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.
I always find it fun and amusing when God surprises me with many things that speak directly to my heart. But this recent surprise is not that fun because it’s an instruction – a task that I have been trying to avoid.
When Mom passed away last year, I couldn’t get myself to celebrate the holidays at home. Mom always made the holidays extra special for the family when we were kids. I got the excitement of decorating the house during the holidays, preparing holiday feasts, and giving gifts from her.
I was also not feeling well during this time last year and had to be rushed to the ER, which made me decide to stay in Manila for the holidays. But this year, God’s instruction was different, and He revealed the message through a movie. I was casually browsing on YouTube for new Hallmark movies, and guess what, the first movie that came up was “Time For Us To Come Home For Christmas.”
After watching it, I felt as if God was telling me that it was about time to bring back old family holiday traditions in memory of Mom. Or maybe make some new ones. Hopefully, we can still use the Christmas tree and other Christmas decorations since we didn’t set them up last year. The photo below was taken during December 2022, Mom’s last Christmas with us.
My siblings and I used to find joy in decoratingthe house during the holidays and preparing holiday meals because of Mom. As for Dad, he has always been our ever-reliable backup help when doing errands. 😃 I pray we can bring back this joy even though Mom’s no longer with us. 🙏 Btw, there’s something in this photo that is not part of the Christmas decorations. Can you see it? 😆
Holiday celebrations will now be different. But I am grateful that the God we serve never changes in every season. And He is always there to remind us that the hope we should cling to cannot be found in this world, but through Christ alone, who was born in this world and died on the Cross to give us the most precious gift any man can ever receive – the gift of eternal salvation. 🙏
P.S. I found the anointing oil and Spikenard perfume again from my old stuff and brought them with me here in my new apartment to bless the new home. Can I use them to anoint other people when I pray over them, too? If yes, who could be the first? 😃🙏
“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” – Psalm 62:5-8
When it comes to self-control, there’s only one person that comes to my mind who makes me wish that every guy in this world is like him – my Dad. If only his soul can be cloned and injected in every male fetus now, the whole world will be a better place to live in. 😃
And no, when Dad was young, he used to have all the vices that a few men weren’t able to escape from – gambling, chain smoking, and excessive drinking. But by the grace of God and because of love, he changed.
Our Dad In Our Eyes
When my brother graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 2005, his article about Dad entitled “The Unsung Hero,” was one of the articles recited and featured during the graduation ceremony. We all broke down to tears after hearing it. Oh, brother dear, must you also have the flair for the dramatic like me. lol My blog, on the one hand, intends to make our Dad “The Celebrated Hero.” 😃
My Dad is not perfect. He juggled farming on weekends and office work during weekdays and yet still finds the time to pick coconuts so my siblings and I can enjoy fresh coconut meat and coconut juice during summer. He still does that now with our other fruits in the garden at the age of 83, but now complains of sore muscles afterward. And he would still do it again even if we tell him that he doesn’t have to. 😅
I can list down a whole lot more of other childhood experiences with Dad that are now precious memories that I can happily recall every time nostalgia hits. That’s why I wish to celebrate all the Dads out there who are like my Dad though it is not Father’s Day.
Praise God For Godly Men And Fathers
I hope after reading this, it will bring joy to your hearts knowing that your children will remember you not for the material gifts you have given them, but the memories and sacrifices you have made with and for them. Fly kites with your kids, watch the stars together, go fishing and camping, hike the mountains together, ride that bike around the neighborhood – these are the joys of a kid that stay with them until they are old. Sadly, I do not have the opportunity to do these things.
That’s why for those who do, don’t let the chance pass by because you can never get it back once your children grows old or when you grow old. This is the kind of love that our Great Father has for us, His children, that’s why a sacrifice has been made through His one and only Son on our behalf. And this is also the reason why we are celebrating the holiday season.
Love You, Dad
Yes, my Dad isn’t perfect, but he tried his very best to be the perfect Dad to us and a perfect husband to my Mom – even when Mom was at her worst, and we were at our naughtiest. And I mean, naughtiest. He gets angry, but it’s always controlled anger – that kind of anger that disciplines, but teaches children about honor and respect. He is a man of few words, thus, showed his love through his actions and his (oftentimes corny 😅✌️) sense of humor.
