My New Year’s Resolution is just One Word

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebration.  Ours was simple, just visiting relatives and enjoying our new toys (like our new flat screen TV that we bought during the crazy deals of the post-Christmas sales) and new additions to our household (we have a new puppy we named Frodo).

Now, everyone usually makes New Year’s Resolutions during the Holiday Season…and usually these fail even before the season is over.  Maybe the timing isn’t right.  Seriously, how can you be resolute in losing weight and getting fitter when your refrigerator is stuffed with leftovers from the holiday festivities?  Maybe another reason why these resolutions do not work is because they’re so lengthy and convoluted.  I used to list down a page’s worth of goals and resolutions for the new year, and then I found it hard to remember much of what I wrote, much less put them into practice.

Enter the One Word Movement.

The premise behind the One Word Movement is as simple as it sounds: instead of coming up with lengthy resolutions, just focus on one word, one simple word that you want your year to represent and that would exemplify your life for 2015.  For the next 12 months, you saturate yourself with that word, using it as a guide so that your life will be more purposeful and focused.  Seems better than trying to memorize a page-full of do’s and don’ts, eh?

So in 2015, my New Year’s Resolution is just One Word.  Wanna know what it is?  I chose the word AMBASSADOR.

This is based on 2 Corinthians 5:20, which says: “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

Below are the many reasons why I chose AMBASSADOR as my One Word:

A look back at 2013 through Facebook status messages

Happy new year to all my readers out there!!  Thank you once again for staying with me for another 365 days, and it has surely been quite a year.  2013 wasn’t the best of years in my book, as there have been several personal setbacks, deaths of loved ones, and trials of every sort.  There have also been some great personal victories, a new venture, and some happy moments as well.

For the past two New Years, I traditionally have made a very reflective post to recap what happened in the year that was (here's 2013's and, my favorite, 2012's).  I won’t do that this year; and instead, I’ll do something a little different.

If you have Facebook (who doesn’t), then they have a feature where you get to recap your biggest FB moments in 2013 (I guess that means your posts with the most likes and comments).  I screen captured these status messages, and for this New Year, I will replace my traditional posts with these screen captured shots plus some commentary.  So, if you’re ready, let’s go…

My new self-improvement project: Improving my eyesight, naturally

People who know me personally would attest that I’m often into self-improvement endeavors.  Well, allow me to introduce to you my new self-improvement project: improving my eyesight naturally.  Yep, I endeavor to bring my vision back to 20-20…and in this blog entry, I’d like to show you how I do so.

This new project of mine came out because I lost my glasses.  I had one of the sides hooked onto my shirt as I walked in the mall, and I guess it fell off without my knowing and now here I am, blind as a bat (well, not really, but I’m pretty strongly nearsighted).  Instead of spending for a new pair, I decided to try to find out if I can, indeed, have better eyesight without glasses.

Father’s Day is around the corner. Here’s some ridiculously great discount gifts for us, dads

I do find it cool that the world has decided to give us one day a year to celebrate our fatherhood.  As I often do on this site, I’d like to enjoin all dads out there to use this day to reflect on how we are doing as fathers.  We cannot fall asleep at the wheel here, men, as faulty fathering is devastating.

However, I’m not above posting the occasional “wish list” for us dads.  One of the great mentors of my life once said, “We’re entitled to our own vanity.”  Of course, he didn’t mean that it’s ok that we take duck-lipped self-portraits.  He meant that we are entitled to treat ourselves every now and then…and Father’s Day is one heck of an excuse to be treated like a king.

So, Father’s Day is around the corner.  Here’s some ridiculously great discount gifts for us, dads; thanks to Amazon.com’s Father’s Day promotions.

I’m a bit embarrassed to post wish lists up, but what the heck.  Also, I think I am a man of good taste, and so I hope this post gives a good reference point for those of you who read this looking for a gift for the special dad in your life.

Okay, without further ado – LESSONS OF A DAD’s Wish List for 2013  

(IMPORTANT NOTE:  Click on the picture if you want more information on the product, as text links are not working for some reason)

UPTOWN COW delivers best quality fresh milk to uptown CDO residents

Do you want the freshest milk you can taste delivered straight to your doorstep?  Are you one of those who wants a healthier milk alternative than what is available in the supermarkets?

If you live in the uptown subdivisions of Cagayan de Oro (Xavier Estates, Pueblo de Oro, etc.)  then you’re in luck.  UPTOWN COW now delivers fresh milk to uptown CDO residents!

As you would surmise from the flyer, the milk that UPTOWN COW would distribute will give CDO uptown homeowners a product that is far superior than what is offered in supermarkets.  It is fresher (the cows are milked just one day before delivery); the cows are raised on a pasture instead of commercially raised (not cramped and disease-laden, virtually eliminating the need for the cows to take antibiotics, etc.); the choco milk has less sugar than what you get elsewhere; and there’s a raw milk option to increase the health benefits even more.

Simply put, if you buy milk from commercially raised cows (like from the big companies), where they live cramped, diseased-laden lives, raised on commercial feeds instead of grass, then you may run the risk of getting a whole lot of chemicals in your milk (see Who Knew this Cocktail of up to 20 Chemicals Was in Your Glass of Milk?)

