Author Archives: Christine Lailani

DIY Project: Memories In A Bottle

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Now here it is. 🙂

I have decided to come up with this project of filling in empty bottles with memorabilia from certain special events. I posted just recently regarding flowers from my brother’s wedding last April and been contemplating what to do with them. I have been staring at them for quite some time now whether to throw them away or not as they are still beautiful and lovely to look at though they’ve been dried for almost a month already. I finally decided to do the latter.

So to make this project materialize, I gathered an empty bottle which was an old Hennessy bottle from Dad’s collection and my hair spray. Sprayed each flower one by one even the tiniest and I let them dry for a couple of minutes before putting them inside the bottle. Then for a finishing touch, put a ribbon, a straw or any piece of string that you have around the neck of the bottle near the rim.

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Preserving dried flowers essentials.

And this is the final output:

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Brother’s Wedding Memorabilia

It is now my second bottle of another memory as my first preserved rose in a bottle was the first Valentine’s Day rose given to me by my bf last year and who is now my fiance. 😉

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Memories In A Bottle

So, how far will your sentimentality take you? 🙂

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I Love BICOL (Part 2): Siama Hotel

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(Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.)

My family and I visited the city of Sorsogon due to an urgent matter last June 2, 2015. Having read about Siama Hotel in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, my sister, my Dad and I thought it best if we could drop by the hotel and check it out since we will pass it by going home.

Tin Ginete Siama Hotel

When we’re done, we headed off towards Brgy. Bibincahan which is just a few miles away from the city proper along the diversion road. Thank God for Google maps, we need not ask around for specific directions, and we found ourselves looking at the gates of the Siama Hotel.

Tin Ginete Hotel lobby.
Tin Ginete Long wooden table and chairs.

If you are in need of a breather away from city life and looking into enjoying the bounty that nature has to offer, this might just be the best escape you’ve been needing. The hotel is situated in a secluded estate, which is also being cultivated as a coconut plantation. We already had an idea how the place looks like seeing the pictures in the local newspaper, but as they say, to see is to believe.

Tin Ginete Reception area.

We arrived after lunch time, and my first impression when I saw the minimalist exteriors of the hotel lobby is that they wanted to enhance the interior decorations and furniture which were designed by one of the owners, Mr. Milo Naval, a well-acclaimed interior designer.

Indeed, the interiors of the hotel lobby from the chairs, tables, lamps, to the cabinets are all an exquisite display of creative art and truly a masterpiece. What is interesting about it is that Mr. Naval came up with the idea of using indigenous raw materials, such as rattan, bamboos, native coconut products as well as wood from local trees representing Bicol region’s indigenous products.

Tin Ginete Wicker chairs.

Their very modern pool is the highlight of the hotel. It is a striking fusion of this beautiful modern pool nestled at the center and surrounded by giant ferns and tall coconut trees in contrast to the minimalist, native design of the hotel’s exteriors.

Tin Ginete Siama Hotel’s swimming pool.
Tin Ginete The pool and the hotel rooms in the background.

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They also have a hall for events, which is the perfect venue for wedding receptions, conferences, birthdays, and other special occasions. Once again, the interiors, as well as the exteriors of the hall, did not fall short in evoking that subtle and yet sophisticated style – definitely no grandeur, shining, and shimmering designs everywhere. But if you will ask me about elegance, Siama Hotel nailed it.

17 Event hall exteriors.

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Tin Ginete The event hall.
Tin Ginete Cabinets with antique bric-a-brac.
Tin Ginete More native-inspired chairs.
Tin Ginete Food/bar lounge.
Tin Ginete The event hall.
Tin Ginete Hanging capiz shells as a curtain.
Tin Ginete The function room.

They are currently constructing an outdoor spa which is one of the things I am looking forward to when they are done with it. I must say it is going to be a one-of-a-kind outdoor spa uniquely designed using local materials such as bamboo.

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The outdoor massage cabanas are the cluster of bamboos behind the coconut trees, and there are 3 of them being constructed as of writing.

