Buying Things Without Shopping List

Most of us love to buy things using a shopping list.

We write down everything we need before we do our shopping.

We look at our list as we walk around in a systematic manner, searching and getting all we need in a short time.

With a shopping list, we usually have enough time even to shop for other things.

Using a shopping list while shopping is definitely a good idea.

It is so much easier, efficient and effective, and we usually don't waste much time and effort.

Besides, we can always plan beforehand where and when to buy certain items. This help us save on our budget and make us learn to spend money wisely.

But sometimes, life is not that simple.

There are times when there is an attractive sale right in front of us.

And all of a sudden we remember we have something to buy.

Will you go around shopping without your shopping list?

How would you go around to do this?

Surprisingly, there are many among us who have their own ways buying things without a shopping list.

Some would stand at a corner trying to relate what to buy based on who needs them.

It may take some times but they will be able to shop after that.

Some walk around and look from station to station, trying to recall what they want to buy. This usually takes more time and the tendency to forget something is high.

Some divide themselves into different groups and start shopping. This normally ends up buying more than what they need.

Do you have any good strategy buying things without a shopping list?

Please share.

Changing Your Name

Our parents gave us a name when we were born.

It is definitely a special name with special meaning.

They must have consulted many parties for their choice of names; they must have taken days and months to think through before they chose and used that name on us.

Over the years, we have been using that name.

Some of us like and love our name.

It is the very first gift from our parents. We honor our name and we honor our family name. We would be very annoyed and angry the moment people tease us and make fun of our name.

Some of us draw near to our parents and ask them about our name. We are proud to be told that it is a meaningful name.

Some of us don't like our name at all.

We hate it more and more when people make fun of us and play with our name. We hate it when people call us funny and awful names. We hate our name and we hate our parents who had given us that name.

Some of us prefer a glamorous, romantic and famous name.

We go ahead, fill many papers and undergo many difficult procedures; we want to change to our desired name.

Some of us consult books and experts on good names; they desire and want a great name to bring along good luck and chase away bad luck.

Of course, there are always many other reasons why people want to change their name.

How about you?

Do you have a good name?

Do you think it is necessary to change your name?

Is there a good reason why you want to change your name?

Can You Forgive Others?

Do you easily forgive people when they apologize?
Do you need time to ponder and consider?
Will your relationship with them be the same as before after they apologize?
These and many more related questions seem to haunt and torture many of us these days.

A trivial and innocent mistake is easily forgiven and forgotten. Over the years we have so many of these that we used to talk and joke about them later in our life and have a good laugh.

How about grave and serious mistakes that have hurt you so much? Will you readily forgive those who have wronged you? Will you forget the damage done?

Many times we have to consider and reconsider the apologies before we are happy and ready to forgive. We want to know whether those who apologize are sincere in their apologies. We want to know whether they do it on their own free will or they are coaxed to do it to preserve peace and harmony. An insincere apology will not be accepted since it doesn't come from the bottom of the heart.

Sometimes people apologize, but then they continue to do again. And they will come repeatedly to you with the same apologies : 'I'm sorry' and 'I'm sorry I did it again.' Will you forgive them because they come 'sincerely' to apologize? Now, how many times do you think you will forgive them before you say 'No'?

It will be good if we have a forgiving heart and we can readily forgive people in advance even before they come to apologize. We really need to pray for a soft heart ready to forgive others.

Do you think you can readily forgive others? Please share your views. thanks.

Buy Children A House

My friend and his wife are working with the government.

They have 3 adult children. The eldest son is quite independent with a stable job; the second son has recently entered the job market; and the youngest daughter is studying first year in a local university.

My friend and his wife love their children. They have bought each one of them a car of their choice. Now they bought the second son and the youngest daughter a common house, so that they can work or study comfortably.

I admire my friend and his wife. They are normal school teachers, earning monthly fixed income. But in their free time, they are very active in farming and rearing freshwater fish. And I heard that they are also actively involved in oil palm cultivation.

And their children are clever and hardworking too; two are doctors and their daughter an undergraduate!

And here they are, buying expensive gifts like cars and houses for their children.

How about you? Will you be found doing the same?

I believe every parents have a golden heart for their children. They teach and train them well; they provide for their every need and want; they encourage and discipline them, and they take very good care of them. Seldom do we see parents who are cold towards their children, who ignore and neglect their children, and cause them to suffer and die.

But here we have parents who are very generous to their children; they satisfy their every need and want and they are very happy about it.

Now every weekend, my friend and his wife will be with their children. They shop, eat, and have fun together. The journey maybe far and the traveling tiring, but the desire to visit their children outweighs everything.

Some parents are different. They are very careful when dealing with their children. They don't want to pamper their children; they give their children only what they really need; and they make their children earn what they want.

So which one is you?

What would you do?

Will you buy houses for your children?

Working From Home

Do you believe in working from home or getting a full-time job?

Online job is very tempting; you can make a lot of money in your own sweet time. You can do what you want to make ends meet while staying at home. The family is happy with you since you are always around; the children especially like it that way. Besides, working on what you like can really make your life feels better.

But, can it be done now? Can we work from home? I believe, with the present economic situation, working online seems impossible to provide for our family's needs and wants. The cost of living has doubled up these days; it is getting more and more difficult to make ends meet, and still insist on pursuing our personal interests.

I believe in full-time physical work near to home; working too far from home or abroad will only make everyone unhappy. Besides, there are the morning routines to take care of, and the children have their extra classes and co-curricular activities in school.

Working from home has been my dream. But I have to put it off until it can yield stable and enough income for the family needs. If it can double or triple my present income, I may think about quitting my present job.

I still believe family needs must come first and our personal interests second. It will be selfish on our part if we don't put our loved ones first in our life; it is their well being and their future that we should be after.

Working from home can be quite lonely sometimes. We will miss our friends and buddies sometimes, and those beautiful places that we love to visit daily and the many happenings.

But I think I love working from home. And I am jealous of those who are doing it now. I hope they are doing fine and their family happy.

As for me, I know now is not the time. Family needs must come first, than ours. But I believe it is happening, since it is generating better income these days.

Oh! Working from work; how I wish it's happening to me.

CashGopher Review

CashGopher is a new program that members download on their computers to allow the company to utilize them during downtime. By allowing them to use your bandwidth, they in turn share their profits with you.

