It so Happened?

"Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous" - Albert Einstein

 

It was 22^nd of December 2012 and I was going to fetch my sister Mabel from the Lipa (Tambo) Exit of the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollway), where the bus from Manila using the expressway would pass for alighting passengers. Since parking space there is almost non-existent, I prefer to arrive at the place at about the same time that her bus will arrive there, normally only 25 minutes from home.

It so happened that there was a little leak in the fuel hose of the owner type jeep we were to ride on so I had to pass first by the gasoline station (which is out-of-the-way by almost a kilometer) to load some fuel.

At that time, the Starex van my family would use for their travel the following day was being checked up and the mechanic found that the oil filter had to be changed. It so happened that the shop was along the way from the gas station so my brother-in-law rode with me to buy the oil filter (but it was not available in Cuenca so he had to go all the way to Lipa with me).

It so happened that along the way, we were halted with bumper to bumper traffic at Brgy. Ibabao because the parked vehicles of people attending the "misa de gallo" (simbang gabi) constricted the roadway. That was the first time I was not annoyed by a heavy traffic on the road because I felt the Lord was doing something special.

It was already dark when we eventually reached Brgy. Tambo but we could not find the auto shop where my brother-in-law was supposed to buy the oil filter. On our way back, I saw lights at the Starex dealer shop so we went there. The man we found there said, “actually Sir we were supposed to be already closed”. It so happened that they had a Christmas party which had just ended and they were about to close shop. The “parts-man” showed up shortly and we were able to buy the badly needed oil filter. [Had we arrived too early, they would still be at the party. Had we arrived too late, the shop would be already closed].

We then proceeded to the STAR Tollway Exit. I saw a spot at the road shoulder where I can pull over (not intending to alight from the vehicle). It so happened that as I was pulling over, my sister was just crossing the roadway from the other side where her bus had stopped. I realized that was what happened because as soon as I pulled over, I requested my brother-in-law to go fetch my sister and then as he was walking towards the intersection, lo and behold, my sister was just arriving. [She need not have to stand waiting on the road, and I need not have to worry finding appropriate parking space because I didn’t need to park]. We arrived home almost in a jiffy.

When I was going to Gawad Kalinga - HOLD-NorCal in San Jose Sico, Batangas City as the sun was rising on June 12 (2021), I decided to ride my bike for the 30-km journey. It was a mountain bike I had been riding to various places for more than a decade already. As I climbed towards Bungahan in Cuenca, the chain snapped. Without anything with me that can be used to repair it, I turned back intending to return home. As soon as I had turned, another biker approached me asking, "Do you want me to repair your chain?"

Knowing the need for tools, I asked him, "Do you have a chain cutter?" He said promptly, "Yes!"
I agreed, and he proceeded to reconnect the chain using an all-in-one tool that included a chain cutter. As his hands worked expertly, he narrated that he was on his way home, having biked through 3 towns already that early morning. In a few minutes he was able to repair the chain, then asked me if there is a need for more air in the tires because he also had a portable air pump. After restoring the bike, he refused to accept any token of appreciation from me, so I just thanked him and proceeded on my way.

Were those events just so happened?

Weren’t they too precise for us not to see that God let them happen to lead my way?

God is guiding your way too, through simple and through special things. Just let Christ Jesus into your life and you will see!

Hallelujah!

~ Sir Magi

 

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No need to fear exams

Wonder why it seems so hard to take an exam?

            Most of the time, this is because examinees come to an exam with a wrong purpose: to get a high score in the exam…

            This focus takes part of one’s mind/brain away from becoming ready for the exam, robbing oneself of some of the resources needed for the exam. The wrong focus on the desired score usually leads to various uncanny ways of preparing for an exam with undesirable consequences. One that is becoming very popular is trying to foreknow the possible questions that will be given in the exam. This is a hit or miss approach because the examinee can only answer if the question reviewed will be given in the exam, otherwise it’s a matter of luck hence it does not really prepare him for the exam. To increase the chances of passing, one needs to know more of the “expected” questions. This often results to overdoing the preparation for the exam… which tends to tire out the examinee too close to the day of the exam eventually leading to the undesirable result of the exam, the very outcome being avoided in the first place!

            Your mind should be relaxed and ready (fully-charged, so to speak) when you come to an exam and this will not be the case when you fill it with such concerns like I need to get 90% in this exam; or there are still some things I’m not yet very familiar with; or some other apprehensions. Needless to say, the part of your brain used for these concerns will not be ready-for-use in answering questions during the exam.

            The best way to approach an exam is to take it as it is: as a test! Paradoxical as it is, it works! In this, examinees need to look at an exam as a means of evaluating one’s level of knowledge for a particular subject/topic, as a measuring tool and as such, they should be ready and willing to accept the result of the exam.

