Daddy Diary – December 2018

1. Fitness Diary. December is always a challenge to stay fit. There are more opportunities for food than for a workout. But I signed up for a gym and I was able to run several miles for December. I haven’t weighed myself yet but I hope it is still within 72 kilos.

2. Acid Attack. I got really sick. Fever. Diarrhea. Upset stomach. My mother thinks it was due to excess acid in my stomach. I felt better after 3 days but I am worried on the long term effects.

3. Gift giving. That was plenty of parties attended and gifts given. Share your blessings. I am happy I did.

4. Reading List. I read or bought the following books

Norwegian Wood (Finished)
Think and Grow Rich (Finished)
Meditations
Atomic Habits

Thankful for 2018

I was asked to share my testimony in church. What am I thankful for this year?

I shared about the perks and uncertainties of a freelancer.

Being a freelancer, I am my own boss. I dictate my own time. I can work anywhere. I can work anytime.

However, there is a lot of uncertainties about having projects. Some projects turn out good, while others fail. Some projects happens, while others cancels. Every year, I worry if I have enough projects to sustain our lifestyle.

I am thankful for the Lord who provides. The projects are uncertain, but the Lord’s promise and providence is certain.

This is how 2018 was like. The year started with uncertainties but it ended just right. The Lord provided us with the means to survive and even have more to share with others.

As 2019 enters, I have the same worries. I have the same uncertainties. But I am certain the Lord will once again provide.

Regret vs Guilt

When you feel bad for the things you didn’t do, that’s REGRET.

When you feel bad for the things you did do, that’s GUILT.

If you need to choose between the two, choose REGRET.

The feeling of regret is fleeting. Eventually, the feeling of regret goes away when new experiences arrive. Then you move on.

But guilt… the feeling of guilt never goes away. You did it already. You can’t change that. And guilt will haunt you forever.

So choose to regret.

Worst Day Ever

This happened last June. Everything that occurred that day was never in my favor. Even before the sun was up, my luck has already ran out. Even in the evening when I arrived home, I was still greeted by bad news. It was one expensive mistake after another.

It started when I booked a flight past midnight. It was a promo fare so I hurriedly picked the date and the time for the flight. I paid with my credit card when I was satisfied with the price. But when Quennie checked the details, it was the wrong route! Cost of mistake ~4,500.

There was nothing I can do at that time so I waited until 9AM when I can call customer service. Our landline was not working. I called using my mobile phone, instead. But the line was busy and I just wasted 40 minutes with the recorded messages.

I decided to go to their nearest booking office. According to their website, their nearest office is at BGC. To save time, I booked a GrabCar for 250Php. When I arrived, I was told that the office is closed during Mondays! @#$%^!!!

I decided to go to the their office at the airport instead. I am sure that it will be open. So that is another taxi ride for 150Php.

At their office, I asked about my options to rebook my flights. Unfortunately, I would incur fees that are as expensive as buying a new ticket instead. That’s bad news. I felt my effort to reach their office was in vain.

I booked a Grab again to go home which costs 460 Php! That’s a huge price surge.

At home, I still have to book the correct flight. I checked the flight details and I was able to pay with my credit card. However, there was a timeout error at the airline website. My credit card payment was successful but my booking was not. It’s another expensive mistake.

I called customer service and was advised to book again. The previous booking will be voided and the airline will process the reversal of the credit card charges.

For the third time, I booked the flight again. It was successful now. But it is no longer the preferred time and date. I settled for whatever will work.

I called it a day and prayed for a better one for tomorrow.

More today than yesterday

During offering time, I would give Gab a hundred pesos to drop in the offering basket. Sometimes, it’s more. Despite folding it several times to conceal the denomination, someone noticed it and asked if the amount is too big for a child to give as an offering.

I gave a quick explanation but as I reflect upon it, I had other reasons.

My quick reply was that it will serve a challenge for Gab. When the time comes when Gab can afford to give his own offering, I’m sure he will find a way to equal that amount or to give even more.

Now I realized another reason. It’s no longer the 1980s when my parents give me 5 pesos or 20 pesos to put into the offering basket. The price of commodities have increased since then. So why not increase the amount I let Gab give as an offering as well.

Finally, it is how I understand the phrase: To whom much is given, much is expected of him as well. God gave me much. I’m not filthy rich but I got gadgets and gizmos, a plenty. If I can put aside a significant portion of my budget for “stuffs”, there is no reason I can’t give a significant portion of it for God too.

Of course, the amount is immaterial. God sees beyond the quantity of our offerings.

Get it done yourself

There are things you can delegate and the people get the job done better than doing it yourself. Then there are the things you delegate but the people don’t seem make the effort to do it all.