CashGopher is a website that empowers users to let their computers work for them. All that is required is to simply download the software onto your computer from the company's website. It is that simple.

How does it work? First of all, you do absolutely nothing. While your computer is idle, the company performs various online chores with it and sends the results back to their data warehouse. Companies pay CashGopher for the right to harness the vast computing power that it provides.

Companies are willing to pay CashGopher to serve targeted advertisements to everyone who is running the program. They will not allow any illegal activities to be conducted.

How Do I Get Paid? CashGopher pays your PayPal account directly once you have accumulated at least $10 in earnings. Members get paid a small amount each month by CashGopher depending on how often they utilize your system.

Members can earn extra income by refer new members to the program. For every new member you recruit and downloads the program, you will earn 25% of what they earn each month.

CashGopher is a legitimate way to earn a few dollars online without making an investment in time or cash. The folks who are able to recruit a large number of new members will have an opportunity to earn a significant income.

So what are you waiting for?

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Recovery Now TV

It is not easy! It never will be easy!

Addiction recovery is one of the most difficult things an addict has to go through.

Most addicts rule out treatment. They fear of losing their job, leaving their beloved family, or being labeled as an incurable addict.

But addiction recovery is very necessary if you want a happy and healthy life.

Many programs throughout the country are providing a viable solution with rehab programs that will work with your lifestyle.

But sad to say, you may not have a schedule which will allow a full 30 day residential treatment program.

Recovery Now TV understand this; they have great rehab programs that can work with your schedule!

They have counseling programs, inpatient substance abuse programs and home sobriety coaching programs which are great options to work around your busy schedule.

Treatment really works!

If you want to find sobriety, then reach out to find a program in your area.

All programs in the Recovery Now TV network have pledged to provide help for people in any situation.

They will take away your fears and find a program that will help you on your road to Recovery.

So what are you waiting for now?

Go to Recovery Now TV

Join Daceband now!

As a member:

You will be able to multiply your income by working at home.

Members earn points for every activity they do on the site. Then after 24 hours all their points are converted into real cash.

There are 7 ways for you to make money in this site:

1. Earn money by viewing advertisements.
   
2. Earn money by sharing videos, blogs, photos and music.
   
3. Earn 25% of your referrals earnings for life.
   
4. Earn $5 for every 1000 unique visitors that view your content such as your videos, blogs, photos, audio and profile.
   
5. Add your own advert around all your Daceband content and earn 100% of the Ad revenue.
   
6. Sell your music/audio for free.
   
7. Earn 10% commission each time your referrals advertise on Daceband.

They pay you instantly via Paypal or Alertpay when you reach the minimum threshold of $5.00

Every single point is worth between $0.01 and $0.0001

As an advertiser:

You will always get what you pay for.

They offer 5 ways to advertise your product or services:

1. Banner advertising
   
2. Full page Ad
   
3. Text link ads
   
4. Paid to click
   
5. Popups

Advertisement Management:

• You can pause, edit, resume or delete them any time you want.
  
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Anti-fraud Protection:

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So what are you waiting you?

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FroheErnte.org

FroheErnte.org is a popular game site for Happy Harvest, an addictive online game where you plant vegetables, fruits, and flowers and raise animals like pig and donkey.

The rule of the game is simple: you take care of the farm and sell its products for money.

In FroheErnte.org, you can be good people by sending flowers or help your neighbors to kill pests. You can also be bad people by stealing crops or planting weeds in their farms.

Visit FroheErnte.org now and enjoy!

It's fun.

Messenger-Nicks.de

Have you heard of Messenger-Nicks.de?

Messenger-Nicks.de is a great way to express yourself while chatting online.

Here you will find some of the best Nicknames you can use.

You can create your own Nicknames if you so wish using its nickname creators.

You can chat with many new friends on many interesting topics from around the world!

And you can learn many great tips and tricks on how to be more interactive and dynamic in your chatting program.

So what are you waiting for?

Visit Messenger-Nicks.de and enjoy the many features provided now.

When Do You Know You Are Interested In Someone?

Someone asked me this question and this is my answer:

I know I am interested in someone who share my interests and my hobbies. We can have similar pastimes and we can share leisure together. It is good to have a few friends together who feel good and relaxed in a cozy and comfortable atmosphere!

I know I am interested in someone who share my views, my thoughts, and my opinions. We can talk on the same wavelength and work as a team. It is profitable to have such friends who spur us to greater heights and achievements.

I know I am interested in someone who share my passions and my loves. We care and love about certain things and we want to be together and we are very sensitive to the needs and wants of one another. It is passionate love, deep understanding and affective commitment that inspire us, soothe us, keep us, stir us and excite us in time of need and uncertainty.

I know I am interested in someone who share my visions and my dreams. We have similar aspirations and goals toward quality, relevance, standard, result, efficiency, productivity, beauty etc. Having someone like these in our quest for higher standard of life, conduct, and value will be rewarding and satisfying.

I know I am interested in someone who share my problems and solutions. Sometimes life is hard, cold, and unfriendly. It is not easy to stand on our feet and face challenge alone at times. We need someones to lighten our problems and keeps us alive. We need someones to improve and refine our solutions for better cure. How we wish we have someone like that to share our burdens and our joys at times.

I know I am interested in someone who share my experiences and my tips. We need someone older and more mature to learn from. We need the younger generation to learn and to gain in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Here we share and we help one another to become more responsible, more committed and more careful; here we impart our skills and talents and knowledge and experience to everyone in needs.

I know I am interested in someone who share my beliefs and my reasons to live. We understand what we are doing here, and what we are going to do in our next life. We know we are to worship the Almighty God and to enjoy Him forever. We know that all is not lost, and He has been taking very good care of us. We know we can depend on Him and His beloved Son. Come what may, we are ready for it.

As I pondered and thought through, there are just too many of them to list down!

I will never know just how many I want!

Maybe if I can find someone 50% as good, I will have him or her as my friend!

And if he or she is 60%-70% as good, I will have him or her as my close friend!

And if he or she is 70%-80% as good, I will have him or her as my very close friend!

And if he or she is 80%-99% as good, I will share with him or her everything and possibly marry her if she wants me!

And if 100% good, then I will worship Him --- He is definitely GOD!

I smiled and I cried....

Just how good am I?

There are just too many things in me to work through. Sigh!

