Looking At A Day

When each day is the same as the next, it’s because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises.

Hang On To That Faith

And so habit dictates that I go power up my laptop and switch on to Facebook. Got this message from a popular FB application:

On this day, God wants you to know

... that infinite possibilities are born of faith. Do you think that's air you breathe; that's earth you walk on? All matter is God's creation. And the source is faith. When you have so much faith that you become one of faith, infinite possibilities open to you.

This a breather after sleeping on a problem last night.

Went to serve mass early today and everything kinda "mellow-downed".


“What you still need to know is this: before a dream is realized, the Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we’ve learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which, as we say in the language of the desert, one “dies of thirst just when the palm trees have appeared on the horizon.” Paulo Coelho

Being Happy

"Being happy doesn’t have anything to do with the size of your problems. Being happy has everything to do with the size of your hope. And that’s what you receive from God..."

- Bo Sanchez

Happy with My Dog

Joaqui and I were alone at home today. I decided to let him play after his bath. I wanted him to have fun with something new. I found this red neck pillow, free from a local food chain store for a single purchase of a certain amount.

True to my expectation, Joaqui had a festivity of his own with his new-found toy. He tosses it and catches it with his mouth.

Guess who was the other one in the house having fun, just watching the dog having fun? You guessed right . . . ME . . . or should we say "I".

Pet Cares

Just For Today, But Then Again , , ,

For today, how about some arts or music?

After saying a meaningful prayer, go to a museum, art exhibit, bonsai show or just head for the coffee shop for a cup your favorite drink or a slice of that dessert you've been craving for.

Be light. Enjoy your day.

From My Sorrow Came My Joy

Happiness . . .

I felt joy yesterday.

The source of my sorrow for a month has suddenly been lifted from my overly bruised shoulders. What with the help of my prayer warriors (specifically my mom and sisters), I have witnessed the power of both prayers and family.

Thanks so much to a big God who has been my refuge and my strength, a God who is bigger than my big problem. Whew!

Kahlil Gibran on Joy and Sorrow

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Happy Couples

10 Habits of Happy Couples
By: Mark Goulston,
author of Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone

What does it take to be happy in a relationship? If you’re working to improve your marriage, here are the 10 habits of happy couples.

1. Go to bed at the same time
Remember the beginning of your relationship, when you couldn’t wait to go to bed with each other to make love? Happy couples resist the temptation to go to bed at different times. They go to bed at the same time, even if one partner wakes up later to do things while their partner sleeps. And when their skins touch it still causes each of them to tingle and unless one or both are completely exhausted to feel sexually excited.

2. Cultivate common interests
After the passion settles down, it’s common to realize that you have few interests in common. But don’t minimize the importance of activities you can do together that you both enjoy. If common interests are not present, happy couples develop them. At the same time, be sure to cultivate interests of your own; this will make you more interesting to your mate and prevent you from appearing too dependent.

3. Walk hand in hand or side by side
Rather than one partner lagging or dragging behind the other, happy couples walk comfortably hand in hand or side by side. They know it’s more important to be with their partner than to see the sights along the way.

4. Make trust and forgiveness your default mode
If and when they have a disagreement or argument, and if they can’t resolve it, happy couples default to trusting and forgiving rather than distrusting and begrudging.

5. Focus more on what your partner does right than what he or she does wrong
If you look for things your partner does wrong, you can always find something. If you look for what he or she does right, you can always find something, too. It all depends on what you want to look for. Happy couples accentuate the positive.

6. Hug each other as soon as you see each other after work
Our skin has a memory of “good touch” (loved), “bad touch” (abused) and “no touch” (neglected). Couples who say hello with a hug keep their skin bathed in the “good touch,” which can inoculate your spirit against anonymity in the world.

7. Say “I love you” and “Have a good day” every morning
This is a great way to buy some patience and tolerance as each partner sets out each day to battle traffic jams, long lines and other annoyances.

8. Say “Good night” every night, regardless of how you feel
This tells your partner that, regardless of how upset you are with him or her, you still want to be in the relationship. It says that what you and your partner have is bigger than any single upsetting incident.

9. Do a “weather” check during the day
Call your partner at home or at work to see how his or her day is going. This is a great way to adjust expectations so that you’re more in sync when you connect after work. For instance, if your partner is having an awful day, it might be unreasonable to expect him or her to be enthusiastic about something good that happened to you.

