Life can seem unbearable at times, but don't let it keep you down. Meditate on God's goodness, talk to Him, and know that He hears you. When life knocks you to your knees, you're in a good position to pray.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
First Call Boo-boo
I will never forget this...
First night of our live calls, and everyone of us is nervous. It's the wee hours of the morning in the Philippines and we're going to speak with people on the other side of the world, where it's broad daylight and the people are busy working.
So there I was, jittery while waiting for the phone to ring my first call, while my coach, a vet rep listened in.
Toot, toot!
Me: Thank you for calling, my name is Goldi, how may I help you? Customer: Hi. Our T1 service contract is expiring in a week. I need to speak to an Account Representative for renewal.
Me: (Heart beating so fast, while looking at my coach who's telling me what I should say to the customer. "Tell her you'll forward her concern to the proper department and she shall receive a callback from their account rep.") Okay ma'am. I'm going to forward your concern to the proper department so that they can kill...
oh men! I didn't mean to say that! sobrang kabado na talaga ko! My coach was trying so hard to stop herself from laughing, but she can't! Realizing my mistake, I also can hardly prevent myself from laughing, but still I managed to speak since I was not done yet)
... oh, I'm sorry. I mean so they can give you a callback. Is there anything else I can help you with? (I think the reason why I said that is because I was trying so hard to sound American.)
Customer: When will I be expecting the call? Me: You should receive a call within 24-48 hours.
Customer: Okay then. Thank you very much. Me: Thank you for calling and have a nice day.
As soon as the caller hang-up, my coach bursted into laughter. While telling our supervisor what she heard from my call, teary-eyed from laughing, she ended her story with a comment, "Pumapatay pala ng customer 'tong si Goldi eh." And everyone in the floor is laughing out loud.
Tinatapos ko nun ang project study ko. At dahil kailangan ko ng masmalaking pera panggastos sa project study, pambayad sa defense, sa research at sa pagpapa-bookbind, kinailangan kong maghanap ng trabaho.
Tingin sa classified ads, check sa jobstreet, tanong tanong sa mga classmate kong may alam kung saan may hiring --- yan ang gawa ko para lang makahanap ng mapagkakakitaan. Halos isang taon na din akong walang trabaho nun simula nung mag-resign ako sa dati kong trabaho. Tapos, eto na. Nag-boom ang call center business.
At dahil may experience na nga ko sa call center, sinubukan kong mag-apply. Nga lang, hindi ako ganun ka-confident dahil isang taon na rin ang nakakalipas nung makapgtrabaho ako sa call center. Pero sige pa rin. Try lang ng try.
So nagpasa ako ng resume. May naka-chat ako na nagtatrabaho sa pinapasukan ko ngayon at nagpa-refer ako sa kanya. Mga 2 weeks siguro ang nakalipas, tinawagan ako ng PeopleSupport.
Alas-11 ng umaga. Kakagising ko lang. Nagising ako dahil may tawag daw ako sa telepono. Pagsagot ko ng telepono:
Caller: Hello, is this Ms. Goldylynn Dimaala? (Aba! English! Bigla akong nagising) Me: Yes sir. (Medyo kinakabahan na kasi mapapasabak ako sa inglisan. Syemps, kung job interview ito, kapag English ang tanong sayo, English din isasagot mo)
Caller: My name is Allan from PeopleSupport. This is regarding your application for technical eRep. Is it okay if I interview you right now about your application? Me: Yes sir. (haha! Ang tipid ko sumagot, di ko alam sasabihin ko eh)
Caller: Okay, good. Before we start, are you comfortable in speaking in English? Me: Yes sir. (Syempre, yes lang kahit hindi ko na malaman kung maiihi ako o majejebs sa kaba na baka ma-wrong grammar pa ko. Kaya nga ko hindi masyadong nagsasalita eh. hehehe)
Caller: Good. English would be the basic language we'll be using on the job so make sure you make yourself comfortable with it. So are you comfortable with the English language? (promise, tinanong nya ulit to) Me: Yes sir. (wahaha! wala pa kong nasasabi kahit isang sentence :D. Close ended naman po kaya yung mga question nya no)
Caller: Okay. So tell me about yourself. Me: I'm Goldylynn Dimaala, living at blah blah blah... (everything about me)
Caller: So what do you know about call centers? Me: (Sorry, hindi ko na matandaan sinagot ko eh :D)
Caller: What do you know about PeopleSupport? Me: (Sinabi ko kung anong kinuwento sa kin ng k-chat ko). My friend told me that it is a great workplace. That the management cares for their employees and blah, blah..
