The musings of a wandergeselle about faith, literature, music, dancing, culture, food, travels, art, fashion, photography, life experiences, and everything in-between from journée to journée.
Why do I have the feeling that April despised me? 😀 Nope, “April” here is not a person. It’s the month. Have you had those moments where there was just too much going on in a month, and you felt like you were supposed to experience all of them in a year? This month was that month for me.
Plans changed, and methinks it’s God’s will. I was supposed to go back to Manila this April, along with my fur boy, to visit his Dad. But with the energy crisis we’re facing now, I had to stall the visit to a much later date (still to be decided if an opportunity permits), and the same goes for my job applications.
And we had a lot of engagements and ongoing projects here at home, too. My Dad will be needing help to oversee the multiple project management tasks that my sister and I are currently juggling left and right.
Household management, for one, requires that we still do some of the tasks here at home on top of our other obligations. Our stay-out house help can’t do everything here at home because sweeping the yard takes 2 hours, and watering the plants in the garden takes 4 hours or even more, especially during summer.
And for the remaining 2 hours, she had to squeeze in cleaning the chicken cages and washing the dishes. We have 2 turtles, 7 chickens, 1 dog, 4 cats, and Dad, who all have specific needs, and my sister and I are sharing the responsibilities of taking care of them. Oh, and it’s palay harvest time, too.
I am not complaining, though. lol Mom didn’t raise us to be Disney princesses or princes. 😀 It’s actually quite the opposite – know the value and importance of hard work if you want to succeed in any endeavor. And do so excellently. We’re more likely to be candidates of burnout than laziness. lol
I am writing this article to praise God for everything. I have no reason to complain because He continues to supply me with the wisdom, the strength, the courage, the rest, the provisions, and the motivation to keep moving forward.
Some things may not have worked out the way I planned, but I still got to get a lot of important tasks done. What matters is doing God’s will more than mine. And even if I don’t see His reasons why, faith requires complete trust in Him who sees everything and who’s got everything under control.
Here we are still breathing despite how crazy this world has been lately with its many pressing issues. And some say things can get worse. But if you have read the book of Revelation, you wouldn’t be surprised at all. They say that if God wakes us up, it’s because we all still have an unfulfilled purpose.
And this is how I would end this article, because this is actually just “stolen time,” so I have something to post for April. My OC tendencies don’t like seeing a gap in my blogging calendar, so I try my best to post here whenever I can. 😀
In one of my Bible readings and quiet times, I came across this Bible verse, which actually best fits the article I wrote before this: “When The World Starts To Break, Resist Apostasy.” I felt like most of us are so close already to feeling this apostasy that the Bible is warning us about. And yet, this is God’s reminder for us all:
“And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you maynot be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” – Hebrews 6:11-12
P.S. I have quite a lot to share, but getting into details will require me to go on a writer’s seclusion. Unfortunately, circumstances won’t allow for it now. I hope the photos below will suffice.
P.P.S. Please don’t pray to have a life like mine, in case this blog made you think that my life is better. Pray instead that God will show you His purpose for your life. That’s how I got to appreciate mine despite the gravity of the calling. Seek God’s leading first and then obey. ❤
“Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:6
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:2
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28
“We praise You, Lord, because we are fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, we know that full well.” – Psalm 139:14
Ongoing Construction Means More Inflammation
With my orens catto inspector.My second sister’s bedroom / main house extension (designed mostly by Dad and my 3rd sister).
Cute Boy Catto’s Recovery
He got a UTI last March. I am closely monitoring his health now. 😦Early morning cuddle with Meowmy.Finley and my Bible – I think he’s planning on becoming a pastor catto one day.He loves to scratch my Bible I had to wrap it with a towelette.Ah yes, how to focus on tasks when you have a kuletong like this.Dozing off where he’s not supposed to doze off. lolThat’s my orens micromanager observing me from his office table. “Find me, Meowmy.”Thefluffy Finley who follows you around 24/7.
Other Pets Edition
Torti, our 20-year-old male turtle, now has a partner. Her name’s Donatella. 😀Dona’s temporary pen arranged by my sister before we release them in the garden.Her first egg with us, but I’m not sure if this will hatch.The Chick-os and The Chick-as3 Eggs from 3 Hens: Brown (Small), Light Brown (Medium), White (Medium)Praise God for the harvests. ❤ Itlog at Bilog Na Talong = Bilog Na Tortang Talong 😀
Prabens Home Cooking Using Ingredients From Ze Garden
Talong IlocanoDad’s favorite eggplant recipe – talong fritters.Paired with my favorite protein source – garbanzos and mushrooms sauteed in butter, onion, tomatoes, and garlic sprinkled with herbs.Kamias/Iba FeverGulay Na IbaAlways paired with marinated bangus.Fave ko na kawali – wok. Refreshing Iba DrinkPara ma-iba naman. lolAng side dish na sinasama sa kada kain.Fresh Ubod: Ako na ang nagbalat at naghiwa sa next batch kasi sumakit ang siko ni Dad. 😀I love eating this raw.Gulay Na Ubod Sa Gata
Farmer Mode On
The many sacrifices of a farmer. Let’s pray for the future of Philippine agriculture. 🙏Farmshionista – a-Php129 lang itong mga sapatos namin. 😀That high mountain is the Bulusan volcano.I can’t wait for this Palawan Cherry Blossom to grow bigger, so I can hug it. 😁May God take good care of everything that lives on this farm. 🙏I experimented with ChatGPT again and asked it to create a design of a hospice room inside our farm by giving a prompt with all the design details I previously made. AI captured the ideas almost perfectly. The comfort room is behind the medicine cabinet, and the door near the kitchen leads to a ramp for easy access when transferring a patient. I am praying this vision will come true, even if not in my lifetime. 🙏
Dad’s Pampering Sesh
My 86-year-old Dad, who’s diligent as ever with everything record-keeping. 🙂For Dad’s hand and foot spa before I cut his nails.I love giving massages more than getting massages. 😀 This is my special combo for Dad’s weekly 30-minute full-body massage: 80% Lavender Massage Oil + 20% Efficasce
Naunsyaming Lakwatsa Mode 😀
All my bags are packed I’m ready to go….….swimming sana sa Pasig condo pa-presko any time.Sa SM City Sorsogon nga lang napadpad. lol
I was compelled to write this article today while the ideas are still fresh in my mind and relevant to what is happening around us lately. If you’re wondering why I chose this topic to write about at the start of the year, events led me to make one fascinating discovery after another.
Why Now, Mt. Mayon?
