Saanva's Blog

I got this in an email and I thought this is the perfect place to share it.
I hope you like it.

Saanva

Whoever came up with this must have been filled with the Holy Spirit!

A lthough things are not perfect,
B ecause of trial or pain,
Continue in thanksgiving
D on't even think to blame.
E ven when the times are hard,
F ierce winds are bound to blow,
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know.
Imagine life without His love,
J oy would cease to be,
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts thee to see.
Move out of ' Camp Complaining ',
No weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone.
Quit worrying about the future,
R edeem the time at hand,
S tart every day with prayer
To 'thank' is God's command.
U ntil we see Him coming,
V ictorious in the sky,
We'll run the race with gratitude,
X alting God most high.
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

Hi Everyone,
I'm sorry I have not been very active here in BHW lately. I missed the interaction here.
Anyway, I'm sharing today an inspirational item written by Harry Emerson Fosdick. He wrote this after he learned how oysters make pearls.
I hope that we also make our own pearls when irritants come our way.

Make a Pearl by Harry Emerson Fosdick

Most of us can afford to take a lesson from the oyster.

The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this.
Irritations get into his shell. He does not like them; he tries to get rid of them.

But when he cannot get rid of them he settles down to make of them one of the most beautiful things in the world. He uses the irritation to do the loveliest thing that an oyster ever has a chance to do.

If there are irritations in our lives today, there is only one prescription: make a pearl. It may have to be a pearl of patience, but, anyhow, make a pearl. And it takes faith and love to do it.

Please check out also an article I wrote about how pearls are made. Please click on the link below.

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-a-Pearl-is-Born

I just wish this blog to be tribute to our former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino.

Tita Cory as we fondly call her, quietly joined her Maker last Saturday, August 1, 2009 after battling with colon cancer for a year.
She is now in heaven together with her husband, our hero, Ninoy Aquino.

Cory Aquino is the first woman president of the Philippines. She took office after what is known all over the world as "People Power Revolution", a bloodless and prayerful revolution. She is considered as the icon of democracy because she was able to restore democracy to our country after we have been under martial law for so many years.

Her death has once again reunited the Filipino people.

We love you Tita Cory!

Corazon C. Aquino (January 25, 1933 - August 1, 2009)
May you rest in Peace!

----
Image from:http://magkachi.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/cory1.jpg

Hi Everyone,
If you need brightening up or maybe some power up, then please click on the link below. You will not regret it, I promise.

Sorry I don't know how to embed a video, so I'm just giving the link.

Enjoy!

Have a good day!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazL I9k

Good Morning dear Braveheart Sisters!

Today, I received this beautiful story from a good friend. Actually I received this before from another friend but I misplaced my copy. So when I got this today, I thought that it probably meant something. It means I am supposed to share it.

You may have read this before. If you have, it's still worth reading another time, don't you agree? I think it somehow describes how Ellie started this Braveheart Women, right? If you have not yet read it, then I hope do and like it.

All the best,
Saanva/Salvacion

The Daffodil Principle

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say,
"Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."
"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this."

"Carolyn," I said sternly, "Please turn around."
"It's all right, Mother, I promise. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, "Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow.
Each different colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn. "Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline.
The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read.
The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two
hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop.
Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration. The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of
celebration.
That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world .

"It makes me sad in a way," I admitted to Carolyn. "What might I have accomplished if I had thought of a wonderful goal thirty-five or forty years ago and had worked away at it 'one bulb at a time' through all those years?
Just think what I might have been able to achieve!"

My daughter summed up the message of the day in her usual direct way. "Start tomorrow," she said.

She was right. It's so pointless to think of the lost hours of yesterdays.
The way to make learning a lesson of celebration instead of a cause for regret is to only ask, "How can I put this to use today?"

Use the Daffodil Principle. Stop waiting.....
Until your car or home is paid off
Until you get a new car or home
Until your kids leave the house
Until you go back to school
Until you finish school
Until you clean the house
Until you organize the garage
Until you clean off your desk
Until you lose 10 lbs.
Until you gain 10 lbs.
Until you get married
Until you get a divorce
Until you have kids
Until the kids go to school
Until you retire
Until summer
Until spring
Until winter
Until fall
Until you die...

There is no better time than right now to be happy.
Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
So work like you don't need money.
Love like you've never been hurt, and,
Dance like no one's watching.
Wishing you a beautiful, daffodil day!

Don't be afraid that your life will end,
be afraid that it will never begin.

