Let’s follow Chris†‘s example by serving others ~ regardless of mistakes along the way (like my off-tune♪singing♫ at Church yesterday) ~ as our fai†h will always prevail, our missions won’t fail!
Send me forth each day, O God,
to announce Your peace, love,
forgiveness and joy to all the earth. Like the Samaritan,
help me be a good neighbor.Like the Centurion,
help me confess my faith.Like the Beloved Disciple, help me to be a bold
and faithful witness to Your Resurrection.
All the world deserves to hear Your Good News.
Help me proclaim and live it today.
Amen.
~ Father Joseph R. Veneroso
World Missions ☼Sunday☼ Reminder from Father Raymond J. Finch
So then, anyone who hears these words of mine and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, and the wind blew hard against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain poured down, the rivers flooded over, the wind blew hard against that house, and it fell. And what a terrible fall that was!
Do not be fooled. “Bad companions ruin good character.”
~ I Corinthians 15:33
Assignment ~ “study the playbook” (The Bible**) to “know the plays” {for the truth and our service as we proclaim GOD’s Word}
Christ’s message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct one another with all wisdom. Sing psalms, hymns, and sacred songs; sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts.
So Jesus said to those who believed him, “If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
~ John 8:31-32
Spiritual Sources
*Grassi, J. E. (2013). Guts grace and glory: A football devotional. New York, NY: Thomas Nelson. (p. 69)
**Rainbow Studies, Inc. (2000). The Catholic Rainbow Study Bible: Good News Translation (2nd ed.). El Reno, OK: Rainbow Studies International.
R.I.P.✌ all of the fatalities in today’s Oregon community college massacre.
Those who were shot and killed are modern-day martyrs.
While we live in a nation where we have the freedom to express ourselves (First Amendment) ~ including through our religion, we unfortunately may encounter those who express their animosity against our beliefs.
In Jim Grassi‘s Guts Grace & Glory, connections are made between the football field and Christianity. Dr. Grassi, who has worked with pro football players in my beloved Bay Area, makes athletes’ testimonies and scripture readings relevant with the game and our overall moral conduct as a whole…
Besides the textbook from which which I teach, I also refer to supplementary sources for my speech students! While I still separate religion from education in the public school system, I tie in certain codes of conduct practiced when relevant.
This leads me to pursuing my legacy, even at my age, because we never know whether we’ll still be here tomorrow ~ so
How will you be spiritually when you meet your maker?
Affirmations for Athletes and Non-Athletes Alike
Grassi, J. E. (2013). Guts grace and glory: A football devotional. New York, NY: Thomas Nelson.
Another Inspirational Reading from a fellow Christian
Tebow, T. R., & Whitaker, N. (2011). Through my eyes: A quarterback’s journey. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
When my cohort members and I were admitted into our doctoral program, conscientiousness* happened to be one of the personality traits for which we tested and that we studied in our leadership theories literature. It comes from the (1b) Big Five psychometric assessment that uses the “OCEAN” acronym:
Openness (or Originality)
*Conscientiousness (or Consolidation)
Extroverion ~ I’ve also consistently tested high for this in the (2) Myers-Briggs (as an ENFJ for Extraversion • Intuition • Feeling • Judging) both when I took it as a psych minor for my undergrad and again in doc school
Agreeableness (or Accommodation)
Neuroticism (or Emotional Instability) ~ the reverse of this attribute as leaders and doc students is ideal to deal
According to the (1a) instrument provided by my doctoral degree program, someone who is conscientious is “achievement”-oriented and “self-disciplined” ~ so this implies that conscientiousness involves intentions (definitely something for which I strive).
Currently, my conscientiousness has stuck with me through school ~ as both a scholar and an educator!
If it (Quality magazine) won’t speak to me, it won’t speak to them.
~ Ms. Prescott, Editor-in-Chief
D for
Down * Dreary * Dull * Depressing * Dismal and * Deadly
Banish the Black * Burn the Blue * Bury the Beige
Think pink * Red is dead * Blue is through * Green‘s obscene * Brown’s too boo
Now I know that my advisor wasn’t trying to flatter me, but her acknowledgment meant encouragement … of the ♥heart.
I challenge you fellow servants and leaders to consider which personality traits that you have in order to enhance your strengths and improve from your weaknesses!
Oldham, J. M., & Morris, L. B. (1995). The new personality self-portrait: Why you think, work, love, and act the way you do. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Our Holy Father has spread joy & hope all around the world leading up to his World Meeting of Families | Courtesy ABC‘s Pope Francis & the People special
¡Biénvenidos, Padre!
“Don’t walk alone, always be encouraged. Walk with courage. Courage gives you joy, and joy gives you hope. Always move with courage, and always move with hope. Ask GOD for these.” ~ Pope Francis tells young girl in Spanish (this translated message transcends to all of us) … Similarly, Bishop Mike advised me to always look at the †cross† to refresh my soul with new hope, ♥love♥ and trust. | Courtesy ABC‘s Pope Francis & the People special
As Pope Francis journeys on his well-anticipated trip to America (Philly to D.C. to NYC)
Pope Francis has addressed the *U.S. Congress* | Courtesy ABC‘s Pope Francis & the People special
Pope Francis has connected with my previous home: el Valle | Courtesy ABC‘s Pope Francis & the People special
We also must consider how we take care of ourselves, in terms of our own †spiritual† health.