Caller: Why would you like to work in a call center? Me: (Sinabi ko lang na nagustuhan ko yung trabaho ko dati.) I have worked in a call center before and I eventually liked the job. I love talking to people (naks! pa-impress daw), and helping them out in their concerns. Though we do sales at my previous job, there are times that I got to help the callers by answering even their simplest queries and I find it very fulfilling. (Ang iba dito eh tinuro sa kin ng ka-chat ko. hehehe. Saka, sell youself nga diba!)
Caller: Why do you think we should hire you? (Ang hirap ng tanong na to ha. Napaisip ako, how will I answer this without sounding conceited) Me: (Sorry, hindi ko na rin alam ang sinagot ko dito. Isang taon na kaya yun!)
Caller: Okay. Please come tomorrow, 9am here for your exam. You know where our office is? Me: No sir. (sa internet lang ako nag-apply. Hindi pa ko nakakapunta dun)
Caller: (Gives the address). Just tell them Allan interviewed you. Okay! Thanks and good luck on your exam. Have a nice day. Me: Okay Allan. Thank you very much. (ganun lang. haay salamat, natapos din)
Hindi ko alam na yun pala ang first part ng screening, at nakapasa ako. Hindi ko pa namamalayan ang lahat dahil naalimpungatan pa nga lang ako kasi kakagising ko lang nun.
exam...
Syempre, maaga ako dun. Hinanap ko pa yung office kasi nga, hindi ko alam kung nasaan. Pagdating ko sa reception, wow! ang ganda ng office! Nag-inquire ako, "for exam po." Sinagot ako ng receptionist, in pure english. Hindi kasi ako yung type na ma-english, at hindi ako sanay ng english ang usapan kaya natatameme ako.
Umupo ako sa waiting area, medyo ako pa lang ang tao. Maya maya, nagdadatingan na yung ibang mag-eexam. Yung unang dumating, kinausap ako, english din. Sumagot ako, pero tagalog. Hindi talaga ako sanay. Yung iba pang nagdadatingan, ganun din. Nai-intimidate na ko kasi mga inglisero/inglisera na, posturang-postura pa. Quiet lang ako sa isang tabi. Hanggang sa tawagin na kami lahat for the exam.
Exam na. English ang una. Kung titingnan mo ang exam, mukhang madali, pero actually, tricky. Multiple choice, pero pag tiningnan mo ang choices, either halos lahat eh tama o kaya e, parang wala dun yung tamang sagot.
Time's up. Submit the papers. Umalis yung nagpa-exam, maya maya bumalik at nag-roll call. Tinawag yung karamihan ng mga kasabay kong inglisero't inglisera, hanggang sa 5 na lang kaming matira! Waaaah!!! Sabi ko, hindi ata ko pumasa! Pero hindi ko rin naman masyadong in-expect na papasa ako. Saka, tingin ko, mas-qualified sa kin yung mga kasabay kong spokening dollar kaya, okay na rin sa kin. Hindi pa ko umaalis dun, kasi hindi pa naman kami pinapaalis. Nagtinginan kami nung mga naiwan. Ang nasabi na lang namin, hindi ata tayo pumasa.
Maya maya, bumalik ulit yung nagpa-exam at nagsabi, "Okay guys, you passed the exam. We will proceed to the next, typing speed test". Whoa! Pumasa pala kami? Akala ko...
Oh well, ang nagawa ko na lang ang magdasal at magpasalamat. Actually nung kinukuha ko yung exam, hindi talaga ko nag-eexpect na papasa ako dun, but I was praying that if it's God's will for me to pass, mas-okay.
Nakapasa naman ako sa TST. Inabot kami ng lunch break. Pagkatapos nun, pinababalik ako after lunch for final interview. Hindi ko na nalaman kung sino ang mga natira, nagkahiwa-hiwalay na kasi kami.
Final Interview.
