Tag Archives: blessed

NYE 123123 Countdown @ 5th Avenue BGC 🎆

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New Year’s Eve 123123 was by far the most “chill” celebration I’ve had. No stressful planning, no hassle, and everything just went smoothly. Though we terribly miss being with our families during the holidays.

Hubby and I never had any plans on how to celebrate New Year’s Eve except that we will watch the fireworks display in BGC. Our day yesterday started with good news because the result of my repeated urinalysis looked like nothing was off the charts this time.

The doctors are on a holiday break though so I will schedule my consultation with an Internal Medicine doctor possibly on the second week of January.

Lovely piano music courtesy of a patient @ St. Luke’s BGC. 🥰

Then after lunch, hubby and I decided to attend the 5PM service at Victory Fort. I was surprised (but so happy) that I was able to book a Grab ride right away, so we arrived a couple of minutes early.

Victory Fort 5PM Service

Then after the service, we decided to walk just a couple of blocks from Victory Fort to an Indian restaurant called “New Bombay.”

Cozy and very colorful interiors. 👍
I love their huge plates. 😍

When we got to the restaurant, we were the only customers there so it’s like an exclusive dining experience for me and hubby at first. But a couple of minutes later, other guests started arriving.

The menu is about 5 pages long. This means more options and, thus, more reasons to come back to try them all. 😁

I will give this restaurant 5 stars for its great-tasting food, affordability, store accessibility, and excellent customer service. If you’re looking for authentic Indian cuisine in BGC, this is the place to be.

We love Indian food!

They also offer generous servings, and the strawberry yogurt is the perfect drink to pair with the meals. My husband and I tried Mutton Biryani, and I highly recommend this dish. The mutton is so tender, and I like how the spices aren’t too overpowering.

Chola Chat – Samosa
Mutton Biryani (good for 2 pax)

They have a lot of dishes to choose from, and there are also options for vegetarians. We ordered dishes that were somewhat heavy on carbs, so we were just too full to finish everything. lol

Chola Pesawari
Seafood Soup

Then we headed to the concert venue and when we got there, the place was literally jampacked. Hubby and I decided to go to the designated Family Zone instead to avoid the crowd because I’m actually claustrophobic.

On our way to the Family Zone, we ordered Starbucks drinks and oh boy, it took my hubby about an hour to get our order. Long lines were everywhere inside the Family Zone. All the tables were occupied, too, and I was fortunate enough to find a spot on a ledge under the tree. But I think it’s the perfect spot because I got to observe a lot of people. 😃

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Then at around 11:30PM, we started walking towards the Fireworks Viewing Area just a couple of blocks away from the concert grounds.

This BGC cat casually sat down beside me while waiting for the fireworks display. 😃

There were fewer people here, but it’s the perfect spot to watch the fireworks display, which lasted for 10 minutes.

After the concert ended at around 12:50AM, hubby and I chose to stay a little longer while waiting to book a Grab ride going home. We were unsuccessful, so we thought we’ll just walk a couple more blocks and check out what other transportation options we had.

By the way, I prefer walking around because I get to familiarize myself with the neighborhood and observe a lot of scenarios for my next stories. If we brought a car, I also don’t want my husband driving during times like this when heavy traffic’s unpredictable because it’ll get on his nerves and ruin his mood, and he’ll be too tired. I think all guys can relate. 😃

All the beautiful colors and textures are in one frame.

We also passed by a high-end club in BGC and a couple was having an argument. Then another guy looked like he’s already drunk and was about to jump off the second-floor balcony. I was like, “Oh please no, Lord. I don’t want to start my 2024 witnessing a horrible incident.” His friends grabbed him though, so yes, always bring your friends with you if you plan to really get drunk at a party.

Then when we got to the main thoroughfare, my husband was able to hail a cab and by 3AM, we’re already home. My sister’s condo in Pasig is near BGC, so going home isn’t a problem because you’ll have lots of options to choose from.

It was a calm ending for 2023 – simple and yet at peace. I felt God’s assurance reminding me that when He is in control, we have nothing to worry in 2024. I am forever grateful for everything God has blessed me and my family with last year. I pray you are, too. A blessed 2024, everyone! 🥰 🎆❤️🙏

Thank You so much, Lord, for guiding me and my husband always despite our flaws and imperfections. 🙏

“Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:19

My Blessed 2019 Birthday @ Camarines Sur Watersports Complex

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I have been used to celebrating my birthdays on the road since I started working. I cannot tell if it is a good or a bad thing. All I know is that each time, I get to have a fresh perspective on a lot of different things.

