"Acknowledgments"

"Acknowledgments"

from F.J.kong's book Early Birds...

In all things we need to be thankful.

One lady with brilliant perspective has this to say about thankfulness.

* I am thankful... For the husband who complains when his dinner is not on time because he is home with me, not with someone else.

* For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes because that means she is at home and not on the streets.

* For the taxes that i pay, because it means that I am employed.

* For the mess to clean after a party, because it means that I have been surrounded by friends.

* For the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means I have enough to eat.

* For my shadow that watches me work, because it means I am out in the sunshine.

* For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing, because it means I have a home.

* For all the complaining I hear about the government, because it means that we have freedom of speech.

* For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means I am capable of walking and that I have been blessed with transportation.

* For my huge heating bill, because it means I am warm.

* For the lady behind me in church that sings off key, because it means that I can hear.

* For the pile laundry and ironing, because it means I have clothes to wear.

* For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day, because it means I have been capable of working hard.

* For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means that I am alive.

* And finally, for too much e-mail, because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

* We have to be thankful. There are just so many good things going for us.

Thanksgiving is good but thanksliving is better.

"If You Love Something..."

"If You Love Something..."

Life is a matter of perspective. Even when we talk about sensitive subject matter such as love, it all depends on how you see it and it all depends on your perspective.

A funny little article about loving something and here's how it goes.

THE ORIGINAL VERSION: USED TO BE THIS:

If you love something, Set it free...

If it comes back, It's yours; If it doesn't, it never was yours in the first place.

BUT THE PESSIMIST'S VERSION IS THIS:

If you love somebody , Set her free...

If she ever comes back, she's yours, If she doesn't, well, as expected, she never was.

THE OPTIMIST'S VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

Don't worry, she will come back.

THE SUSPICIOUS' VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

If she ever comes back, ask her why.

THE IMPATIENT PERSON'S VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

If she doesn't come back within some time limit, forget her.

THE PATIENT PERSON'S VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

If she doesn't come back, continue to wait until she comes back...

THE PLAYFUL VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

* If she comes back, and if you love her still, set her free again, repeat*

THE LAWYER'S VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

Clause 1a of Paragraph 13a-1 in the second amendment of the Matrimonial Freedom Act clearly states that...

THE STATISTICIAN'S VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

If she loves you, the probability of her coming back is high.

If she doesn't your relationship was improbable anyway.

THE POSSESSIVE VERSION:

If you love somebody don't ever set her free.

THE MBA VERSION:

If you love somebody, set her free...instantaneously... and look for others simultaneously.

THE PSYCHOLOGIST'S VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

If she comes back, her super ego is dominant. If she doesn't come back, her IQ is supreme. If she doesn't go, she must be crazy.

THE FINANCE EXPERT VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

If she comes back, it's time to look for fresh loans. If she doesn't, write her off as an asset gone bad.

THE MARKETING VERSION:

If you love somebody, Set her free...

If she comes back, she has brand loyalty. If she doesn't, reposition the brand in new markets.

Life is not what happens, but it's how you take it.

Here's my favorite Author Francis J. Kong Version.

If you love somebody, you will care enough to share your life to help, to give, rather than to get or to recieve.

If you love somebody, you will begin to invest more of your time, listen carefully to what that person is saying.

If you love somebody, you will rejoice at that person's success.

And most importantly, if you love somebody, you would pray for that person and bring him or her to the Savior.

Now that's what the real issue in love is all about. And that's the right perspective.

I

"Inspiration"II

" Inspiration"

part II

• Sometimes, we put too much passion on the biggest dreams and priorities in life that we fail to love the smallest pleasures from simple things. We search so much for the right choices, right paths to walk through, right time and right reasons. But life isn't about searching for the things that can be found. Its about letting the unexpected happen and finding things you never searched.

• Cherish things while you still have them, the hardest things in life is regret ... But the hardest thing of all is knowing you have it yet, you lose it because you did nothing!

• No one in this world can dictate to you where you can be happy... if you know where and what it is... go for it... just remember happiness is not a destiny its a choice.