Okay, eto na. Dito na ko kinabahan. Wala akong naririnig na nagtatagalog dun sa office nila, so paniguradong pure english ito. Mapapsabak na naman ako sa inglisan. Dumating yung babae from HR at sinenyasan ako na pumunta dun sa conference room.
Sa Conference room. Dalawa silang andun. Yung isa, lalaki. Dalawa silang mag-iinterview sa kin. Shocks! Syempre, dumoble kaba ko.
Tanungan blues. Tinanong ako about myself ulit, lahat ng nakalagay sa resume ko, at iba pang bagay na madalas tinatanong sa interview. Hindi ko na rin po matandaan yung mga saktong tinanong, pasensya na. So far, I managed to answer all their questions naman without breathing a single tagalog word. Ay, meron pala... napa-"eh" ako. Expression ba. Nasabi ko tuloy, "patay, bagsak na ko neto".
Tapos ng interview, meron palang phone simulation. binigyan ako ng sitwasyon na nakasulat sa isang maliit na papel. Ang nakalagay lang dun na magiging dialog ko eh yung greeting at closing. Yung isasagot ko, ako nang bahala.
Nag-ring na ang phone. Kunyari customer. I picked it up and said the greeting. "Thank you for calling Wintergreen.com, this is Goldi, How may I help you?". May problema yung kunyaring amerikanong customer. Sinagot ko lang, pero "uhm" ako nang "uhm". Kinakabahan kaya ako no. Saka hindi ko na alam kung anong pinagsasabi ko. Basta, nag-ienglish na lang ako. Hehehe. Promise. Sa kaba ko, hindi ko na alam ang sinasabi ko. Ang natatandaan ko, yung customer pa ang nagsabi sa kin kung ano ang dapat kong gawin. Patay na.
Natapos ang call. Sabi ko, naku, this time I think I messed it up. Hindi na ako papasa nito. Sabi sa kin, tatawagan na lang daw ako kung pumasa ko o hindi.
5pm na nun at uwing uwi na ko. Maghapon ako dun sa office, at tlaga namang exhausted na ko. Pagdating ko sa bahay, hindi na ko nakapagbihis at plakda na kong nahiga sa kama. Nakatulog ako agad sa sobrang pagod.
Alas-7 ng gabi. Nag-ring ang phone. Nagising ako. Kapatid ko ang sumagot. PeopleSupport daw. Kinuha ko. Pag-hello ko..
Caller: Ms. Dimaala? Me: Yes?
Caller: Congratulations! You got the job! Can you come here tomorrow for the job offer? Me: (Ano daw? Hindi ko alam kung tama ang pagkarinig ko, pero medyo nasa ulirat pa naman ako para maintindihan na pinapapunta nya ko bukas) Okay sir, what time?
Caller: Please be here at 5pm. Me: (Naisip ko, holiday pala bukas, pero sige lang.) Do I need to bring anything?
Caller: No, you don't have to. Just be here on time. Me: Okay, I'll be there. Thank you very much.
Pagkababa ko ng phone, sabi ko sa sarili ko, "Ano yung job offer? Tama ba yung narinig ko? Ibig bang sabihin nun, nakapasa ko? May trabaho na ko?" Habang naglalakad ako paakyat sa kwarto namin para makapagpalit ng damit, napasigaw ako, "Yes! May trabaho na ko!". Sabi ng mga kapatid ko, "Ha? Ang bilis naman?"
Oo nga. Kinabukasan, nag-sign na ko ng contract. Tapos, the day after, Medical Exam. Pagsapit ng Lunes, pumapasok na ko sa bago kong trabaho. Sa isang US based call center.
Okay. So I have been planning to write something about how I got into my present job since I read my batchmate's version of her own, and that was last week pa, pero ngayon lang ako nakapag-umpisa. Hindi ko kasi alam kung paano ko ikukuwento eh. ewan ko ba kung bakit napakalaking issue pa sa kin kung anong dialect ang gagamitin ko dito, kung english ba o tagalog. Oh well, now I have finally decided on what to use --- the dialect I am most comfortable with --- Taglish.
