Consider Your Ways: Stories on Rain and Flood

Do you still remember that song when we were still kids: "kung ang ulan ay puro tsukolate...o kay sarap ng ulan" (if the rain is all chocolate...Oh, the rain taste delicious)? I bet you'd dreamed about it. I thought about it a lot of times when I was a kid. I even thought that I should bring buckets to catch the chocolate rain. It was a nice childhood fantasy. Impossible and senseless even but nice and unadulterated.

Now that I am an adult, I never fantasized of chocolate rain but I am dreaming of being blessed incessantly, pouring like rain until I have no room to catch. Nice, right? Then, I wish I could be flooded, overflowing with all those blessings so I can share it to everyone. However, blessings, especially financial or material blessings do not pour like that. Often, you really have to work for it--work really hard. That's the cause-and-effect or the reap-what-you-sow principle. The same principle applies to the heavy rain that flooded Metro Manila and some areas of Luzon.

I've been reading messages asking people to pray so the rain would stop and spare us from more damages.  What came to my mind is the phrase: "Consider your ways..."

The rain that floods

Rain is a blessing from heaven to water our vegetation and to cool the dry earth. Habagat (southwest monsoon) season in the Philippines is a natural occurring phenomenon that happens around May to September. Who would have thought that this is going to devastate homes and caused the death of many people? It's not even a typhoon!.The non-stop monsoon rain the past few weeks has caused knee to neck-high flood in some parts of NCR and provincial Luzon areas.

Reuters - Cheryl Ravelo

Reuters - Erik De Castro

Reuters - Erik De Castro

Cause and effect

No need for a nose-bleeding scientific explanation. The intense heat during summer and the excessive and heavy rain during the rainy season is the results of climate change. Climate change is nothing new to many of us. It's been taught in school. What we do to our environment always comes back. And often, it comes back twice or thrices that it can take away our homes, properties, and even lives.

The Principle of Giving

I would like to briefly discuss about the principle of giving. How does giving relates to money, which is the main topic of this blog? Well, you'll soon find out. However, I need to warn you, I will be using the bible as my reference. I understand that some, if not many, people don't see the bible as a relevant source of information. If that's the case, I'm encouraging you not to read on unless you want to know.

I am a bible-believer Christian. I believe that the bible is a source not only of good doctrine that is being used in the church but as a source of instruction in life. It helps us understand God and his attitude towards His children and other people. God as a being has feelings. If you are a bible reader, you will understand what I am saying.

One of the things that is being taught in the bible is giving. And a lot of Christians, I believe, fail on this. I have to admit, I also faltered. Let us bear in mind that even if the bible teaches us all of these things, the Church may choose not to impose it because God wants us to be a cheerful giver. He wants us to obey to show our love and obedience to Him as a father and as a Lord. He wants us to be spontaneous in giving and not to be tied with our money, which we couldn't bring when we die. While the principle of giving in the bible is quite a burden to some Christian and see it as bondage, looking at it, it is the same with other bible instructions like modesty in our apparel or having sex within marriage.

There are couple of reasons why a Christian should give. One, is to return what is for God. This refers to tithes, which is the 10 percent of our fruits, our earnings and profits. Some people thought that this practice is no longer applicable to this age. Second, is the belief that when we give, we shall also receive. This refers to offering to the church in addition to the tithes and showing our charity or generosity to other people.

If a Christian don't tithe and offer, what then is God's measurement of plenty or generosity? If you don't tithe and offer, who then is your God--is it the money because you fear of losing it or is it the God in Heaven whom you should trust? I see giving as a test of our obedience, love and faith.

So, what's in it for a Christian who tithes and offer? The Christian will be able to provide meat to God's house (the Church that Jesus Christ built--Please be wary on where you give your tithes. You might be giving it to the false preachers who are just getting richer because of what you give).  Second, the bible says that God will pour the windows of heaven for his blessings,  which could be materially, financially or other aspects of our lives, until you have no room to hold it. Third, the measurement of what we give, will be the measurement of blessings that we receive. Simply put, the principle of giving is similar to the reap-what-you-sow belief or the more-you-give-the-more-you-receive saying.