• Whenever you share the goodness in your heart, you always end up a winner, because life is an echo, it gives back what you have given.

• Never plan everything in life, that way we get to embrace life's little surprises, coz in life, when your too busy looking down the road, you'll never see the happy signs on the side.

• Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in life. If God allow us to go through life with out obstacles. we would not be as strong as what we could have been.

• In life you will realize that the people you meet have a purpose... some were put there to test you, some would use you, some would teach you and some would bring out the best in you, some may cause you pain but you'll learn to move on, so let go of the people who can't treat you right and hold on to those who love you back and see your worth.

• Life they say is touch and go. some people you know may only be there for some time, some may go away but people who find you special will always find ways to stay...

• My most hated word is pride, because when you have it, you always don't want to be the first to do the step to be with someone. You always try to hide your feelings, you dont want others to know that your hurt, your afraid of letting someone know he's/she's special, your afraid of losing someone whom you think cant love you back, your so aware of what others think that you cant do what you want, your not happy and in the end, you lose everything without even trying to have it...

• One afternoon i was busy gathering pebbles from the shore. But as i was gathering more and more, i felt that my hands were turning so heavy... and so i let go. I know that i can easily retrace my steps and pick them up. But i didn't, I just cried. Coz what i have learned here was not the pain of losing my pebbles... but the deeper pain of having to let go of what i already have... just because... " I wanted to hold on to something more."

• Theres nothing wrong of being single. Its actually nice to be free. I can stay out late every night, i can wear whatever i want. i can just be my plain old self... the whole world sees that i can take care of myself. But you know, i wouldn't mind having someone walk my home, i wouldn't mind wanting to look good or trying to be better for someone, i wouldnt mind letting someone hold me when im just too weak to go on. Its nice to be free...but its nicer to be bound to someone.

• You know what happiness is? Its waking up in the middle of the night, shifting blankets and feeling the heart of the person next to you. You turn around and you see that person in his/her most innocent state. You smile, kiss the face gently so as not to awake that person. you turn around and a grin forms on your face, then, you feel an arm wrapped around your waist and you know it doesn't get any better than this.

• Define Pretending... Saying your okey , but your not, that you understand but you don't. Acting like your busy, but in reality your lonely. Convincing people that you just wanna be friends, but what you really want is more than friends. when you know that she/he has somebody new, you act like it doesnt hurt when it really hurts so bad inside. when you say you've moved on, but the truth is your still waiting. when you say its over, but you know you still love him/her and you say you can't relate with this message, but then you really do.

• Last night i ask God, " why does he have to create pain and hurt? why not all laughter and cheers? why do we have to cry? why not all smile painted in our face? he got my hand and said "My child you dont have time to thank me when your happy, sometimes i let you experience pain, for you to recognize me..., Remember through pains im making you a fighter, the more you cry, the more you are hurt, the stronger you became..." I smiled then God added " always remember that whatever happens everything has a purpose. I always give a rainbow after rain...

• A lot of us build dreams with people we hoped would be with us forever, only to wake up in the world that nothing is permanent in this world... Love comes and goes... people stay and leave...Life is a cycle of finding and losing of making and breaking, of living and dying ... thats how reality bites!

• Some years ago, a news paper offered a prize for the best definition of money, Out of the hundreds who competed, the winner submitted this food for thought:"Money is a universal provider for everything but not happiness... and a passport to everywhere but never in heaven...

• When were given heavy loads by GOD... it only means that were worthy of His trust...He always listen when we pray...yet He answers them in His own perfect time.Often times, we asks for signs... for us to know if he/she is the right one... What if there are no signs? is the absence of signs is a sign? - a thought from serendipity-

• Life is all about waking up each day to discover something new.... about meeting old people but making new conversations.... walking through old roads but still feeling nice about it.... realizing that you have grown a day older but still feeling young at heart.... meeting busy skeds but still finding time for old friends.... being nostalgic about gone days but looking forward to better days...