I never really imagined I will land in a job like this. My career in a call center did not start with the company I am in right now. It all started when I decided to get a job while finishing my engineering studies (which I ended up not finishing din because I got hired in in this company at the time we're doing our last requirement for graduation). We're in dire need of money before and I so much wanted to get a degree course so I looked for all the possible ways just for me to be able take the course I want. I am the eldest and so I need to be able to at least help my parents support my younger siblings (I still have 3 sisters and 2 brothers after me) with their studies the soonest possible time. I was a graduate of a 3-year diploma course in Electronics Technology and was only able to get a job after a year of being a bum (ang hirap talaga humanap ng trabaho pag fresh grad), I was only 19 years old then. I was never happy with finishing only a 3 year course, hindi talaga ako satisfied. So after I was able to save up a little money for me to be able to enroll for Engineering study, I resigned.
So, naikuwento ko muna ata ang buhay ko ah? Anyways, dun naman kasi yun nag-umpisa. So technically, i don't have a job when I started my engineering studies. Hindi naman ganun kalaki ang tution fee ko since I enrolled in a state university (Technological University of the Philippines), I was only paying around 300-500 per term. Take note ha, per term yan, hindi per unit. Ang mura noh? Anyways, kahit ganyan lang kababa ang tuition fee ko, syempre I have my daily spendings and the books and stuffs required for schooling so hindi enough ang very konti kong naipon from my first job. Saka isa pa, 6 months lang ako nagtrabaho dun and since the company is in Laguna (so provincial rate), hindi rin kalakihan ang kinikita ko. Below minimum pa nga eh. Time came that I asked for money to support my studies from my parents din. Syempre, ilan kaming nagka-college na nun tapos meron pa kaming high school at elementary so nahiya naman akong makipagsabayan.
Ang maganda, merong part sa school namin na naglalagay sila ng job postings. Pero hindi ako dun nakahanap ng trabaho. Hindi ko na matandaan kung saan talaga namin nakita yung job posting, pero merong malapit na call center sa school namin noon na nangangailangan ng telemarketers, at hindi pa boom ang call center business nun. I was really not interested dahil nga telemarketer. Allergic ata ako sa sales no! But then, trabaho pa rin yun. May pera pa rin. Saka wala naman mawawala kung magt-try so, go lang ako. I submitted my resume. Gone through the screening, and eventually got the job.
Pero dahil nga sales I never lasted that long with the company. So after I was "forced resign" there (di ko na ikkuwento, bagong story na naman yun), bum na naman ang lola nyo.
My quest for a job (kahit ano nga lang, basta may sweldo) started again. Graduating pa naman na ko nun at mas-lalong kailangan ko ng pera. Since I don't have time (and money) to walk around prospective job hunting places like Makati and anywhere nearby school, I made use of the internet to scout for a decent job. Sign up sa jobstreet, search sa google, tingin sa Manila Bulletin, email ng resume, basta I am making sure that something will happen to me when I go to a certain place before I decide to go out. Mamamasahe lang ako kapag iinterviewhin na ko and/or mag-eexam. Wala kasi akong pera nun at syempre, gusto ko pag nanghingi ako sa nanay o tatay ko, may mangyayari naman sa magagastos ko.
Dami ko rin inapply-an. Syempre ang sinubukan ko mostly ay yung in-line sa course ko. I applied to several Electronics company pero lagi kong hindi natatapos ang screening kasi, hindi ako nakakapasa. Kainis nga e. Sabi ko tuloy sa sarili ko, "mahina ka ba talaga o wala kang natutunan?". I don't want to be hard on myself naman kaya sabi ko na lang, I need to study more.
Itutuloy... (basta, nai-kwento ko na yung first call center experience ko)
I don't know if I have anything to do with this, but two of my officemates are also now into blogging. I remember, I have influenced my first two victims (hehe), Candy and Zig to go blogging, and now, one of them is already addicted in designing her blog. Hindi ko naman sila talagang pinilit. Siguro masyado silang na-curious dahil I almost spend 12 hours at the office (nung wala pa kaming unlimited internet access sa bahay) kakukutingting lang sa blog ko. Masyado akong na-addict nun sa designing ng blog ko, that I won't stop until I achieve the look I want.
Ngayon, ang sumunod naman na nahawa ay sina Eliza and Lei. Si Eliza, sa pagkakatanda ko eh talagang niligawan kong mag-blog. Magaling kasing magsulat ang babaeng 'to. Gusto kong makita ang kanyang mga sinulat. Si Lei, hindi ko lang alam kung ako nga talaga ang naka-impluwensya sa kanya. But what's common with these people, they are all asking me for help in the blog layout. Okay lang naman sa kin. Nakakatulong naman ako kahit papano.