10. Be proud to be seen with your partner
Happy couples are pleased to be seen together and are often in some kind of affectionate contact — hand on hand or hand on shoulder or knee or back of neck. They are not showing off but rather just saying that they belong with each other.

Happy couples have different habits than unhappy couples. A habit is a discrete behavior that you do automatically and that takes little effort to maintain. It takes 21 days of daily repetition of a new a behavior to become a habit. So select one of the behaviors in the list above to do for 21 days and voila, it will become a habit…and make you happier as a couple. And if you fall off the wagon, don’t despair, just apologize to your partner, ask their forgiveness and recommit yourself to getting back in the habit.

A Happy Day in Singapore

Come on, let's conquer this part of the world today!

This was our mindset, as my sister and I woke up that morning, not minding that we slept late the night before after our tour at the Universal Studios in Sentosa Island.

So we got up in a breeze and went walking at the still nearly empty streets of Singapore. The air was cool though the sunshine was starting its way to be felt, not wanting to be ignored.

Then, I saw these young girls in bright-colored dresses. I had to meet them. My goal was to add new friends whenever I travel.


And viola! Got a photo opportunity (thanks sis). Good item for my memory box.

Smile ladies!

Simply Happy

Happiness is . . .

. . . finding my good old rubber shoes (and mind you, two pairs huh) and being able to wash them clean, ready to use for some strolling (just have to wait a while to dry up under the hot sun) , yoohoo!

Thanks for a sunny day and thanks for the squeezed-in time and the high-level energy to clean those footwear.

Wish something good will happen to you today as well.

Happy Food Trip

"Hmmm. Something smells good," my eldest son was saying as he was descending the stairs of our house, from his room towards the kitchen. The kids are home today so I decided to bake brownies for them, even if I am feeling a little tired. I love it when they appreciate my cooking, or say anything good about me.









This is why I have this cake-mood as I work on my blog right now. I just can't resist posting these rows and rows of cakes I took pictures of in a big grocery store in Malaysia. Big and small round cakes and there are big square and heart-shaped ones too.


I went to the grocery to look for Malaysian spices, especially those used for Nasi Lemak, a delicious coconut-milk rice dish.

Great Advice

The Meaning of Life
by Santé et beauté pour tous
video

1 be happy
2 show up
3 follow your heart
4 find a new perspective
5 have a sense of wonder
6 find people you love
7 set goals
8 help others
9 dance
10 pamper yourself
11 face your fears
12 go to a museum
13 exercise
14 limit television
15 get in touch with nature
16 lighten up
17 get a good night sleep
18 read books
19 buy yourself flowers
20 don't compare yourself with others
21 don't beat yourself up
22 be open to new ideas
23 don't focus on negative thoughts
24 focus on creating what you desire
25 make time just to have fun
26 keep the romance in your life
27 make a gratitude list
28 love your mother earth
29 want what you have
30 be true to yourself

Still A Day to be Happy and Thankful

Today is another "D Day" for us as a family. . .

That means, it's chemo therapy session day for us. That is how it works. It is really us, as a team undergoing the session, but of course "Wonder Mamu" as the lead. Got to face this with a bit of excitement and thanksgiving as well.

So at 6 am in the morning, little "ate" sister (our youngest sister) called up Mamu to give her happy thoughts as "pabaon" (like a take out or something). Mamu was able to talk to her grandchildren (Julia, Jareth and Zachy) in the US.

Then came the call from my only brother living in New Zealand who also gave a present to Mamu by having his son JP talk to Mamu before she heads to the hospital. This not only made Mamu happy but busy because she had to rush dressing up for we have to go. We had about four big bags to carry. We were like going to a summer outing. We even forgot our pillow. With all the hustle and bustle, her thoughts were off the chemo therapy. Great!

Our relatives both here and abroad have also showed their own personal ways of caring and support. Mamu's community members (of the Lourdes parish church) have also done their prayers and vespers, all for Mamu's health. Thanks to all of them, not to forget our very own friends too.

We started our day early. That way, we don't have to mingle with the traffic, both vehicles and people. A reward is having to choose "our place". I am referring to our "suki" cubicle, the one we always choose.

We went straight to the BCI unit (BCI stands for Bienavides Cancer Institute), with big sister saying good morning to the secretary, the security guard and the nurses, "parang kakandidato" (like a candidate for a government position). That's how she is.

