Merry Christmas to all!

The most precious thing that ever hung on a tree was Jesus Christ. God came to earth as a baby to fulfill the long awaited promise of a Savior.

Thirty-three years after His birth, Jesus willingly laid down His life for us. The most powerful message that has ever been or ever will be shared this Christmas is Jesus Christ.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. - I John 3:16 NIV

Merry Christmas!

From me and my family: Ruth, Sam and Noli, Emil, Shalom, Lemuel, Raiza, Nathan, Nikki

Are Your Wedding Memories The Last Priority In Your Budget?

So this is your first time to hire a creative documentation professional. And you think hiring the services of these people is as simple as singing Do Re Mi. And what’s more, you place this item almost at the last in your list of budget expenses for your important date. You take into consideration first and foremost the elegance of the venue, the luxury of the food and entertainment and of course the number of guests you would like to share with that most memorable day of your life. 

Each one has different wishes and dreams – a most gorgeous wedding dress, a lavish feast for the guests, luxurious reception venue – so they will put priority on those. 
Although, these are important for the day’s celebration to make the affair a truly enjoyable one for everyone, especially for the bride and groom, these are going to be gone the day after. But the extravagance on these trappings can be avoided by careful planning; focusing on themes and creative elegance, rather than opulence. 

However, in the end it is not the food and cake that was already eaten, the flowers that have withered nor the dress now in the storage that is the measurement of your special day but the memories that was created and must be preserved for all times. What stays forever are the photographs which hold each memorable moments of the wedding day. Truly lasting mementoes that are worth sharing with friends and even passing on to the next generations.

You and your wedding photographer have one objective in mind: amazing photographs that is able to capture each fleeting moment and joyful mood of the wedding day. This is where you have to build a special relationship with the photographer. How the two of you were able to build a relationship on your initial meeting will have a great impact on the mood of each photograph. Aside from discussing the business aspect, it is imperative that you discuss more the creative aspect – a general idea of how you would want the event to be documented. Photographers should be more than willing to discuss with you how their creative process works. 

They have different styles and patterns on how they do the task they have been contracted to do. So it is important that you take a look at a complete portfolio of the projects they have done, not just those that were assembled into an album. Remember, that these set of pictures do not truly represent a complete work of the wedding photographer on a given project– how he or she had captured the moments as they unfold. And it is possible that these pictures have been heavily processed just to enhance the images.

Give more weight to the images that will resonate deeply in your heart for years to come - images of emotions that will bring back those special memories of the event as they have unfolded. Try to peruse the style of the photographer how each images were captured and determine if you will be comfortable with that shooting style.

Another way of assessing a photographer is through how they organize their workflow. Each has different sets of procedures after the shooting day. This is what you call the post production process where each images are inspected and retouched if necessary. Remember that it is in this phase of the project where the output or finished product is to be delivered to you, first in digital format and then possibly assembled in an album.

Among all the people who will be working with you to make your most special day a truly memorable one, the longest you will be working with is your wedding photographer. Long after your venue coordinator, your florist, your dressmaker and your make-up artist have gone; your creative documenter will still be working with you until all the photographs have been organized, selected and assembled into a book. It is your wedding photographer who will make sure that you will have a long lasting memento of that special day in your life.

No Regrets

At the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, the sport of canoe racing was added to the list of international competitions. The favorite team in the four-man canoe race was the United States team. One member of that team was a young man by the name of Bill Havens. As the time for the Olympics neared, it became clear that Bill’s wife would give birth to their first child about the time that the US team would be competing in the Paris games. And so Bill found himself in a dilemma.

Should he go to Paris and risk not being at his wife’s side when their baby was born? Or should he withdraw from the team and remain with his family?

Bill’s wife insisted that he go to Paris. After all, competing in the Olympics was the culmination of a life-long dream. But Bill felt conflicted and, after much soul-searching, decided to withdraw from the competition and remain home where he could support his wife when the child arrived. As it turned out, the United States four-man canoe team won the gold medal in Paris. And Bill’s wife was late in giving birth to their child. The birth was so late, in fact, that Bill could have competed in the event and returned home in time to be with her when she delivered.

People said, “What a shame.” But Bill said he had no regrets. For the rest of his life, he believed he had made the better decision. Bill Havens knew what was most important to him. There is an interesting sequel to the story.

The child eventually born to Bill and his wife was a boy, whom they named Frank. Twenty-eight years later, in 1952, Bill received a cablegram from Frank. It was sent from Helsinki, Finland, where the 1952 Olympics were being held. The cablegram read: “Dad, I won. I’m bringing home the gold medal you lost while waiting for me to be born.”

Frank Havens had just won the gold medal for the United States in the canoe-racing event, a medal his father had dreamed of winning but never did.

Once a champion always a champion if not now then through the next generation.

This beautiful story by Steve Goodier in his E-newsletter entitled “The Life Support System” reminds us of what is most important in life.

I have a great relationship with my son.

Two years ago, the two of us co-wrote a book on “Paren-teen” and we had fun doing it. The book is entitled: “Why Don’t You Grow Up… Dad!”
I’m proud of him and I see the maturity he shows as the years go by.

He’s into a lot of things now. Totally business minded he enjoys working for a very successful company doing marketing stuffs and meanwhile pursues his passion for music as he plays the drums for a fast rising popular band. He’s into sports too. He does Brazilian Jujitsu, Capuera and boxing and the day he went into martial arts was the day I have decided to be kinder to him.

He tells me he wants to have his own family by the time he hits 30 so that’s a good many years away but that is the precise reason why I am so careful with the way I live. I have to be an example to him because I want him to have a successful family too.

He sees me as a businessman and he likes to be one too and that’s good.

He sees me taking good care of my health and he does the same thing and that’s good too.

But the one thing I want to see in him is that he will have a God-centered family one day and this is why I need to make sure that mine is today.

My son and I know that real men are not those you see fooling around with other women; real men are those who are big enough and brave enough to stay true to their roles as a faithful husband to his wife and a diligent father to his kids.

HERE ARE THE TEN TOP THINGS THAT MAKE A REAL MAN:

10. Comes home directly from work knowing his “real” job is about to start.

9. Is not afraid to get down on hands and knees and play “horsie”.

8. Kisses his children and shows them a man can be gentle.

7. Kisses his wife in front of his children so the children can be secure in the knowledge of a united home.

6. Hugs his family and says “I love you.”

5. Is not afraid to cry.

4. Goes with his family to church.

3. Values the advice of his wife.

2. Starts each day with a “quiet time”, talking to the Lord.

And the number one thing:
1. Willing to give his own life for his family.

The question now is how are you doing in this list?

Take advantage of the Lenten season to be with your family. You have to plan and schedule time with your family well just as you do with business commitments. Let the words of businessman Lee Iacocca be a reminder for all of us for this is what he says: “No matter what you’ve done for yourself or for humanity, if you can’t look back on having given love and attention to your own family, what have you really accomplished?”

This inspirational article is written by Francis Kong