHO” that you are? …

Creative, adorable, thoughtful, hilarious, youthful, day dreamer, sweet, systematic, patient, independent, adventurous, zealous, enduring, observant, challenging, energetic, joyful, optimistic, loyal, great, loving mother, brave, honest, social worker, God-fearing, motherly, organized, active, never easily gives up, joker, committed, beloved father, thinker, adventurous, wonderful, ambitious, sensitive, religious, cry baby, emotional, athletic, notorious, interactive, eco-lover, caring, responsible, extra hard-worker, always “on-the-go”, nice, emphatic,  nursing,  approachable, friendly, fun-loving, excited, kind, jolly, happy, pretty, multi-tasker, youth-lover, nice, talented, listener, intelligent, dreamer, believer, awesome, listener, realistic, good looking, special, explorer, willing to learn, influential.

Can you still pick the character that you are — as you said “you were” when you did your meaningful introduction?

YOU ARE UNIQUE … YES, YOU ARE! — but it’s never easy proving so, unless you find some other means  which would be of great help.

1.  Try LISTING DOWN  your NEEDS.

2.  Draw an “AKO symbol and allocate a certain percentage: How many % of YOU are these needs?

3.  Now, what about your BLESSINGS? Make a list of it too.

5.  How many % of YOU are those blessings?

6.  Now, try to do some “SELF-CHECK-POINT”!

How did you use your percentages? Anything else left? Without having to be told, haven’t you thought of allotting some of what you have for SHARING?  What then can you GIVE? How many % of YOU can you GIVE?

7.  What are you going to do now IF NOTHING IS LEFT?  What could be some points of realization here?

Don’t feel bad about the allotments which you’ve been somehow unmindful about.  YOUR REALIZATIONS would tell about the person that you are.

You may be “caught un-aware” along the way — just like going through LIFE — which is said to be “like a box of chocolates: you’ll never know what you will get” [Forest Gump] — but your reactions each time you get something which is not really your choice will SPEAK A LOT OF WHO YOU ARE!

 

 

Never Capitalize your “I”

A Self-Inflicted Pain
photo credits: httpsfbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.nethphotos

BOOM! ENVY IS A “SELF-INFLICTED PAIN”!!!

We can be entitled of our own feelings but not to the point of disregarding & disrespecting the person who has been striving to “reach out to us” just because we convinced ourself that what we’re thinking is “what’s true”!

GUSTO MONG MAGING MASAYA?
Never capitalize your “I” — if you want to spell happ”I”ness!” — kasi “AWKWARD” tingnan pag gusto mo ikaw lang ang “focus”. Learn to understand pag kailangan din ng iba kung ano ang dapat meron ka at certain moments — kasi may panahon naman kung kailan dapat ikaw lang ang “standout”. *lab you 🙂