The hospital has new, up-to-date and clean facilities and equipment. Here is the nurses' station in the middle of the room. At the sides are the cubicles, now with pink curtains and golden yellow bed sheets. The last time we visited, they had light yellow curtains and bed sheets.

We were contemplating on trying out the cubicle near the large glass windows so we can look at the big green trees and the vast blue sky, however, the sunlight might smile on us too much, heheh, so we ended up on our usual "fave" spot where it's super cool, besides cubicle 7.

An elderly couple was occupying Cubicle No. 7. The husband was the patient who completed his 6 sessions, unfortunately, his doctor recommended a 7th. The wife went to this 7th session with a worried face (most probably a worried mind and heart as well, not to exclude a worried financial situation, since this was what she mentioned to Mamu). She quickly received comforting words from my eldest sister for that's all my sister's powers can do for the woman at the moment.

Mamu, the wonder woman that she is, takes her position on the bed with conviction, taking off her pair of golden "Crocs shoes" . . .

The nurse, in blue not in white, diligently prepared the medicines and the gadgets. Would you believe they were so busy because all the cubicles were occupied. The other room for children patients was also accommodating grown-ups for the day.

My sister and I try to cheer up Mamu as best we can. Mamu was sharing her feelings about the contents of the cards her grandsons Justin and Jeric gave her and some funny stories about Angelica, her granddaughter, who was in school, on a Saturday, for her review. Grandchildren are a blessing (most of the time, viewing it positively). We had a lot of chit-chats and laughs before the session plus some eats.

Mamu had a couple of McDonald's hash brown before the session, some delicious sweet crunchy native "turon" (fried sweet banana) during the session and "lumpiang sariwa" with mouth-watering halo-halo after.

We had her listen to nice music to make her relax. She was asleep the whole time, but I guess it's more of the Benadryl (a medicine that makes one sleepy) more than the music, heheh. Of course not, the pop music helped.

According to Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner, we have an experiencing self and a memory self.

From what I get, we define happiness based on our memory of the experience rather than the experience itself. This is something new to me and I find it really interesting.

This is the reason why we make an effort to build a positive experience today for Mamu than any other day.

Keep on believing! Ciao!

Defining Happiness

Most of us are in pursue of happiness . . .

According to Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize winner, we have an experiencing self and a memory self.

From what I get, we define happiness based on our memory of the experience rather than the experience itself. This is something new to me and I find it really interesting.

Above is one of my happy moments in Malaysia, experiencing a cable-car ride in Genting Highlands. Well, a thrilling experience that set happy memories.

Are Negative Emotions Getting You Sick - By Bo Sanchez

Germs. We blame them for our sickness. But that’s only partly true. Our immune system is so terrific, it can fight almost all germs. But we get into trouble when our immune system gets weak. And one thing that causes it to weaken is our negative emotions.

The Shocking Truth

This blew my mind. Studies show that 85% of all disease is rooted in our emotions. Wow.

That means that among the 17 million people who died of heart disease last year, and among the 7.2 million people who died of cancer last year, 85% of those diseases were rooted in their emotions.

Man! If only someone taught them to work on their emotions (not just on their bodies), some of them might still be alive today.

Here’s what I believe. Most of our diseases are messages. What message? Diseases are telling us that we have a spiritual need that we need to fill.

But instead of listening to the message, we kill the messenger. We get rid of the sickness without addressing our soul needs. Very soon, the sickness will reappear. Sometimes, in a fatal way.

For example, our sickness may be telling us, “You need to forgive and get rid of your anger,” but instead of forgiving, we take a pill. Or our sickness is telling us, “You need to stop worrying and trust God more,” but instead of trusting, we take a pill. Or our sickness is telling us, “You need to stop working too hard and relax more with your family,” but instead of playing with our kids, we take a pill.

In primitive societies, doctors were also priests. When people got sick, the cure was holistic. Aside from giving them herbs, doctors told them to pray, to forgive, to trust in God.

And then the scientific revolution came, and doctors focused purely on the body. Today, the old model is coming back.

Because now, my friend doctors are praying with their patients, are telling them to have faith, to forgive, and to spend time with their families. They’ve become doctors and priests again.

Two Reasons Why We Get Sick

How do our emotions cause sickness?

In two important ways. First, when we have too much negative emotions. Second, when we have too little positive emotions. Let me tell you how both are deadly to your system.

