Manny Pacquiao and Success

Manny Pacquiao became the first in history to earn 7 titles in 7 divisions when he demolished Cotto during the eventful Firepower. The fact that it took so long for someone to achieve this kind of feat simply means that it is a very difficult task to accomplish. But what made him so successful? How did he do it? Here are a 5 things that have contributed to his success.

Action

Manny Pacquiao is a man of action. He doesn't just say what needs to be done, but does what he needs to do. He knows his priorities and acts on them first hand. He does not leave for tomorrow what he can do for today.

Heart

Manny has passion for what he does. No matter who his next opponent is, he practices hard and always opts to go the extra mile. No one is too great for him to lose his heart, nor is anyone too small for him to engage half-baked. He does things to the best of his abilities and strives hard to continue to improve his skills.

Focus

Even in the aftermath of the typhoons hitting the Philippines during his training camp in Baguio, being visited by fans, and doing activities that seemed to affect his training, Manny stayed focused. He didn't allow himself to be distracted from all the fuss that was going on. Yes he did entertain politicians and fans visiting him, a little cocktail party, and even visited typhoon victims, but when it's time to go back to business, it's only business that he attends to.

Humility

After defeating Cotto and earning the 7th title of his career, Manny still declared, "I'm just an ordinary boxer." He never considers himself as better anyone else. He doesn't underestimate his opponents. He doesn't think that he is the best, but he works hard to be the best that he can be.

Faith

Before and after every match, Manny kneels down on his corner and prays for "Thy will be done." He prays that he will be able to give a good fight, that he and his opponent be kept safe from serious injuries the sport holds, and whether win or lose, whatever is the will of his Father up above, so be it. His display of faith is there for every person to see. One doesn't have to be a Christian to see that he dedicates his fight in the hands of God, that we might also follow what the Church have taught us all the time: to seek the Lord's will and ask for His wisdom and guidance in everything that we do.

These 5 things are not just given to Pacquiao. These things are priceless and do not require too much effort to acquire. In our own little ways, whether at work or at school, we can acquire these traits by doing things and chores with all our hearts. It doesn't have to be boxing, as Pacquiao does.  It doesn't have to be big. It can be the work that we have right now, or maybe the simple chore that we have at home. Big things come from small beginnings, and so did the Pacman. Always remember that the things that happen today are supposed to prepare us for a greater challenge tomorrow, just as Manny began as an unknown boxer to a champion who is acknowledged worldwide. Best of all, the God that watches over our champion is the same God that watches over all of us. All we need to do is bow down our heads and pray that he might bless us for the things that we are doing and praise Him for all the good things that He has shown to us.

May God bless us all.

My Thoughts on Firepower: Pacquiao Vs Cotto

History was made on Saturday, November 14, 2009, when Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao beat Miguel Cotto. With referee Kenny Bayless stopping the fight 55 seconds into the 12th round, the Pacman officially became the first boxer in history to win seven titles in seven divisions.

Cotto came in strong in the opening round when he delivered powerful jabs. But Pacman dominated the welterweight champion in virtually the next 11 rounds knocking him down in the 3rd and 4th round.

After a convincing performance over the latest former welterweight champion, Pacquiao erased all doubts that cloud his legitimacy as the pound-for-pound king. The two knockdowns prove that his power is strong enough to bring a welterweight champion to the canvas. He proved that his chin and body are hard enough to withstand a welterweight punch when he took 93 power punches. The 276 power punches that landed speaks that his speed and accuracy are still blinding even to a formidable welterweight in his prime.

At the end of the night, Pacquiao placed himself as one of boxing's all-time greats, joining the likes Ali, Leonard, and Hagler. But there is still one more test that people would like to see: a showdown with the former pound-for-pound king Mayweather. But will that fight ever happen? That will be for Bob Arum and Money Mayweather to discuss. Pacquiao and his team for sure will not back down if the price is right. He never did. He never will.

‘White Lady’ seen at CBCP headquarters - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

‘White Lady’ seen at CBCP headquarters - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos


I just would like to share this story. Well, it's Halloween.

Trick or Treat...

Jamming for the Lord at Olanggo

"Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.  Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.  Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise." Psalms 33:1-3 (KJV)

Music is from the Lord. He is the one who created it. He gave us voices so we could sing praises, and instruments that we might make music to lift up His name. As David made psalms and raised his songs to the heavens, we too are called to worship Him with the gifts that he has given to us.

Last Friday, we went to Olanggo for the same reason David sings in the fields, to raise our voices and let the people hear songs for the Lord that they might know about His love through music.

Even through bad weather and unforeseen power outage, still God gave us power that the band could play, and stopped the rain that we might sing and dance on the sands and grasses of the island. It was already late, but never too late to raise ourselves in worship.

After the concert, we took refuge in the fine resorts, air-conditioned rooms, and soft beds. It was 1 AM but still awake enough to chat with our friends. We called it a night and finally rested our bodies for the journey home at daybreak. We are leaving, but the message that was left in the hearts of those who heard will stay forever.

My Younger Brother's Graduation

Three and a half years ago, I stepped into the stage waiting for my name to be called, so eager to receive the diploma which I have worked so hard for 5 years in college. It was such an awesome experience, knowing that I was a step closer to my dreams. I had finally closed the door of college life, and was ready to face whatever challenges my chosen career had to offer.

Last Saturday, my youngest sibling stepped into the same stage I walked through. He had that anxious look on his face, not sure if everything was true. Finally, all his efforts had paid off. After all the ups and downs that he had with his colleagues, he can finally celebrate graduation rites with his peers. He had the face of a victor, one that has failed and bounced back, tested and proven worthy of the prize that he will receive once his name is called.