• " Sometimes you have to try not to care no matter how much you do... because sometimes, you can mean nothing to someone who means everything to you..."

"Friends"

"Friends"

Great friends,are part of memories time can never erase,

when life is blessed with good friends, more pleasant

memories are there to look back!

Remember: if you can dream it,

you can probably make it come true.

Build wonderful bridges to get where you're going.

Appreciate all the special qualities within you.

Even if you do things the right way,some would still

be unsatisfied. some will not appreciate what you say

and what you do, and there would always be people who

would let you down too... but as long as you speak honestly

from the heart, you'll be fine. This is not a perfect world,

This is not a perfect life. Life is almost always unfair...but

Life loves the person who dares live it...

Always tell someone how you feel. Mean what you say

and say what you mean even when its hard, coz opportunities

are lost in a blink of an eye but regrets can last as a lifetime...

The secret of "Friendship" is concern,

The secret of "Love" is sacrifice,

The secret of "Happiness" is giving and,

The secret of "Life" is GOD...

Friendship are like buttons in an elevator...

Some take you up, Others bring you down...

I can't promise to bring you on the rooftop

but I promise to bring you on the right floor.

Real life is not outside ourselves but within.

The real possessions are not what the hands

may grasp,but what the heart may hold.

I may never have expressed, shown or told you

how much i care for you or even make you realize

how much i value even the smallest thing you do,

let my silence say it all.

Everything you've done will become someone elses memory;

the person might forget the exact words you said but

no way to make them forget the way you made them feel special.

Never gave up when everything falls into pieces.

Never even lose hope when everybody turns their back on you...

Remember Life isn't about being fair, its about surpassing the unfair

reality.

Don't give up when you still have something to give.

Nothing is really over unless you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks, it is by taking

chances that we learn how to be brave.

Shores never meet but share the same ocean.

The moon and stars could not be one but are in one sky,

Friends meet not often but never stop being friends!

A heart doesn't need to have company to be happy...

It can smile in its solitude and be thankful for the peace inside...

Its not so bad being single.

Realize that relationships are like parties, no matter how much

laughs you shared, tears you discussed, money you spent,

time will come someone will say... "Time to go guys,party's over."

Everything that God allows to come in your way is with purpose...

He will use even the greatest error and the deepest hurt to mold

you into a person of worth...

Good friends, don't always need togetherness, don't always need

everyday conversation, as long as the friendship lives in heart

it remains forever.

If you wanna end up with the right person, you've got to

make it happen. The best people are always taken.

If you don't steal them, you wont have them...

Friends are like walls of a house, always there to protect you,

Sometimes you lean on them and sometimes its just cool to know

that they are standing by.

The heart of a friend doesn't grow old.

It knows no time or age, it doesn't get weary

because it takes no effort, just cares, shows and goes on.

"Love your work"

"Love Your Work"

"Work to become, not to acquire!"

Don't work too hard to give your loved one's the best of everything,

Instead make a greater effort to give them the best of yourself

because you are their best!

Work has been the subject of many negative criticisms. It's been called an interruption of weekends, a necessary evil, an obnoxious option, so forth and so on. But probably the worst is a material from a wise guy who compares work with life in prison. Submitted by Christopher Kline in his article entitled "Life in Prison versus A Full Time Job." listen to what he has to say:

* In prison, they spend the majority of their time in an eight foot by ten foot cell. At work, they spend most of the time in a six by eight cubicle.

* In prison, they get three meals a day. at work, they only get a break for one meal and they have to pay for that.

* In prison, you get time off for good behavior. at work, they get reward for good behavior with more work.

* At work, they must wear an ID badge at all times. In prison they provide you with clothing with the ID conveniently sewn onto the clothes.

* At work, there is a dress standard,but they have to buy their own clothes. In prison, there is a dress standard, but they supply the clothes.

* At work, they must carry around security card and unlock and open all the doors by themselves. In prison, a guard locks and unlocks all the doors.

* In prison, they can watch TV and play games. At work, they can get fired for watching TV and playing games.

