WEALTH COMES AFTER FAITH

March 29, 2011

WEALTH COMES AFTER FAITH

My recollection of the first money I earned was when our group “San Beda College Chorale” was invited to sing in a funeral.  It was a funny experience because our host liked our classical songs so much, he was in tears.  I will never forget that he was sobbing and suddenly blew his nose on the white envelope where he inserted the money for us.  It was ok , what was important is the money was  inside.

My share was P 300.00…I was 17 years old.  “My first taste of income” .  I went home so happy because in my heart I knew that with this amount I will be able to bring something for my mom, brother & sister.  We were in little bit of financial trouble then.  My mom was trying her best to make ends meet.   She never complained.  My mom was always smiling, always happy.   Full of zest and vitality.

With that P300.00 I wanted to buy food that will make her and my siblings happy.   I went to the grocery to  buy – hotcake mix, anchor butter and maple syrup.  These were LUXURIES that we can’t afford at that time.  It was a big surprise.  I could just imagine their smiling and happy faces.  SHE WAS NOT SMILING AT FIRST.  Tears flowed from her eyes.  I KNEW THAT I MADE MY MOM HAPPY and PROUD.

How about you?  How did you spend your first earning?  I hope you shared it with the people dear to you.  Did you start paying for your educational loans or college expenses?   Other obligations you promised to pay as soon as you started working.   Believe me, the feeling of sharing is better than spending.

What about when you are in a restaurant? And suddenly some dirty kids approached you and ask for food?   Would you tell them to go away?  Or Give them food?   Sometimes I am guilty of being selfish myself.  But, what if we ALL do a good deed starting today!  Let us try our best to feed the hungry.  But, please use your better judgment.   Better give food than money.

People complain about many things.  But, most of the time MONEY.  We are so engrossed in having money.  It’s like the only important matter in our lives.  Please try to contemplate that all the riches and fortune in this world will NEVER buy you a place in HEAVEN.  In paradise there no such thing as rich or poor.  All children of GOD. 

I have experienced having so much and also having nothing.  Being envied and given pity.  I lost my ability to walk.  Lost all my money.  Did not see my kids and Lose my wife to a FRIEND.  ALL AT THE SAME TIME.  One thing I learned from this chapter in my life.  WEALTH COMES AND GOES.  The LORD can take it away.  Yes, I lost everything but not my FAITH.  That the LORD has a purpose for all of this.    You will be amazed In the LORD’S generosity.  Please wait and be patient.  It will come in HIS time.

Have a pleasant week ahead!

" LIVE YOU LIFE BY LOVING OTHERS "

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http://lifeofadisabled.blogspot.com/

Gerald R. Raymundo
gerald@geraldraymundo.com

WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF SECURITY?

March 25, 2011

SENSE OF SECURITY

Just finished with my dialysis procedure and I am waiting for my ride home.  Its past 6:00 p.m.    I feel great.  It’s like being reborn!  But sometimes it’s the opposite, you feel like slowly sinking in quicksand.

Where do you feel most  secured.?  I am sure most of you feel a sense of security when you are at home with family.  Or just being with someone you love and trust.

I feel secure when I am at the hospital.  Find it weird?  Yes it’s true. It’s been more than 13 years, going in and out of my second residence.  There were times when I spend more days here than home.  I feel so happy when I am with my nurses and doctors.  And of course when I am able to console fellow patients.  It comes out natural because I know how it feels.   Think of it, if you try to do this good deed.  Isn’t it a very gratifying feeling?  Knowing that you made someone smile or just touched his hand to show support and love. 

DO IT NOW!   Most of the time we regret that we have not done things which we should have.  Then blame ourselves or worst others for not being able to.

Looking back and reminiscing things that happened to me when I had my “spinal cord” operation  in 1998.  My experience  as much as I want to forget still gives me so much pain.  Because I am  just human.  The worst thing is if you have been wronged by someone that you gave youe life to.  Someone you are prepared to die for.  And someone you expect to be with forever.  You don’t ever leave someone who is sick, no matter what you reason are.   Worst if your intention is to save yourself.

