No Regrets?

by Pastor Bong Gonzales

“Every choice you make has an end result.”  – Zig Ziglar

During our trip to Rome, my wife and I passed by Barcelona, Spain where we met a 'long lost friend'. As we listened to his story, his life of struggles and difficulties, there was an obvious expression of 'regret'. Regret is a word that many of us could not avoid but we can lessen in our life existence, if we are careful with our choices.

But many times, we decide on things when we are angry, frustrated, wounded or simply overcame by our pride.

Regret is as deadly as cancer, as painful as wounds and sometimes it blocks all other good things that have come in spite of the situation.

I remember he mentioned, "I was deceived by those who convinced me to resign".

After our short talk, it dawned on me how difficult it would be for someone who has been carried away by the thoughts and suggestions of others. At the end of the day we just find ourselves out of the way, out of peace and have lost all of which should have been our joy, blessings and fulfillment.

Here's what I resolved:

I will not sacrifice my conviction to satisfy my pride.

I will submit my arrogance by recognizing it is not a virtue but destruction.

I will treasure the trust given to me by those who are above me and live with equal regards to those who are under me.

My choice should be guided by my principle and of morals.

And lastly, I will choose to pause, repose and pray very hard when frustration, anger and pride is overwhelming until I find peace and seek counsel if a decision is needed to be done. For only when we are at peace, proper judgment and decision can be made.

Now, when I come to realized that I did a mistake, I will do everything to make it right. The pious call it ‘repentance’, others simply call it a ‘u-turn’. Then to the things I could not change my mistake, I'll move forward and learn from the past, hoping that I will not take the same path of regret again.

May we find ourselves doing the choices that would lessen our regrets in this life if we cannot fully avoid it. May we become careful in coming to a decision, especially when it will affect the lives of many people.

May we Jam In Life with less regret…if we can't live without it.

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A Life Of "Waiting": Make It Worthy

by Pastor Bong Gonzales 

In this life we have we spend reasonable time if not most of our time in waiting.

We wait for our turn to use the bathroom; we wait for a family member to be ready to ride with us in our car pool. Wait for our turn to see the green light for us to drive ahead. We wait for the elevator to open and wait again while it brings us to the floor we desire. We wait for our turn to talk to an employee or a superior. We wait for the time to start working and wait for the day to receive our paycheck. We wait for our time to reach a certain age, knowledge, position until we could do something when the time has come. The list will be endless on our waiting.

It’s part of life that most offices, both government and private, spend money to build what we call the “Receiving room”, “Waiting room”, “Fall in line here” among others.

But what does inspire us to wait? What makes life really worth living for?

The Holy Book said; “he that wait upon the Lord shall be renewed in your strength”

In verse Psalm 37:7, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways…”(NIV)

Upon waiting and always after we take our turn, we consider it worth it when we succeed in doing, getting, gaining and finding whatever it might be.

What does it take to wait, then?

A passion for something – The foundation for which we say “I’ll wait”. Before you start spending time waiting, consider looking in you and see if what you’re waiting for deserves the precious time you will spend waiting. What is it for? Your passion is you, your time is borrowed, spend it to something worth it.

A vision for something – The motivation why we can wait to gain it. Whatever you are spending your time with, make your waiting count! Vision makes you focus and save time.

A character of patience – That will make us wait no matter how long it takes to achieve what we hope for, to gain, to reach, to receive and to become. It takes the virtue of patience to wait. Many lost their opportunity because they could not wait. Many regrets are not because of failure to do something, but the failure to wait to succeed after trying and waiting until we succeed.

So friends, wait for your turn. And while waiting, enjoy every moment while you Jam In Life with others!

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Appetites of Man: A Must to Balance

by Pastor Bong Gonzales 

If we could really examine mankind – the woman and the man we meet everyday, we will discover that we all have appetites, cravings or desires that can be categorize into four groups. May we find time to balance of all to be more fulfilled and happy.

