How Country Cats Roll: Animal Talk

Posted on by

Ever wondered how a day in a cat’s life goes? This made-up conversation I came up with back in my hometown between our cats, Polly (white cat) and Peekah (orange cat), might give you a clue. 😊

Polly: “Hey, Peekah! Come and check this plant out. Something’s peculiar about this plant.”

Peekah: “Why, what is weird about it?”

Polly: “I am not so sure. But do you mind checking it out?”

Peekah: “Hmmmm, lemme see.”

Polly: “Have you seen it already?”

Peekah: “I don’t see anything.”

Polly: “Look closely.”

Peekah: “Oh c’mon, Polly. That’s a part of the plant. That is the flower! A weird-looking flower. I’ll leave you there and smell some real flowers somewhere.”

Moral lesson: Cats do smell and check out flowers. 😅

P.S. I’m writing this because I’m on bed rest – flu’s to blame. Pls. pray for my healing, and thank you for reading! ❤

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

Took this some days ago but the cat filter is just perfect for today’s topic. Fyi, I take selfies way less than your average millennial. I look the same every day. 😉

Cityscape: Heatwave Is On

Posted on by

While watching the church service today, this image of a beautiful sunset over a cityscape that I took a few days ago from our condo came into my mind. When we’re awestruck with nature, it automatically brings us back to the Creator – God.

Sunset and heatwave over skyscrapers.

But it also struck me that as inhabitants of this world, we also have an obligation to take good care of it. As the sun sets down, I wondered how long will nature remain to be this when the threats of climate change such as the heatwave are looming over all mankind? How long before man takes care of nature and be content to say that enough is enough?

CNN already released a report about the projection of enviromentalists and experts that 2030 is the saturation point. It made me think if we are making this world a better place for the next generations or making it worse. I’m not anxious on my end though but I am waiting on God. All I can I do, in my own little way, is just raise awareness as a nature advocate by taking photos such as these:

When night begins to fall.

Caught my attention from my room.

The cityscape under the stars and the moon.

How about you, my friend? What’s a sunset to you? ☺

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the One who is over all things.” – 1 Chronicles 29:11

A nature lover who chases sunsets and watches nightfalls,

P.S. I am praying the land developers of the condominium where we live will incorporate bigger gardens (I’ll hang out there every day) within the estate.

I believe that is what God wants us to do – strike the right balance between preserving what is God-made and adding what is man-made. ☺

When God Leads, How Far Will You Follow?

Posted on by

When something is new to us, these two are what we often feel – apprehension and fear. We automatically go through a moment of indecisiveness whether to try it or not, to follow or not. The question then is this, how many times did you push through with something you haven’t done before without any assurances of the outcome?

brian-mann-16600-unsplash_edited

Following His Lead: Where Will It Take Me?

If you are a risk-taker, indecisiveness is not much of a problem. But dealing with the consequences, later on, can come pretty hard. I used to be a risk-taker, I actually still am for the most part. And yet, taking risks for me now comes with a lot of planning and contemplating and yes, lots of prayers.

“Is this what You want me to do, Lord?”

Did you come to a point where you asked God this question? I did, thousands of times actually. I believe every day requires I seek His permission first before I do things. This included my future plans and endeavors.

And yet it also came to the point that I was having second thoughts on whether to share my plans here (and they are many). I was feeling a strong desire to share them and yet something is holding me back.

As we are all aware of, this world runs on a “to see is to believe” mantra. Posting my plans without the assurance of them happening in the future will only be boasting. True enough, after I prayed what to do, God gave an answer through a verse I stumbled upon while browsing Godpreneur‘s IG newsfeed:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

– James 4:13-17

Always His Will Be Done

I finally got the assurance – share your plans but share it in a manner that will honor God and His will, first and foremost. The verses reminded me that by sharing my plans, I have the responsibility to make them happen especially if they are according to God’s will. And yet it also reminded me that,

“You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21

When I shared my plans, it is not about boasting what I intend to do. It is, in fact, relying on faith and WHAT GOD WILL DO. This means that if the plans I mentioned failed, God has other plans other than what I originally planned. And yet if they push through, the plans are aligned with God’s plans.

On a deeper level, sharing what I have felt in my heart that I must share is about asking God to work His wonders whether plans fail or plans succeed. It is about letting the world know that we do what we need to do because God intended that it is His Name, His Glory, and His Power that will be proclaimed through our lives.

Do You Have the Heart to Follow Even When Everything Fails?

Yes. I believe failures are a part of God’s will for us to reach our destination. But for the most part of the journey and for the entirety of His purpose for us, this is what will stand – God’s plans will not fail. In fact, Jeremiah 29:11 always assures us that,

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

Taking risks is tough, failing is even tougher. But what have we to lose if we do things according to His will and follow His leading?

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:1

 

Always ready to follow His leading,

 NewBlogSignature_edited_edited

 

Paano Nga Ba Maging Isang Remote Worker Sa Pilipinas? | A Guide

Posted on by

Handa ka na ba maging isang remote worker? Bago ang lahat, alamin muna kung ano ang sakop ng salitang remote worker o remote working.

Mayroong tatlong klase ng working from home or working remotely. Ito ay ang remote work, telework, at freelancing. Kadalasan, napaghahalo ang ibig sabihin ng bawat isa sa mga ito.

