The Season of Loveand Happiness

               Christmas was truly the most wonderful time of the year. There are 33% of the world’s population and more than 160 countries around the world celebrating Christmas yearly. The atmosphere during this celebration was a lot different from any ordinary days. Seeing those lanterns, magnificent and well lighted Christmas tree and most especially the representation of the nativity makes the people feel the early spirit of Christmas. Christmas is also the season of gift giving and receiving and who would ever forget Santa Claus and his reindeers. The all time favourite Christmas character of the kids. And for some people the character of Santa Claus was literally the symbol for gift giving.

                Christmas will never be completed without Christmas songs like “Jingle bells” by James Lord Pierpont and “Santa Claus is coming to town” by  John Frederick Coots and Haven Gillespie and here also in the Philippines the songs like “Pasko na Naman” by Ryan Cayabyab and “ Ang Pasko ay Sumapit by Vicente D. Rubi and Mariano Vestil. These songs were never been an exception in the song list of the people who loves to join carolling. Carolling was traditionally done yearly by people especially by the kids because Christmas songs can add gaiety and life in celebrating Christmas.  And for some reasons people are doing carolling not to receive money for themselves but for some charitable reasons.

                No one can ever resist the beauty of those sparkling and colourful lanterns hanging all around.  And the magnificent and well lighted Christmas placed in many houses. These decorative arts add and enhance the ambiance of the surroundings and field the places with the spirit of Christmas.  Although it is an expensive way for others of showing and expressing peoples point of view on celebrating Christmas. But other persons uses their imaginative minds in using already existing and recycled materials in which they organized and come up with a beautiful masterpiece which they use to décor their houses and for some people they usually come out with this idea in order for them to earn money which they usually use for their noche buena wherein the whole family will eat dinner together in welcoming Christmas.

                This doings are practiced by people yearly during Christmas season. But there is a main reason why people celebrating Christmas and that is the birth and the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ.  And it was also a great time for thanking God for giving his only son for us to be saved from our sins. This season was not only indented   for the people to enjoy and have fun but it is important that we are celebrating Christmas for  us to remember God and Jesus Christ to thank him for all the blessings He showered upon us.   And In the long process   Christmas time was truly the season of love and happiness

The Great Catastrophe in Northern Mindanao

                Typhoon Washi or locally known “Bagyong Sendong” the worst typhoon in the world blows some parts of Northern Mindanao particularly in Cagayan de Oro city and Iligan city. Eight days before Christmas when Bagyong Sendong strikes Northern Mindanao. The people there starting to notice the strong wind and heavy rain in the early morning of December 16, 2011 but they never thought that it would cause a big flood.  Waters and logs coming from the mountains flows towards the main rivers caused the overflowing and the breakdown of one of the bridges of Iligan city. The places near those rivers like Isla de Oro in CDO and brgy. Hinaplanon in Iligan City were the greatly affected areas. And according to the local Government of Iligan City this tragic was the first to happen in their place. As of how that happened there are a lot of speculations how this signal number 1 greatly slams both Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City and dispatched the life of almost 1,500 and still counting and still thousands are missing as of the moment.  The local government of both cities And the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are still pointing fingers on each other on who to blame.

                Despite of these devastating happenings this situation brings out the best of the kind hearted citizens who continually giving donations and hard works for the people affected in this calamity. Many people coming from different state of life are helping one another to provide the needs of the people who are still suffering until now.  Evacuation centers are still providing according to their needs especially in water, food and clothing. The local governments had also schedules of stress debriefing in order to lessen the trauma of the people especially the children.

                This is a hard time for the people living in that situation to celebrate Christmas and New Year.  The government had an idea to give them a noche buena package and some cash card. For some evacuation centers they organized a small party for the kids in a way that they could also lessen the sadness that they were encountering. But the only wish they had for Christmaswas to relocate them in a safer and comfortable place as fast as the government could. The national governments give hundreds of millions for the both cities for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the facilities that are destroyed because of the typhoon aside from that there is also a fund intended for the relocation and building of houses for the people who lost their houses and properties. The international society is giving also money and this is also intended for the livelihood program.

Despite of that they are still thankful that they were still alive even though some people lost their family or love ones. It is hard for them to start a new life, a new beginning because that disastrous event can never be deleted in their minds. But still life goes on .Everybody have a chance to move on and face the coming days to come.

