2006 Resolutions

Lets leave behind the other year with a cheerful heart and face this year ahead with ready and prayerfull hearts. The past year is coming to an end and lets take with us the lessons learned.

In the coming year ( The YEAR of The DOG) I hope to be a more patient person especially in dealing with subscribers- I know i have not been a good listener as a customer service officer the past year- i should improve also my voice- that i may not sound unpleasant and irritating. This year i want to listen more and talk less which would hopefully help me understand other people more and hear their side as well. Also this year I want to find more time for my family and friends. Also, improve my blog and gain friends through blogging......And read 2006resolutionsfrom fellow bloggers around the world.

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At This Now....

A year has passed -beyond recall
save that of memory.
Its heightsand depths,
successesand failures,
are history now,
beyond our change.
The clock of time
will not turn backto null
some bador add some good.
A year's ahead -replete with possibility.
We want it richwith all the bestand no regrets.
And at this NOW,
this razor-edge of time
at which the future possibility
comes to pass,
or joins the failures of the past...
at this NOW,the only opportunity
in which those hopesmay reach reality...
how to be rid,and not increase,
this loadof disappointing failure?
Lord God,I cannot changethe past -
forgive my guilt!
Nor can I fail to miss
each moment
and all your glorious best for me,
except you help me now!
© Peter J Blackburn

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Christmas Wont be the Same Without You....

" It's the time of year , When good friends are near, Tryin' hard to find a quiet moment ,Sharing love and joy , Children with their toys, Sadness fills my heart to see you go,Christmas won't be the same without you , Christmas won't be the same if you go, All I need to see standing by my, Christmas tree, Christmas won't be the same without you"

A very nice song by Martin Nieverra. 11 years ago, I kind a associated this song with lovers or couples celebrating their christmas away from each others arms, separated by distance, or lovers who have parted ways for good. Its a song about the idea of being away from a person you truly love on christmas day. In my case its the other way around. I consider myself one of those people who can relate with this song but with a twist.

My christmas was never the same after father died. I was left with a mere memory of those christmases with him around. A history, a longing that remained and was kept somewhere in my heart. A longing that i know will no longer be fulfilled even in my dreams. Im a papa's girl and for me it was painful, so painful it makes me cry every time I hear this song. He left us when I was just on my first year in college. Left with a pension which could barely feed a family of seven kids, I have to work as student assistant in the school library to somehow help in the expenses at home. The library was my sanctuary in those emotional stage of my life. I would tire myself with the library work to the point of forgetting the pain engulfing my heart. I kept the pain to myself knowing its the best thing to do, I never cried at home, I never showed them my pain.

After 11 long years after my father died, I never thought it still hurt this much until I heard the song again. Each line of the song echoes the sound of each tear that fell from eyes. A pain i never imagined that was just there waiting to release itself from my heart. Crying in silence was my only way out from this self imposed torture from a past pain that i unconsciously or consciously refused to put an end. We dont stay in this life forever, we will have our time to go. Im just glad that im stronger now with my True Father, who have been there all the times of my life. Though I have lost my biological father I have a father that never dies and lives forever more. I have to move on, slowly release myself from a pain that will heal itself in time. So to all of you who still have your fathers, please please, show them how much you love them, now that you still have the chance to hug them and how grateful you are for their gift of life.

CHRISTMAS WON'T BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU

By: Martin Nievera

It's the time of year

When good friends are near

Tryin' hard to find a quiet moment

Sharing love and joy

Children with their toys

Sadness fills my heart to see you go
Christmas won't be the same without you

Christmas won't be the same if you go

All I need to see standing by my Christmas tree C

hristmas won't be the same without you
I remember when

The times we used to spend

Walking hard in hand until the sun sets

Then came Christmas Eve The wish you gave to me

How I wish I tried to make you stay
Repeat Chorus
It's been a long long time I need you by my side

Hold me tight Don't let go Let go
Repeat Chorus (2x)
Christmas won't be the same

Christmas won't be the same

Without you

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Traffic Party

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Good News

This prayer, O God, is not to ask..
.For blessings great or small... For the Bonus
For comfort, happiness, success...
Or anything at all...But just to let you know,
O God...My gratitude today...
For everything that you have done...to help me on my way...
To thank you for the strength of heart...That you have given me...
And for protecting me from harm...
And painful injury...
For faith and freedom, work and rest...
Enough to eat and drink...
And words of wisdom from your lips...
To guide me when I think...
A prayer to thank You, and to say ...
That I will try to do...
The best I can to show you,
God... I mean my thanks to you.
James J. Metcalfe

I have not lost hope. All things are possible. I know when its meant for me He will give it. These were my last lines of the blog I made a few days ago. It was a blog with sadness yet with hope. Hope is what keep us going despite the odds. I thank for granting and giving us OUR BONUS.