            When you come to an exam ready to accept whatever the result will be, having let go of any concerns which are outside your control, your mind will be wholly free to tackle the test. One hundred percent of your mental resources will be available for use in the exam. Thus, people who are willing to discover and accept at what level they really are at a particular time have greater chances of passing an exam than others who are afraid to ascertain themselves.

            Having a crash review works only when there is already a base knowledge to which the review will add upon. Otherwise trying to get a passing score simply by cramming during review is tantamount to fooling oneself… which makes it hard even for the self to believe, much more to actualize… Because it denies one’s present level of knowledge, the starting point for moving on is lost in the process. On the other hand, people who are not afraid to discover the truth of their present level of knowledge can use the result of an exam as the starting point for moving on in their journey for development. It is better to let go and when the results reveal an undesired state, commit to improve yourself so you can pass the next test.

            Preparing for an exam is quite simple: master the basic principles applicable to the topic or subject matter of the exam, know the possible variations in their applications, and practice applying them… ask questions when in doubt! This should enable anybody to answer and pass exams, a by-product of your becoming better!

            Passing an exam should not be considered as the fruit of your efforts to grow and develop or to become better. It should rather be likened only to a picture of the fruit… because the fruit is your growth or development. The fruit is something in you! Passing a test/exam only attests to that growth in a document form.

            Grow... develop yourself… and then passing exams with flying colors will just be a breeze!

~ Sir Magi

 

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Little is NOT Nothing

When we consider the many ills in our society, it is an easy retort to point upon the politicians, those in the government office, or just any other people, as the culprit because it relieves us of any responsibility and accountability on the problem. It is easy to be blamers, to see other people as the source of these problems. However, as Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Unless we become part of the solution, we are technically part of the problem!

Seeing the situation as hopeless aggravates the problem even if that does not become another problem. No wonder Egypt’s president Anwar el-Sadat said, 'He who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality, and will never, therefore, make any progress.' Though at first glance the problem may appear extensive or gigantic, this does not mean that it is unsolvable. There is still hope for a solution: if we will believe and if we will begin the solution within ourselves! A person can only change himself, experts say. This means that we cannot directly change any of people who may be part of the problem yet this also means that the solution to the problem is right in us and hence the main hindrance towards a solution is only one: our own selves... .each one of us !

Never underestimate what a single person can do: one Anne Frank simply confided to her diary and became one of the greatest champions for racial injustice in the 20^th century; the works of one common man Mahatma Gandhi gave India its independence from Britain; the selfless compassion of one Mother Theresa took care of countless poor, otherwise hopeless people. We need not lose if we will not concede. As Helen Keller said, 'I am only one, and yet I am one. I cannot do everything and yet I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.'

This is because anyone of us can choose to be a transition person: one who will not pass on anything we believe to be incorrect though we may have experienced or seen any of these wrongs. That is the effective way of ending unwanted practices. But what effect can a little effort have on a gigantic problem? Little at first, but not nothing. No good effort towards a solution will be wasted, its effect will be there and will be felt in due time as a trim-tab does to the rudder. A trim-tab in a ship (or a plane) is the small rudder that turns the big rudder that turns the entire ship. Just as a trim-tab eventually turns the ship though the ship is enormously very much bigger than it, each of us in our “small” capacities can become a trim-tab – leading and spreading influence no matter what position we hold. We only need to believe in the infallibility of the principles that God ordained to work in the world where we live thereby not being hesitant to practice them: taking the initiative to live with integrity regardless of what other people say or do. To live with integrity is a matter of each person’s choice, and its effect is contagious! As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, "Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."

Regarding the trim-tab attitude and spirit, Tom Peters advises: "relish the ‘little’ assignment or ‘chore’ that no one else wants! Seek it out! It’s a license for self-empowerment, whether it’s a redesign of a form or planning a weekend retreat… you can turn it into something grand and glorious…"

Taking initiative is a form of self-empowerment. It is the means by which you increase your influence. No matter what the issue, problem or concern you have, you can empower yourself by taking initiative in some way. Be sensitive, be wise, be careful regarding timing, but do something about the situation. Avoid complaining, criticizing or being negative; be especially weary of absolving yourself from responsibility and simply blaming others for failures. We live in a culture of blame… so taking responsibility means swimming against the current. Yes, as Mother Theresa said, "Few of us can do great things, but all of us can do small things with great love." This life is given to each of us as an opportunity to have some worth, to leave a legacy. Indeed, that’s our destiny. It’s just that there are people who choose to avoid his/her destiny. Yet, as Gandhi said, "We must become the change we seek in the world."