#8 An Inspirational Story

“If I fail, I try again, and again, and again. If YOU fail, are you going to try again? The human spirit can handle much worse than we realize. It matters HOW you are going to FINISH. Are you going to finish strong?” 
― Nick Vujicic

 We can be useful even if we have disabilities, malfunctions, and even if we are handicap. We can be hero or anybody even if we are like that. In fact there are many people like Mr. Nick Vujicic in this video. Mr. Nick Vujicic did not lose hope. Even it is hard for him to stand he will try to stand even it takes him a hundred or thousand times. People that achieved their dreams like Thomas Edison who failed more than a thousand times just to light a bulb. But Thomas Edison did not give up on his 10,000 times he successfully light a small bulb and this small bulb made a great distribution to the world.

This video inspires us to be the change and make a different in our own little way.  Everyone knows that this kind of people needs understanding and care.  It is not easy to speak to public specially when you have no hands and legs but Mr Nick Vujicic shows that anybody can be an inspiration to others. For us normal people who does have a complete body parts sometime we usually don’t use it in a good manner.  We ignored and careless about what we are doing to God’s gift. Some people tend to use their hands for stealing, robbing, snatching and the worst is to kill people. Some also use their feet for running away from their mistakes. Why not this people give their hands and feet to the people like Mr. they are the ones who are merely needed those things. So that they can use this in a good and useful way not just to hurt anyone but rather to help everyone. I am not telling that this kind of people should cut their legs and hands and give it to the one who is needed. My point is why we should waste our time for using our hands and legs for a way that we can hurt other people. Why use them to help people in that way we can make a difference in this world. We can be a better person and of course we can also be a hero.

As I watch this video clip I was so inspire. I nearly get cried because I was so sad of his situation. Talking to this people in that situation takes a hundreds of energy and confidents for me. But for Mr. Nick Vujicic he was so confident to inspire those people who are listening to him.  Listening to what he was saying was a heartbreaking experience for me because he really tries to demonstrate those entire things so that anybody from the audience can really felt every single word that he was saying. I really say that I was so inspired in this video. People who are unfortunate in their physical appearance but emotionally and mentally a good person.

We can inspire other people by sharing our talents or by simply helping people that are needed. Being an inspiration to other doesn’t mean that you have to be like Angelina Jolie or Mr. Nick Vujicic. You can be an inspiration to others by simply doing what’s the will of God and what is good. Being a role model to anybody can be a great distribution to the entire humanity. We can be a great change for the betterment of the world we must be an inspiration so that we can be a role model for the next generation. 

#7 Definition Writing

Discipline 

dis·ci·pline

 

1. Training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.

2. Controlled behaviour resulting from disciplinary training; self-control.

3. a. Control obtained by enforcing compliance or order.

    b. A systematic method to obtain obedience: a military discipline.

    c. A state of order based on submission to rules and authority: a teacher who demanded            discipline in the classroom.

4. Punishment intended to correct or train.

5. A set of rules or methods, as those regulating the practice of a church or monastic order.

6. A branch of knowledge or teaching.

Source:  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/discipline

The word discipline means to train, to instruct and to command. In fact discipline in the field of child’s development refers to the method of modeling character and of teaching self-control and acceptable behaviour. On the other way around discipline means a set of rules or methods, as those regulating the practice of a church or monastic order.  However, we usually think that the word “discipline” corresponds a negative meaning. In like manner discipline defines as a punishment intended to correct or train.  And also the word discipline is a branch of Knowledge or teaching.

                  

