On Charity

"Proportion your charity to the strength of your estate, or God will proportion your estate to the weakness of your charity.

-Ben Franklin

A man promised to give 10 percent of his income to charity if God would bless him financially. At first, when he had little money, that was an easy promise to keep. But as his wealth grew, so did his charitable contributions, until the man began to begrudge the arrangement. He went to his minister and asked if he could decrease the percentage.

"I have a better idea," the minister said. "Why don't we ask God to lower your income so it doesn't hurt so much?"

Today the average American gives about 3 percent of his or her income to charity. Poorer Americans (those earning less than $10,000 a year) give more, around 5 percent.

Before you write out a check to the Mother of the Unknown Soldier Society, check with the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance to find out how much of your gift actually goes to programs, as opposed to fund-raising and administration.

JFK once said- "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich".

********************J

Bloopers

Whew! So I passed the driving test and I'm on my own now. I love the fun and freedom of being mobile at last. So, I had my first trip to the gasoline station. For God's sake, I was such a comic then. I wonder if the people at the Starbucks across the street are thinking I might be freaking weirdo. I kept pushing the circular thing trying to open the gas tank? Grrrrr, what the heck? for over 10 minutes, I can't figure it out! Holy smokes! duh?! So,I called my husband and there finally I opened it in just a second. That was so dumb of me, lols! Blaine is teasing me so much, he thought it's funny! I kept looking up above hoping there's no camera to catch me, wuahaha! Then, I started pushing the buttons and put the nozzle in, grrrrrrrrr...why it's not working? how could it be so hard?Then, the cashier of that gas station came out trying to help me out. He helped me, I was relieved. I kept apologizing since it's my first car,hahaha! Okay, I have to go coz my friend Dyane is waiting for me. But my steering wheel is locked?! Oh no! I can't move my car:( Gezzzz... then a guy whose looking at me trying to do something came to help me. Finally, am back on the road. Wow! what a blooper!!!That was few days ago then.

This afternoon, I was driving to JoAnn's Craft store to buy some sheer for the window project we had. It was pretty easy drive. I was hoping to drop by at Staples after that. But then, I was so stupid again. On my way back, I forgot that I will be turning left. I never even noticed it. As I was heading North, I hit the end of La Paz Rd. Oh No! I have to get back! So I turned on the residential areas hoping it will lead me back to La Paz. But boy, I was lost!!! So, I parked and tried to pull my IPhone out from my purse. Am glad,it has dropped pin feature on it. Iwas able to locate where I’m at.

Okay,I have to get back to the main road. So I was cruising again and it lead me to another road that I never been before! I’m completely lost! I can now see the signs ahead where it used to be- I just don’t care. I parked again.Grrrrrr… I was trying to call my husband but then my battery just died!Shoootttt!!! Bummer! I was just so scared coz I know what would happen next. Go to the near gas station and call my hubby on the pay phone. But I don’t even know where would that be. I was trying to recall all the streets that I have gone through and finally,I’m back to La Paz Rd. Wow! After an hour! I gotta go home right away. It’s not fun anymore, hahaha!!!

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A Listening Mind

I had been seeking the true meaning of happiness. Some people describe it as a pleasing moment of being one with nature's landscape- of a mountain overlooking the vast horizon, of calm lake, of a green forest with pleasing whistles of the birds. Some referred it as a long-awaited event: of lovers who had not seen each other for a long time, for winning a victory, for giving birth to a child, for achieving a goal.

At some point, the mind is relaxed from all the stress of thinking about the past and worrying about the future. There is a temporal stopping of inner confusions. The moment is occupied with the sensation of the present and freed from all the doubts and expectations. That's how I see it. I realized the moment I tried analyzing it... that very profound peace was gone and my mind goes back to work again.

Changing the way we see the world does not indicate optimism or some unnatural joys to offset negativity. So long as we are slaves to the discontentment and frustration that arise from the confusion that rules our minds, it will just be useless to say "I'm happy!" over and over again.

The search for happiness is not just about looking at life through rose-colored glasses or depriving oneself to look at the pain and imprefections of the world. Nor is happiness a feeling of intense to be indefinitely prolonged at all costs and time.