Your opportunity is before you: don’t you want to meet your destiny? The choice is yours!

~ Sir Magi

 

Reference:
1. Covey, Stephen R. "The 8th Habit" Free Press, New York, 2004

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Excellence is Designed in Us

We are Created to Excel

(we should discover how to...)

as They Did…

            As a child living with strict parents, Sir Edmund Hillary walked barefoot to school, no matter the weather. His teachers often told him bluntly that he was physically unfit, thin, weak, and too often sick. Edmund escaped his harsh family life by reading – sometimes at the rate of one book a day. Overhearing some climbers one day, he decided to “climb something.” His early attempts to fulfill this decision were not exactly successful. He broke 3 ribs in one fall, was gored by a frightened yak during another climb, and suffered infected leech bites, massive blisters and frozen nose drips on various climbs. Nevertheless, Hillary became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest with sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

            Having not so much financial resources, Joey Reyes decided not to enroll in a review class though he was not among the top of his class. He compensated for this by diligent and consistent review at home. He became the first topnotcher from PBMIT (now BSU) when he placed 5^th in the May 1986 CE Board Exam.

            At age 4, Itzhak Perlman became seriously ill with polio and lost the use of his legs. He had to wear braces and use crutches to attend school. Because he could no longer run, he concentrated on music. By his early 20’s he is considered by many to be the greatest living violinist.

            My former classmate Violeta Sepillo didn’t want to take a review course because she didn’t “know what to review” though most of her classmates toiled to study/review even beyond their physical limits. She passed the board exam while many of those who overdid their review failed.

            As a student, Marie lived as simply and cheaply as possible, traveling to the university (in Paris, France) on foot in all kinds of weather and spending her evenings at the library so she didn’t have to heat her small rented room. She continued this way through a master’s degree and then two more degrees – one in Physics and one in Mathematics. She was enthralled with her studies and her friends, one of whom was Pierre Curie, whom she married without fanfare. In fact, when a friend insisted on buying her wedding dress, Marie said, “If you are going to be kind enough to give me one, please let it be practical and dark, so that I can put it on afterward to go into the laboratory.” With relentless determination and hard work in their damp, icy-cold shed that served as a laboratory, Marie – together with Pierre – succeeded in isolating Radium. The Curies might have profited greatly from their research, but they decided neither to take out patents nor to profit materially from their discovery. Instead, Marie installed her X-ray apparatus wherever it was most needed… which were used to help more than a million soldiers. Her discovery led to treatments that saved millions of lives through the years.

            As a young woman, Juliette Gordon Low, spent much of her time on parties. But at age 46, she longed to do something worthwhile. After meeting the founder of the Boys Scouts 6 years after her husband died, she knew what to do. A year later, at age 52, she founded what eventually became the “Girl Scouts” becoming its principal fund raiser for years. At the time of her death, there were nearly 168,000 members of the Girl Scouts.

            The life of Elizabeth Blackwell changed the day she visited her dying friend who told her that if she had only been treated by a lady doctor, she might not be dying (because the friend was too ashamed to mention her internal problems to a man). Driven by her compassion, she prepared for medical training by reading medical books at night. Afterwards, she wrote to 29 schools seeking admission. Only one small medical college in New York considered her application, where she was eventually accepted and graduated at the top of her class, the first woman to receive medical degree in the USA. Unable to find a job, it was at a maternity hospital in France that she was finally accepted as a nursing apprentice. After two years in Europe, she returned to the US still unable to find a job, she decided to found her own dispensary. She and her younger sister (who became a surgeon) worked in that clinic. Over the next 90 years, more than a million patients were seen at the clinic Elizabeth founded. She worked until her death at age 99, with a firm belief: “Each soul must answer to its Maker, so I work on in joyful faith.”

so Can You…

            Anne Frank “confided” to Kitty – her diary – by writing about her life. With its publication after her death, she has come to be regarded as one of the most famous “voices” from the Holocaust and one of the greatest champions for racial injustice in the 20^th century.

            Before Abraham Lincoln became the 16^th president of the USA, he first suffered many losses: he lost an election to the Illinois state legislature in 1832, he did not get a desired a appointment in 1849, he lost two Senate races; in 1855 and in 1858, he lost the vice presidential nomination in 1856; his mother died when he was 9 years old, his 4-year old son died in 1850, his father died in 1851 and his 12-year old son died in 1862. He attended only a few months of “blab school” – a school with no books at which the students repeated the teachers’ words aloud. He once said, “I will study and prepare myself, and one day when the time comes, I will be ready.” He taught himself mathematics, read classical literature and worked on his writing style using the Bible as his model. He wrote to a friend, “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.” On the eve of Gettysburg battle during the civil war, his generals asked him why he was so calm. He answered, “I spent last night in prayer before the Lord. He has given me the assurance that our cause will triumph…”

