Bloom Where You're Planted

Plants vs Zombies swept the gamers of all ages. It's a cool game and my kid likes to play it (but on weekends only and if there's still free time). The mechanics is so simple, you plant the 'plants' in such a way that 'zombies' won't pass through and eat your brains. The funny thing is once planted the plant does what its supposed to do.

It might not be an appropriate analogy for you but Jeremiah 29:7 tells me to "Work for the peace and prosperity of the city where i sen you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare determine your welfare."

There are occasions - in life, at work, in love, in anything - where seeking the Lord's guidance is necessary. It's like there are no straight-forward scriptures that you know would apply to the situation you are about to experience and you have to separate yourself in some sort of solitude just to get focused on God's direction. However, there is always this option to be still, to stay put and never worry. Yes. Instead of thinking to move out, give up, or plateau, you must strive to achieve 'prosperity' in spite of the slump.

Is it okay to ask God for a different assignment? You bet. But remember Jeremiah 29:7: pray to the Lord the welfare of where you are now, pray hard for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.



Lord may I bloom with peace and prosperity in this place where you planted me on.

Questions for Beginning Entrepreneur

Answer these questions well before sailing on with your own enterprise:

• Do you enjoy making decisions and being in-charge?
• Do you have the willingness to take initiative?
• Do you have a good credit rating?
• Do you have strong people skills?
• Are you flexible, and can you adapt to changing circumstances?
• Are you good at short-range and long-term planning?
• Are you willing to take calculated risks?
• Are you good at following through your ideas, plans and projects?

Remember to Remember

It is customary that my parents share Word of God when we gather up for celebrations. Thus, when we celebrated my 34th birthday, I received Ecclesiastes 11:8 - 12:7


8 However many years a man may live,
let him enjoy them all.
But let him remember the days of darkness,
for they will be many.
Everything to come is meaningless.

9 Be happy, young man, while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you to judgment.

10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless.

1 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
"I find no pleasure in them"-

2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain;

3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim;

4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when men rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint;

5 when men are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags himself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then man goes to his eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.

6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,
or the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
or the wheel broken at the well,

7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Thank you Lord!

{hero} at 34

Yup! That's my age and I thank God for making those 34 years very pleasant.

Moving on I'd like to make this year a special one in the following areas of my life:

• Spirituality

I'd like God to use more of my being for the salvation of the many. As He has been using me at Miracle Life Fellowship International - Los Banos, hopefully, this new engagement with Lighthouse Foursquare Gospel Church bear fruit for the Glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom in the area where we are currently staying. It's like looking at myself as a tree planted here where people get to rest in the shadow. Which reminds me too that being employed at Stratpoint, I should also allow myself a channel of divine blessing (and interventions) for the success of the company. Lastly, I'll be commencing Project Canaan. The technicalities and all are in the works but surely it will come to pass!

• Community
  

The excitement of sharing some of my knowledge in Mathematics (and Computing along the way) in the form of not-so-formal teaching through MACES, Inc. is very much increasing with the initial encounter to the Youth Organization's president in our subdivision. The concept targets incoming Fourth Year High School students and prepare them for their College Entrance Exam. I should say this is long overdue but God seems to be paving the way for it to happen this year.

• Career
  

One thing is for sure: I'm stuck with Project Management. Having said that I am resolved to taking myself master the craft, bridge my knowledge gaps, and become a key player in the field.



Lord Jesus, you are my strength! May you increase more in my life! Amen!

48 Days Before Launch

Days are winding down to the ultimate challenge set before me by my wife and it looks like I'm not ready yet. Too bad! After all the spending, the sleepless nights, and the crazy talks!

Hopefully, it would be like the good old days of college or the period when I'm pursuing Microsoft Certifications. Nah! I can feel age is catching up on me and my brain is not as edgy as before.

I'm really looking for some inspiration and this phrase makes an impression:

Developing technical and process capabilities and expertise through intensive and focused effort.

Why is that I hear you say the keywords here are

• Intensive
• Focused

Okay! Okay! Gotta put more intense and focused effort/discipline and do away distractions like Facebook and watching movies!

Dear God help me!

The unspoken truth about managing geeks

I came across this 5 page article that starts with discussing RESPECT as the principal values that could differentiate a good geek management from a bad one. It continues to outline the various stereotype elements at play, suggests how to elicit these stereotype elements, and finally gives advise on how to fix it.

Read more here: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9137708/Opinion_The_unspoken_truth_about_managing_geeks?taxonomyId=14&pageNumber=1

just my two wishes before my 40th birthday

• Song Composition - an album maybe as I have ten (10) songs already but I badly need a keyboard (Korg/Roland level), range amp (Marshall/Peevey level), a powerful PC, a MIDI connector, a music-composition-related software and a studio.
• Teaching Series - of topics from the Bible, Mathematics, Computer Programming or Project Management but I should really have that studio and a decent video editing software.

When there's a will, there's a way. :)

The Shifting Landscape of Business

The business climate is altering every project decision. Here's how to weather the storm:

• try to eliminate all unnecessary waste from projects
• share project information as it will breed loyalty, streamline project progress and improve the end-results
• choose the right partner as it will reduce risk and improve delivery time

Value-driven Project Management

Allow me to escape from the usual task/resource scheduling and monitoring activities and think of the value I am adding in the project: IIL's free webinar on Value-driven Project Management.

Hopefully i can make sound business decisions and project-based decisions and better understand how value affects the construction of a portfolio of projects.

Sorry State of Project Managers? Too early to say...

I came across this article: The Sorry State of Project Managers and Business Analysts and seems to get a feel of how others in the field see or experience their roles.

I guess being a beginner is a fortune as there are more room to explore (a.k.a. more forgivable shortcomings and more opportunities to learn).

My hopes are still high. Project Management is still the best role I may engage at.

Adding More Responsibilities!

Whew! Ain't all my load enough?! I guess there are still small empty spaces to fill up so here it goes: New Enterprise Planning at University of the Philippines Open University...


I would like to expect that after having gone through with the course I will be able to appreciate business and recognize business opportunities, understand various processes involved in selecting a business project, and establish a coherent framework when deciding to pursue, end, or modify a selected business idea.

So help me God.

Why Men Love Women?

I've been thinking hard why men love women and been mentioning my thoughts to my wife. I'm seeking her response if these ideas were at all plausible or not...

1. It's their intoxicating smell.
   
2. They give you an offspring or two.
   
3. They manage your finances.

The list may go on... but so far that's what I've collected. {31 July 2009}