If you’ve read the article before this, I mentioned the numbers 888, which, in Biblical numerology, represent a fresh start and Jesus’ resurrection. I just didn’t expect that personally, the fresh start would be painful, although not as painful, since I had seen it coming. I think it isn’t a coincidence that Mt. Mayon also started erupting again. And yet Mayon is the only creation I know that remains admirable even in her fury.
Last year, I was able to check one item on my bucket list, which is to get as close to Mt. Mayon as possible. I believe it isn’t a coincidence, too, that the Grab driver in Legazpi City who fetched us while we were having the new tires of our car aligned shared with us out of the blue about the quarrying projects in Mt. Mayon.
He said it’s easy and more money for the local government. I just had no idea of the extent of these quarrying sites, and I was able to see one during the ATV ride going up to Mt. Mayon (jump to 4:16 in this video).
Since January 6, 2026, the lava flows on Mt. Mayon have continued, and the gullies have widened and deepened with each pyroclastic flow, according to experts. I think the Albay government is already considering extending the 6-km permanent danger zone if alert level 4 is raised over Mt. Mayon. Given the unpredictable weather patterns that we are experiencing now, which are expected to worsen as we are in a climate emergency, heavy rainfall will pose a major threat to the communities near Mt. Mayon.
Beauty In Ashes
Quarrying plays a vital role in the construction industry as well as in creating local employment, but it also destroys the natural habitat. I hope the quarry sites were assessed properly before the start of the project, making sure each quarry site won’t contribute to biodiversity loss. Quarrying also changes the topography of the area, making the soil unstable and prone to soil erosion and surface water runoff.
Now that the gullies are wider and deeper, and combined with the high volume of rainwater coming from the mountain, lahar flows will be the bigger problem. I am hoping and praying that the local government will double its reforestation and rehabilitation efforts at the foot of the volcano to increase natural barriers and make the soil more compact as more roots grow.
Local legend has it that when Mt. Mayon erupts, Pagtuga is disturbing Daragang Magayon. I can hear myself telling her, “Tahan na, Mayon. When all of this is over, we will be refined. As experts say, through subsequent healing, your cone will be new again – perfect as ever. God will rebuild what was damaged, He will restore what we’ve lost. You will be back in your original beauty and will continue to be a spectacle.”
But for now, there will be a battle. We are going through a battle of some sort. Mine is a spiritual warfare – letting go of what God is asking me to let go. Because there’s a part of me that is resisting, and yet God was saying, it is about time – be firm and keep the faith.
ChatGPT Warrior
I wanted ChatGPT to come up with an image I have visualized, which best describes the season I am in, and it is an image of a woman warrior dressed up in a full body armor similar to knights in the Medieval Ages, or more like Joan of Arc. I initially asked ChatGPT to come up with a video.
I made a prompt with the complete details of the video concept showing a woman warrior in battle, but she’s exhausted. She kneeled and, with bowed head and sword lowered to the ground, she whispered, “I am tired, I cannot keep up with this fight.”
Then an angel appeared, kneeled down beside her, whispered something in the warrior’s ear, and left. The warrior stood up, and with an even fiercer stance, charged towards her enemies and let out a battlecry – Jehovah Nissi.
Unfortunately, ChatGPT is unable to generate a video but recommended an app. So I asked ChatGPT to create an avatar in my likeness instead, dressed up as a female knight, and I uploaded a smiling photo of mine. I was so amused when ChatGPT generated an image of a cute warrior instead. lol
So I asked ChatGPT again to recreate the image and change it to a warrior in the middle of a fighting scene. The image generated was a smiling warrior while in battle. How I wish I could still smile while fighting with all the strength I could muster. 😀
Ang gondo naman ng warrior na ito, sana ganito itsura ng anak ko kung magkakaanak pa ako. lol
I then requested another edit, and this time ChatGPT got the right facial expression. I would like to applaud ChatGPT, though, for capturing my flat nose perfectly – it’s my most prized asset, just in case some of you don’t know yet. lol
I do wish this image would be used as an avatar in a role-playing game similar to Assassin’s Creed and combined with Rurouni Kenshin’s sword-fighting techniques. Methinks it would be an awesome game. And I will name this warrior “Caden.” 🙂
Ah yes, I am so in love with my flat nose. It’s so cute, right?GGSS lang ang peg, saree. ahaha 😀
Seriously, I am in a spiritual battle, and I know why – no fellowship, no physical church, less quiet time, no actual Bible reading – all because I am becoming like Martha at home, God’s reminder that spiritual devotion is more important than busyness. I am also isolated, which makes me more vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.
I decided to cut back on some tasks and randomly opened my Bible and stumbled upon the book of Numbers about offerings. When I read the chapters, none of them made sense to me, and to what I was currently going through.
Then I thought maybe it is about time I start watching the Morning Worship and Prayer at Victory Philippines on YouTube again regularly. I guess it was the Spirit’s tugging, because the message for January 22 was about the Feast of Tabernacles. I remembered reading it earlier in the Bible.
I opened my Bible again and read through the bookmarked page, and that’s when I realized why I was brought to the verses about the Offerings for the Feast of Booths – the Feast of Tabernacles is also called the Feast of Booths. This prompted me to do my research on what the feast is all about. It commemorates Israel’s release from 40 years of captivity.
I just turned 40 in December of last year, and the start of 2026, for me, was also a liberation of some sort. I’m sure that this isn’t a coincidence. The numbers 888 I mentioned in this article signified not just a new start, but also a resurrection.
And the receipt that was mistakenly dated to October 21, which I thought was referring to the birthday of this blog, because I was relating it to the past, also made me think that it might be referring to an event in the future as well. Some say that Jesus’ birthday actually falls during the Feast of Tabernacles, but there is just not enough data to prove this.
I also found out that the Feast of Tabernacles refers to Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. And I just want to share an experience I had during the recent typhoon Ada. News reports said that it’s not going to make landfall, but it will come near the land mass of the Bicol region, especially Southern Bicol, which includes our town.
We didn’t receive any NDRRMC updates of a rainfall warning or very strong winds. But around 2am of January 19, I woke up to the sound of very strong winds and a blowing horn. I thought it was the howling winds, but no, this was different. I can tell the sound of a howling wind during a very strong typhoon since our town is frequented by very strong typhoons.
I went outside to check on the chicken coops and made sure their covers were still intact. And there went the sound again as if someone was blowing a trumpet, similar to the sound of a ship’s horn. I went back to bed and thought that maybe there’s a ship docked near our port since we are a coastal town. But then again, at around 2am? The port is already closed during this time.
It was also the first time I heard it, and I never heard it again. It looked like I was given a first-hand experience of what we could possibly hear when Jesus starts descending during the Second Coming. 😀 Or if it signifies the start of battle, then maybe God is building an army, a huge one. If this article resonates with you, maybe you are among God’s warriors being called out to lift His banner high.