* In prison, they will pay their way through school to learn a new career and give them a time to do it. At work, they pay for your education, but you must do it on your own time.

* In prison, they have exercise rooms that they allow you to use almost whenever you want. At work, we have an exercise room that you can use, but it must be on your time.

* In prison, they can fall asleep on the job and no serious consequences comes from that actions. At work, if we fall asleep on the job, we get suspended.

* In prison, they ball and chain you when you have to go somewhere. At work, you are just ball and chained.

* In prison, you have full medical coverage with no deductibles. At work, you get partial coverage and pay all deductibles.

* In prison, all expenses are paid by the taxpayer,with no work on their part. At work, you get to pay all the expenses to go to work, and then deduct the taxes from your salary to pay for the prisoners.

I don't know what the writer's trying to say,but if he's implying that committing a crime and spending the rest of your life in prison is better than being chained to an office table, sorry, but thats not my cup of tea.

You might be surprised to know that there are actually a multitude of people who feel this way. They are helplessly chained to their work. Given the choice they would rather buy a lotto ticket,win the prize and retire at the age of twenty six, But then, here's the real story.

Work is not only a means by which we earn a living. It is a means by which we earn how to live. It provides us with countless opportunity to build up that most important part of the human being, the inward part called character. Work provides us with the opportunity to meet new friends, learn life experiences and even teaches us to avoid certain kinds of people. Work gives us the blessed opportunity to be productive with our hands. To contribute to society, to make this world a little better. In short, work gives us values as human beings because it is an expression of God's glorious creative feature, the ability to create and the ability to be channels of blessings for others, too.

The secret of this: one's perspective of work becomes healthy the moment he removes his focus on himself and start looking at the concerns of others. As difficult as it may seem, work, indeed, is a blessing from God.

The choice is yours to make. You can either choose to make work a life imprisonment sentence or you can choose to make a work wonderful means to live. I don't know about you,but I certainly choose work to be the means of serving God and serving man. And I certainly hope this would be your perspective,too.

"Practice Safe Sex"

"Practice Safe Sex"

The best thing to wear for safe sex is wedding ring!

One day, a conversation between a teenager and his grandfather was overheard. The young man said, " Gee, Grandpa, your generation didn't have all these social diseases. You did not have Aids during your time. What did you wear to have safe sex?"

The wise old gentleman replied, " A wedding ring."

Now,does that make sense or what?

Sex today is presented as a fulfillment of the animal lust inside every man and hardly ever presented as a sacred bond of union inside the institution of marriage.

You don't even need to go to church or attend a service to hear your priest or pastor say this. Just watch the movies and all those television shows and you will see that sex has been so degraded, and the young people of today are even more confused. Now, more than ever, we have to remind them that sex is God's invention. It is to be beautiful thing as long as it kept within the bounds of marriage. It enhances the relationship of husband and wife and it is within God's design for all to follow.

Many business people I know are very good in their product presentations and are good communicators, yet when it comes to talking about sex with their kids, they stutter, they stammer and worse, they stop or give up.

A fundamental principle in good management says that we are to give importance to proper communications and never is the moment more important than this. To communicate to our kids God's design for sex and marriage.

I knew a guy couple of years ago. He was very intelligent. He knew a lot about computers long before I ever knew how to punch the keyboard. He was good looking, articulate and has a photographic memory. One look at him and you know he had all it takes to succeed in life.

He got married. And then the truth came out. He couldn't remain faithful to his wife. He would go on flings with various women and then end their relationship bitterly. Never satisfied, he continued having sex with one woman after another. I later discovered the reason why.

As a kid, he was taught sex in a very wrong way. His family owned a massage parlor and almost every night, the father would bring him and have him watch him "do it" with different women. This was the father idea of "sex education." When he reached fifteen, the father gave him first woman. He never recovered after that. To him, sex was nothing but a cheap thrill. He could never live a normal life. He would be successful in his career for a time, and then he would mess up his life by having affairs with the girls he was working with. You know what? The man was a practical handicap. And I certainly know the reason why.

