Take Nothing for Granted

Take nothing for granted, not even for a split second!

Be grateful for every living minute. We seem to take life for granted....but
Tomorrow is Not Promised...

Magulang

This story was taken from a forwarded email... hope this can serve as an eye opener to all of us...

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Namatay si Nanay noong Enero 8,2008 sa edad na 92 taong gulang. Sabi ng marami super bonus na daw yung makarating ka sa ganuong edad. Siguro totoo nga yun. Pero kung makakahirit pa siguro ako, hihirit pa rin ako. Iba kasi yung kahit matanda na ang nanay mo andyan pa rin siya.

Hustong 11 araw mula ng magkasakit siya mula noong Dis. 28,2007. Dinala ko siya sa doktor.Inexray pa nga siya.Niresatahan naman siya ng gamot. Nag-iisa siya sa kuwarto niya. Pero nung Dis. 29,2007 dun ako natutulog para samahan siya. Lagi siyang puyat kasi inuubo siya. Nakakakain naman siya nung mga unang araw. Pero nung bandang huli gusto niya ay lugaw dahil masakit daw ang lalamunan niya. Mahusay din siyang uminom ng gamot at bitamina. Lumalakas na nga siyang kumain kahit pa lugaw lang. Sa umaga champorado(paborito niya) at sa tanghali at gabi ay lugaw o kaya naman ay sopas o kaya naman ay pinaghalong lugaw at sopas. Noong Enero 1,2008 , bagong taon medyo matamlay siya. Pero kumakain pa rin siya at umiinom ng gamot at bitamina. Sinabihan ko pa siya na magpalakas siya at magsisimba kami pagdating ng Linggo. Tapos kakain kami sa Jolibee. Buong akala ko pagaling na siya. Tinanong pa nga niya kung bakit hindi nagpapaputok yung katabi naming apartment. Taun-taon kasi marami siyang paputok at fireworks. Sabi ko hindi dumating yung inorder na mga paputok. Nanuod na lang kami ng fireworks sa TV.

Umaga ng bagong taon bago mananghali dumating ang maga kapatid ko at dinalaw siya. Me dala silang pagkain. Pero di na rin siya kumain ng mga dala nila. Lugaw pa rin. Pero magana siya noon.

Linggo, Enero 6, 2008, medyo matamlay siya. Pero hindi na siya masyadong napupuyat kasi hindi na siya inuubo. Pero nilagyan ko siya ng diaper sa unang pagkakataon. Nanghihina daw siyang umupo sa arinola niya. Sabi ko ok lang sa diaper siya umihi o pumupo. Nahihiya pa nga siya. Lunes ng umaga me pupo ang diaper niya. Nilinis ko siya tulad ng araw-araw kong ginagawa sa kanya mula nung magkasakit siya. Tuwing umaga ay nililinisan ko siya at binbihisan, pinopolbohan at nilalagyan ng cologne. Ayaw niya kasi na mabaho siya. Kumain pa rin naman siya at uminom ng gamot.

Martes ng umaga muli ko siyang nilinisan. Iniupo ko pa siya sa upuan niya sa kuwarto niya pagkalinis ko sa kanya. Tapos nilinis ko rin ang kama niya. Nung makita niyang ayos na ang kama niya tinawagan niya ako at sumenyas na hihiga na siya. Kailangan ko na siyang yakapin pagbalik niya sa kama kasi hirap na siyang maglakad noon at parang humihingal na siya. Pagkahiga niya sa kama humugot siya ng isang malalim na hinga...at yun na. Wala na si Nanay...

Ang buhay pala ng isang tao ay natatapos lamang sa isang malalim na hugot ng hininga! Yakap-yakap ko pa siya ng mamatay siya. Alam ko patay na siya pero in denial pa rin ako na patay na siya. Kinakausap ko pa rin siya. Nung bandang huli, ibinulong ko na lang sa teynga niya na "Nanay kung nahihirapan ka na talaga, huwag mo na akong alalahanin. Hindi ako pababayaan ng Diyos. Mahal na mahal kita!"

Yun lang itinikom na niya ang kanyang bibig at ipinikit ang kanyang mga mata.
Paalam po Nanay. Sana po naipadama ko sa inyo ang aking pagmamahal hanggang sa huling sandali ng iyong buhay. At kung anuman ang mga naging pagkukulang ko o naging kasalanan ko sa inyo , patawad po. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoong Diyos at nabigyan ako ng pagkakataong maipadama ke Nanay ang pag-aruga at pagmamahal ko sa kanya.

Ginawa ko ang liham na ito para sa mga anak na nabubuhay pa ang mga magulang.Tulad ng Sulat ni Tatay at Nanay na nilikha ni Rev.Fr. Ariel Robles. Sana makarating ang mensahe

Napakadali ng buhay ng tao. Sa Nanay ko nga me bonus na! Sana sa pamamagitan nito mapagtanto natin na may panahon pa para maipadama sa kanila na MAHAL NATIN SILA!