Narito ang mga articles para sa karagdagang kaalaman hinggil sa remote work, telework, at freelance:

“The Digital Age: Remote Work And Telework Defined”

“Be Protected As A Freelancer”

DSC_0416

A remote worker working from home. 😉

6 Tips Sa Pagtatrabaho Bilang Isang Remote Worker

1. Magsagawa ng financial assessment o budgeting.

Ito ang pinakaunang bagay na kailangang gawin bago ka mag-desisyon na maging isang remote worker o freelancer. Sa pamamagitan ng iyong financial analysis, alamin kung sapat ba ang iyong kikitain para pantustos sa iyong monthly expenses.

Kinakailangan din na mayroon kang emergency funds na nakalaan para sa mga panahon na magkaroon ng problema sa iyong client at employer pagdating sa payment. Ang freelancing o remote working ay pwedeng maging isang regular job. Maaari mong bitawan ang iyong day job or office job kung ang iyong kikitain sa pagiging remote worker ay pareho lang o higit pa.

Kung ikaw ay isang bread winner o may sinusuportahang anak, magulang, o relative on a consistent basis, mas maiging gawin ang freelancing bilang isang side hustle or job on the side. Ngunit kung hinihingi ng pagkakataon na ikaw ay maging isang remote worker gaya halimbawa sa mga full-time Moms, magandang opportunity ang remote working. Pero sa mga married couples, it’s best to consult with your spouse kung okay lang din sa kanya ang ganitong set-up.

2. Alamin ang iba’t ibang uri ng remote working or freelancing.

Ito ay depende sa magiging usapan ninyo ng iyong employer o client. Mayroong ibang employer na sila ang nagso-shoulder sa pagbayad ng iyong mga government-mandated benefits kagaya ng SSS, Pag-ibig, at Phil Health at saiyong BIR tax. Maaari ding makakuha ka ng company incentives at 13th-month pay na nakukuha ng isang regular employee pero may option ka na mag-work sa bahay o kung saan pa man.

May ibang clients din na pumapayag na sila ang sasagot sa mga bayarin mo sa kuryente at magpo-provide ng gagamitin mong laptop kung magwo-work from home ka. Pero mayroon ding clients na ang babayaran lang nila ay ang output or deliverables mo lang. Sa case na ito, ikaw ang magbabayad ng iyong mga contributions para sa SSS, Phil Health, at Pag-ibig kasama na ang BIR tax na 3% para sa mga freelance professionals or self-employed individuals. Ito ang kadalasan na setup para sa mga freelancers.

3. Ihanda ang iyong mga kakailanganing gamit sa remote working.

Kapag handa ka na maging isang remote worker, narito ang mga kakailanganin mo para sa iyong freelance or remote work:

  • reliable internet connection (mas mataas na mbps at DSL connection, mas maganda)
  • reliable laptop (mas malaki ang RAM, mas maganda; the client or employer will sometimes provide this)
  • backup internet connection (pocket wifi)
  • sariling private work space (para sa work-from-home)

4. Ayusin ang iyong status sa BIR, SSS, Phil Health, at Pag-ibig.

Ito ay kadalasang applicable sa mga freelancers kung saan sila ang babayad ng mga contributions para sa SSS, Phil Health, at Pag-ibig at ng BIR tax. Para sa BIR tax, kailangan mong baguhin ang iyong status from employed to self-employed.

Para sa BIR:

Kailangan mo mag-register bilang certified freelancer or self-employed sa pamamagitan ng pagkuha ng Certificate of Registration sa BIR. Maaari mong basahin itong mga articles para malaman ang step-by-step process:

https://www.kalibrr.com/advice/2016/01/freelancers-guide-bir-registration

http://www.freelancing.ph/bir-requirements-every-filipino-freelancer-should-know/

https://blog.staff.com/a-taxation-guide-for-filipino-freelance-workers-finding-projects-online/

*Kung ikaw mismo ang magko-compute ng iyong taxes, maaari kang maghanap ng mga reliable na tax calculator applications kagaya nito:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tax.app.cavalli.com.taxapp&hl=en

Para sa SSS:

Magbabago din ang iyong status ng pagbayad to voluntary member kung ikaw na ang magbabayad ng iyong SSS contributions. Narito ang mga instructions kung paano ito gawin:

https://theultimatevaresource.wordpress.com/2015/08/22/how-to-pay-sss-contributions-as-a-voluntary-member-a-guide-for-filipino-freelancers/

Para sa Phil Health at Pag-ibig:

Phil Health: http://rakethub.com/how-to-change-philhealth-registration-from-employee-to-voluntary/

Pag-ibig: http://www.pagibigfinancing.com/articles/2010/voluntary-membership-to-pag-ibig-fund-the-self-employed-freelancers-and-non-employees/

5. Mag-open ng bank account o PayPal account.

Kung ang client mo ay based abroad, mainam na gawing payment mode ang PayPal dahil ito ay secure. Pero bago makapag-open ng PayPal account, kinakailangan muna na mayroon kang bank account na nakapangalan sa’yo.

PayPal New Account

http://www.freelancing.ph/freelancers-guide-getting-know-paypal/

PayPal Withdrawal

https://www.pinoymoneytalk.com/paypal-withdraw-philippine-banks/

6. Gumawa ng sariling work routine.

Ito ay napakahalaga bilang isang remote worker dahil kahit na hawak mo ang iyong oras, how you finish an output will still depend kung paano mo hinahati ang iyong oras para matapos ang iyong mga tasks. Nariyan na ang mga usual na kalaban ng mga remote at freelance workers – procrastination at lack of self-discipline.

Dahil ang supervision ay remote din, malaki ang chance na ma-tempt ka mag-browse sa Facebook o matulog muna saiyong kama hanggang sa hindi mo namalayan na ilang oras na ang nawala sa araw mo.