Padayon, Padagos, Paraoma
The Feast of Tabernacles also included a celebration after the agricultural harvest. For last year’s wet season, we harvested on October 23 in one of our rice fields. This rice field is located inside a farm, an agricultural property that’s been passed on from one generation to another, starting from our maternal great-grandparents.
Though we no longer grew up on the farm, we felt like we were still called to be keepers of that property, tend it, develop it, and utilize it according to God’s will and plans. Unfortunately, the income generated from last season’s harvest hit an all-time low, prompting me to ask Dad if we should still continue with palay production or not.
Hi, Daddy! I am taking a photo of you, errr, your back. 😀
We are among the micro agribusinesses that comprise the 2.9 million palay/rice farmers who feed this country. It wouldn’t create a dent in the rice production numbers if we stopped farming, and yet Dad’s answer was that if none of the other rice farmers stop, we will continue regardless of whether we hit an all-time low or not.
Padayon, padagos (move forward), even if my siblings and I feel like it’s a losing battle – the farmers are just not making enough profit from their produce. I was apprehensive, I had my doubts, my worries piled up, and I think God felt my need for an assurance.
When God Watches Over
Because right after we harvested the palay and we were waiting for the sacks of palay to be transported to the buyer’s warehouse, I went out to walk on the rice paddies. When I looked up, I witnessed this particularly interesting and beautiful cloud formation. I have never seen anything like it in my entire life.
And after I took the photo, I zoomed it in, and I can see an outline of a face or a creature, sort of like looking down on me peering through the clouds, which is why the clouds were somehow parted in the middle. Or it’s just my very imaginative mind working. lol But what do you think?
This farm is under God’s care, supervision, and protection, and no weapon formed against it will prosper in Jesus’ Name. ❤ This is a raw and unedited image, by the way. I only added my watermark.
The message from God was crystal clear, though – “I am with you always.” I have also been seeing perfect rainbows lately, similar to what I saw in Albay back in 2020, along with these promises:
“The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever.” – Genesis 9:12-13
“What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” – Genesis 28:15
Tending the Old Earth To Usher The New Earth
Going back to the Feast of Tabernacles, there’s also a mention of the new heaven and the new earth. My family and I have been planting new coconuts, fruiting plants, and flowering trees in this farm. My siblings and I also plan to add fruit-bearing trees that no one would eat because they’re too sour, etc., to discourage trespassing inside the farm, since we don’t have a caretaker yet. But these fruit trees will be a perfect addition to the food web of the wildlife inside the farm.
We also discussed the possibility of partnering with an investor (whoever God will give us) who will help us utilize the property on one condition – environmental conservation will be at the heart of the mission. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to tend and care for it. Unfortunately, man has now altered so much of what nature has, or had.
Do you see the coconuts on the left side? That’s the slope where I had the vision to integrate the hospice I was talking about in this article: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2023/12/27/not-just-an-advocacy-but-a-higher-calling/. If you’re standing on that slope, the overlooking view is biophilia at its best. 🙂3-Year-Old Fire TreePalawan Cherry Blossom (before the typhoons)3-Year-Old PCBPalawan Cherry Blossom (w/ cracks after the typhoons)Farm GateGerolao-Ginete FamilyCoprahan/Niyugan HouseOyango Creek / NIA DamThe PondThe not-so-hidden Japanese tunnel.Bamboo to Mango: I will bend, but I will not break. Says our faith, too. 🙂
I’m currently experimenting with different sustainable planting solutions in our garden.
I traded the hands in this article for the hand below. And yet I have no regrets because the hand below accomplished more in terms of purposeful and meaningful work.
As a poultry keeper, I also traded the photo on the left below for the photo on the right. I am not sure if you get the connection, but if you do, please refrain from commenting about it. It’s our dirty (literally), little secret. lol 😀
Thanks to my siblings for these lovely gifts. ❤This is an AI-generated image.
Kidding aside, let’s wrap this article up. After reading this article, some of you might diagnose me as someone who is depressed, a narcissist, has Bipolar Disorder, has anxiety, has ADHD, has Autism, or even delusional. And I will not be mad at you because it might be true that I could have all of them. But they are just labels. I know who I am in Christ, and that’s what matters. 🙂
(You may want to read this article about discovering your identity in Jesus Christ: “Sentimental: Who Am I?”)
Thus, I will continue to share the message if that is my calling, and those called by God to also get the message will know what the message is. This is also why I keep on asking God why, why choose underqualified people, people that society sees as not normal, or do not fit in with the standards of this world, to deliver His message to the world?
Who will I be anointing? 😀 You may read more about the Spikenard Magdalena Perfume and the Anointing Oil in the “Mary Magdalene” hyperlinks below.
I got the message – just like Mary Magdalene, who was possessed by 7 demons, we are the kind of people who need God’s saving grace more for us to be delivered from the afflictions that we go through. Most of them, as I have mentioned above, are battles unseen. And yet when we overcome them all by faith and with the proper support, ours is a great testimony of what Jesus did on the Cross, and God’s glory, authority, and power over all creation.
Just like Mary Magdalene, it would be an honor and a great privilege, too, to be the first to witness the unfolding of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming and to celebrate the news that He is finally here with us for all eternity – it will truly be a spectacle. ❤
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6
I can’t help but mention my cute, flat nose again in this photo. lol
Pangadyi Para Sa Paraoma
I will be ending this article with a prayer, which will be entitled “Pangadyi Para Sa Paraoma (A Prayer for the Farmers)”. Why the farmers? I feel like the Spirit is leading us to pray fervently for farmers as we encounter more environmental challenges and geopolitical tensions in the coming years, and food security will be one of the pressing issues that every nation all over the world will be tackling.
Why in Bikol? I kind of miss my maternal grandma and how she would always pray in the vernacular (Bikol-Albay) – she lived for a couple of years (half of her life, if I’m not mistaken) in Daraga. Her father, my great-grandfather (a former Protestant pastor), was also born in Bacacay, Albay.
There’s something very heartfelt in her prayers, even though I can only understand a couple of them. If I am to pray like her, I can only utter a line that goes “Ini po Kagurangnan an samuyang pamibi ngunyan…” and I don’t know how to continue that prayer because my Bikol-Albay vocabulary is very limited. Or maybe it’s Bikol-Naga (Central Bikol)? Libong much. lol Any Albayano out there who can help me out? 😀
Let’s pray for the safety of everyone in Albay who will be affected by the ongoing activity of Mt. Mayon. ❤
Here’s the Bikol-Bulan version of the prayer for the farmers:
“Pangadyi Para Sa Paraoma”
“Amang Kagurangnan, nagrarani kami saimo para sa intero na paraoma na nagpapadagos sa pagtanom sa butnga san mga kalamidad nan distroso na indadara sadi sa mga pananom. Naiimod namo an pagtios san kada paraoma para lang makatanom nan makaani para sa kakaunon nan ikakaayad san bilog na komunidad. Sa mga masunod na taon, hatagan mo tabi kami sin dunong kun pan-o masolusyunan an nagdadaghan na problema san saamo kapalibutan, nyan sin kusog san lawas nyan san boot para magpadagos lalo na sa panahon sin kaperwisyuhan. Inpapangadyi namo ini sa ngaran ni Hesu Kristo, Amen.”