Pope Francis lifted up this young man’s spirits for taking care of his family | Courtesy ABC‘s Pope Francis & the People special
Lately, I’ve reflected on my self-centered tendencies and been praying to be relieved of them in order to put my life in GOD’s hands. This hasn’t been easy. Fortunately, more messages have reminded me to get more †spiritually-fit.
Has this already been part of our genetic disposition* or is this something that we can learn**?
CourtesyUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Maryknoll‘s Father Finch uses a molecule metaphor about our spirituality already being part of our †souls, from the Holy Spirit to uncover GOD’s mysteries. By following these “spiritual† genetic instructions,” we serve and leadfaithfully.
en español | CourtesyUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops
**Spiri†ual Bootcamp
First, we must make sure that we maintain our religious practices for the mind:
Bearing in mind and ♥heart♥ all of the above advice plus last week’s scripture, I realize now more than ever that I’m no better than anyone else in the way that I treat others and ought to be treated; after all, as said every Ash Wednesday:
For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. ~ Genesis 3:19
That being said, let’s follow the Pontiff‘s solid guidance to seek from GOD: courage –> joy –> hope ~ as I’ve studied this leadership practice for several years:
Encourage the ♥Heart♥
CourtesyMaryknoll
Spiritual Sources
ABC. (2015, Sept. 4). “Pope Francis and the People.” [TV special].
EWTN. (2014). Women of Grace “Marian Devotion: For Such a Time As This.”*
Finch, Fr. Raymond J. (2015, Sept. 20). Reflections from Maryknoll.** [Email].
†Fathers† on either side of this †Sister! The one to my right was my student my very first semester!
The †Bishop† in this photo is the father of my student above and a ✌fellow✌ PhD candidate, and the †Father† in this photo is a ✌fellow✌ Pinoy!
Pinoys ‘R Us … The ✌fellow✌ Pinays are mother and daughter, and the daughter was a soloist in our Tosca performance plus is a recording Christian artist now!
†Lesson learned: Serve with care and respect for others
Throwback Thursday: There are 2 things you should practice in life: #gratitude & #forgiveness ~ Dr. Fe Reyes-Dollete #WordsOfWisdom from my Tita who wants us to uphold our family’s #legacy #TBT #ThrowbackThursday #ReyesReunion * #BirthdayTrip2015 #HappyTrip * Lolo Tico & Lola Rosa🌹 • Titas Fe & Aida • Mami Aya • Titos Art & Dr. @robert_chief_cpd #OurBlessedMother #FamilyTree #garden #love #Filipiniana #MagandaKaTalaga #MahalKita ☝🏽️✌🏽️🙏🏽👏🏽🌠🌟⭐️✨💫👑💐🌳🏡💝💖💟💗💓💞💕❤️💛💚💙💜
♪†JESUS, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom…♫
That message stays with me as I reflect on Christ on the cross. On this Good Friday, I encourage you to read along with me the Passion of the Lord, according to John ~ from the Book of John, Chapters 18-19 (John 18:1-19:42) and open up your mind, heart and soul. If tears stream down your face, like I’ve experienced, it shows your overflowing cup of faith in Him, that you too yearn to be His humble servant, and to know Him is to love Him. ♥
Here are the Stations of the Cross that I provided for my family last year. I included pictures that I took at Our Lady of San Juan del Valle and Holy Spirit Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas, my first home in the Rio Grande Valley.
Thanks to the Reverend Doctor King, whose quotes you can find on my FB Fan Page, our world is more open to diversity to this day. Many of us have opportunities to offer our gifts from GOD and learn more about others’ cultures because MLK’s message continues to resonate…
One of GOD’s gifts that I offered was at Church this past weekend. That was when I was lector for the first time at my parish. The good LORDgave me strength as I stood before our congregation and proclaimed His Word from the Books of Isaiah and First Corinthians, as well as Psalm 40. Thank GOD for using me as His servant and instrument to speak through Him.
Also, thanks to GOD, I keep making progress with my dissertation study. Now that I may have an adequate amount of NCAA schools in Texas from whom I have approval to recruit student-athletes to participate in my research, my next step is to acquire approval from the my school, OLLU’s Institutional Review Board. All I can do is move forward…
Another way to move forward is to keep moving! There are plenty of ways to stay Pretty Fit, as I’ve recommended on the app. Even while you’re about to eat and waiting for your meal to be ready, you can stay on-the-move and in-the-groove! With Heart Disease Awareness and Black Heritage/History month coming up in February…
Welcome/Mabuhay/¡Biénvenidos! I am a USAF brat who was born in Germany and grew up State-side while celebrating my Catholic and Filipino heritage. ☼Sunny☼ DISPOsition Elaine’s Eye Candy/DISPhotos ~ I love GOD & His creations, so I take photos @ any given opportunity. Elaine DISPOrts ~ I am passionate about sports, which is my research focus on my ... Continue reading →