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The Investment of Friendship

Origianlly Published 1999-09-02

Prov 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born foradversity. (NAS) There are a precious few people in my life I give the title of Friend.It is a word this world has expanded to include our acquaintances andco-workers. Most of these people are not enemies, but they are alsonot the kind of people who will drop everything for us in a time ofneed. A friend is someone you know and want to know better. You cantell each other things without expecting judgment when understandingor just an ear is really needed. Friends feel the pain the other issuffering in times of trial. It is understood that the other one willpray, but it is asked anyway so as not to assume. Prov 18:24 A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is afriend who sticks closer than a brother. (NAS) In a time of personal trial, your friends will boil to the surface.Sacrifices are made in time and effort to be there, drop a note ormake a call to check up on a friend or visit. I have read that mostpeople will only ever have six to 12 very close friends in theirlifetime. Of those, only two or three will make up an inner circle atone time. It may seem sad that there are so few. But these closefriends are like diamonds on black velvet as they reflect the love ofJesus in the dark struggles of our mortal lives. It is, in part, theirrarity that makes them valuable. Prov 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful arethe kisses of an enemy. (NAS) One true measure of a friend is seen when trials come. Another way toknow who is a real friend is to find the person who will look you inthe eye and tell you that you're wrong about something important.Someone who will make excuses for you when it really counts is notbeing a faithful friend. Jesus pointed His finger right in Peter'sface as said, "Get behind me Satan..." Oh how that must have stung tobe publicly called on the carpet. Peter was being selfish where thesalvation of the world was at stake. Peter had been wrong, but Jesusstuck by Peter. Within days, Peter was an eyewitness to thetransfiguration of Jesus. The rebuke was properly taken to heart andthe friendship was restored and deepened.To invest in having and being a friend means that we must invest time,and invest ourselves. To invest ourselves, we become vulnerabledeveloping trust through confidences shared and kept, sharing thewounds to our hearts. Because we are human, it means that we will makemistakes. In those mistakes, we will cause and be hurt. Sharing trialsand talking through our hurts - giving space when it is needed, beinghonest with each other and growing with the other are all parts offriendship. Careful investment and a willingness to weather the stormsthat will come pays dividends that are wealth beyond counting. It isnot all roses and sweets. Without the struggles and effort, the rosesmight not be appreciated nearly as much.---Lord Jesus - You showed us many facets of friendship, some not so easyto do. But there are few things in life that are worth doing that donot have a cost and a learning curve associated with them. The mostpriceless of these take a lifetime to achieve. Thank You for being thefriend that sticks closer than a brother, to show us how to be thatkind of friend. Make us imitators of You. Amen.Peace,Mikemhoskins@cfdevotionals.org

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The Spirit of Christmas

I have a list of people I know

All written in a book

And every year at Christmastime

I go and take a look

And that is when I realise

That those names are a part

Not of the book they're written in

But of my very heart

For each name stands for someone

Who has crossed my path some time

And in that meeting they've become

A treasured friend of mine

And once you've met some people

The years can not erase

The memory of a pleasant word

Or a friendly face

So when I send a Christmas card

That is addressed to you

It's because you're on that list

Of folk I'm indebted to

And you are one of many folk who

In times past I've met

And happen to be one of those

I don't want to forget

And whether I have known you for

Many years or few

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The Nail

We have a gift for you-
just a simple nail.
However you will never be able
to use it for the purpose that
it was intended. It will never
join two pieces of wood or
fasten a picture to a wall.
This nail will probably never be
hammered by you – we don’t
think anyone could bring
themselves to do it-
Not this particular nail.
Let this nail, instead, serve
as a reminder each time you
see it, each time you find
it again.
That you matter to someone.
if you ever doubt your worth
or value, if you ever doubt
that you are loved,
hold this nail just for a
Moment and reflect.
God so loved the world
That he gave His only
begotten Son…
while we were yet sinners
Christ died for us.
Believe and remember.
How much you hurt or
How much you suffer,
You are loved.
Never forget that
Jesus was held to the
Cross not by nails
But by love.

