Christmas in January

Been thinking of ways to celebrate the Holidays.  Somewhere in the world to unwind.  Been looking for places, accommodations and cheaper travel fare. 

Yesterday's meeting with our clients cleared away my plans.  Our VP told me that we'll be celebrating Christmas in January of next year already due to voluminous project monitoring tasks required of us and the client.  Soon-to-be-opened coffee shops will be in Cebu.  No choice… but to enjoy.   whew!

Will I be in Cebu this Christmas?  Wow whatta great escape from my inaanaks… whehehe

Spare me a lil more time to be with myself on or before the end of this year before I get really mad and insane…

By the sea….. yahoooooo!

Ubi enim sunt duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo ibi sum in medio eorum

Matthew 18:20

"For", Jesus says, "where two or three are gathered in my name,

there am I in the midst of them".

This biblical verse is understood of such assemblies gathered in the name and authority of Christ and in unity of the Church.

6am this morning, I got a text message.

Good am.  Pls pray for my dad.  He’s in the ICU now.  May God grant him healing and strength.  I love my dad!.. Pls pray also for my Mom.  She’s so confused.  May God guide her also.  Lakas ng loob para kay mommy.  I love my mom.. God bless.

God bless.

I scrolled down till I saw the name of the sender.  Ohh a brother in SFC-Amadeo who happened to be my neighbor.  One thing my mind could remember was that I whispered this very short prayer. “Lord, take care of the one’s asking prayers”.  And I went back to sleep.

It has been a well-known tradition for all of us in Singles for Christ to pray for one another and ask one another to pray for themselves and for special intentions. 

I woke up again and went straight to the bathroom to get myself ready to work.  I heard my phone beeped again.

7:27am after taking the bath, I opened the message sent by the same sender.  But this time, it’s different.

Hi.  Thanks sa prayers.  Continue praying.. Wala na dad ko.  Di nga ako mniwala sa text ni mommy na iniwan na kami ni Dad.  God bless bro/sis.

I sat down holding the cell, still in shock… tried twice or thrice to read the message once again. I even asked myself if I was just dreaming…

“God… it can really happen so quickly.  Life can just be taken just like that? Whatta Sudden death… Dr. Benny.”

Death is not the only reason why I posted this.  More importantly, I want to pose this question:

In the midst of sudden loss and at the time you are grieving, would you be as composed as the one who sent this?  Do you think your mind can assume such very calm words to even wish other people to be blessed?  What a peaceful heart and mind.  I thank God that He could haven’t saved the life of his dad, he granted my prayer to take care of the one’s asking prayers.  He took care of Bro. Niño's heart.

Let us all pray for the eternal repose of the soul of Dr. Benildo “Benny” Ramos.  May his soul rest in peace and may God be with his family for strength and compassion at the time of grieving.

Our family wishes to extend our deep condolences to the family whom we treated as such. 

"For where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst."

Getting Inside the Circle

"Very nice resume"

I got to hear this remarks everytime I'm into job interviews.  It always create a nice impression.  I get hired instantly because of my resume actually…
I read it and became very grateful of every detail I put into it…

The first draft of the same resume was done in 1999 right before I graduate.  No idea at all on which path I would divulge into.  One thing is clear, I want to set a career objective within my reach.  I don't consider myself belonging to the techie-nerdie-know-it-all-stereotyped programmers.  I graduated with the only skill I'm confident I have… to debug the program. 

For entry-level positions, I cannot just simply say that because companies need more than just a debugger. 
I set my mind into this…. "I will not die as programmer".  I need to elevate myself into something that requires not so much of the techie skills.  I leave it to the hardcore programmers. 

Only now, do I appreciate the hardship of being an apprentice, the struggles, disappointments, achievements, MBA studies, and different experiences in both public and private, government, manufacturing to service-oriented nature to the different style of management (Filipino, Japanese and Chinese).

I could have resigned early on with this job but thank God…. He allowed me to see the bigger and better picture.  And looking at the career path I'm struggling to follow.. I know that I'm making the right choices to achieve what I have written in my resume.  

Priority now is not just compensation but anything that will positively contribute to my corporate-being and growth.

Thanks to the early exposure to Systems Analysis and Design and Strategic Planning in DOT, the 5s and structured way of Fujitsu Ten and the Systems Engineering skills in Weserv… and the different skills thought in PUP and UST… it honed me to become what I am now… to be trusted with something I thought I would get in few more years…

Thanks to Miss Myca for this statement during the discussion why I need to handle IS Strategic Planning in my early years in my first job.

Boss: "I won't entrust this task if I think you can't do it.  Ask yourself, why I chose the young blood over the much older people.  You have it in you… the right attitude… you simply lack self-esteem.  Remember how I've asked you this….. How do you see yourself 5 years from now during your job interview?"

Sheggz: "Yes."

Boss:  "You answered.  I set my goals to achieving higher studies in IT Management, not in Programming.  I don't wanna die as a programmer.  I hate programming actually.  But I need to start it right in this position and sustain a good performance so that in 5 years or less, I won't see myself holding that.  I may be the one sitting in your chair, it could be in the same room that we are in or in other companies that would give me the opportunity to sit in."

It's the attitude.  It's the clarity of vision.  The desire and sincerity.  Skills can be learned, but attitude… it's there in you." 

There's just some things in life that it's too late to say … "I'm just joking.. naniwala ka naman… *toink!"