Sex is beautiful. It is God's design and invention. Sex is not something you engage in everytime you attend a convention somewhere. Sex is not messing up with the people you work with whether in the office or in the field. Sex is not a purchase order given to one of those poor young girls making a living along Quezon avenue at night. Sex is not a peep show you watch through the convinience of the internet or pay TV.

Sex is to be an expression of great intimacy with the one God has given you inside the bounds of marriage. Times are difficult as it is. You don't need another messed up relationship to complicate life. And watch your kids, too. You don't want to have another sexual handicap walking the streets of our city, either now, or in the immediate future.

by: Francis J. Kong

"Don't Be Greedy"

"Don't Be Greedy"

It is difficult to save money
when your neighbors keep buying
things you can't afford.

Greed can get you what you want,
but rob you of what you already have!

A couple was on their way to a luncheon at a restaurant in an area mall.As they were driving on a road which curved,they run over a cat .They stopped the car in this residential section and were tempted to just drive on.However, they felt they needed to tell someone,so they went up to the home near where the cat was lying and told the resident of the home what had happened. It was the owner of the cat. The people who ran over the cat asked if there is anything they could do. The elderly resident asked if they would take care of disposing of the body of the cat. They went back out to the street and picked the dead cat up and put it in the only bag they had in their car,which was the Nordstrom's bag{an expensive clothing store}. They then decided to keep their luncheon date and take the cat to the animal shelter after lunch.

When they arrived at the mall, they parked in front of the restaurant. They took the Nordstrom's bag with the cat in it and laid it on the hood of their car in case it should start to smell. In the restaurant they could see their car. They noticed a Mercedes Benz pull up next to their car and finely-dressed woman get out. The woman saw the Nordstrom's bag , looked around, grabbed the bag without looking in it. This wealthy woman had evidently thought that she had stolen something of great value and placed the bag by her feet after sitting at a table close by the couple. The couple didn't say a word, but just watched this lady. The lady ordered her meal and was served. Her curiosity got the better of her and she could not resist looking into the bag to see what expensive item she would find.

She leaned over to peek in the sack and fainted dead away.

The manager called an ambulance which arrived within minutes from its station a couple of blocks away. The ambulance attendants gathered up the woman and her personal effects. As they placed the unconscious body into the ambulance,she began to come around just as they placed the Nordstrom's bag containing the dead cat onto the middle of her chest.

Well, that's greed for you. This is the reason why external things are never honest indicators of what happens inside a person. All those fancy clothes and even an expensive Mercedes Benz are no assurances that a person is not greedy.

Now here's the problem with greed. Do you know that greed can get you what you wan't, but it robs you of what you already have? It's true Read through it again. Greed can get you what you want,but can rob you of what you already have. This is not only a truism, it is a fact of life.

Here's what shakespeare said:

"Those that much covert are with gain so fond that what they have not, that which they possess They scatter and unloose it from their bond, And so by hoping more they have but less."

That's the tragedy behind greed .The eyes always long for more.The heart beats faster,sleep eludes him and the greedy person's whole life is consumed with the need to posses-such that he will never have peace unless he gets what he wants,no matter what method he uses in acquiring it." Greed, for lack of a better word,is good. Greed is right.Greed works."

Well, that's what the world says. But that's not what the Bible says. The Bible say's that contentment with Godliness is great gain.The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil. The bible says greed destroys. Its been a long time now. The Bible has not changed and it has not faded. In fact, Jesus Christ says that heaven and earth shall pass away,but the Word of God will never pass away.

Differences Between Men and Women

Men and Women have been created by God differently.We just have to live with that.Unless we understand their differences,then it would be difficult to carry on a good and healthy relationship with the wife and it would certainly be a great loss as far as marketing business opportunities are concerned.

Differences Beetween Men and Women

Here are some differences.

WHEN IT COMES TO NICKNAMES:

If Gloria, Suzanne, Katrina, and Michelle go out for lunch, they will call each other Gloria, Suzanne, Katrina, and Michelle.But if Bob, tom, Bryan and Dave go out,they will affectionately refer to each other as Bonehead,Booger,Dogman and pooman.