My handwritten (cursive) version on a 2020 journal that I will be using just now. 😀
P.S.
I stumbled upon this playlist on YouTube, and it summarizes my faith for the start of 2026. ❤
P.P.S.
Since I just turned 40 last year, I am also praying for deliverance from another generational curse. I have been praying hard that our generation and the future generations be healed from this in Jesus’ Name, since genetics plays a huge role. Though we are not dismissing environmental factors and lifestyle choices. Kami na sana ang huling henerasyon na makakaranas nito sa pamamagitan ng dalangin at mga praktikal and medikal na solusyon galing sa mga eksperto.
Experts recommend a yearly mammogram to monitor any cancer cell growth, given a family’s breast cancer history, such as ours (both sides of our parents). Ah, yes, it will truly be a miracle if none of us (my siblings and I) have it. And yet, let God’s will be done. At age 40, I have nothing more to ask. God already gave me more than I asked for, and I am ready to go any time. My prayers now come down to 2 choices: let nature run its own course or allow Science to intervene should I have cancer. 🙂
This blog turned 13 last October 21 – it’s officially a “teen.” 😄To celebrate this milestone, I thought about writing a letter instead because I need to write this quick.
We have had no internet connection for 2 weeks now, despite following up with Converge. I’m currently using my cellular network’s data just so I could post this – thank you, Globe. Still, God is good all the time. 🙏😊
To my dearly beloved The Journeyman’s Moments,
You were born in 2012out of a need to clear my name from a painful past. I never thought that you would become an online journal for my spiritual journey.
I also wasn’t expecting that I’d be able to post here regularly. And yet, the weekly posts turned to monthly posts, and eventually, to posting every year.
You bear witness to my every rise and fall, to my every tear and laughter – a testament of God’s saving grace day in and day out, year in and year out.
As my experiences grew, you grew with it. When I became wiser, your words became better.I changed, you changed, too.
You are more than an online journal for me. Because you are my constant reminderof a life lived in full despite the changing seasons.
When I need a good laugh, I come back to the old memories here. When I need encouragement, your words give me renewed hope and comfort.
But I guess the most important reason as to why you’re one of God’s greatest gifts is that because of you, a deeper sense of accountability was instilled in me over every single word I post here.
You are my testimony on how living by faith does not happen by mere words alone, but by living it out and letting itbe known through you for the whole world to see.
My dear, we still have so many stories to tell – I have more than a hundred drafts. lol You know what that means, we have a lot of work to do for as long as God is still working in us. 🥰
You are me, and I am you. Thanks be to WordPress – our memories will be preserved for future generations to laugh with, to cry with, and to be inspired by.
So, with internet or not, we will find a way to make our stories seen and heard – God will make a way. 😁
Always your creator made by another Creator,
Christine ❤️
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Ephesians 2:10
Before I begin my actual post, I would like to use this opportunity to pray for my fellow Bicolanos who were severely affected by Tropical Storm Kristine/#KristinePH. It’s heartbreaking to see the massive and widespread destruction it caused in the entire Bicol Region that even evacuation centers were also flooded.
Please pray for us as we recover and rise from this devastating catastrophe. 🙏 If you wish to extend your help, you may send any assistance/donation through the QR codes I will be posting below whether in-kind or in cash. Any kind of help will be truly appreciated, and we will forever be grateful. ❤
I would like to thank those who have already extended their efforts to send their help – may God return this huge favor a millionfold and bless you and your family tremendously, too. We are forever grateful to you for helping us in this extremely difficult moment of loss and devastation. ❤
Salamatunon po, VP Leni! ❤
Thank you, PBBM! ❤
Salamat, UP! Padayon. ✊
THERE IS HOPE, STILL
On a more positive note, this blog is turning 12 today. ❤ To God be the glory for giving me the wisdom and the time to do 12 fruitful years of consistent blogging on WordPress since October 2012. 🙏
My only prayer now is that WordPress is here to stay because I just have A LOT of memories here than in any other social media profiles I have. Let’s do a quick recap of the first 2 articles I posted here:
I was actually thinking about doing a sequel to the poem “A Dream” for my blog anniversary special article, but I don’t have any ideas what to write yet. Though I do have a title already – “A Dream Come True.”
So, what came true, Tin? That’s what you and I are about to find out. I just don’t know when I’ll be publishing it. Next year perhaps?
Hmm, only God knows. But it’s definitely going to be another poem. So, do watch out for that. Methinks it’s going to be an interesting sequel. Meanwhile, let’s cheers to more blogging years ahead, and thank you for journeying with me in this complicated and yet awesome thing called LIFE. 🥂
Today might be a mix of emotions for me while writing this, but I still chose to be GRATEFUL and HOPEFUL. God encourages us to continue moving forward through the good and the bad times. We have to keep on praying, and we have to continue trusting God that He is always in control believing that whatever God allows to happen, it is His will.
My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we continue the good fight of faith NO MATTER WHAT. 🙏
Praise God for A Living Hope
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1: 3-9 (NIV)
Today’s longer article will be more like a photo journal because I’ll be sharing more photos than narrating my experiences. But the running theme will be about making a move or moving.
And it’s not just any move, it’s a bold one. One that takes you away from your comfort zone to a foreign place surrounded by strangers. One that entails a major life change more like making a fresh start.
And if it’s a bold move, then it’ll require bigger faith. Thus, your life mantra must be in big, bold letters, too, just like mine. And I meant it literally. 😉
Philippians 4:13 in every season.
These are the essentials when you are making a big move in your life literally and figuratively – a devotional, the Bible, and God at the center. Just to make sure you are making the right move. 🙏
And as a continuation of my “firsts” here in Sorsogon City, I’ll start with the first event that I attended – the Kasanggayahan Festival. Check out the calendar of events in this article to know more about the activities lined up until October 28.
The Kasanggayahan Spirit Is On
Bago pa mahulas ang makeup. lol
Always my fave concert OOTN when going solo.
First fireworks display of the Kasanggayahan Festival.
