NeVeR GiVe uP

NEVER get discouraged

when things go below your expectation.

Always remember that

the greatest glory in life is not winning...

but rising every time we fall.

There are no failures in life...

just lessons to be learned.

DeSiDeRaTa

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,

be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly;

and listen to others,

even to the dull and the ignorant;

they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;

they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,

you may become vain or bitter,

for always there will be greater

and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;

it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,

for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;

many persons strive for high ideals,

and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love,

for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,

it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,

gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit

to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe

no less than the trees and the stars;

you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,

whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations,

in the noisy confusion of life,

keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,

it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

LoNg DiStAnCe LoVe (Txt Thoughts)

• "I know when I leave, the distance will keep us apart. But distance, no matter how far, can't change these feelings in my heart."
• "When it rains it reminds me of you. Although 2000 miles away is so far I still always walk outside in the rain and kiss it just for you. It never fails me. The rain will always come and I'll always love you. Next time you see a storm in the horizon please don't fear... it's just heaven doing me the favor of taking you my kiss. Walk outside and kiss the rain whenever you need me."
• "Before I sleep and after I wake up and all the hours in between ... you occupy my mind. Every moment of the day you are in my thoughts. I miss you."
• "Time is only a four-letter word. Although we have to be apart, time cannot take you from my heart. I'll wait until we are together again."
• "I miss you most when I'm sad. I miss you when I'm lonely. But most of all, I miss you when I'm happy."
• "And even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star. And when the night winds start to sing a lonesome lullaby, it helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky. Somewhere out there, if love can see us through then, we'll be together ... Somewhere out there, out where dreams, come true."
• "Distance never separates two hearts that really care, for our memories span the miles and in seconds we are there. But whenever I start feeling sad, because I miss you, I remind myself how lucky I am to have someone so special to miss."
• "Cause I'm dreaming of you tonight, till tommorrow, and for all of my life! And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be, than here in my room dreaming about you and me!"
• "Though there may be many miles between us, with each heartbeat we are that much closer to being in each other's arms again."
• "Knowing I can love you with the distance between our hearts makes my love for you stronger."
• "When I miss you, I don't have to go far ... I just have to look inside my heart because that's where you are."
• "There is no long distance about love, it always finds a way to bring hearts together no matter how many miles there are between them."
• "When you miss me just look up to the night sky and remember, I'm like a star; sometimes you can't see me, but I'm always there."
• "Though we're far apart, I know exactly where you are, every second, every moment; right here in my heart."
• "Late at night when all the world is sleeping, I stay up and think of you. And I wish on a star that somewhere, you are thinking of me, too."
• "Distance is just a test to see how far love can travel."
• "Missing you can turn from pain to pleasure if I knew you were missing me, too."
• "Distance, it is a test of love, many will fail, but for those who can withstand it have the answer: true love."
• "It's not a 'good-bye', only a long 'I'll see you later.'"
• "All quality items must be tested to ensure promised high standards for the customers. With love, distance is the greatest test. A love that survives this great test is a love that is 'Quality Inspected and Guaranteed for Life."

ThOuGhTs To PoNdEr

• The one who takes your hand but touches your HEART is a TRUE FRIEND.
• Don't cry because it's over, LAUGH because it happened.
• We seldom think of WHAT WE HAVE, but we always think of what we missed.
• The more precisely your PLAN, the more your DESTINY will hit you.
• The BEST things happen, when you LEAST EXPECT them.
• The GREATEST events aren't the loudest, but the most quiet hours.
• The most DIFFICULT thing you'll learn is: which bridges in life to USE or which one to BREAK off.
• Everybody sees how you seem, however, only some KNOW who YOU are.
• PLAN for tomorrow, but LIVE for today.
• What happens, happens for a REASON.
• LOVE doesn't require two people to look at each other but that they look TOGETHER in the SAME direction.
• LIFE is a drawing without an eraser.
• He who would like to HAVE something he never had, will have to DO something WELL, that he hasn't done yet.

i LoVe YoU ThiS MUCH...

Enough to do anything for you ---

give my life, my love, my heart,

and my soul to you and for you.

Enough to willingly give all my time, efforts,

thoughts, talents, trust, and prayers to you.

Enough to want to protect you,

care for you, guide you, hold you, comfort you,

listen to you, and cry to you and with you.

Enough to be completely comfortable with you,

never have to hide anything from you,

and be myself with you.

I love you enough to share

all of my sentiments, dreams, goals, fears,

hopes, worries... my entire life with you.

Enough to want the best for you,

to wish for your success,

and to hope for the fulfillment of all your endeavors.

Enough to keep my promises to you

and pledge my loyalty and faithfulness to you.

Enough to cherish your friendship,

adore your personality, respect your values,

and see you for what you are.

I love you enough to fight for you, compromise for you,

and sacrifice myself for you if need be.

Enough to miss you incredibly when we're apart,

no matter what length of time it's for,

and regardless of the distance.

Enough to believe in our relationship,

to stand by it through the worst of times,

to have faith in our strength as a couple,

and to never give up on us.

