BLOG ANNIVERSARY: Happy 12th Birthday “The Journeyman’s Moments”!

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:

“The Unknown World”

“A Dream”

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)



Volcanoes Are Created By God So We Can Marvel At Its Beauty And Submit To His Power

I am writing this article in light of the ongoing relief efforts for the Taal volcano eruption that happened last January 12, 2020.

You may send your donations (in cash and in-kind) through this link: http://victoryfort.org/taalrelief/.

Thank you so much for any help you could provide, and let’s continue praying for all the affected residents and communities in the area.

***Donations will be accepted until January 26, 2020.

—————-

My husband and I took advantage of Mt. Mayon’s unhidden splendor by capturing a selfie with her. We were on our way to my hometown last December 22, 2019 (my birthday) for the holidays. 🙂

I will be writing two versions of this article – in the vernacular and in English for the convenience of all local and international readers. ❤

The Beauty of Mt. Mayon and Yet One of Nature’s Most Destructible Weapons

Filipino Version

Sabi ko kay Brian, ang hometown ko sa Bicol ay nakakaranas ng sobrang lakas na mga bagyo tuwing Disyembre simula noong bata pa ako. 2 hrs away din kami sa Mt. Mayon, the #1 most active volcano sa buong bansa, at ang Mt. Bulusan ay 30 minutes away lang din. Nakaranas din kami ng matinding ash fall noong tumuga ito. Ngayon, ito ay nananatiling nasa Alert Level 1 simula noong Mayo 5, 2019 samantalang ang Mt. Mayon ay nasa Alert Level 2 simula pa noong March 29, 2018.

Nasa coastal area din kami o malapit sa baybaying dagat na pwedeng makaranas ng tsunami o storm surge at dahil maraming bulkan sa Bicol ang active, madalas din ang lindol. Through these calamities, iisa lang pinatunayan ng Dios, He still reigns supreme – not our government officials, not Science, not man.

Tiwala sa Kanya – God never wants anyone to perish but is being patient for everyone to repent. He does not send calamities nor create conflicts among men to punish, but for people to know who really is God. Neither is He a cruel God who wants His people to suffer.

No, God isn’t like that. Huwag natin kalimutan na satan, God’s enemy, is also in this world at may kinalaman din sya sa ibang nangyayari sa ating mundo and the main culprit of anything sinful.

God, however, already promised that never again will He destroy mankind gaya ng the Great Flood as a punishment. The rainbow He showed to Noah and to us now is a sign of that covenant. Calamities are only one of God’s ways of turning people back to Him at bumalik-loob sa Kanya.

But only because God loves us so much He doesn’t want us to perish when judgment day comes. It is also a reminder who is still in control of this world regardless if we have the most modern, high-powered warfare in the entire universe or the greatest up-to-date technology that man and Science can ever design.

God will and still remain SUPREME at patuloy Nya tayong ire-remind of that.

English Version

I told my husband that my hometown experiences super typhoons every December ever since I was a kid. We are also located 2 hours away from the #1 most active volcano in the Philippines, Mt. Mayon, and also lauded in the world as the only volcano with the perfect cone. There is also another active volcano near our community, Mt. Bulusan, which is only 30 minutes away. We also experienced extreme ash fall during one of its eruptions. According to PHIVOLCS, it is currently on Alert Level 1 since May 5, 2019, while Mt. Mayon is on Alert Level 2 since March 28, 2018. 

We are also located in a coastal area wherein there are high chances of a storm surge and tsunamis. Since we have two of the 4 most active volcanoes in the country, we also experience frequent earthquakes. And yet through these calamities, God has proven only one thing, He reigns supreme – not our government officials, not Science, and not man. 

Trust in Him – this is what God wants, not wanting anyone to perish but patiently waiting for everyone to repent. He does not send calamities nor create conflicts among men to punish, but for people to know who God truly is. Neither is He a cruel God who wants His people to suffer.

No, God isn’t like that. We mustn’t forget that satan, God’s enemy, is also in this world and is at work. He is also responsible for some of the unfortunate events that took place and the main culprit of anything sinful.

God, however, already promised that never again will He destroy mankind as punishment for our sins such as what happened during the Great Flood. The rainbow He showed to Noah and to us now is a sign of that covenant. Calamities are only one of God’s ways of turning people back to Him. 

But only because God loves us so much He doesn’t want us to perish when judgment day comes. It is also a reminder who is still in control of this world regardless if we have the most modern, high-powered warfare in the entire universe or the greatest up-to-date technology that man and Science can ever design.

God will and still remain SUPREME and He will continue to remind us of that every now and then. We can glorify God’s beautiful creations such as volcanoes, and yet they also remind us to submit to His power.

Always a Christian Bicolana,

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MT. MAYON TRIVIA

1. Trivia 1

“Some people believe that when the volcano is restive and about to erupt, Magayon is being bothered by Pagtuga, while they believe Pangaronon is embracing Magayon when the volcano is calm…

They also believe that Pangaronon is kissing Magayon when clouds meet at the top of the volcano.”

Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/01/18/18/star-crossed-lovers-the-story-of-magayon-and-pangaronon

2. Trivia 2

Mt. Mayon spewed ashes on January 17, 2018, and has been on Alert Level 2 until now.

Source: https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/01/18/18/photo-of-mayon-volcano-sparks-romance-in-social-media-users-hearts

What Are The Benefits Of Living Near A Volcano?

We all know the extent of a disaster caused by volcanic eruptions. It can instantly wipe out a community, kill thousands of people, and destroy countless properties and livestock. Research, however, proved that living near a volcano also provides some benefits. They are as follows:

  • Fertile Soil
  • Minerals & Other Materials For Building Construction
  • Geothermal Energy
  • Tourism

Read more: “More of God’s Beautiful Promises in 2020: A Testimony of His GRACE”

 

 P. S. Thank God for free editing apps such as InShot and Photo Director for making this creative output possible. 👍🏼 🙂