Tag Archives: grateful

The Truth vs. The Lie

Posted on by
image

Photo credit: meada.net

After overcoming a tough situation with my husband, I am just grateful that God protected our marriage. Praise God for this. 🙂

Through the course of events, there was one instance wherein I told my husband this,

“Honey, when there comes a point that you did something wrong, people found out and asked me about it, I will not deny and lie but I will tell them the truth. I ask you to do the same because I am not perfect either and I will be committing mistakes too.

I know we should protect each other and this marriage but I value the truth more than committing a sin such as lying because I know the truth will set both of us free. I know it is only God who can and will protect this marriage as long as we choose to stick together and always obey Him and His commands.”

TRUTH.

The truth is something that is heavy to bear especially if we are not yet ready to say it or hear it. Most of the time it causes us to feel guilt, to be ashamed, to deny it and to cover it up with excuses or lies. Let’s consider the fact that a lie is still a lie regardless if you did it out of a good or a bad intention.

Yet for cases such as what I have mentioned above, part of telling the truth is taking the risk of getting hurt and hurting the people you love. But consider the idea that taking that risk will never fall for nothing. God will reward you for telling the truth and upholding it. It has been written in the bible that “Then you will know the Truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)  and it does.

The truth will set you free from all the guilt, all the shame and all the condemnation. It is the truth that will combat the enemy’s weapons of deception and lies. These are the lies and deception that you are filthy, you are most sinful, unworthy of forgiveness, that people will regard you lowly as a person when they found out who you were and what you have done and that you have no hope and chances in becoming better.

It has been said in the bible that “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23)  and yet this is exactly the reason why we have the Cross and why God sent His Son to suffer, pay for our sins and die for us so we could be saved. It is the Truth that prevailed on the Cross when everybody and the enemies believed He will die and that He is not the Son of God.

In the same way, telling the truth will relinquish us from any emotional burden or stronghold that ties us to the enemy through acceptance of the mistake committed, repentance and finally receiving God’s forgiveness through His Son.

God’s gift is FREE for all. Jesus Christ was that gift being the Way towards salvation, the Truth that He is the Son of God and the Life towards eternity. He was the ultimate sacrifice meaning He didn’t just die for the sins committed by the people of the past generation, our ancestors, but He died once and for all for all of us and for all our sins committed in the past, present and future. This is God’s forgiveness, His free gift, but it should not be taken for granted.

For though we have been forgiven of our future sins which God already knew beforehand that we will commit, we still have made a covenant with the Lord to say “no”  to sin and live a righteous life when we surrendered our lives to Him. As it is written, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

This is not so we could earn and work our own way towards salvation for it has already been done by Jesus’ sacrifice, but out of our love and honor to God who gave us the way to receive His gift of experiencing a life without pain and trouble. This is the free gift of eternal salvation or eternity in heaven EVEN THOUGH we do not deserve it.

As a loved one, it hurts to see your loved one get hurt because of sin. But as a Christian, we know that experiencing pain because of doing the right thing never gets away from God’s attention. Everything that you do in God’s way, you are doing for the honor and the glory of God. As a believer and as a Christian, that is all that God has called us to do – everybody’s mission.

I took the risk to feel pain. I took the risk to hurt people. I took the risk to let the Truth be known. For this is the will of God.

But if you are to ask me how should we believe this Truth, then my answer is through faith. For it has been said:

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see…” (Hebrews 11:1)  and “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29).

Are we believing a lie or a truth? Are we going to tell the lie or the truth? Are we ready for the Truth? 🙂

A Silent Salutation To My Moms

Posted on by

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. 🙂

BLOGGYS 2015: The Philippines’ Premiere Blog Awarding Event

Posted on by
Tin Ginete

To God be the Glory!

This came as a lovely surprise. 

I never thought that blogging will take me this far. Or should I say, how my faith has brought me this far. For yes, if there is one sole reason why I decided to put up my blog last October 2012, a month after my altar call, it is to be the “megaphone” of my faith – spearheaded by unfavorable events in my past that led to my salvation and now, this blog.

There was no apprehension. I felt that I had to do it – I need to write, not just to clear unresolved issues but more for the love of writing and sharing. I have shared in my previous articles why I had this passion to write and share. It came from my hunger for learning, knowledge and wisdom.

Before, I was hungry for the wrong kind of wisdom. It was this blog that led me to pursuing the right kind of wisdom and knowledge – that which is everlasting, firm and true. I would not exchange it for anything. For I must admit, it was that kind of wisdom that this blog came to life and is now thriving.

