How do I write? (June 2010)

Basically, my writing style is classified as “reflective writing”.  I started to follow this method as I wrote the article, “Be God’s witnesses through reflective writing” (Sidlak, Jan – March 2007).

The present feelings (sensations, emotions and thoughts) are linked to the past experiences relating them to desires for the future.  Dr. M. Scott Peck (1997) in his book, “Road Less Traveled and Beyond: Spiritual Growth in an Age of Anxiety”, points out that “talking about the present and future without mentioning the past means that there is at least one un-integrated, unresolved and important issue in life or childhood that must be brought to light for full healing.  If one speaks only of his childhood and future means he has a major difficulty dealing with the here and now – often connected with difficulty in intimacy and risk.  Never mentioning his future means he has a problem with fantasy and hope.”  As a psychiatrist, he claims that “during the course of psychotherapy, healthy patients talk of their past, present and future in a well-integrated fashion”.

Fortunately, this is all about “anamnesis” or “remembrance”.  “A personal memory forms part of one’s being, a dynamic factor that influences not only one’s present circumstances but also one’s interpretation of the past and one’s plan for the future.” 

“The solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Cristi) focuses on “anamnesis” or “remembrance” in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist which may also refer as thanksgiving, sacrifice and communion” (365 Days with the Lord. Liturgical Biblical Diary. St. Paul’s. June 6, 2010).

This simply means that as we narrate the story of the Lord in our lives, we start with the present feelings, remember past events that connect or has relevance to those past feelings and how we can possibly nurture them if pleasant and resolve or renew when they require resolution.

To proceed to expound on a present feeling by writing, I always refer to the Word of God in the Bible.  The Bible indeed is what I need including the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” as my basic references.  Included are inspirational books authored by Christian writers.

Being exposed to technical writing, I usually cite or quote previous write-ups dealing with similar subject or topic I am presently arranging.  “All originality and no plagiarism makes for dull preaching.” Please take note, preaching is absolutely not part of the game. Similarly, “all originality without quoting of other sources makes for dull reading.”

The following is thought-provoking, “we Christian authors must confess to having bored plenty of people.  If Christian writing is not only to maintain interest in the forgiving Christian audience, but also to arouse interest in the skeptical world beyond the Christian subculture, then it must grow up.”  Our personal account of encounters or experiences with the Lord maybe boring to people who are strangers but exciting to those who are close to us.  “C.S. Lewis once likened his role as a Christian writer to an adjective humbly striving to point others to the Noun of Truth.  For people to believe that Noun, we Christian writers must improve our adjectives” (Yancey, P. “Pitfalls of Christian Writing”).

I maybe far from being classified as a Christian author but I believe that I am one of the many “5^th gospel writers”.

Because our ultimate objective in reflective writing is to glorify, give thanks and make amends in the way we live, our vital guide is what Jesus said to the doubting Thomas, “I AM the way, the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6).

Absolutely, Jesus guides us as to the “way” we write. He provides all the “truth” because He gives “life” to our composition or literary work inspired by the Holy Spirit. nmg   

Why do I write? (June 2010)

Before being stripped off my sanity, I continue to write deliberately purely personal circumstances and reflections.  Basically, my aim is to build an ALTAR for the Lord.  It is the acronym for (A) adoration, praises, honoring and glorifying my God; expression of my (L) love for Him, my fellowmen and myself; grateful (T) thanksgiving for the blessings; persistent (A) asking for the realization of my personal mission statement and being (R) reconciled according to God’s plan for me.

I believe that I am one of the 5^th Gospel writers “by the deeds that I do and the words that I say”.  Moreover, I consider these documents as “my intellectual capital, the currency with which I communicate; relate with those around me; do business; express my full range of feelings from anger to love; create my personal literature; persuade; influence; guide others and finally, direct my own life” (Buzan,T. 2005. Mind Map Handbook).