Natatandaan ko nun, ako ang nagtatanong kung paano mag-design. To the point na nakapang-libre pa ako ng Grande Mocha Frappe sa Starbucks, sows, hindi naman pala ganun kahirap! Kaya ko naman pala! Pero oks lang, dun naman ako nag-umpisa eh. Ngayon, medyo marunong na ko. :)
Mararami-rami na rin akong natulungan sa blog layout nila, you might want to check it out. Eliza, Lei, and Jo. Yung iba naman, I just helped them out on editing and adding some stuff on their blog, sina Candy at Arnold. I can't take all the credits though cause all I did was ask them to look for a design they like in some sites that offer free blog templates like blogskins.com, then they will just give me the code and I will do the editing for them. Minsan, mahirap din kasi syempre, hindi nila masyadong gusto yung design so there are some na papabago nila yung itsura. Magpapadagdag pa ng mga kung ano ano like tag-boards and other stuffs, so para sa kin, hindi rin ganun kadali. Pero oks lang sa kin kasi masarap naman yung feeling na nakakatulong ka, at the same time, natuto ako.
Yung kay Lei, medyo dumugo ata utak ko :D. Ang ginawa ko kasi, kinuha ko lang yung pics dun sa design na napili nya, hindi kasi ganun kaganda ang layout eh. Tapos, hindi ko na ide-detalye. basta mukhang simple lang yung layout. Madali lang naman eh, pero napa-isip din ako. Ah basta. :D
All I did for the past few days was blog hop. I so much want to write something in here but I just can't think of anything to write worthy of sharing. I guess I'm straining myself too much with this thing. I know blogging should be as natural as breathing, that I don't have to stress myself too much of thinking if the people reading this will like what they read. No matter how I think that blogging should be some kind of therapy for me, I still can't avoid being so cautious of what I write, always thinking if people will like it.
Blog hopping somehow helped me with that. I have spent most of the time I am online in reading several blogs right now, and I found it amusing, and some inspiring. May mga nakita akong nakakaaliw and informative at the same time, merong touching, merong napapa-wow na lang ako. Mixed emotions. But of course the best part is I learn something from every blog I read.
Sa dami ng napuntahan ko, hindi ko na matandaan kung ano ano ang mga iyon. Saka, wala naman akong intensyon na karirin yung blog hopping, like I'm going to ask for their links para madalaw ko nang madalas ang blog nila. At first, ganun ang ginagawa ko pero ngayon, sa dami na ng bloggers, sa tingin ko hindi ko na yun kailangang gawin. Matatandaan ko naman pati agad ang url ng isang site kung talagang balak ko siyang balikan ulit. Pero open pa rin ako sa link exchanges. It's nice to meet friends thru blog hoppin', but it's not really the reason why I blog hop. Wala lang.
Nakakatuwa kasing makabasa ng mga blog na nakaka-relate ka. Ako, natutuwa ako pag nakakabasa ako ng blog ng mga Christian, kapag nagkukwento ng tungkol sa kung paano nila hinaharap ang bawat problema o kahit anong bagay na hindi nila maintindihan sa buhay nila, at kung paanong sa kabila ng mga paghihirap na yon ay nakukuha pa rin nilang magpuri at magtiwala sa Diyos. Ang pagkakaroon nila ng pag-asang hindi nawawala, pag-asang nagpapalakas sa kanilang harapin ang kahit anong problema. Ang pananampalataya nila, at pagtitiwala. Galeng talaga.
Like a fist it slammed my chest and like a slap it turned my head to its direction. The impact traveled from the opposite side of EDSA to the interior of my car. I caught a glimpse of sparks and flame. The fire grew and licked the Ayala MRT terminal above it. Black smoke blotted the night, its billowing underside lit by the carnage. People quickly emptied the Baclaran-bound side of the highway. Further focus revealed the remains of a bus in flames, its back blown out and its roof a mere skeleton.
Two other buses, one to the flaming wreckage's left and another to its rear, lay still as shredded steel hulks. It was February 14 and Valentine's Day went up in flames.
