A Chapter of Proverbs A Day

I am blessed to have such wise people around me. And that includes a lola (grandmother), who isn't really related to me, who imparted on me such great wisdom. Her name is Nanay Phyllis.

Nanay Phyllis already passed away a couple of years ago but her legacy still remains. I knew her since I was a kid because we go to the same church. She's the type of nanay (mom) who would always tag along pastors and church workers to go to mission trips and Bible studies. She also has this operatic voice which she uses to sing hymns at church and even when she's all alone. Although, she might come off too strong to some people, I guess that's just because she's a very strong woman - both inside and out. She's a very thoughtful nanay, too. I remember her for always baking banana bread and sharing it at church. It was not your typical banana bread. It was moist, soft and baked with a nanay's love. But what I remember most about this remarkable woman is her love for God's word. And I think that this is her best legacy.

When it comes to reading God's word, I always tend to plan that I will finish reading the whole Bible in a year...but I never really got to. A lot of things tend to go in the way - work, cooking, movies, Facebook, playing computer games, woke up late, etc, etc, etc. But I must say that these shouldn't really be getting in the way. I just got to have a fixed schedule. I have to prioritize. I must not think of it as a chore but rather an everyday date with my Father. And this is where Nanay Phyllis' great wisdom comes in.

During one of those Bible studies, I remember Nanay Phyllis sharing with us that she would read one chapter of Proverbs a day. She said that it is so easy to track reading Proverbs because it only has 31 chapters. If its January 1, read Proverbs 1. If it's February 24, read Proverbs 24. It was only till last year that I was really able to practice what she imparted with us. And that is when I realized that there is so much wisdom in what she shared.

The book of Proverbs, I think, is the most practical book of the Bible. It teaches us to be wise, how to live right, how to earn money, how to be blessed, how to fight for the just, how to avoid wrong doers and wrong doing, etc. It has so much wisdom that you will never fail to unearth something new every time you read it. It's refreshing and it always gives hope. But get ready to be rebuked, as well. Reading Proverbs has humbled me so many times.

I thank the Lord for Nanay Phyllis. I know that God is truly lifted up and praised with her life. I thank God for the wisdom that she shared with me to read a chapter of Proverbs a day. What she left with me is more than just a tip on how to read God's Word, but it's more of a seed planted in my heart to love and grow in God's word as I live my life everyday.

Confessions of a Female Boss

Someone once told me that having a female boss is much better than a male one. Why? Because women bosses lead with a heart. That person told me that female bosses think beyond what needs to be done while male bosses are focused on the task at hand. I guess that's because a male person's mind is too compartmentalized while women are multi-taskers and have a more caring/nurturing nature.

I appreciate that person's sincerity about his observations on the difference between male and female bosses. Yes, that person is a HE. And what he shared made me appreciate the uniqueness of both male and female bosses. It made me think of each gender's strengths and even weaknesses.

I am now a boss. A female boss. Well, I should say a female leader. It's really tough to be one. You have to be strict but gentle. You have to be tough but caring. You have to be focused but vision-led. But I have to admit that my emotions sometimes just really gets in the way of how I manage. Sometimes, when things do go well, I freak out. And sometimes, I break down and cry. My mom told me that I shouldn't be crying. She told me that bosses don't cry. But I think they do. They cry because they're not understood well. They cry because things are not going well. They cry because the team doesn't work well together. They cry because of the pressure. They cry because they feel frustrated. They cry because it seems to be the only way to make things a little bit lighter.

Emotion is a big part of us. It is what brings people together, enough for us to take care of each other and to look out for each other and to work well as a team. It could go for or against us. And as a leader, I learned that it's important to manage and keep it under control, as well.

Today is one of my most challenging days as a female leader. I went home feeling a bit hurt and disrespected. But I know that this is just the start. It's hard to confront people of the wrong things that they've done cause they always end up too defensive (which makes me think and question why is it so hard for people to admit that they've done something wrong?). And when they get too defensive, you sometimes catch yourself running out of words to explain your point or scared that you might actually be wrong.

sigh.

What a week. Thank God for the strength to endure all of this.

Good News Vs. Bad News (Gossip)

I read 2 Kings 7:3-11 this morning. And what struck me most was this verse:

"We're not doing it right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves..." - 2 Kings 7:9a NIV

The story of 2 Kings 7 tells the story of four Samaritan lepers who found out that the military threat of Arameans to their city was now gone. To make the story short, they realized that a good news such as that should not be kept only to themselves. It should be told to their people.