Being a freelance professional or a remote worker still requires professionalism at a certain degree. Isa na rito ang pag-deliver ng output on time o according sa napagusapan nyo ng client mo na deadline. Hindi rin maaaring maging buzzer beater sa pag-submit ng deliverables dahil ang mako-compromise ay ang kalidad ng iyong output.

Take remote working or freelancing as if it is your own business. Technically, your freelance or remote work is your business. If you want it to flourish, kailangan may sarili ka ding work ethics to make sure na it will sustain you in the long run.

 

Ako ay nagsimulang magtrabaho bilang isang remote worker noong 2017. Ang transition ay hindi mahirap if you already know what to expect based sa mga nakalap mong impormasyon through your research. Also, kinakailangan ding masigasig ka sa paghahanap ng mga bagong opportunities. But I can assure you na there are a lot of opportunities out there to those who plan to venture in this kind of work setup.

Mahalaga lang talaga na ready ka din to make the sacrifices and exert every effort that you can dahil gaya din ng pagiging isang office employee, hindi rin madali maging isang remote worker. In my case, napaka-suitable ng set up na ito because I can make my own schedule. Mainam ito sa sitwasyon ko ngayon kung saan marami akong kailangang gawing extra tasks kasama na ang pagtulong para sa isang family project.

Lahat tayo may kanya-kanyang priorities but in the end, it is up to us how we are going to manage them. Kung ikaw ay matagal nang nagiisip kung ang remote working ba ay para sa’yo o hindi, I hope this article helped you decide one way or the other. 🙂

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…” – Colossians 3:23

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.” – Psalm 90:17

“You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.” – Psalm 128:2

“Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” – Proverbs 12:11

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” – Proverbs 14:23

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” – Deuteronomy 15:10

Praying all the best for you as a remote worker,

NewBlogSignature_edited_edited

A Fishing And Agricultural Town In Bicol Region | BULAN

Posted on by

I visited my hometown (Bulan, Sorsogon) just recently as soon as I had the opportunity to take a break from work. I’ve been meaning to ask my Dad regarding the particulars when it comes to palay production such as the financial report, the key Bicol terms used, and the step-by-step process.

Palay production is one of the oldest small businesses in the family for how many generations already starting from our great grandparents. Although the lands being utilized for palay initially belonged to my Mom as an inheritance, it’s my Dad who managed them for the most part.

DSC_0699

My Mom and my grandma (aged 72 and 94 as of writing) some decades ago visiting the farm.

DSC_0417

The aftermath of palay harvesting.

Engr. Daddy Farmer

There’s a reason why God chose Dad as Mom’s better half – he’s a civil engineer and formerly worked as a superintendent at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). It was part of Dad’s tasks at work to oversee the irrigation system of the rice fields. A majority of Bicol’s lands is being utilized for agriculture and farming.

DSC_0428

Dad and his palay superheroes. 😉

Dad, who is now 78 years old, was very impressed with what digital technology can do especially when I showed him the Microsoft Excel template I made for the financial report. That is, compared to his log notebooks now that are torn and tattered from constantly flipping the pages back and forth. 😀 He also does every computation manually – a solving technique that will be the death of me. Seriously.

I realized only now the extent of Dad’s responsibilities as an engineer and how he juggles everything together. All I know back when I was a kid is that he goes to the farm on weekends and on weekdays, he reports to the office. He held two offices – one in our town and one in the city as an OIC (officer-in-charge) during the later years of his service.

Indeed, being an engineer is not easy. But Dad is just the right person to manage the farm. It’s part of his duties as an engineer to manage a team, conduct accounting and financial reports, analyze how the irrigation systems work, make an assessment of risk factors, and a whole lot more of engineering stuff.

Bicol’s Farming Industry

Palay and rice are Bicol’s primary agricultural products followed by copra (cooked coconut meat processed and converted to coconut oil). These types of agribusinesses were proven to be feasible although Dad said current profit from palay harvest dropped compared to the previous decades. One of the reasons for the decline is the government’s decision to import rice abroad.

DSC_0107

Rice planting season.

65430_1471182870301_6072885_n

Circa 2010: Behind me are the perfect Mt. Mayon volcano and the rice fields.

DSC_0414

Palay Stalk

DSC_0396

Summer harvest.

My siblings and I plan to venture into organic farming. But our parents said it can follow at a later date. I agreed because organic farming will be relatively new to all of us, and it involves a wider scope of farming and management requirements. For now, my siblings and I are learning everything we can about it first.

My parents plan to utilize a certain portion of the larger farm based on the existing agricultural products we have and were proven to produce at a steady rate. I think this is my parents’ way of making sure the risks will be minimal compared if we will utilize a huge part of the property for an agricultural venture that we haven’t tried yet.

DSC_0192

Transporting the harvested coconuts.

DSC_0181

Some of the locals in our town dry this up and place several of them in a vase as preserved flower replicas.

DSC_0171

Ripe coconut meat should be hard enough before harvested and converted into copra.

DSC_0155

Dehusked coconut.

DSC_0279

There are still lots of uses for these coconut husks. I am thinking about combining it with soil as mulch or potting medium.

DSC_0268

This is how Dad’s coco superheroes lay down the coconuts before cooking.

DSC_0316

The cooking has started.

DSC_0325

Where there are smoke and the smell of coconut oil, there are coconuts. 🙂

DSC_0427

How it looks like when they’re all cooked.

DSC_0422

This is how it looks like up-close.

My parents are open to the idea of organic farming, but first things first – establish in-depth land preparation to make farming management easier. Also, it takes a long time for the paperwork to be processed. So while waiting, I asked God for His leading what we should do for now. His answers led us to the next steps – new opportunities came along in all forms depending on how God intends them to serve His purpose according to His timeline. There are times when I couldn’t pinpoint how we can benefit from a particular opportunity. But as typical of God, He will reveal it later on, and then I get to understand why.