1. Too Much Negative Emotions

Let’s take stress.

When I was a small boy, I regularly massaged Dad’s shoulders every night. Part of my “chore” as a kid.

But everytime I did, I’d complain.

Because his shoulders were as hard as steel! They were no match for my tiny thumbs.

Even then, I knew the tension in his shoulders came from his job. Dad was a manager in a large food company.

Mom said he also had hypertension. As Filipinos love to say, “mataas ang high blood niya”. (Wow, that’s really high.)

Dad had hypertension all his life.

All his life, that is, until he reached 65. That was the year he retired from his job. From that day on, he never had hypertension, all the way until the day God called him home at young age of 88.

One day, when Dad was already retired—but very busy serving God—I remember he was eating in the dining room. I went behind him and gave him a shoulder massage.

The difference was amazing! His shoulders were soft and supple. No more tension in them.

That’s the power of stress in our lives.

Let me ask you a question: How stressed are you?

Stress And Sickness

Who are those most susceptible to heart disease?

Those with a “Type A Personality”: People who are aggressive, easily angered, competitive, controlling, and always rushing.

Here’s a scary fact. 82% of people who have heart disease have a Type A Personality! Why? Stress. (Type A Personality isn’t just a personality. Type A is a spiritual disease.)

Here’s another fact: More strokes and heart attacks happen on Monday than at another day of the week. (We need a Presidential Decree removing Mondays from our calendar!)

I know a woman who liked her job but didn’t like the boss she was working for. There was a lot of conflict. Wanting a break from her stress, she took a 15-day vacation. And she enjoyed her two-week vacation. But on the 14^th day, when she knew she was going back to her job, she suffered a massive stroke. Today, half of her body is paralyzed.

Which was a perfect picture of her life—half of her body wanted to go to work, the other half didn’t want to!

Because our bodies were not made for prolonged stress.

Another negative emotion is anger…

Anger Has An Expiry Date

One day, a man was sitting in his living room when he heard a knock on the front door.

He opened the door and saw no one. But as he looked down, he saw a snail, saying in a little voice, “Can I borrow P100?”

The man shouted, “Get outta here!” and kicked the snail off his porch.

One year later, the man is sitting in the living room and he hears a knock on the door.

He opens it and sees a very angry snail, asking, “Why did you do that?”

Some of us are snails.

After a year, we’re still angry!

People who are like snails won’t enjoy optimal health.

Here’s the truth: God never designed your body to keep anger for a long time. Anger’s purpose is to spur you to action. Once that purpose is fulfilled, you should get rid of anger by forgiveness.

In other words, anger has an expiry date. Once past is due, it becomes poison in your body.

Are you angry with someone?

Surrender your anger to God.

Angry People Die Sooner

They made a study of 255 doctors and asked them to take a “hostility” test.

In other words, how they respond to drivers who cut them on the road. Or to people who criticize them. Or to friends who are disloyal them.

Thirty years later, the researchers went back to these same doctors. What did they find out? Some of those doctors who scored high in the hostility test were already dead! Their death rate was six times higher than those who scored low in the hostility test. Remember: Angry people die sooner.

Don’t Escape!

If we don’t want to get sick, what should we do with stress, anger, sadness, fear, and other negative emotions? Ignore them? Pretend they’re not there? Nope. That will make it worse.

Here’s my big message for you: What you can feel, you can heal. What does that mean? Don’t escape your negative emotions. Perhaps you have money problems now. Or you have conflicts at work. Or you have a broken heart. Or you have marriage problems. Or you have problems with your kids. Or you’re sick right now. And you’re tempted to escape from your anxiety, stress, anger, fear, and depression.

How? Some people become numb.

Others escape through addictions: drugs, alcohol, sex, video games, food, shopping, relationships, and workaholism. Remember that all addiction is really emotional anesthesia. So we won’t feel our emptiness, our fears, our depression, our anger, we distract ourselves.

But when we don’t feel our negative emotions, they come out in our bodies as respiratory problems, ulcers, headaches, skin allergies, digestive problems, even cancers.

Feel Your Feelings Before God

If you want to be healed from your diseases, feel your negative emotions. More specifically, feel your darkest emotions before God. Weep. Be angry. Question Him. (Believe me, He’s big enough to take it.)