            Due to a sickness when Helen Keller was 9 months old, she lost her abilities to see, hear and speak. However, she refused to relinquish her curiosity about the world and her desire to communicate. With the help of Anne Mansfield Sullivan, her mentor-turned-friend, she did overcome. Keller not only learned to read and write Braille – the raised print for the blind – she also took speech lessons and eventually learned to speak English, French and German. Keller traded the titles of “blind, deaf and mute” given to her as a child for the titles of “scholar, author, philosopher, motion picture actress, traveler, lecturer and winner of countless awards and accolades.” She still cannot see and hear the way we do but nonetheless, according to her friend Edward Everett Hale, “she does know what is the omnipotence of God, what is the infinite range of hope, and what is faith in the unseen.”

            When I came to BSU as an instructor, my goal was to be the best instructor, to share with my students what gave me a 13^th place in the May 1987 CE Board exam. This was why I am very diligent when it comes to doing my job as a subject instructor: I check/evaluate what the students are submitting; I come to all of my classes; I let my students evaluate me for the purpose of becoming better each year. I believed then that these were the right goals to aim for… until I received a message from someone who introduced himself as “Ka Hector” saying that he will cut my head off for giving a failing grade to one of my previous students. That led me to rethink my personal goals and my activities.

Oseola McCarty began to work cleaning clothes after school at age 8. She continued to do this for more than 70 years until arthritis forced her to retire at age 86. Throughout those years, she made it a point to deposit part of her earnings in a savings account. She never complained about her life and after retirement, she turned her life savings – which had grown to $150,000 – into an irrevocable trust assigned to provide scholarships for needy students. In Oseola’s words, “I think the way we live matters, not just for now but for always. There is an eternal side to everything you do.”

            I realized later what was wrong: my vision was too narrow that I didn't see the bigger picture; my goals were too self-serving! That was why everything I did amounted to”nothing” in reality. A few days later, I said to the Lord, “sa ‘yo na nga po ang buhay ko.” For the first time in my life, I experienced real peace and I was at peace. It was only after surrendering myself to God that I experienced real, meaningful and joyful life! No wonder Pope John Paul II said, “brothers and sisters, don’t be afraid to welcome Christ and to accept his power.” When we do, we acknowledge God as our Lord but He considers us as His friends... and then we'll see meaning in our life...

then why hold back yourself?

As a young man, Clive Staples Lewis thought of himself as an atheist, but at age 28, he had a conversation with a colleague Thomas Dewar Weldon that set him on a spiritual search that ended 3 years later. Lewis wrote, “I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.” Several months later, he wrote to a friend, “I have just passed on from believing in God to definitely believing in Christ – in Christianity.” By the end of 1931, Lewis was praying regularly… He gained a reputation as the “scholar pilgrim” – a man who did not perceive that logic and faith were enemies, but rather, that logic was a legitimate path toward faith.

            Developing confidence and overcoming obstacles share a common foundation: trust in God. Once we realize that we are imperfect and have many limitations, we can only be confident when we are sure that God is for us; that God is our friend. Charles A. Lindbergh – the first to fly an airplane non-stop from New York to Paris –said, “In my youth, science was more important than either man or God… Now I understand that spiritual truth is more essential to a nation than the mortar on its cities’ wall. For when the actions of a people are undergirded by spiritual truths, there is safety… We must understand spiritual truths and apply them to our modern life. We must draw strength from the almost forgotten virtues of simplicity, humility… and prayer. It requires a dedication beyond science, beyond self, but the rewards are great and it is our only hope.” When we trust God and submit to Him, we can pray (communicate) with God in confidence that He listens to us! As Pope John Paul II said, “when I was young, I thought that prayer could be – should be – only in thankfulness and adoration… I changed my opinion completely. Today, I ask very much.”

When Nick Vujicic when was born without limbs (arms and legs), his Dad thought he wouldn't survive for very long, but tests proved that Nick was a healthy baby boy, just with a few limbs missing. God provided them strength, wisdom and courage to go through and soon enough, Nick was able to attend school. His life was not easy but God’s love saw him through. Nick has now completed a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Financial Planning and Accounting. He said, “if you have the desire and passion to do something, and if it's God's will, you will achieve it in good time. As humans, we continually put limits on ourselves for no reason at all! What's worse is putting limits on God who can do all things… The awesome thing about the Power of God is that if we want to do something for God, instead of focusing on our capability, concentrate on our availability for we know that it is God through us and we can't do anything without Him. Once we make ourselves available for God's work, guess whose capabilities we rely on? God's!”