What I posted did not come from me per se. They were all knowledge passed on to me too. And my Teacher instructed me to use whatever He will give me to keep this blog alive – tapping my interests, skills, life experiences and God-given opportunities.

I am GRATEFUL.

To my God, to WordPress, to my past, to my faith, to my partner in life, family and friends, to my spiritual family, to my fellow bloggers who were bold in actively sharing their faith through social media and including some that this world offers in between, and to the organizers of Bloggys 2015 for all the opportunities to share my thoughts and my faith through writing.

Tin Ginete

To God be the Glory!

I am claiming MORE FRUITFUL BLOGGING YEARS ahead, by His Grace and through His Name.

Let’s continue giving Him the honor and glory that He deserves. 🙂

The Spirit Lives

Posted on by

Today is Friday, the end of the work week to most and the last day for the Prayer and Fasting 2015. This post is also my first entry for this year. Looks like what I have to write here will be something memorable. I hope. 😉

It’s been awhile since I wrote my last entry about my faith, if a few months back can be regarded as such. But I was prompted. Not just by anyone but by the One who lives in each and everyone of us who have been saved – the Spirit.

Thus, I begin my post.

I normally do not wake up at 5am. But I have been waking up at that time for how many consecutive days already. The tossing, turning and failed attempts to get back on hibernation mode can, I must say, add to the plentiful running thoughts in your head. I checked Instagram because I remembered I need to edit my profile. I saw something I did not like on the Newsfeed, I was tempted to judge – the mind can form in an instant the weapons of destruction. Not to them being criticized but to yourself who criticize, for a complete negative thought is nothing but already a crime.

BUT before negativity overcame me, I suddenly remembered a verse. My thoughts shifted – what book was it, what chapter, what verse, who said it, etc. I took my phone, typed the words I could remember from that verse on Google search and found myself reading verses upon verses until I stumbled upon this:

1 Corinthians 4:5 NIV

“Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”

The verse was more of an answer to my beleaguered thoughts the past days than it is to the IG post I saw and my reaction to it. It just struck me how God can use simple things and simple ways as His means to provide you the answer you have been needing thus giving you the peace that you deserve.

And this was not the first time that happened. For every time I ask questions, every time I am unsure of something, every time I crave for an explanation, I was always reverted back to the Scriptures. And what I read are the only things that pacified me. I was supposed to write there ‘satisfied’ than ‘pacified’ but to me, satisfaction can be achieved without the feeling of being pacified. Satisfaction is for the time being while to be pacified is for the long run. Satisfaction is for that immediate craving while being pacified is for that deep longing.

Sure, some writings satisfy but their ideas never last. Maybe because if they are human wisdom, they change. What the Scriptures offer is Godly wisdom written in consistency through the changing times. And something grounded is more believable than something unstable, right?

1 Corinthians 1:19 NIV

[For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”]

Indeed, there is so much a changed life can do. You thought for a moment you have it all from wisdom to riches, love in its worldly definition and power. Until came the time that you were stripped bare – you have nothing. Except now, the only thing you see is your Creator. And the only thing you have and you can be proud of is the Cross. Then you can only be happier, for you have been stripped FREE. The Spirit lives. 🙂

673ed0db15f7341fed67ec090f85afc2

( Photo credit: https://www.pinterest.com/wildbill666/for-me/)

SHE is the Other Pair

Posted on by
Tin Ginete

Shoe on the Spot

Yes, that is how I call her – She. 😉

Her name is Sheryl San Diego. If you are wondering who she is and how is she related to that shoe above, please allow me to give you a brief rundown.

I was lost.

It is that one point in your life wherein you don’t know who to turn to. She is a Victory Group leader and I was assigned to her when I signed up to join a small group. I reached out because I could no longer carry on with the battle all to myself. He answered.

God gave me a spiritual family.

It is with She that I had my One to One Discipleship. It is a process which helps you commit to a deeper and more personal relationship with the Lord. We would meet every Sunday and discuss the Word through the One to One booklet. Every meeting starts and begins with a prayer. The entire time I had this with her, I was slowly being relieved of all my burdens – emotional baggage, pressure, stress and unanswered questions.

Tin Ginete

With my Victory Group leader, Sheryl San Diego (Photo credit: MJ Gotostos)

Until came the time that I finished it and I thought that was it. I already felt at ease after finishing our One to One Discipleship. What I didn’t know was that I was slowly being prepared for the main event, the Victory Weekend. It is that moment wherein I can say I COMPLETELY surrendered everything to God and COMPLETELY accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.