I cursed the chaos of my backseat, groped for my camera, notebook and pen, and took some pictures. I called the news desk and reported what I could. When the traffic lights went green, I swung my car around the intersection of Ayala and Edsa, and pointed it toward the flames. News like this grabs you by the collar and pulls you in.
Chaos was not only the bits of steel littering the street, the flames being fought, and bodies being carted away; chaos was ragged breath, wild running and nervous hands. Already, SWAT police, arms and armor not a buckle out of place, began swarming the area. One officer barked an order to halt, pointed his submachine gun and ordered identification. He was doing his job. So was I. I waved what I thought was my press ID. Later I found I had taken out my driver's license instead. He ordered me to leave and quickly attended to securing the perimeter. Instead, I moved toward the bus. I had to stay within the zone before police perimeters and yellow tape could keep everyone out.
Fire trucks, ambulances and police cars arrived within minutes. A dead bus conductor lay at the foot of the wreckage. As firemen doused the flames and wet me as well, I took a shot of the corpse in front of the smoldering steel carcasses.
Then secondary explosions shook the ground. It was going to be a long night for all of us, I thought.
I had looked forward to enjoying Valentine's. The scene before me drained all my enthusiasm.
From The Manila Times Times Reporter Runs Into Valentine's Day Mayhem By Rome Jorge, Life & Times Reporter Full Story >> ============================
I'm still in a state of shock. After all that happened?
It was just yesterday when bombings in 3 different places happened within the same hour. I was shocked to hear the fresh news being broadcasted in the television while I am at the comfort of my home, enjoying my rest day. The bombing happened at a place I frequented, the Ayala mall/MRT. I work in Makati and that's the exact spot where I take my daily ride home. It was just now that I realized I was blessed I wasn't there when the attack happened. Thank God.
Well instead of worrying and panicking because of what happened, I just chose to still thank God that my loved ones and I were not at that place when it happened. I was disturbed but I know my worry wouldn't help in solving the problem. I just hope and pray that this gets resolved at the soonest possible time. God is not to blame for these kind of situations. I know He's totally in control of everything though at times we cannot understand why there should be fright & mourning over the innocent victims and why He allows this. It is at these times that we need to put our trust more in God. Worry changes nothing. Prayers can do miracles. Let's just be on our knees and pray to God to take care of everything, and to give us strength and to be tough and strong at these kind of situations.
My thoughts about love went away... but love never leaves my heart. It is actually love that has pushed me to pray even more. Love for my loved ones, that they may be safe wherever they are, and love for the terrorists.. yeah, you heard it right. Love that caused me to pray that they might feel love in their hearts. That God take away their bitterness and fury, hatred in their hearts, so that they too may experience the greatness of love. These people have families too, who love them and care for them, and who doesn't wish them to die.
Please join me in prayer for these people. God hears us, I know. But we must not forget, Thy will, will still be done. Just trust Him.
It's the love month again! We're seeing hearts everywhere, red colors everywhere (or is it only because of the Chinese New Year? :D), and of course... lovers everywhere. :)
Anyway, my head is full of love thoughts too :), and I would like to take this opportunity to share some insights on love that I have learned, in a Christian perspective.
Here's one post I got in my Friendster Bulletin board, coming from my friend, Manel.
Seeking for True Love? Here's How...
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." I Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)
This verse describes the characteristics of true love. These qualities can certainly be found in the person of Jesus Christ, and they can be found in all truly loving relationships. The problem with trying to "find" love in our dating lives, is that too often we don't look for these characteristics. Rather we look at physical appearance, popularity, or wealth. These are not the qualities that God looks at and neither should we.
"But the LORD said to Samuel, '...The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'" I Samuel 16:7b (NIV)
Love is best seen as devotion and action, not an emotion. Love is not exclusively based on how we feel. Certainly our emotions are involved, but they cannot be our only criteria for love. True devotion will always lead to action - true love.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with ACTIONS and in truth." I John 3:18 (NIV)
Christ was devoted to us enough to give his own life for us (Romans 5:8), even when he didn't feel like it (Matthew 26:39).
SEX IS NOT LOVE! Our culture has taught us that sex and love are one in the same. This is a lie. Sex is a beautiful God-given activity that is wonderful when practiced within the boundaries of a Biblical marriage. Sex is the completion of the binding of two people within Biblical marriage; it is a God-given gift.