Problems Choosing Baby's Name?

Are you looking for a name for your baby?

Would you like to find out the origin and meaning of your baby's name?

Then you must visit http://www.names-and-babies.net/.

Are you looking for Baby Girl Names? Here are some of them beginning with the letter "A": A'ishah, Abagail, Abella, Abriana, Acacia, Adaira, Adalene, Adalia, Adalicia, and Adalyn.

How about Baby Boy Names? Here are some of them beginning with the letter "D": Dagen, Dagoberto, Dainan, Daishya, Dakotah, Dalbert, Dallas, Dalziel, Damario, Danathon, Daniel, Daniele, Danila and Danilo.

Are you looking for Unique Child Names? Here are some of them: Marinna, Lowan, Kulan, Kirra, Kimba, Karri, Kalinda, Kala, Kaiya, Ganan, Elanora, Eerin, cheydon, Romany, and Carli.

Are you looking for Popular Baby Names? Here are some of them: Damerae, Vedika, Sanya, Talei, Nijah, Faven, Aahan, Aaliyah, Ishanvi, and Oksana.

Are you looking for Latest Baby Names? How about Delray, Machum, Xabiere, Stedman, Lazar, Blithe, Bride, Bothain, Summer, Delphia, Cadee, Cullen, Aisford, Wacleah, Thorn, Andrue, Solomon, Kamilah, Edmund, or Arie?

So what are you waiting for?

Visit http://www.names-and-babies.net/ now.

This site has one of the most comprehensive name meanings collections around!

See you there!

Adgitize - World Class Advertising On A Blogger's Budget

Adgitize is an advertising solution for bloggers.

It helps bloggers to get 'world class advertising on a bloggers budget'

The biggest advantage of Adgitize is that it will increase traffic to your blog.

Isn't that why you blog, so that you will be read?

Basically there are three ways to use Adgitize: you register and use the site as an advertiser, blogger, and affiliate.

The whole program is run on a point system; the more activities you do (e.g. posting to your blog, reading other members blogs, advertising, or clicking on advertising), the more points you will accumulate.

At the end of the month, all the points are added together and revenue set aside as payout will be evenly distributed to all the points. The payout is approximately 1 cent for every 5 points.

You won't get rich using Adgitize, but you will make a little pocket money, you will generate traffic to your blog, and you may even raise your Alexa ranking.

Advertisers can place ads in one of two sizes, 125 x 125 and 468 x 60.

Publishers can have up to 10 ads on their site (if they go with the smaller size). The more ads are displayed, the more points they generate.

Advertisers can have their ads displayed for seven days for $7, fourteen days for $10, or a month for $14.

The majority of members find that their points once converted actually pay for their advertising and give them a little extra money.

The affiliate program is very simple. Members make a $5 "finders fee" for every referral that purchases advertising, and they receive $1 each month as long as the advertising is renewed.

So what are you waiting for?

Go to https://www.adgitize.com/ now.

Microworkers.Com

Hi, I am a member of Microworkers.com.

I found that this site is very promising.

This is the site to hire / manage a quality work team.

Microworkers.com brings the global talent pool at our desk so that we can get our work done according to the standards we set to our workers.

As an employer we can run a campaign consisting of versatile tasks like writing a review on a blog or site, posting a comment on a blog/website, get backlinks to a site, get followers on twitter, fans on facebook or get an article digged.

As a worker, we can sign up and browse micro jobs, select the jobs we like, finish the tasks & submit proof, and earn money! And there is this $1.00 Sign up bonus!

So what are you waiting for?

Try Microworkers.com and get paid to do micro jobs.

Free Sheet Music

Free Sheet Music. Anyone?

Are you interested in downloading free sheet music for piano and more?

Then you should try this site: http://www.forte-notation.eu/en/sheet_music_download.htm.

Here you will find 100% free sheet music created using Forte Notation Software.

Here you will find categories such as Bach, J. S., Clementi, Mozart, Beethoven, Czerny, Schubert, Brahms, Folk songs, Telemann, Byrd, Haydn, Tschaikowski, Charpentier, Mendelssohn, Weber, and Christmas available for free.

All you need is to grab the free version of Forte to open these files and you are ready to go.

Are you desperately needing some free sheet music to cheer up your day?

What are you waiting for?

Look no further.

Try now, and you will be surprised what you find here.

VLC Media Player

I have been using VLC Media Player for years.

It is the best media player I know that is capable of playing almost any video/audio file format.

It is a powerful media player with nearly every codec built in! There is no need for me to continually update many different codec packs.

Ever since I have downloaded VLC Media Player, I seldom use any other media player for my audio/video files!

I love VLC Media Player's many great features and applications.

I love its powerful preview feature that allows me to preview files almost instantly. And the beauty about VLC Media Player is that it can play damaged or incomplete files.

But the best about VLC Media Player is that it can be used free of any licence fees.

Download a copy of VLC Media Player now!

Download VLC Player

And use it to play all your audio/video files!

You will never regret it.

Get the latest version.

Children’s Cry

"The small intestine was getting sucked up by the big intestine."

A colleague of mine was pale in the face when the specialist doctor broke the news to her.

Her baby was crying pitifully right beside her.

"How is it possible?" The young mother inquired.

"It is rare, but it does happen."

The young mother was scared; she shivered, trembled and sobbed.

But the baby was in good hands.

The experienced doctor was very gentle and did his duty well.

The child was kicking and smiling again......

*******

The young couples were traveling on their way home when the incident happened.

The baby was in great pain; sweating, screaming and kicking.

The husband got really panic, unsettled and undecided as to what to do.

The young mother looked at the young father, very concerned; something must be done fast.

They finally made up their mind to make a return trip to the city to see a specialist doctor.

They contacted him and felt relief to know that he was available.

*******

The young mother was still pale, trembling and shivering this morning when she related her story to us.

It was one of her many bad experiences; her first one when they discovered that the child was with jaundice.

Many young mothers were gathering around to listen and to share. It wasn’t easy for young mothers to bring up children on their own.

Some have said that there are three rings in marriage: the engaging ring, the wedding ring, and suffering. Maybe it is true to the core.

But the joy of seeing children grow and watching them achieve developmental milestones is really nice.

It is worth the pain, the panic and the sacrifice; it rejoices the heart and makes the soul sings.