Tin Ginete

3/3/13 Victory Weekend w/ She (Photo credit: Joyce Tan)

It was a 2-day event wherein the first day was allotted for baptism of the Holy Spirit and the second day for the water baptism. I was renewed, revived and made new.

Tin Ginete

Victory Weekend 3/3/13

I was found.

I am that 1 lost sheep and they were the 99. I was rescued but I was weak. God gave me an accountability partner to help me recover and to help me regain my strength in renewing my faith.

She is the other pair.

The one who helped me and accompanied me in my WALK with GOD. And I THANK her from the bottom of my heart for everything that she did – for being so patient and determined to see me finish the race towards a changed me. I learned a lot from her in my baby steps in my spiritual journey. She is indeed an epitome of a woman of God and a woman of faith – strong and devoted. And I am thankful to God for choosing her to be my partner in this lifetime walk with Him. I could not “walk” in my spiritual journey without her.

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” – Matthew 18:19

Now that explains the shoe above. 😉

http://victory.org.ph/

#radicalsince1984 #myVictoryStory #everymemberaminister

Burger Project & Sbarro: Let the Hunger Games End!

Posted on by
Tin Ginete

My burger project.

Okay, now that title might have given you so much of what I intend this article to be – PIGGING OUT. 😀

But just to set things clear and straight, Brian and I seldom pig out as we are on a diet. YES. We are both a fitness buff and we take working out pretty much seriously. That also includes eating in moderation. Discipline, with everything.

It was because we wanted to try this burger restaurant that we have decided to somehow have our “cheat” day. Unfortunately, it was Brian who cheated. lol Because I gave half of my share to him since I insisted on sticking with my diet. (Good job, Hon, for finishing them all for me!) 😀

Tin Ginete

The queue.

Tin Ginete

The lost nurse. 😉

If you are to read my previous food review posts, I am currently hooked on the concept of “projects.” And if you are to ask me why, that’s because I love trying out new ideas. I love to learn and experiment so to speak. Thus, the trip to Burger Project. 

Tin Ginete

Their other branches.

In other words, Burger Project is all about making your own burger. It has the same concept with Project Pie that my siblings and I tried a couple months back (refer to this article: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2014/02/20/my-very-own-pizza-project-pie/). Both are very different though when it comes to choices of toppings (for the pizza) and fillings (for the burger).

To start on your project, you need to ask for an order form where you get to tick your choice from buns, burger patties, to vegetable fillings and a whole lot more of other ingredients and spices. Submit it to the cashier and pay your orders. Wait for a couple of minutes while they prepare your burger and voila, your special burger is now served. 🙂

Tin Ginete

Order forms.

Tin Ginete

His burger project.

The fact that I am oh so forgetful, I could not just remember the choice of ingredients I have for my burger. And it is because of this Brian and I almost switched burgers. ahaha Saved by the Jalapeno sticking out from his burger. 😀

Tin Ginete

Animal Fries

We also tried one of their specialties, the Animal Fries, made of fried potato strings with grilled onions, minced garlic, special burger sauce, cheese sauce and cheddar cheese. If we are to rate it from 1 to 5, 5 being the highest, we will rate it with a 4. Yes, because Brian keep on telling me (in between munches) that the burgers are SOOO GOOD we’re gonna come back. He is just a total burger person. 😉

Tin Ginete

Brian and I

Tin Ginete

Me and Brian

Tin Ginete

Checkin’ in at Burger Project, Maginhawa St., Quezon City

We were just so full after the burger experience so we decided to walk around Maginhawa Street and ended up at Moonleaf Tea Shop for a wintermelon milk tea. There is a long chain of great restaurants along Maginhawa Street you just have to keep coming back to try them all. 🙂

Next stop was Sbarro. An all time fave of mine. I had baked ziti, Brian had lasagna and we both had vegetarian pizza (spinach and mushroom). Yes, always include greens in your meals even if you pig out to maintain that healthy diet.

Tin Ginete

Baked Ziti

Tin Ginete

Lasagna

Tin Ginete

Spinach and Mushroom Pizza

After the food mania, we decided to just chill around by letting Brian take his first experimental shots in photography with a few tips from me, a not-so-pro photographer. Here are some of them. I must admit, he does have the eye for the aesthetics. Multi-talented boyfriend I have here. 😀 Lucky me and I thank God for that. 😉

Tin Ginete

Chipped Fingernail on the Spot

Tin Ginete

The Watch

Tin Ginete

The Baller

Tin Ginete

Yours Truly by Him.

(Thanks for everything, Honey! I love you so much!) 