I attended the event just to get a feel of Sarah G. and Matteo Guidicelli’s concert vibe in Sor Ci – I think it’s better to watch the Facebook live coverage of it. 😃
This is the main reason why I attend concerts – street food. 😅
Agri-Trade, Travel, Tourism, & Food EXPO
Bago ulit mahulas ang makeup sa tindi ng init. 😃
I prefer to visit places like this when there are fewer people. Fewer people means fewer photo bombers.
The perfect place to hang out at night w/ your barkadasduring the festival.
Fiesta feels.
There are so many shops to choose from representing the different LGUsall around the Sorsogon Province.
“Dagos Tabi” means “Welcome.”
I’m not sure if there are performances held here at night because there’s a stage in the middle.
And I wasn’t informed that they take photos of their customers. It’s a good thing I dressed up a little bit kaso hindi nakapag-retouch ng makeup. lol 📷: Barcelogan Sizzling House
Dairy Box for cold drinks.
And it REALLY was ice cold – much like the slurpees of 7/11.
This Beautiful Sorsogon tarp reminded me that as a Bicolana, I still haven’t visited most of these tourist destinations in Sorsogon.
I was supposed to visit the museum, too. But it was closed during that day because of a private tour.
Other Must-Try Restos And Shops In The Poblacion
This will be my favorite carinderia in the area because it’s located in the block across our street. 😃
My Dad and sister loved these creamy buko pies. I bought the Ube and Yema flavors.It was love at first taste for me with the Yema Buko Pie. 😋
When craving for maki, SUSHI SORis my go-to Japanese resto. Their maki platters can also be a perfect pasalubongsince it is located in SM City Sorsogon.
Back To Home Base
My failed attempt to have a decent selfie photo with Peekah, our Senior cat. lol
I was lucky enough to get a good shot with Polly. And then a few selfies later…
Polly: “Gaaaaah, Muuuuum!!! Stop harassing me with your cheesy and corny selfie photos! Enough alreadyyyyyyyyy.” 😂 E sorry, na-miss ko kayo eh. 😄
But they never say “no” to playtime using a feather.
And then plakda sa aking bilbil. lol
Food For The Fam
When I’m alone, I always skip breakfast because I wake up late.
But Dad’s an early riser so I cook them breakfast whenever Iam in Bulan.‘Di rin ako makaluto ng danggit dito sa apt. 😄
Breakfast of Champions
This is Atsarang Ubod or pickled heart of the coconut tree. Tia Naty, one of my titas, is an expert when making this. Atsarang Ubod is the perfect pair for any fried viand.
Green, Green Grass Of Home
I’d like to thank my 3rd sister for replanting Mom’s Caladiums/Heart of Jesus, and they are growing pretty well. Aren’t they gorgeous? 😍
A very huge Heart of Jesus. ♥️
While I was checking out this pine tree, which is one of Dad and Mom’s favorite plants in the garden, there was this one butterfly that hovered around me quite too close I can almost touch it.
I have a strong feeling that this is Mom, and she’s still watching her garden. 😊 I miss our gardening convos, Mom. ♥️
Sadly, one of the chimckens was already eaten by our neighbor. 😞
If you see me with scratches and bruises, the garden’s to blame – taking photos ofze plants with all their thorns and protruding branches is not easy peasy. 😩
Thank God for Netflix, watching movies now has no limits when I’m in Bulan – I miss binge-watching with Mom, too. ♥️
Because mirror selfies can mirror your self. Vain then? lol
And now I’m back in the city. It’s a good thing Dad’s scheduled follow-up checkup falls on a Saturday. Hopefully, I’ll be done with work by then. 🙏
If you’re also being called by God to make a big move in your life, I hope this reminder from my women’s devotional book will give you the encouragement that you need. ♥️
Moving Part 1
Moving Part 2
“The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
The last day of this year’s Mid-Year Prayer and Fasting ended with such high energy – it’s dedicated to campus ministry. So expected na that the youth will still be full of energy kahit nagfa-fasting. Ang mga tanders gusto nang umuwi. 😅
Ah yes, watching the youth jump and sing their hearts out and with so much fervor during praise and worship brings back memories of mine na sobrang naka-relate ako. Kahit tahimik at mahiyain ako noon (kahit ngayon), kapag ang mga kasama mo mag-worship ay ganyan ka-energetic, mahahawa ka din talaga.
But they were among the best memories of my spiritual journey as a born-again Christian. Naalala ko dati, after ng church service, parang andami mo pang energy at kulang na lang hindi ka na uuwi at sa church ka na lang lagi.
I started my baby steps as a born-again Christian sa Victory Katipunan at ang dating Victory GT Toyota in UP Diliman. Karamihan sa churchgoers doon ay mga estudyante. I was a young professional back then pero ito lang ang mga malapit na Victory churches sa apartment namin dati kaya dito ako nagsimba. I had my 1-on-1 discipleship journey and Victory Weekend in Victory Katipunan in 2013.
Kaya kapag pakiramdam mo nanlalamig ka na sa faith, just attend a Youth Service (every Friday night ito usually). Because to be honest, we can learn a lot from the youth. They bring in new perspectives, which allow us to better understand their culture now and could be the solution to bridging the generational gap as far as discipleship is concerned.
And they have LOTS of energy. Kailangan i-channel ito para sa iba’t ibang talents like singing and dancing pero within the church community. Ganito rin kami sa Protestant church namin sa hometown ko where I attended church services when I was a kid. Merong intermission number ang youth sa kalagitnaan ng church service.
If I’m going to be a parent, I’d rather see my child being rambunctious and on fire serving the Lord through praise and worship than attending some concerts where drunkenness, illegal drugs, sex, etc. are prevalent at ang mga lyrics ng kanta either sobrang depressing or maraming mura. Kaya ang Spotify ko ngayon sinasala ko what are the songs that I should and should not include in my playlists. May iba na medyo sablay ng konti sa lyrics, but because I love the melody, pinapakinggan ko sya. But I don’t let the words get into my head.
Speaking of being on fire, I’ve been pondering on these two questions recently. Like what if someone asks me these questions, ano ba ang isasagot ko? 🙂
“Have you always been this on fire for the Lord?“
“Are you always this passionate with this Jesus thing?“
My answer sa mga tanong na ito is that, yes, I have always been on fire for the Lord. May mga times na hindi ako madalas makasimba, but my faith never became lukewarm. Lagi kasing may tugging ng Spirit to remain true sa calling at isa na dyan itong blog ko. Na kailangan ipagpatuloy ang pag-share ng Word and spiritual journey ko dito to fulfill the commitment I made when I surrendered my life to Him. Ganyan si God pagdating sa accountability, hindi mo Sya pwedeng talikuran ng ganun-ganun lang. 😃
Gaya noong isang araw, 2nd day ng prayer and fasting, I woke up with another eczema breakout – just one, right in the middle of my left hand. This one rash reappears on the same spot every time something triggers it i.e. perfumes, stress, food allergens, cold and dry environments, etc.