It’s like being renewed year after year. Maybe it really has something to do with the adage that as you age, you get wiser. Another year older, another year wiser so to speak. 🙂

Another Birthday Experience

My birthday last December was another new experience. Our maternal grandma passed away and the last night of her wake fell on my birthday. I was close to my grandma when I was young, and she’s one of my major influences when it comes to faith.

She was 95 years old, and hers was a peaceful death after a long wait. She’s been bedridden for about 2 years, and each passing year for her means asking when is our Lord going to take her. God prepared her well though during that long wait no matter how difficult it may be for her.

I never felt like celebrating my birthday last year. But as it turned out, God has different plans.

God’s Plans Are Sometimes Different

It was me and my hubby’s first time to travel by car going to our hometown – a total of 17 hours including occasional pee breaks. I decided we have a stopover halfway our trip and spend the night at Camarines Sur Watersports Complex.

As typical of me who plans everything ahead of time, I already booked an accommodation a couple of months prior to our trip. This came in very timely because our expected travel time of only 9 hours from Manila to CWC became 22 hours.

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Yes, my husband and I just felt like vegetables about to rot. lol It was SOOOOO TIRING. Our check-in time was 2pm, we were able to check-in at 10:30 pm. I informed the reservation officer we will be arriving late due to traffic congestion.

There were multiple roadworks in some parts of Bicol and Quezon, which lengthened our usual travel time. It’s also the start of the holiday break in schools and offices, thus, everybody’s going out of town.

Always Look At The Brighter Side

But here’s where God reminded me to always be hopeful and cheerful in every unfavorable situation. I asked the reservation officer if we can still avail of their massage services because I know our bodies badly needed them, especially my husband.

She said that we still can since they are open until 10 pm. So I booked one at 10 pm. We arrived at 10:30 pm, and we’re just so glad our massage therapists waited for us though we’re already 30 minutes late.

A Surprise Birthday Gift

Here’s another surprising scenario. When we got to the lobby, the receptionist informed us that our accommodation was upgraded for FREE from a Tiki Hut to a Small Cabin. She told me that there was a problem booking the accommodation, and it was a mistake on their end. I was so overjoyed, and I can’t help expressing my heartfelt gratitude to her.

I thought this must be God’s birthday surprise for me. 😀 My husband and I also haven’t had our dinner yet, so I asked her if we can still order food and have it served in our room. We were able to order our favorites (comfort food) and then headed to our room.

A few minutes later, our massage therapists came and after apologizing to them for waiting, we had our much-needed massages. A few minutes later, our food arrived. We were just so filled with goodness. Why? The massage was superb and so was the food!

As Simple And Yet Meaningful As It Gets

Although we missed Saturday’s acoustic performance, the night ended quite well actually. And of course, it was even made perfect when my already very tired husband hugged me and said, “Hon, things may have happened differently than we planned, but this day still ended happily. Happy, happy birthday.”

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No, I didn’t cry. We are not just super mushy types. lol And my husband loves to tease me so I know he can never be that serious. Although I did feel the sincerity of his greeting. 😉

So when the clock struck 12, I just can’t contain my happiness – it’s now my birthday. We were tired and plans have changed, but I slept soundly with a smile on my face that night. 

Even if there’s pain, God never fails to remind us that it still is possible to experience joy.

Truly, how can we ever outsmart a God who knows things even before they happen and makes all things beautiful in His time? 🙂

A Day Full Of Activities And More Errands

The next day, my husband and I woke up just in time to try wakeboarding and double kayaking even though we’re already much pressed for time. My mom texted me to be home by 7 pm for our grandma’s vigil service so we’re pretty much in a hurry.

As we slowly approached our home and saw the yellow lights, I knew my grandma was waiting for us. Days prior to coming home, I was worried that I won’t be able to hold it all in and just burst into tears. But because God made me experience joy, He lifted all those heavy emotions and made me experience a little bit of joy in the midst of pain.

God knew I needed strength. He gave it during the times I needed it most. He used my husband and other circumstances as an avenue for me to have it. So when I saw my grandma peacefully sleeping, I smiled a faint smile and was filled with peace that comes from knowing God had it all in control.