Backtrackin’ V-Day 2014

Posted on by

When nostalgia hits you, all you’ve got to do is press rewind and off you go to reminisce mode. Thus, this post. 😉

Before starting this article, I have one thing to ask:

Will the celebration of Valentine’s Day ever be possible without it being commercialized?

I can neither say I am guilty of that nor do I disapprove of it. For the sole reason that I intend to mash-up both ways in celebrating Valentine’s Day: the traditional and the contemporary. The genuine and the commercialized, so to speak. 😀

Let me enumerate why.

The common a.k.a. commercialized Valentine’s Day celebration include but is not limited to flowers, chocolates, gifts, and lavish dates. It involves meticulous and extensive planning weeks prior to the “big day.” Not to mention that it also requires resources: money, time and effort. What is good about them? It is considered a good investment in the relationship synonymous to this – the happiness of your significant other matters more than anything else. The only reason why it should be celebrated in such a manner – never because it is the fad and never because everyone does it. Deviate from the norm by regarding it differently. Remaking the ordinary to make it extraordinary as I put it. 😉

Which leads me now to the  traditional way of celebrating it, way back when our ancestors have no other means to celebrate it with their loved ones except through a simple but meaningful time spent together devoid of any material gift and lavish dates. I would like to stress out this word in this portion of the article – meaningful. Yes, that is far more important than anything else in every date. 🙂

So to backtrack….I found myself wondering. Was I successful in combining the two in celebrating Valentine’s Day with my special guys? YES. And I have God to thank for the opportunity as well as the provisions. He made it all happen. I dated two guys – Him and him.

God gave us the opportunity to spend Valentine’s Day in a very meaningful way, commercialized too but only to a minimum. 😉

It has been my tradition to watch any of the UP Feb fair concerts which usually falls on the week of Valentine’s Day. I was more than glad when our Managing Editor, Ms. Anj, gave the writing assignment to me to cover the event for When In Manila, an online publishing company where I am currently a writer. But the fun never stopped there, because the host of the Valentine’s Day concert was a Christian organization in UP, the UP Students of Destiny and Brian was free to attend the event with me. I don’t call it luck, I call it God’s plans. 😀

Read more about the concert and our superb time there here:

http://www.wheninmanila.com/kontrakultura-3-born-for-love-set-the-hearts-ablaze/

Tin Ginete

Brian and I with our couple hoodies at the Kontrakultura 3 concert grounds. 🙂

Surprises are never my thing, but I am getting used to it and loving it especially when they come from God and from the person you love. Yihee! 😀

Kidding aside now, before the concert, Brian and I met up and he gave me a rose, a very pretty one. But not only that. Along with it he handed me a work of art – a love message in the form of a poem. Though I must say he is trying to imitate my being a poetess. hahaha Kidding. 😉 (You’ve done such an amazing job by the way, baby! I love you to pieces. 🙂 )

Tin Ginete

Roses are red and poems are the sweetest.

The day after, February 15, Brian asked me if I can have a post V-Day dinner and movie date with him, to which I said yes of course but I also thought that something is lacking. I was looking for that real essence of what Valentine’s Day is really all about – selfless, meaningful love, a love that is not only revolving between Brian and I. I prayed to God and I asked for guidance and for answers. Then the answer came – spend it with the people who are close to you and who need your utmost love too. The first person who crossed my mind was Ate Daisy. She is the mom of the family whom I serve as a Family Support Volunteer for the Victory QC Community Outreach Ministry.

My admiration for Ate Daisy is beyond words. A mom of 4, raising her children on her own as her husband passed away two years ago, she is indeed the true modern “superwoman.” She carries that heavy responsibility of being both a father and a mother to her kids (2 of them are in college already), working 6 or 7 days in a week doing laundry to earn money and provide for her family. It was my first time to volunteer and I have a lot of apprehensions. My first question to God was this: how can I help them knowing that I don’t have the means sufficient enough to help them (financially, new in the faith, not enough experience, etc.)?

And yet, came His answer: your presence is enough. 🙂 

So there it was. When a message is being delivered from up above, I do nothing but follow. And I was surprised even more: I was given provisions to buy Valentine’s Day gifts for Ate Daisy and her family, the free time, and a willing companion – Brian. I was nothing more but the happiest. It was my first visit and yet it was the most memorable. We were able to visit Ate Daisy, who greeted us with all smiles, talked with her and asked her how she’s been doing. We left her feeling happy and grateful making us happy and grateful too. After the visit, we ended our Saturday with a dinner and movie date which Brian promised. (Thank you, thank you, baby.)