The appetite for food – We always crave for food, this is where most of our funds are spent. We make sure we have sufficient for the next meal while still digesting the current one. If we will not learn to control our appetite and discipline ourselves in choices of food, it will become a reason for sickness and early death. According to some medical study, the number one cause of sickness is not starvation but over eating. I read in the Holy book that gluttony is a sin.

The appetite for material things (for money)– Most of the earnings we take are intended to buy or acquire something.  Regardless of generation there is always something that becomes the best seller. Man will not stop until he has whatever the latest in the store depending on his interest or hobbies. It could be from a cheap candy to an expensive car, a simple learning or a title. Most of the reason of wars, disputes and chaos are born out of covetousness. There is nothing wrong to desire to have the best in life. But when it becomes more important than people, family and respect for others, then it becomes evil. This must be managed.  It must not go beyond what we can afford.

The appetite for belonging – A social life that tends to become a sexual life. Socializing is man’s need. We do most things for the purpose of being accepted, regardless of the price we pay or even outcome to us. We want a friend, a companion. Someone we could share our life, for security, for fun or just for simple companion. The problem is when we become so emotionally attach that we forgot morals and virtues, we either become abuser or abused. This is why crime against person arise, relationships becomes abnormal because we become demanding, controlling and selfish. This must also be managed and put into proper balance.

The appetite for spiritual things – The unknown, the supernatural. We usually call it religion. All of man regardless of religious belief, believed in something. This is part of our appetite, which is also vulnerable for abuse. This is where, cult and occult is born. This is where the fanatics become a concern. Though like the three others above, when we discover the proper and the right one this will make our life morally strong and we will live in values that will guide all other appetites. The choice of what we will get involved with and believe must be carefully studied and decide with prudence and wisdom.

In all of these appetites there is a rule, a right foundation and guide, both by the experience of the olds and the discoveries of the present.

The bottom line is, choose what is right based on morals, health, peace and on the written law in our hearts.

I recommend reading the Bible for it covers all of the things that pertains to a man’s life, purpose and happiness.

We need it to have fun while we Jam in Life!

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Is This It?

by Gi Emas

I decided to re-visit a book I`ve read many years ago. It touched my heart before and it touch my heart much deeper now that I`m older. Here’s what I’ve learned...

People have become creatures of habit, creatures of daily routines. Wake up in the morning, go to work, go back home and sleep. And of course, eat… a lot. It’s almost like sleepwalking in this world; we just do things automatically because we think we need to do it. A very common response nowadays to "How are you?" is “I’ve been busy”. We get caught up in doing the things we think are important. Many of us still walk around this world with meaningless lives. Why, because we chase the wrong things.

The world has outdone itself in feeding our minds that ‘more is good’. More money is good. More property is good. Owning more is good. More is good. More is good. Our brain is so bombarded into thinking this until we don't think twice about it anymore. Don’t get me wrong. It is God’s will for us to live life in abundance but we easily lose our perspective on what really matters.

Our brains are trapped with egotistical things, career, having lots of money, mortgage, getting a new car and the list goes on. Often times, we choose to disregard our health just to be wealthy. We go through life and fill it with millions of little acts just to keep us going. We forget to stand back, look at our lives and ask... Is this all? Is this all I want? Is something missing?

We need to start devoting ourselves to the things that will give us real satisfaction, purpose and meaning. Learn to give out love and to let it come in. The world is so hungry for love and people divert their longing for affection to material things. Offer others what we can give – our time, our friendship and our concern. 

Give much importance to the people we love and those who love us. We tend to take for granted the loving relationships we have – God, family, friends and community. We will find security in knowing that they are watching out for us. Money, work and fame will never give us that peace of mind. Most of us tend to embrace materials things expecting a sort of hug back. No amount of money or power can ever be a substitute for love and tenderness.

Love God. Love people. Appreciate the finer things in life. Strive on what really matters. Do what really counts.

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