            My goal now is not only to help you realize your goal but also to help you see, and aim for, the only worthy goal for humans: knowing God & receiving our sonship. Here, I’m at your service.

In the book “This is My Story” Toni Rose Gayda said about God’s reconstructive power: “with Him, no life is wasted because He can fashion even our worst mistakes and greatest trials into something good & beautiful, if only we place them into His hands.” Speaking of her confident assurance of God being her anchor in life, she said, “I am deeply loved, completely forgiven, totally accepted and I am a whole person because of Christ.”

          You can be one too… the move is now yours!

 

~ Sir Magi

  (c.magi@yahoo.com)

 

References:
1. You Can Be a World Changer Lighthouse Inspirational Books & Gifts, Manila, Philippines, 2004

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Make Singing a Habit

   Singing should not be seen only as a form of entertainment for singing is natural to human beings… a natural expression of his emotions, of what he feels. Gleeful songs thus reflect a joyous state of the one singing… and this kind of song is what I’m speaking about here. You see, singing songs of delight should be among our habits!

    Why? What should we be happy about?
    It is the simple fact that everything we need is always provided for us… when we believe! You see, when we make request or pray for something we need, we are sure to receive it if we believe. It is the natural or normal sequence: ask-believe-receive[1]. That’s simply how it works in the world we live in!
Receiving the thing we prayed about ought to make us delighted. That’s more than enough reason to rejoice, isn’t it? Now, if we believe that we will receive what we prayed about, we should right away be delighted about it. And a very simple way of showing this is by singing songs of our heart. This is why we should sing… make it a habit… always!
    It’s not necessarily a vocal song. You can whistle or hum a tune or even render a silent song of a rejoicing heart. As long as it is a song of your cheerful heart, it is already a song of belief. And it really works!

    In the summer of 2008, I had a headache in which the doctors I consulted were not able to determine the cause. At that time, I really needed to be relieved of the headache because I would be serving as a staff in our youth camp in about 2 weeks where I must be physically fit. So, I decided to simply pray: I sincerely asked God to take away my headache, and then I started to sing the song of belief from my heart. I sang my heart’s song everyday as I travel between home and my workplace. And after several days my headache was gone!

    On October 17th, 2011, I had to commute on my way home because I left my motorbike at the shop for repairs. I rode a jeepney to where I used to go when I don't have a motorbike yet. After my first ride, I proceeded to the roadside terminal for my second jeepney ride but lo and behold, there was no vehicle in site. So I started looking around on foot. As I was about to complete my rounding of the block, there was an elderly lady walking by the street... she just volunteered to me the information I needed with a question: "Are you looking for the jeepney terminal?" My heart jumped with joy that moment... and politely answered her. I proceeded to where she directed me and I was able to go home on time.

    I now know why the Bible speaks about three things that human beings should always do: rejoice; pray; and give thanks[2]. And that’s because it’s simply the way to live in the world we live in! It is written not as an additional requirement but rather as a revelation of what works! God created it that way and He saw that it was “very good.[3]”

   So always sing the songs of your believing, rejoicing heart. 

It avails much: because God made it that way.

   I have experienced it. Yes, even those who do not formally ascribe to the Bible believe it, they refer to it as The Law of Attraction…

~ Sir Magi

 

References:
1. Mark 11:24 [ESV] “…whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 [ESV] “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances…”
3. Genesis 1:31 [ESV] “Good saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good…”

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Choose to Always Smile

Smiling is a Choice

No man is an island so it was said, and how true it is, because we deal with people each day. People are the source of our inspiration and sometimes of our miseries also. There are people who cause us problems and there are those who enable us to solve problems, overcome challenges and even excel. Some people break our heart yet our life also gets meaning because of people we value, care for, cherish, and love...

so in order for us to always have peace of mind, gladness of heart and rejoicing spirit... no matter what, 

we should choose to always smile...

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Nervous No More

Delivering an Oral Report in Class

    Many students shun the idea of presenting or delivering an oral report in class. I also did when I was still a college student. However, now that I have discovered an effective way of doing it, I am the one encouraging my students to report in front of the class. Reporting in class provides a unique opportunity for personal development such as: practice of speaking in English; facing and convincing an audience; and overcoming fright, to name a few.
    The key to giving effective and memorable reports in class is preparation. A student-reporter who is well-prepared can face any audience with his or her message.