I love my Dad so much, and I wish this blog can do more than just memorialize his life so his memory lives on and on even when he is gone. Because I believe his kind is getting rarer as each generation passes by. This is a sad reality, but it is the truth.
What Is Self-Control
Self-control in a Christian’s life is very important. For me, it is an all-encompassing word wherein all other moral values (fruits of the Holy Spirit) such as patience, peace, discipline, gentleness, kindness, humility, love, faithfulness, and goodness will fall under.
Self-control is the only thing that will help a born-again Christian to not fall into temptation and go back to who he/she was before being saved. This is why the Bible is intentional when it comes to fasting. Fasting teaches believers to take control of the mind, body, and emotions and not the other way around.
Fasting And Self-Control
This is why I prefer to have my own pre-holiday/birthday fasting so I can control my mind, body, and emotions and not be tempted during this holiday season by excessive drinking, overeating, careless partying, splurging on gifts, irritability due to the holiday rush, etc. Without self control, we are prone to making mistakes, to being tempted, and eventually to sinning.
The lack of self-control destroys boundaries, dishonors people you love, and breaks trust that takes years to build. And no, an apology from an unchanged heart is only made of empty words that do not have meaning and only speak of broken promises and chances that are wasted again and again and again.
Until the time comes that God says, “ENOUGH.” If promises get broken, then plans can change, too.
A Lesson That Is Hard To Forget
I thank God for giving me the courage to do what He is asking me to do – let go of things that I have been trying to hold onto because I am afraid of a lot of things. Because I used to have this limited perception of my purpose in this world.
But God showed me that in order for me to pursue a higher calling, I have to let go of some things, especially if they will hinder the tasks that He will ask me to do. God has bigger plans, and all I need is to trust Him that He is leading me towards them. That will be my next article because I now have lots of time to write though I still have articles to do at work.
Yes, thank God indeed for this talent that He has bestowed upon me so I can share my testimony of His saving grace in every season and help others who might be going through the same thing. 🙏🙂
P.S. By the way, it is my lack of self control that got me into this messiest mess I’m in right now because of the poor choices I made when I was young. I am living the repercussions and consequences now. And yet I am wholeheartedly accepting God’s discipline and I promised Him that I will show Him my loyalty and faithfulness by obeying even if it means enduring this season of painful discipline my entire life. I will endure and even if I ask God to take this suffering away now, like what Jesus said, “not my will but let God’s will be done.” 🙏
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” – 2 Timothy 1:7
This article was inspired by the 3-hour waiting time at the mall because we can’t book a Grab car. 😀
A woman beside me vented out her frustrations and while listening to her rants, I can’t help but just smile, nod, and agree to everything she said. Not that I complain a lot too but because she’s right. And yet I never commented anything. Why? Saying a lot of things will fuel her anger even more and when we look at things from a wider perspective, Christmas isn’t supposed to be like this.
Of people complaining about the heavy traffic, the long queues everywhere, lack of options for public transportation if commuting, being late in your Christmas parties, and a whole lot more of inconveniences. But I wonder, why complain? Man made the celebration of Christmas complicated enough so why complain about something that is of our own doing? 🙂
The First Christmas
Originally, the celebration of Christmas was never grand nor lavish. It was the birth of a baby in a not-so-good-looking manger without the nice hotels, Christmas trees, the colorful lights, the grand feasts, the beautiful costumes, and the surplus of gifts.
But today, Christmas is celebrated with too much grandeur and all the hassle to achieve that grandiosity. I guess we are missing out the true Spirit of Christmas when people are complaining, bickering, etc. because of the holiday rush and the holiday preparations. The truth is, the Christmas spirit isn’t seen on the lavish display of ornaments, of parties, nor playful, colored lights. It is meant to be felt deep down in the heart and soul.
Would you also complain and be irritated when someone took the cab that’s supposed to be yours after waiting for 3 hours? Will you not be affected when a sales clerk handed you a broken item which was supposed to be a Christmas gift to someone only to realize it when you already got home? How do you display the true essence and spirit of Christmas during the holiday rush?