*******

The baby is well fed and finally very fast asleep.

The young mother is sitting beside him, humming, singing and massaging him; the baby chuckles and smiles once in a while.

The young mother smiles heartily and forgets all her tiredness, panic, and headache.

The young mother looks at her child, she embraces and kisses him, and then she smiles broadly and says, “I love you, my child.”

Which Way Ahead

There are times when speed really matters.

We want things fast, and the ends always justify the means.

Late-comers may lose their opportunities, while early birds may have a good deal.

We see people rush to line up and wait for their turn hours before the event begins.

We watch people push and jostle each other to get near to the prize.

It’s great to see their energy and commitment to get what they want.

Of course, awful things do happen when they step on one another, engage in ugly conversation, or when the management is prejudice.

The easiest, quickest and guaranteed way to success is what many of us want and desire.

Of course, there will be time when knowledge, experience, and skill really matter.

The fastest path may not be the best there is!

There are many options, factors, combinations and moves to consider.

There are always ways, means and methods available.

And our best sometimes may not be good enough.

We do, redo and undo many operations.

We become hesitant, uncomfortable, unsure, and worried.

The best reliable solution to the problem is what we are after. We want to get things right and make things right; hurried makeshift solutions are just not right.

Surprisingly as we learn to make amend and seek after better decisions, we commit more mistakes, getting less efficient, and becoming more frustrated.

We get confused as to which way is right: the easiest, quickest and guaranteed way, or the deliberate, careful and precise way?

Which way would we choose?

The easy way?

Or the difficult way?

Oh! This way is too far.......

Chasing And Catching Dreams

Too much hustle and bustle in life; it’s time to relax and get away.

Too much chasing and running in life; it’s time to slow down and stay slow.

Then after a moment of rest, I will stand up with a broad smile and a lighter heart.......

And I will be found chasing and catching my dreams again.......

I remember my younger days, when I enjoyed chasing butterflies, catching fish, picking flowers, climbing trees, daydreaming.......

I remember as a teenage boy, chasing dreams, catching dreams, achieving dreams.......

I remember as a young adult, chasing and running after jobs, fame, degree, adventure, happiness, stability.......

And now, here I am, more successful, recognized, popular and well-respected than ever, but nevertheless still chasing and catching my dreams.

The Scripture taught me that ‘godliness with contentment is great gain’.

I often ponder and wonder when I will and can be contented.......

I often ended up with a rueful and weary smile.

Not now; surely not now. I shook my head.

But I know the Scripture is true.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

There is nothing more important than godliness and contentment. First, to be at peace with God, and second, to be at peace with oneself, and then to be at peace with the rest of the world.

I’m not against chasing and running after our dreams.

In fact, I want everyone to have goals to live a fulfilled life.

But godliness and contentment should be the twin pillars of our lives; our ultimate goals in life.

I’m still chasing and running after my dreams.

Though I have lesser dreams now, and I seldom dream in my sleep.

But I’m perfecting my dreams, doing all I can for God, myself, and others.

Chasing and catching dreams.......

Here I come.......

I stand up with a broad smile and a lighter heart, and a bit of tear in my eyes.......

Share A Smile

Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. − Mother Teresa

I meditated on this excellent saying and I derived great satisfaction, inspiration and motivation.

Mother Teresa said “every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

William Hazlitt said, “A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles.”

I now know what I have missed: a brighter, broader and happier smile.

All too often, we take people, objects, environments and situations for granted.

We take people’s voluntary unpaid assistance and expertise for granted.

We take people’s time and resources for granted.

We take people’s kindness and love for granted.

We take people’s view and welfare for granted.

We take people’s commitment, loyalty and engagement for granted.

A warm and affable smile is what we need to give in return.

A quick and pleasant smile will be nice.

A simple and sincere smile will always be welcome.

A fascinating and appealing smile will work miracle.

Mother Teresa said “Smile is the beginning of love.”

There is far too much disrespect, division, hatred and bitterness in people today; it's time to sow more love and unity and peace into the world.

Let us always meet each other with a smile.

And a natural and attractive smile is what we need for a start.

Share a smile!

Running Out Of Water

My son phoned home grumbling and complaining: there was no water supply in his area. He had not taken bath for a day and he was miserable and depressing in his second day's ordeal.

My wife consoled and comforted him, knowing for sure how to deal with her son in his time of need. I eavesdropped and chuckled, another training ground for the young man, I thought to myself.

It is not uncommon in my country to run out of water at short notice. It is okay for families with ready tank water, well water, or river water, though it can be inconvenience and painful. But for a learning institution to run out of water, the implication and effect is definitely more dramatic and intense.

I remembered two years ago when my eldest daughter phoned her mother with the same problem. She cried and yelled and screamed.

Children are like that. They want everything to be readily provided for; they find them in their home and are satisfied.

Now they are on their own, meeting their needs and wants with their own means. Some they can handle well, some they need guidance and direction, some they need counseling and encouragement.......

It is fun and exciting to see the children grow up. It is painful and hurting to hear them grumbling and complaining. Nevertheless, that is the price of growing up; we have to take on heavier responsibilities, and make bigger and tougher decisions.

I had a sweet and nice bath, but I couldn’t help laughing at my son.

By 7 in the evening, my wife phoned her son again.

He had finally taken his bath!

Enjoy The joy Of Losing

When I was young, I enjoyed winning. I found great joy and satisfaction in winning a game, a match, a competition or a race. I would tried my very best to win. Winning had become very much a part of me.

I felt sad and hurt whenever I lost. I blamed myself for not putting enough attention and effort; I blamed others for not helping or not playing according to the rules.

I was not ready to lose; I was not pleased at all; and I couldn't bear the thoughts and feelings of losing. Losing could never be a part of my life.

Over the years, time and again, I experienced failures and setbacks. Initially the thoughts and feelings were really bad. I refused to admit defeat or accept failure. No. Losing was not a part of me. I succumbed to bad attitudes and bad habits, hurting myself and others.

I realized at last I couldn't win every time. Somehow others would overtake me and win. Eventually I resigned and was contented with what I was.

Then I began to develop the desire to see my family, relatives and friends win; I wanted everyone close to me to win and continue to win. I began to be a faithful and helpful supporter to them. It was fun and very satisfying to see our loved ones won. I finally admitted defeat; losing had definitely become a part of me and I wouldn't mind losing.

