MaK!MeJ!

It is difficult to remain unaffected with what has happened in the country -i.e Typhoon Fengshen that has ravaged many parts of the country resulting to loss of lives and homes and the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy (where hundreds of bodies still unrecovered). I just couldn’t imagine how terrible it must be for those who lost their loved ones in the latest maritime disaster in the Philippine sea. I’m certainly having a hard time writing a thankful list now.

But I have to remind myself that in everything that has happened (and will happen), God has a purpose. I have to repeatedly tell myself that. So I will not -hard as it is- question God or His wisdom. And again, who am I to question Him.

It is hard to be thankful for a storm (literal or not) but I will say thank you for every storm (or typhoon), somehow it always brings us closer to you Lord.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand

I’m thankful for the agencies - and even countries- which are helping the victims of the typhoon.

I’m thankful for the divers who volunteered to help in the MV Princess of the Stars retrieval operation. Guide and strengthen them Lord. Strengthen the those who are still looking and waiting for news of their loved ones.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to bring our relatives and family together last Sunday to celebrate my parents and sister’s birthdays last Sunday. I’m thankful for the chance to celebrate their birthdays.

I’m thankful for God’s provisions. My mother told me this morning that the cost of LPG -much to her surprise- is now P700 ($16.3+) plus. But thank you Lord for helping us meet our needs.

Thank you for guiding me through difficulties in parenthood. I’m thankful for the warm hugs and wet kisses from my son.

For more of Thankful Thursday participants, please visit Iris.

Yes. Manny Pacquiao, a boxer by profession, is the ultimate antidote to traffic conditions.

I’m not saying that just because I’m a big fan of his but because I saw it myself. I have been seeing it all these years. I see how different the traffic situation is (from normal days) every time he has a fight. I saw it years ago. I saw it few months back.

Again, the reality stared at me today as I drove to a nearby restaurant. I only saw few motorists on the road.

Where are the jeepneys? The cars? So few, I could count them with my fingers. The traffic condition was so ideal. If I had not known his fight was set today, I’d have assumed that the public transportation group was on strike. Such was the effect of his fight.He obviously had everyone hooked on the TV, pay-per-view or whatever.

When Pacman, as Pacquiao is fondly called in Pinas, fights on the boxing ring (wherever in the world it may be), trust me, it’s a perfect day for a drive. And it’s a perfect day to drop by the grocery store. I did this last year and as expected, the queues were not that long.

And so goes the reason why I love this man - apart from the fact that he always brings home the bacon. Now, can we have him fight on the boxing ring every day?

Note: Today, Pacquiao wins the fight by split decision against Marquez. Venue: Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino. Official scorecards of the Pacquiao-Marquez fight: Jerry Roth, 115-112 (Marquez); Duane Ford, 115-112 (Pacquiao); and Tom Miller, 114-113 (Pacquiao). Read story here.