utang na loob (OO-tahng nah LOW-ob)

Worldwords at it again...

today's word is from the Tagalog language which is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines as a first language for about a third of the people and as a second to the rest of the Philippines.

utang na loob which translates as a debt of the heart

The author, Victor Cerva, describes this debt as belonging to a group of unique individuals in your life that supersede the bonds formed with common acquaintances or perhaps even that of life long friends and family. These are the folks that have picked you up when you absolutely needed it and to whose debt you can never repay. Lent you much needed money, sheltered you when you were homeless, helped you when you were grieving a terrible loss in your life, helped you through an addiction. Whatever the action, it has etched itself forever at the very core of our souls and perhaps it could have even saved our lives.

Cerva ends with a prayer for each word.

I honor and acknowledge that which has been given to me that can never be repaid.

Thank you Lord for the gifts and graces you have placed in my life when I needed them. Thank you to those folks that have been there and as hard as I may can never truly do anything more than offer my support too. It is yours. Thank you.

Parenting Guide

A very good friend passed along to me a book that I will be forever grateful for coming across. It is called, Parenting with Love & Logic. Authors Foster Cline and Jim Fay bring a new approach to the "standards" of parenting that have existed for generations. It is not the only innovative parenting resource, but it is definitely one I can relate to quite well. It is a comprehensive guide to turning your parenting skills around with results. There are tips, shared stories, and knowledge galore about the techniques that have proven so valuable in teaching children responsibility and nurturing a safe place for parents and children of any age to have a more bonded and loving relationship. Step by step through some of the biggest challenges amongst children and teens, Cline and Fay bring years of experience to the table and the product is an amazing manual for parenting success!

What looks like another gem and something I will be on the lookout for at the library...Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood.

Another Parenting book that was lovingly passed along to me is Full Esteem Ahead: 100 Ways to Teach Values and Build Self-Esteem for All Ages. 
Jack Canfield, one of the authors in the Chicken Soup Series says, "Every Page of this remarkable resource is filled with a love of children, a passion for life, and a deep wisdom gained from many years of conscious parenting."

Written by a mother and daughter team, this book is chock full of insights and ideas for having a life with more love and less fear. Lists of practical steps to achieving success, quotes to inspire, stories from mother and daughter and ultimately a unique encyclopedia of esteem building activities!

Happy New Year!!
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