A Peaceful Farewell

“Today is my birthday, Mama. It is sad that this will be the last day, too, that you will be with us. But I also rejoice that you can finally be with the Lord.”

This was how I celebrated my birthday last year, and the experience was another one for the books – a keepsake remembrance down the memory lane. A sad memory but still a joy to remember. 🙂

If you’re wondering why I was named Christine, watch out for my next article and find out the (funny) story behind it. 😉

Grateful for yet another year to live in this world,

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When God Blesses, He Blesses Abundantly

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This is a praise report because we just have a GREAT and WONDERFUL GOD worthy of our praise and all the glory. ❤😊

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

The title sounds familiar? It should if you sing it. 😉

A few weeks ago, my husband and I have been going through rough months in several areas of our lives. Our families were there to give us comfort and support and yet we all know that the deep grievances of the heart can only be comforted by God and God alone. Emotions were high, tough decisions have to be made.

I must admit I was never that strong. In fact, I was very weak during these moments – I cried, I lamented, I complained, I was bitter, I was enraged…but I held on to faith. Because God rewards those who remain steadfast in times of testing. I know that He will always be there.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9

The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground. – Psalm 147:6

What Are Blessings?

When I speak of blessings, I am referring to both tangible and intangible things. Most of them, in fact, won’t fit the standards of this world and how the world defines success – riches, accumulation of possessions and material wealth, winning a competition, having a prestigious title, achievements, etc.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2

Yes, this has always been my mantra – don’t go with the flow when it comes to social practices. Assess whether what you are doing is indeed to glorify God, do His will, and serve others. Because as much as we want to deny it, this is our only purpose in this world – spread the Good News.

Are We Really Doing It For God?

I realized that thanking God for our achievements doesn’t really glorify God. I, myself, was a victim of this. Every time I accomplish something, I always think that it is also what God wanted me to do. Little did I know that it is the enemy’s trap to slowly enter in his lair – temptations for worldly success, to please the world, to be prideful about what I can do, and to boast about what I have.

This drive to pursue selfish ambition and using God as a cover-up is a very deadly addiction. It poisons your motivation until you are suddenly being led astray. You become hungry for power. You become hungry for validation. You become reliant on your own efforts. You become envious of others. You become addicted to worldly rewards. In other words, it is now the world that is feeding you and your soul, not God anymore.

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.
These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17

How did the realization come? Sometimes it comes as a painful rebuke and sometimes through other people’s lives as examples of who I should be and who I shouldn’t be.

This was how one challenging situation became a blessing. As I’ve shared in my previous posts, circumstances demanded I go through several medical checkups – I was feeling the symptoms and the effects of doing things my way driven by my ambitions.

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It was a “health scare.”

But that “health scare” was God’s wake-up call. He doesn’t want me to do things apart from His will and guidance. He knows I was being led astray from where He originally called me to be. As God’s blessing for my obedience, I came out clear in every single test with just a slight work-up (yay for this!). But, I know I need to receive it with a promise on my end – follow the path that He chose for me.

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And if you’ve been a follower of Christ for a long time now, I know you can relate when I say that the road that God sometimes asks us to tread on is never an easy path. It requires a lot of sacrifices but in the end, it is always about this – relinquishing the “self” and embracing God’s will.

Our notion of “best” is oftentimes not what God has in mind as His best for us. Don’t be deceived by the enemy, always check your heart, and never forget to ask God for His will every single day.

We always have to be careful with this and look into our hearts what really is our motivation and agenda for doing the things that we do now? Are they really to please God or to please ourselves and other people?

Do you still sense that tinge of “I want” when you make decisions in life or is it always about “what does God want?”.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3

I have learned to let go of promotions, of pursuing my dream to have initials attached to my name, of following my timeline and bucket/wish list, and of being regarded as society’s “best” all to pursue God’s calling. I have learned to deny the cravings of my flesh and the demands of the world when God says they are not what I need.

God always sees our hearts.

Two Sundays ago, a preaching by one of our pastors in church resonated with me. It came just very timely. It is about the pursuit of being a COO or a CEO or being at the top, in other words, and the dangers of it. His question just lingered on me all throughout the week:

“At what cost?”

Yes, there is nothing wrong being at the top or being the best and yet what is the motivation behind it? If we have the wrong motivation and if it is not God’s will for us, then, definitely, there is a collateral.

What are we willing to sacrifice? Is it time with our kids? Is it quality time with our spouses? Is it our health?

