Freedom From Wanting Everything

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Not really in a pensive mood but more of inspired as I heard the Word of God in today's service. I can't help but share in my little way of how I am blessed. My heart was deeply touched I found myself keeping my tears from falling while listening to the pastor sharing the Word. Quite a number of people have been worried about me lately and I appreciate them for that. Yes, I am in struggle and in that struggling I discovered that I am actually carrying some unnecessary burden hence struggling for as long as I can remember, not just the recent months. How I treated it just bore me deeper into a hole and now it feels harder to get back up on the ground. I am a flawed being hiding in my fab, fashionable, well-coordinated or whatever you may call it ootd's. I am someone who is really lost and confused and not any travel destination can offset it. My constant increase in pay and profit from the sideline cannot compensate for what is really lacking in me. I felt like everything is just not enough. I felt entitled and I felt deserving of every damn good thing I could see. And so I fell apart and I am broken into pieces. Right now I am trying my best to refocus and find myself.

I bought this book titled "Gotta Have It!" (by Dr. Gregory L. Jantz) almost a year ago and if only I have read it earlier or right away, I can't help but think that maybe things would have not ended this way today. But well, life happened. I have a confession to make. I'm a hypocrite. I keep on saying thank You, talk and post about gratefulness but deep inside I have always been badly craving for more more more, wanting everything, just a bit of everything, because maybe I wasn't really being thankful, because if I was grateful, there should be contentment. Far from it people, that's how hypocrite I am. Deep inside of me I wasn't really contented. I lost myself in this awful path process I chose. And now that I'm trying my way back to the main road, it has been arduous -- really really difficult one. It's the result of my past hard-to-admit not-so-good choices. I have shifted my security to the things and people around me, which is WRONG. I chose to find comfort on the things that I wanted and did not resort to mending things and or figuring out what I truly need. I was so hard-headed, impatient, immature and so earthly. And now let me use the phrases I am suffering the consequences and I am learning the hard way. Whew, there goes my ego! But I need to accept these stinky things about me because it is through this that I will be really free. 

What I relearned in this really really tough process:

1. Be patient. Be patient with the Lord. God's got me covered in the things that I need and so with those things that I just want, I need patience, be patient with those excessities or things that I just want. Psalm 37:7 (GNT) says "Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans." Leave the choice to Him regardless of how you feel. In the course of just a year, I had a lot of those what-if's and if-only's only because I tolerated my hard-head, my emotions, my earthly desires and did not really rely on His timeframe. I was so impatient that I immediately wanted things to happen NOW in my own time. I actually disregarded my favorite Proverbs 3:5 verse. I learned that patience is not giving up and not doing nothing. Patience is an optimistic expectation. Patience is fueled by hope. As Romans 5:3-4 (NIV) states, "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Right now that I am in this very stage of my life, I guess this is the biggest test of my patience so far. I'm now relearning to fully trust the One who is the orchestrator of my life. In His time.

2. Rid of envy. Don't be bitter. Each of one is unique and so as how are lives are designed. Envy makes things worse. It's such an ugly ugly thing to have but for the past months it stayed with me. I cant't help compare myself, my successes, my life to what others have. I kept insulting Him of how He designed me and my life. I kept on questioning Him. Envy is such a strong feeling that won't make someone feel any good. I don't understand myself why I keep clinging to such revolting trait. I relearned to look inside of me and pray and discern of all the good things and the talents He has blessed me with and enhance on these, flourish from where I am planted. It's still hard because I am easily distracted, not to mention the harsh effects of social media. It also boils down to trusting Him and focusing on Him. "But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice." -James 3:14-16 (NIV)

2. Security and contentment is in our Lord. Seek Him always. If we  try to find security and contentment other than Him, it will always always fail. Trust me, I know how it feels finding security elsewhere and was I successful? Uhmmm NO. God gives and God takes things away. It is only in Him that I can find happiness, joy, fulfillment, satisfaction. The song Unending Love was sang by the worship team a while ago and it hit me so strong I felt like it was again my first time surrendering my life to Him (That's how flawed I am). The song says how I'll find everything I need in His unending love. If Jesus is in me, indeed how can I worry over other trivial things? How can I crave for anything that is less than Him, my everything, in me?