Preparation

    You need to prepare physically, mentally and even emotionally and spiritually. For first-time reporters, be assured that it will be easier than you think. This is especially true in cases of reporting in class because your audience will be a group of people not stranger to you. For sure, you have friends among, or at least know some of, them if not yet all of them so you need not fear your audience. They are in the same boat with you so to speak. Be ready preferably at least 24 hours before the time of your report.
    The most important aspect of the report that you need to be ready about is the topic that you will be presenting. To have a really effective report, you should choose a topic that is close to your heart. If you have no control of the choice of topic, make the topic assigned to you close to your heart. Then gather as much information about the topic as you need to convince yourself of its merits: its importance or relevance to you (and hence to your audience); why your audience must lend you their time to listen to what you have to say. Exhaust every source of material available to you. Ask experts on the topic, including your instructor and/or adviser, for matters that need clarification in your report. Clarify any aspect of the topic that you still have some doubts about until all aspects of the topic are clear. At this point, you would have been already a believer of the topic you’ll deliver. In other words, you now have some form of ownership of the topic. That’s what will make the delivery as easy as sharing yourself in a conversation with a friend, your audience is simply greater in number.
    When you “own” the topic, you can think of the delivery as simply thinking aloud for “out of the abundance of the heart (mind) the mouth speaks” [Matthew 12:34]. When you are convinced of the importance of your topic, rest assured that you will find words to say what you mean even though you are already in front of the class. When you know your topic well enough, you can make yourself clear in front of anybody. You know you have an important message to tell and that awareness is enough for you to find words to say until you see in the eyes of your audience that they got your message.
When the topic is already clear to you, then you need to organize… write down the main points you want to bring so as to present the ideas in a story flow that will convince your audience just as you are already convinced. Aside from the main ideas or body of your report, select a beginning point or introduction to get your audience’s attention and more importantly the ending point or concluding part - the ideas you want your audience to remember. Let these be very clear in your mind beforehand. With these, you have an organized report. If you feel you still need to use notes, try small index cards as prompts during you’re your delivery. Write the salient points (use large letters) of your report in such cards for you to refer from during your presentation.
    You will also need to be ready with the materials needed during the presentation proper. Consider a summary of the main points of your report on a transparency (or equivalent) as minimum visual aid requirement plus necessary illustrations. When using slides, a maximum of only 8 lines per slide is good practice. Use visual effects to a minimum: just enough to add interest to the presentation but not too much as to divert the attention from the topic towards the visual effects. Feel free to include in your report whatever you think will enhance your presentation such as video clippings, posters, etc.
    And spend time in prayer for God’s guidance and providence.
On the day of the report, be also physically ready. Be presentable preferably in formal attire.

Reporting / Delivery/Presentation
    Ask somebody to introduce you, assuming that your audience does not know you yet. Including some aspects of your life or personality relevant to the topic can help set the tone for your delivery.
After your name is called, walk eagerly in front of your audience. SMILE! Greet them, then pause a little to get their full attention. Establish rapport with your audience by looking at their eyes. If you are feeling nervous (which by the way is normal), choose to look first in the eyes of friends but you should not look away from your audience. Then share what is in your heart about the topic. Stand in proper posture and speak boldly without hesitation. Remember, you have an important message to deliver them, a message that you yourself believe in. Be forthright and factual. Be sincere. Be sure to talk to the whole group by looking at everyone though you may prefer to look longer to your “friends” in the audience. Speak confidently from your heart and appropriate gestures will follow naturally (just like when you are telling a story).
    Choose what is close to your heart among the various ways of delivering report and then proceed. Vary your speaking speed and tone as to what you are saying. These are valuable tools for maintaining audience attention and for emphasizing major points of your topic. Avoid verbal mannerisms. Focus on your message! When you keep in mind that your audience needs to receive your message, you will forget yourself and your nervousness will disappear. Discern the reaction of your audience especially through their facial expressions. If they seem confused or even uninterested, make them understand… A good way of fostering understanding of the topic is to be able to site local examples or applications of it. Bear in mind that what is important is your message, and your audience’s need to understand it.
Be sure to speak only with the time allotted to you (your ability to speak within time limit is also indicative of your mastery of the topic.) Thank your audience after your delivery. Also, ask them if there is any aspect of the presentation that you need to clarify: answer questions honestly.
After your report, ask your instructor as well as others from the audience who are willing to give honest feedback to give you an evaluation of your oral report, with suggestions for your improvement.