This brings us back to the hierarchy of priorities:

  1. God
  2. Spouse
  3. Family
  4. Career
  5. Ministry

These are never interchangeable. When we do rearrange them, then we know that this is where things go bad – imbalance. Sooner or later we will experience the consequences of it. My only prayer is that it won’t be too late before we arrange them again in that order.

How many people now are diagnosed with stress-related obesity or have been stress eating? How many have been diagnosed with ailments that have unexplained causes? How many have already died because some of these ailments have no cure?

This was the wake-up call for me. It is in my nature to be a multitasker. I want to accomplish a lot because I want to do a lot of things to the point that my body begins to fail me because I was just too tired.

And it all dawned on me, all for what and for whom?

I know God is giving me an assurance that I have made the right choice – to never pursue the things of this world. He knows my heart did not completely embrace this yet. So He sealed it with reminders for two consecutive days from my daily devotion last week about worldly success, busyness, etc.

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Filling Up The Tank

When I was staring at the speedometer, a thought came into my mind. Just like a car when it’s low on fuel, it needs to stop or better yet, it needs to be filled up. Only then can it run smoothly again back on the path – the right path. No stopovers this time, no detours. Unless it’s time for yet another refill.

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One wise question to ask ourselves is this: “If we are the car, what, or rather, Who is our fuel?”

To end this article, I am just grateful for the abundance of blessings, too, for each and every member of our families. I never fail to include them in my prayers every single night because, once again, they come 3rd on my list of priorities. I don’t want to boast specifically but let me just boast about a God who is more than enough. ❤

My only prayer is that I can spread the love of God to others, too, in whatever medium, through what God has called me to do, and with what He has given me. The future seems dim and covered, for now, and my view of it is limited. But I have faith God is already waiting for me at the end of the road. I was just stopping by for a fuel refill for now. 😉

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“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – Corinthians 4:18

Blessed to have a God who calls me His daughter,

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P.S.

Who’s ready to enjoy summer with me and bask under the bright sun with a grateful heart? ❤ Life is just good when you have God in it, isn’t it? 😉

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And of course, what is life without God and your God-given mate? My deepest gratitude goes out to my beloved husband, too, for a whole lot of things. ❤

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

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To The Only Mother I’ll Ever Have

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That’s no other than my Mom. 🙂

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I wrote this article to honor our Mom on her 72nd birthday today, September 7, 2018. I know the text, call or Skype greeting won’t be enough to show her how much we love her especially since we are miles away from her. Thus, here’s a little something for the social media.

Her Name is Teacher Eden

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BNCS-A Teachers: Mom is second from the left.

She’s a retired grade school teacher. She’s also one of my former teachers and though she’s my Mom, she never treated me any different from my classmates. I could remember one moment when I was still the talkative girl seated at the front because of near-sightedness. My Mom, who’s my Science teacher back then, called me out by my name and said, “Christine, pay attention!” 😀 Haha

Mom in her younger days.

Yes, no biases for Mom as a teacher inside the classroom. And that is why when asked during a job interview who’s the first person to me who exemplified professionalism, I wrote none other than my Mom. Here’s my answer:

“I have worked in several industries from the BPO, the advertising agency, to the academe but I only found one professional whom I look up to when it comes to the right work ethics and dedication – my Mom. I may be biased but she is the first professional I know who exemplifies what it is to not just be good but to excel in your craft as far as professionalism is concerned.

She is now a retired grade school teacher and has been teaching for 45 years. She was assigned to handle Section 4 in a public elementary school which was stereotyped back then as a class composed of students who were rowdy, often absent, and cognitively challenged. But despite that, my Mom invested in her students through discipline and provided encouragement to always be in class.

Some of them were absent in school because they accompany their parents in earning a living. Some attend school without having breakfast. Some couldn’t cope with the lesson discussed. And yet my Mom made sure they are getting the best quality of education she could offer.

It is through this that I have learned that professionalism isn’t about being employed and receiving a salary but more about what you can contribute to the betterment of the organization you are with may it be in the academe or the corporate world.”

As A Mother

My Mom, and in all goodness of the word, is a “tiger mom” in a way that she instilled discipline above everything else. She has a lot of rules at home but she’s the one who taught us what it meant about taking responsibilities and being accountable for them at an early age.