While in Bicol, I was able to talk to my parents and my 3rd sister, who’s staying with them, about my parents’ vision for the farm. Unfortunately, our stay was too short I wasn’t able to show them me and my other siblings’ vision for the farm in the long run i.e. social enterprise, retreat center, etc.

But that can also wait. My parents know better regarding what needs to come first since they’ve been in the industry for how many decades already. And yet I believe the farm will benefit more from a combination of traditional ideas and farming practices implemented by our parents and new insights and innovative inputs from us.

DSC_0686

Some 20 years ago. 😀 Me, our niece, and my 3rd sister.

Businesses Then and Now

Every business must fare well when it comes to adaptability if you want it to be self-sustaining and thrive in the industry. It is, therefore, necessary to transition from the old to the new or a mash-up of both. This is similar to what I learned from a recent financial seminar I attended – creating multiple streams of income. In other words, you have to keep your options open.

In business, I believe there is no “best of both worlds” policy but always a “win-win” situation. This setup is suitable if you want to avoid major losses that can lead to your business/es going bankrupt. To have not just one type of investment will assure you of a win-win setup because you don’t have to borrow money from lending institutions in case one investment channel is losing income instead of the other way around.

While talking to my parents and my sister, they shared other developments in our town that are to start soon. I was very relieved upon hearing the news. I even told my brother that the future is indeed very bright for the family’s projects. I continued that it is not without a purpose when God placed a desire in our hearts to utilize the property back in 2017. It looks like it is about time we do something about the calling. And yet, we still rely on our complete trust in God and how He wants things to take place including the timeline for the farm developments.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” – Proverbs 19:21

Going back to the news, I saw them all as great opportunities for collective efforts and productive collaboration among the community, the government, and the private sectors. The timing is just right, indeed.

God is always a God of perfect timing, isn’t He? But we all know that perfect timing is always preceded by patiently waiting. It comes as no surprise that we were also placed on a standstill as far as developments are concerned to give way to these other major developments that will later on play a huge role in our farm projects.

It reminded me of this verse:

“Look at the nations and watch– and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” – Habakkuk 1:5

What Is the News all About

My apologies for running around the bush though but here it is. 😀 Can you still remember the Bulan Auxiliary Airport that I talked about in this article? News has it that the development will push through until it becomes fully operational. I still have to confirm this though.

20181009_1803431488336394.jpg

In another news, the construction of the Bulan Fish Port in our town has already started. Yes, next to farming, fishing is one of the bustling livelihoods in our town. Dad said our coastal waters are thriving with fish sanctuaries. I am not sure if it has something to do with the geographical location of our town or God created them this way to serve His purpose. But, I believe in the latter.

F2

Bulan’s coastline.

In yet another news is the Bicol International Airport in Legazpi city, which is now almost done.

The news did not stop here because I still got one more although it’s only a rumor because I lack sufficient data that will support it. There is a possibility of it not happening, but there’s a high chance it can also come true.

There is news going around of plans to utilize a property as a subdivision. This property is situated on the way to our farm. If this pushes through, I see it as another big market with consistent demand. And if God wills it we become a local supplier of agricultural products, this is going to be one big opportunity.

A Vision of the Future

I am not claiming I have the wisdom of God but what I only share are my visions, which cannot be interpreted entirely as God’s will. But maybe we can get a message or two from them.

I mentioned in a previous article that our town is a “sleepy town” because of the low revenues during most times of the year. With all these recent developments, it is not impossible for the town to become a city once urbanization and commercialization start ramping up. Though this means higher taxes, too.

I believe it is not by chance when I mentioned in my previous articles that maybe time will come our town will be the supplier in the Bicol region of basic commodities from agricultural products to seafood demands. And not just in the Bicol region but even across the globe.

I guess I was claiming it in my heart when I shared that it is my vision that the Philippines will be sending these products to other countries as our way of helping them alleviate problems of hunger and poverty. At the same time, an increase in revenues will also mean flourishing businesses which will provide more opportunities for the local community when it comes to other sources of livelihood and income.

Yes, I see all of these promising opportunities as a way to boost the country’s economy and one of the ways to alleviate poverty. The Bicol International Airport, the Bulan Auxiliary Airport, and the Bulan Fish Port are all reliable channels when transporting goods. Now, there are more options to transfer goods from one location to another and not just by land. This will help minimize logistics and shipping expenses as well as cut down the travel time while keeping all perishable goods in excellent condition.

2017-12-27-00-09-32

Bulan’s Auxiliary Airport.

If the products are all in good condition when they are delivered to the buyer, you’re assured of having a regular client as far as the business partnership is concerned. And more importantly, consumers will have the best products on top of getting their money’s worth.

God Closes Doors Because He Knows the Right One for You

In another news, another God-given opportunity came along. I tried a lot of doors but God kept on closing them either because they rejected me or it was I who declined their offers. Why? He reserved this one particular career opportunity, which I earnestly prayed for – earn an income but the work schedule and location will allow me to manage the family project on the side.

I felt it in my heart to resign from my previous work after I asked God for His leading. I ended up with this new job where I get to deal with every data when it comes to real estate. Once again, it is like hitting two birds with one stone because it has something to do with properties. What I can gather from doing research at work, I get to apply it in our family project and vice versa.

