Notes to My 18-year Old Self, Part 1

October, the Pastors’ Appreciation Month, is winding down. Thanks for all the expressions of love and appreciation. What an honor and privilege it has been to be of service to you. Thirty-five years ago, Dahl and I decided to commit to the pastoral ministry. They say that hindsight is 20/20. Reflecting on my experiences so …

My Promise

Today is my wife’s birthday. The love of my life is celebrating the nth anniversary of her 40th birthday. Hahaha. She already knows what I am going to give her; we just have to go and buy it. This Delta variant of Covid-19 is forcing us to be extra cautious and stay home always.  Before …

“Pakikisama” and “Pakikialam” among Israel’s Prophets

Pakikisama is the Filipino trait of getting along with others. Smooth interpersonal relationships (SIR) is an important Filipino value, and pakikisama plays a large part in ensuring that. For example, we do not see the need to express our disagreement with others because this may disrupt our SIR with them. Instead, we simply try to put ourselves in …

A Father’s Yearning

The whole world will soon be celebrating Father’s Day. The usual jokes, memes and accolades will go around social media. Some of them will be funny, critical or inspiring. Because of this coronavirus pandemic, anticipate celebrations to be unique and creative. No customary neckties, lunch buffet, and family get-togethers. As for me, I expect to …

As a Matter of F.A.C.T.

Today is expected to be manic Monday. As hundreds of thousands of employees in Metro Manila go back to work, they must contend with a severe lack of public transportation. They should expect longer trips to and from their workplaces compared to pre-pandemic days because the only rides available would be the MRT-3 and buses operating …

Flip the Switch

The government is slowly easing coronavirus-related restrictions in the country. Unbelievable, right? A significant flattening of the curve has not yet been achieved. Are we really ready to go back to our regular routines? Maybe not, but I want to quote a time-tested adage: “This, too, shall pass away.”  COVID-19 is not here to stay. …

Hard Reset Required?

A hard reset is a process of reverting a device back to its factory settings. All data you have stored including the apps you downloaded will be erased. You must do a hard reset before selling or giving away your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. That way, you restore the device to the state it was …

Growing old sucks!

That’s what my 94-year old friend, Dick, tells me every time he hosts me in his home in Mission Viejo, CA. I see him at least once a year, and in each passing year, I notice how his health is deteriorating fast. But I am not young myself. I’m beginning to feel my age. I …

Begin with the end in mind

The second of Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is "Start with the end in mind." If you haven't read the book, this habit focuses on knowing your purpose and what you are trying to achieve. This really makes sense when you're running a business or overseeing an organization. You need to define …