I may have not been endowed with material blessings to be inherited by my children.  The only treasure that serves as a living legacy that keeps me alive in their heart and mind is the documentation of my whole being.  The positive encouragement of spiritual, official and personal friends is inspiring.  I gladly acknowledge with a healthy pride the moral boosting remarks of my direct superior, our head of the Department of Horticulture, at the Visayas State College of Agriculture (ViSCA, Baybay, Leyte) when I was still employed until 1992 before my voluntary resignation. Dr. Rebecco M. Santiago holds a Ph.D. degree in coconut physiology specializing in “tuba” or toddy production.  He was my roommate at Schuyler House in Cornell University, Ithaca, New York during a study tour to the USA and Costa Rica, Central America (Summer 1984).  He was and will continue to be my mentor.  His penmanship is steady as firm and balanced as he signed above his printed name.  I secretly admire his literary skill along with his elder brother, the late Mano Odô.  In his retirement, I know he is busy writing and compiling his poetry.  Both Santiago brothers have written their respective literary works.  In due time, I expect to read their full-blown books.

When I submitted to him samples of my “reflective articles”, the following are his valuable and stimulating comments:

• The articles are replete with thanks, praises and glorification of God’s infinite goodness, wisdom and power.  You are good at establishing the relationship of Divine Power to humanity;
• Titles are eye-catching and the literary tone are instructive, enlightening and reflective of your firm belief and immovable faith in God;
• You are honest and straight-forward in putting across your message.  You hide nothing about yourself and are dauntless in revealing your transient soured relationship with your wife, children, parents and in-laws.  Only a person with a clear conscience and humility and therefore close to God – is capable of doing such fearless exposure;
• As a person of humble beginning, your writings and other religious and humanitarian efforts in particular and your chosen direction in life in general are praiseworthy;
• I am amused with your description of earthworms and soil microorganisms as “underground subversive elements”.  How about euphemistically calling them as “unsung subterranean heroes”?  Without them, conventional method of growing crop-plants would have been impossible, di ba?; and
• Keep up the good work.  I am proud to be your friend.    

Indeed, the above touching comments are fabulous, amazing and spirit-filled that keep me on “reflective writing”. nmg

Be God's Witnesses Through Reflective Writing (Jan - March 2007)

“. . . for you will be His witnesses before all to what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:15).

Back in College, I admired my classmates and friends who composed the editorial staff and regular contributors of our school publication.  I felt I lacked the ability and art of writing.  Writing experiences were limited to love and business letters.  The manuscript of my master’s thesis was technical writing.

As we joined the BCBP, my interest to write was awakened and enhanced.  I prepared my life’s story for the men’s breakfast in 1996.  It was delivered in Mactan Airbase.  The exhortation of Col. Boy Lopez was inspiring.  He is now a retired General and active BCBP member in Metro Manila.  Judy and I wrote the text of our couple sharing in 1998.  It underwent several revisions and edit according to the focus of God’s message.

A little inspiration from the editor of LAMDAG (BCBP Mandaue’s periodical) encouraged me to continue to write as a means of thanksgiving and sharing of reflections.  Rev. Fr. James Rojo of San Isidro, N. Samar who is our family’s spiritual counselor pointed out that these personal write-ups serve as valuable legacy to our children and their children.  Moreover, the February 2002 issue of Personal Journaling: Writing About Your Life provided me some insights on reflective writing.  Journaling is actually writing a diary or recording of memories, experiences and ideas spiced with their implications, realizations and resolutions.  The manuscript of our life story delivered or shared every BCBP Breakfast Fellowship is basically a compilation of reflective memories where God is the center and main actor of our story.

Take note and learn from the four (4) easy steps of reflective writing.  These are recommended by Alison Strickland, author of the article, Reflect on Where You’re Going from the above-mentioned magazine.

1.     Quiet your mind.  We committed ourselves 15 minutes Bible reading and 15 minutes personal prayer daily.  I suppose this is a good time to slow down, shift gears and take a break.  Simply relax and listen to God.

2.     Capture your experiences.  Revisit the experience you wish to reflect upon.  Pay special attention to any spontaneous images and feelings.  Start to write as much as you have captured then move to the next step that will invite new insights and new ideas.

3.     Reflect, learn and discover.  “Ponder on important events, learn and relearn, discover and rediscover.  Learning implies gaining factual knowledge that you might glean from a presentation, report or book.  Discovering involves connecting things that seemed unrelated before or moving beyond facts to recognize a pattern or synthesize materials into a new whole.  When you are struck with something you’ve just read and then realize you already knew that, you’ve just relearned and rediscovered something.  The implications of what you learned/relearned and discovered/rediscovered often spark new ideas and insights you will want to try out.”  Personally, I offer to God what I intend to write.

4.     Set your intentions.  Steps 1 to 3 are not enough until you do something about them.  Go forward by making a “what to do list?” or resolution.