This is going to be one of the best and state-of-the-art hotels in Bicol, especially if you are in the city of Sorsogon. Don’t forget to include this in your itinerary if you plan to spend your vacation in the province in class and in style. At Siama Hotel, you can be sure that your vacation not only brings you closer to nature, but even closer to the heart of Sorsoganons. 🙂

If you want to know more about the place, you can check out their website at http://www.siamahotel.com/.

P.S.

Don’t forget to take a photo of this “eco-padyak” where you’ll see ingenuity and creativity combined to create an extraordinary form of art.

Pedi

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I Love BICOL (Part 1): Masacrot Spring

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I was born in Bicol, a region located in Southern Luzon, and I’m a Bicolana, which is the term commonly used to refer to local women. For local men and locals in general, we use the term Bicolano. I only transferred to the metro when I took my bachelor’s degree in UP Diliman, but I guess I will always be a nature lover wherever life takes me. I grew up loving nature so much because of this – Bicol offers a vast expanse of luscious flora and fauna, and its rich local biodiversity makes it one of the famous places to visit here in the Philippines for ecotourism.

You can also find the majestic Mt. Mayon volcano in Bicol, which is known all over the world for its perfect cone. Though we are located in the ring of fire housing two active volcanoes, they are actually the few things that made our region a tourist spot. Other must-visit places in our region are the hot and cold springs, which can be found at the foot of the volcanoes such as the ones found near Mt. Bulusan volcano.

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Mt. Mayon Volcano in Albay

Hot springs are very common, but I am not sure if you have heard of cold springs in a tropical country – and I mean, ice cold spring.

In this article, I will be featuring one of the cold springs in the province of Sorsogon in Bicol that my family and I visited last May 31, 2015 – the Masacrot Spring.

So, why the name? “Masacrot” is a Bicol term which means “astringent.”

Astringency

Some foods, such as unripe fruits, contain tannins or calcium oxalate that cause an astringent or puckering sensation of the mucous membrane of the mouth. Examples include tea, red wine, rhubarb, and unripe persimmons and bananas.

Less exact terms for the astringent sensation are “dry”, “rough”, “harsh” (especially for wine), “tart” (normally referring to sourness), “rubbery”, “hard” or “styptic”.[73]

When referring to wine, dry is the opposite of sweet, and does not refer to astringency. Wines that contain tannins and so cause an astringent sensation are not necessarily classified as “dry,” and “dry” wines are not necessarily astringent.

In the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, one of the six tastes is astringency (kasaaya).[74]

– WIKIPEDIA

They say that the water in Masacrot Spring contains some minerals, which make the water astringent. But it is potable and considered as safe to drink.

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Masacrot Spring

The blue-green waters of the pool will captivate you enough to make you want to dive right away regardless if you’re a pro swimmer or not. The pool was hand-carved, and the natural environment surrounding it offers an ambiance perfect for communing with nature. This was the second time we visited Masacrot Spring. I could barely remember anything during our first visit because I was only 5 years old back then. All I could remember was that there’s a very cold pool that exists in this world. 😉

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Pristine, crystal blue-green waters.

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Hand-carved pool.

Taking a plunge in this cold spring can only be described in one perfect word – invigorating. YES, that is a definite. You literally will get the chill the moment the cold water touches your skin. Though I wouldn’t advise taking a dip in the pool without moving for a long time because it is REALLY that freezing cold.

Locals visit the place during the peak of the summer season when weather temperature rises to as high as 39 degrees Celsius. But let me assure you that nothing is as refreshing as a cold spring dip during the hottest months here in the Philippines.

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Masacrot Spring pool.

The bottom of the pool isn’t cemented, and the clay–like soil tends to get slippery so take extra caution when walking around the resort. Some parts of the pool go as deep as 6 feet. So if you are not a swimmer, better rent or bring your own floaters just to be safe.

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Don’t forget your swimming floaters. 😉

The cold water is free-flowing too so the water stays clean even if the place is jampacked with visitors during the peak season. They also have a lot of cottages where you and your family can relax, and there are grill stations for cooking barbecues and fish. Now, that makes me hungry. 😀

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The perfect summer snack: unripe, sour mangoes with shrimp paste.

