Tag Archives: nostalgia

Christmas Is BACK! | A Revival

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Was there a time in your life when you opted to break a family tradition? It could be because you decided it is for the best that you remove it, or you had to stall following that tradition for the time being.

We had to do the latter and skipped putting up the Christmas tree and decorations from 2023 until 2024. For 2023, it was the first Christmas without Mom, as she passed away in August of that year. We also did not set up the Christmas tree last year because our town was one of the areas here in Bicol hit by Tropical Storm Kristine, leaving extensive damage in the entire region.

By the way, we always celebrated Christmas and New Year here at home ever since I was a kid because Mom was never fond of traveling, we wanted to avoid all the Christmas rush, and she was a true-blue homebody like me. It then became a family tradition to decorate the house during the holidays, which eventually became a family bonding activity, too, that my siblings and I always look forward to every year.

Christmas 2025
The Christmas tree has stood witness to stories of all kinds. But the most memorable is definitely the one where there was a Savior born in a manger. ❤

It’s a good thing we were able to finish a lot of errands (so we can focus on decorating the house unhurried), from getting the palay seeds for the next planting season, following up on some legal matters, to having Dad’s yearly blood work, including a visit to the ophthalmologist just to name a few. For the last errand, it was a last-minute decision to have his eyes checked at Chacon General Hospital & Eye Clinic because he was complaining of eye irritation.

Thanks, Kuya, for capturing this shot. 🙂

After we’re done with his eye checkup, we bought him a new cane because his old one was already brittle. I think I entered a time machine, though, when I went inside Metro Health Clinic to buy his cane. Because when I looked at the receipt that the pharmacy gave me, it was dated October 21, when it’s supposed to be December 6. lol It got me thinking, what happened last October 21? Only to realize that October 21 was the birthday of this blog. 😀

And speaking of receipts, the serial number in Dr. Chacon’s receipt also has the number of Jesus Christ – 888. Though I advise with caution those who will study Biblical numerology because there’s a tendency that it might lead you to divination, which the Bible strictly prohibits. Going back to 888, there are Biblical references that attribute it to a new creation, new beginnings, and the resurrection.

I always believe that things happen for a reason and not because of coincidence. The number 888, the resurrection, and the title of this article, which is about revival, all fall perfectly in place. Speaking of revival, aside from the “revival” of the Christmas decorations, we are also reviving Mom and Dad’s old phonograph, which they bought during the 1970s. I’ve never tried playing this when I was young; that’s why I was so overjoyed to finally have the privilege to play it now, and it still works! For how long, that we really don’t know. And the sound quality is not that excellent anymore.

There’s something about raw music that brings nostalgia at its best. Even the crackling noise of the speaker becomes part of the music. There’s something wrong with the speed adjuster of the turntable, though, so the music doesn’t sound like the original anymore. 😀

I am also reviving Mom’s old phone because there was a bug in the recent iOS update, and my phone’s screen just froze. So, I will be using Mom’s Nokia in the meantime while I am waiting for the new update. I missed this phone, though. I feel like I am having a mental declutter when I use it because it only has the basic features of a phone, just in time to do social media fasting in preparation for the holidays.

Speaking of social media, there are two Facebook pages that I recently followed on Facebook, which I find particularly interesting. They are Jam’s Germs and Bible Creation. Jam’s Germs is all about the microscopic world, and I don’t know how it got included in my Facebook algorithm. Maybe I was a tardigrade in my past life? lol One weird fact about me is that I never held a microscope in my entire life, and I was somehow wishing a couple of months back to have a glimpse of what it’s like to work in a lab if you’re a scientist.

It looks like God granted my wish. Through this Facebook page, I got to take a peek at the fascinating world of microorganisms and how they seem to be so otherworldly. As if they don’t coexist with us. By the way, I was also wondering how scientists flirt with their partners if they are both scientists. I can imagine their convo going something like: “Hey, love, let’s create a new cell – my cells and yours combined.” 😀

Okay, enough with the tardigrades, and let’s go now to the other Facebook page I mentioned earlier, before scientists start hating me. lol The name of the Facebook page is Bible Creation, and I am not sure who runs the page. But the authors did a very good job in combining science and faith through storytelling.