I understand that my ex-wife was just human.  She was weak.  But maybe the foundation of our love was not that solid and strong.  Because why should someone abandon you at the worst time of your life.  A time when you need her most.  She was so afraid of losing everything.  She was so attached to all our worldly possessions.  She was afraid of being poor again. 

Do not be concerned so much with losing materials things.  These are only temporary.   Yes, we need money to pay for a lot of things.  BUT, you can’t buy salvation.  You just EARN POINTS!  Only the LORD can take or give away wealth. 

Wealth comes after faith.  The LORD will use somebody or an event to answer for all your needs.  Just believe and be faithful.  The LORD’s generosity never fails me. 

In the morning I talk to him and say “LORD BAHALA KANA”  and when I get a chance, anytime of the day I say “SALAMAT LORD” ....and when the pain is unbearable I plead, ”Masakit po, ok lang  po ba kung pwedeng time out muna? , bukas naman ang sakit”


Have a happy weekend.  Kiss and hug the people you love.  Pray for the people you hate.  Help the poor.

LIVE YOUR LIFE BY LOVING OTHERS

DO YOU HAVE A SICK RELATIVE OR FRIEND? EASE THEIR PAIN ….

A few days ago I was talking to the husband of a “Classmate” in the hemodialysis center of Cardinal Santos Hospital.  He was taking care of his ailing wife who has cancer and also undergoing dialysis.  You can see that this couple had a great life together, you sense the LOVE that binds them.  He was beside his wife giving  comfort and affection.  He is prepared for whatever the LORD wants for her.  To him, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT HE IS BESIDE HER THE REST OF THE WAY !

Haven’t you observed that people try their best to be with their sick relative or friend as soon as they learn of their condition?  They visit them at the hospital to support and give words of love and encouragement.    We try our best to be beside them in their hour of need.

My question is….what about 3 to 6 months after? Are you still visiting? Are you still giving comfort and words of encouragement?

If you are really sincere, you must continue LOVING & CARING….for they need us most when things before more difficult.  When they undergo so many medical procedures to prolong their lives or ease their pain.  They need you more when the financial obligations before tougher…when they have depleted their resources because high medical bills.  When things seem to be a never ending battle to be able to continue living.  When their only hope is faith in GOD’S plan for them.   THEY NEED YOU MOST IN THIS CRUCIAL STAGE OF THEIR JOURNEY.

A nurse shared to me a story about a boy who was brought to the ICU of a well known hospital.  The  boy collapsed during a school activity.  Sadly due to complications,  he was comatose and the doctors were apprehensive of his condition.  His parents were informed that the boy had a very slim chance of survival.   The family never gave up….they had prayer vigils in the morning and the boy’s friends and schoolmates had prayers in the afternoon…. EVERYDAY! … I am sure you know the happy ending.  Yes, he got well again.  PRAYERS are very POWERFUL.  Specially when done together! NEVER GIVING UP.

Don’t give up on them.  Continue loving.  Continue Caring.  Be there when they need you the most.

" LIVE YOUR LIFE BY LOVING OTHERS "

THE WORST FEELING IN LIFE IS NOT BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.

THE WORST FEELING IN LIFE IS NOT BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU WANT.
please read and be inspired !!!

Have you ever experienced not being able to walk?  Not being able to reach for something you need, even just a glass of water or the normal " toilet routine ".  For more than 12 years now I have not been able to take care of myself "the normal" way.  To be honest about it,  even my regular bowel movement is done in a way that might be disgusting to most of you...but, its the sad truth.

I am sharing this because. as GOD's children we need to realize that its not all chocolates and roses, not all happiness and glee.  When the time comes, watch out...it will be the time when you will know how much you love GOD...How much you are prepared to pave and take the difficult road to his paradise. 

With all the trial I have gone through.  I have experienced loosing everything.   Literally penniless and my ex-wife only left the cockroaches and rats in our house.  Even the plants in our garden was taken out, I am sure to "mock me".   I suddenly realized that ALL IS LOST....But I have found HAPPINESS....When I was drowing under water, Jesus was there to save me!   When I was rock botton, HE LIFTED me up to grace and contentment.