The Lord God has commanded His people to love one another. It doesn't matter whether they are good or bad; we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is not easy and it will never be easy.

Life is filled with many winning and losing experiences. The winning memories bring us joy and happiness. The losing experiences may appear undesirable at first glance, nevertheless they are humbling and beneficial experiences.

One thing I discover: life doesn't always revolve around us. With time, somehow others will overtake us and win and win. It may be our children, our relatives and friends, our neighbors, our colleagues, our enemies.... It doesn't matter. Now we have to admit defeats more than before.

Losing can and will become a major part of our life; the important question is how we are to deal with it.

Eventually we will have to resign and begin to see and enjoy the joy of losing.

Law of the Seed

Someone has sent me the following advice through an email. I studied it and I passed it on...

Take a look at an apple tree. There may be five hundred apples on the tree and each apple has ten seeds. That's a lot of seeds!

We may ask, "Why would we need so many seeds to grow just a few more apple trees?"

Nature has something to teach us here.

It's telling us: "Not all seeds grow. In life, most seeds never grow".

So if we really want to make something happen, we has better try more than once.

This may mean: We will attend more interviews to get one job.

We will interview more people to find one good employee.

We will talk to more people to sell a house, a car, a vacuum cleaner, an insurance policy, or a business idea.

And we will meet more acquaintances just to find one special friend.

When we understand the "Law of the Seed", we don't get so disappointed.

We stop feeling like victims.

We learn how to deal with things that happen to us.

Laws of nature are not things to take personally. We just need to understand them and work with them.

In a nutshell: successful people fail more often. But they plant more seeds.

When things are beyond our control, here's something that we must not do so as to avoid misery in our lives:

We must not decide how we think the world should be.

We must not make rules for how everyone should behave.

Then, when the world doesn't obey our rules, we get angry!

That's what miserable people do!

On the other hand, let's say we expect that:

Friends should return favors.

People should appreciate us.

Planes should arrive on time.

Everyone should be honest.

Our husband or best friend should remember our birthday.

These expectations may sound reasonable.

But often, these things won't happen!

So we end up frustrated and disappointed.

There's a better strategy: demand less, instead, have more preferences!

For things that are beyond our control, tell ourselves:

"I would prefer this, but if that happens, it’s okay too!"

This is really a change in mindset.

It is a shift in attitude, and it gives us more peace of mind.

We prefer that people are polite but when they are rude, it doesn't ruin our day.

We prefer sunshine but if it rains, it is okay too!

To become happier, we either need to change the world or change our thinking.

It is far easier to change our thinking!

In a nutshell: it is not the problem that is the issue, but rather it is our attitude attending to the problem that is the problem.

It is not what happens to us that determines our happiness. It's how we think about what happens to us!

Remember: the Law of the Seed.

The Deteriorating Results

The educational officers came, greeting the principal and the teachers with a nice broad smile, and shaking everyone's hand. Then they sat down in a round conference table.

Everyone dutifully sat down and the meeting began.

The school presented the students' progress report using LCD.

The educational officers listened carefully, examined every single detail, and jotted down their findings.

Then they looked at one another, shaking their heads and sighing repeatedly.

Everyone turned their heads to them, concerned and worried.

Using a red laser light beam, the chief of them pointed out the downward trends of some important subjects, fiercely stared at the teachers concerned and cried, “Look at these deteriorating mid-year results. Are you not worried?”

Fear, uneasiness, and worry sank in. The atmosphere was not pleasant as before and the dragging time didn’t improve it. For almost 10 minutes it was an uncomfortable and tense silence. Some were nodding their heads in recognition and agreement; some spoke grudgingly but softly behind.

Then one of the head teachers answered, “We were having these trends for the past few years. But in the real public exam, the passing percentages were high.” Many teachers nodded their heads in agreement.

The education officer continued, “I’m not talking about the public exam. I’m talking about what are the steps taken in view of these deteriorating results.”

The silence continued so long.

Then the principal broke the ice by elaborating on what the education officer wanted.

The meeting ended admirably. Steps were taken and more programs were carried out.

Now there would be more study guides and exam packages, and more students’ progress reports.

The public exam is drawing near.

The teachers are busy.

And now more busy.

Will the students improve?

Wait and see.

Problems Are Just Daily Challenges In Life

Overwhelming problems can be very annoying at time; it can drain us emotionally, make us look silly and naïve, and give us many sleepless nights and wasteful days.

Problems can be very depressing when there is no apparent solution in sight. We become indecisive, hot temper and easy to get mad at people.

But when appropriate and workable solution is at hand, we become invigorated, motivated and excited when facing problems.

Sometimes I wonder whether we are born with the innate drive, desire and knowledge to face problems.

The Lord God said each day has enough of its own worries and troubles. We are not to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

As such we are born to face many problems and challenges in life; each day with its new worries and troubles. Then come the night when we must rest and committed them to the Lord God. And the cycle continues.

There is not a day without problems. Some come easy with practice and skill; some solvable with a bit more patience and persistence; some only can be solved with time and great effort. Some just remain there, never to go away, a thorn in the flesh!

Problem solving and prayer answering come together; we need spiritual insight and scriptural guidance. The world is not just physical; there are many things that we claim to know but have no knowledge about. It’s time to get humble and submit to the authority of the Almighty God.

Problem solving and advice giving come together; no man is an island and we need not live and die alone. Good family and friends abound in our lives. It’s time to be friendlier and more approachable.

Each day has its own toil and beauty. The ultimate question is how we deal with problems in life and how we live with problems. No escapism and fruitless dreams; no fantasy and lingering guilt; no outright lies and deception. Each day has enough of its own worries and troubles, its own unique stories and ideas, and its own heat and pressure.

A step backward and away from the scene will be nice; it helps to see the problem clearer and solve the problem better. What we need to face problem is a clear and unobstructed horizon.

Problems never go away. It will continue to haunt and terrify people.

But problem is not a problem when we don’t call them problems.

Problems are just daily challenges in life.

Stabbed in the heart!

A 57-year-old kindergarten teacher was murdered by a snatch thief on Wednesday this week.

She was crossing a pedestrian bridge to get to her workplace when she was stabbed in the heart!

The suspect is believed to be in his 20s, judging from CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.