PRE-MARITAL SEX Because premarital sex is not love, it only leads to pain and disappointment for those who are seeking that love. The Bible says that when two people are married, they become one flesh (Ephesians 5:31). Sex is consummation of that union. When two people break off their relationship after having sex, it is like ripping apart flesh. This is why two teenagers will struggle so much and become so dependent on those they give their bodies to. In light of I Corinthians 13:4-8 (above), it is easy to see that premarital sex is not patient, it is not kind, it does not protect, it is self-seeking. It is not love!
IDENTIFYING TRUE LOVE We can only identify true love and know when we have found it, based on the Word of God. When we match our relationships up to what the Bible says that love is -- and we are honestly prepared to make a life-long commitment to that person -- then we can say that we are truly "in love." The three keys to that statement are:
We have to...
look at the Word of God
be completely honest with ourselves
understand the level of commitment that comes with true love
Copyright 1997, Dawson McAllister Live!, All Rights Reserved - except as noted on attached "Usage and Copyright" page that grants ChristianAnswers.Net users generous rights for putting this page to work in their homes, personal witnessing, churches and schools.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: I Kissed Dating Goodbye - VIDEO SERIES - Love. Purity. Trust.These are foundational elements of true love. But how do you define true love and where do you find it? Not where conventional wisdom tells us to look! Using humor, drama, on-the-street interviews, and sessions taped before a live audience, this three-tape set offers a God-honoring, inspiring, encouraging, convicting message. ===================
Need I say more? If you notice, these are not my own thoughts but I totally agree with them. I have read the book I Kissed Dating Goodbye and I have even before quoted on some of my posts some ideas that I got from this book. I definitely recommend the book for those people seeking for the meaning of love Jesus-wise.
I might be writing some of my own some time pero sa ngayon, ito na muna. :)
Haaay... I was sooooo tired yesterday when I got home that I immediately dozed off as soon as my body touched the bed. I haven't even changed into my pambahay when I fell fast asleep but I am not really comfy sleeping without changing my clothes and so even if I'm already a little dizzy because of sleepiness, I still managed to change my clothes quickly then went off to bed.
Kapag Sunday kasi hindi na ko nasanay nang hindi ako lumalabas kasama ang mga berks ko dun. The fact that I haven't got any sleep yet coming off from my graveyard shift and then going straight to the church for sunday worship service, I abuse myself more when I still stay just to go on a gimik with the worship team kahit na alam kong 24 hours na kong walang tulog. Hay naku naman goldi, wala ka na ba talagang disiplina?
Yeah... and now I am suffering the consequences of that. I usually don't have any problem doing it every Sunday pero ngayon, parang bumigay na ang katawan ko. Feeling ko, nakipag-inuman ako kagabi! Grabe, ansakit ng ulo ko, parang may hang-over! Kaya ngayon goldi, madala ka na ha! hmmp!
Ganito ko madalas. Nakikipagtalo sa sarili ko. Kung bakit naman kasi ganito... it is once quoted in the Bible nga "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41)". Eh why does the flesh have to be always or most of the time be against the spirit? Can't the two agree all the time? Are we really made like that?
I just thought of reading Our Daily Bread while waiting for my shift to end (I'm at work while doing all these stuff, using up my idle time). I've said a while ago that I'm too lazy right now to post anything but having done blog hoppin' triggered me to blog about something worthy (at least I think it will be worthy).
What I am really trying to do is reflect on what I have read. I haven't had a neat or regular quite time and so having some time in my hands right now, I just thought of taking advantage of the situation to feed my soul. I know I should be doing better than this. I mean if I really do want to have a regular devotion, I should at least be able to squeeze it in my not so busy schedule. I don't know, but I'm just having a hard time doing this. I need discipline.
The topic is about Focus. Basically it talked about mind setting. As Jesus' followers, we are told to live in Christlikeness, and we aim to do what He wants us to do, and to avoid sin. Sometimes or most of the time, we find ourselves concentrating on the sins we want to avoid, rather than focusing on the positive actions Christ desires for us. I have also imagined how easy it is to spot a small speck on a white cloth.