Go to God now. And share your inmost heart. Tell Him what you feel, whether it’s anxiety, stress, fear, anger, sadness…

The Psalms of the Bible are exactly like this! They contain what I call “terrible” prayers.

For example, Psalms 22 says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer…”

And in Psalms 55, it says, “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me.”

But that’s precisely why they’re in the Bible. God is telling you to go to Him no matter what you’re feeling. Friend, God is waiting for you now. So go ahead. Before Him, feel your darkest emotions. Soon, those negative emotions will pass. Because all storms come to an end. And you’ll notice the healing of your body too. And here’s the second reason…

2.Too Little Positive Emotions

Two weeks ago, I met Fr. Georges-Etienne Beauregard—an old Jesuit priest.

His age? 97 years old.

He’s led an incredible life: Imprisoned in China, built churches in the Philippines for 12 years, and worked with the aborigines in Taiwan for the last 42 years.

What is he doing today at 97? Still very busy, working in a parish and hospital (which he also built) among the aborigines in Taiwan.

How healthy is he? When he was 95, he was still riding his motorbike!

I asked him, “Father, what is the secret of your long life?”

He chuckled and said, “I have no problems. Others have problems with me, but I have no problems.”

In other words, he didn’t focus on his problems.

In my short time I had with him, I noticed he chuckled a lot. He loved to laugh!

The secret to his long life was no secret at all. It was very obvious. He had a light, jolly heart.

Your Need For Joy

Your body was made to operate with the “oil of gladness” flowing through your veins, tissues, and cells. You were made to laugh, to celebrate, to be happy!

One day, Norman Cousins was diagnosed to have heart disease. In his book, The Anatomy of An Illness, he shares how he got healed: By taking Vitamin C and mega-doses of laughter. Everyday, he would watch comedy films and enjoy 10 minutes of genuine belly laughter. And he was healed! Doctors thought he would live a short life. But he lived for 30 more years.

That’s why the Bible says, A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22).

Are you a happy person? Do you enjoy life? Are you fulfilled? Are you self-assured? Many studies show that positive emotions strengthen your immune system.

Optimists Live Longer!

Scientists studied 1,100 patients at the Mayo Clinic and asked them to do a personality survey. These studies classified them according to optimists and pessimists. Thirty years later, they went back to these patients.

Here’s what they found out: Optimists have a 19% higher chance of still being alive than the pessimists.

Here’s one fascinating explanation.

In one study, scientists studied one of the body’s natural “good mood chemicals” called serotonin.

When they placed serotonin in a test tube alongside tumor cells of Burkitt’s lymphoma, the cancer cells kill themselves.

Here’s a quote from that study: “An exciting property of serotonin is that it can tell some cells to self-destruct. We have found serotonin can get inside the lymphoma cells and instruct them to commit suicide.”

How To Have More Positive Emotions

How can you be happy more often? How can you have more content, self-assurance, fulfillment, and a deep sense of profound peace more often? Let me end this discussion by showing you two ways:

First, Gratitude

Maricel is our house helper.

She shared to me a very touching story.

Last month, she went home to her province in Dumaguete. She borrowed money from us to buy the little plot of land that her family house was standing on. She also brought home her savings, buying a sack of rice for her family.

She also went home to spend time with her siblings and their children—her little nephews and nieces. So one bright morning, from the barrio, they travelled to Dumaguete City. Maricel paid for all their jeepney fares.

Everyone was excited, she said. Because for some of them, it was the first time to visit the city.

She brought her family to a mall—and the kids were beside themselves with joy.

What they loved most was the escalators. They shrieked with delight, “Ate, yung hagdan, tumatakbo!” (The stairs are running!)

When they went home, everyone was so happy.

One of her little nieces hugged Maricel and asked, “Tita, sa susunod na taon, ipasyal mo kami ulit, ha?” (Auntie, bring us out next year, okay?) Clearly, it was the high point of their year.

Casually, I asked Maricel, “What did you eat in the mall?”

“Hindi po kami kumain, Kuya Bo. Walang budget, eh.” (We didn’t eat. I had no budget.)

Her answer brought me to tears. Those kids went to the mall and went home without eating, and yet they were so happy.

Sometimes, I forget how blessed I am.

Sometimes, we have food in front of us, and we even have the gall to complain that it isn’t our favorite.

No wonder we lack happiness in our lives.

And no wonder our bodies are sick!

Learn to be more grateful for life. Live in gratitude. Celebrate God’s goodness, even in the smallest blessings!

