It's the New Year and I was driving from home to City of Merced, a distance of 37 miles, and this phrase came to my mind...
"Peace within ourselves." ...a phrase I've heard from Dr. Charle's Stanley in one of his messages this season. Do we have peace within ourselves? What is this all about? The first thing that comes to mind are those people who suffer from anxiety and depression. I believe that all of us have been to a situation that made us anxious or made us depressed - a lost of love one, broken relationships, personal problems...you name it and there are many more possible reasons of anxiety and depression, specially in this ever-troublesome world.
The question is: How did we handle it? Take an anti-depressant pill, see a counselor, seek medical help, talk it out with a confidante, or leave it as is and let time heals...As for me, the best help is to talk it with God through prayers. It's tested! There are many instances in my life where the the most immediate sure help I had is prayer. One instance was when I was in Cairo, Egypt two years ago and I could not cross a very dangerous street. Cairo is known for chaotic traffic situation (no highly marked pedestrian lanes, very rare traffic lights, vehicles of any kind including animals (cows, camels) that move in every direction in a one-lane road and cars that won't stop for pedestrian...I see all these as parts of their culture. A prayer that time helped me...an Egyptian local suddenly came by without asking for money and offered to help me cross the chaotic road. What a relief!
At work, each time I will not forget to pray about difficult students, the day in class will pass by even smoothly. A problem student will turn out behave, at least for that day! It's the middle school environment with "challenging" students...hormones, hormones, hormones...They are growing...hahaha
I'm my travels, with planning and fervent prayers...each time I leave the country, which is very frequent (at least 5 times per year), all happen as planned. It's always a WOW for me and I always have a feeing of "missing" the country few days after my return. I believe this feeling is a sign of overall positive experience. Of course, there are things that are off tangent from reality but it's expected in traveling. Leave out the ethnocentric tendencies! Cultures in the world are of many variety.
There is always something to remember positively in every country I visit. Of course, not to forget, the opportunities God provided me to travel and see the world. This has been a vessel of learning about other people's culture and ways of life by observation. I do not need to actually practice what others do because many of them are not the way I am. As for me, it's the broadening of perspectives is the one that matters the most. Regardless of what culture we are in... we are all "somebody."
The year 2011 has been a great year for me. All my prayers had answers - at work, travels, and personal life. There is always something that fills up my time. There is always something that I do - work, workout, swim, travel, driving, gardening, There has not been a boring moment.
Work keeps me productive...
Work-out keeps me healthy...
Swimming keeps me relaxed...
Travels keeps my adventure passion going...
Driving keeps me moving...
and Prayers keep me in touch with my Father in heaven...
Another year of good health is what I would like to ask for this year. As the old saying goes, "Health is wealth." Take away all but good health. Good health is integral part of living.
Random thoughts...
What do I miss this beginning of 2012? My afternoon naps..specially on a weekend after the swim. Zzzz
Swimming, Swimming, Swimming...longer distance in less time this year...
Travels...Jamaica in Spring Break 2012 India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia in the summer 2012...
What am I thankful for? My parents, siblings, work, travel, and good life, and more importantly, Jesus as my Lord. He is all and everything.
Moving on...
Battlefield in St. George, Bermuda - 12-22.11
It's me in Bermuda 12.21.11- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:W K St,Los Banos,United States