There's no silver or gold and no treasure untold that could draw me away from Your heart. Neither love of myself or of anyone else will do. Letting go of my pride I lay down my desires just to worship in Spirit and truth. More than all of my dreams, more than fame I will seek You Lord. Jesus, nothing compares to this grace that rescues me. Savior, now and forever Your face is all I seek. Now all I am I lay at Your feet I'm humbled by the wonder of Your majesty. One thing I know I find all I need In Your unending love, in Your unending love. Your love, Jesus.  

I've made a big deal of awful decisions and acted wrongly on different situations. Covered in shadows and regrets, it took me one big blow to decide to straighten things out. At the end of the day it's all about bringing back my focus to Him. It's all about Him. I am not telling that I am done with the process that I am a fully changed person. No. Far from it. I just accepted these sad facts and flaws. I am now in the process of moving on and growing up all in God's grace. I am also thankful for that someone who made me realize these things. Thank You, Lord, and thank you for loving me this way. I'll come out of this better, and into that woman You designed me to be.

"Every time you are confronted with a choice between what you want to do and what you need to do, make the most of that chance. Choose wisely and move forward. If you take a step backward, learn from it and grow; use your head. Above all, keep going, keep progressing in your understanding of where to go to truly meet the need. [...] In the end, it really comes down to you and God, which is a very good thing when it comes to needs. In Matthew 6:8, Jesus reassures you that God's got you covered in that department; He already knows what you need even before you ask."

I'll leave you this beautiful song.

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Book Comment: The Art of Thinking Clearly

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Title: The Art of Thinking Clearly

Author: Rolf Dobelli
No. of pages:384
Published: 14th May, 2013
Read: February 25, 2015
★★★★

In engaging prose and with practical examples and anecdotes, an eye-opening look at human reasoning and essential reading for anyone with important decisions to make.

Have you ever: 

• Invested time in something that, with hindsight, just wasn't worth it?

• Overpayed in an Ebay auction?

• Continued doing something you knew was bad for you?

• Sold stocks too late, or too early?

• Taken credit for success, but blamed failure on external circumstances?

• Backed the wrong horse? 

These are examples of cognitive biases, simple errors we all make in our day-to-day thinking. But by knowing what they are and how to spot them, we can avoid them and make better choices-whether dealing with a personal problem or a business negotiation; trying to save money or make money; working out what we do or don't want in life: and how best to get it. 

Simple, clear and always surprising, this indispensable book will change the way you think and transform your decision-making-work, at home, every day. It reveals, in 99 short chapters, the most common errors of judgment, and how to avoid them.

It's another of those non-fiction reads that I enjoyed reading. I am no expert in any cognitive related books most especially topics but seems like I am inclined to reading such, hence, my comment is based on my limited view and knowledge. The book presents 99 short chapters of about two to three pages each for the different cognitive biases or thinking fallacies we commit on a day-to-day basis. Mostly presenting examples on money and investments and business-related decision-making, was also a factor that added to my liking of this book. The chapters were pretty simple with most allowing the readers to be involved by presenting cases or scenarios and questions and make the reader decide on some. Short explanations with different citations, and examples come after; with suggestions to avoid the "unclear" thinking, usually forming the conclusion. For someone who enjoys reading about cognitive topics but have limited time to indulge on the more extensive ones, this book serves as a nutshell.

I personally like these chapters (but I guess most!!):

• 2- Does Harvard Make Your Smarter?: Swimmer's Body Illusion
• 4 - If Fifty Million People Say Something Foolish, It is Still Foolish: Social Proof
• 14 - Why You Should Keep a Diary: Hindsight Bias
• 57 - If You Have Nothing To Say Say Nothing: Twaddle Tendency
• 66 - Why You Are a Slave to Your Emotions: Affect Heuristic
• 85 - Why New Year's Resolutions Don't Work: Procrastination
• 86 - Build Your Own Castle: Envy
• 90 - Where's the Off Switch?: Overthinking
• 91 - Why You Take On Too Much: Planning Fallacy
• 93 - Drawing the Bull's-Eye around the Arrow: Cherry Picking

The book was an eye-opener but applying this kind of "clear" thinking would not be easy. Still, this again contributed to my amazement on how our mind works. 

Some quotes below:

“If your only tool is a hammer, all your problems will be nails,” 

“How do you curb envy? First, stop comparing yourself to others. Second, find your “circle of competence” and fill it on your own. Create a niche where you are the best. It doesn’t matter how small your area of mastery is. The main thing is that you are king of the castle.” 