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Its Vague

Vague things frustate me. I just dont like the feeling of being left there and dont seem to figure what the truth is. Christmas is fast approaching and work is getting annnoying each day ( since i was told by a foriegner once that i have the worst job in the world). I happen to be a customer service officer of a telecommunications company (meaning not a day goes by that i dont get cursed or i dont get obscene remarks from subscribers) but despite the heart breaking kind of job i have i count myself fortunate enough, with the current economic crisis it hard to find a decent job. And then, a few weeks ago the bad news came....WE HAVE NO BONUS!!!!!, and there's a possible manpower reduction (another brain damaging and heart breaking news). True or not but, it felt bad and somewhat dismayed. It may be that big but i was looking forward to that yearly gift. Well, thats life, its coupled with the good and the bad things and its up and its downs. But i have not lost my hope that things would still go the other way around. I still pray, all things are possible. I know when its meant for me He will give it.

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My Cactus Collection

My collection .......
sorry if the picture is not that big...














Another picture of my babies.....















Tha Beaver Tail

This low, spreading cactus with short bristles grows 6 to 12 inches high and up to 6 feet wide. The gray-green, jointed stems are wide and flat resembling the tail of a beaver. Oval in shape, the stems are 1 to 6 inches wide and 2 to 13 inches long.

The stems grow in clumps with flowers from the top edge of the joints. Flowers are followed by a brownish-gray, oval fruit more than an inch long with many seeds.




A low, cylindrical cactus with one or many thick-clustered stems grows to 6 inches high. Many hooked spines, 1/2-inch long at the tips of nipples, are surrounded by numerous, straight, tan-to-pink ones. The Fishhook Cactus has extended, smooth, red fruit 1/2 to 1 inches long. Not to be confused with the Fishhook Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus wislizenii) of the Chihuahuan Desert.





Also called:
Pincushion Cactus
Corkseed Cactus
Nipple Cactus
Fishhook Mammillaria
Cabeza del Viejo

These are a few of my cacti collection. I have not taken a detailed picture of each kind, but i promise i will try to secure a more colorful picture of them. I started collecting last two years ago and i find so much pleasure in taking care of these beautiful and cute plants. The secret it to water them just once a week and put them where sunlight is abundant

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Not You

I came to see one night,
and saw the chapters of my life.
Stopped at the point of meeting you,
how i felt those feelings new.
I thought it ended there,
but it started a one-sided love affair,
you didn't know i was loving you
with my heart's glow.
I wondered why my heart beat for you,
just like a mistle toe,
it bursted there,
revealing magnificent colors i can only glare.
Minutes seemed eternity with you around,
with your presence blue skies would abound.
And on a falling star i wished that you,
would somehow feel the way I do.
Woke up with a tear one day,
that i molded hypocrisy of clay,
chose to look your way,
only to chase my blues away.
There's no use dreaming of you,
with my heart aches long overdue,
I know somewhere, someone, somehow who's worthy of my love so true,
and maybe its not you.

A poem made out of the abundance of my heart a few years ago ( college years)..., a poem made not for a boyfriend, not for an ex lover, but for a crush,...he was just a classmate not formally introduced, i dont even know he if he knows i existed hehehehehe. It was I guess part of growing up and a point in my life that I have felt I was in love. Call it infatuation or or something else, one thing I know it felt good, its something that makes you smile. Now I realized that I was just in love with the thought of falling in love.

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A Prayer

Fate was cruel to let us part,
how great was the pain engulfing my heart,
and from the start,
I kept a silent prayer here my heart.
I bid adieu,
only memories of you came flashing through,
in the midst of my pain and sorrow,
deep in my heart there's still hope for tomorrow.

And on one fine saturday,
the 22nd day of May,
the man i constantly prayed,
was there on our friend's wedding day.

A smile started it all,
how things perfectly fall,
like two different walls,
slowly reunited through a call.

Fate was not so cruel anyway,
as the Master would always say,
" Just keep that prayer to end the day,
to you be granted and make you gay."

You are the answer to my prayer,
you are a blessing from God
A gift of love,
I'll treasure forever!

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