A friend sent me this story. I thought this is the perfect place to share it. It's a gentle reminder to us to look up and have faith.

I hope you like it.

All the best!
Saanva/Salvacion


THE BUZZARD:

If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and
is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its
ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is
that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a
run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit,
it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner
for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT:

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable
nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level
place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it
can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully,
until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can
throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like
a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE:

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there
until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the
means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find
some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will
seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys
itself.

PEOPLE:

In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the
bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and
frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look
up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution
to any problem! Just look up.

Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But
faith looks up!

As I was going through my photos today, looking for something I can share here, I stumbled upon my candle photo. Immediately, the song, "One Little Candle" by Perry Como came to mind.

I really like this song because it's so inspirational. Even if it's already an oldie, I think the words are still very much applicable to our world today. Maybe even more so because, if all of us will just "light one little candle", (our little candle of our little good thing), then indeed this will be a brighter and happier world.

What do you think?

I am reproducing here the words of the song in case you have not encountered it or have already forgotten it.

All the best!



ONE LITTLE CANDLE
(George Mysels / J. Maloy Roach)

Perry Como - 1952

Also recorded by :
Chicago; Myron Floren; Jane Froman; Josef Locke.


It's better to light just one little candle
Than to stumble in the dark
Better far that you light just one little candle
All you need's a tiny spark

If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free
The wonderful dawn on the new day we'll see
And if everyone lit just one little candle
What a bright world this would be

(Let's all light one little candle
Why stumble on in the dark)

When the day is dark and dreary
And your way is hard to find
Don't let your heart be weary
Just keep this thought in mind

(It is better to light just one little candle
Than to stumble in the dark
Better far to light just one little candle
All you need's a tiny spark)

If we'd all say a prayer that the world would be free
The wonderful dawn of the new day we'll see
And if everyone lit just one little candle
What a bright world this would be

What a bright world this would be

Hi Everyone,

I got this story from an email and I thought of sharing it here.

Miracles happen when we start believing.

All the best,
Saanva/Salvacion


A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its hiding place in the closet.

She poured the change out on the floor and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but he was too busy at this moment.

Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffingnoise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!

'And what do you want?' the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice. I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages,' he said without waiting for a reply to his question.

'Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,' Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone.

'He's really, really sick...and I want to buy a miracle.'

'I beg your pardon?' said the pharmacist.

'His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my Daddy says only a miracle can save him now

So how much does a miracle cost?'

'We don't sell miracles here, little girl.
I'm sorry but I can't help you,' the pharmacist said, softening a little.

'Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get
the rest. Just tell me how much it costs..'

The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl,
'What kind of a miracle does your brother need?'

' I don't know,' Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an
operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money.'

'How much do you have?' asked the man from Chicago

'One dollar and eleven cents,' Tess answered barely audibly.

'And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to.'

'Well, what a coincidence,' smiled the man. 'A dollar and eleven cents---the exact price of a miracle for little brothers. '

He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten and said
'Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need.'

That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon,
specializing in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free of charge and it wasn't long until Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place.

'That surgery,' her Mom whispered. 'was a real miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?'

Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a
miracle cost..one dollar and eleven cents...
...plus the faith of a little child.

In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will need.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a higher law.


Miracles do happen everyday!

Hi Everyone,
Today I'd like to share with you one of my favorite subjects for my photography - raindrops.

I have quite a collection of raindrop pictures already and this is one of my favorites.

Raindrops never fail to cheer me up especially if they reflect the world around them. What are reflected here are the same flowers that I shared in another blog - the one with the song "I believe".

I did not write a quote inside the photo but "the following lines from the Beatles song, "September in the Rain" comes to mind ...

“To every word of love I heard you whisper, the raindrops seem to play a sweet refrain."

I am placing here the whole lyrics of the song just to refresh your memory ...

September in the Rain
The Beatles
The leaves of brown
came tumbling down,
remember in September in the rain.
The sun went out
just like a light,
remember in September in the rain.

To every word
of love I heard you whisper
the raindrops seems
to play a sweet refrain.
Thought it's spring,
to me it's still September,
oh that September in the rain.

To every word
of love I heard you whisper
the raindrops seems
to play a sweet refrain.
Thought it's spring,
to me it's still September,
oh that September in the rain.
I said I said it's September in the rain.
Ah September in the rain".

Enjoy!

Hi Everyone,
I don't know if you have already seen this video. I learned about this from a friend a few weeks ago and I am really amazed. I thought this is the best place to share this because there are so many amazing women here too.