“Whether we like it or not, we are puppets of our emotions. We make complex decisions by consulting our feelings, not our thoughts. Against our best intentions, we substitute the question, “What do I think about this?” with “How do I feel about this?” So, smile! Your future depends on it.” 

“historian Daniel J. Boorstin put it right: “The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance—it is the illusion of knowledge.” 

“Assume that your worldview is not borne by the public. More than that: Do not assume that those who think differently are idiots. Before you distrust them, question your own assumptions.” 

“It’s OK to be envious – but only of the person you aspire to become.” 

“As paradoxical as it sounds: The best way to shield yourself from nasty surprises is to anticipate them.” 

“We must learn to close doors. A business strategy is primarily a statement on what not to engage in. Adopt a life strategy similar to a corporate strategy: Write down what not to pursue in your life. In other words, make calculated decisions to disregard certain possibilities and when an option shows up, test it against your not-to-pursue list. It will not only keep you from trouble but also save you lots of thinking time. Think hard once and then just consult your list instead of having to make up your mind whenever a new door cracks open. Most doors are not worth entering, even when the handle seems to turn so effortlessly.” 

“This is how top investor Warren Buffett does things: “Each deal we measure against the second-best deal that is available at any given time—even if it means doing more of what we are already doing.” 

“Twain: “We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it—and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again—and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore.” 

"We are drunk on our own ideas. To sober up, take a step back every now and then and examine their quality in hindsight. Which of your ideas from the past ten years were truly outstanding? Exactly."

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Book Comment: God Never Blinks

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Title: God Never Blinks

Author: Regina Brett
No. of pages:256
Published: 13th April, 2010
Read: February 2, 2015
★★

Already an internet phenomenon, these wise and insightful lessons by popular newspaper columnist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Regina Brett will make you see the possibilities in your life in a whole new way.

When Regina Brett turned 50, she wrote a column on the 50 lessons life had taught her. She reflected on all she had learned through becoming a single parent, looking for love in all the wrong places, working on her relationship with God, battling cancer and making peace with a difficult childhood. It became one of the most popular columns ever published in the newspaper, and since then the 50 lessons have been emailed to hundreds of thousands of people. Brett now takes the 50 lessons and expounds on them in essays that are deeply personal. From "Don't take yourself too seriously-Nobody else does" to "Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift," these lessons will strike a chord with anyone who has ever gone through tough times--and haven't we all?

I had high expectations reading this book and so I got a tad disappointed. Yes, it is helpful, insightful and I had a lot of fragment takeaways from the different chapters; but it's not compelling and moving enough for me and did not stir much emotions unlike some books of the same line I have previously read. It's still a good read and maybe I would still revisit chapters of this book from time to time. I like how it is really positive and occasionally heartwarming. This is highly recommended for people who maybe experiencing difficulties right now. It's just that I have read better books that I gave that rating.

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Book Comments: "Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki" and "Stumbling on Happiness"

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Title: Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage

Author: Haruki Murakami
No. of pages:387
Published: 12th August, 2014
Read: August 26, 2014
★★★

My review in my Goodreads account is a one-liner, "enough to get me hooked, but not enough to satisfy a craving". I had a pile of books to read and yet I made it sure to squeeze this newly released Murakami book in. I got engrossed once more that I was able to finish reading it in two days (it usually takes me four days or more to read one book).   Murakami has this certain calmness and inviting vibe and is always successful in making me  absorbed with his material. Sadly though that no matter how inviting this book was written,  it did not fully captivate me until its very end. Murakami can be anything but thrilling or suspense but this book is like eating some really yummy ramen but sipping on unusually short noodles. Parang ganon basta bitin pero expected mo na na hanggang dun lang talaga. I feel like Murakami purposed it to be like this and it's what causes my love-hate relationship with this book.

My sister sms-ed me as soon as she read this book:

"Alam mo yung feeling na manipis na yung natitirang pages at nafifeel mo na hindi na siya enough para tapusin yung kwento, tapos naconfirm mo na tama ka. Di nasagot lahat ng tanong ng author, eh siya ang may kasalanan nun, parang sinadya. Pero maganda siya."

I like getting random texts on good and need-not-be-totally-positive reviews on materials I recommend. Haha! Now read it! 