At last, the long wait is over. My brother, with his right hand he received the diploma, the precious trophy which every student works so hard to obtain, a symbol of educational success and an emblem of triumph. I could see my parent's faces, bright with joy that finally, they had done an obligation that took more or less 18 years to complete. More importantly their son is finally ready to face the world.

After the graduation ceremony, we celebrated the event with food and drinks, in the company of our friends and family. Now, only one of my siblings is still left studying. Soon he too will walk through this same door. Soon enough. When that happens, the party will be grander than ours, not because he is a parent favorite, but because our parents will finally finish the role of getting us ready for the professional world, that all of us are able to stand on our own two feet. It is greater, because their children have grown into men, and no longer boys...

The Shroud of Turin: True or Fake?

The Shroud of Turin - an artifact that is believed to bear the image of the Christ. Christians revere to it as the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth when he was laid in his tomb. It is celebrated as a relic that shows the passion and suffering of the Savior when he died on the cross.

The authenticity of the shroud has been subject to intense debates by Catholics and people of faith, historians, and scientists. Though carbon tests performed on the shroud show that the relic is made during the medieval era, possibly between 1260 to 1390, scientists have not been able to prove how the image was left on the linen cloth.

Not until recently. An Italian scientist, Luigi Garlaschelli, has claimed that he is able to reproduce the Shroud using materials and techniques that was available in the medieval centuries.

Is the Shroud true or fake? The mysteries covering  this controversial artifact may soon be unearthed. Whatever is the conclusion to this historical question may impact the image of the Catholic Church and possibly the Christian community. But it should not in any way influence the Christian faith. It may affect the number of pilgrims that would go and see the relic, but it should not affect the growth of the Christian Church.

The Shroud, should be regarded as just another artifact. If it should be a fake, we still cannot deny the resemblance of the image left on the shroud to the popularized image of the Lord Jesus Christ,  thereby deceiving many of our fellow Christians. For whatever purposes the relic has been made, we cannot condemn the Church, only the ones that had made such a hoax. If it should be true, we can use it to remind us of the sacrifice the our Lord has made. We can use the pilgrimage to strengthen our faith.

We should not worship the cloth, just as much as we should not worship the cross. These symbolized  Christ's passion and suffering, not Jesus Christ himself. We cannot replace the person neither by his image nor his burial cloth. Only by grace can we be saved. Salvation is something only the Holy Spirit can grant us. It is not something he left us with, nor a faker, can do.

For more information, please refer to the links below.

Yahoo News: Italian scientist reproduces shroud

Wikipedia: Shroud of Turin

Things That Made Blogging Difficult for Me

A few days ago, I decided to make blogging a hobby. I thought that I can always blog about anything freely without having to worry about how people would think about my blog, its content, grammar, and the construction of the sentences. I overlooked a lot of things that may cause trouble and make blogging difficult. I failed to think about instances when I would be out of words, and don't know how to continue or even finish my blog. Anyway, here are some points that made blogging hard for me.

1. Lack of Focus
I just can't concentrate on a single thing at a given moment. All the time, I think about writing about this and that, but I can't decide which ones I will write about first. My thoughts are so scattered there are times that I can't even deliver the things that I want to point out in simple words.

2. Lack of Information
Earlier this day, I thought about writing a blog about where we can donate goods to help the people affected by the Typhoon Ondoy (internationally known as Ketsana). I discovered that I don't have any information on where we can donate, which organizations to call, or which banks accept money so we can donate to the victims. I have seen a lot of sites in the internet but I just can't determine which ones are really necessary for my blog.

3. Limited Vocabulary
There are times when I just can't deliver my point directly. I can do it in my own dialect, but I find it difficult to translate it into the English language. There may be other words to substitute it with but they just don't feel right. Yes, I want to keep my blog short and simple, but I like my blog concise and direct.

The three items I have identified above have become so great an obstacle for me to write blogs. Well, as I am still rather new to this hobby, it is not surprising that I encounter problems and difficulties. Nobody becomes a master overnight and every success is accompanied with an army of failures. The more I read and write, and the more knowledge I gain, maybe then I'd be able write blogs with quality and sense. And as I learn more about this endeavor, I know I will be facing problems more complicated than these. Facing them is inevitable, but I'd be ready once I overcome these three that I have identified.

Blogging To Express Myself

Expressing our thoughts and opinions is just as important the need to be heard. Most of us say what we feel to our closest friends and family. We share our ideas with people we work with. On some occasions, we express our thoughts through questions so we can gain more information. We ask our teachers, instructors, colleagues, or anyone in our network hoping to find an answer to something we are confused about.

Every now and then, there are things that I ought to express that I just can't say outright in front of somebody. For whatever reason, I tend to make second thoughts on saying it to them, only regret it afterward. So I write; to express myself and what I think and feel. The people concerned don't exactly have to be able to read it. I'd be glad if they did anyway, especially if they leave comments and share their own thoughts.

Writing, or blogging, is just as endless as our imagination. Whatever our thoughts can comprehend, we can write about it and share it to others. It doesn't have to be fantastic and excellent. A simple yet understandable one is good enough.

And so I write or blog, just for the fun of expressing my thoughts. I write about what I feel at the moment, about my endeavors, about my work, and about what I think about something. There are no particular topics, and I don't dedicate them to particular audiences. I do it freely and without any deep thought. Only whatever comes to my mind at that particular moment. Anything that is left unwritten might be lost forever.