Continuous Improvement / Readiness
    Oprah Winfrey said, “Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.” So start trekking your road for improvement immediately. Be on the look out for matters of personal interest and make data gathering a daily habit. Grab the next opportunity to speak again in front of an audience. As in any skill, speaking in public in enhanced through practice. You’ll be glad you did! You can never tell how such an exposure will help you sooner or later, perhaps in you job or visa application interview …

And don't forget that the key to it all is to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

~ Sir Magi

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Suggested Reading:
McFarland, Kenneth, Eloquence in Public Speaking Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1984

Learning is an Initiative

Learning Imperative

(Handout for my Students)

They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

- Isaiah 40:31

The past is not so silent...
This is written in the hope of fostering an atmosphere conducive to learning, pleasant interaction and better understanding among us with the goal of personal betterment for us all. I believe that students take formal education in a university because of a purpose, a goal. You want to achieve and be successful at something! You want a better future for yourself and your loved ones. In light of such hope, it is my desire to help you in achieving your goals. And mind you, you are already endowed with the necessary faculty to achieve your goals. Yes, everyone does! History is a silent witness to the truth that for a human being, the future need not be a continuation of an undesirable past. Their past did not prevent Steve Jobs from making Apple computers; Ramon Magsaysay from becoming president of the Philippines; and, Abraham Lincoln from becoming president of the USA. The pioneering board topnotchers from Pablo Borbon Memorial Institute of Technology (now BSU) believed they could and they did.
How? By using the magnificent birth-gifts [1] all human beings have been given. Yes, all humanity is created equal: with the same gifts! The first of this is the freedom of choice. We have the freedom to choose our response to whatever happens to us and around us; response-ability. This power of choice means that we are not merely products of our past genes nor of how others treat us. They unquestionably influence us, but they do not determine us. We are self-determining through our choices.
Through the years you may have been convinced that you cannot do any better anymore. That is simply untrue! You can become a lot better when you exercise your freedom of choice. Your power to choose the direction of your life allows you to reinvent yourself, to change your future, and to powerfully influence the rest of creation. It is the one gift that enables us to elevate our life to higher levels. Many others have done just that.
As a college student [2], Louis Pasteur was called mediocre by his professors. But by age 26, he had completed a doctorate degree. He went on develop the anthrax “vaccine” and the “pasteurization” technique.
When Wilma Rudolph was 4 years old, her left leg was paralyzed. She later said, “the doctors told me I would never walk, but my mother told me I would, so I believed my mother.” Wilma’s mother made countless sacrifices to get Wilma the medical treatment she needed and in the 1960 Olympics, Wilma set a world record in the 200-meter run. She was later heralded as the fastest woman in history.
So, what do we use this freedom of choice for? As David Starr Jordan said, “There is no real excellence in all this world which can be separated from right living” we first need to choose to be in harmony with principles and natural laws, another of the birth-gifts. No matter what others say, the natural law is, “A man reaps what he sows” [3]. We need to plant before we can harvest. We need to study in order to learn, a passing grade comes as a give-away of learning.

Learning begins with us...

Every human being is endowed with the ability to learn. As Issler and Habermas (1994) put it, “God has made us creatures of curiosity. We all have a strong, built-in desire to learn… Motivation to learn is an inherent characteristic of being human. Like any other, it must be developed to its fullest capacity." All of us are endowed with the necessary faculties for thinking and understanding. And it is my sincere desire to help you discover, develop and enhance that ability. Limited and imperfect as I am, I believe that I can help you if you will let me, if you will help me help you. Thus, my teaching approach involves leading you in a journey towards training your minds to think critically and logically: be it reading a book or analyzing problems, as Socrates said, “I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.“ It is my aspiration that you begin taking for yourself the responsibility for what you want to learn and how you will learn, and reap its fruits in the process. This choice is your opportunity.
Confident learning begins with knowing yourself: your limitations and capabilities. Being sure of this, you should be confident that you can do those that are within your capabilities. Likewise, you can learn – at least one at a time – those that are still outside your capabilities. That is the essence of learning: adding to your storehouse of knowledge, skills and competencies.
You will learn through this process if you want to, if you will choose to. Overcoming the pull of the past - especially those that are already unwanted habits - is, as Covey said, “in large part a matter of having clear identity and strong purpose; of knowing who you are and what you want to accomplish. Poor performance can often be attributed to poor prioritization and organization. Weak resolve is easily uprooted by emotion, mood and circumstance” (emphasis, mine).
Learning appears to be a receiving but quite the contrary, it is much a function giving: of how much the student/learner gives, following the natural law. It is largely a personal quest beginning with a desire to learn. When the strong desire for learning is there, it will often be just a matter of time ‘coz “if there is a will there is a way.” I expressed this in the equation:

Learning =  Student’s input x (1 + others’ input) - some loss

Following this, my approach is “you study, then we discuss”. In this, you need to research and study all information relevant to the topics-at-hand. You are expected to read with comprehension and to try to understand what you read, to consult a dictionary if needed. In class, we just discuss the main points that need to be clarified as well as your queries on any aspect of the topics that you may not yet understand. So, class hours are opportunities for you to verify how you understood the topics that you studied: by listening to the discussion and asking questions whenever you have difficulty with any topic, either in class or one-on-one with me. Covey puts it nicely by saying, “If you don’t let a teacher know at what level you are by asking a question, or revealing your ignorance, you will not learn or grow. You cannot pretend for long, for you will eventually be found out. Admission of ignorance is often the first step in our education.” Though this approach entails some difficulties for you and for me, this is a good means of developing your confidence that provides a learning experience for all of us. Getting to know the information you need is usually a matter of asking the right questions.

the personal touch...