Title: Stumbling on Happiness

Author: Daniel Gilbert
No. of pages: 263
Published: 20th March, 2007
Read: September 22, 2014
★★★

If one thinks of purchasing this because it's yet another self-help book on happiness, I will disappoint you by telling you that it's NOT. This read is far from disappointment though as I have learned fairly enough and still got some "help" out of this book. It is a book on cognitive psychology or exploring on how our brains process, how our brains perceive, think, remember, smell, speak, hear and solve problems. As someone who lacks exposure on psychological matter and matters of the brain, it was really an interesting read which was made even more interesting by the author's witty way of relaying his points. This book also fairly involves the reader with the experiments referenced to. I had a lot of "aaaahhhh" and "cool" and "so that's the reason why" moments going through this book.

This book successfully informed me on the brain's "systematic failure" in helping us reach the maximum potential of our happiness. Despite, in my opinion the round about's of the brain and its psychology, finishing this book still lead me to think that still, happiness is a familiar critical issue, not easily answered, not even our trusty brain can help us with. I would get bashed by telling this, that there would always be a hole like the blind spot of our eyes and brain that science would not be able to fully answer, and is one reason why people turn to spirituality means of trying to attain it.

I had my fair share of nonfiction materials lately and I quite dig on those that are referenced well that I start to think that I might venture on reading studies and journals soon haha!

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Book Comment: The Tipping Point and It's Not How Good You Are...

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Title: The Tipping Point
Author: Malcolm Gladwell
No. of pages: 304
Published: 7th January, 2002
Read: July 09, 2014
★★★

The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.

Gladwell introduces us to the particular personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends, the people who create the phenomenon of word of mouth. He analyzes fashion trends, smoking, children's television, direct mail, and the early days of the American Revolution for clues about making ideas infectious, and visits a religious commune, a successful high-tech company, and one of the world's greatest salesmen to show how to start and sustain social epidemics.

I quite liked this book and had lead me to a position of another approach to a nonfiction writing. It's a substantial book and gave quite digestible and rich chapters. Facts and real-life scenarios caught my interest. Learning bites are scattered all throughout the book which can be aids in a good foundation of a marketing strategy. It gave me a good picture of how little things indeed can result to transformation.

Title: It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be

Author: Paul Arden

No. of pages: 107

Published: 1st June, 2007

Read: July 09, 2014

★★★

It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be is a handbook of how to succeed in the world - a pocket bible for the talented and timid to help make the unthinkable and the impossible possible. Advertising guru Paul Arden offers up his wisdom on issues as diverse as problem solving, responding to a brief, communicating, playing your cards right, making mistakes and creativity, all endeavours that can be applied to aspects of modern life.

This Christmas gift has been sitting in my shelf for months and it's only this August that I was able to read it obviously in one sitting. This book is a booster, a somehow idea generator, a book that i feel like I can go back to when I am demotivated, uninspired, in failures, in down times. There's quite a lot of wise words aka "quotable's" in the book. It's like a compilation of such. Though it is leaning towards the advertising, some parts can be applied generally. I like how visual the book is. 

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Book Comment: Aleph by Paulo Coelho

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Title: Aleph
Author: Paulo Coelho
No. of pages: 288
Published: 26th June, 2012
Read: July 09, 2014
★

In his most personal novel to date, internationally bestselling author Paulo Coelho returns with a remarkable journey of self-discovery. Like the main character in his much-beloved The Alchemist, Paulo is facing a grave crisis of faith. As he seeks a path of spiritual renewal and growth, his only real option is to begin again—to travel, to experiment, to reconnect with people and the landscapes around him.

Setting off to Africa, and then to Europe and Asia via the Trans-Siberian railroad, he initiates a journey to revitalize his energy and passion. Even so, he never expects to meet Hilal. A gifted young violinist, she is the woman Paulo loved five hundred years before—and the woman he betrayed in an act of cowardice so far-reaching that it prevents him from finding real happiness in this life. Together they will initiate a mystical voyage through time and space, traveling a path that teaches love, forgiveness, and the courage to overcome life’s inevitable challenges. Beautiful and inspiring, Aleph invites us to consider the meaning of our own personal journeys.

Got disappointed with this novel. I should have just read Coelho’s earlier novels instead of risking the fact that it’s one of his latest writings. I was expecting a lot more than the way he interpreted “Aleph”. This is the seventh novel I’ve read written by him and this has got to be the most disappointing. Maybe I am just being overly emotional but the book somehow portrays that it is okay to love two people at the same time and not be called a womanizer. You sleep together while you are traveling in search of your “Aleph”, miles away from your wife, and you meet a girl, sort of a “reincarnation of your most loved one in your past life” and it’s okay. Obviously this comment is from a woman’s point of view. And I can’t just easily accept it.