Soon, happiness and healing will flow into your life.

Second, Trust

Heart disease has killed more people than any other disease in the world. It’s the number one killer in the world.

And I believe the number one cause of heart disease is stress.

From my experience, there’s only one antidote to stress: Trust in God. It’s the greatest stress-buster in the world.

How much do you trust in God?

A deep trust in God will make you avoid stress and keep you healthy!

I invite you now to surrender your problems to God. Follow the Bible when it says, Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

He does care for you, my friend.

Give Him all your fears.

Surrender yourself to God.

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez

Something Good

Today, I find myself starting to make a run down of my current worries. I summoned all the strength left in me to stop this trail of thoughts and I started singing . . . "Something good is going to happen to me, this very day, this very year. Something good is going to happen to me . . . Jesus is coming my way."


Felt good!

Through the Happy Eyes of a Sister

This is a letter written by my niece to raise awareness on autism and encourage people to support related projects for a good cause, and those with big hearts for children, residing or are in the US, to take the step of donating (but this is a walk donation in the US, through www.walknowforautism.org, no harm in publishing in case somebody there is able to read this).

This is my brother Jareth. He might look normal but he is Autistic. Autism has affected my family ever since he was diagnosed. He is now 10 years old and I’m his older sister, Julia, age thirteen.

Life’s been hard for my family. Thanks to my brother I’ve gone through many challenges and experiences not every teen would go through. My family and I can’t go to the mall together quite often, it's hard to watch movies in theaters never knowing when he may get upset, sometimes my brother keeps us up all night yelling, and sometimes we can never have time for ourselves watching over him.

Those are some downs but there are so many more ups by far. Thanks to having a sibling with autism I’m more aware of others around me, I want to be an occupational therapist so I can help other kids like my brother, I am more patient, I try to understand when someone in the public is having troubles with there young ones, and I also see life in a very different way.

Don’t feel sorry for me or anything, okay? Trust me, I actually have it better than other people with brothers or sisters with autism and I’m grateful for that. My family is very blessed with wonderful friends and family.

Now, my family and I are coming to you for help. We hope you will be willing to donate to this important cause. We are participating in Walk Now for Autism to help find a cure for this still incurable disease. Autism affects one in every 150 children born today. Despite some promising discoveries, the cause of autism is still unknown and a cure does not exist. Research is crucial. Every 20 minutes another child is diagnosed with autism. Not only must we find ways to improve the quality of life for children and adults with autism, but we also must find a cure, and soon.

Walk Now for Autism is our chance to make a difference in the fight against autism by raising funds for autism research and heightening public awareness. We will be walking on May 16, 2009 at Soldier Field, Chicago and would like you to support those affected by autism. You can donate to Walk Now for Autism and/or join my team online through my teams webpage at www.walknowforautism.org.

Donations can also be mailed to Autism Speaks using the donation form located on my page or send me a check made out to Autism Speaks. My team name is Woodland Autism Team; please note this on your check and the donation form. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of the more than 1 million Americans living with autism today.

Yours Truly,
Julia

Exert the Effort to be Happy

Another trick I do when down . . . I listen to an inspiring song . . .

Working on a Happy Spirit

Here's a good place to visit for your happy spirit, the Shrine of St. Theresa.


The family went to the shrine for prayer, a trip refreshing for the spirit. It's a pleasure to discover new places to go to pray in the midst of the city hustles and bustles.

Susan Boyle - I Dreamed A Dream

Never miss an opportunity in your life . . .

Stop Being Lonely, Call Your Friends

Lonely? Why not call the gang.

With the good deed of a friend of ours, the ladies team was able to have a grand day at the Anvaya Cove. Just a short one-day trip, but that was enough to unwind and just be together, exchanging smiles and laughs.

A feel of nature . . . the sun, sand, sea, trees and mountains . . . wow!

Let the sunshine into your life. Have a happy summer!

Moving On Advice

"Decluttering not only makes you feel lighter but reminds you of learnings and feelings . . ." Caught this excerpt from Bianca Gonzales' blog and got me quite inspired. Made me recall happy thoughts.

Thanks to my high school batch mate Noel Francisco who shared the site with me. I was planning to get some wacky inspirational wisdom from Noel since I was feeling weird the last few days. He is so patient and determined to have FB friends stay in touch. I like his views in life.

