I haven’t read that many books for a long time now. So when dear Cathy invited me to her meme on Books that Changed my Life, I wasn’t sure if I can come up with a list. I told her these books encompass the 40 plus years of reading books.
Here goes:
One book that changed your life:
The Purpose-driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren
The book inspired me to move beyond the pain of losing a son . Because the book talks about starting a service, I initiated the formation of The Compassionate Friends Philippines with the help of Cathy and Alma.
One book you have read more than once:
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seus
I’ve read this over a hundred times that I have memorized it by heart, haha. This is one of my favorite children’s book and often read it to the kids at bedtime. I also read it to nurtture my inner child. I know …I know it shows I don’t read much.
One book you would want on a desert island:
The Holy Bible because it is the time to re-read it in a quiet place.
One book that made you laugh:
The Everything Cat Book by Steve Duno
This book made me laugh because my husband (who isn’t a cat lover) bought it for me. I think it’s such a loving gesture. It shows how much he cares about my love for cats.
One book that made you cry:
Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff
I read this book to understand a father’s grief and the pain my husband had to go through.
One book you wish had been written:
“How (NOT) to live with your in-laws” or perhaps “How to please your mother-in-law without losing yourself”
One book you wish had never been written:
How to Make War (Fourth Edition): A Comprehensive Guide to Modern Warfare in the Twenty-first Century
We should make love not war.
One book you are currently reading:
Make your Words Work– by Gary Provost
I want to learn how to write but my sluggish brain can only take in new concepts one day at a time.
One book you have been meaning to read:
The Power to Change Your Life by Rick Warren
A newly bereaved mother who lost 2 children( and no surviving child) in one year gave me this book . She said that this book helped her move towards a positive resolution of her grief. Oh my god, her pain is double. I cannot imagine her pain at all.
Now it’s your turn… Happy week-end to everyone!
My eldest 
Remember how we mothers ease the pain of our toddler’s scraped knee? I remember blowing the wound and caressing my little girl’s leg…. “There it will go away now” . My little girl would then wail “baaand-aiiiid” thinking the band-aid can patch the pain. What happens when this little girl is now an adult, nursing a broken heart? How can a band-aid now patch the gaping hole in her heart? 
The mother of a my husband’s brother-in-law passed away early this morning. Although the mom was ill for the last two months, her death was still sudden. A few minutes before she passed away, she scribbled a note saying “Welcome J and A”. It’s like she knew she was leaving. Since the children are all based abroad, they had to rely on friends and relatives to check on things while they prepared for their trip to the Philippines. How stressful it must be for them to think of all the funeral arrangements. Having experienced 5 deaths in my immediate family from 1976 to 2003, the stress alone in funeral arrangements is overwhelming. While on our way to the chapel tonight, I told my husband that we should consider having funeral insurance (I forgot the term for it). I can’t imagine having to burden our children with our funeral. 
When the high and mighty fall, the road to recovery begins with a public apology. If there is any redeeming factor that [tag]Mel Gibson[/tag] has given to the world is the media coverage of [tag] alcoholism[/tag] devastating consequences. In the Philippines, drunken men or women are a common sight in parties, fiestas or celebrations. Oooh, you can see them falling to the floor, slurring their words or being just an annoying loud mouth. The party drunk, the life of the party, right? The San Miguel Beer says it all. The multi-million ad portrays a festive atmosphere where beer overflows and sexy ladies sashay their bodies or flaunt their beauty. Such an ad conditions the mind of our vulnerable young kids to associate beer with lovely women and lure them to a life of fun-filled parties. 
A week ago, I received a call from Miriam, the chairperson of the 
Yesterday I met up with Miriam and Mar, her Operations manager. Mar expressed gratitude for the 
No I haven’t watched Sukob but my daughter thinks it’s a more horrific film than 
I didn’t expect much of the 
That [tag]stage mother[/tag] in the photo must be so proud of [tag]Erika Jill Bautista[/tag] . As Erika sang, the mom engaged in small talk with Ryan Agoncillo. Sometimes, she listened through the walls. Erica has an hearing impairment (35 decibels) in one ear that she has to wear a hearing aid. Inspite of her hearing impairment, she sings pretty well.
My 41 year old baby brother in Missouri (I still call him baby brother because I took care of him) wants me to be his wedding coordinator for a church [tag]wedding[/tag] in the Philippines. My brother and his wife did not have a church wedding 14 years ago due to financial challenges. Now that he is a successful neurologist, he dreams of a marriage with God’s blessing. He has indeed been blessed through the years with 4 lovely children, a lucrative medical parctice and a devoted wife. I told him that weddings in the Philippines is not the same as it used to be. I started to look around for wedding fairs. The last time I attended a wedding bazaar was in 2004 for Lauren’s debut plans. Just looking at the prices for photography, venue, catering , cake and other perks for Lauren’s debut could easily cost 150,000 pesos ($2,500.00) at the least. My daughter dubbed it “