Masacrot Spring is located in Bulusan, Sorsogon and if you will be coming from the airport in Legazpi, Albay, it will be a 2-hour drive. There are a lot of options when commuting via public transportation going to the resort, but I suggest renting a van or a jeepney that will take you there and pick you up for a hassle-free vacay for you, your family, and your friends. 🙂

English? Me? No More

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(This is a post Independence Day tribute.)

May isang beses na ako’y tinanong: “Tin, para saan pa nga ba ang English?”

Marahil ito ay dala ng maling paniniwala na ang wikang Ingles ay lenggwahe ng mga nasa alta sosyedad or the elite of the society and mga scholars and professionals.

Nagtapos ako ng kursong BA English Studies sa Kolehiyo ng Arte at Literatura at napabilang sa isang academic organization na UP Lingua Franca. Base sa mga pagtuturo sa amin bilang English Studies majors, ang ibig sabihin ng “lingua franca” ay common language.

At ‘yun ang pakay ng pagkakaroon ng wikang Ingles – it bridges cultural barriers across the world. Kung ako ay tatanungin bakit kailangan pa natin maki-ayon sa kultura ng ibang tao at magkaroon ng interaksyon sa ibang parte ng mundo, para na rin akong tinanong ng “Alin ba ang gusto mo, bumalik sa makalumang primitive ages o sariwain ang makabagong panahon sa pamamagitan ng malinaw na pakikipag-komunikasyon?”

A common language means hindi lamang ito para sa mga mayayaman. On the contrary, it actually seeks to unify and never to diversify. It is for everybody’s use and advantage at kailanman hindi sukatan ang galing sa paggamit ng wikang Ingles sa katalinuhan ng isang tao sa pangkahalatan. That is, if IQ is concerned. May ibang aspeto ng pagaaral kung saan hindi lang ang galing sa tatas ng pagbigkas ng wikang Ingles at sa lawak ng mga salitang Ingles na alam ang magpapatunay sa isang tao na sya ay matalino.

Sa usapang “conyo,” kami noon ay binalaan ng mga propesor namin sa paggamit ng ganitong uri ng lenggwahe. Para sa kanila, combining two languages in a manner that does not sound correct in terms of syntax and sentence structure only becomes an abuse on both the English and the Filipino languages.

Nawawala ang katas ng bawat wika and its identity as two separate languages carrying in it its own beauty. Ideas are also thwarted when English and Tagalog are used in a “conyo” way. And once again, it is tagged as the language of the elite.

Which, I believe, is a misconception nowadays. Ginagamit sya na pagkakataon ngayon para mapabilang sa elite society. Hindi maaaring maging pamantayan ng alinmang wika ang pagiging matatas sa lenggwaheng “conyo.” ‘Yun lamang at akala ng karamihan speaking the language is “cool” thus mas accepted ka sa social circle that you want to fit in. And came the modern label for this language as “lenggwahe ng mga maaarte” – lahat ng mga ito ay hasty generalizations lamang at nangangailangan pa rin ng masinsinang pagaaral para mapatunayan kung ito nga ay totoo o hindi.

Ngunit may mga paraan gaya na lamang nitong sentence na ito wherein I was able to combine both the English and the Tagalog languages in a way that is not offensive ang dating at hindi masakit sa pandinig.

Ang pagkakaroon ng kalayaan sa pagpapahayag ay walang kinalaman sa uri ng wika na iyong ginamit o ginagamit. Halimbawa na lamang itong akda na ito, produkto ito ng pagpapahayag ng aking sariling mga saloobin na hindi man masasabing ito ang tama ngunit may layon namang magbigay ng ibang perspektibo at pananaw pagdating sa lenggwahe ng Ingles.

Practice using English at all times for it will connect you to the world. And yet speak in Filipino if you want your culture to be preserved. Once it is learned, it cannot be unlearned. For that is how a language develops throughout the years – one language being born after the other, a fusion of all types of languages and yet the basics will remain the same.

P.S.

Ang layunin ko talaga sa artikulong ito ay ang hindi ako mabansagang tumalikod sa pagmamahal sa aking sariling wika at ang mailahad ang kalayaan sa pamamahayag o freedom of expression. 🙂

Project Memories

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Something to spearhead my next project. I guess you already guessed what it is. Stay tuned my beloved readers! 😉

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Dried flowers from my brother’s wedding last April 25, 2015.