Be Set Apart During The Holiday Rush
1. Lower your expectations.
A lot of things go wrong when everything around you is in chaos. Expect that a lot of imperfect moments will come up.
2. Be calm.
Take time to breathe. Even when everyone around you is irritated, just breathe. And keep calm. Hum a song to release the negative vibe around you.
3. Plan ahead.
Nothing beats being prepared holistically and plans B, C, D, and so on and so forth come really handy during this season. Because let’s all admit it, a lot of plans fail and get drowned by all the holiday rush.
4. Prioritize.
Is this item you plan to buy for a Christmas gift worth all the hassle of being stuck in the traffic or stranded at the mall? Should I skip this Christmas party over the other?
5. Create a list.
These are the to-do lists and to-buy lists. Because being forgetful in this season is unforgivable. 😀 Aside from the lists of items and tasks, arrange them in a way that you won’t be going back and forth or going up and down because the items you plan to buy are located in different parts of the mall. Make one smooth sweep from down to up or vice versa when shopping.
My prayer for this season is that we won’t be carried away by the holiday rush and forget what exactly should we be displaying over the holidays. It can be patience, it can be gentleness, it can be forgiveness, it can be understanding or any of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. But more importantly, the celebration must be about love.
What is love? You will know when you have the Father in you. 🙂
“But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” – 1 John 4:8
While most of us are eager for the upcoming Christmas season, there are some of us who dread the holidays:
that teenager whose parents just divorced and don’t know how to celebrate it because both parents have their own separate agenda for the holidays
that person who lost a loved one recently
that loved one who is far away from home and celebrating alone
those orphans whose only family they grew up with are also fellow orphans
that cancer or terminally-ill patient who dreads this is going to be his or her last Christmas celebration
that single person who’s been waiting for the love of their lives for decades already and been celebrating Christmas alone for decades too
or that street child begging for alms envying the shopping bags you’re carrying, and a whole lot more.
This Christmas tree has been with us for how many decades now. The decors were infested with termites last year but we were able to salvage some, but for the others, we have no other choice but to discard them.
It reminded me that indeed, everything and everyone around us are all but only temporary – they will all be gone one at a time. However, it is not about what we lack and what we lost that matters but more importantly, it is about what we can give despite our lack of a lot of things. Because that is the Christmas spirit – give LOVE to people who need it most.
How?
Visit a relative you haven’t seen for a long time, join a gift-giving Christmas event for orphans on the 25th, cook for your neighbors and give it to them on Christmas Eve…there are so much more that we can do to share the love and it is not just about money, gifts, new stuff, parties, Christmas lights, and decorations.
May we always be reminded that God is LOVE through the birth of Jesus and that is why we have the Christmas season – to celebrate God’s love for us.
So don’t be stressed with the Christmas shopping list or the holiday traffic or what to prepare for Christmas Eve – they are really not that important. Ask LOVE how He wants you to display it this upcoming holiday season.
And lastly, choose to be GRATEFUL over the holidays whatever your circumstance may be. ❤
Born three days before Christ,
CHRISTINE LAILANI GINETE-ROME
P.S.
This message is originally intended for myself actually. But I’m sharing the thought. 😉
I was supposed to write this article last December but the holiday rush, preparation and celebration with the family kept me from doing so.
This article though came in timely as my previous articles for this month were all about gifts (not your usual gift in a box with a ribbon) and the value of serving others through your gifts. I actually didn’t expect that last Sunday’s lecture will also be about that. Ah yes, it always is a wonder how things can be intertwined all because of God’s mysterious ways. 🙂
What is serving and how can we serve in a biblical sense?
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45
“…and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:27-28
And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ – Matthew 25:40
I believe one way of honoring God and showing our thanks to Him is by sharing that love to others too. Let’s just say that you felt how much God loves you and it is just too wonderful to keep it to yourself that’s why you wanted to let others know and feel that kind of love as well.
In doing so, they might wonder what is it that’s been fueling your actions and though they might not understand it at first, this can be your perfect response – out of love.