I can remember how I made a “deal” with Mom about having my first cat when I was around 7 or 8 years old. I asked her if I can keep the kittens. This was what she said, “Yes, you can keep them but you are responsible for feeding them and making sure they are well taken care of.” And yes, we have to take out our cats’ poop when we’re already a bit older. My siblings and I usually try to “evade” this task and you can tell why. lol

Every Saturday, we also had this family thing called “doing household chores together.” 😀 When I was younger (and anyone can relate), this is the part where I don’t enjoy much. But now that I am older, I appreciated my Mom training us to do these chores as part of our weekly tasks.

And no, don’t ever think about cleaning everything in one fast sweep. You have to make sure the place where you’re assigned to clean is 100% spot-free. Why? She will ask you to clean it again if she still sees dirt in them. 😉

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The young Ginetes circa 1980s.

During summertime, kids may have this idea of 100% vacation in their heads. But with us, it is 90% play time but 10% summer lessons. She would ask us to do advance lessons of books that will be used for next year.

No problem for me if it’s English because it’s my favorite (even if I have faulty grammar.lol). But no, it has to be your most hated subject – mine’s Math. 😀 Mom knew the subjects where we’re performing poorly and to avoid the chances of us flanking, she will ask us to do review lessons.

There are actually a lot more that I can share here about how Mom brought us up and made us who we are now. But looking back, I can only be grateful she brought us up that way.

I appreciated every single effort that she and my Dad made to teach us everything from right values, good manners, to the skills that we needed to survive in the real world. It molded the character that now defines each and every one of us, 5 siblings.

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Year 2010: Back when my eldest sister’s the only one among 5 of us, siblings, who is married. 😀

There are times that out of my frustration I would text my Mom about certain people and how different they are from us. And yet what she will always tell me is to stand down. To show to people how to do things right but do it by being flexible enough to understand where they came from. By being able to listen, to never demand, but to adjust if and when necessary.

If God wills it I become a mom, I am going to raise my children like how Mom did with a little combination from what I learned from others and in the academe. My Mom epitomizes a woman of great character, strength, and wisdom. And I can only thank God I was given a Mom like her. With this, I can say that my siblings and I are truly blessed. ❤

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Circa 1960s: My mom (in blue dress) along with my uncles and aunt, grandparents (center), and great-grandmother (center, seated).

To end this article, I’d like to offer a prayer for my Mom and I’d like to invite you to join me pray for her:

“Dear Father,

Thank You for the life of my Mom. May You always shower her with your protection, Your love, Your comfort, and Your grace. Strengthen her always in the times that she is weak and deliver her from any kind of struggle.

May You bind us together as one family through her in the midst of trials and challenges. Thank You because You have been faithful to her all throughout these years. May You shine upon her and give her the wisdom always that will lead not just us, her children, but others as well.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name I pray, Amen.”

“Honor your Father and your Mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise…” – Ephesians 6:2

Always proud to be my Mom’s daughter,

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P.S.

If you want to know more about my Mom, you may read this article: “How My Passion For Art and Fashion Came To Be.” ❤

All The Way To Tagaytay

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Another long overdue article here. 😀

I did mention in my previous articles I have quite a pile of article drafts for editing and publishing and I am in a rush to publish them all (hopefully) while I am in a period of waiting and time is still on my side.

The summer escapade for me and hubby along with his family for this year was in the cool breeze of Tagaytay. We just had to take advantage of the summer season before the rainy days start to fill the last quarters of our calendar. It was a short holiday break thus the rest of the family members were all free to have this short family time and get-together.

It always is a privilege to spend some quality time with the family despite the busy schedules and varying demands of priorities in life – something that is far too precious to waste. My parents are in Bicol which is a 17-hour land travel to get directly to our hometown. Now that is something that I don’t have the privilege to do. Going to my hometown meant allotting 1 day for travel time then another day to rest which, after doing the Math, requires at least a week if you want to make the most and the best out of your family get-together. Simply put, visiting my family in Bicol is synonymous to careful planning ahead of the scheduled visit.

But well, this is the part where I need to thank God for technology. Skype made the term “homesickness” just a term. Again, family time meant quality time and this requires we set aside time for this despite the busy schedules. If most of us have the same free time, my family and I are able to Skype with one another once a week. And Skype-ing in the family means this – the minimum talking time is 4 hours starting at around 9 or 10pm.