Living Without Fear

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Everyday we are constantly bombarded with worries that already became natural of us – a bad habit actually.

I grew up with a lot of fears. I was brought up shielded in the comforts of our own home as a child knowing so little of the world outside. When I grew older, I brought it with me and it reflected in the decisions I make and have made.

So for now, allow me to categorize my fears according to my past, present and future:

Past

1. How will I be able to relinquish from it?
2. How can I keep it from affecting my present and future?
3. What if my past mistakes will be made known?
4. What if they continue to haunt me?

Present

1. What if one of these days I found out my partner cheated on me for the last couple of years that we were together?
2. What if I didn’t accomplish much before I get old?
3. What if I don’t bear children?
4. Am I credible enough to share the Gospel knowing that I am not perfect?

Future

1. What if I could not protect my children from the evil forces of this world and the negative influences?
2. What if I lose everything I have?
3. Will I be admitted in heaven when I die?

Those questions posit an image of me cowering in fear. If I am to illustrate it, it would look like this:

It is a bubble thought that is too huge it makes you feel smaller and smaller every minute that you think of it. And then when the weight becomes too unbearable, you now ask this:

“What can I do?”

Honestly, there is so little that we can do when it comes to our fears. For rereading those questions, you will realize that they don’t and cannot give us certain answers. That is, if what you mean by acting on it is finding a practical solution for it that you could apply.

As a born again Christian now, I still feel those nagging fears creeping inside me every now and then. I have mentioned before that worrying is a bad habit to break. And yet the only difference before and now when it comes to handling my fears is that I have a more grounded source of hope every time they start to get the best part of me by connecting with God through a prayer and the Scripture.

Allowing your fears to take control of you will only get you that far in life. It limits you, it takes the life out of you. Thus, in my social media accounts and even in my phone, this photo will sum up how it feels to live without fear and what you need to live that way. When I see it everyday, it assures me, it secures me and it gives me hope.

Nothing in this world is ever in our control – not even our own life. And it will stay that way for as long as we live. We are the ship, God is the captain who will steer us across waves of doubt and storms of fear and bring us to a place of peace. 🙂

And this verse will sum this all up:

John 1:5 NLT

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.”

She Let Go

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SHE LET GO by Rev. Safire Rose

She let go.

Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear. 

She let go of the judgments. 

She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head. 

She let go of the committee of indecision within her. 

She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.

Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn’t ask anyone for advice.

She didn’t read a book on how to let go. 

She didn’t search the scriptures.

She just let go. 

She let go of all of the memories that held her back. 

She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward. 

She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn’t promise to let go.

She didn’t journal about it.

She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.

She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.

She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.

She just let go.

She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.

She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.

She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.

She didn’t call the prayer line.

She didn’t utter one word.

She just let go.

No one was around when it happened.

There was no applause or congratulations.

No one thanked her or praised her.

No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.

It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, she let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her.

And the sun and the moon shone forevermore.

(A beautiful poem this is. I can only wish I write as beautifully and as striking as this.)

Free and Forgiven

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“God breaks us apart so we can be whole in Him.”

Far too often read and said in any faith-motivating speech or article. And yet I only got to take in the gist of it all now in this season.

God breaks our hearts open so we could become vulnerable. It is through our vulnerability that we become aware of our weaknesses. In our weaknesses we then become aware that we need a God who will help us overcome them weaknesses.

In this moment of vulnerability we are put in a crucial spot of choosing whether to let the enemy deceive us and win or choose God and be guided.

Oftentimes the enemy’s powerful weapon is deception and his perfect tool to accomplish it is your past. Sometimes your past will come again just before your eyes. And you have two things in your hand:

1. You let it destroy your present by feeling guilty and shameful once again.

OR.

2. You can choose to dismiss it because you are now free and forgiven – if you have been saved already.

I must say I was bordering number 1 to the point that my faith began to slacken. Fear overtook and then it just dawned on me that I haven’t attended church for a while now due to commitments, a busy schedule and  a lot of intervening factors that I didn’t see them coming including the conflicts in my personal relationships that aggravated the disconnect in faith.