The preparation of this article is a kind of reflective writing.  You may refer to back issues of LAMDAG specifically March 2006 (Vol. 6, No. 3) entitled “Important but not Urgent” that I contributed.

In behalf of the editorial staff of SIDLAK, BCBP Consolacion’s quarterly magazine, I invite and encourage all our brothers and sisters to write and share your writing talents.  As a starter, simply write a sentence or two for your comments, suggestions and feedback.  Your constructive criticisms will definitely provide direction to where we are going.  Furthermore, it indicates that you are reading our magazine.  You can not write if you do not read!

When Judy and I headed the Book Ministry, our slogan was, “Read, believe and live”.  This time with a slight amendment, “Read, write, believe and live.

Our editor-in-chief will be providing a space for our comments, suggestions and feedback for the succeeding issues of SIDLAK.  We hope and expect that through our magazine, we can actively interact and share each others concerns to continue to know, love and serve the Lord.

Congratulations to our maiden issue! A grace-filled reading and writing to everyone! nmg

  

Do you know that we are the 5^th Gospel writers?

“We are writing a Gospel,

  a chapter everyday

  by the deeds that we do

  and by the words that we

  say.”   

                       

On Treasure Hunting (Oct. 21, 2005)

“Seek and you will find (Mt 7:7)” is the most fitting verse we associate with tonight’s worship assembly.

Brothers and sisters, during our BCLP No. 5, we focused our attention to “store up treasures in heaven and make safe investments with God”.  The topic of our teaching night last October 7 was about “tithing”.  In our action group meeting (Oct 13), we dealt with “tithes” (Dt 14:22-29).  In those passages, the last statement made us realize that when we regularly give our tithes, no matter how small it maybe (only God knows when is “more” actually “less”), God will bless all our works and undertakings.

During our Family Day (Oct 16), the officiating priest of the Missionary of Our Lady of Africa (MOLA), stressed the need “to give back to God what belongs to God”.  The following day, the Gospel of St. Luke (Lk 12:13-21) portrays the rich fool.  From the Reflections for Today’s Catholics, we are reminded that one of the reasons God allows us to have money is that we can invest it in His Kingdom so that more people hear the Good News.  That the salary, allowances or income we receive be treated as “seed to sow” instead of just mere provisions. In the process, money continuously flow through us making us channels of blessings.  As Christian businessmen and professionals, we must not simply advocate honesty but also adopt the motto, “A million bucks for a million souls”.

Let us pray that the Lord will grant us the grace to cultivate the virtue of charity and generosity that eventually result to selfless love to be able to give and receive in order to build our Community, the BCBP and our Church.

Allow me to share with you one of Nil Guillemete’s God Tales for Young and Old from his book, “Clothed with Joy”.  I am inviting you to be inside someone’s life and be open to receive the other. The story is entitled, “Treasure Hunt”

.

Aunt Sibyl was an old, extraordinary and religious spinster who had a special love for her 3 nieces: Janet, Susan and Goldie.  They were teenage sisters who looked on their aunt as their second mother.  When Sibyl died, she left a strange “will and testament”.  It was a unique and short document containing 2 clauses:  a) all her possessions were to be sold in favor of the poor except for Bethel, her house; b) a mysterious message that read,  “Dear nieces, I invite you to a treasure hunt.  In my house of Bethel, a great treasure is hidden.  Whoever of you discovers it, keep it and inherit Bethel as well… Take care not to damage the house or the furniture in the course of your search for this will disqualify you…The treasure is not concealed in a way that you have to disturb the present state of the house to find it.  You only need to use your imagination, intelligence and above all your heart. Good hunting!” P.S. Here is a useful clue, “It is as near as the ear, as far as the star”.

Then, the treasure hunting began.  The 3 sisters adapted a system that only one of them had access to the house and its premises.  They agreed that Janet, the eldest had Mondays and Tuesdays only; Susan had Wednesdays and Thursdays while Goldie, the youngest had her explorations on Fridays and Saturdays but Sunday was a rest day.

Janet began her search.  She was sure to find the treasure because she had a razor-sharp mind but she was erratic and impatient.  After a year of Mondays and Tuesdays spent in fruitless efforts, she gave up.