The youngest daughter spent the entire night crying while hugging her mother’s pillow. She felt angry and hatred towards the monster who did this.

The residents are horrified that a tragedy had occurred so close to home.

It’s shocking. That’s the same bridge that children use everyday to go to school; that’s the bridge that many parents would drop their children to catch buses on the other side of the road.

One resident said she would not use the pedestrian bridge anymore.

*******

Stabbed in the heart!

It hurts! And it hurts!

She had dedicated all her life to teaching children for many years!

And she had been a good mother!

What did she do to deserve this?!

*******

Stabbed in the heart!

It is fate! It is fate!

Nobody wanted this! It just happened!

Everybody was frightened and horrified when more scary truths and stories were told! And the town was in turmoil. Meetings were held. Suggestions and plans were put forward.

Everybody was busy talking and suggesting.

Then the issue slowly dies down and disappears.

And it happens again!

*******

Stabbed in the heart!

Who would really understand how the family feels?

Stabbed in the heart!

It hurts! And it hurts!

When The Dark Is Not Dark

It was really dark and I was feeling alone.

Everyone had gone to bed; some were snoring.

There was no noise and sound outside except for the rain and cold.

Occasionally I saw flashes of lightning and heard thunder.

It would be raining and cold throughout the night, I told myself.

Looking around at my house, sometimes I did feel it was too big.

It was a double storey terrace house for the 5 of us.

Now 2 have proceeded to further their studies, the house looks rather empty.......

Sometimes I just sit down and look around, not knowing what to do.

Some motivations and positive feelings may help, I told myself, or some walking exercises and outdoor activities to fill the time.

Oh! How I miss gardening, now that the backyard is cemented.

Yes, a family meal together somewhere will be nice; we just need to confide to one another sometimes.

But at the end of the day when the lights are off, again we can feel the loneliness.

Yes, absence does make the heart grow fonder.......

Oh! How I miss my children.

*******

Alone in the dark is never pleasant.

And who really like the dark of night?

And sleepless night in the dark, and that was what I was.

But there is always the Almighty God to confide, I told myself.

Dark is not dark after all; the night can be as bright as day.

******

But loneliness is dark and cold.

Sometimes people just don’t understand it.

But when the dark is gone, the day will come, I told myself and dozed to sleep.

When Emotions Come Loose

Humans are rational beings and emotional beings. We want to do things logically, strategically, and tactically. And we are filled with emotions, feelings, passion and fire in everything we do.

Emotion is something that we have to deal with every day of our lives. And emotions or feelings are especially powerful in controlling our lives if we allow them to.

But emotions or feelings are not bad in and of themselves. The problem is we ourselves, because not everything we feel is always right or proper.

We must check our emotions to ensure that we are not being led astray by our feelings. It is dangerous when emotions come loose. Young girls give up their purity because they are lost in a sea of emotions. Men abandon their families because they get caught up in emotions. Families are ripped apart because people allow emotions like anger, bitterness and resentment to control them.

Managing and controlling our emotions is very important to our daily lives.

Some of us have problems visiting new places and meeting new people. We are fearful and worried; we feel apprehended and anxious; we just don’t know what to do next and we are so scared.

Some fears come because of our guilt. Somehow we have wrong someone or do something bad to someone before. By right we should apologize and make amend, but we don’t an we wouldn't. And now our guilt is eating us up and haunting us, and we feel awkward and uncomfortable whenever we meet.

Sometimes we are overcome by our emotions and we break down and weep. Sometimes, fear, anger, joy, and all the other emotions pile up in our hearts until we can hold them no more and there must be an outlet. There are times when people just have to go to a place where they breakdown and cry.

There is no shame in being overwhelmed by our circumstances. When a loved one is taken by death, when disease rears its ugly head, when our family is ripped apart, or when our heart is broken, it is easy to be overwhelmed and overcome.

Not many people understand or acknowledge our pain; sometimes they rebuke us. Sometimes they tell us to snap out of it and get over it. Not many will stand by us and comfort us. Not many will help us get through it! Of course, I am not saying that we should condone people wallowing in self-pity. But sometimes life hurts, and when it does, it’s okay to break down and cry.

Family gatherings and reunions always bring along a sea of emotions. Here, we talk about old times and relate to one another in love and care. Here we laugh and cry and sing and dance. A merry heart does good like a medicine, brightens the countenance, cheer us up, make us chuckle, and remind us that we are never alone.

A life immersed in love, peace, joy, harmony and wisdom is what we need in the sea of emotions.

But it is never easy to deal with when emotions come loose.......

Happy Friendship Day

World Friendship Day is being celebrated every year on the first Sunday of August.

Happy Friendship Day!

Below are some of my favorite friendship quotes:

*******

Many people will walk in and out of your life.

But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.

*******

To handle yourself, use your head;

To handle others, use your heart.

*******

Anger is only one letter short of danger.

*******

If someone betrays you once, it is his fault;

If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.

*******

Great minds discuss ideas;

Average minds discuss events;

Small minds discuss people.

*******

He, who loses money, loses much;

He, who loses a friend, loses much more;

He, who loses faith, loses all.

*******

Learn from the mistakes of others;

You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

*******

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is mystery.

Today is a gift.

It's Friendship Day.

Show your friends how much you care.

*******

Friendship is a priceless gift that cannot be bought or sold.

But its value is far greater than a mountain made of gold.

For gold is cold and lifeless, it can neither see nor hear;

And in a time of trouble, it is powerless to cheer.

It has no ears to listen, no heart to understand;

It cannot bring you comfort, or reach out a helping hand.

So when you ask God for a gift, be thankful if He sends not diamonds, pearls or riches, but the love of real true friends.

*******

God determines who walks into your life.

It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go!

*******

When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them.

So sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

*******

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

So love the people who treat you right.

Forget about the ones who don't.

Feed My Sheep

I received the following story through an email. I have decided to pass it on.

Ruth went to her mail box and there was a letter.

She picked it up and looked at the envelope.

There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.

She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:

I'm going to be in your neighborhood this evening and I'd like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,
Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table.

"Why would the Lord want to visit me?"

"I'm nobody special. I don't have anything to offer."

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.

"Oh my goodness, I really don't have anything to offer. I'll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner."

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents: Five dollars and forty cents.

"Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least."

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk, leaving Ruth with a grand total of twelve cents to last her until Monday.

Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, with her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

"Hey lady, can you help us?"

Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, and she hadn't even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.

A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

"Look lady, I haven't got a job, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and now it's getting cold and we're getting hungry. If you could help us, Lady, we'd really appreciate it."

Ruth looked at them both.

They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.

"Sir, I'd like to help you, but I'm a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I'm having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him."

"Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway."

The man put his arm around the woman's shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.

"Sir, wait!"

The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.

"Look, why don't you take this food. I'll figure out something else to serve my guest."

She handed the man her grocery bag.

"Thank you lady. Thank you very much!"

"Yes, thank you!" It was the man's wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering.

"You know, I've got another coat at home. Here, why don't you take this one."

Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman's shoulders.

Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street, without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.

"Thank you lady! Thank you very much!"

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too.

The Lord was coming to visit and she didn't have anything to offer Him.

She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.

"That's odd. The mailman doesn't usually come twice in one day."

Dear Ruth:

It was so good to see you again.

Thank you for the lovely meal.

And thank you too, for the beautiful coat.

Love Always,
Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.......

"if you love me, feed my sheep" (John 21:15).

Peace Like A River

It was late afternoon when my son emails me regarding his problems. These are problems related to his study, his college, and some relationship issues.

I studied through the problems, analyzed them, and offered him some tips and advice; I am concerned and worried that negativity and fear may bog him down. It isn’t easy for a young man to deal and resolve problems on his own; he may easily be overwhelmed and frustrated.

My suggestion to him is to be single-minded and single-hearted in his pursuit.

Every problem, big or small, needs to be laid out, scrutinize, analyze, attempt, and solve. It isn’t easy, but becomes easier with time and practice.

But there are problems that are difficult to define objectively and accurately, and almost impossible to interpret and solve. What we have to do is to have an overview of the situation, seeing things from a wider and deeper perspective, and not too eager and hasty in solving and mitigating the problems.

And there are problems that are best left with God; only Him can and will make them clear to us and teach us what to do next.

I sympathize with my son but I can’t solve many of his problems. I can only tell him how I solved many of the similar problems that I personally had faced. My heart cries and yearns to help but he has to tackle things on his own. I can only watch from afar everything that happens. It isn’t easy and isn’t easier for him.

If only we have peace like a river in our soul.......

Tale Of A Country Home

An old man was mixing cement with sand, gravel, and water. He had thin and white hair, sun-kissed brown and tanned skin sparking with sweat, and a tall but thin stature.

He had worked hard for almost 2 hours now, virtually on his own. His son had offered help, only to give up too soon.

The old man was in his 80s, and his son was in his early 50s.

The son admired the father, wondering where he had found the strength, the stamina, and the endurance to work so hard and meticulous.

The old man took a break, puffing his cigarette and enjoying a mug of thick coffee from his understanding wife.

The son decided to give another try, only to get tired and fatigue faster.

The old man smiled, “Son, this work is not for you.”

The son smiled back ruefully, rather embarrassed.

The son was a teacher for more than 20 years; his father was a laborer for a very long time.

They were extending the house, making an extra room for the grandson who had planned to get married in a month time.

The grandson returned from work; he too joined in to help.

There were much laughter, fun, and closeness among the 3 generations of people; they could accept, understand and embrace one another, giving much joy, satisfaction and honor to the extended family.

Soon there would come the fourth generation… It would be fun.

From a distance you could hear them, laughing heartily......

My Dire Needs

We all have needs and wants. As children, we beg and cry in front of our parents, elderly relatives, older brothers and sisters with our requests and demands. We wouldn’t give up until we get all we want. Then we walk away with our victory smile and continue our daily activities.

These go on for many years. Then we grow up, work and accumulate wealth and riches. But in turn, many of us forget about our family, near relatives and friends in the time of prosperity, not wanting to share what we have with anyone.

In the time of our dire needs, we pour our heart out. All of a sudden, we have so much to share and explain, and so much needs and requests to bring forward. Our loved ones and friends listen carefully without interrupting, pity with us, and assist us in all our needs. But many of us just walk away in our time of prosperity, not wanting to be a part of them.

The same is true with God. In desperation, we always come to the Almighty God with sincere heart and prayer. All of a sudden, we have so much to pour out, so much to say. But in the time of prosperity, we live carelessly and we forget totally about Him.

We want things our way; we desire to see things work to our advantage.

Some of us use every means possible and imaginable.

Some of us would not forgo pride and ego; they don’t beg and cry; they don’t resort to illegal, immoral and unethical activities. They would rather die than jeopardize their integrity and code of conduct.

The funny thing about life is that we have a lot of needs and we will never be satisfied.

We always have rooms for more and extra!

We have accumulated so many, but we never seem to have enough.

Sometimes I wonder why the Almighty God never gives us everything we ask.

Maybe they will not do good to our body and soul; maybe they will ruin our testimony as His people. I don’t know.

But God did said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Maybe I need not have that many needs after all.

After all, what have I lacked these many years?

The Bible has said, “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

And I always console myself with the little that I have.

But I am still very confused and unsatisfied.

It isn’t easy to only have the little that we have. Isn’t it?

It’s time to commit and submit to the will of God.

Only Him will know my dire needs.

It’s Spain

Spain won FIFA World Cup 2010.

Many had watched the match.

It was a fantastic match and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

There were many goal chances and near goals.

There were many nice and precise passes and crosses.

There were many good tackles and interceptions.

But then, tensions were high and occasionally erupted into violence, and the succession of yellow cards.

I enjoyed watching Spain’s positive attitude to win.

They went for the ball, always seeking to control the ball and dominate the game.

They played as a team and played with purpose.

They were vigilant and forward-looking, always ready and fast to move up and down.

It surprised me that they didn’t score earlier.

Like all games, the goal surprised everyone; but it was a well deserved win.

FIFA World Cup 2010 came to an end.

FIFA World Cup 2014 is heading to Brazil; it will be the 20th FIFA World Cup.

Farewell South Africa!

Welcome to Brazil!

Growing Up

The first year when we sent our eldest daughter to her campus, our hearts were heavy and our minds burdened.

We waited for her doing the registration process. Then we followed her to her hostel. We inspected her room, making sure it was clean and in good condition. Then we accompanied her around the university compound making her familiar with her surroundings. Then we visited the cooperative store getting all the things she needed. We gave her enough cash money before we started our return journey. We felt better after that, but the hearts were still heavy and the minds burdened.