Noong una itong lumabas last year kung tama pagkaalala ko, na-bother ako kung ano na naman naka-trigger sa kanya. Hanggang sa nasanay na ako tignan sya every time it reappears. I’ve had eczema flare-ups since I was in college, btw. At napatawa na lang ako when I saw it again kahapon.
Because you know what it reminded me of? Para syang ‘yung scar ni Jesus sa kamay noong pinako Sya sa Cross. I mean, sa dinami-daming locations sa katawan na pwede syang lumabas, dito lang talaga sa left hand at saktong sentrong-sentro pa at nag-iisa lang sya.
At ngayon lang sa akin nag-sink in na hindi kaya God is trying to remind me something? And He had to use a visual reminder, something tangible na hindi ko basta-basta madi-dismiss. Because I am in this season yet again na God is telling me to do something that will require me to step out in even bigger faith. At ang sagot ko sa Kanya was this:
“Lord, I am unworthy. I am not equipped. I am not qualified. I don’t want to do it.”
I know God is reminding me of my worthagain – in Him. Para bang itong pantal ay reminder ng Dios na, “Tin, my Son sacrificed His life for you and died on the Cross to save you from being perished. Because that is how much I love you and that is how special you are to me. I want you to continue walking the path that I have set out for you to walk on and complete the task that I want you to do. His blood was shed on your behalf so you can be a new creation – because you are worthy. And I want other people to know and experience this, too.”
I guess the calling will always remain, and it will never change regardless of the circumstances we are in. Although hindi ko talaga pwedeng takasan ang calling because Christ is in my name. Unless I read my name backwards. 😅 Kidding aside, hindi ako pwedeng tumalikod sa calling because Christ already lives in me. 🙏
As my life verse goes, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13. And I will also add that I can do all these things because aside from Christ, I also have people who can help me do the work for the Lord no matter how daunting – they are the body of Christ. ♥️
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later.” – Romans 8:18
P.S. Every church has its own flaws and weaknesses because the enemy will continue to attack it. But for as long as Jesus remains to be the center of the church, be in that spiritual family. And even if you’ve gone astray, come back. 🙏
The first day of the Mid-Year Prayer and Fasting this year hits different. I just went through a rollercoaster of ups and downs for the past several months starting last year and for the most part, they were all very grueling. These challenges tested my endurance and refined my character (please refer to my previous posts) revealing who I really am as a person and most importantly as a daughter of Christ.
This blog is supposed to be a diary for my eyes only. It is my safe place when life gets too overwhelming, and a safe place where I can be myself. When I am sad, I write. When I am happy, I write. And yet God urged me to share it to the world.
I believe God wants this blog to be a safe place for everyone, too, regardless of race, gender, and religion. A place where readers will feel calm, at peace, grateful, joyful, and hopeful. Because we are all trying to heal from something.
And the kind of healing that God provides is something that the world cannot give. This is what I am hoping and praying my blog will be able to achieve – it will not just be a place where you get to learn a lot of things and be inspired. But it will be a place of solace that will bring peace and healing to our tired and weary souls.
Part of my journey towards healing are the questions I’ve been asking God for some time now such as why did He bring me to Sorsogon City? Why the city where Mom passed away? Why does Mom have to die there and not in the comforts of our home just like all our loved ones who have passed on before her? And why call me to this place that brings me pain and sorrow?
And the answer came. “Christine, my child, I called and brought you to this place to heal, in all aspects, because you’ve been through a lot. You will only heal when you confront your pain and not run away from it. I will use your pain so you can bring healing and comfort to those who are grieving as well. I will use your pain to bring hope to those who have lost hope. And I will use your pain to show them that though you go through the fiery furnace, you will come out unscathed and unharmed – as long as you remain in me.”
And Pastor Jojo Henson had a similar exhortation tonight during the 7pm Prayer Meeting at Victory BGC using the illustration of the burning bush that God revealed to Moses as an example.
“And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” – Exodus 3:2-5
Today is just the first day of prayer and fasting. But God already answered a prayer of mine – one that I’ve been praying for in the last couple of months, one that has something to do with Sorsogon City, the place where God called me to be at right now.
When we do respond to the calling, God will prepare us, provide for us, and bring us people who will be our partners in the mission field. Yes, that’s how powerful our God is. This article (and the entire blog) will testify to this and how God orchestrates everything beautifully in His own time when we do things according to His will.
I’d like to end this article by continuing to believe for more of God’s miracles unfolding one by one as I enter yet another season. Because God can be our refuge, and He is the only safe place to heal where we can truly heal. ♥️🙂
What is God asking you to heal from now? It doesn’t have to be a place in particular. I pray that you get to listen to His voice when He calls you and pray that you will respond in faith and complete obedience. 🙏
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” – John 10:27-30
One dear friend of mine once told me that the meaning of success is relative. For me, this is what success looks like. 🙂
“WHAT IS SUCCESS?”
by: Ralph Waldo Emerson
To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To give of one’s self; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – This is to have succeeded.
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” – 1 Timothy 6:17-19
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-10
God sure knows when to reinforce my calling (a long-term goal and possibly a retirement project) lest I get distracted and focus on other things. I stumbled upon this article from The Gospel Coalition a couple of days ago, and this is exactly what I needed for the hospice project I am planning to propose to my siblings. I thought I’d share it here as well to help those who are going through a similar situation. 🙏
I recently lost a dear friend to cancer. She’d struggled with treatments and recurrence for years, and when her doctor finally said the heavy word “hospice,” she and her family were neither surprised nor despairing. As Christians, they drew comfort from the assurance she’d be with the Lord after she took her last breath (Rom. 14:8; 2 Cor. 4:17–18).
And yet, although my friend embarked on her hospice journey with full acceptance, none of her family was prepared for the tumult of emotions her final days incited. They trembled and choked back tears when she bolted upright in agitation. When she no longer responded to their voices, they nursed the ache of loss. Throughout, they struggled to reconcile the grim realities of death with the mother, sister, and wife they so cherished.
Families with loved ones in hospice all too frequently weather such storms. As the wages of our sin (Rom. 6:23), death is by nature harrowing, even when anticipated. We weren’t meant for death, and those of us who encounter it often struggle with lingering grief, confusion, and regret afterward, especially when it steals away someone we dearly love.
With a million and a half people in the U.S. receiving hospice care annually, many families will walk this troubling road, suffering doubts and heartache along the way. How do we shepherd caregivers and families as they aim to love the dying? How do we walk with them through the valley of the shadow of death, reminding them all the while of the Good Shepherd whose love covers them when the light dwindles (Ps. 23:4)?