Wuhaaat?!?! 😀

Yep, you can already hear the rooster crowing and we’re still on our “high” conversing with one another. Well, that’s for us, women in the family. For the men, 2 hours is the maximum and they bid their “goodbyes” in the middle of our conversation. The ever popular difference of men and women, eh? 😀

Anyway, going back to the Tagaytay escapade, we tried the Pamana restaurant with its awesome overlooking view of the Taal Lake and the food was superb too. I only captured shots of some dishes though, the long trip sure made us all pretty hungry.

I also loved the interiors which exude the ambiance of an old Hispanic house. Indeed, the concept of the restaurant matched with its name “Pamana,” a Tagalog term for heirloom/inheritance.

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Captivating, isn’t it?

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We also scouted for anything new in the area which includes this food park called “StrEat.” We didn’t get to try the food stalls though as it’s flocked with a huge crowd when we got there. The next day, there was no plan where we will have our summer escapade. We’ve been traveling without a destination actually and we came to that point of giving up and just head back home because all the resorts we’ve inquired were fully booked. Well, it’s summer so we kind of expected that.

When we were on the verge of turning back, voila, God gave us one resort that’s not so jam packed with visitors but the place was nice (and budget friendly) enough to bond with the family. Hotel Monticello was indeed “heaven sent”  hubby and I actually thought it’d be perfect for a wedding reception too. We couldn’t spend overnight though as we’re only geared up for a day tour. When we arrived, we had all the pool to ourselves which means this – LOTS OF SELFIES! Hahaha 😀

Nope, don’t get me wrong, I seldom take selfies. You can actually check my Instagram account for that. I just choose moments best for selfies and those moments that are not. And I only take selfies when nobody’s around, not even my hubby. 😀

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Selfie moment. My ever seldom selfie moment. 

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But really, when it comes to moments, there are just those that a camera snap isn’t enough to capture them all. I guess that’s the reason why God created our memories, an infinite storage at the back of our heads where every single memory is captured and safely stored.

So this one article is up in the memory of my head, but in case I have amnesia days or years from now, I have WordPress to retell and rewind them for me. Ah yes, the joys and perks of blogging – your online journal indeed. 🙂

P.S.

WordPress, please don’t ever shut down. Like, EVER. 😀

Oh and check out this amusing video of my hubby and sister-in-law. Reminds me of my brother and I – siblings moment, they are. 😉

 

 

The Plight of the Poor

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I consider it a privilege that where we are staying now is situated near a slum area. For 15 years since I started going to college until now, this has been my second home. I grew up waking up each day opening the gate seeing those who rummage the garbage of what they can salvage and sell. Or that moment when I pass by their community and the pair of torn and tattered shoes I have decided to throw out and dispose the other day is now being displayed at the side walk for sale – 10 pesos. 🙂

Now when this happened I just smiled – what I considered a garbage is a blessing to others. I can’t help though but feel for these people. I know God has a special place for them in His heart and I know that they will soon be given an opportunity to know God and have better lives here in this world – better spiritual lives. This is all that matters. I know that when Christ is living in their hearts, they will see God as the sole provider of all of their needs and the only source of hope – not the government nor foundations/organizations.

This thought pacifies me every time I feel at a loss how to provide them the financial and material support that they need. I had to control myself that what they needed are not money nor possessions but Christ. If I give in to the temptation of providing them their basic needs, I will be drawing their attention to me as the provider and not to God who is the ONLY provider unless they already have a firm foundation of who Jesus and God are in their lives.

The latter posits as a challenge because what we’ll be infiltrating is a set of cultural values and beliefs that have been embedded even longer than most of us have lived. We are banking on not just one person but a family and eventually a community.

Thus, they are constantly in my prayers. May they be given opportunities to have a saved life, free from the corruption of this world. May they find hope in the beauty of salvation and what it brings to someone’s life – like mine.

This is possibly the reason why I became active in supporting a wide range of advocacy that focuses on family and community outreach. Though for now I feel like I haven’t been contributing much with my limited capacity to help but I know prayers are powerful and God hears all of them.

It doesn’t feel right with me that I am experiencing a life better than them in some aspects and yet on a certain level, I feel one with them – we are all sinners. This, alone, will bind me closer to them despite the differences.

To end this short article (this was unplanned because today is a busy day for me but I just felt I had to share it)  I’ll just quote the first beatitude:

blessed-are-the-poor-in-spirit-2

Photo courtesy: thekingscorneratctk.blogspot.com/

A Silent Salutation To My Moms

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A silent salutation.