Despite the reminders and agreements, some people have their reasons not to execute their end of the bargain. And the projects get stalled, or worse, fail.

It is important then to identify the show stoppers and take back the work. If you continue to wait for them, you’ll be digging a deeper grave for yourself. The longer the delay, the deeper it gets.

At this point, it is better that you work on it yourself. The project may still fail, but at least you are able to soften the blow and cut the losses. If you are lucky, the project has still a chance to succeed.

At the end of the project, it has a valuable lesson on the people whom you can trust in the future. Forgive, but never forget.

Deleting Inbox

Yesterday I deleted old emails. Some are almost 10 years ago.

Some emails are hard to let go. Like photographs, they are memories of the past. One email can tell a lot of stories.

Press releases. Media invites. Forward photos. Chat transcripts. Product inquiries. Project Updates. Scripts. Drafts.

But they have served their purpose already. It’s time to let go and to move on.

By deleting the old emails, I am preparing a lot of free space for new memories to be formed.

Rice by any other name is…

Juliet from the Shakespeare tragedy laments:

“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;”

I recently realized how Ilonggos have several ways to call it “rice”. Whether it is cooked or uncooked, one or many, we have a different word for “rice”.

If it’s a seed and there’s many of them, it’s called binhi.

If it’s not yet cooked and there’s many of them, it’s bugas.
If it’s just one, it’s pasi.

If it’s cooked and there’s many of them, it’s kan-on.
If it’s just one, it’s mum-ho.

If being cooked, it’s tinig-ang.
If undercooked, it’s lagdos.
If overcooked and burnt, it’s dukot.

And these words are just used in reference for rice. They cannot refer or describe anything else.

If only Juliet compared their names to a rice instead of a rose, then the story of Romeo and Juliet could have ended differently.

2019 Ipon Challenge

I like making an Ipon Challenge during the start of the year. For 2019, I will probably continue my “Invisible 50 Challenge”.

The Invisible 50 Challenge means saving all the 50 peso bills I get. So every time I receive a 50 peso bill, I make sure not to spend it. I would keep it once I get home. It sounds easy but it gets hard if the cashier gives you all 50s for a change. You’ll be forced to spend a few 50 peso bills.

In 2018, I was able to save enough to buy a Nintendo Switch using the Invisible 50 Challenge. It took us about 10 months to save about 20,000 so we can afford the gadget.

For next year, I don’t have a target amount to save. I don’t know where to use the money too. Probably, it will be used for one of our family travels for 2019.

A Pastoral Prayer

I was assigned to say the pastoral prayer at church for the Divine service program last month. It’s not my first time but this was my first time to compose the prayer with my own words. Previously, I would copy and paste prayers from other sources. This time, I thought to create one myself.

I got a lot of inspiration from the Book of Psalms and other books in the Bible. Pastoral prayers from other pastors also served as guidelines for this prayer.

Our gracious and loving heavenly Father. We come to you today with praise and adoration. Our hearts shout joyful praises to You. Our lips sing about the glory of your name. Our hands clap to your wonderful works.

We can’t see you O God, but you gave us Pure Light to witness your Creation.
We can’t feel you O God, but you gave us a Flowing Fountain to experience your Love.
We can’t touch you O God, but you gave us the Mighty Wind to carry the plea of our Voices.

Now hear our voice as we kneel before you and as we cry for help.
We are surrounded by suffering.
We are surrounded by pain.
We are surrounded by temptations.
We are surrounded by enemies.

We are overwhelmed by the troubles we face everyday.
We have been foolish.
We have been defiant.
And we have sinned.

Our eyes weep and our hearts bleed in shame for what we have done.
We cannot hide our sins from you.
And in this quiet moment, we individually confess our sins to you.

Save us, O God.
Save the students who struggle in school. Send us your wisdom.
Save the sick among us and those who are in pain. Send us your healing touch.
Save the families who struggle with money. Send us your rich blessings.
Save the relationships who are in conflict. Conflict among leaders, conflict among families, conflict among couples, conflict among parents and their children, and conflict among neighbors. Send us the peace and understanding to reconcile.
Save each and everyone of us.

Listen to our prayers, Lord.
Rescue us by your Saving Power.
Cleanse us with your Unblemished Blood.
Renew us through your Infinite Mercy.

We now have the victory over all our troubles, for You have won the battles against our enemies.

And with our new strength, we commit ourselves to serve You.
Send us in the great vineyard to help finish the work you have commissioned us to do.

And when the harvest is done, we will stand among the faithful who are ready to meet You on your Second Coming.

We finally pray for Pastor Bryan Tolentino as he brings Your message for us this morning. May the Holy Sprit prepare our hearts and minds for the Spiritual Food that will be served to us today.

These we humbly ask in the name of Jesus, Your Son and Our Savior, Amen.