Missionary pilot Bernie May writes, "One of the most difficult lessons to teach new pilots about is to keep their eyes on the good part of the strip rather than on the hazard. The natural tendency is to concentrate on the obstacle, the danger, the thing he is trying to avoid. But experience teaches us that a pilot who keeps his eye on the hazard will sooner or later hit it dead center."
Instead of concentrating on the sins/things we want to avoid, we are told to focus on the positive actions Christ desires for us, or generally on the good things (Colossians 3:1-11)
2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
I sometimes find it hard to do this, because I am so focused on the things that I want to avoid that I end up doing it instead. The more often I think or aim on something I don't want to do, the more the situation gets into it and so I am sometimes tempted to do it. I just found out that the reason why I am having difficulty in getting away with my bad habits is because I am so focused on them. I should have been focusing on what I should be doing, and not on what I should not do so I end up having done nothing instead.
If we're just going to change our focus by looking at the glass as half-filled rather than half-empty (talk about being optimistic) we are most likely to end up doing what is right.
When Christ and His interests are the focus of our lives, the lure of the old life remains in the corner of our eye, while we aim to land squarely in the center of God's will.
- David McCasland
Those who fix their eyes on heaven will not be distracted by the things of earth. -ODB
Did some blog hoppin' today. I stumbled upon several Christian bloggers. I found one owned by a kababayan, Live.Love.Laugh., and 2 from the other side of the world (US), Pressing On & Written For Him.
Just got interested on how they live their lives and their point of views, and also was inspired by the way they write about their Christian life and God.
I have also aimed for the same thing before, to share with others how God moves in my life by sharing my own testimony through this blog. But most of the time I find myself too lazy to write, or just plainly can't find the right words to write. I don't know.
I might be posting something bout it in a few days. I just don't know how soon.
I've been too lazy to blog these past few days.. kahit nga ngayon eh. I even feel lazy to blog hop. Pero sometimes, pag ala na talaga ko magawa I just click the links of my fellow bloggers, binabasa ko. :)
Gusto kong bumili ng bluetooth dongle so I can upload the pics I capture with my phone. Gusto ko naman kahit minsan eh may mai-post naman akong picture dito kahit paminsan minsan. Hindi naman kasi all the time sensible post ko eh (:P). Nakakaaliw din pati yung may makita kang image paminsan minsan, diba?
Balak ko, mamaya pag-uwi ko, punta ko megamall to buy. Nga lang, nag-aalangan ako kasi may pasok pa ko ng gabi. Haaay... tuloy pa kaya ko?
I don't intend this to be my life's chronicles but I might write some of my experiences here.
Even so, everything that's written in here are either products of my excessive contemplation, or just plainly, pure boredom.
In any case, I still try to write as sensible as possible, for what I really intend to do and I hope is achieved in every writing,
is to impart or share some of the things I learn and sometimes, some struggles in life. Don't expect all seriousness in everything in here though.
In short, this blog is my outlet. My noted thoughts and reflections.
About Me
Name: Goldi
Home: Pasay City, Philippines
Birthday: June 2
Hobbies & Interests: Jesus, music, books, journals, internet, computers, tech stuff, gadgets * sound tripping, singing, playing musical instruments (I know guitar and flute recorder, I just wish I can play them well), watching movie with a tub of popcorn drizzled with melted butter (yum!), reading * observing, pondering, reflecting, learning * laughing or making people laugh (though I'm not good at it) and laugh with them, make people smile, or just listen to their stories. Minsan, trip ko lang din mang-asar =p
About Me: I'm a simple, idealistic but down-to-earth, & friendly person. Quiet most of the time, but friendly enough to have a nice talk (or even a hearty laugh) with anyone. "I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 NLT
Principles I live by:
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4
"If people talk negatively about you, live in such a way that no one will believe them."
"God is a God of happy endings. If you're not yet happy, it's not yet the end."
"It's not what we know but what we do that counts." -Our Daily Bread
"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -Dumbledore, Harry Potter 2
"Girls should assume that until a guy expresses interest, they're just friends." -J. Harris, Boy Meets Girl
"True love doesn't just wait; it plans." -Boy Meets Girl
"Eros will have naked bodies; friendship naked personalities." -C.S. Lewis
"Ideals are like stars; we will not succeed in touching them with our hands but by following them, as the sea faring man in the ocean, we will reach our destiny." -J. Harris, Boy Meets Girl
