PGT Turned Down

When you have gifted children like mine, you would naturally want them to showcase their talent to friends, relatives or to the whole world for that matter.  I do, like most of the time.  For the simple reason that I am very proud of them.  But recently, I have to decline an opportunity for them that I hope I will not come to regret.  My brother, who supposedly planned to audition for PGT Season 4 here in Cebu has a talent scout for a friend and told him that they're particularly looking for dancers since auditions are mostly flooded with singers.  Without having second thoughts, my brother gave the names of my son and daughter, Troy and Tracy.  We went to the given date and place and just as expected, there were a lot of hopeful participants.  Well, not really a lot like the ones we see during audtions that's being aired aired on TV where the judges, Kris, Ai-Ai and FMG really appear.  It's not even on the scheduled audition date in the malls.  Rather, it was a special audition that I think some promoters or talent scouts had set.  Anyway,  Troy and Tracy went through the audition process and luckily they got in.  Seven participants passed as well including them as a pair.  So technically, six participants passed the audition.  We were told to wait for the call for final decisions from audition management.

 At first, we all got excited.  Who wouldn't?  It is The Pilipinas Got Talent.  Any talented individual would want to have that chance to stand up on that stage and show the world what he/she's got.  And there it was plain on sight for my children to grab.  It was almost like tasting victory!  (Ok, I might be getting too way ahead of myself.)   But it will definitely be a whole new and exciting experience for them and me.  (I was really excited to be honest!) But the dilemma came for us.  Right after the audition period, the children were told by Dancesport Team Cebu that they will be joining for the quarterly DSCPI Ranking and Competition in Manila this coming October.   So, rehearsals and trainings has already commenced as of this writing.  Their hands are also full with academic and other school activities.  Anyhow, I always tell them to make their studies their first priority.  Not even to mention the periodical exam which is only week after the said competition.  So, it's really a tight schedule for them and they could just not bring everything in the table.  I know they have what it takes but it is time that is not permitting them to do so.   I even had to break my schedule for them and help them with studies and even jog with them.

The call came early this month.  Our promoter called up to ask for our final decision for Troy and Tracy.  They feel sanguine that the kids will surely get a spot in the top positions.  The kids will be given 1 week training in Manila, all expense paid with the chaperone.  I told him to give me a call back after 10 minutes.  I really didn't want him to feel that we're too exallted or anything.  It's just that I wanted to make a good decicison for my children.  I know the PGT experience will surely be a good exposure for them.  It will boost up their confidence and one way for them to be recognized. But by whom? I asked myself.  Do they really need recognition at this time yet?  They're still 13 and 15 anyway.  I believe in the saying that an opportunity knocks only once.  But not for them.  If that door had closed on them, then they still have a lot of windows to open for other chances.  As a stage mom, it is but natural that I also dream to have a taste of glamour and fame. Charing! hahaha!  Seriously,  I have learned to play a vital role in my children's lives as entertainers and as athletes.  I cautiously decide what is and what is not right for them and what can mold them as better individuals in life and in dance.  There will be more bright promises and other broken ones in the future but they can't have everything.  It's when I'll be there to tell them to move on and hope for a better one.  So I guess you already know what was my answer when the promoter called back. 

Tell me, had I made a good decision?  

Praising on Sundays: Mark 9:30-37

Gospel from Mark 9:30-37       

³⁰ After leaving that place they made their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to know,
³¹ because he was instructing his disciples; he was telling them, 'The Son of man will be delivered into the power of men; they will put him to death; and three days after he has been put to death he will rise again.'
³² But they did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.
³³ They came to Capernaum, and when he got into the house he asked them, 'What were you arguing about on the road?'
³⁴ They said nothing, because on the road they had been arguing which of them was the greatest.
³⁵ So he sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, 'If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.'
³⁶ He then took a little child whom he set among them and embraced, and he said to them,
³⁷ 'Anyone who welcomes a little child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me, welcomes not me but the one who sent me.'

Reflection:
Jesus is the must humble of all   And who could better be a good example to him than his own mother, Mary.  She who was given the task from God to bring forth into this world the savior.  Had Mary question HIM?  Never had it came across her mind.  She was a servant of the Lord and with an open heart she accepted what was asked of her.  But sometimes I'd thought, Mary had only one child while I have four?!  It's a bigger responsibility for me.  Ah, that's where the challenge is.  God gave me exceedingly talented and spirited children and I am blessed for it.  Whenever possible, I give him thanks and praises for making me a ward to my angels.  In them, they have become inspirations to other children.  They will continue to do so as long as I play my role in teaching them goldy values such as humility like Jesus has.  And in the end,  God will reward them for their goodness.

