The Year 2007

It’s a common practice for us to make resolutions as the year comes to an end and a new one is approaching. I used to do this before but now I’m just grateful for whatever happened to me the previous year, be it good or bad.

There are so many things that happened in 2007 that I am so much thankful for. It’s been a year now since we left New Zealand and the adjustment process went well for all of us especially for the kids. We meet and made good friends here in Australia which makes a lot easier for us to cope with our new environment. My husband and I were blessed with good jobs and all of us remain fit and healthy for the whole year.

Surely, there were some bumpy days but we surpassed them somehow. These made our faith stronger and we learned more to trust God and allow Him to direct our lives. Most especially, we learned to be more patient and to wait for His perfect time

Change, Change, Change...

I just finished reading “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson and it's a very interesting and inspiring book. My supervisor gave it to me as a Christmas present. At first I thought that it is one of those ‘work-related’ books which I am not too keen to read. But it wasn't.

“Who Moved My Cheese?” is about how people react to changes, whether changes at work place or in their personal lives. One can easily relate to the story’s main characters, the mice Sniff and Scurry and to the little people Haw and Hem.

Sniff and Scurry being mice that do not have emotions, can easily determine if something is changing and immediately do something about it. On the other hand, the two little people use their feelings to make decisions that make it harder for them to cope with changes. Hem who refuses change and hold on to what he believes in and Haw who finally gave in to change and moved on.

I have been through a lot of changes, be it in my personal life or in my career. I can see myself like the little people. There were times when I shut my mind to the idea of exploring other possibilities that might help me grow emotionally, socially and spiritually. Once I found my comfort zone, I just want to stay in there forever. I don’t care what other people say or do. Because of this kind of attitude I became aggravated and disgruntled most often.

The book changed my perception and attitude towards change. A perfect gift especially when we are going through some changes at work. As the cliché goes, ‘Change is the only constant thing in this world’.

The Crib

Christmas is one of my favorite seasons. The Christmas ornaments you can see in houses and malls, the carols they played on the radio, the crispness that you can feel in the air…these bring me joy and excitement. But what completes my happiness is the crib that the church displays as Christmas day draws near.

I had three Nativity set at home. I bought the first one when we went at Brickworks. It’s a second-hand one and there are missing characters such as the oxen, ram, donkey and the shepherd.

The second set (and my favorite one) came from a charity shop close to work. It has all the characters and the figures and crib were lovingly hand-made by less-fortunate children here in Adelaide. The third set is really not mine. This belongs to my kids. It’s a gift to them from our parish for joining their sacramental program.

I don’t know why, but every time I look at the crib I feel a sense of contentment and happiness. This serves as a reminder of how fortunate I am. Indeed life is not pleasant all the time. There are heaps of rough days but when I think of the nativity scene, of baby Jesus born in a manger, all my worries and fears were replaced with serenity and gratitude.

I may not have all the luxuries in this world but compared to Jesus I am very lucky to be born in a hospital, to sleep in a comfortable bed, to live and grow in a warm and nice house, to wear beautiful clothes and shoes. All of these things made me realized that I should learn to be satisfied and be thankful, to take each day one at a time and to treat trials as a way to strengthen my relationship with God.