On the other hand, my mind opened to the realization that society can’t deny the fact that it happens, whether as absurd as a reincarnated loved one or simply the sad realities of married life, this happens. And even though at the end of the day, he goes back to his wife, tells the story to his wife, and to his wife it is okay, I can’t seem to comprehend the idea that it is okay. Added to this, this was not the first time. At the back of my mind, if this is what this “Aleph” leads to, just forget Aleph. Hahaha! The good thing though is the depiction of commitment to his wife regardless of these temptations the ‘aleph’ had brought him into. I may already sound silly with this book comment of mine but this is what I felt while reading the book. And with the back-of-the-book summary stating as “one of his personal novels”, I quite “questioned” Coelho’s credibility, not as an author, but as a man. Hahaha, I may sound OA, but I tried appreciating the essence of the book while reading it, but I can’t seem to really fathom its depth.

On the noble side of my own analysis, (apart from the seemingly bombast of comments above), just like his previous novels, the traveling signifies personal discovery, and during this time, Paulo, the main character, also trudges on the path to forgiveness. In this modern age, I guess this is one important aspect that each one of us, in one way or another strives at. Still, there was just this little disappointment that this segment could have been expounded more. But then again, I and Paulo Coelho weren’t able to really create a connection through this book. At some points, though disparate to other novels, there are still some points that made me rethink and reflect on my own personal journey. You might think that this novel can be likened to The Pilgrimage and The Alchemist but if I would rank Aleph, it would be at the bottom among these three.

With the disappointment I felt with this book, I’m giving it a 1 out of 5 stars rating.

"Don’t be intimidated by other people’s opinions. Only mediocrity is sure of itself, so take risks and do what you really want to do."

"Travel is never a matter of money but of courage"

"Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning."

"Only two things can reveal life's great secrets: suffering and love."

"What hurts us is what heals us"

"In magic - and in life - there is only the present moment, the now. You can't measure time the way you measure the distance between two points. 'Time' doesn't pass. We human beings have enormous difficulty in focusing on the present; we're always thinking about what we did, about how we could have done it better, about the consequences of our actions, and about why we didn't act as we should have. Or else we think about the future, about what we're going to do tomorrow, what precautions we should take, what dangers await us around the next corner, how to avoid what we don't want and how to get what we have always dreamed of."

"If you conquer yourself, then you conquer the world"

"It is possible to avoid pain? Yes, but you'll never learn anything. Is it possible to know something without ever having experiencing it? Yes, but it will never truly be part of you."

"To become really good at anything,you have to practice and repeat, practice and repeat, until the technique becomes intuitive"

"Sometimes you have to travel a long way to find what is near"

"It’s what you do in the present that will redeem the past and thereby change the future."

"Words are tears that have been written down. Tears are words that need to be shed. Without them, joy loses all its brilliance and sadness has no end."

"Suffering comes from desire, not from pain."

"If you spend too much time trying to find out what is good or bad about someone else, you'll forget your own soul and end up exhausted and defeated by the energy you have wasted in judging others."

"When we turn around and come face to face with our destiny, we discover that words (spoken) are not enough. I know so many people who are brilliant speakers but are quite incapable of practising what they preach. It's one thing to describe a situation & quite another to experience it.

"I realised a long time ago that a warrior in search of his dream must take his inspiration from what he actually does; not from what he imagines himself doing."

"We become imprisoned by our memories, and that makes our lives wretched."

"To live is to experience things, not sit around pondering the meaning of life."

"It's always easy to blame others. You can spend your entire life blaming the world, but your successes or failures are entirely your own."

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Book Comment: What Women Don't Know (and Men Don't Tell You)

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Title: What Women Don' Know (and Men Don't Tell You)

Author: Michelle McKinney Hammond and Joel A. Brooks, Jr.
No. of pages: 208
Published: 15th September 2009
Read: June 19, 2014
★★★

It's a dating book. While most might feel embarrassed showcasing to the world that they read this book, not in my case. It was surprisingly a good read. Again, this book is in a Christian perspective -- not for everybody. That title "What women don't know" got me apart from it was recommended by one of my churchmates. 