Enough to spend the rest of my life with you,

be there for you when you need or want me,

and never, ever want to leave you or live without you.

I love you this much.

-- anonymous --

LoVe'S RiSk

There is a risk involve in everything

Every time you share a smile,

Every time you shed a tear,

You are opening up yourself to hurt.

Some people tread slowly through life

Avoiding the closeness risk brings,

Side-stepping the things they can't understand,

Turning away from those who care too much,

Those who care too long,

Those who hold too tightly.

There is never an easy way to love

You cannot approach it cautiously

It will not wait for you to arm yourself

It does not care if you turn away

It is everywhere.

It is everything.

LOVE is the greatest of all risks.

It is not reliable, it is not cautious

It is not sympathetic.

It is prejudiced and unmerciful

It strikes the strongest of mind

And bring them to their knees in one blow.

Even in the best times, love hurts

It hurts to need, it hurts to belong

It hurts to be the other part of someone else

Without either of your consent

But, from the moment it overtakes you

It hurts worse to be all alone.

The risks of love never depletes

It grows stronger and more dangerous with time

But, it is in the total surrender of all defense

That no matter weak or strong

No matter willing or captive

No matter what, we truly experience love.

- anonymous -

YoU ArE...

You are strong...
when you take your grief and teach it to smile.
You are brave...
when you overcome your fear and help others to do the same.
You are happy...
when you see a flower and are thankful for that blessing.
You are loving...
when your pain does not blind you of the pain of others.
You are wise...
when you know the limits of your wisdom.
You are true...
when you admit of the times you fool yourself.
You are alive...
when tomorrow's hope means more to you than yesterday's mistake.
You are growing...
when you know what you are but not what you will become.
You are honorable...
when you find that your honor is to honor others.
You are generous...
when you can take as sweetly as you can give.
You are humble...
when you do not know how humble you are.
You are thoughtful...
when you see me just as I am and treat me just as you are.
You are rich...
when you never need more than what you have.
You are beautiful...
when you don't need a mirror to tell you so.

OnE WoRd

I sent this via friendster: "Please be "gentle, but honest." Describe me in one word--- just one. Send it to me, then forward this message to your friends and see how many strange things people think about you. Reply--- it's fun!"

• sleep-deprived --- Bee
• sweet --- Rose
• sentimental --- Maricar
• focused --- Jasmine
• mapagmahal (loving) --- JayR
• cute & seductive (gusto 2 words eh!) --- Geraldin
• dependable, romantic, & caring (hala! ayaw patalo!) --- Judith
• focused --- Annie
• thoughtful --- Erlyn
• lovable (na ate) --- Alice
• dreamer --- Tita Fhel
• loving --- Deydey

MAGIC JSJ

ChAnGe iS iNeViTabLe.

We aLL TooK DiFFeReNt PaThS.

ToGeThEr oR aPaRt...

To OuR LiVeS FoReVeR...

MAGIC JSJ FoR LiFe.

SoBrAnG sEnTiNg TxT MeSSaGeS

• Di madaling maghintay... di rin biro ang magmahal. Minsan akala mo "s'ya na"... minsan akala mo "ok na"... pero mamamalayan mo na lang... dumaan lang pala s'ya sa buhay mo para saktan ka.
• Bakit pag may gusto tayo kailangan iwanan natin yung iba para lang makuha yun? Pero pag andyan na, saka mo lang malalaman na yung taong iniwan mo ay minsan na ring iniwan ang lahat-lahat sa buhay para lang sa'yo.
• Sabi nila mahirap magmahal. Marami daw pagsisikap at maraming pagdaraanan. Sabi ko, ano mahirap dun? Kung sa kagaya mo kahit gaano kahirap kakayanin ko... mahal kita eh!
• Masakit daw umibig. Palagi ka raw iiyak. Palagi ka raw aasa at maghihintay sa wala. Sabi ko naman, ganun lang yun talaga dahil kung di ka masasaktan di mo malalamang nagmamahal ka na pala.
• Sa pag-ibig kahit na masaktan ka o lumuha pa, ang mahalaga marunong kang magmahal ng tapat at di ka takot na masaktan... dahil ang tapat magmahal ay may katapat na tunay na pagmamahal.
• Sinabi ko sa sarili ko na lilimutin na kita... pinilit ko... masakit pero ginawa ko... mahirap. Ano gagawin ko? Tumakbo? Magtago? Saan? Maliit lang ang mundo ko... umiikot lang sa'yo.
• Ang sakit isiping mahal kita pero mahal mo s'ya. Mas nasasaktan ako pag nalalaman ko na malungkot ka at wala akong magawa kundi sabihing "kung akin ka lang di kita gaganyanin."
• Paano kung sobrang inlove ka sa isang tao, tapos isang araw bumalik yung una mong minahal. Sino pipiliin mo? Yung dati na gusto mong balikan o yung ngayon na ayaw mong saktan?
• Minsan gusto nitong sabihin na masaya tayo... pero anumang pilit nating maging masaya, hahanapin pa rin natin ang isang bagay na nagpapasaya sa atin. Ewan ko, kung ano sa'yo? Sa akin kasi "ikaw sana..."
• Ang hirap mahalin ng taong may mahal na iba... lalo na kung friend mo yung mahal nya. Patukso-tukso ka pa... kunwari kinikilig ka sa kanila... pero sa totoo lang... nasasaktan ka na.
• May mga taong minsan lang daraan sa buhay natin. Minsan makikilala, makakasama, mamahalin, pero kadalasan pala yung minsan na yun... habang buhay na sa alaala natin.
• Sabi nila, masakit pag di ka nakikita ng taong mahal mo kasi may iba s'yang tinitingnan... pero di mas masakit kung wala na s'yang tinitingnan pero di ka pa rin n'ya makita?
• Finding someone like you was hard... but you know what? It was worth it. So, in case I lose you one of these days, I'd willingly go through all the trouble again just to find you.
• Minsan akala mo kaibigan mo lang s'ya. Minsan akala mo andyan s'ya bilang tagapayo lang. Minsan akala mo wala lang s'ya... pero naisip mo rin ba kahit minsan na mahal ka pala niya?
• Isang araw nakita mo na magkahawak ang kamay at kayakap ko s'ya. Akala mo tinalikuran kita at pinagpalit sa kanya. Ang hindi mo alam... pag talikod mo umiiyak siya kasi... nagpaalam ako at pinili ka.
• I thought it was over, that I finally let you go. I even found someone else to love and I loved him even more. But it breaks me to see that although I tried my best... God, as much as I love the other one, I never loved you less.
• Remember nang mag-wish ka sa falling star? Sabi mo, sana may lubos na magmahal sa'yo. Isang araw na lang sinabi mo, di ka na naniniwala sa falling star. Kung alam mo lang, mahal na kita ng lubos bago kapa nag-wish.