“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19
In the aspect of serving, we do find ourselves doing that knowingly or unknowingly with our families first and foremost. So last Christmas, I thought about preparing this roasted chicken recipe which was the first in the family’s Christmas celebration tradition.
Do take note though that I am no chef. lol 😀
I was just inspired and taught by my 3 older sisters who are very good in the kitchen and have such superb cooking skills they can invent their own recipe. Yup, no kidding. They really are that good.
Being the youngest, I grew up being the dishwasher. Haha Yes, you won’t believe it but my brother and I take turns in washing the dishes when we were younger. We are the two youngest members in the family, by the way.
On a side note, I just love being in a big family. You might not get to see or talk to all of them at the same time, yet you’ll still have one sibling to bug about every week aside from your parents. 😀
Anyway, as for my roasted chicken recipe, let’s just say I combined all the roasted chicken recipes I could find over the internet and came up with a “hybrid” roasted chicken. 😉
Roasted Chicken A la Bicolana
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 bunch of lemongrass
1 cup butter
½ cup tomato ketchup
1 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
5 cloves whole garlic
2 teaspoons slightly crushed black pepper
4 onions cut into 4 parts
Procedure:
Combine all the ingredients except for butter.
Place the onions, garlic and lemongrass inside the chicken and marinate overnight.
Prepare the butter and remaining marinade for basting.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Farenheit and cook for about 1 hour or until the chicken is tender.
Top it with garnishing, serve and enjoy!
I intend to make this a yearly tradition – out of love for God, love for family and joy in serving others. 🙂
P.S.
Oh and one mistake from the roasted chicken recipe – don’t prepare 1 roasted chicken ONLY especially when there are about 8 persons hoping to try it. lol
I was expecting it to be served as an additional dish along with other meals but it became the main course – ooopps, my mistake. So yes, Mom wasn’t able to try it as she ate late and sadly, no roasted chicken leftover. I have this year to make up for it though. 😀
One thing more, the turbo broiler is a kitchen winner for me, nothing beats. ❤
Never worry about anything because here is a little something.
So there went my futile attempt to be a poet. 😀
Seriously though, holidays meant a lot of things but it is synonymous to this word as well – rush. Everything is in a rush. How do we avoid this so-called “rush” ? The answer is this – prepare and shop early.
Buying Christmas presents in advance and scratching them off your long list is such a life saver. I usually do this often during the holidays.
But first, who are our recipients of these awesome gifts? On top of the list is our families of course, followed by relatives, friends and coworkers or bless someone randomly.
Then again, another dilemma is this question – “What will I buy for each of them?”
Honestly, thinking about choosing the right holiday gift ideas can be cumbersome and overwhelming. But allow me to make choosing a lot easier for the lady recipient: How about a tote bag?
Very simple, eh? BUT this isn’t your ordinary tote bag. These are custom-made from photographs of anything and everything by yours truly. I love to share so I am sharing these for you to have for keeps. No art is ever called art without the artist’s individuality showcased in it, as they say. These printed tote bags carry each in itself a particular story – a memory so to speak. So, I am sharing to you a bit of my life’s journey in each item. Do bring me along in your journeys too – wherever they may be and whatever it may be. 😉
This one tote bag for example illustrates a photo during our first summer vacation as a couple in Zambales, Philippines. If you were enamored by the pristine waters and pure, white sand, you can actually plan a trip and head on over there to see the beauty for real. You don’t just have a photo as memorabilia, but also a bag which will remind you always of the beauty of the place for as long as you often use it.
Another in the memory lane is this precious red rose (which I preserved for sentimental reasons) symbolizing an everlasting love – the first I received when hubby and I were still dating. Thought about editing it to make it look more rustic and not look like your typical red rose because it’s a special one for a special you.
These are also some of the bags featured in this recently created collection which is a variety of different kinds of themes and concepts from black and whites to macros and landscapes:
If you want to browse for more tote bag designs, you can check out more of the collection in this website:
Oh, and if bags aren’t that alluring, the other collection I am starting might capture your interest like these awesome sleeveless tops:
Happy shopping and wishing you all a VERY advance happy holidays! 😉
P.S.