WHEN IT COMES TO EATING OUT, HERE YOU WILL SEE THE DIFFERENCE:

And when the check comes, Mike, Phil, John and Jack will each throw P1,000 bills,even though it's only for P150.None of them will have anything smaller, and none will actually admit they want change back.When the girls get their check,out come the pocket calculators.

WHEN IT COMES TO BATHROOM:

A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush,shaving cream,razor,a bar of soap, and a towel from a hotel.

The average number of item in the typical woman's bathroom is 437. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

WHEN IT COMES TO HANDWRITING:

To their credit,men do not decorate their penmanship.They just chicken-scratch. Women use scented, colored stationary and they dot their "i's" with circles and hearts.Women use ridiculously large loops in their "p's" and "g's". It is a royal pain to read a note from a woman. Even when she's dumping you,she'll put a smiley face at the end of the note.

WHEN IT COMES TO GROCERIES:

A woman makes a list of things she needs and then goes out to the store and buys them. A man waits till the only items left in his fridge are half a slice of pizza and a coke,then he goes grocery shopping.He buys everything that looks good.By the time a man reaches the checkout counter,his cart is packed tighter than the cart can hold.Ofcourse, this will not stop him from going to the 10-items-or-less-lane.

WHEN IT COMES TO SHOES YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCES:

When preparing for work, a woman will put on a suit, then slip on a pair of comfortable shoes. She will carry her dress shoes in a plastic bag. When she gets to work, she will put on her dress shoes.

Five minutes later,she will kick them off because her feet are under the desk. A man will wear the same pair of shoes all day.

WHEN IT COMES TO OFFSPRING:

Ah, Children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and soccer games and romances and best friends and favorite foods and secrets fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

WHEN IT COMES TO DRESSING UP:

A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

WHEN IT COMES TO ARGUMENTS:

A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO CATS:

Woman love cats.Men say they love cats,but when women aren't looking,men kick cats.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO CLOTHES:

When a woman goes to her closet and says, "I don't have anything to wear," "she really means " I don't have anything new to wear," When a man goes to his closet and says, " I don't have anything to wear," what he really means is ," I don't have anything clean to wear."

And finally, "Few women admit their age.Few men act theirs."

Men want respect, Women want intimacy.Give them what they want. No man can live without woman

" A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.

A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

" Later the same day,the wife says, "Now that we're back on speaking terms,shut up!

"Speak the Truth"

"Speak the Truth"

Honesty is the best policy; but there are too few policy holders.

I'll call you later; it means; I don't want to speak to you again.

We can still be friends always, Meaning; I wan't to use you later on but on my terms.

You look fine;It probably means you look as exciting as our ten years old refrigerator.

In business,rock bottom prices probably means; The prices put your checkbook between a rock and a hard place.

Once in a lifetime offer; Is true if you only live for a day.

Limited edition Only; means the same stuff had been offered for less than two years.

Politicians says; "I really care for the people" Hmmm...No Comment.

Double speak; is A nice new art form of twisting the truth and watering down its meaning.This is the fad of today. Thats why we call it adultery "having an affair"

Drug addiction,vandalism and ofcourse,crime are now called diseases.

The world can invent new and nice sounding words to sugar coat unrighteousness, but God still call it Sin.

So the next time around, don't be too happy to hear somebody say that you are theologically challenged.He simply means you are ignorant of the Bible.

"Grow old Gracefully"

"Grow old Gracefully"

Growing old-Its not nice,but its interesting

"As a person starts reaching this milestone[your fortieth birthday] you need to take time you learn about the biological changes that are taking place within your body, so that you will be better able to understand and cope with the inevitable and completely natural elements of the aging process-the minor aches,pains,dental problems,intestinal malfunctions,muscle deterioration,emotional instability,memory lapses,hearing and vision loss,

impotence, seizures, growths, prostate problems, greatly reduced limb function, massive coronary failure, death and, ofcourse, painful hemorrhoid swelling-that can make up this exciting adventure we call 'middle age'."