But God is faithful. He doesn’t give you something wherein that something will be of no good use to you. He sometimes uses them in circumstances that you least likely expect. I shared to my fiance the feeling of disconnection I have lately and that I feel I am not entitled to be in church anymore because my old self is coming back and he was also a witness of that. He has seen the kind of rage I used to have and the old bad habits overtaking me for the most part.

Yet it was him that I least expect to say that “the more that we have to go to church.” And I was shocked to hear it coming from him. Definitely not him whom I am urging to join a bible study group and a one to one discipleship so he would be born again but he declined saying it is not yet the perfect time. Not him whom I consider as not yet a devoted believer based on my own standards.

And yet again, God made me realize at that moment that my fiance is also my brother in Christ because he is His precious child too. It is not for me to judge why he has been given to me or whether he is the 1 or from the 99.

We went to church and once again I felt refreshed and renewed. But came more pressing issues, the wedding. Ideally, the engagement period should last for 6 months utmost according to the Marriage Preparation Seminar we attended in church. And this month is our 6th month as a couple. The temptation is getting strong but we cannot pull off a church wedding this year. Came another option – have a civil wedding.

But my constant question came out of fear – “Will I forever be unequally yoked?” There is no more turning back after the wedding – it is the real deal. They say that a husband/wife can make or break you. He wasn’t able to join a group in church whom he can consider as his spiritual family through his fellow brothers in Christ before we get married.

I was beginning to lose hope in connecting him with a spiritual family who would help him foster a deeper relationship with the Lord. Because I know I can never change Him and all God can through a spiritual family. It will never be enough that we attend church.

And while I was brooding over the options we have, asking God, praying to God, came a thought that never ever crossed my mind until now. When we get married, I will no longer be attending my bible study group with fellow single sisters in Christ but will be joining a couples’ bible study group. Chances are high that he will be attending it with me. Because he knows how vital it is for me to attend a bible study group and I plan to have it before our usual church service. And that answers my question.

There is still hope that he will be saved. 

And having this in mind, I can only shout praises of honor and glory to Him. Indeed, my little, human mind will never ever grasp God’s bigger plans and what is to come. I can only wait when He instructs and reveals all in His perfect time. I asked him a couple days ago if he is interested to join a couple’s bible study group and he said, “yes.” And for now, what I can only do is continue praying that God will keep His beautiful promises for us both as a couple and that we may grow spiritually together along and through other fellow couples in Christ. 🙂

Indeed, the way that every person is saved is very different from the other. I was so clueless before and so focused on the problem that I never noticed God is showing me there is ALWAYS hope through Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the light. And now I understand too why when I had my bible study group for fellow single sisters in Christ, I have a co leader. She will be taking in charge of the group when the right time comes for me to leave the group. It will be heartbreaking but I am also praying I get to keep my fellowship with them even if I’m in a new season already.

I was in utmost humility as I suddenly remembered this verse all through this:

Matthew 8:26

” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.”

Indeed, I have so little faith and yet I am always and forever will be grateful God is faithful, He gives me PEACE, He provides me EVERYTHING and never fails in keeping His promises. His LOVE endures forever though I do not deserve it. It is time I grow my faith bigger in this season. I have read in Rick Warren’s book that we have to set aside our own personal agenda and focus on loving other people more not looking on who they were and who they are now but rather on who they can be.

I cannot tell for certain what I know is what will happen. For I cannot see the plans of God. And yet it is just comforting to know that God is and will be with me along the way. He just not give me signs and verses from the Scripture but importantly, I can feel that the Spirit is leading the way. I know that like how Jesus completed His mission, so too are we going to carry our own “cross.” And what I have shared may be what I have to carry for now. The following verses reminded me that:

Matthew 16:24 NLT

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”

Matthew 7:14 NLT

“But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”

And an even GREATER reminder – OBEDIENCE:

1 Samuel 15:22 NLT

“But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord : your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice?

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”

I believe this is what God meant to be really free and forgiven. And I can only pray that I’d be successful in completing the mission of glorifying Him, making Him known until the time comes I can also say that “it is finished.” 🙂

The Seed

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Tin Ginete

Calamansi Seed

A commitment is like a seed.

