Early in their marriage, Johnny and Antonia Chan had to make some hard decisions, and take some risks for a chance at a better life. Shortly after celebrating their first year anniversary in the States, Johnny returned to Manila while Ann stayed behind to pursue a nursing career in New York. Butâ?Šthings did not work out the way they plannedâ?Š.

What was the reason you decided to live apart after only one year of marriage?
Johnny: We had financial struggles, and we still do todayâ?Šthough itâ??s not as bad. My dad was sick, our family business was in trouble, and the business income couldnâ??t cover my dadâ??s medical needs. My own banking career had been stagnant for years and I had transferred to a different bank. Actually, after we decided to get married in August 2006, I was constantly worried about how we would ever pay the wedding expenses. I truly believe that all this stress is the reason I lost my hair!

Was it a mutual decision for Ann to work in the States?
Ann: Yes, we both agreed to it, but I think I was the one who wanted it more. I couldnâ??t see any future in my career, so I left a food manufacturing company to become a nurse. And then, my aunt in Florida, who had sponsored my nursing studies, said I could stay with her while I prepared for my US nursing board exam. We were apprehensive because there was no guarantee that I could get a job, but, since the opportunity was there, I wanted to give it a try.

So, did you have a good life in the States?
Ann: Yes I did. I passed the nursing board. Then I visited a friend in New York where there was an employer willing to sponsor my working papers. I started working as a nurse and I was earning ten times what I had been getting in Manila. I lived in a very nice house, and I could buy all the food and things I wanted.

How long were you apart from each other?
Ann: Not long, about 4 or 5 months. Itâ??s funny because Johnny is not expressive of his feelings towards me, but, when I was there, he turned into a sweet guy and texted me heartwarming messages.

What temptations, if any, did you face during those times apart?
Ann: I think mine was materialism. When I was in New York, I realized how easy it was to earn money and buy the things I wanted. There are so many specialty stores there and such a variety of selections. I was tempted to buy things, especially if there was a sale. I was fairly new there so I tried to save, but I also indulged a little.

Johnny: God gave her a taste of the love of the world. Back here, I was very confused about whether to accept a job offer that came with a better compensation package or not. I knew I was happier and more comfortable with my current work environment. It was a choice between money and being where Iâ??d rather be.

Who initiated Annâ??s return to the Philippines?
Johnny: Gradually, God impressed in my heart that a husband and wife should stay together. I also wanted us to start a family. I received a salary increase and was promised a promotion. So I started to express my desire for her to come back, and hoped sheâ??d see it my way.

Ann: Meanwhile, I had easily adjusted to life in New York. When I went to the States, I said to myself, â??Iâ??ll just give it a try.â?� But when I saw the potential earnings I could get by working hard and doing sidelines, my mind became set on staying there.

Johnny: I knew Ann liked it there. We still had our financial problems and my promotion was not a sure thing yet. I also thought about the amount of money she could save by working there. It was hard for me to ask her to come back.

What made her come back?
Johnny: During one of our D-group (discipleship group) meetings, we prayed specifically for God to speak to Ann to come back and be with me. I also prayed and then, I humbly asked her to return.

Ann: God has great timing! About the same time, I started to feel lonely and unhappy. I had no social life. I rarely saw my 5 other housemates because of our different work schedules. My life revolved around work, internet, and shopping. I hardly attended church services because I had duty on Sundays. I was bored and burnt out. I had a lot of money but I was exhausted. My relationship with a friend, who was also my co-worker and housemate, became strained. I was miserable. God transformed my mind and gave me faith that He would take care of our financial needs.

Johnny: And when she finally agreed to return, it was me who wavered and kept asking, â??Are you sure?â?�

Ann: I was sure because I had peace.

Do you ever regret leaving your lucrative job?
Johnny: At times, when weâ??re faced with financial problems, Iâ??d say â??sayangâ?Šmaybe she should have stayed longerâ?? and wonder whether we did the right thing. But amazingly, Ann is at peace with her decision.

Ann: Actually three months after I came back, my application for an immigrant visa was opened. I would have been eligible for a green card status because I had all the qualifications. Looking back, I believe it was not Godâ??s plan for me to remain in New York since He did not open this door when I was there.

How is your life now?
Johnny: Actually the financial concerns never stop. But God is always arranging things for us. I was compelled to buy out my siblingsâ?? share on the house where we are staying to settle certain family issues over the property. To do so, I had to sell my car as partial payment. Then I got my promotion and also received a new car that came with it. Sometimes, we see particular events as bad but God sees and knows the bigger picture. His plans are better for us.

Ann: These seemingly bad events turned into blessings for us. God gave us a new car and even a home we can call our own. I started a review center for nursing, and continued to gain clinical experience by serving as a volunteer in a public hospital. I am also beginning to study for my masters in nursing.

What is the greatest lesson you learned from this experience?
Ann: That life is not all about money but also about meaningful relationships. And that we should pray and seek Godâ??s will in our lives before doing anything. Back then, we prayed but we did not wait for His answer. We went ahead with our own plans.

Johnny: I understand now that God wants us to fix our marriage first. We were just starting our marriage, and there were a lot of adjustments. Husbands and wives should not be separated. I realized that Bible reading is important because then we can know Godâ??s answers and be clear of the doubts in our minds. Iâ??m very grateful to have our Dgroup which provides guidance, accountability, and prayer support.

Today, Johnny and Ann still face financial challenges. But they face it with a greater faith in the One who truly knows and provides our needs.

If you are feeling excessively thirsty, have a noticeable increase in appetite, have had a sudden weight loss, are very tired, need to urinate frequently or have blurred vision, you should have your doctor to check for high blood sugar. These are all symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes is usually suspected based on these symptoms, but a fasting blood glucose test is needed to confirm a diagnosis of diabetes.