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝘀
Misunderstandings about hospice abound and contribute to the pain families bear. Many people equate hospice with “giving up” on a loved one. Others confuse it with physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Still more have an accurate idea of hospice but can’t bring themselves to say goodbye to someone they can’t fathom living without.
To clarify, hospice care seeks to minimize pain and suffering at the end of life among those with terminal illnesses. A multidisciplinary team, usually comprised of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and health aides, provides medical care as well as spiritual and social support with a focus on symptom control and quality of life, rather than on cure. Although we often associate hospice with cancer, the most common qualifying diagnoses are severe dementia, emphysema, and heart failure.
For people with a life expectancy of months, hospice services often begin as regular home visits from nurses, social workers, and home health aides to ensure patients are stable and comfortable. As the illness advances, support increases, and eventually the dying require continuous care at the bedside and frequent doses of medications to ameliorate pain, anxiety, and air hunger. In the home, this care often falls to loved ones, which can be emotionally traumatic. In such circumstances, a hospice house, where staff nurses monitor patients 24/7, may be a better alternative.
People can only receive hospice services if they have a life expectancy of six months or less. Such patients, after consultations with doctors they trust, accept that further interventions for a cure would be futile (e.g., a cancer has metastasized to other organs and treatment options have run out). In hospice, medical care continues, but that care shifts to focus on lessening symptoms rather than eradicating the disease.
Studies suggest that rather than indicating caregivers have “given up” on patients, this shift in care can actually increase the life expectancy of terminally ill patients for up to three months. In our highly technological medical system, accepting the inevitability of death has a clear, measurable benefit.
It also has a biblical precedent. Although Scripture directs us to honor life (Ex. 20:13), it also reminds us our times are in God’s hand (Ps. 31:15). Like the grass of the field, we wither and fade (Isa. 40:7–8); until Christ returns all of us will succumb to death (Rom. 5:12). When we deny our mortality and chase after treatments that don’t promise cure, we dismiss God’s grace in Christ and the power of his resurrection. Christ has transformed death, swallowing it up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54) such that, as the Heidelberg Catechism aptly states, it’s no longer “a payment for our sins, but only a dying to sins and an entering into eternal life.”
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁
While hospice reflects biblical teaching, the same can’t be said for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Families facing hospice for a loved one may confuse these practices, especially given the terminology of “Medical Aid in Dying,” or MAiD, now adopted in Canada and used in the U.S. with increasing frequency. While in hospice, death occurs secondary to an underlying illness, in MAiD, terminally ill patients seek medical means to deliberately end their lives.
In euthanasia, for example, a healthcare provider administers a lethal dose of medication––often an injection––on a patient’s request. Similarly, in PAS, doctors prescribe a dose of pills for a patient to take on his or her own. In both cases, the “aid in dying” isn’t symptom support but rather a lethal dose of medication.
As the legalization of PAS has steadily increased in the U.S. over the past 20 years, it’s crucial to understand its distinction from hospice. In hospice, the aim is to alleviate suffering from futile or excessively burdensome measures. People can “graduate” from hospice; if a patient unexpectedly improves and is no longer deemed terminal, clinicians rejoice and hospice services are discontinued. PAS, by contrast, involves the active taking of another life with the explicit goal to end it, and it violates God’s Word (Ex. 20:13).
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁
The knowledge that hospice care aligns with biblical teachings can provide solace to families. Yet even with this consolation, watching a loved one die can be crushing. Many families embark on this journey with confidence, only to find the unsettling details of dying overwhelm them.
The following common changes may occur when death is near, which may trouble those at the bedside:
As a dying person’s organs shut down, 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗱 to remove excess acid from the bloodstream. As such breathlessness worsens anxiety and fatigue, nurses will administer a narcotic (usually morphine) or a sedative to help slow the breathing. Intestines shut down as death nears. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗲, and although loved ones may worry about starvation, forcing them to eat or drink leads to vomiting or abdominal cramping. In the setting of dehydration close to death, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸. Hospice care workers provide moist mouth swabs to counteract the discomfort. 𝗔𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 are common near death and can be especially upsetting to witness. In the mildest cases, patients will see people from their past, which may alarm onlookers. In the most distressing, the dying will suddenly panic or lash out at others with cruel insults. Clinicians give medications to calm patients and avoid such outbursts, but when they do occur, delirious patients’ words can deeply hurt those they love. In such moments, we can reassure families that death affects the mind as well as the body and that their loved ones are unaware of their actions. Agitation near death reflects the disease, not the patient’s true thoughts and feelings. People 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 as death nears. However, in the days to hours before death, some suddenly awaken and carry on clear, coherent conversations. Called “𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘆,” this phenomenon is poorly understood but well documented and can confuse loved ones who mistake the sudden clarity for clinical improvement. A good approach is to treat these moments as gifts from the Lord, offering loved ones a final glimpse of the person they’ve treasured. Even when the dying are unresponsive, evidence suggests 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿, with their brains responding to sounds as distinctly as do awake, healthy individuals. This can provide families with enormous comfort, as it means their loved one may still hear and understand their words. Encourage families to speak to their loved one, to read Scripture, to pray aloud, and to sing hymns and favorite songs. Such connection can provide much-needed closure and solace to the living, and minister lovingly to the dying. In the last 24 hours, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗹𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗵, especially in the hands and feet. This is normal and signals the circulatory system shutting down. The last few hours of life are often marked by 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. People will breathe deeply and rapidly for several breaths, then not breathe at all for up to two minutes. Secretions pooling in the airways also create an unsettling rattling sound with each breath. Additionally, relaxation of the vocal cords can produce a sound similar to moaning, even in the absence of discomfort. While these changes are upsetting to witness, at this point patients are unaware of their surroundings and unlikely to experience suffering. 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀
In addition to the troubling realities outlined above, families of hospice patients may wrestle with questions about the faith and salvation of their loved one. If a loved one isn’t a believer, relatives may urge nurses to withhold sedatives, clinging to hope for a deathbed conversion. If a loved one has proclaimed faith, moments of agitation may raise doubts about the sincerity of that profession.
While their heartache is understandable, to withhold medication and incur unnecessary suffering is neither loving nor compassionate. As solace, we can point families to the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39–43), whom Jesus invited into his kingdom as he was dying. We can reassure them that the Holy Spirit can work in someone’s heart regardless of their capacity for language or cognition, and the Lord can bring all he wills to himself (Eph. 1:3–7). The good news of the gospel declares that salvation depends not on us but on God’s grace––and he can turn every heart he wills from stone into flesh (Ezek. 36:26).