It’s far better to get your milk from pasture-raised cows like the source of UPTOWN COW’s milk, a dairy farm located in nearby Alae.  But then, as the flyer also advertises, I’d like you to try the raw milk option.

Reflections Of An Eventful 2012 part 2

Here is part two of my reflections of an eventful 2012.  If you missed part one, you can click here.

4. Fried from too much activity.  

No doubt that 2012 was a productive year.  The problem was, I got really, really fried.  I was wearing plenty of hats, and there were lots of expectations in each of them.  I’m not a very good multi-tasker, but I don’t think even the best jugglers would’ve be able to take on the schedule that I had without being a little burnt.  Dad, husband, blogger, asst. head teacher, GM of a few projects, Lifeshaper, young couples discipleship group leader….oh dear.

Reflections of an eventful 2012 part 1

As per my blog’s tradition, every end of the year I will come up with a reflection on the year that has just passed.  Of course, since Lessons Of A Dad is only a little over a year old, this is my second such blog entry, the first being among my most popular article as it talked about Sendong, traveling, defeats, and other stuff.

So, as I type this on a restful vacation morning, I look back and reflect on an eventful 2012.

1. Be careful what you pray for, because God has a sense of humor.

My two theme songs for 2013

I'm still working on my "Reflections on 2012" article as of this morning.  It's a doozy and most likely will be split into 2 parts.

To whet your appetite (and in my efforts to fight off sleeplessness-induced writer's block) I will, in the meantime, give you my two theme songs for 2013.  Both of these songs, similar in message, put in music what I want my life to be like in the coming year.

Making health and fitness a top priority in 2013

It is quite predictable that among the top of every New Year’s Resolution list that we all come up with is the desire to be healthy and/or lose weight.  Evidence of this is that the highest sales on exercise equipment come around this time of year.

2012 was a good year for me in this area.  Not perfect, but good…and allow me to share with you my tips on how to be live a healthy life on a budget.

It’s a funny thing that many of the resolutions regarding health or weight loss are among the first resolutions that are broken.  Ok, it’s not a funny thing, it’s more of a sad thing, really.   As I reflect why this is so, I’ve come to the conclusion that:

My family should be a top priority, and so Lessons Of A Dad will take a hiatus

You may be wondering why I haven’t been busy up in here much lately, so I’ll use this article to make it official: I’m going to have to take a hiatus from blogging and even from online life in general for a while.  I don’t know exactly how long, but I hope you understand why.

Part of the reason why I decided to do so is because of a message by one of my favorite speakers, Andy Stanley.  He was visited by Focus On The Family and they had a fantastic talk called Setting Your Family as the Highest Priority.

Check me out on Plain Haven

Hey guys, check me out on the Plain Haven blog!

The nice couple who run the above blog site featured me among the handful of bloggers in: 8 Influencial Filipino Bloggers Disclose How They Find Peace and Quiet Every Day.

Thank you Raymund and Denielle.  It was an honor and a pleasure to have been asked to your article.  

RIP Ernest Borgnine. Now I GOTTA play some Airwolf favorite scenes

It's a sad day for those of us boys who grew up in the 80's.  Ernest Borgnine, one of the stars of my favorite 80's TV show, Airwolf, died of renal failure at the ripe old age of 95.  Truly, a part of my childhood died with his death.  Long live Dominic Santini!

Since I'm home, sick, and have time to kill, I went on a nostalgic Airwolf Youtube rampage.  Allow me to bring you to a trip back memory lane and show you the unforgettable Airwolf intro as well as some of the favorite scenes I found there in Youtube.

The awesome Airwolf intro

My wish list for Father’s Day gifts

I’m not usually a materialistic guy.  I can be content on very little.  However, Father’s Day is coming up, and so humor me for a second while I throw my non-avaricious hat out the window and come up with some of my favorite “I wants” for this special day when gifts for fathers are expected.

It’s also a huge temptation that Amazon.com has some drool worthy Father’s Day goodies on discount.  I feel like a kid in a candy store.  I wouldn’t consider these gifts if it were not for the discounts Amazon gives us dads (or to the people buying gifts for dads) this very special day.

So, do you want to know my wish list for Father’s Day gifts?  Here are some things that get me excited:

Movies and Music

I sooo can't wait

1.     The Avengers.  Okay, okay, The Avengers is not out for home viewing just yet, but the movie absolutely blew me away when I saw it, and so even if someone hooked me to be on the wait-list, I'd be happy.

2.    Lecrae albums like Rehab and Rebel. My favorite Christian rapper of all time.  I'd like to collect his work.  Too bad Cagayan de Oro, Philippines is a bit wanting on the Christian Hip Hop scene, so I’ll have to depend on outside (the country) sources.

3.    Rhema Soul's new album Red.  This awesome group is what got me into Christian hiphop in the first place.  I’ve heard parts of their newest work and I must say, I’m once again impressed. 

25 Things About Me

I’ve been constantly surprised and blessed how this blog has reached people from all over the world.  I get hits from just about everywhere in the globe, from pretty much every continent.  Wow.