I’d like to thank VIDA for this one great and wonderful opportunity and most of all to God for bringing in people to share what they can share and help the community. This is also in support of the Literacy Programs that VIDA offers to their makers to learn to read, write and do basic Math skills.
Stay tuned for more upcoming designs, my dear readers. Let’s continue sharing our God-given blessings and bless others too! ❤
I have to apologize, yes. For this post is long overdue. But it came in timely as it is the start of summer now and beach getaways are on top of the list. 🙂
Beach Essentials
Pure white sand, the hot sun AND our feet. *wink*
I was supposed to write this over the holidays. But well, the holiday season is just the busiest in our calendars – vacations, getaways, dining out with families and friends. But this article is not about the holiday getaway with my fiance and his family last December 2014 at Boracay Island in Aklan, Philippines. Allow me though to post some photos of our holiday getaway there:
Boracay 2014
Fairways and Bluewater Resort
Infinity pool.
ATV fun with the Rome family.
This post will be a food review about one of our favorite type of cuisines – Mexican. We found one at the heart of Boracay inside D’ Mall exactly on our last day – Tres Amigos. Indeed, it was a nice way to cap off our island experience in Boracay.
Tres Amigos Boracay
Tres Amigos’ Menu
Table centerpiece.
My fiance ordered chimichanga while his brother and I ordered beef burrito and quesadilla.
Tres Amigos’beef burrito is one of their best sellers. And I can tell why. It has that smooth blend of Mexican spices that are not too overpowering and mixes well with the mango salsa. Of course, the perfect aroma of Mexican spices never fail to tease my palate.
Beef Burrito
For the chimichanga, it is similar to our beef burritos except that it was fried. When I saw the crisp sides of the dish, my mouth just melted away I just went ahead and indulged myself over a good crispy, crunchy portion.
Chimichanga
The quesadilla will surely melt your heart away. Every part of it was melted to perfect goodness and the smooth texture of the beef and cheese just complemented well with the overall texture of the pita bread.
Quesadilla
I forgot to take a photo of the refreshing mango shake, the perfect all-natural fruit drink to pair with the tasty Mexican dishes we had.
So if you are headed towards Boracay this summer, you might want to try Tres Amigos if your appetite is craving for that Mexican delight and yes, at a very affordable price too. Bon appetit! 🙂
Yes, that is exactly what I blurted out during our 15-hour long drive from Bicol to Manila yesterday along with other November 1 and 2 holiday takers. A long trail of red tail lights was all I could see around night time and out of boredom, I removed my eyeglasses to rest my tired eyes – my first, while traveling at night.
With a 20/750 vision on both eyes (normal is 20/20) and a .25 astigmatism on my right eye, my world is a blur when I am not using my eyeglasses or my contact lenses. In other words, I am blind. Well, not really. Let’s just say I only see light and silhouettes. Exactly like a bokeh.
Just in case you are not familiar what a bokeh is, here is a definition I lifted from Wikipedia:
I have always wanted to achieve this kind of photo effect/filter with my Holga camera as lomography cameras are the best when it comes to achieving natural light leaks in your photographs. Unfortunately, I ran out of films already (expensive, they are). So I resorted to the practical ways of photography hoping to achieve the same effect of lomo cameras in dslr cameras and stumbled upon this website on doing bokeh for beginners using Nikon:
I did exactly that with my dslr camera set to an f4 aperture, manual focus, an oil burner and some candles we have at home under a very dim light and this is what I got:
Bokeh
I told my brother that maybe the one who discovered bokeh has the same visual impairment like mine and saw the beauty in blurred lights, thus, used the concept in photography.
I am having my eye surgery in a few days to have my vision corrected and I am afraid I only have last night as my first and last experience to witness bokeh with my own eyes and without any photography paraphernalia.
Ahh, the beauty of patiently waiting during long travels and appreciating the aesthetics through low vision – no matter how weird it sounds. Well, discoveries were made because of our inquisitive minds, right? Yes, no matter how weird they may sound – at first. 😉
P.S.
I thank God for the safe travel, for the beauty of eyesight and the awesome wonders of this world, tangible or not though I see everything but a blur.
The Journeyman's Moments 