When a gardener plants a seed, he waters and cares for it so it’ll grow. And then when it becomes a plant, the gardener still tends for it.

But like any plant, it will go through certain seasons of storm and drought. And just like a commitment, you will do everything to protect that plant. You will not allow a storm to uproot it. Nor you let the drought take away its life.

The gardener protects it – lovingly, carefully and joyfully. Regardless if a storm or a drought passes by.

The gardener wants only one thing – that when he plants the seed in the soil, it’ll grow steady and strong that even if the mightiest of storms and the longest of droughts come, it’ll survive. He wants it to lay grounded, both striving and thriving.

A commitment is like a relationship. God is like the gardener. The seed is like a husband and the soil is like a wife. God knows what kind of seed thrives in what kind of soil and vice versa.

And just like a seed planted in the ground that cannot survive well for a long period of time without a gardener, so is a relationship without God. 🙂

Basic GMRC

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I was inspired to write this blog post after reading Pastor Joey’s article entitled “Hardwired for Values.” And I am staying in tune for his next article explaining more about the importance of values.

For now I’d like to share how reading the article made me do a self check with the kind of values I uphold to – my basic GMRC (good moral values and right conduct) so to speak. I can say that 80% of them will be coming from the set of values that me and my siblings were brought up with – family background and upbringing. But I should say more of the latter which, I believe, would zero in on my parents’ values as well and their character traits.

I grew up in a family wherein God is acknowledged by praying together before every meal but we do not go to church as a family. It was my parents’ choice and yet I was grateful we were given the chance to exhibit our own free will – my siblings and I can attend services in our mother Protestant church with our grandma and grandpa. We grew up with that setting and I wondered why other kids go to church with the rest of their families.

I was too young to understand back then and when I was born again and got saved now in my late 20s, I still cannot find the answers but I already have a very different regard towards it. Thus, it became one of my constant prayers to the Lord.

When I did my self evaluation of the current values I have and compared them to what was written in the Scripture, I can only be grateful to God and my parents that majority of what I was taught when I was a kid are all in accordance to what the Scripture says to be right, correct and true. Although there are some that the bible says to be inappropriate which is what I have to unlearn.

We were taught that God exists and though I grew up spiritually in an unusual setup, I know now that He was there all along guiding me and my family. It was all part of His bigger plans essential in our spiritual growth and understanding now. The “why” questions are the trap questions that put us in a moment of uncertainty making way for doubts. But sometimes God uses them in a way that it makes us delve deeper towards the Truth – a way for us to be enlightened.

If there is one thing I have realized in my almost 30 years of human existence, it is the fact that we need to accept things the way that they really are. To seek God should be our only objective and the rest is up to Him.

If we were given people that do not have the same values that we do, we cannot change them but God can. We were given these people so God can use us as an instrument, a vessel, in making that change. We have to know too that all of us are being transformed and renewed by God every single day.

Let’s say for example that not being able to put the toothpaste cover back annoys you and you let the person who does that be aware of that. Now that person now knows that the toothpaste cover has to be placed back to how it is before you opened it. If usually you get irritated by it and it easily makes you flare up, now you know that nagging won’t do both of you good either. For this is where God will come in. He will make the other person realize what is right through you – that there is a reason why a toothpaste was designed to have a cover. And God will make you realize too that being gentle and patient always is a game changer and always calls for a positive outcome.

And as the Scripture says:

“Colossians 4:5-6 NLT

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”

Now if the change didn’t happen then consider it still a moment of gratitude for either your future children or the other people around you, that may even not be closely related to you, are the ones who will benefit from the good influence and the change. And these people, in turn, will also be pivotal in making others follow the same way.

I guess it is not a matter of who it is in particular that the lives have been changed but how many are being influenced to make that change through the people God has given each of us.

Values are laws unwritten but embedded in our very being. It is only right that we know which values are the good ones to retain and uphold to and which ones are bad and we should dismiss.

The Scripture is the number one source to develop good values and an upright, moral character. I know of no other law that covers all laws by our current judicial system and the non written rules other than those found in the bible. Read the bible everyday and values wise, you can never go wrong. 😉

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.”