Good news are meant to be shared with other people. I mean, who doesn't want good news? With all the negative things going on around us, I'm sure every ear is itching to hear something good. But why is it that most of the time, we feast on the bad ones? I'm not just talking about bad news - e.g the tsunami that struck Japan, or the death of someone. I'm also talking about gossip.Why do we feast over it? Why do we want to know every single "juicy" detail? And isn't it odd that people nowadays consider gossip to be news?

Gossip destroys people. It should stop. Most specially in the workplace, most especially among friends. I'm not saying that we should only talk about the good stuff here. But isn't it better to just shut up if we have nothing good to say? Reality bites. What's going on is already bad. Do we need to pour in more bad words to make it look even more bad? How depressing is that? What kind of world do we want to live in?

Can't we just lift each other up? Encourage one another?

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
Proverbs 16: 24 NIV

Fear Vs. Faith

A friend told me two days ago that he might still be greeting me "happy 7th anniversary....8th...9th...10th" at work. I got scared after he said that.

I've been working in the same company for almost 6 years now. It's actually good because it shows how persistent I am in terms of work attitude because nowadays, newly grads hop from one company to the next with a minimum of at least two years stay. But I'm scared now. I feel like I don't want to be stuck anymore. I've been doing the same thing for almost 6 years...although I like it...the writing itself that is.

There are actually two big reasons why I'm still working for my current company. One is that I have a "contract" because they sent me on a conference abroad...and another is the salary. I guess I'm just really afraid that if I resign two things could happen:
1. Contract - I don't know if it's really legally binding. The contract is not even notarized. And it leaves out some points that make me even feel more scared. Like, what what are the consequences if I resign? I don't want to be sued.
2. Salary - I make good money out of this job. It's kind of rare for writers to be paid well. It's actually sad. But I don't want to feel scared just because of money. God is my source. He's the one who gives. Not my company. But I can't help but feel scared.

Today...I didn't go to work. Because I'm not feeling well and another one is that I'm not excited to go to work anymore. I'm not motivated anymore. I feel like a slave. Although people tell me that I'm good at what I'm doing...some things..or even people...at work get me frustrated. Over the past 6 years, same problems would arise. And nothing much have really changed...except for the office address.

I guess I just need a vacation. But will that be enough for me to get back my inspiration and motivation? I know that it is a decision that I have to make everyday - to stay inspired and motivated. But I can't just do it on my own. Other people won't allow me to feel that....sigh

I want to make a decision. I don't want to be afraid anymore. I know that God has something better for me. I know that He's the one who blessed me to have this job. I've done my best. And I think I've fulfilled my purpose already. I just hope that I won't be too afraid to step out in faith.

The Journey To A Healthier Me...starts...NOW!

4:45 AM - Wake up call by mom
5:00 AM - Breakfast
5:30 AM - Shower and get dressed up for work
6:15 AM - Leave house
7:15 to 7:30 AM - Arrive at work
6:00 PM to 7:30PM - leave work
10:00 PM - Arrive house
11:00 PM or 1AM - sleep

That's basically my Monday to Friday schedule. Quite unhealthy, huh?

Since last July, after I came back from the States, I never got to put myself back into workout/healthy/diet mode. Eating all those Pink's hotdogs, seafood, pastas, pizzas, burgers, and other yummy...and somehow unhealthy stuff, made me gain quite a few pounds. I even have difficulty convincing myself to pack my gym clothes so I can workout. I also find myself giving tons of reasons not to go to the gym.

But this thinking has got to stop. I need to get back in track. I'm already 25 years old and I'm not getting any younger. I don't want to be huffing and puffing everytime I climb up stairs or walk. I don't want to feel bad thinking that my clothes are too fit for me to wear. I NEED MY HEALTHY ME BACK.

That's why I will commit myself to become a healthier me. STARTING....NOW!

GAME ON!

A Vacation By Myself

I've always wanted to try out going to unknown places by myself. Set out on an adventure that will somehow contribute to my pondering about the meaning of life...or simply rest...get an adrenaline rush...or escape even for a while. I read this article from Yahoo this morning and it made me think about pursuing a solo vacation even for just a day. Click on the link below to read :-) It's exhilirating!

Home Alone in Manjuyod

Stop Clowning Around

It's Thursday! Yay! And there's no work tomorrow :-) A long weekend indeed and I'm definitely looking forward to it. Anyway, I was supposed to write something here in my blog today but I felt the need to post this very important article written by Mr. Francis Kong. It's about Clowns in the workplace. I have to admit that sometimes I do clown around at work and Mr. Kong's article made me think about what I'm really doing. Anyway, click the link below to read the article :-)

Have a happy and blessed long weekend!

Stop Clowning Around