“Land development is both an art and a science. It is an art that builds on creativity, instincts and vision to transform an idea from concept into reality. As a science, it systematically progresses through a series of activities to accomplish a successful outcome — a new development.” – Professional Builder

God is simply amazing, and He never fails to work His wonders all throughout even though there were times that I had to suffer for a while because I was waiting for His right time. And yet, what I suffered is nothing compared to the glory that He has reserved for us in the future. And I am not just talking about the good things here on Earth but what is in store for us after death – life in eternity.

Sometimes I get to think that what I do and everything I do now don’t really matter in the end. Because we all will leave this place anyhow. But I guess that is not God’s purpose for us – waiting for our dying day. His purpose for us is to do what He asked us to do while waiting. The way I see it is that all these things that happen around us are never for our own glory but for His glory.

He wants His Name to be proclaimed everywhere. Yes, nothing else but this. Nothing is far better than leaving a legacy that glorifies His Name to remember by. 🙏

To end this article, I’d like to share these verses which I stumbled upon Godpreneur’s IG profile (a reminder):

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

– James 4:13-17

Are you a business owner? You might want to ask God if our town will be part of your business ventures in the future, too. :-)

The Top 3 Distractions That Can Defeat Your Purpose

Posted on by

Hi, my dear WordPress readers! 🙂

I’m reblogging this article while I catch up on a lot of other pending articles. The reason for my short absence will be discussed in detail in the succeeding articles.

Meanwhile, I hope you’ll get an insight or two from this article and please feel free to express your sentiments, too. ❤

“The Top 3 Distractions That Can Defeat Your Purpose”

 

Finally back to WordPress writer mode,

NewBlogSignature_edited_edited

Can You Turn Your Back On Your Destiny?

Posted on by

With all the sharp turns and rapid shifts in seasons, I oftentimes arrive at this particular moment contemplating about destinies or fate. One common question I ask is this, “Can you turn your back on your destiny?” And then, it’ll be followed with a, “How would you know this is your destiny or you’re headed towards your destiny?”

Where Will My Destiny Take Me?

DSC_0460

Featuring hubby’s huggable back being lost in the greeneries. 😀

These are my moments of contemplation or quiet times. I get to ask myself but oftentimes God these questions. I always believe in God’s will more than my plans. Thus, I always ask Him what is it that I am fated to do according to His will.

For the last question, we can tell that this is what God wanted us to do if the desire to do something good is too strong to resist or to disregard.

“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and not do it.” – James 4:16

When I feel too strongly about something that is right as per God’s standards, I sort of have my own prayer and fasting because though I’m a risk taker, experience has taught me to be wise in making decisions especially if they are life-changing decisions.

Time

Yes, time with God will help you determine if the path you are taking or about to take is the one that God is leading you to. Time will allow you to make the right decision weighing all that you needed to weigh with God’s guidance. This requires a close and deep relationship with God. Listening to His instructions matter so much especially since the enemy can deceive you with so many lies. It is important to discern the voice of God from the voice of the enemy.

Prayer

There are so many ways to communicate with God and the Spirit but the most powerful is through a prayer. I pray all day long, believe me. You might think this is absurd, but did you know that praying also has so many forms?

Praying isn’t just about kneeling, clasping your hands together, bowing, then saying your prayer. For me, it can take on so many forms. Like when I do certain tasks during the day, a part of my brain is praying. Praying for me is a conversation with God as if He is beside me. Like, “God, why do you think the prices of commodities rose to 150% today and what is its connection to the family project?”

This happened while I was in the middle of an online course. Then another question would pop up like, “Lord, is it really necessary I study all of these? This is not my forte and I’m like tabula rasa in this field but I also love to learn. How can I use this knowledge?”

But Sometimes There Are Doubts

I know doubts are the opposite of faith, right? Some say that you should never ever have doubts because you are entertaining the works of the enemy in the form of deceits and lies. Some would say it is okay to doubt at times because it will strengthen your faith.

I believe both are true in a way that too much doubting means eventually relying on our own strength, thus, more prone to the enemy’s temptations. Secondly, doubts can reaffirm your faith if the first person you go to when in doubt is none other than God and never your own wisdom and capabilities.

These moments are rare for me but I think my first question, “Can you turn your back on your destiny?” will fall in this category. For me, it speaks of not having enough faith in God’s leading. It also allows the enemy to tempt you with selfish desires because instead of pursuing God’s will, here you are pursuing your own plans because you allowed your doubts to take control.

Claim Your Destiny

They say when you are close to claiming God’s promise for you, the enemy is at work on full throttle as well. I was able to determine these moments as correct every time I am a day away to do this thing I’ve been planning for a long time then another very good opportunity will come along. Instantly, it will shift your focus a.k.a. the temptation hooked you. The offer seems too good to pass up on.

But God knows you have been tempted and true enough, He will show you a way out. There’s this sudden thought that will pop on your head like, “How could this opportunity pop up out of nowhere disrupting everything you have planned for so long?” If I am still the old me who’s a go-getter, I could’ve grabbed the opportunity right then and there.

But no, deep down inside me something is telling me that that is a trap. It’s a temptation although it was presented in the form of an option or a choice. So I go back to my priorities and this is where I seek God for His counsel – do not let me be astray, Lord, from the path You have chosen for me to take no matter how perfect the temptations may seem.

Yes, our pastors in the church have talked about temptations and that satan will not tempt you with the bad ones but the best. That is why it is so hard to resist temptations because they appeal to our every desire, that is, worldly desires. The enemy just loves it when we struggle with saying “no.” And I came to know this because after I resisted one temptation, another one came along which was even better. He really never gives up without a fight, does he? 😀

But sorry, my God is greater than he who is in this world. And no, even if it will be painful to say “no” to all temptations, I will remain on my course. God blesses people who remain true in their faith and remain true to Him. I was able to prove this in the past months of evading temptations left and right. He gave me the right opportunities to say “yes” with while keeping my primary task still number 1. Because I believe in my heart that the primary task is what God wanted me to do, thus, my obedience.

