Thank You for Everything

Are you thankful for everything you have now? Do you say "thank you" to the one who gives you something? Or maybe you don't say at all? Last November 17, 2006, Pastor Jun Lumagbas talked to us about being thankful. In his sermon, he pointed out that thanksgiving must be directed to God to recognize His name, recognize Him as God of all and to recognize His plan for our lives. Pastor Jun told us about how God saved Israel from Egypt. It is when God divided that Red Sea to let the Israelites pass through the sea and bring them to the promised land which is Canaan. When the Israelites had passed through, God let down the water on the Egyptians and drowned them. Egypt represents God's enemy and Pharaoh. The Israelites were so thankful to God for saving them from the cruelty of the Egyptians. Pastor Jun included that Exodus chapter fifteen was the first song. It was said there that God is our salvation, our song, our strength and our God.


Now, in our generation, we often forget to say "thank you." We get something without saying "thank you." Don't you think it's bad? Even, I, often forget to say those two words. If I would, I will have a hard time to utter it out. When I have a problem, I always get pissed off. I don't take it as a challenge to live life. I don't feel grateful for it. But now, I come to realize that problems are made for good. They are meant for something. I know that God sends us problems to test our faith in Him.


The time I lost a friend, I thought God has forsaken me. I didn't take it as a problem that will mold me into a better person. Months after that problem, that friend of mine taught me lesson. A lesson that will never depart from me. Now, I somehow taught him a lesson and that is to be humble. He doesn't want anyone to take his position of being a consistent first honor. He didn't know that he had already stepped on someone else. I just hope that he was thankful for what I did. I am also very grateful to teach him that.


We should be thankful to God, to our parents, to our friends, to our house help, to the drivers and many other more. First, we need to thank God because He gave us life. He has provided us with many things. In time of difficulty, He is always there to help us. He doesn't depart from us. He always stay with us. No matter how long we turn our backs on Him, He doesn't give-up on us. Second, to our parents because it is them who brought us to this world. They provide us our basic needs. We just can't explain how we love them. To our friends, "thank you" because they are always beside us in times of trouble. When we have problems, we don't hesitate to go near them because we are assured that they can help us though not totally get that burden off, at least, they make that burden not too heavy to put on our backs. They are always there when we are blue. To our house help and drivers, "thank you" because they help us do half of our job. Though they didn't finish a high degree of education, we still need to thank them. Thank them for preparing food for us, for driving us to school or elsewhere. Thank them for being around when our parents are not. They ensure our health and safety.


In Ephesians 5:20, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." tells us to give thanks to the Lord for everything. It is because everything comes from Him and only Him whether it is good or bad. No one deserves more thanks than God alone. So, remember to be thankful at all times whether good or bad comes to you.

Teaching...

Remember the saying "It takes two to tango" this can apply to the teacher-student relationship. Teachers and students should consider themselves partners in the education process with the common goal--self perfection. Teachers to teach and student to learn.


My grandmother is a teacher. From her, I learned that teacher is an essential factor of learning. A good teacher must have the ability to create teaching strategies in order to stimulate or motivate the learning ability of the students. Teaching will be successful if the teacher knows the interest and understands the problem of the students. A teacher should respect the personality of the learner and appreciation of his or her contribution to the common task assigned. Teaching should be democratic.


The function of teaching is to provide the best stimuli so that the best learning may take place. Teaching is the stimulus and learning is the response or reaction. It can be said therefore that teaching and learning supplement and implement each other. Both are important.


The emphasis in all teaching should be upon the learning process and not upon the subject matter. If the teacher finds the need to change their instructional methods and style in order to adjust their students needs then so be it. He or she should not lead students to failure, but guide them to have a better understanding of the lesson. In turn, the student would obtain understanding of himself or herself as a person. In this, learning comes in.

I am Althea.

Just like ordinary kids, I play around.I had my nursery in OLGPCLC(Our Lady of Guadalupe Child Learning Center). Since I am the only one going to school at that time and having no one to play with, I did mischievous things like the time when I bit my teacher's ear. I was three years old back then while my classmates were ages five to six years old. The time when I bit my teacher's ear was when my yaya came to school to return a food container which belonged to my teacher. I felt like going home with my yaya when I saw her. I was running towards her when my teacher stopped me. I really struggled to go out of the room but she brought me back to my chair. While on my chair, I climbed up the table and it so happened that my teacher was very near me. She was on my reach. I slowly went near her and bit her ear thinking that she'd allow me to go home. My parents didn't know about what happened but when they brought me to school the next day, I barely got off the vehicle. I was so guilty of such action. My parents kept asking me why I was so different that day.It was just so unusual of me because they know how much I love going to school. They asked the teacher what the matter really was. There, she told them what I did to her. Upon learning what mischievous thing I did, I got a dressing down from them. From that day on, I didn't go back to that school, instead, I stayed in my room with all the activity books my mom bought for me. It was somehow a fun punishment. I was able to vandalize the walls of my room. Again, I got reprimanded but it was still fun. Drawing all around the walls of my room.

When I reached five years old, I attended school again. I was enrolled in Bethany Christian School. My parents had second thoughts of sending me to that school since it was quite expensive and they feared that might quit school again but eventually, I proved them wrong. I studied very well and had somehow impressive academic achievements. I was in that school from my kinder years until the last year of my elementary education. I had some good friends and I sometimes hang around with them.


I am Althea Gil J. Bana-ay. I'm a second year high school student of the University of the Philippines High School in Cebu. I was born on the seventeenth day of December in the year 1991 to Samuel and Esterlita Gabutan. Wondering why my last name is Bana-ay when my parents are Gabutan? It's simply because I'm an illegitimate child or shall I state it this way: I was born before my parents got married. I am the eldest of five children. But I have a half-sister older than I am. She's Apple Joy J. Bana-ay. She's now a Registered Nurse. I have three brothers namely Valentin, Paul Sammy and Paul Rommy. My dear younger sister is Tanya Jill. Valentin is in first year high school. Paul Sammy is in grade two. Paul Rommy is in kinder two. My dear Tanya Jill is in grade four. The four of them are studying in Bethany Christian School. My family and I lives in Gabutan Compound Buena Hills Guadalupe, Cebu City. My father is a landscaper while my mother is a housewife.


Every person has his or her own interests, hobbies or talents. As for me, I'm inclined to reading. I love swimming. I was only about five years old when I learned to swim. As I reached the age of eleven, I tried my best to learn badminton and fortunately, I did. I'm an adventurous person. I love travelling. So far, I've been to Negros, Iloilo, Boracay, Bohol and Davao. The places' wonderful scenic spots make my day so fine.T hey make me feel comforted.


Being in U.P. was not my choice. It was my parents' decision to put me to this school. During my first year, I really had a hard time with my Filipino subject because in my old school, our teacher would speak to us in English since Filipino subject wasn't really a big thing. In this university, I saw and knew things I didn't see and know. I also encountered challenges that I never knew it was possible to encounter. Now, I know that there is a big world for me to explore and life has a test for me to take and I am ready to risk all that I have just to surpass life's test.