People have a lot of funny things to say about aging.They say that;

*You know you're getting older when you try to straighten out the wrinkles in your socks only to find you aren't wearing any.

*At twenty, we don't care what the world thinks of us;at thirty,we start to worry about what the world thinks of us;at forty, we realized the world isn't really thinking of us at all.

*You would know the person is getting old when he has gotten to the age where he needs his false teeth and hearing aid before he can ask where he left his glasses.

*Forty is when you stop patting yourself on the back and start patting yourself under the chin.

*The old familiar saying that life begins at forty undermines the fact that bad eyesight,arthritis and the habit of telling the same jokes three times to the same person start happening during the same timeframe.

The secret of staying young is to live honestly,eat slowly and lie about your age.When you were young,you made a lot of faces in the mirror.when you are old the mirror gets even.

The new year ushers in another year of aging.We laugh about it and we groan about it,but we can't stop it. But this is also the time for some serious questions.Just the past year alone,I had to go to funeral parlors for more often than i ever did in my past years.The feeling of invincibility and immortality begins to fade as we now consider the question of death.Is death when we go to sleep? or Is death when we finally wake up? Would this year be the final sunset for a lot of my friends,maybe eeven for me?who can provide the answer? Who would know the events of life apart from the author of life?

I guess the best approach towards the coming year is to say, "Lord,another year and another opportunity for me to touch someone's life.No matter what happens,whether for better or for worse,my trust will be in you."

words of another philosopher better ,He says "Make all major decisions inside the cemetery."

The Bible says that we are to ask God to teach us to number our days,that we gain a heart of wisdom.

So grow old gracefully and Enjoy life!

"Inspiration"

"Inspiration"

Life is a dance... Sometimes we lead, sometimes we follow...
Don't worry about we don't know...what important is...We learn as we go.

The worst regret we can have in life is not for the wrong things we did,but for the right things we could have done but we never did.

Feelings are made to be expressed,it is not meant to be helpless nor kept...don't be a loser without fighting,never make regrets for yourself to suffer,coz you know what? SILENCE hurts more.

I don't know why we all hang on to something we know ,we're better off letting go...Its like were scared to lose what we don't even really have...some of us say we'd rather have something than absolutely nothing,but the truth is,to have it halfway is harder than not having it at all.

You'll never know who truly cares till your whole world goes dark,If you fall into pieces look at your side...someone is there reaching out for your hand.

Don't believe in destiny,we should think of reality.If you really love that person,you should fight for it. Coz destiny is just an excuse of letting things happen instead of making things happen.

There will be days when you get home from a party and forget what the fun was about...
Or have a very long ,intimate conversation...yet feel there are still words left unspoken.
Or embrace your special someone...yet never have the strength to say you care so much...
Life tells us that happiness is never absolute.
So while its still there...seize the moment...coz it may never come again.

Painful Things

Bringing back the feeling you've learned to forget.
Reminicing the good times.
Trying to hide what you really feel.
Loving someone who loves another.
Having a commitment with someone that you know it would't last.
Shielding your heart to love somebody.
Loving a person too much.
Right love at a wrong time.
Taking risk to fall in love again.

Child: What's the feeling of being in love?
Adult: Its like going to a theme park and riding all the rides you want.
Child: So it would make you dizzy and vomit?
Adult: No,its like going to to a candy store having to eat all the sweets that you want.
Child: So,it will make your tooth hurt?
Adult: No,its like running so fast with nothing baggling your mind.
Child: So,it would bruise you and leave a scar once you trip or fall?
...Funny how a child knows what adult usually ignore...

Its hard to let go of someone who has touched your life, but it hurts more to let go of someone who was never yours yet changed your life most.

Ida Scott Taylor once wrote:
Do not look back and grieve over the past,for it is gone and do not be troubled about the future for it has not yet come...Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.

"Be a friend"

"Be a friend"

Its easy to tell who your friends are.They're the one's who stab you while you're looking.