Because I know that the endless “Thank yous” and “I love yous”  won’t be enough to completely express how much my appreciation goes for such an amazing job they did on motherhood.

I will become a mother someday. But if it isn’t God’s will, I’d still be grateful I was blessed with the opportunity to marry and be with the man God has appointed me to be with. But for now, it is such a great opportunity that God has given me my birth mother and my mother-in-law – two completely opposite and flawed individuals yet amazing in their own ways. Oftentimes I find myself thinking how far will my faith be tested. That is, being a woman of God. My Mom and my mother-in-law are women tested through time becoming who they are now.

They say elders are to be examples to the younger generations. For they were made wiser by time and experiences – something that the youth do not possess yet. It is by wisdom that men grow as an individual as far as individuality is concerned. And yet the irony is that not all elders possess the right kind of wisdom – Godly knowledge. Through which I found myself praying for utmost discernment. For how can someone younger correct someone older out of the youth’s reverence to the elderly?

It was written in the bible:

“Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,..” – Titus 3:1

“You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – 1 Peter 5:5

“Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.” – Colossians 3:20

It takes such great effort to summon the Spirit for leading when it comes to what matters most – obedience to the one who holds the authority even if it means the outcome will be a wrong decision because it wasn’t God-centered or doing the right thing, that which is pleasing to God and yet disobeying the elders.

My adoration for my mothers did not come as instant as they can be. I disliked a couple of things about my Mom and the same goes for my mother-in-law. I do not agree in some of what they do and say and yet I found myself looking past their weaknesses and appreciating the good in each of them. Appreciation is never that easy, for accepting one person for who he/she is means accepting even the worst in him/her.

My relationship with my Mom is never the warm, friendly type. She is a Mom and I am her daughter and nothing should cross that boundary. She brought us up in a very independent manner, allowing us to make our own decisions, letting us fall if we made the wrong decisions, letting us look for solutions to our problems and yet she never fails to be there at the moment when you needed her the most. Communication does not happen everyday for us even when I was in college. I admire the way she disciplines us, the values most especially. For it is in those values that I have learned about how to deal with the circumstances and people around me the right way – that which is acceptable not just to society but to God most especially.

My mother-in-law is the opposite. She likes to foster warm and affectionate mother-daughter/mother-son relationships. She likes it that she is updated with what is happening in our daily lives. Oftentimes she makes most of the decisions and provides solutions to problems right away. She provides everything that is needed, making way for everything to be smooth sailing. She is very lenient with a lot of things and you truly will feel her care and concern. Although some of these complicate some things too.

Both my mothers are so different in upbringing, values system they uphold to, life experiences and lifestyle. Yet they have one thing in common – they are both mothers, one which greatly symbolizes womanhood. A responsibility that is never easy to handle as everyone knows. Being married gave me the opportunity to know them really well when circumstances and conflicts posit I seek for their counsel and when the Spirit urges me as well to do so.

It was only in this season of my marriage that I got to talk to my Mom regarding relational issues as freely as I can be. We never talked about it in a casual manner even in my previous relationships but now I am amazed by all the wisdom she has to offer when it comes to being a woman, a wife and a mother.

As for my mother-in-law, I have to be grateful for her generosity although we always assure her we can completely handle things on our own. I used to view both my moms with contempt and hesitation and yet amazing it is that God has indeed proven He is greater than any barrier known – that of changing hearts and minds, one of the most difficult to do among men.

I cannot say if it was my heart and mindset that have been changed, my Mom’s or that of my mother-in-law’s but I can’t help but be extremely grateful and blessed for these two important women that God has appointed in my life. I believe most of us just make this one common mistake, one way or the other, of asking this question:

“Why do I have to have him/her in my life?”

For it was never a question of “why”  but a question of “what” – that of knowing in God’s perfect time what are the good purposes and roles that God has for placing them in our lives.

Some say it is the hypothalamus that is responsible in allowing us to feel love. Although common to all is that it is the heart that makes us love and feel loved. I say though, it is neither the heart nor the hypothalamus that is capable of eliciting love but none other than the author of love Himself, God.

For when a change of hearts and a change of mindsets happen, we know that God has already begun His work in you, in us – as evidenced by the love you give and the love you receive. And what better way to start reciprocating love than to people who matter to you most. 🙂