It is all up to us on what to believe and what to do. We live in this world with our free will. But let us not forget that even though some of us may not be spiritually inclined, there is an unknown force that we couldn't explain. Force that make things happen in our lives, whether it be good or bad. For a Christian, that force could be God who has hands over things, who can either bless us continually or hold His blessing away from us.

Thinking Big and Kicking Ass

If anyone of you wonders what happen to me this past several months and why I wasn’t active in updating this blog—let me tell you that I happen to make a big and unthinkable leap from being a corporate worker to a freelancer.  I am not going to tell you anything about earning right now because I am not there yet, but I am getting there. And I can see it. It is my personal belief that a person has to find what she really wants in life, and success and its financial rewards will come right after.

Perhaps other people may not agree with my decision, but this is my conviction. And this is going to make me happy. While they are doubtful, I become more resilient.

Like any other things in life, the FIRST is always the difficult, awkward and memorable – first step, first love, first day in school, first job. Whatever difficulties that I am experiencing right now, I am savoring every part of it because I know that at some point in my life I am going to look back, then smile and say: Whew! I’ve been through all of that.

There is no single formula to success. Besides, the measurement of success could be different from person to person. It is kind of subjective in my point of view. If success is purely monetary, I think that isn’t good. But if success is indeed financial in nature for you, then so be it. Your gauge of your success is different than mine.

Think Big by Donald Trump is one of the books that truly inspired me. The book is a collaborative work of Trump and Bill Zanker.  It helps readers adopt the attitude of thinking big and kicking ass. Nice eh!

Bill Zanker is the owner of The Learning Annex. He had called Trump to be a speaker, but was rejected by his secretary not just twice but several times. The Learning Annex started from a $5,000 company and become a $5 million a year. After meeting Donald, The Learning Annex was generating over $100 million a year and growing.

I would love to read that book again and again.

It is funny that I had a hard time deciding whether to buy that book versus a book about how women should manage their money. I was standing in the bookstore for couple of hours trying to decipher which is which by leafing through the pages. I almost read 2 chapters of Think Big that I finally decided to buy it. And I made a perfect choice.

Rich Dad Poor Dad

This is a must read book!  I read it before and I am reading it again. Sometimes, we have to do something twice or more to give us the same feeling of excitement, inspiration and motivation.

Life is a matter of choices. God has given us free will to decide and act. Robert Kiyosaki had made his choice to listen and follow his rich dad's advice.  His choice lead him to where he is right now.

You may visit http://www.richdad.com/ to read what the book is all about. 


"Having two dads as advisors offered me the perspective of contrasting points of view: one of a rich man and one of a poor man. The problem was that my rich dad was not yet rich, and my poor dad not yet poor. Both were just starting out in their careers; both were struggling with money and families."

It's All About the Attitude

Financial education is supposed to start at home. Unfortunately, a typical Filipino family wouldn't discuss issues on finances openly.  Well, in my generation at least. I belong to Gen X, by the way. I don't know with the Gen Y.

The times that money were discussed loudly were during the bickering of my ma and pa which sounds pretty awful especially to a child. It had subconsciously inculcated in my mind that money could spark a petty argument and could wreck a relationship and worse a home. And as a child, since our mind were like vacuum, absorbing almost everything, I brought those negative beliefs in me. I may not verbalize it, but the way I looked at things, it actually takes me back to my past.  So what I am now is actually the product of the things that happened in the past.  So sometimes, understanding a person's outlook in life is also trying to understand where he is coming from.

If only we did a little twisting of the story, then perhaps things could have been different. But that wasn't the case.

If only I could fabricate my life I could probably start it by having my parents teaching me, first and foremost, fear of God because that will keep me grounded no matter what.  Second, they will teach me how to be headstrong because things might not go the way I wanted it to be but if I am determined, then I shouldn't let anything hinder it, not even fear.  Third, the importance of happiness in whatever I do. That I realize now for I have been pursuing happiness all my life. And when will money comes into the picture?  Well, after teaching me happiness. It is important that we love and we are happy of what we do, and I am sure money will come right after.  When you are happy, there is no such thing as tired or bored. What is there is excitement.