The cause of this diabetes is unclear, but it seems to relate to hereditary and environmental factors. A person who has diabetes has too much sugar in their blood. When body cells function normally, they get their energy from the foods we eat. When someone has diabetes, it means that the cells in their body are prevented from absorbing this energy. One of the cells found in the pancreas (an organ located at the back of stomach) produces a hormone called insulin. It helps in the absorption of glucose from the blood into the muscle, fat and liver cells. When there is not enough insulin, or if the cells are insulin resistant, glucose sugar will increase and stay in bloodstream. A person with continuous high blood sugar will eventually become a diabetic.

There are different types of diabetes. Type I diabetes is sometimes called juvenile diabetes. It occurs when the body fails to produce enough insulin. Type 1 diabetics are insulin-dependent, and need daily injections of insulin.

Type II diabetes or adult-onset diabetes is the most common type. This condition often occurs in people who are overweight. It develops slowly and takes several years to notice. This usually can be controlled with diet and oral medication.

Another type, gestational diabetes, occurs in some women during pregnancy and usually goes away after the baby is born. There is a risk, however, that the mother will develop Type II diabetes in later years.

Editorâ??s note: If you are struggling with diabetes there are fantastic helps for you on the Internet. By typing in the word, â??diabetesâ?� you can download a great deal of information, tutorials, and nutrition adviceâ??including recipes

• 1 head of cabbage, shredded
• Âœ c sesame seeds 
• Âœ chopped peanuts or cashew
• 1 chopped green or red pepper
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 package dry ramen noodles (do not use flavor pack)
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 6 Tablespoons vinegar
• 1 cup vegetable oil

 

Stir fry seeds and nuts until light brown. In large bowl, mix vegetables together and top with seeds, dry noodles, and nuts. In another bowl, mix together sugar, salt, pepper vinegar and oil. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and serve immediately so the noodles will stay crispy. If you make this ahead of time, just wait until you are ready to serve to add dressing.
 

My dad abandoned us when I was barely two years old. I had a picture with him when I turned one. The next time I would have a picture with him, he was in a coffin. Now I will never know why he didnâ??t like being with me. I will never have the ideal father-daughter relationship that I dreamed about my whole life.
   
Nevertheless, I did learn PLENTY from my dad despite his absence. I donâ??t want to discredit his memory, but I feel the need to remind fathers everywhere how important their presence is in the lives of their kids and family.

I learned that a man will never have enough time or money to take care of multiple families even if heâ??s the wealthiest, most powerful, most intelligent, talented person in the world. When Iâ??m gone, I donâ??t want people betting how many kids I left in this world at my funeral. I donâ??t want my family to argue over who will walk behind the casket. I donâ??t want my kids to feel awkward when they find out their classmate is actually their half-brother or sister. I donâ??t want my kids to be scared of marriage and of starting their own family.

I learned that vices can kill you. Dad was an alcoholic and a smoker. He died from kidney failure complications. I learned that itâ??s no fun discussing families with your friends when youâ??re not even sure if you have one.

I still get jealous whenever I see dads playing with their kids or talking with them. I have imagined my Dad teaching me how to drive a car, and how to deal with the opposite sex. I have imagined him walking me down the aisle on my wedding day. But I have learned to cherish the relationships that I do have. Forgiveness is both a choice and a process. The pain, loss, longings, will not go away overnight. Some questions will never be answered. But, I have learned that life has to move on and things will eventually get better.

The most important thing I learned is that God is my heavenly Father and He provides other men who serve as my â??secondâ?� earthly fathers.

I know that no father is perfect, but I commend the ones who try their best to act their part and rise to the occasion when needed.

We live in a world full of uncertainties. We are plagued with anxieties. And in our minds we subconsciously believe that the grass is always greener on the other side of the mountain. However, do we realize that financial crisis, famine and other problems of this nature have been in existence since the beginning of time?
   
We may not be able to control our circumstances. But there are things we can do to help manage our situation. In light of this, let me share some defensive tips:

• Take good care of your body. Health is Wealth. Medicines, doctorsâ?? fees and hospital bills far out weigh your earning potential. Besides, once we lose our health, it is hard to gain it back. Maintain healthy eating habits. Exercise.
• Relax. Donâ??t bring your burdens to bed with you. Pick them up in the morning. An illustration given by a stress management lecturer left a deep impression on me. He raised a glass of water then asked, â??How heavy is this glass of water?â?� Answers varied from 20 to 50 grams. He replied, â??The absolute weight of the water does not matter. What matters is how long you hold on to it. Holding it for a minute or an hour would cause some inconvenience, but would still be manageable. However, if you decide to hold the glass up for one whole day, consider calling an ambulance!â?� Life is short. Enjoy it! Why worry when you can pray? Donâ??t pick up the problem again until after youâ??ve rested a while.
• Do not worry. Have faith that the Lord will provide. As it is written in the book of Matthew, â??who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? â?Š do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.â?�
• Control your spending habits. Identify needs from wants. You may need to pay high tuition costs to get education. This is a form of investment. Go for it. However, think twice about buying the latest model of cellular phone. Chances are you donâ??t need it at all.
• Cap your greed. Invest wisely. If you have money to spare, deal only with trusted, accredited, regulated institutions that have a proven track record. This will help minimize the risk of losing your hard earned capital.
• Diversify your investment portfolio. Donâ??t put all your eggs in one basket. Remember, different investments will yield different results and putting your money in various baskets protects you from getting hit all at once by market turbulence.
• Be ready. Always be on the lookout. Keep yourself updated with the market trends. Update your skills. Opportunity comes knocking once.