She had got use to her campus life within a few weeks, and she moved around with ease. She studied hard and had achieved reasonable good results, and we are proud of her. She did make a few trips home on her own, and we are feeling more confident to let her travel on her own.

Now comes her second year. It is understood that no hostel facility for senior students. There is a very high probability that she will have to rent a room outside the university campus. Many of her course mates are still seeking for a room. It is not easy for her, now that she has to do things all on her own. Our hearts are heavy and our minds burdened again.

Initially we have received news that her friend had booked a room for the two of them. She was really happy about it. But her dream was shattered two days later. The house owner wanted them to rent the whole house.

Her friend is still looking around for a room for the two of them; hopefully it is close to the university. There is nothing my daughter can do, since she will only be flying out this Saturday.

And that’s the price of growing up. It isn’t easy, but it has to be done. And our hearts cry and pray with her.

Breathing Therapy

Someone email me the following:

The nose has a left and a right side.

We use both to inhale and exhale.

But they are different.

And you can feel the difference.


When you have a headache, try to close your right nose and use your left nose to breathe.

After sometime, your headache will go.


When you feel tired, do the reverse; close your left nose and breathe through your right nose.

After a while, you will feel your mind more refreshed.


The right side belongs to 'hot', so it gets heated up easily.

The left side belongs to 'cold'.


This natural therapy without medication may be effective for you.

So, why not give it a try?

Onions

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people, there was this doctor who visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it, and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home. The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

A hairdresser in NZ said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick.

The moral of the story is to buy some onions and place them in bowls around our home. If we work at a desk, place one or two in our office or under our desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens.

A man who had contacted pneumonia was very ill. Someone cut both ends off an onion, put one end on a fork and then placed the forked end into an empty jar. He placed the jar next to the sick patient at night. The onion was black in the morning from the germs and the patient began to feel better.

But... Please be reminded that LEFTOVER ONIONS are poisonous!

Some of us don’t use a whole onion at one time. We save the other half for later use.

Onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions.

We should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion; it's already contaminated enough just by being cut open.

If we take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy, we will probably be okay.

But if we slice that leftover onion and put on our sandwich, we're asking for trouble.

Let us be very careful about onions from now on.

It is dangerous to cut onion and use it to cook the next day.

It becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions, and even food poisoning.

Please pass it on to all you love and care.

FIFA 2010 Soccer Games

The FIFA World Cup 2010 is underway!

It has many upsets and twists so far.

Many people have followed the games, and have stayed through the night for many days.

You can find tired and sleepy faces everyday everywhere; in the streets, in the offices, shopping centers, markets, eatery outlets or public buildings.

You can see clusters of people talking, smiling and laughing together, all about FIFA World Cup 2010.

These are wonderful, entertaining, enlightening and heartfelt stories of the various matches.

Suddenly people from all work of life have become football experts overnight, commenting on the outcome and prediction of the matches.

I have watched many matches but I’m not excited yet. May be I will become committed and stay up all night beginning from the quarter-final or semi-final matches. I don’t know.

Nevertheless, I enjoy watching the skills, tricks, and drills displayed by the players; I enjoy watching the audience’s passion, enthusiasm, dedication, and supporting cheers.

But I am sick of the dirty tricks and foul play, the abusing and filthy language, and the outrageous and improper actions in public places.

I enjoy watching the genuine country spirit and pride, the dedication and respect for the game, and the supportive and appreciative roles of the audience.

FIFA World Cup 2010 is great.

Enjoy the games.

May the best team win.

How Many Letters “F” Are There?

This is really cool.

Test Your Brain.

Count every letter "F" you can find in the following text:

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF YEARS.

How many letters “F” can you find?

The answer is 6.

Read it again!

Try to find the 6 letters “F” in the sentence.

Can you find them all?

Why is it you can’t?

The reason is because the brain cannot really process the word "OF".

Isn’t it incredible?

Go back and look again!

Anyone who can count all 6 letters "F" on the first go is a genius.

Three is normal.

Four is quite rare.

Try your friends.

It will drive them crazy!

And keep them occupied for several minutes!

So the next time before you brag about how careful and precise you are, please give it a second thought.

Internet Connection Problem

It was 4 in the morning when I sprang up from my bed.

Waking up early in the morning has become my daily routine these days.

Some said as we grow older, we sleep shorter; and I know it’s true for me.

After washing my face with soap, I powered up my laptop and planned about what to do today. I decided to surf the internet.

The connection icon in the taskbar was showing excellent signal strength, but it was blinking once in a while. I started browsing with Google Chrome, and discovered every page was showing “This webpage is not available”.

I tried various means to reconnect, but failed.

Getting rather frustrated, I tried to do other things. But once in a while, I came back and tried my luck on the internet.

It was 7 a.m. when my son woke up with sleepy red eyes. He informed me about the connection problem since 2 a.m.

We decided to lodge a complaint to our Internet Service Provider.

To our surprise, we were informed that 80% of the subscribers in my State were facing the same connection problem and 18,000 registered users were still affected. We were told to wait until 10 a.m. when the service might be restored.

My eldest daughter woke up at 7.30 a.m. and grumbling. She also complained about her online problem at midnight.

My wife brought me a mug of hot tea without sugar.

Talking through about the internet problem, we had a good laugh.

Going online has become part and parcel of our lives every day. I smiled ruefully.

Life would be tough without internet for everyone.

It is 11.30 a.m. I lodged another complaint, only to be informed that 31,000 registered users were affected.

So we spent most of our time watching Astro TV, shopping, jogging, talking and relaxing, since all of us were having our holidays.

Nevertheless, the internet connection was still bugging us.

It was near midnight or early the next morning that we had our internet connection back.

Oh, just how we have become addicted to the internet these days. Sigh!

Good Lecture On Stress Management

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?”

The answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If you hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If you hold it for an hour, you'll have an ache in your right arm. If you hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer you hold it, the heavier it becomes.”

“And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, we have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.”

“So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work or whatever is bothering you down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can. So, my friend, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.”

“Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

• Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
• Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
• Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be "recalled" by their maker.
• If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
• If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.
• Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
• Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
• When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
• Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
• You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
• Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
• We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

I receive this from a friend’s email and I pass it to you.

I believe you need this too.