Susan was confident she would unearth the treasure having the brain as systematic as a computer and a vast reservoir of patience but unimaginative.  She went over every inch of the house with a fine tooth comb but after 3 years of endeavor, she also surrendered.

Goldie was an average girl who possessed something of her Aunt Sibyl’s deep spirituality.  Like her aunt, she was in love with God.  She regularly meditated on the daily Gospel and engaged herself in social work.  Aware that like her sisters she may not uncover the hidden treasure, she did no serious efforts but made an affectionate tribute to her aunt and gave up the idea of searching for the famous treasure.  Instead, she chose to use the few hours of Fridays and Saturdays she could spend at Bethel in trying to commune with God.  She kept the habit of seeking and finding God at Bethel.

One day, as she was reading the Bible in her aunt’s house, she came upon the episode of Jacob’s dream at Bethel (check Gen 28;10-22).  She took the trouble of looking upon the explanatory footnote accompanying the name Bethel and found that in Hebrew, Bethel means “house of God”. As if a blindfold was removed at that moment.  Goldie understood that God was the treasure hidden in the house of her aunt. God is the treasure “as near as the ear and as far as the star”.  Certainly, Goldie was declared the rightful heiress of Bethel by her aunt’s attorneys.  Because God was the hidden treasure discovered, she spontaneously sought to share the ownership of the house with her 2 sisters confident that in time, Janet and Susan would also share their possession of Bethel’s treasure.

How many Janets, Susans and Goldies do we have here?  Let us now stand to worship the Lord, the real and great treasure that we are searching.  nmg

Return on investment

The whole family including my nephew was among the jam-packed, enthusiastic and attentive audience of Mr. Chinkee Tan.  He was the invited speaker of the Unlimited Network of Opportunities Int’l Corp (UNO, Cebu) seminar on “The POWER of FOCUS”.  He opened and aroused our interest starting with the presentation of the clipping that featured him being the guest of Korina Sanchez’ talk show, Rated K.  I learned that before becoming a showbiz personality specifically as one of Randy Santiago’s “hawi boys”, he was a businessman as early as 12 years old.   Instead of books and other school materials, his relatively large bag was full of goods/commodities for sale like rolls of toilet paper and many more.

That December 5, 2010 afternoon was filled with power from the ‘chinky-eyed’, medium statured Chinese who powerfully stressed the significance of ‘focus’.  “Focus is power because it determines our reality.  It is awareness.  The more we are aware of what we want, the easier we can find it.  Focus is concentration. It is doing one thing at a time.” 

“The single enemy of focus is distraction.”  His recommendations include: 1. “Focus on something you can be good at.  This calls for teamwork.”  2. “Focus on the goal not on the scoreboard.”  Noted is the adage, “Success without a successor is a failure.”  3. Focus to become the best.”

Personally, I gained a lot of insights.  Indeed, the return was invaluable even more than the 100 pesos investment per head to attend and be ‘elbow to elbow’ with a successful businessman, preacher and a scriptural best-selling author.  We readily bought his 3 books at a discounted price of 900 pesos.  Our eldest daughter, an architect who according to her she’s an impulsive buyer finds “Till Debt Do Us Part” suited for her.  She’s reading it.  My wife and our only son who is still in 3^rd year high school read “For Poorer and for Richer”.  I am reading “Rich God, Poor God” back to back with “Why God Wants You to Prosper”.

While reading, I feel the author is physically present because I’ve personally seen and heard him.  His book is easy to read being filled with down to earth and purely personal accounts of his encounters with the Lord.  Having read the story of Ms. Toni Rose Gayda (“This Is My Story. 31 Lives. Stories. Miracles”, p. 67),  I am amazed how she shepherded Chinkee to be the person he is now who is ‘rich inside out’.   It is spiritually enriching to be clarified and enlightened about tithing.  How I wish I can share with my Community, the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) Consolacion Chapter the realities of returning back to God what God owns.  We have a very low percentage of members tithing. How can we be true to our advocacy, “Be Honest”, if we are robbing God by not tithing?  During our Governance Team meeting last December 10, 2010 at home, we recognized tithing as one area of concern. 
 