But I know that this is only the beginning of more meaningful moments, of sharing to the people we care about the beautiful promises of God. We have a faithful God and I will continue to be grateful to Him for that. 🙂

I was planning my next visit to Ate Daisy for this month but I couldn’t decide the exact date yet. I thought I’ll just pray to God and wait when will be His perfect time for it. I prayed that He would equip me. Two days ago, I received the answer, The Crossroads training for Family Support Volunteers will be held starting this week to equip us, volunteers, to better help the families assigned to us. The best part is that God arranged and cleared my schedule though I have several commitments so I could attend them all.  God makes things perfect in His time, indeed.

Oh, Father God, thank you so much! May praise and glory be given to You always. I cannot speak of anything else except that. You are my greatest blessing. 🙂

I am grateful to Him too for giving me my partner in my mission to help spread God’s greatness and His message. Just to share a little bit of the love message that Brian gave me (I can’t share everything as it is far too special. 😉 ) which became my prayer too by the way, here it is:

Tin Ginete

“Embrace us, oh Father, as we walk with You in our journey together.” – J. B. G. R.

And because it was a very memorable Valentine’s Day for me, not only because it is my first Valentine’s Day with Brian but because I intend to make the ordinary as extraordinary, I have thought about preserving one good memorabilia of that day: the ROSE. 😉

I have received roses before but not once did it cross my mind to preserve them. Not until now. So I looked up over the internet how to preserve them which includes hanging the rose upside down, and letting it dry for a couple of weeks. When completely dried, spray with a little bit of hairspray to keep the petals from falling off. I am planning to put it inside a glass container to keep the dust away from the petals as it is hard brushing the petals off without damaging any single one of them.

And here is a picture of my special rose before and after. 🙂

Tin Ginete

BEFORE and AFTER

The single rose, if you have watched The Phantom of the Opera, is a symbol and a reminder of the Phantom’s love for Christine (the leading lady in the movie).

This rose, for me (being Christine too), is my memorabilia of Brian’s love for me and a promise of my God’s amazing love too. Awww, I know. Please don’t kill me for being extremely mushy. hahaha 😀

Seriously, here is what I have to say, start loving my God too and you will never, ever regret you did that. 😉

It All Started at Sonya’s Secret Garden

Posted on by
Brian and I @ Sonya's Secret Garden

Brian and I @ Sonya’s Secret Garden

 

The romance that started in a secret garden. Do read ahead to find out how our love story started. 😀

Coffee table book.

Coffee table book.

 

I met him when I was selected to be one of the study patients of a research at the Asian Eye Institute. It was an answered prayer – for my eyesight to be healed. I have God to be extremely grateful for with this blessing. And yet, the “package” did not stop there. Little did I know that I am soon to be partnered with my nurse in this thing which we call “love.” Ah yes, the Lord our God is indeed the great matchmaker and composer of everything.

Okay, now this is the part where it gets cheesy and cheesier. You might as well grate me or just allow yourself to be melted away. 😀

I waited for 2 years before God orchestrated I meet him. But the wait never really mattered because I was passionately driven in pursuing a personal relationship with God and in serving Him in those two years that I was not in a relationship with anyone.

I am in love with what I am doing so to speak. That should be what comes first – serve God, find your mission, and then find your mate. I got saved, I started sharing my faith in my blog, then I met my bf.

But did you know that I turned Brian down the first time he asked me out on a date? 😀 Yes, I didn’t feel it right at that moment. Because hubby dear just got out of a relationship and I don’t want to be a part of it because I made it clear to him that if he intends to pursue me, then he should do so with a clean slate. 🙂

So I told him that no, I can’t entertain him romantically at that point because he should make peace with his past first. I went home to my province and I stayed there for more than a month. At that time we constantly communicated but I was firm that we can only be friends. And I challenged him that if he is not patient enough to wait for me, then it is all fine with me if he pursues someone else.

I was also straightforward in telling him that I do not wish to be in a relationship with him if his intention was to forget his old flame. He assured me that it is because he loves me. In fact, he professed his love for me right after our first date. Unbelievable, right? lol 😀 But my brother told me that you can never really tell when you will fall in love. It doesn’t have a time period, nor an exact moment, and it can just hit you out of the blue.

Well, that is love in its emotional state. But love is a decision. And I am after the latter that is why I never rushed my feelings for him. I have restrained myself to wait even though the attraction was already there the first time we met back in AEI.

Besides, I wanted to ask God first and make sure the relationship I am going to enter is the one that He wants for me. I wanted to do exactly that during the Prayer and Fasting in our church come the first week of January. I was still in my hometown during this time so I got to ask God clearly what are His answers and without distractions.