Now here's a photo of the back-of-the-book summary... If you think by just reading it you can already relate go and grab a copy. To my churchmates, I highly recommend it. I would summarize it this way: don't be stupid in love because God has better plans, don't just settle. In Filipino: 'Wag matigas ang ulo! The introduction even has a title "Use your head girl!", which let's all be honest, ang dami naman na kasi talagang nagpapakatangang babae ngayon. We, girls/ladies/women, are emotional in more ways than one, but we all know that we can't just base love and romance on pure emotions. Ouch right? But it's true! It is also sort of a wake up call that regardless of the modern age we face, the old rules of love still apply. Since it's in a Christian perspective, there were references of the love stories in the Bible which were all enlightening.

Again, just by the first pages of this book already shouts: Don't settle. Set a standard.

I am rating this book 3 out of 5 stars. Sharing some quotable's from the book:

A man who really wants you will do whatever he must to possess your love. So set a standard.

Happiness is part of being whole. It means having an understanding of your identity and purpose, an established feeling of acceptance and value, and a sense of destiny, joy, and peace -- all of which produce overall well-being. It is impossible to be consistently happy without these characteristics. All people need to know who they are, why they are here, and to whom they belong. Having an understanding of who we are in Christ is foundational to the belief system that allows us to possess these qualities. The Bible says in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. You find in this passage all these characteristics that grow out of being in right relationship with God. His presence is always accompanied by peace and joy; in other words, a sense of total well-being.

While you wait for your godly man, you should maintain the posture of a well-kept woman [...] The person should add to, not take away from, your life. You maintain who you are and allow God to be picky for you.

God knows both your name and address. When the right man comes along God will lead him to your door. And that man will recognize your name.

You've got two witnesses here. Happiness is a wholeness issue. If you want to be happy, you need to be whole. If you want to be married, you simply need a mate. If you want to be happily married, you need to be a whole person married to another whole person.

[...]patience is the weapon that forces deception to reveal itself. It is the insurance against being deceived or making wrong decisions. Some things can only be made known by waiting. God takes his time.

Realize that maturity does not come with age but with acceptance of responsibility.

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Book Comment: Making Your Emotions Work For You

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Title: Making Your Emotions Work For You
Authoar: Harold J. Sala
No. of pages: 232
Published: 2009
Read: May 31, 2014
★★★

This is one of the hauls I got during the OMF Literature super sale. Finally after several attempts I am finally done reading it. Not that it is not good read but because of things I can't explain this book seems to disappear each time. It is a non-fiction book which I greatly related to. For your information, as this blog attests to, I am an emotional person and chancing upon this book while browsing through the racks of the above mentioned bookstore is an instant "Hello Merie, buy me I know you need me." Nangusap talaga yung libro sa 'kin. True enough I learned quite a lot in this book.

Just as there are many colors, many negative emotions can fill your heart and overwhelm you. Yet no matter how hard you wish that these emotions simply fly away, the only way for you to face them is by learning how to manage them. In fact, you can even use these emotions to your advantage!

In Making Your Emotions Work For You, you will learn how to confront inner challenges and apply biblical principles to unleash God's power in you.

... With insights from God's Word and practical advice from this book, you can learn to make your emotions work for you and become a more positive, confident, and fulfilled person.

So this back-of-the-book summary got me. I know there are a lot of things needed to be worked out in me, most especially my emotions. This book has 11 chapters which starts with helping you understand more who you are and your worth. I must state that this is in a Christian and spiritual perspective which is one reason why I also bought it. Each chapter has "Questions for Thought and Discussion" which was a good aid in self-reflection. It also has some practical guides at the end of each chapter. A chapter is also dedicated for each negative emotion. It gives scenarios and similar biblical stories with an explanation on how the biblical character dealt with it and/or what were the effects of good and bad responses to negative emotions. It also gave real-life situations of people and how they were able to cope or not.

It is a relate-able book. I have learned that I am not the only one going through such emotional tunnels. Reading this book, I appreciated the Bible stories, encouners, characters, and passages related to each emotion. This book will surely be a reference each time I am in an "emotional" state.

My rating would be 3 out of 5 stars. 

The greatest enemies are not the ones out there somewhere, lurking in the dark, awaiting the proper moment to attack me. Rather, they are the ones within.