Back to the powerful message of “The Power of Focus”, Francis John our only son must have been greatly influenced by Chinkee Tan. After school last December 6 (a day after attendance), he proclaimed with conviction that he will stop going to school and focus on networking.  We are terribly disturbed. Is this a kind of ‘return on investment’?. We allowed him to attend orientation and seminars in UNO network marketing as extra-curricular activities to while away his idle moments not to disregard school.  We emphasized the importance of education.  We pointed out that someone with a college degree has a greater influence over one who has none.  For a compromise and a ‘win/win’ solution, his mother agreed to go on with UNO for as long as he maintains passing grades.  He must graduate in high school and proceed to earn a bachelor’s degree. I pray that he can synchronize both right and left index fingers to form the circle and number 8, respectively. nmg

Being a product of the product

I attended the food supplement orientation (FSO) a year ago when my wife, Judy and I decided to join the marketing network of our second daughter, Marianne Claire.  Unforgettably noted as emphasized by the speaker is, “Be a product of your product!”

As a couple, we consulted our doctor at the Cebu (Velez) General Hospital who is an endocrinologist last May 14, 2010.  Dr. Consolacion Cutillar, MD cautioned me of my obesity.  A waist to hip ratio of 1.0 or more makes one a candidate for high blood pressure and other complications of dis-eases and other physical discomforts.  Unfortunately, I measured flat 1.0 and weighed at 103 kg. Blood sugar (glucose) from the result at the LH Prime Laboratory showed 177.9 mg/dl which is beyond the reference range of 60.0 – 100.0 mg/dl.  Our sympathetic and interactive doctor prescribed Xenical plus a balanced and regulated diet with regular exercise. 

Considering the cost of 3 capsules of Xenical prescribed daily, I evaluated it to be costly.  I opted to take 2 capsules of FIT RIGHT before breakfast daily together with a capsule each of ULTIMA-C, GRAPE SEED and 2 tablets of KRYPTO ORGANIC. These are the number one health products of the Unlimited Network of Opportunities Int’l Corp (UNO).  Judy and I are not active dealers but simply users. Observing the “safety net” to maintain active status in the marketing network, we unexpectedly receive monitorial return on investment. 

Laboratory results show the following significant reductions:

Parameter                           May 14, 2010                   November 16, 2010

      Body weight                                  103 kg                                89 – 92 kg

      Hip to Waist Ratio                           1.0                                       0.93

      Blood Sugar (glucose)                 177.9 mg/dl                          103.2 mg/dl

      Glucose (2 hrs post prandial)                                                     75.0 mg/dl

A little flattening of my paunchy belly is observable.  Before, my waistline measured 42 inches but now, it is 38 and still counting-down with an easy and rapid 100 push-ups in a row after a progressive count that started with 20.

Before               Now

      (April 2010) (December 2010)     

Holistic being and living

Mahatma (the Great Soul) Gandhi summarized his 3-point beliefs, “that the good of the individual is contained in the good of all; that all persons have the same right of earning their livelihood from their work; and that a life of labor that is of tilling the soil and being a handicraftsman is the life worth living” (Yancey, P. Soul Survivor. p. 156).  I believe that “I am created in God’s image and likeness”; “I am a spiritual being who is exposed to earthly or human conditions”; “everything is connected”; “there is unity in diversity” etc.  These belief systems influence how we live our lives.

Dissecting myself from inside out, am I in perfect health?  Accordingly, “perfect health refers to an able body, an open mind and a sanctified spirit”.  Given a minimum criteria of wholeness or holistic being, I regard myself as physically fit, with an open mind full of radical thinking and struggling to be “virtuous”. I understand and aim to attain the purpose for which God has created me. 

Being enlightened, I formulated my personal mission statement, “to see more clearly, to follow more closely and to love more dearly the Lord, my fellowmen and myself. Be reminded to deny myself and take up my cross daily (Lk 9:23).  Be actively involved and strive to be a part of the solution to social and environmental problems.”

In my more than 5 decades of living, being reared in a farming family, educated and employed in an agricultural state college then involved in a USAID-funded project on farming systems, I have enough idea and experiences about “holistic or integrated approach to farming”. Then, “permaculture” came. It is permanent culture and permanent agriculture.  I readily embrace its 3 ethics: care for the people, care for the earth and care for the future.  There are 7 application areas or domains resembling a “flower with 7 petals” or “wheel with 7 spokes”.  The permaculture designs evolve from these domains.

 It is imperative to evaluate my relationship with mother earth, my fellowmen and my contribution to the next generation. A lifestyle change to fit into its ideology is a worthwhile resolution.  There is a call for attitudinal change.  Indeed, “we must be the change we wish to see” (Mahatma Gandhi).