Ask yourself...are you prepared? Can you face our father and say that you are "fit" to enter his paradise?  Only you,  can answer that.  For we have secrets that even the closes person  in our life do not know about us...We are so afraid that they will find out.  GOD knows, he is just waiting for you to renew your way and repent.  OUR GOD IS A FORGIVING LORD !

If you are now in deep trouble please pray or chant this verse :

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want;
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever.

Psalm 23

' LIVE YOU LIFE BY LOVING OTHERS "

Please wait for the continuation in my next email…GOD BLESS.

Gerald R. Raymundo
gerald@geraldraymundo.com

Being disabled is a GIFT

Its 20 minutes before 9:00 p.m – Monday ( March 21, 2011)  I just had my dinner and not feeling well.   My wife apple prepared corned beef cooked in tomatoes…she knew that this would cheer me up.  My loving apple and I have simple likes and “food tripping” is our luxury.

 It is “dialysis day” on Mondays.   A lot of things came to my mind while waiting for my driver in front of the lobby of Cardinal Santos Hospital.  It’s almost two years since I began my dialysis treatment.  What a journey!   I thought that I was about to die before we started with this “lifesaving” medical procedure.   I had my apprehensions, fears and nightmares.  But it was a decision we had to make otherwise, my life could have ended in a couple of days.  Now I am still fighting on.  I know in my heart that the journey has not ended but has just commenced.

I am inspired now to share my life with all of you friends and family.

Bo Sanchez had written about me a few years ago.  40 stories of passion was a bestseller.  It received very good reviews and I am so happy that a person in the U.K. was inspired with my life and my story gave her the strength to move on.  Jay, if you will read this.  Always remember that you are in my prayers.  In every petition I make, you are included.  I hope you do the same to the people around you.  For if everybody shares their love to others, life would be more meaningful.

My mom has always told me that my life story was like a “telenovela”.  A couple of television programs had approached me to feature my life…but I decline, I felt that it was not for me.  Since then,  I have been searching and praying for wisdom and discernment on what is my purpose in this world is, what should I do to make  people happy and inspired.

Now, there’s this voice telling me to write my thoughts  and share my life.  I am not a writer, please bear with me.    I am not even good in English, so please my apologies for some “tagalog” or “Ilocano” words.  What I can assure you is that all of this words and phrases came from my heart.

Today I will share my life as a person with disability

I had a golfing accident in 1998 at Eastridge Golf Club,  It was a freak accident, it was nobody’s fault.  It was just one of those accidents.   But, it drastically changed my life.  From an active golfer to a bedridden patient, what a shift.   I was a successful businessman and realtor at that time.    Fame and fortune was never ending.  We were the envy of our friends and colleagues.  But, a word of caution, this can easily be taken away.  So, never be attached with worldly things.  For it just comes and goes. 

It could have been easier to get over all of this trails if I had a loving and understanding spouse.  My ex-wife to my surprise turned into somebody I never knew.   She was so afraid of the consequences of my illness….she changed and saved herself.  She was syphoning off money from our accounts and she is always hot tempered.  So sad that she abandoned our ship while it was sinking.  Her faith was too weak.  She did not realize that GOD is our buoy and he will always keep us afloat. 

Living your life in a wheelchair is hard and embarrassing.  People look at you in pity and sometimes they are very judgmental.    I encountered some people saying at my back “siguro kaya nakawheelchair sa sobrang taba”.    Friends, sometimes it’s good to express your feelings but never to offend another human being.  Don’t wait for the opportunity to be in the same predicament because I am sure you won’t like it.

Coping is one way of defeating your difficulties.  I bought an expensive “motorized wheelchair”.  Now people envy me.  They are so amazed with my wheels.   You never get tired of “window shopping”.  After a few hours of going around, I could see my staff getting tired…now it’s time to stop and feed them.

I am so fortunate to have a very loving and caring staff.  They dress me up, do all the dirty stuff.   But, always do it with a smile.  We always laugh, I treat them like my younger brothers and members of my family.  They cry with me, hear my sorrows & pains and give me moral support.  “Sir, kaya mo yan”.  What a very touching word of love and compassion

Gerald R. Raymundo
gerald@geraldraymundo.com