Your Destiny is Only Yours To Take

I don’t think we can ever turn away from our destiny, the one that God has intended for us. Why? Even if we were led astray because we were tempted, God will still give us a way out of that temptation and back on the right course.

I know that we, humans, always have the tendency to do what we wish to do on impulse. It’s like a voluntary muscle which automatically moves on its own. But then, pursuing our own plans beyond God’s will is indeed turning our backs against our destiny. It’s hard to say “no” to temptations, and yet it’s even harder to say “yes” to your destiny when you’ve fallen far behind and you’ve been tempted deep enough.

We only have one shot in this life in making sure we fulfill our destiny, our fate, and God’s will in this world. No one else can take it for us because we were all pre-selected to fulfill a specific purpose for each one of us. It’s all a matter of waiting on God and believing in Him all the way and resisting the enemy at all costs. Tough sacrifices? Nah, God knows it better than any of us. ❤

To end this article, I encountered these AWESOME worship videos during one of my quiet times. I hope they will also give you the courage to pursue God’s will for you come what may. 🙂

Destined to be a follower of Christ always,

NewBlogSignature_edited_edited

P.S. (Praise Script)

Thanks be to God for giving the right opportunity on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and abundance mindset through Bro. Bo Sanchez’s 4-hour online wealth summit seminar last Saturday! And I am so grateful because I got to attend the seminar for only Php200.00 as an early bird registrant. 😉

I know more opportunities will come to equip me and my siblings in this season of utilizing a family project for the greater good of everyone. May Your will be done always, Lord.

God is good all the time, all the time God is good. ❤

How To Pull Off A Low-Cost Date: Our R.A.V.E. Experience

Posted on by

With all honesty, there is nothing much to prepare when it comes to a low-cost date as the term speaks for itself. 😀 But, I am just writing this article to share the budget-friendly wedding anniversary date that hubby and I had last August 17.

For starters, I am a low-maintenance girl (please read this article: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/how-to-identify-a-low-maintenance-woman-3-things-to-know/) so pulling off a low-cost date with me is not a problem. That is, no hassle for hubby dear. 😀

The Low-Cost Date That Was

This is the part where my husband and I were able to pull off a less than 500php anniversary date. Pretty cheap, right? But it’s yet another memorable experience for the record. 🙂

My husband and I are pretty tight on finances lately because we’re brewing something for the family project. And our motto ever since is this, “live below our means” which was also how my parents raised me and my siblings.

I told my husband that we need not shell out so much to celebrate our anniversary because there are so many opportunities where we can still celebrate it meaningfully and have a good time.

The Plan

A month before our wedding anniversary date my husband asked me what are our plans for the celebration. I told him we have no plans. lol I told him we will ask God for leading where and how He wants us to celebrate the anniversary. So I never planned anything.

Then 2 days before our anniversary, I remembered I came across this rainforest in Pasig near our new place. I was able to check out the place and I thought it’s the perfect spot for our celebration – a breather, more nature tripping, and a way to explore our new neighborhood.

I then proposed the idea to hubby dear and he agreed. But, the day before we went there, I already gave him a heads up that we will be going there a la backpacking. So any mishaps along the way, we will take it as part of the experience.

This is opposite to the getaways that hubby is used to with all the comfort and convenience. I explained that we will be commuting via public transportation and we’ll have to prepare ourselves for any unpleasant and unforeseen challenges along the way.

I guess this is part of being a low-maintenance woman. I love raw experiences. These raw experiences are those unexpected events that made the entire journey as memorable. Not because it is fun but because you learned something along the way.

The Nature Tripping

Back to our nature tripping adventure, it began to drizzle when we went out of the house. We walked to the main road, had a quick lunch at a fast food restaurant, and asked directions on how to get to the rainforest park. We got different suggestions and decided to follow one. We boarded a jeepney, paid 8 pesos for the fare, but here’s where the challenge started – the driver misunderstood the destination where we will get off.

It was only then that we realized our mistake for calling the rainforest park as Pasig Park. lol The Pasig park is actually the one in front of the municipal hall. Thinking we’re totally lost, I told hubby dear we will just get off at a nearby wet market we passed by earlier. There will be lots of public transport terminals there since it’s a public market. It will be easier for us to ask directions going to the rainforest.

At this point, hubby dear is already close to losing his patience and feels like backing out already. lol He told me we are wasting so much precious time being lost and all and the drizzle is starting to become heavy rains already.

Ah yes, these are the moments why I love these “backpacking” experiences. It will test your character’s endurance when situations posit themselves as pretty tough. So I patiently told him that he can go back home if he wants to but I will continue on with the journey.

The Journey in A Marriage

Then I continued explaining that we must take it just like the trials in our marriage. It is not only the good things that happened that made our entire experience as a married couple worthwhile, meaningful and fulfilling but also the bad experiences. What is more important is how we deal with these trials and came out successfully in dealing with all of them.