For purposes of my subjects, research simply means finding answers to your questions. This is done primarily by data gathering from references and/or experts. When you think you have found the answer(s) to your queries, you must try to understand them, be able to restate your findings in your own words and to explain them to others. One of the best ways to verify how you understood a topic is to try applying what you have learned. Only then can you say that your research is done.
It is important to do your own research within the allotted time. Do not limit your resource materials to a few books or solely the internet. Ask the experts in the field, watch informative broadcasts, etc. Discuss with your classmates what you are finding out. That is very effective! Much of what I learned when I was in college came from trying to answer the questions of my classmates. They provided me with the questions that turned out to be needed for exploring the topics-at-hand, I did all I could to answer their questions and we all learned in the process. But don’t be hard on yourself for the things you don’t know yet for as Jon Holt said, the” true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do”
Yes, real learning requires discipline, the ability to keep promises and to honor commitments to yourself first and then to others. You need first to set a personal goal and then work to achieve that goal. You need first to choose to learn.
And take note that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” [4].
As Lao Tze said, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step” let’s begin and enjoy our learning journey!

References:
1. Stephen R. Covey, in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Fireside, New York, New York, 1989 and Principle Centered Leadership Fireside, New York, New York, 1991
2. You Can Be a World Changer Lighthouse Inspirational Books & Gifts, Manila, Philippines, 2004
3. Galatians 6:7 (New International Version)
4. Proverbs 9:10 (English Standard Version)
5. Issler, Klaus, & Habermas, Ronald How e Learn: A Christian Teacher’s Guide to Educational Psychology Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994

Learning Practice in the Classroom
I am aware that you may also be busy with other matters but we all are. It is estimated that students remember 10% of what is heard, 50% of what is seen, 70% of what they say, and 90% of what they do [1]. As Helen Keller said, “I am only one, and yet I am one. I cannot do everything and yet I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” The following are intended as avenues for your practice of goal-setting, discipline and learning in my classes. These are also meant as extra sources of your grade for the subject if you will be diligent in doing them. But neglect of these requirements may also pull down your grade.
o Use a subject notebook. Write down chronologically all activities that you do for one particular subject in a notebook, be it research, interview, seatwork, solving problems, discussion with a classmate, etc. Include also your own personal comments or remarks about what you did, such as what you learned from it. Write name of the reference book for research entry. The name of the interviewee and the topics discussed must be written for interview and discussion entries. Identify the problems solved as Prob.No./Page No. Always bring your notebook to class for checking by your instructor. Your starting entries for each day of class must be your answer to: aided with the paradigm ___________________, my goals for this subject today are _______________ so I prepared for our class today by ________________.
o Many students shun the idea of preparing and submitting academic requirements not realizing that their outputs substantiate their claims. As Charlize Theron said, “There is only so much you can do, but if somebody doesn’t give you a chance there is nothing you can do.” In my classes, written reports serve as a student's presentation to me, just like any report you will make for your future employer or client. All of your works are expected to be neat and clean.
o Write using your own words. It is expected that your choice of words will be different from your classmates’. Thus, reports with similar composition or choice of words will have comparatively lower grades. Statements copied word for word from references must be enclosed in quotation marks adequately citing the author within the report or at least in a footnote.
o It is helpful to organize first your thoughts and ideas before starting to write your report. Prepare a draft of your report. Have a couple of introductory statements to begin your report. End with the concluding statement, or the essence of, your entire write-up. You can then write your final report to include the most important things you want to say within the allotted number of pages. Reports in my classes must have at least 3 paragraphs: (a) introduction; (b) main body; and (c) concluding paragraph.
Some students find these too taxing but then again Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So… sail away from the safe harbor. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Covey also emphasized what learning is all about when he said, “To know and not do is really not to know. To learn and not do is not to learn.”

~ Sir Magi

 (c.magi@yahoo.com)

References:
1. Issler, Klaus, & Habermas, Ronald How e Learn: A Christian Teacher’s Guide to Educational Psychology Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1994
2. Covey, Stephen R. Principle Centered Leadership Fireside, New York, New York, 1991
3. Covey, Stephen R. The 8th Habit Free Press, New York, New York, 2004
4. You Can Be a World Changer Lighthouse Inspirational Books & Gifts, Manila, Philippines, 2004

If this is worthwhile or helpful to you, leave a comment & tell others…