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
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