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Ang Cellphone at Ang Bible

Ang Cellphone laging hawak ipinapakita,
Ang Bible laging nakatago at ayaw ipakita.

Ang Cellphone binibili kahit libo-libong halaga,
Ang Bible ayaw bilhin, kahit isang daan ang halaga.

Ang Cellphone laging pinapalitan ng case,
Ang Bible hindi man lang mabilhan ng case.

Ang Cellphone ayaw magasgasan,
Ang Bible hinahayaang maalikabukan.

Ang Cellphone bihirang makaligtaan kung saan iniwan,
Ang Bible madaling makaligtaan kung saan naiwan.

Ang Cellphone mahirap ipahiram, baka masira,
Ang Bible madaling ipahiram, kahit mawala.

Ang Cellphone laging binabasa kung may bagong message,
Ang Bible hindi binabasa kaya hindi makita ang message.

Ang Cellphone message masarap i-share.
Ang Bible verse nakakalimutang i-share.

Ang Cellphone pinapakita ang lifestyle ng tao,
Ang Bible nagpapabago ng lifestyle ng tao.

Ang Cellphone mabilis maluma,
Ang Bible hindi naluluma.

Ang Cellphone message kung minsan ay late,
laging on time ang message.

Ang Cellphone kailangan magload para mag-message,
Ang Bible laging fully loaded ang message.

Ang Cellphone ay mahalagang gamit ng tao,
Ang Bible ay mas mahalaga kung gagamitin ng tao.

Rules from GOD for 2009

1. Wake Up !!

Decide to have a good day. "Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!

The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart." I Samuel 16:7

3 . Shut Up!!

Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!
For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..." Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!
To the Lord. "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!
For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, And He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!
Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything; Instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING." Philippians 4:6

Ten Guidelines From God

Effective immediately, please be aware that there are changes YOU need to make in YOUR life. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. Please, follow these 10 guidelines

1. QUIT WORRYING: Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?
2. PUT IT ON THE LIST: Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not YOUR list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let ME be the one to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God. I can take care of anything you put into My hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

3. TRUST ME: Once you've given your burdens to Me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on My list. Problem with finances? Put it on My list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster ? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE: Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME: I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't forget to talk to Me - OFTEN! I love YOU! I want to hear your voice. I want you to include Me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me. I want to be your dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH: I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me; you wouldn't want the view from My eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE: You were taught to share when you were only two years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT: I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only six days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.

9. BE KIND: Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for My sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please, know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF: As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for one reason only -- to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me. Don't ever forget......

A Living Sacrifice

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.ROMANS 12:1
"God takes great pleasure in worthy sacrifices. In the Old Testament God gave detailed instructions for how His people were to give their offerings. He declared that these brought a ""soothing aroma"" to Him (Lev. 1:13, 17). When the Israelites gave an offering to God, it was no longer their own, it belonged entirely to God. God would accept only the best that people could give. It was an affront to almighty God to offer him animals that were damaged or imperfect in any way. God Himself met the standard for sacrifices when He offered His own Son as the spotless Lamb. Only the death of His perfect Son was a worthy enough offering to atone for the sins of mankind.
Now, God asks us to lay down our lives on His altar as a living sacrifice. Just as it was in the Old Testament, our sacrifice, once offered, cannot be reclaimed. We belong entirely to Him. We cannot make a partial sacrifice of our lives; our offering must be wholehearted.

Therefore, if you are a Christian, your life is not your own. Rather than dying, however, God asks you to live for Him as a living sacrifice. Every day, you are to offer your life to Him for His service. You do not serve Him in your spare time or with your leftover resources. The way you live your life for God is your offering to Him. Relentlessly pursue holiness so that your offering to God is unblemished and acceptable to Him (Eph. 4:1; Phil. 1:27; 1 Thess. 2:12)."

Morning Prayer

Relax your mind and humble your heart to focus on Christ. Allow God to be the only person on your mind while you read this prayer. If we can take the time to read long jokes, stories, etc., we should give the same respect to this prayer. Friends, who pray together, stay together.

Dear Lord, I thank you for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so tha t I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.

Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil. And when I sin, let me repent, and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing, and receive the forgiveness of God.

And when this world closes in on me, let me remember Jesus' example -- to slip away and find a quiet place to pray. It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak. Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others. I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who will delete this without sharing it w ith others. I pray for those who don't believe. But I thank you that I believe.

I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly..

Five Finger Prayer

This is so neat. I had never heard this before. This is beautiful - and it is surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Don't tell God how big your storm is, Tell the storm how big your God is!!!!!

Life Must Go On

One day I decided to quit. I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality. I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" His answer surprised me...."Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" "Yes", I replied. "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." He said."In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said."Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle. "He said to me. "Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet, they both make the forest beautiful.""Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high!" "How high should I rise?" I asked. "How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return. "As high as it can?" I questioned. "Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you. Think about that:

He will never give up on you. Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness;
Bad days give you experiences;
Both are essential to life.
So Keep going.