Today’s another one of those weird “you win some, you lose some” days.

My day started off pretty well in spite of the heavy rain. Conne and CJ were in their usual jolly and “malambing” selves. Then on my way to work, I received a bit of good news on a career opportunity with an offer I simply found hard to refuse. The timing was impeccable since my renewable monthly consulting contract with my current employer just ended Monday this week. This makes the transition a bit easier since all I have to worry about now is to ensure that my turnover activities go without a hitch. And so, instead of auto-renewing my contract, I guess I’m off to a new workplace come Monday! Yikes, that was fast!

I also found out this morning that my blogs finally got over a three-day slump and earned me a few $’s via Google’s AdSense, well okay, maybe a few cents. Ha! (As an aside, my SEO skills are definitely improving since, for the past weeks, most of my targeted key words have ranked high or are #1 on most SERPs. I guess that’s one advantage of having worked for DirectWithHotels). And with today’s mounting expenses, plus the fact that CJ’s birthday is fast approaching, earning a few bucks ain’t that bad, and is in fact a welcome opportunity.

And after a relatively uneventful workday, the drive home was unusually quick and almost traffic free, plus, dinner was great and really filling! Burp!

But, in an inevitable cliche-like fashion, all good things just had to end. I received word this evening bearing bad news on a case I was closely following. Oh well, suffice it to say, I believe I have now found the prime candidate for the worst lawyer there is, there was and there ever will be – the ultimate “abogado de kampanilya.”

After mulling things over, I now firmly believe God has a plan for all of us. And I believe that the string of blessings I received earlier today more than compensated for today’s misfortune.

Oh well, you win some, you lose some. :)

Cheers!

Conne and I heard mass a while ago at Greenbelt Chapel, which is about a block away from my office.

Today is “Ash Wednesday” by the way, an important day for Catholics. It marks the first day of Lent. And is the only day that Catholics actually get to boldly walk around bearing a symbol of their faith, the cross-shaped, darkish ash that are marked on their foreheads.

What the priest said during his homily was very interesting (yes, I actually DO listen to homilies at times! Ha!). He had an acronym for each of the letters A, S and H, of Ash Wednesday. And here’s how it goes:

A = Admit or Acknowledge

We have to admit or acknowledge our sins and our imperfection. This is the first step towards change.

S = Step forward

When you have your foreheads marked with an ashen cross, you actually step forward, among peers. And you do so because you acknowledge your sins and are willing to change. Stepping forward means being committed.

H = Hope

We have to do our part in mending our ways. But we also do this in hope that our faith will bring us God’s loving and saving grace.

I just also found out that Ash Wednesday isn’t actually a day of obligation for Catholics. And it’s also not a sin if you don’t participate in the administering of the ashes. This further strengthens the belief that change needs to come from the person and it should not be forced into him.

So, are you willing to acknowledge, step forward and hope? Remember, it’s your choice.

Cheers!