As Iron sharpens iron, A friends sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:17

He says that friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself. Your soul can be naked with them.They ask you to put on nothing,only to be what you are.They do not wan't you to be better or worse.When you are with them,you feel like the prisoner feels who has been declared innocent.You do not have to be on your guard.You can say what you think as long as you believe in it.

Friends understand those contradictions in your nature that lead others to misjudge you.With them you breaths freely.You can be up front with your little vanities and envies and hates and vicious sparks,with your meaness little streaks of meaness and absurdities,And by opening them up to your friends,they are lost,dissolved in the wide and white ocean of their loyalty. They understand ,You do not have to be careful.You can abuse them,neglect them,tolerate them.Best of all you ,can still keep them.It does not matter,they like you,friends are like fire which purges to the bone.They take you wholesale, you can weep with them,sing with them,laugh with them and pray with them.Through it all and underneath, they see, know and love you.What is a friend? just one I repeat,with whom you dare to be yourself .Im glad i have friends.They've been with me all these years.We've laughed together, dined together, attended worship services and studied the bible together, and we've prayed for each other during times of crises.No man is designed to be alone.He needs friends and his friends need him too,The only reason why friendship last is because love is there.Friends are there not just to sympathize with our weakness,but more so,they are there in order to help us summon our strength.The Bible says this in proverbs 27:17, "As Iron sharpens iron,so one man sharpens another.Faithful are wounds of a friend;Profuse are the kisses of an enemy."And by the way,before you can have a friend,be a friend first,this is the best advice i can give you.

"Guard your thoughts"

"Guard your thoughts"

Life,Love and Laughs by;

Francis J. Kong

Minds,like streams,maybe so broad that they're shallow.

"He who has friends posses greater wealth than riches and gold."

One thing that i have discovered about friends is that they all have different personalities.I dare say that all of them are sincere and honest,For if they were not,then they wouldn't remained my friends.Yet,I could probably classify them into two major groups or types of people.One,those who are the habitual cheerers and two those who are the automatic and unconscious breakers.

The cheerers encourage while the breakers demoralize.There are those who see beyond the difficulty of lifes challenges and encourage me to get on with what i am doing.They are the ones i truly treasure for they have been God's instruments of strength and blessing.But then again, there will always be friends,though they may be honest and sincere,who will always fail to see beyond the impending stormy situation.They wallow in the negative things in life.They are the people whom i truly fear.I mean, I love them all right,but I make sure I throw a couple of my "Cheerer" friends in just, so they can balance the perspective on a given situation.

There will always be people who won't see nor say the positive thing.They remain pessimistic in all their views.when confronted,they say they are just being careful.Never forget that negative thinking can be destructive and painful.We don't need it.Everytime I am given an opportunity,i would remind them that the world does not owe them a living.Its a wonderful place to be in.Its a gift from God,but we just have to make it productive by first living productive lives.

As you go to workplace today ,be a cheerer,not a breaker.Encourage someone,make him or her feel better and you'll be surprise.You're gonna feel better yourself doing it and oh yes,by the way Bible calls this living "The Golden Rule."

"The Daily Grind"

"Just do It"

The issue of life is not how strong you start ,but how well you finish.

"Nothing is so fatiguing" ,"As the hanging on of an uncompleted task"

We can learn more about computers , learning new things are one day at a time.Isn't this the same with our faith? we don't finish it well just by sitting down and absorbing all the lessons without putting our faith into practice.The great difference between practicing our faith and learning computers is that computer will break one day.It'll definitely go through wear and tear, and the dreaded disease called absolescence.But thats not bound to happen to us when we are seriously walking with Christ.We meditate on the word, Learn the lessons and put them into actual application.Live them practically in our lives. And the one benefit we have is that the source of power,the creator of the heavens and the earth is the same God who will be faithful to complete what He has started with us.

"Christ alone,Is the Author and Perfecter of our faith"

The point of prayers is not always to get answers from God but to have a perfect and complete unity with him.Endure the day with prayers.