Would you believe that one of the signs that God sent me was through a friend and sister in Christ who texted me out of the blue during the Prayer and Fasting that she dreamt about me wearing a white gown? 😀

We were both confused about what it meant at that time and then I just had the realization later on. And nope, none of my friends knew Brian yet at this point because we’re not yet dating. But I knew the sign was not enough in making a decision, so I continued praying.

My failed relationships in the past, which was the reason for my salvation and being born again, taught me to never seek for love at the wrong places and with the wrong people by waiting for God’s perfect best. 🙂

Brian though is never perfect. He has his own weaknesses and personal struggles same as me. We are all a work in progress when it comes to being the persons that God wants us to be. But we both rejoice in what is good, in what we have learned, in learning and where we are happy the most – pure and genuine happiness because we know it makes our God happy too.

We both share some interests and I know that if I am to list down all the qualities, it will be endless. But just to name a few that really stood out when we were just getting to know each other, I’ll give a brief rundown:

  • We both love the color blue.
  • We love viands that are not sweet.
  • We prefer communing with nature than spend long hours at the mall.
  • We love the simple things.
  • And lastly, we enjoy each other’s company.

Now, that last part is the one thing that I love the most. Why? Because it only means I could get to be who I am when I am with him. We don’t care if we look silly at times or if we crack the silliest jokes mindless of other people who would think we are being overly “corny” or hilarious. No pretensions so to speak. He accepts my eccentricities (mildly put, not exactly the medical term) and vice versa. The same as our relationship with God. We have to be as sincere and as open to Him as possible, connecting every single moment of our lives with Him from the moment we wake up until the time we lay our heads down the pillow. A personal, loving, and lasting relationship – that is how we got to know Him more.

And that is how I got to know Brian more – a personal moment at a secret garden (that is not so secret at all because it is well-known among the locals and tourists alike). 🙂

 

Lovely blooms.

Lovely blooms.

The entrance to Sonya's restaurant.

The entrance to Sonya’s restaurant.

One of the lodges.

One of the lodges.

Morning Glory garden. The other two are The Conservatory and Sunflower.

Morning Glory garden. The other two are The Conservatory and Sunflower.

 

The place is very memorable to me. I have always been in love with gardens. They are my places of solace and comfort. I feel calm, at ease and more at peace with myself when I am surrounded by the best that nature could offer – simplicity.

 

Flower in bloom.

Flower in bloom.

Feeling like a princess. *wink*

Feeling like a princess. *wink*

The photographer taken by the photographer too.

The photographer was taken by another photographer too.

 

Though I dressed up too “colorful” for the date making me look like one of the flowers in the garden and making me wish I’d never worn something as vibrant as that, I pretty much enjoyed the ambiance of the place. It is very RELAXING. I didn’t skip the opportunity to take more photos of literally anything I could lay my eyes on.

 

Sonya's chair.

Sonya’s chair.

Coffee table book.

Coffee table book.

Birds of paradise.

Birds of paradise.

Superb drapery for their banquet hall.

Superb drapery for their banquet hall.

 

And yes, though they offer their menu in buffet style, you won’t feel too full afterward nor feel guilty for having eaten too much. They serve vegetarian dishes. Most of their dishes are very light and their pastas are not heavy on herbs and spices. Just a little bit of them to tease your palate. You have an option if you will have white or red sauce. Of course, how could I forget how Brian and I made fun of the chamomile hand wash/sanitizer because I thought it is just for decor of some sort or I will wash my veggie food there and I had to ask the waiter what is it used for (oh if embarrassment could kill, I’d be dead already. 😀 ). But it smells SOOO GOOOD!

 

The Menu.

The Menu.

Buffet corner.

Buffet corner.

Lettuce and arugula.

Lettuce and arugula.

Garnish your salad with a selection of fruits in season like mango and pineapple.

Garnish your salad with a selection of fruits in season like mango and pineapple.

There he is with his jicama/singkamas.

There he is with his jicama/singkamas.

Fresh flowers in a vase centerpiece.

Fresh flowers in a vase centerpiece.

Relaxing ambiance.

Relaxing ambiance.

 

I also love how they kept our bread warm. They rolled it in a piece of cloth (linen, I presume) and served it in a basket along with the spread and other spices. I love their salad dressings and spread, too! They offer quite A LOT of greens in their dishes which I absolutely relished. I am a veggie lover so I enjoyed making that munch and that crunch in my every bite of their salads. And to end it all, a nice serving of chocolate cake and tarragon tea.

 

Whole wheat sesame bread.

Whole wheat sesame bread.

Sonya’s Secret Salad Dressing, Balsamic vinegar/extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese.