Since I couldn't change my past, what is there to do is to be selective of my thoughts and feelings.  It is quite a challenge because the world is full of distressing situation and people.  Watching TV alone gives a bad vibes. I actually shied away from watching news, I don't know if that is bad but I rather get a financial education through reading books and surfing the net.

I do not claim that what I do is right for everybody but it is definitely right for me.  I am actually pursuing happiness. And I am trying to get in control of my life and finances. Yes, there is a hint of fear but I am excited as well. I will make this work. Watch me.

Lessons From A Life's Crisis

According to the dictionary, a crisis means a dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person's life.

Two things could happen to you in a crisis - either you get depressed or it will show the best of you.

If I have to think of a specific crisis in my life that literally pulled me down and put me in a situation where there was nothing I could hold on but faith alone, it would have to be during the time when my father was battling with cancer. I was financially stripped.  Day to day expenses was difficult. But I guess, it is through such tough times that tested not only my faith but strength and resilience as a person.

Now, I sometimes have to go back to that experience to let me think that I have been through the worse - emotionally and financially that is. That crisis actually made me realize a lot of things, and my fingers wouldn't suffice in counting. But let me mention three of them:

1. Cancer is painful. I saw how my father suffered. It breaks my heart until this day if I remember how he looked at me. He may not say a word, but all I see is his love and his pain.

Making the matter worst, the hospitalization bills were painful.  I may want to give him the best medical treatment in the country, but we were financially limited.

2.  Health is wealth.

 I know my father to be a very workaholic person.  He worked in extended hours and even worked during weekends.  I thought there was nothing wrong with that. But according to a specialist we have talked to, stress is toxic to the body. It puts your blood in a high acid level.

If you want to enjoy the prime of your life, you have to take care of your health. Though stress is inevitable, we should try to balanced it out with something that relaxes our mind and body.

3. Money makes the world round.  Honestly, I don't know what it means. But I have to tell you that a crisis that involves a sick in the family, you will truly do your best to come up with money.  Though there is a slim chance of survival, but seeing someone you loved suffer like that, you will never know what you can do and what you can give up until you find yourself in that situation.

The experience is nothing unusual. Some people have gone through difficult situation much worst than this.


The sad truth about it all is money plays a vital role. Money shouldn't have matter.  But having less of it, narrows your options.  And sometimes, death comes handy. I was sad that my father died, but I was also relieved from the burden.

My Quest And Motivation

In my introduction, I did mentioned that my mother came from a family of business-minded people but I didn't grew up to be like one of them. Not until my mid 20's did I have this spark of interest of being an entrepreneur or something else outside the corporate world.  I  was motivated to do what I am truly passionate about and at the same time earn from it. That I believe would make me happy.

Life isn't that easy for me. I worked my way to finish college - having a full-time job while enrolling 18 units of subjects. Then I seek a better opportunity in the city hence I was forced to move from Angeles City to Manila. It was a turning point in my life when my father was diagnosed with cancer. I realized that we were financially unprepared for this situation.  I was actually stripped from my savings and was left penniless.  Instead of being discouraged or be depressed I was motivated to do something else.

Money, in short, is kind of evasive for me. It is evading me and yet it has a full control of my decision. Why can't it be the other way around! Why don't I control my life and take control of money. These were the thoughts that were running through my head before I jump into the decision of leaving the corporate world.

I have been saying that failure isn't my option. Although I hear a little stupid voice asking what if I fail? My answer?  At least, I tried. At least, I have done what I am supposed to do and I won't be asking myself the what ifs when I grow old. But again, failure isn't my option.  I am a survivor, I'll make this work.

In this so-called quest, I get motivation from a lot of people. I read a lot, and I tried so hard to be selective of my thoughts. I may have been a chronic pessimist in the past but I started to unlearn it, soon enough I could totally forgo it.

In my next post, I will be sharing a speech delivered by John Gokongwei way back 2002 to the Ateneans.