Therefore, it’s a no brainer that not many of you know me personally, so this next blog entry is a re-post of one of one of those surveys on Facebook notes, way back in the day when Facebook was still young and people were into these things.  I just updated the list a bit since it’s been many years since I did the original version.

So, without further ado, here’s 25 Things About Me…2012 edition:

Ask Lessons Of A Dad a question

Again, I must apologize for not being online much lately.  This is the last stretch of the school year in the Philippines, and being one of the more senior teachers in one of the best high schools around will pretty much guarantee that Feb and March will be a no blog zone. 

As frustrating as that is, I would like to instead offer you a chance.  A chance to ask yours truly, Lessons Of A Dad, about anything related to parenting, Christian living, marriage, etc. 

All you need to do is to post your question as a comment (or email me at lessonsofadad@gmail.com if it’s real personal) I will do my best to answer it in future blog posts.  I promise I will do so.  If ever the question is over my head (I don’t claim omniscience, you know) then I can ask one of my several mentors to pinch-hit for me and answer it in my place. 

So, I hope you understand that my anemic online presence in recent weeks is not a sign that I’m losing interest in Lessons Of A Dad.  Time has just been, and will be for the next month or so, my enemy. 

Other than your questions, I would also appreciate your prayers: prayers for strength, wisdom, and endurance.  I totally love my job, and I want to give these kids the best that I can…no matter how toxic the work sched is (and is going to be).  I also totally love my family, and how hypocritical of me to make a parenting blog if I’m not a good dad in practice.  Then, I’m answering a call by God to play a huge part in a very important ministry in church. 

Toxic sched?  Yep.  Prayers requested?  Yep.  Hiatus from blogging?  Unfortunately, yep.  See you soon (like, summer vacation soon) and I’m looking forward to your questions.

2011 Year in Review (reflections on Sendong, overseas trips, and more)

As 2011’s end is still not too far back into distant memory, I would like to think back on some of the good and bad that happened over the course of last year.  It was quite an eventful year for me, as you will see.  Despite everything, I cannot help but think back with thanksgiving in my heart and enter 2012 with praise for what He has done in my life.

Remember what i said in my first blog post of the year: ""Christmas is still merry, and the New Year is still happy, not because of circumstances, but because of our joy in the Lord.""

2011 in review…including reflections

1.     The storm that was Sendong.  I can't help but start this reflection off with typhoon Sendong.  For the first time in the memory of just about everyone living in this great city, a typhoon hit Cagayan de Oro and Illigan with such deadly force that over a thousand Cagayanons perished while scores more are missing.  Homes have been destroyed, its residents losing everything they valued and worked hard for.  Never before has CDO experienced so much death and damage.  (If you have not donated yet, click here so that you can do so…people still are in dire need)

Next Monday, the school I work for will open its doors to receive students again.  Some, like my family, got through the storm relatively unscathed.  Others were not so lucky, yet, thankfully, there was no loss of life.  We are encouraged by my boss that during morning devotions, we try to help them deal with this tragedy through spiritual eyes. 

I’m still thinking about how I’m going to do that.  But I’m going to go along these lines (and therefore, my reflection about Sendong):

•    The climate has been rapidly changing, much of it is due to our excesses and irresponsibility:  you can’t blame God for that.

•    A huge factor in the floods was rampant illegal logging and unchecked open mining: you can’t blame God for that either.

•    This goes to show why sin is such a big deal in God’s eyes: not only because it violates His commands; but, equally as important, it hurts and even destroys others, even those who had no part in the sin in the first place.  And using up our natural resources irresponsibly, especially in the name of greed IS sin…and boy did people get hurt.

•    Sendong very dramatically showed us what really mattered.  All the toys, gadgets, trinkets, and the shallow security of the present were lost in one dark night. All thoughts and actions were towards family and friends.  Let’s not wait till the next time we have to desperately fight for our lives (or to save theirs) to realize this very important truth.

•    God is still faithful and sovereign, even if things look exactly the opposite.  Many times in the history of His people things were totally messed up, only to come back to blessing later on.  If we trust in His faithfulness and sovereignty (repentance being a part of that), the same thing will happen to CDO and Illigan. 

How to become a better neighbor

In the other blog where I contribute, I have made a post titled “How to become a better neighbor.”  I live in probably the best and safest neighborhood in the city, yet I’m embarrased that I can count only on one hand how many of my neighbors I know personally.

I made this article in the hopes that I will be better in this area.  If you struggle in this area like I do, you may want to check the article out as well. 

So, do you want to learn how to become a better neighbor?  Click here.

My top Facebook Status Messages of 2011, thanks to a very cool app

One of my high school friends once told me, “I love your Facebook status messages!  They’re so positive!”

Well, one of the cooler apps going around Facebook right now is one that makes a top ten list of your status messages for 2011.  Here’s the link for the app here

Do you want to know my most popular status messages?  Is my high school friend right? Here’s my top Facebook Status Messages of 2011, thanks to a very cool app.

Some great memories came from these Facebook Status Messages.  Hey, why don’t you try out the app as well!  I’d love to see what your top Facebook Status Messages are.