bRiDe'S mAiDs 2

from Weddings In Style Fall 2005 Issue

(I am not sure if I prefer this color scheme better than the brown/natural scheme from the other post but I do like the dress designs on this one. I can also have the same color scheme for the flower arrangement... from dark red to the lightest pink roses)

bRiDe'S mAiDs 1

from Weddings In Style Fall 2005 Issue

(disclaimer: I am not getting married yet. I just thought these color combinations would look really good on my bride's maids.)

GeTTiNg cLoSeR To HoMe

iN mY SeArCh FoR HaPpiNeSs, i rEaLiZeD ThAt iT LeD mE To TaKe ThE PaTh BaCk HoMe. WhEn i MoVeD aWaY yEaRs AgO, i LeFt My HeArT tHeRe... aNd ThAt'S wHy i'vE aLwAyS FeLt ReStLeSs, DiSpLaCeD, aNd LoSt iN ThiS NeW pLaCe. bEiNg AwAy HaS tAuGhT mE mAnY tHiNgS aNd iT hAs CaTeReD tO mY GrOwTh. i HaVe AcCoMpLiSheD SoMe aNd FaiLeD iN oThEr ThiNgS. i HaVe FaLLeN and BoUnCeD BaCk MaNy TiMeS. i EnjOyEd ThE Ride. BuT HoMe iS CaLLiNg Me aNd iT's WaiTiNg FoR Me NoW. i aM CoMinG BaCk HoMe. SooN, i WiLL rEuNiTe WiTh My HeArT, My LiFe, My HaPPiNeSS, aNd ThE LoVe oF My LiFe.

PuSh (by Sarah McLachlan)

Every time I look at you the world just melts away
All my troubles all my fears dissolve in your affections
You've seen me at my weakest but you take me as I am
And when I fall you offer me a softer place to land

You stay the course

You hold the line

You keep it all together
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in

I get mad so easy but you give me room to breathe
No matter what I say or do 'cause you're too good to fight about it
Even when I have to push just to see how far you'll go
You won't stoop down to battle but you never turn to go

You stay the course

You hold the line

You keep it all together
You're the one true thing I know I can believe in

Love is just the antidote

Nothing else could cure me

There are times I can't decide

when I can't tell up from down
You make me feel less crazy when otherwise I'd drown
But you pick me up and brush me off and tell me I'm ok
Sometimes that's just what we need

to get us through the day.

WhAt'S BeHiNd a WiTch's LaUgH?

Do you know why witches

don't wear underwear?

To give them a better grip of their brooms.

Kaya pala tawa sila ng tawa!

Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi!!!

Nakikiliti na pala ang mga bruha!

Happy Halloween!

LiVe a LiFe tHaT MaTTeRs

Whether you are ready or not,

someday your life will come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises,

no minutes, hours, or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten,

will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations

and jealousies will finally disappear.

So, too, your hopes, ambitions,

plans and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from,

or on what side of the tracks you lived at the end.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant,

even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter?

How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built;

not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion,

courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered,

or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew,

but how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone.

What will matter is not your memories,

but the memories that live in those who love you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered

by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s not a matter of circumstances, but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

-anonymous