Above all, when families walk alongside a loved one in hospice, they show him or her, as well as surrounding caregivers, the character of Christ.
To abide with another through death is to love in the sacrificial, soul-weary way our pierced Savior loved us first (Matt. 26:38; John 13:34–35; 1 John 4:19). It’s to weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15) and to bear another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). It’s to offer a loved one a tangible reminder––perhaps with a hymn heard through the shadows, perhaps with a gentle touch––that God’s love endures forever (Ps. 107:1) and that, in Christ, nothing––not even death––can pry his beloved away from his grasp (Rom. 8:38–39).
For me, goodbyes are always sad. That’s why tonight, I can write the saddest lines.
Today marks my first day being separated from ze husband. While packing his things inside his luggage, I offered to make him a pretty ribbon as a marker for his luggage just like what I did with mine. But he gently declined my offer telling me that his luggage was fine just the way it is. I guess my unicorn luggage is too pretty for him. 😅
One is going out of the country, the other is going out of town.
Nope, I am not afraid to live alone. I was single for 2 years and lived alone in our old apartment in Quezon City before I met my husband. I was passionately serving God and the church during that time I haven’t given singleness much a thought. I was, in fact, enjoying it.
But as we all know it, God called me to be a wife. Eight years later, here I am living alone again as the wife of an OFW. It’s only for 2 years though. But a lot can happen in 2 years. Adjusting also doesn’t come easy as I’ve gotten used to having my husband around for 8 years.
What I am afraid of now is that I’d get too comfortable living alone given that I’m an introvert and have an affinity for solitude. I’m very comfortable being alone, but I also crave human connections every now and then.
I do love to hang out with a few closest friends and stay up late talking about shared interests. But my default social circle, whenever I am transferring homes, is the church, so connecting with Victory Sorsogon is one of my priorities when I get back home.
I still have to wait for 2 weeks though before I can pack my bags and head home. I was scheduled to have my executive checkup on the 21st and 22nd of April. I just want to make sure I am 100% healthy before I go back to my multitasking, unicorn self. 🦄
When It’s Hard To Understand, Just Trust God
I am never the type who asks the “why me” question to God when I don’t understand the circumstances around me. God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-8). Neither does God expect us to understand the circumstances around us, but He wants us to trust Him completely despite the uncertainty. And yet I can’t help but wonder why God called my husband to work in the Middle East as a nurse when wars are rampant there. Why there?
Just the day before my husband’s flight this morning, Iran initiated missile attacks against Israel. All the flights in the Middle East were canceled and flight operations were suspended, but they also resumed a couple of hours later. My heart sank after hearing the news. I couldn’t sleep well for the past few nights. Why now, Lord? But then, God reminded me about Queen Esther in the Bible and how God chose her for “such a time as this.”
Our Daily Bread Daily Devo
In between our sobs and hugs, I told my husband that we have to stand firm in our calling even if we have to make sacrifices, just like what Queen Esther did. We go where God calls us to go, and we serve those whom He has called us to serve. We may choose not to respond right away because of fear. And we can think that we were able to avoid the responsibility entirely. But the truth is, we are only delaying the calling. The calling will remain until it gets fulfilled sooner or later.
Thus, there is only one response that God requires from us – we obey. Obedience is of paramount importance to God. He measures our faith and our loyalty to Him when we follow Him even if it means our lives are at stake. Not every calling is the same, but every calling will define where we stand with God. Are we with Him or are we against Him?
YouVersion Bible Daily Devo
Different Places, But The Same God
I felt like God wanted me to see our situation now from a bigger perspective. The Middle East is comprised of deserts. Our farm, on the other hand, is comprised of wilderness. Right now, the wilderness and the desert are unfamiliar territories to me and my husband and yet God called us to step out of our comfort zones to serve in these places.
We don’t know what is waiting for us in the desert and in the wilderness. There can be abundance and growth, but there can also be lack and drought. There can be cooperation, or there can be resistance. There can be war, and there can be peace. But one thing is for sure, God is opening doors that He wants me and my husband to enter.
YouVersion Bible Daily Devo
Getting Ready For The New Season
I am beyond grateful that the provisions, guidance, and protection from God are overflowing during this season. Last Sunday, I received another job invitation aside from the ones I received in the previous months. These positions are a bit different from my previous writing jobs.
Job Invite #1
Job Invite #2
These are supervisory roles, too. And yet if God wills it I accept one of these jobs, I know God has prepared and will prepare me well to take on bigger responsibilities alongside my farm duties. All of these opportunities came just in time – I am planning to go back to the workforce, and my previous work experience as a brand journalist and my background in agribusiness will allow me to deliver what the company needs for its business.
Speaking of going back to the workforce, this is also why I need to prioritize my health before starting any job. God is giving me plenty of options to choose from to keep my health in check, and these options are getting better. One of them is the SPOT-MAS offered by The Medical City. I just need to ask my Mom’s oncologist about the difference between the SPOT-MAS and the BRCA 1/2 mutational testing.
The Medical City
Philippine Genome Center
If you’ve been reading my blog posts for a while now, you would know by now that I love asking a lot of questions out of my need to learn more so I can make better and informed decisions. And I realized just recently, too, that if you ask way too many questions, sometimes you get a good laugh as an answer. 😅
When I was talking to Healthway Medical’s patient care coordinator about their executive checkup package, I asked how long will it take to finish all the tests. He answered na 7-8 hours daw. I was like, “Whuuuuut? That’s like an entire shift already. ‘Di kaya sa ospital na ang ending ko nyan sa tagal ng mga tests. Mage-extract lang ng dugo, 1 hour ang inabot. Hinimatay na pasyente dahil sa blood loss.” 😂
He laughed so hard when I told him that. I know he was just joking. The tests will only take about an hour or 2. I already got these tests before except for the treadmill stress test, so I already have an idea how they’re done. I was just curious if every clinic has its own protocol when conducting the tests.
I must commend him though for being very accommodating and patient enough in answering all of my questions. And he sure is the right person for the job because he knows how to pacify an anxious patient. I will test this again when he assists me during my executive checkup on Sunday. 😁
Praying for good results. 🙏
Yes, tonight I can write the saddest lines. But I chose not to. Because I am not Pablo Neruda. Obviously. lol How to state the obvious without being obvious? 😄
Seriously, I will remain hopeful for what is yet to come and remain faithful to what is yet to be fulfilled. For now, we continue to rise above the challenges and overcome our fears of the unknown as we answer God’s calling – even if it entails sacrifices, many or few. 🙏
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
“What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you.” – Genesis 28:15
“The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:34
“The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness;..” – 1 Samuel 26:23
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” – James 1:12
The Journeyman's Moments 