Isn’t it amazing that I got to share that wisdom exactly during our wedding anniversary? God’s timing is always perfect – never early, never late. 😉

The Trek Must Go On

I was able to convince hubby dear that our plans for that day will push through no matter what. I asked people around how to get to the rainforest. One security guard gave me the directions and asked me to be vigilant. He thought that maybe I was going alone because hubby was walking far behind me. The guard probably wondered why this beautiful lady (according to my imagination) is going to a rainforest alone. lol 😀

Hubby dear was able to catch up with me and I told him the instructions that the guard gave me. We followed the instructions and got to the tricycle terminal going into the rainforest. That was my first tricycle ride experience wherein they placed a small bench inside making the normal 2-seater interior as a 4-seater. I never thought it’s possible but there it was. That’s another new experience to add to my list.

We got there in about 30 minutes. When we arrived, the rain heavily poured. So my husband’s spirits were also close to being absolutely dampened. lol We waited for the rain to stop and after 5 minutes, it did. Unfortunately, only some of the facilities were open to the public because the others were rented out for birthday celebrations.

2018-08-19-19-27-21-319

We only got to try 3 park attractions but we sure did have fun. We are definitely going back for the other recreation activities that we weren’t able to try. We ended the day with our favorite street foods i.e. “isaw” (grilled chicken intestines), pork barbecue, potato wedges, hotdog on a stick, and a dragonfruit shake. This was my favorite part, by the way. 😉

It’s my first time to try a dragonfruit shake, too. I like it but love, hmm, not really. 😀 It has a peculiar grassy taste but I’m pretty sure it’s very healthy. But after the long walks, you’ll appreciate it enough as refreshingly good.

Here’s our list of expenses for that day (2 pax):

Jeepney fare to Pasig palengke – 16.00php (8.00 each)

Tricycle fare to Pasig rainforest – 20.00php (10.00 each)

Rainforest Park Fees – 100.00 php (50.00 each for 3 main attractions – Maze, Flower Fields, Zoo)

Snacks – 100-200.00php

Tricycle fare back to Pasig palengke – 20.00php

Jeepney fare back to our place – 16.00php

TOTAL: Php 372.00

God’s Plans Are Always Better

By the time we reached home, we were both exhausted and yet undeniably happy. I told hubby it’s a good thing he never backed out from our low-cost date and getaway. He could’ve missed yet another experience to add on to our ever-growing list of couples’ learning experience, adventure, and fun. So, he’s the one who said now that we’re definitely going back. lol 😉

Ah yes, being low-maintenance doesn’t mean your experience will be less. Also, being a low-maintenance woman doesn’t mean I have low standards. In fact, the opposite is true. I have high standards as a woman because my standards are God’s standards.

And in every relationship and marriage, what are God’s standards? These are loyalty, faithfulness, respect, honor, and love as described in 1 Corinthians 13. I made all of these known to my husband even when we’re just dating and I guess they’re among the reasons why we are where we are now as a husband and a wife despite some setbacks.

And of course, the goodness of the Lord just never fails. It never does. And it will remain the same as always and forever. To Him be the glory always. ❤

“Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” – Proverbs 19:14

A low-maintenance woman with high Godly standards,

Blog Signature

P.S.

By the way, R.A.V.E. stands for Rainforest Adventure Experience. I also didn’t include photos from this experience because I still need to resize them one by one so they won’t take up much of my WordPress storage space (free domain problems. lol) 😀

How To Identify A Low-Maintenance Woman | 3 Things To Know

Posted on by

The characteristics of a low-maintenance woman may vary differently depending on a lot of factors such as personality, background, upbringing, culture, etc. But one common feature that low-maintenance ladies have is being low-key in almost everything. You may check out the articles I compiled below about low-maintenance ladies and some things about me and why I’m low-maintenance. 🙂

What Do Low-Maintenance Women Have in Common?

How Am I A Low-Maintenance Woman?

These are my personal preferences but you and I might share the same interests so please read ahead. 😀

1. My ideal date is nature-tripping.

Everything that nature offers is for free. But you might still have to shell out a little cash in some cases. Personally, I am not a fan of mall dates. I regard the mall only as a place where we check out new restaurants to try and where I buy all the stuff that I need. Nothing more.

I see other better ways in spending time than to walk aimlessly around the mall looking at all the stuff that I won’t buy because I don’t need them. I am low-maintenance so I only buy the things that I need which will be explained in item #2.

I am not into fine-dine dates either because I find it too constricting. You have to dress like this, act like this, say this and that, and don’t act like this or don’t dress this way, etc. I guess I adopted this nonchalant attitude way back in college where we have the freedom to do anything we wish as nonconformists of society’s dictates as long as we don’t violate any written law. But do it while keeping our honor intact.

In other words, be yourself. Even if it means wearing “home clothes” going to school. Yep, I always go to school wearing big tees and jeans and my favorite pair of all-around slippers. And Havaianas are not yet out during our time. 😉

Always the T-shirt girl.

T-shirt is life.

So when my husband and I were still dating and he asked me out on our first date where I want it to be, I told him that I want it somewhere surrounded by nature. Not a fine-dine restaurant but something casual. And I believe this is the reason why he got my “yes.” He chose just the perfect spot for our first date at Sonya’s Garden in Tagaytay.

You may read more about it here: “It All Started At Sonya’s Garden”

2. I am very practical when buying stuff.

When I see what I need, I buy it and then I leave the mall. No kidding. 😀 So this explains why I only spend about an hour maximum to buy about 20 items I need inside the mall. I already know what I need so when I see them, I buy them.

I don’t spend so much time thinking about whether I should buy this or that or this one is better than the other. My husband is quite the opposite. 😉

There was even one time I teased him that he’s like a woman when buying stuff – we have scourged all the shops, all the colors, shapes, and sizes, and yet he still can’t find the one he likes. And that is only for one item. Oh, dear me. lol

I also have only the basic necessities at home from clothes to toiletries to make up. I overhaul clothes every 20 years. So the clothes that you saw me wearing 10 years ago, you’ll still see me wearing them now. lol And our bathroom, closets, and dressers still have lots of spaces in them.