Sonya’s Secret Salad Dressing, Balsamic vinegar/extra virgin olive oil, Parmesan cheese.

Basil pesto, white cheese, anchovies, tomato salsa, mushroom pate, black olive tapenade, and fresh green peppercorn in olive oil.

Basil pesto, white cheese, anchovies, tomato salsa, mushroom pate, black olive tapenade, and fresh green peppercorn in olive oil.

Homemade choco cake.

Homemade choco cake.

Tarragon Tea

Tarragon Tea

 

Overall comment? It was a very happy and relaxing experience indeed. I adored every nook in Sonya’s garden. Aside from the restaurant, they also have the Panaderia and a store where you could buy goodies, memorabilia, and pasalubong for your friends and family. It is also a very suitable place for wedding receptions as they have a separate private venue for that near the restaurant.

 

The way to the comfort rooms.

The way to the comfort rooms.

Chandelier.

Chandelier.

Native finds.

Native finds.

Capiz hanging decor.

Capiz hanging decor.

Organic scents, trinkets and other good finds.

Organic scents, trinkets and other good finds.

For Wedding Receptions

For Wedding Receptions

The Walkway

The Walkway

The Panaderia

The Panaderia

Me trying the hat.

Me trying the hat which I have practically no use for. lol

 

I wished for my own home someday to be surrounded by lots of greenery too just like what we also have in our home in Bicol. I believe it is what makes every home a home – it looks natural, no too much synthetic ornaments.

Just like our relationship with God – you are more at ease with Him when it is genuine. 🙂

Every love story is created differently. But the one thing that they should all have in common is this – God at the center.

I believe I have to end this “date” on this note, for now, to save some memories for Brian and me to cherish. And this too, a poem which I made especially for him.

And this ends our cheesiness. 😀

 

A Blanket of Love by Tin Ginete

A Blanket of Love by Tin Ginete

P.S.

We ended the date by watching Ronin 47. Yes, how could I ever forget the last lines. Just the perfect cheesy but romantic lines to end this cheesy but romantic article. 😀

Kai (Keanu Reeves): I will search for you through 1000 worlds and 10000 lifetimes!

Mika (Ko Shibasaki): I will wait for you in all of them.

(Thank you so much for the wonderful time, for the lunch treat and movie date, Hon! I love you so much!)

“B” for Burping at The Buffet on a Blessed Bountiful Birthday

Posted on by

Another late post. 😀 The part 2 of my previous post: A Birthday Like No Other. 🙂

I can boast of nothing else except of God’s greatness. I never asked for anything prior to my birthday. And yet, He surprised me with gifts that are irreplaceable by any material gift – to bless others and to spend my birthday with family and friends.

I would like to thank my family, first and foremost, for spending my special day with me. Though my parents are not here as they are in the province, I know they celebrated it with me in spirit. And we have a new member (Hi, Heather! Welcome to the family!). 😉

Thank you, Ate Ayn, for giving me this birthday gift/treat! 🙂

Family love!

Family love!

Where's the missing boy? Oh there you are!

Where’s the missing boy? Oh there you are!

 

Thanks as well to my VG mates and soul sisters for these lovely birthday cakes (you know who you are ladies)! 🙂

 

Thank you my dear Victory group mates! I love you!

Thank you my dear Victory group mates! I love you!

Thank you my dear soul sisters! I love you!

Thank you my dear soul sisters! I love you!

 

And of course, to all who wished me a happy birthday on Facebook, over the phone, and anywhere here on social networking sites. Oh, how I love God and how I love everything that God has given me. I could not ask for more indeed. I will continue praising God for His LOVE, GRACE, and MERCY – I am extremely GRATEFUL.

I was given the privilege to choose where I will spend my birthday and we just found ourselves seated at the comfort of the superb interiors and great food of The Buffet International Cuisine.

 

The "sea of food."

The “sea of food.”

 

The Buffet International Cuisine serves in buffet style not 1 but 5 kinds of international cuisine: Filipino, Western, Japanese, Chinese and Korean. Now, that is a whole lot of options to choose from. Gaaaah, gastronomic!!!! 😀

 

Fishes, fishes, fishes. That is, fish decors. ;)

Fishes, fishes, fishes. That is, fish decors. 😉

Asian cuisine corner.

Asian cuisine corner.

 

They also offer a wide range of desserts from cakes, ice cream to pastries. I just could not try all of them as they are far too many. 😦 But that is reason enough for me to go back to The Buffet, right? 😀

 

Dessert corner.

Dessert corner.

Colored drinks (lime and red tea).

Colored drinks (lime and red tea).