To the end, we must acquire a better understanding of how the mind works- for in its truest sense, suffering is closely associated to a misconception of the nature of reality.

Ego on Its Primal State

Ego is the conscious and permanent subject of all physical experiences, whether held to be directly known or the product of reflective thought.

We often pride in ourselves, in our jobs, in our possessions, in our success. Who would want to feel down? Taking pride means we immersed and keep ourselves clean. The pride that is dangerous, the kind we're oftentimes unaware of, is deep in the soul, deep in the whole being. We tend to find excuses for our bad behaviour. We thought there's no way we can be wrong. That there's nothing left to learn, we know almost everything. There's no room for listening other people's own convictions.

Our very own ego denies that we could be in any way guilty of what we are accused of. Rather than face the truth-which means we failed- we live life of pretense. We begin to think that others are always at fault and that we are perfect. Soon enough, we can find ourselves living in very false world.

Give Thanks with A Grateful Heart

Give Thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His son

And now let the weak say I am strong
Let the poor say, I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us, GIVE THANKS!

Finding Pearl

This is one of my favorite parable: " The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Mt. 13:45-46). It's very amazing to read parables and how Jesus speaks through idioms to awaken us to the expansive world of God's presence as unconditional love. I used to read that parable when I was a kid till in high school just as they are part of our school curriculum but never did I understand a part of it. In its truest sense, I cannot grasp the reality of what this parable is all about.

At a time in my life when I was so insecure, judgemental and so self-conscious, I came across this keen observation that humans- everywhere and whatever they do or possess wondering around what everybody else is thinking of them not knowing that everybody else is also wondering the same thing.

On my journey and my quest for answers I stumbled upon a little book of self-help. A bit of information leads to another book. It all happened so fast that I don't want to miss a thing on that roller-coaster ride. Eventually, pieces of answers surfaced but still puzzling. Like a blind since birth who cannot tell what colors of the sky are. But God has created us in His divine Mastery to share the heavenly joys of which he calls " the Kingdom of God".

The merchant in the parable is me. And the pearl I have found are the real glitters of joy, awareness, power, satisfaction, security- all wrapped in what I call "truth". It's a great relief finding that one true pearl, my ever precious gift! Anything less would have left me stumbling, thirsty to the touch of love and blindly grasping for more!

A Release of Silence

It's such an amazing gift to find silence amidst the noise and clutters of the world. And to gain that takes a lot more practice.

When I worked in Taiwan and having to share the room with 4 more persons- finding quiteness was so difficult. I have to climb up to the roof top or go to the near park to spend sometime for myself. I felt like it's just too much to interact with one another after all the stressful night at work. I can have a sense of balance just to be with me. During those times, I have been distracted with deeper issues of self-pity, insecurities, anger, hopelessness and all other negativity that tried to drag me down. I felt like if I don't stop, I will stumble along the wayside. Everytime I go out from my own sanctuary, everything seemed strange. How I wish I can just hide myself forever in that place. Eventually, I became addicted to that sensation of being alone. There's always an urge to go back. After a few months, I have learned to appreciate the little moments of silence with friends. Then, it became an ordinary thing to be with me and my God all the time.

Silence indeed is something that's deep within, it must grow and be nurtured. Without it, we cannot hear God nor can He speak to us. It's the totality of sacredness that binds us together. We all do need some dosage of silence once in a while. That's the only thing that keep us connected from within.

How do you define happiness?

There's no word that can express the joy I felt deep within... I really don't know why! I felt like what did I do to deserve such heavenly feeling? There's no containment of the overflowing grace and blessings God had bestowed to me. So many times I cried in the past, I have had my worst nightmare as any other humans... until I didn't even realize I managed it all. It's true, tough times won't last forever. After the storm comes a rainbow. But to be honest, the most fulfilling thing that I have ever done to myself was giving it away! Yes, right...it is only when you give yourself that you really give. And blessed are those who lose their self coz they will find it.

Thank you so much Lord... you never really leave me even when I disappointed you sometimes. You accept me as your beautiful creation and as always you gave me more chances!