Do you fully believe you can be different? Instead of being angry with the world because you aren’t six inches taller than you are, that you don’t exactly have an hourglass figure, that your physique doesn’t mirror that of Arnold Schwarzenegger, or whatever, you can work in harmony with the Holy Spirit in developing the kid of personality that lifts you six inches higher, that reveals integrity and strength within, that reflects the handiwork of god both inside and out. Gradually the light comes on – you are one of a kind, a creation of the Almighty, and it’s okay to be you!

When Christ adds Himself to the most insignificant individual, you become a person of value. Redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, you’re now a person of real value.

So don’t give the person permission to make you feel less valuable than how God sees you.

Ego is “Edging God Out”. You will never be able to fully control your environment, and you often cannot change you culture. There will always be people who rub you the wrong way. The weather won’t always suit you,. Neighbors may not please you. But you will never be in a position in which you cannot choose your emotional response o your environment, and this knowledge is liberating.

Refuse to allow bitterness to creep into your life. Remember that you become the loser when you do this.

Not all fear is cowardice. It can be your friend, because it causes you to rise to the challenge, It is when you panic and fail to deal effectively with it that you become its victim.

Rudyard Kipling was right when he wrote, "Of all the liars in the world, sometimes, the worst are you own fears."

When someone is afraid, ridicule, criticism, or minimizing the fear doesn't work. Logic doesn't always work either, because fear is an emotional response; it is not based on reason.

Fear is not something you overcome; it's something you manage.

Life is a matter of choices. Not all of those choices are between good and bad. Each of us must evaluate several good things and then choose the best. Sometimes those choices become difficult. Life is often a compromise between what you would like to do and what you can do.

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Book Comment: Wicked by Gregory Maguire

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Title: Wicked

Authoar: Gregory Maguire
No. of pages: 406
Published: 29th Sept 1995
Read: March 25, 2014

It was a dragging read for me. I started reading it a week before we watched the Feb 15 musical. And I was able to insert some other reads in between. I blame it on my comprehension, that maybe I didn't get to fully enjoy the book. I read it fast at first and got bored in between and got inclined to finish it right away towards the end. Needless to say, I guess I should also read the other books of the series to maybe appreciate this more. 

I commend Gregory Maguire's imagination to come up with this book. But as I was reading it, and maybe I should blame myself for not continuously reading it, it left in my mind questions and loopholes. There were I think unexplained parts like why Elphaba is really green (or was it mentioned apart from the bottle) and what is it with water and maybe still with her skin color that she can't touch water. Also, is it classified a fairytale/children's book? I found some parts bothersome if a kid would read it. 

When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?
Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

Generally, I had mixed emotions with this book. I guess anyone would find the plot interesting but as I was going on reading, there were a lot of times I just put the book down. Oz and the Emerald City caught my attention. Elphaba and Glinda are interesting characters. But the book itself did not fully get me. I like the part on the conversation why evil exists and the parts that relays the nature of good and evil. Anyway ending this book comment with some quotes:

"People who claim that they're evil are usually no worse than the rest of us... It's people who claim that they're good, or any way better than the rest of us, that you have to be wary of."

"The wickedness of men is that their power breeds stupidity and blindness."

"No one controls your destiny. Even at the very worst - there is always choice."

"Evil is an act, not an appetite. How many haven't wanted to slash the throat of some boor across the dining room table? Present company excepted of course. Everyone has the appetite. If you give in to it, it, that act is evil. The appetite is normal."

"Remember this: Nothing is written in the stars. Not these stars, nor any others. No one controls your destiny."

"Happy endings are still endings."

"There was much to hate in this world and too much to love."

"You confuse not speaking with not listening."

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215. Book Hoard: IncrediBULK Sale!

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Books are my weakness. More so books on SALE! It’s that time of the year when I visit OMF Bookstore to abuse their sale! This year’s got to be the best so far; the best deal on OMF published books! I like reading fiction, but it’s always refreshing to read nonfiction too. While my mind gets to travel and cross that line between reality and fantasy on reading fiction, nonfiction somehow keeps me sane and still be in awe that there’s much more beauty in reality, and also helps in dealing the not-so-good part of it. I also like reading books written by anointed people, inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit, and books that bless not just my eyes and brain cells but also my heart and soul. I like devotionals too and I’ve been acquiring at least two each year. I also like Bibles in different colors and designs and versions! With all these said, OMF Bookstore is the place to be!!

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