What is even more amazing about these talented people is - they are all deaf! How can they perform so flawlessly with this disability? They are only directed by two prompters on the side.

Please click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HpWkNsGCms


All the best!

Hi Everyone,
I received this in an email and I thought that this is the perfect place to share it. What do you think?

All the best,
Saanva/Salvacion

The Story of the Pencil

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point, he asked: 'Are you writing a story about what we've done? Is it a story about me?'

His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson: 'I'm writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I'm using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.'

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn't seem very special. 'But it's just like any other pencil I've ever seen!'

'That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on to them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.

'First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and he always guides us according to His will.

'Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he's much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.

'Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.

'Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So, always pay attention to what is happening inside you.

'Finally, the pencil's fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. In just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action.'

Hi Everyone,
Hello!

I'm sorry I was not able to say goodbye. I was out for a few days and did not have time to access the computer. It seems I have missed a lot but I promise to make up for lost time.

Anyway, I just want to say hello and hope that you all have a good day.

I missed you!

Saanva/Salvacion

Hi Everyone,
I got this in an email and I thought it's a very beautiful reminder to all of us. Thus I am sharing it here. I hope you like it.

All the best!
Saanva/Salvacion

"ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS


A married lady was expecting a birthday gift from her husband. For many months she had admired a beautiful diamond ring in a showroom, and knowing her husband could afford it, she told him that was all she wanted.

As her birthday approached, this lady awaited signs that her husband had purchased the diamond ring. Finally, on the morning of her birthday, her husband called her into his study room. Her husband told her how proud he was to have such a good wife, and told her how much he loved her. He handed her a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, the wife opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the wife's name embossed in gold.

Angrily, she raised her voice to her husband and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible? and stormed out of the house, leaving her husband.

Many years passed and the lady was very successful in business. She managed to settle for a more beautiful house and a wonderful family, but realized her ex-husband was very old, and thought perhaps she should go to visit him. She had not seen him for many years. But before she could make arrangements, she received a telegram telling her that her ex-husband had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to her. She needed to come back immediately and take care of things.

When she arrived at her ex-husband's house, sudden sadness and regret filled her heart. She began to search through her ex-husband's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as she had left it years before.

With tears, she opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. Her ex-husband had carefully underlined a verse, Matt 7:11, "And if you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father, who is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?"

As she read those words, a tiny package dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a diamond ring, with her name engraved on it -- the same diamond ring which she saw at the showroom. On the tag was the date of her birth, and the words...'LUV U ALWAYS'...

How many times do we miss God's blessings, because they are not packaged as we expected? I trust you enjoyed this. Pass it on to others.

Do not spoil what you have, by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

IF YOUR GIFT IS NOT PACKAGED THE WAY YOU WANT IT, IT'S BECAUSE IT IS BETTER PACKAGED THE WAY IT IS! ALWAYS APPRECIATE LITTLE THINGS; THEY USUALLY LEAD YOU TO BIGGER THINGS!

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.


ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS"

When I took this photo of some flowers just after the rain, I was right away reminded of one of my favorite songs, "I Believe". I am posting the lyrics of the song below.

I think that the line "...for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows..." is a perfect match with my photo. What do you think?

I Believe
(Erwin Drake - Irvin Graham - Jimmy Shirl - Al Stillman)
I believe for every drop of rain that falls
A flower grows
I believe that somewhere in the darkest night
A candle glows
I believe for everyone who goes astray, someone will come
To show the way
I believe, I believe

I believe above a storm the smallest prayer
Can still be heard
I believe that someone in the great somewhere
Hears every word

Everytime I hear a new born baby cry,
Or touch a leaf or see the sky
Then I know why, I believe

Everytime I hear a new born baby cry,
Or touch a leaf or see the sky
Then I know why, I believe

I love this quote from Mother Teresa -
"In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love".

I thought that the quotation and my photo of grasses belong together. Why? Well, we usually don't pay attention to grasses, we even just step on them. However, if we look at them closely, especially with the early morning sun creating some sparkles on their blades, they are simply beautiful. They also make a significant contribution to our big, beautiful world. What do you think?

Here's another quote that I placed on my photo.

"Adversity is just sand on your path to prevent you from skidding".
-anonymous

I saw this quote in a book I was reading and I right away connected with it. At that time I had some issues at work and the quote more or less calmed me down.

When I took up photography later, I remembered this quote and placed it on my sand photo. They go together, right?