 

I also would like to thank the management of The Buffet for my free share (wink), for the live birthday song performance by their ever talented group of singers as well as for this cute birthday cake. Awesome!!!! I, indeed, am all smiles! 😀

 

Birthday Cake!

Birthday Cake!

Birthday Singers

Birthday Singers

 

I particularly love the place with its high ceilings and spacious dining areas. It is a buffet restaurant so expect a lot of traffic from people going here and there to get food. But that wasn’t a problem at all as the food was carefully arranged and set in places that allow eaters to move around without bumping anyone.

 

Food counter.

Food counter.

 

Their lights were also superb! Chandeliers are everywhere giving you that mellow, romantic and really classy feel. They have a grand staircase leading to the function hall for special events.

 

The grand staircase going to the function room.

The grand staircase going to the function room.

More chandeliers downstairs.

More chandeliers downstairs.

Sparkly chandeliers.

Sparkly chandeliers.

 

Oh and yes, their comfort room is sooooo clean and they have free valet parking too. We are indeed having one of the great treats in our lives. I thank God for that! 😀

 

Ladies' comfort room.

Ladies’ comfort room.

Free valet parking.

Free valet parking.

 

If I am to rate it from 1 to 5, 5 being the highest, I’ll give it a 5. It was a blessed, bountiful birthday, indeed! 🙂

 

At the staircase.

At the staircase.

Flowers and Hearts – Love is Enough

Posted on by
Sonya's Garden

Sonya’s Garden

This pot of flowers is not your ordinary pot. Why? Because what makes these flowers fascinating to me and special is the idea that they have stayed fresh though they have been picked out from their stems and now floating in what I call a temporary life support system – the pool of water. 🙂

Which made me think of love.

“How can you love if you are afraid to fall?” 

Nah, I am not going to talk about the sweet moments just like how love articles are all about. I am going to talk about the other side of love – when you fall. That is, the pain in loving caused by none other than the conflicts.

Conflicts are experienced by all who is in a relationship. Even married Christian couples go through conflicts. I, for one, experienced a conflict at the onset of our relationship. Well, the enemy does not choose a particular timeline nor a particular couple to attack. Everyone gets their own dose.

But I will not be talking of conflicts here in a manner wherein I regard them as a failure. In fact, I just want to share how these conflicts helped me and my boyfriend build my faith in God and establish trust in our relationship.

Now, TRUST is my biggest waterloo. I feared it. I have no courage to have it. Most especially in relationships. Doubts are my greatest enemy.

I almost came close to giving up because of constantly having doubts and not having trust. The reason why I came close to giving up is because I did not trust God fully that He will always be there to guide us in the relationship.

Until I came to a realization whether I should let the conflicts ruin or build my faith. God has a reason why He gave you that person to love. It is up to you if you are to accept it as something good or bad. Differences will always be present because no two persons are ever the same. There will be personal struggles in keeping the purity and holiness intact inside the premises of the relationship. Temptations will be on the rise.

But then, we all love happy endings and yet we know too that love stories are never complete without the trials and suffering. In fact, they are what makes the ending happy, when you come out victorious over them by constantly asking God for guidance and protection.

But the question still remains: Will you let the enemy win?

I cannot. I cannot let my doubts, the conflicts and personal struggles ruin the beautiful promises that God has for our relationship. I have to trust God so I can gain trust in the relationship. Believe that it is not you or your boyfriend/husband who will run the relationship but it is God who will be the center of it. Continue to grow and learn from mistakes and strive to be at the right path.

Most of all, choose God and choose love. If you love the person who is willing to do everything for you, you know what to do with that love as how God would want you to.  Cherish it. It is God’s love that saved us all through His son Jesus Christ freeing us from the chains of our sins.

I am extremely grateful to God for having this relationship. It is God’s blessing that I was given a man who has an open mind and a willing, teachable heart patient enough to understand. Who chose to encourage than condemn, who chose to be gentle than to offend, who chose to be relenting than be stern, who chose to accept than judge. But most importantly, a man who chose to love and follow God than give up.

(I will always be grateful to you, baby. Thank you and I love you so much!)

As I end this article, I would like to leave two quotations – first would be what I learned from the Love Series of Victory entitled It’s Not That Complicated and the other, a bible verse.

“Love will not be complicated if we understand that love is a decision and not just an emotion.”

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Like the flowers floating in a pool of water, loving requires the decision and the need to stay afloat though circumstances would posit you to be out of your comfort zone, out of your original life support system. The relationship is the flower and love is the water that feeds the relationship, that nourishes it.

Yes, decide that love is enough. That God is more than enough. 🙂