I find Bianca's posts truthful to what she's feeling at the moment she wrote them. Great!

Just today I was in a regretful state. I was unconsciously pulling myself to a low mood just by rolling through my mind, things that I should have done, especially in keeping myself healthy. But lo, out of the blues, I decided to just move ahead and start off with whatever I can instead of counting my "should have's" and "should be's".

Therefore, my action motto for the season is " Move On". Hope this works for me.

Happy Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day to all!


A heart-shaped rock at shore of the Sea of Galilee at Tabgha in Israel.

Hanging in There

Got hold of an old notebook where I had some scribbled things on happiness . . .


How do you hang in there when you seem to be in a hopeless situation? Well, I read that you do as if you were climbing a mountain. Inch by inch, you claw your way out. You focus just on the present moment, taking one day at a time. Do what you can for the day at the present moment, trying very hard to see any light, the little good things that you can find.

Accept your current situation and then move on small step by small step. Every inch you take should be treated as a victory.

Hang in there.

Winning Smile

So happy yesterday. Can't understand why a simple smile from my loved one can make my day. A smile truly brightens the day and lighten up any heavy load. So, make an effort to smile more often to more people, especially those around you. Smile . . . experience the power of your smile.


Smiling is infectious,
You can catch it like the flu.
Someone smiled at me today,
And I started smiling too.
- Unknown

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.
-Quote compiled by H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Happier Life, Happiness Despite Mistakes

Sharing from Bo Sanchez, motivational speaker, "Preacher in Blue Jeans" . . .

Me? I use my sons’ magic sketchpad. Okay, it’s a toy. But I love this toy. My boys and I would sit on the couch and doodle for hours. Together, we’ve drawn literally thousands of sketches. We’ve created entire worlds and galaxies together. Roller coasters, spaceships, rockets, monsters, aliens—you name it, we drew it.

Here’s why I love this toy. When I make a mistake, I don’t get angry. I don’t curse myself. I don’t condemn myself. I simply pull the eraser button and draw again. Which is what we’re supposed to do in life.

I’ve met some people who think that just because they’ve made mistakes, just because they made bad choices, God won’t bless them anymore. Hey, we’ve all made mistakes.

Perhaps you gave yourself to addictions. Perhaps you were a rebellious child and made your parents unhappy. Perhaps you married the wrong person. Perhaps you didn’t raise up your kids well. Perhaps you made poor financial decisions.

I want to give you hope today. Your future is brighter than your past. How do I know? Because God’s plan is bigger than your mistakes. Your mistakes are no match to God’s great plans to bless your life.

Have you missed your chance at a happy and blessed life? Meet the God of second chances. “You’re wrong. God has a great plan to bless your life. And He has many ways to make this great plan a reality. You made a detour. But that doesn’t mean you no longer can receive His abundant blessing.”

“If you read the Bible, you’ll realize that the biggest stars were the biggest sinners. They’ve fumbled big time. But God’s love is bigger! And God gave them a second chance. And a third chance. And a fourth chance. He will never stop giving you a chance to live a life of happiness and abundance.” I share a powerful Bible verse: Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

God wants you to go to Him with confidence. With boldness. Boldly pray for God’s abundance.

Friend, God loves you. He wants to bless you with great relationships and great people. Because His plan to bless you is bigger than all your mistakes.

Dear friend, God hasn’t given up on you. So don’t give up on yourself. And God hasn’t given up on your destiny. So don’t give up on yours!

Some of you may say, “But Bo, I’ve messed up. I’ve missed God’s best plans for my life.” I say No. Believe that the best is yet to come. And always remember, God’s plan is bigger than all your mistakes put together.

I wrote a special declaration for you to say below. Say it with all your heart. Confess your faith. Let your words define your reality:

“I may have messed up, but this is temporary. I may have made mistakes in the past, but my future is brighter than my past. Today, I come boldly into God’s presence to receive mercy. I reject condemnation. Because of God’s mercy, my best blessings are yet to come. Each day is a new beginning for me. Each day, I shall live a new life. Each day, I shall live in abundance. Each day, I shall walk in God’s favor. Amen!”

May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez

A Happy 2010 Ahead

Let's all claim it will be a great 2010. Choose to be happy in the midst of about anything. Keep on praying though.

Believe that you’ll have a super blessed year! This is the advise of Bo Sanchez, a motivational speaker and a preacher in blue jeans.