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.

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.

Lessons Of A Dad is a finalist in the GOODBlog awards. Very cool!

Hi everyone!  This is supposed to be a no-blog night (actually, a no-blog WEEK due to the sheer busyness of things) and I'm painfully behind my pending work.  However, I received some very good news and I'd like to share that with you.  Drum roll please…

Lessons Of A Dad is a finalist in the GOODBlog awards.  Very cool!  Very cool, indeed!!

I have my fingers crossed on this one.  The winners will be announced on Pinoy Blogfest 3.0, the awesome annual event hosted by Gadgets Magazine. 

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.  

Happy Blogiversary to me!

Two weeks ago, Lessons of a Dad turned one year old!  Happy blogiversary to meeeeee!  It’s been a fun, and occasionally frustrating, ride to be sure.

I remember, back last June 2011, I was totally unsure if I should actually pursue this blogging pet project of mine.  12 months and over 40,000 page visits later, I’m glad I did.
In the course of 12 months, I’ve not only written articles (some passionately, others out of “oh my gosh I need to update with something!”); I’ve also survived the not-so-exciting parts of being a blogger, like putting my name (and my mug) on all sorts of blog directories, burned the candle on both ends researching how to let everyone know about this blog, signed up for social media galore (facebook fan page, twitter, klout, stumbleupon, alexa) and the list goes on. 

I’ve met some wonderful people along the way, from the local blogging community, to kindred spirits who are passionate about the same things,and  to those from across the globe who take the time to comment.

Rather unexpectedly, Lessons Of A Dad has also won an award in its first year, the Philippine Blog Awards 2011 Best Lifestyle Blog for Mindanao (I was also a finalist in the Parenting Category in the National Level).  I was, and still am, blown away that people thought this blog is actually good.  Thank you.  Oh, and will lightning strike twice?  Wasn’t expecting it the first time, so why not?

However, the highest of highs was when this blog made a difference somehow.  For example, a family friend based in America showed my Sendong article to his social club and was able to get hundreds of dollars of donations as a result.  Another instance saw a young, newly married couple coming to my church’s The Story Of Us couples’ retreat because of my blog entry about it.  That couple was tremendously blessed.

Well, so far so good; and I am looking forward to an even more fruitful 2nd year as a blogger.  Granted, this year I actually have a lot less time to blog, so I hope I make good in my promise to deliver a better Lessons Of A Dad for you.  I’m also seriously considering starting another blog, and I’ll update you how that goes.

God bless you all.

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. 

My favorite parenting articles, in honor of Lessons Of A Dad being a finalist of the PBA Home and Parenting Category — National Level

Well, hot off the euphoria of winning Philippine Blog Awards’  Best Lifestyle blog for Mindanao for 2011, I just found out that Lessons Of A Dad is a finalist for another award, a national award this time. 

Lessons Of A Dad is one of the finalists of the Home and Parenting Category – National Level.  Very, very cool. 

I'm in great company, too; here are the Finalists:

A Woman Remembers (serenityoverload.blogspot.com)
Dainty Mom (www.daintymom.com)
Her Fashionality is Motherhood (www.trishvelarmino.com)
Lessons Of A Dad (www.lessonsofadad.com)
My Address is Earth (myaddressisearth.blogspot.com)
My Happy Home (www.eleanoraguilar.com)
Pinay Mommy Online (www.pinaymommyonline.com)
Proud Mommy of Three (www.mommyrubz.com)
The Hippie Mum (www.hippiemum.com)

To celebrate, allow me to list down my favorite parenting articles for this site.  They give great tips on being a father.  Hope you enjoy them!

Songs that touch a father’s heart…Happy Father’s Day to you all!  This blog entry was made at or near Father’s Day, and it showcases songs that all dads need to hear. 

One way to have your kids follow you is to make parenting fun!  Having problems with the kiddos following orders?  One possible way to solve this problem is to make things more fun!  Make a chore not a chore.

A parenting word about gift giving.  Being the 1st of December, Christmas is just around the corner.  But, do your gifts really benefit those who receive them?

According to the good fellows at the Philippine Blog Awards, I must be doing something right.

"Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people."  (Psalm 3:8)

Blessing upon blessings, the guys at the Philippine Blog Awards have decided that Lessons Of A Dad is this year’s best Lifestyle blog for Mindanao!  Woot, woot!!

I was floored when I found out I was one of the finalists for the award, and I’m floored even more now that I was picked.  You know, all I wanted was to bless and challenge readers, especially the dads of the world, to become better parents.  (Ok, ok, and make a little cha-ching with the Adsense and Amazon Associates to boot).

But to be able to actually be a finalist—and win—in a Philippine Blog Awards category for Mindanao?  That was totally, totally unexpected.

Especially this early in the ball game. 

A pleasant surprise: Lessons Of A Dad is among the nominees for the upcoming Philippine Blog Awards for Mindanao 2011.

Well, well, not bad for a noob who could barely navigate through the ins and outs of the blogsphere.  Yesterday, I received a very pleasant surprise:  Lessons Of A Dad is among the nominees for the upcoming Philippine Blog Awards for Mindanao 2011. 

Specifically, I am one of the four nominees for the Lifestyle category.  

The return of “Please don’t tease your dog;” Lessons Of A Dad now on twitter; and other site updates.

I didn’t know until yesterday that for the longest time, the video that made “Please don’t tease your dog” my most popular blog post was taken off the internet.  So, I went looking around for the same video elsewhere, and I finally found it.  So, the cute (well, he’s not cute…his actions are) little pooch is back, ready to be teased once again.

There have been many other updates that have happened to Lessons Of A Dad since it was put up earlier this year in June.  Here they are, ladies and gentlemen.

•    I joined the blogging bandwagon and signed up for twitter.  I hope to connect with you guys better through that medium, so if you also have a twitter account and would like to add me, feel free to do so by clicking on the twitter button on the right margin.

•    I was able to restore the Google Friend Connect, which conked out a while back.  I had a feeling that it was related to me putting my feeds in Feedburner (and doing it wrong), so I retraced my steps and fixed the problem.  So, those who’d wish to keep themselves updated this way may do so.

•    I signed up for Alexa and downloaded its toolbar.  If you’re a blogger, a serious one, you should too…at least that’s what I heard.  For those of you who joined Alexa, did it benefit you?  I hope it will, because, gosh, it hurts to see that my rank is so low.  I hope by this time next year, I’d be way up into the 100,000 mark.  That is my goal. 

•    I joined a several blog directories, as you can see (the several directory buttons on the right) in the hopes that doing so would increase traffic.  One of these needs some participation from you, where it says “vote for me.”  I’d be honoured if you do, in fact, vote for me.

I’d like to ask the fellow bloggers reading this post, what were the best ways for you to get traffic into your blog site?  Pls. comment, I surely would like to find out.