Because, again, I am the low-maintenance girl who doesn’t need so much except a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and soap for toiletries; eyeliner, lipstick, face powder, and mascara for makeup; T-shirts and shorts that are mostly not branded for clothes.

I totally love wearing big shorts (hubby’s. lol) and big t-shirts and hubby will just tell me, “Hey, that’s my shirt.” Well, it’s mine now. 😀

fb_img_1537433179410729423272.jpg

Outfit was stolen from hubby. 😉

But I also make a few exceptions when dressing up and I give in to society’s norms out of our love and respect for our families and friends during occasions. Like the photo below taken during my husband’s friend’s wedding last month:

Dressing up only for a day. 🙂

2018-08-30-01-20-30-867_edited

Ladylike for a day. 😉

But because I am practical me, would you believe if I tell you that this party dress belongs to my Mom and also my pumps? They are now 42 years old already (they’re 9 years older than me!). haha Yep, the dress was tailor-made but designed by Mom when she’s in her 30s around circa 1970s. You may check out this article for more of Mom’s vintage dresses. 😀

https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/how-my-passion-for-art-and-fashion-came-to-be/

3. I am always after the quality of experience and never about the quantity of material possessions I get.

Any place where I’ll have immeasurable fun, adventure, and learning, that’s where you’ll find me. I love to get down and dirty literally with all the mud, the sweat, and the stink (the good kind). lol So I told my husband that when we have kids, our ideal family date is somewhere in the long trails of a mountain, a wide open field for biking, kite-flying, doing outdoor sports like frisbee, soccer, and a whole lot more of meaningful and yet free fun.

I have never been a fan of Time Zone or any “game zone” in the mall not only because I’m not a mall person but because it requires you to shell out cash to have an enjoyable experience. I’ve been on one because I indulged some of my companion’s wishes, but sadly, it wasn’t an enjoyable experience for me. I see it as some form of gambling like in a casino. Because for you to earn more (either cash or experience), you need to earn more chips and for you to have these chips, you need to purchase them.

But then, it all goes down to personal preferences and differences when it comes to interests and I respect that on other people. 🙂

I’ll end this low-maintenance article right here and I must say that again, it is a matter of personal preferences. Some guys may prefer high-maintenance women while some would prefer those who are just not squirmish about everything. 😉

You may also read this article for the low-cost date with ze husband last month on our anniversary date: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/how-to-pull-off-a-low-maintenance-date-our-r-a-v-e-experience/.

“And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes.” – 1 Timothy 2:9

Always the low-maintenance woman,

Blog Signature

Paperwork How-Tos: Land Titles & Business Registration | Agribusiness

Posted on by

I’ll be temporarily lifting my #everyFridayblogpost rule for now because there are a lot of things that I’d like to share with you. I am no longer following my own editorial calendar because there are some topics that I need to insert in-between. I need to share these topics asap otherwise the thought will “expire.” 😉

Today, I’ll be sharing with you what I gathered from my research when it comes to land titles and business registration paperwork. If you’ve been browsing my previous articles, my family and I are on to this new project which is utilizing a piece of property on a wider scale for agribusiness. We are currently preparing the paperwork requirements for legalities’ purposes and equipping ourselves with all the information and knowledge we can gather about agribusiness.

I have high hopes that even if this family project will not push through (if God wills it), may this help you prepare if God has called you to venture into this endeavor. So while waiting, I thought it best to write this article. 🙂

“Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:6

rawpixel-665368-unsplash

Land Titles and Business Registration in the Philippines

1. Land Titles: Transfer and Registration

Whether you have acquired a piece of land by inheritance or you’re planning to buy one, these resources are very helpful to guide you in managing your land assets. I won’t include a step-by-step guide as these reliable sources will explain everything in detail. The online resources are as follows:

http://www.lra.gov.ph/frequently-asked-questions.html

https://www.rocketlawyer.com/article/whats-the-difference-between-a-property-deed-and-a-title-ps.rl

https://www.lamudi.com.ph/journal/land-titles-transferred-philippines/

https://www.lamudi.com.ph/journal/qa-how-much-does-it-cost-to-transfer-a-land-title-in-the-philippines/

http://filipinohomes.com/blog/transfer-title-deceased-parents/

https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/corruption/155998-notonmywatch-steps-land-ownership-philippines

2. New Business Registration: SEC and BIR

The next step is registering your business. If opportunities don’t allow you to purchase a piece of land, you still have the option to lease a property. You may check out the following links on how to register your business with the Security and Exchange Commission as well as with the Bureau of Internal Revenue:

http://www.sec.gov.ph/services-2/company-2/registration/

https://philippinesbusinessregistration.com/company-registration/requirements/

**I also included the following resources just in case you will be venturing into agribusiness with a group of people or with your family as well:

https://fitsmallbusiness.com/what-is-a-corporation/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporation

https://mpm.ph/how-to-register-a-corporation/https://www.sec.gov.ph/services-2/company-2/registration/

http://www.pna.gov.ph/categories/agri-business

These land titles and business registration resources may provide varying information and some may not be applicable in your case. But you may further conduct due diligence or seek professional advice with an expert. They can properly address your situation and give you the appropriate help. If you also wish to get in touch with me for other business-related concerns, you may contact me on my social media channels located on the sidebar or footer of this website. 🙂

Lastly, I am praying for God’s leading over this endeavor that I believe will impact the community for the better in the coming years. ❤

“You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21

Always at your service,

Blog Signature