# 6 A Strange Sound

Once upon a time in the city of majestic waterfalls there live a young, simple and a kindhearted girl named Rosette. About 6 years from now since she had her last funny adventure. It was a nice and sunny day on the 5^th day of September year 2005 it was their camping day and she was so very excited. She immediately packed her things and went to the assembly area early morning in that day. After  the teacher finished counting all of her students.   The students hurriedly went to the vehicle.  When they arrived in the camp site they started putting up their tents. Rosette decided that she and her group will make their camping days a memorable one. After they finished eating they decided not to sleep early. She and her groupmates was planning on what they will be doing the next morning. After they were finished talking  they immediately went to bed.  Early in the morning Rosette’s and her group cooked their own food.  At first their rice was burned and they cannot eat it. So they decided to cooked another one. Rosette and her friend Nicole decided to get some woods and dried lives on the mini forest in that place. They have second thought  whether they will go there or not. But Rosette who had a braved heart decided that will push through with their decision. While they were getting some  dried leaves and woods they heard a strange sound coming from  left side where they were standing  her friend Nicole was so afraid she told Rosette that they should went  back to the camp but Rosette was so determined to find out what was that strange thing in there.  Holding one another, together they followed the sound and found out that it was just a great misunderstanding. It was just the wind blowing and made that strange sound. Rosette and Nicole feel relief they immediately went back to the camp. They were scolded by their classmates because they were too 

#5 My Hero, My Nanay

There is no exact word to describe how good she was to me. She treated me like her own daughter even though she hasn’t had one. She’s like a mother and a sister to me. She had been our family maid for 2 decades already. She had been the nanny of my aunts and my two brothers but now she’s already our family maid. My Nanay was so generous even though her money or budget was enough for her daily need she always give or share it to the one who are needed.  Although my Nanay always “patad swetress” but she never spend a lot of money for it. She never forgets her priorities and that’s her family. She is the breadwinner of her family and because of that she never had a husband. My Nanay was the only member of her family that never got married.

            7 years ago when I was still in my 5^th grade she always brought me to school. Even if  before I don’t really like to wake up early but she always patiently go to my room and serve as my alarm clock even though  I always scold her because of that, She never get angry at me.  She also serves as my personal chief because she knew all my favourite food, desert, and etc.  One time my classmates surprisingly visit me home. I never knew that they were coming but fortunately my Nanay was so generous he bought snacks and drinks for my classmates and we totally enjoyed our day. I treated my Nanay as my own family and as my best friend she always gave me advice. I’ve totally appreciated all the good deeds she did to me. One time when forgot my book in English and that book contains my assignment I really don’t know what to do so I hurriedly call and ask somebody to get my book. But our place was many miles away from my school. And that time I was scold by my mother, luckily my Nanay volunteered to get my book.  It did not happen once but so many times already. 

            I was still in my 4^th year in high school when Nanany Virgy left me. She went home because her mother was seriously sick and nobody can take care of her mother because all of her siblings had their own family already. My Nanay was so sad when she left me she said that she will cherish and treasured all the moment the moments that we were together. And after a week I had decided to change my dull attitude not for me but for my Nanay. The Nanay that forever be my 2^nd mother and my best friend.

#4 A creepy thing happen

        There are lots of different stories about the dead still communicate with the living. It also had a TV program wherein they are portraying the different stories about it. Some says it was only a fiction but others say it is a fact.   

          Yes, I do believe that dead people still communicate with the living although I have never encountered one. But what I‘ve heard from others especially from my "kuya"who  told me a story of an encounter of him and my younger brother. I was in my 3^rd grade when my baby brother was born. He stayed only for 3days and sadly he passed away. I’ve always wanted baby brother that’s way I am very happy when God gave Rosetian Paulo Isaac S. Fiel to us I thought God will gave him a second life because when my brother was born he is dead for almost an  hour ,but miracle happen. Then suddenly we heard a loud cry. But the doctor said that the child had many complications Even though we heard a bad news but still we are very hopeful. But suddenly on the 13^th day of March 2003 my brother died.  We are very sad. We mourn for his dead. But still I am very glad that God allow us to borrow my baby brother for 3 days. Every death anniversary of him we went to the cemetery. 4 Years passed a week before his death anniversary my mother and father were so very busy that they even forgotten that day. My mom told me that maybe we cannot went to the cemetery that day because there's no vacant day for us to visit there. But one hot afternoon a creepy thing happen  my older brother was sleeping then he woke up because the electric fan suddenly turn off but when he started to open his eyes he saw a boy about 4 years old . My brother is scared that's why he immediately closed his eyes and went back to sleep. I don’t know if I feel scared or weird or something when he told me that story. I felt like my baby brother wants us to visit him. And so we visited him the next week. But one thing is for sure he is still with us watching and guiding us.

          That story for me is not a horror story or something. For me it is one proof that my little brother is still watching and guiding us. Maybe he’s now an angel in heaven.