To You Daryl

I still have a couple of topics in my saved documents that are waiting to be finalized and have it posted here.  But the emotions that I'm feeling right now compelled me to flow in my thoughts for someone I know who left too soon at the age of 35 years old.  She was my classmate and a friend.  A very good friend.  We may not have been in contact for the longest time and that is one thing that I may be regretting at the moment.  We have always known her to be so athletic.  She was a varsity swimmer way back in high school and college.  Other than swimming, she ran, mountain climbed, did yoga and Pilates and all other physical activities.  She was a health buff so to speak.  She had a cardiac arrest a week ago in her place in Canada then had a coma and left this world yesterday morning.  On some occasions, we shared comments and likes in our FB status and pictures.  She was always posting pictures of her many adventures.  That's why it was a real blow for everybody to see those unexpected sympathy greetings & condolences on her wall. Like, who would ever believe that a person as alive as her, someone who embraced life to the fullest with genuine gracefulness such as her?

I'm lost.  I'm grief stricken and plainly at loss for words.

It has left me wondering about life and why it can be cruelly unfair sometimes.  Of what's its really worth.. of how I can make out of it while I'm still of this earth.. and that life is not my own.  But who am I  really living for? What is my purpose in life?  Am I living in a beautiful way like my friend did?  I know she did.  She flourished in every talent and blessing that God gave her.  As I'm writing, I hate the fact that I have to use the past tense in order to describe her.  It only points the sad fact that she's really gone.  She is achingly missed by everybody including me but I will not finish this post by a mere dot.  Rather, I'll end it with another sentence that will become a constant reminder for me of what Daryl really is.  She was and will always be an INSPIRATION.

Dar, you are where you God wants to be right now.  Every experience you had was part of God's divine plan.  You are in a much better place now.  Great adventures await you there.  I will miss you friend.

Bee's Birthday Giveaway

I enjoy drinking tea.  That's why I joined this giveaway to celebrate with Bee as she turns 25.  She'll be giving away a GC from Starbucks and Happy Lemon.

So let's celebrate her birthday with her :-)

It's Never Too Early to Teach A Child How To Pray

"Now, I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
 If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take."

This was the first prayer that was taught to me as a child by my parents.  My dad, who is a Catholic Charismatic preacher has taught us more than one ways on how to build a close relationship with God and this can be done through the medium of praying.  At home, I try my best to gather everybody around to pray and recite the rosary for our family prayer but if schedules are tight, then it leaves only me and the the small ones.

I find it fun and an exciting experience to teach them (my children) how to pray when they're still young.  Actually, I don't really call it "teaching" because I don't like them to think that there's supposed to be a process when praying.  What usually happens is that, like what I do now with Zef and ZJ, when I pray I tell them to sit beside me.  So what follows is that they imitate what I do and say.  Let me share how it came for ZJ to pray with me always.  It started with this simple conversation:

ZJ: "Mom, (what) are you doing?"
ME: "I'm talking to God."
ZJ: "Ah, ok.  I will talk to God also. God, please hold my hand."

And it touched my heart.  That's a prayer that's so pure and straight from the heart.  It came from an innocent child who only knows that Jesus can't be seen but who you can talk to anytime and anywhere.

Just like what my father taught me, prayer shouldn't always be monotonous.  Yes, there are correct prayer methods but forget about this.  Urge your children to start talking to God just like talking to a friend.  Don't mind if your child would include the song of the ABC in his prayer.  That's fine.  As long as he's comfortable in his ways of communicating with God then that's what matters.

Children have strong faith and they trust easily.  This is one characteristic that we parents can learn a lot from them.  As children are transparent in expressing their thoughts in a prayer, this tells us to talk to God also in a way without a hint of doubt.  Our fight of faith may be a little more complicated than those of our children but we can make it with God' help.

Scholarship Granted for My Two

The month of August had been a busy one for me.  There came trials and blessings altogether but it's the latter that I'd like to talk about right now.  If you're one of my readers then you would've read about the scholarship that we've been wishing for my DanceSport kids or you can read it here.

It isn't an easy job to send two kids to a private school and supporting them with their passion and sport as well which is dancesport.  For some who doesn't know, Troy and Tracy had been dance partners for six years now.  They also had joined local and national competitions and bagged some awards.  During those times, their school could only commend them for a job well done but not enough to grant them a scholarship.  But all those changed this year.  I am happy to say that finally, their school created a varsity team for danceporters and since they have seen and recognized the skills of my two kids, they have automatically considered them for scholarship.  You can't imagine how financially relieved I was when First Grading exams came and I didn't need to pay for their school fees. Whew. ;-)

I am just thankful also that the school have seen my children's hard work and that they're deserving for a scholarship.  Although, I still remind my children not to slack off.  This means more hard work for them specially in maintaining their school grades.  With all these, expectations are moved higher for them.  I see their dedication and passion for education and dancing but with their young minds, they are still easy prey for temptations.  Discipline is needed and that's why I teach myself to "dance" with them as well.  Not to the literal meaning of the word but to support them all the way and most importantly, to carry them when they're all tired and dreary. That's what a caring stage mom do. :-)