Like the sun and the moon, the earth is a huge sphere composed of the lithosphere or geosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), biosphere (living things) and the atmosphere (air). Man is a very insignificant or microscopic part of the biosphere.  However, human beings are the crown of God’s creation endowed with talents and abilities and freedom to “use and develop, to rule and control” the abundant resources made available. However, he can be destructive or creative.

Today, we face a convergence of crises: global warming, peak oil, economic recession, environmental pollution, food shortage, etc.  We are experiencing their effects in our respective lives.

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 marked the U.S. institution of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It brought awareness of the negative effects of the destructive actions of many peoples. Now, it is celebrated in many countries throughout the world to protect the environment (Time for Kids Almanac 2010).

We are introduced to Permaculture as an effective solution taking into account the Gaia Theory.  Gaia being an ancient Greek divinity of the earth who is full of energy and beauty must be nurtured and taken cared of to sustain life.  This is basically done through the Gospel of love, the 2 greatest Commandments (Mt 22:37-39).

Holistic living is the integration of moral, ethical, and professional life of each holistic being. Basically, we value and practice cooperation not competition in the whole living system. nmg    

  

My 2011 profile picture

The year 2010 was exciting and challenging. A soaring intensity of the thrills is felt this new year. Looking back, life and living progress being aware that my Rich God wants me to prosper.  He admonishes me to “give to give and not give to get” (Chinkee Tan, 2010). This is my new guiding slogan to uphold “Holistic being and living” (June 2010).

I praise and thank our infinitely merciful Lord for granting me the grace and inspiration to go on with my reflective writing.   I am not a nature writer like Annie Dillard (The Splendor of the ordinary In: Soul Survivor by Philip Yancey) but like her, I feel the “sense of writing as a calling”. In 2010, there are at least 12 “loose leaf” articles written.  Three (3) of them were permaculture-inspired being actively involved with the Cebu Permaculture learning group along with Judy.  During the culmination in November 10, we presented our output, a 3 minutes and 50 seconds audio-video presentation of Kalubian ni Lolo.  It is a coconut-based permaculture system. 


When invited by a BCBP brother who is the regional director of an NGO and being given the opportunity to present that audio-video during the Visayas summit on the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of RA 10068 known as the Organic Act of 2010, we are identified as a natural, organic farming entity. It is very exciting to meet and know people with the same goals and advocacy.  Trekking new and unfamiliar landscape at Alegria, Cebu last January 3, 2011 was filled with rediscoveries and adventures.

This is how I projected myself last year being attuned to nature with my long hair.  Now, my facebook profile picture shows 2 forefingers pointing up because I look forward “to see you at the top” in terms of material and spiritual fulfillment.

The Body & Soul Training Academy recommends a list of inspirational books and powerfully motivating authors.  Accordingly, “the only difference in your life now and 5 years from now will be the books you read and the people you meet.” Fortunately, I met Og Mandino, Norman Vincent Peale, Zig Ziglar, Robert Schuller, M. Scott Peck, Stephen Covey and many other motivational writers through their best-selling books.  Lately, I am reading and getting intimate with Philip Yancey with his spiritually strengthening books: Soul Survivor, What Is So Amazing About Grace?, The Jesus I Never Knew and Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? Astonishingly, the last book recommended is “The Personal Journal of My Life – I get to decide how it ends!”

Coincidentally, as I was reading “The Jesus I Never Knew”, I met (through the facebook) a high school classmate 42 years ago who is the founder of The Mutual Friends of Jesus based in California, U.S.A.   What an amazing grace!  Likewise, it is marvelous and moral boosting to learn that Mahatma (Great Soul) Gandhi claims that farming and being a handicraftsman are lives worth living (cited by Yancey in Soul Survivor).  I love farming, life and living.  Of all the inspirational books and highly motivating authors, the HOLY BIBLE, the WORD OF GOD is the most powerful authored by our Almighty Father and Creator with Jesus Christ, our Savior and the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier.

Being subjected, oriented and reoriented to the recent trends of living and by influential and “great people of history” and “today’s successful men and women”, I resolve to exert “extra degree of effort to separate the good from the great”.  I adopt the adage, “I don’t have to be great to get started but I have to get started to be great” (Les Brown cited by Mac Anderson. Simple Truths).   nmg