Sadly, I would have to cut this storytelling of mine short because it is time for me to get my much-needed rest for the day. And Mom will surely haunt me tonight for posting these photos and sharing about our family tradition. lol

I just want to share the message that family traditions don’t have to die, too, when a loved one passes away. In fact, it should be the other way around. We keep these traditions in memory of them. ❤

During Christmas Day, I always find this necklace inside a sock that Mom would hang on our main door’s knob. She would always tease me that Santa had left a gift. But she will take the necklace back the next day. lol That went on until I became a teenager, and then I could wear it any time. This is to make sure I wouldn’t lose this necklace. 😀
This will always be one of my fondest memories of Christmas Day – the necklace with the blue pendant inside a sock hanging on a doorknob (now, a door handle). ❤

I believe the following Bible verses are the perfect ending to this article about revival:

A Time for Everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

“There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8     a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.”

P.S. We miss you, Mommy. We know you’re happy because the house is well decorated again for the holidays. 😀 ❤

P.P.S. Our house, by the way, is about 50 years old already, and the Christmas decorations, including the Christmas tree, are around 20-30 years old, too. Some of the decorations were already brittle they had to be glued so we could still use them. lol

I decorated our condo’s terrace door with these curtain lights in 2020 when we couldn’t come to Bulan due to COVID-19.
These curtain lights now found their way to Bulan and blended perfectly with the Christmas stockings. Thank you, Kuya and Heather, for this photo and for helping me and Ate Boden decorate. 🙂 ❤

These photos may look beautiful, but we are actually dealing with a lot of wear and tear issues already with the house, which we plan to open to the public in the future, God willing, as a bed and breakfast. We’ve had visitors (even strangers) in the past who would take a photo of our house because they find it beautiful. So we thought, why not share the joy this house brings to the world? 😀

This house is Mom and Dad’s greatest achievement as a couple, slowly built over the past 40 years. They both designed this house with the help of an architect, and we have seen how the house transformed from being bare to becoming a masterpiece and a work of art. My siblings also contributed to the transformation, mostly with the interior design.

This house holds many memories and stories to tell, but it could someday come to ruin. But if it is still standing right now, it is because of its foundation – God. 🙂

Flash It Back This Friday

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I reactivated my personal Facebook account for just a couple of minutes to search for old photos of my 2nd sister and brother when I stumbled upon these old photos of mine. I thought I should also post these photos here just in case I decide not to reactivate my Fb account for good.

I am also feeling oh-so-shameless now to post them publicly because I seldom post anything like this. lol In fact, this is the first and probably the last time I’ll be posing in front of a professional photographer, given my introverted nature. Actually, I think I am more of an otrovert.

Do otroverts look like this? 😂

Just for context, here’s the story behind these photos.

I was working on my master’s thesis in 2013 when a couple of my friends from graduate studies suggested we have our graduation photos taken already, as we were targeting to finish it in just two semesters. Sadly, only 1 of us was able to graduate on time. lol My reason, though, was a shift in priorities.

The Creative Shot was part of the graduation pictorial along with the Toga and UP Sablay Shots. Since I had no prior experience in modeling, I asked the photographer if he could be creative enough on my behalf. 😂

Before we started, he asked me if I’m a “rakista.” I told him that I am not. I guess the fedora gave away my love for singing and the guitar, since there are some musicians who wear fedoras, which became their signature style onstage. Or he’s just too good at reading people’s personalities based on their fashion style or aura.

By the way, this dress belonged to the photography team and is included in the set of costumes for the pictorial. I chose this dress because blue violet is my favorite color, and it was also the right fit. I was weighing 49 kgs only back then, compared to my 60 kgs now. lol But the fedora (borrowed from my bro), accessories, and shoes were all mine. I was supposed to bring the guitar with me, but it’s too bulky. Though it looked like I pulled off the “rakista” look even without the guitar.

I would like to commend the photographer because he’s just very skilled in capturing the right angles. He also captured the “rakista” vibe in me just by guiding me on how to pose. Since I have a flat nose, the serious look isn’t my best bet. So, I wasn’t really confident doing these poses because I knew I wouldn’t be looking my best. And they really aren’t the best in my honest opinion. lol

But I guess the photos turned out okay, all thanks to Kuya photographer’s superb skills in composing every photo. He even climbed on a chair to get a good overhead shot. I just edited these photos using Adobe Lightroom because I was aiming for a “morena” skin complemented by my flat nose to pull off the “dalagang Pilipina” look. 😉

Personality wise, this is my other side. Beneath the “smiling always” demeanor, I also have a temper, which I call “The Kraken.” I tend to be on the extreme ends of the spectrum – I am either too kind or too harsh. I still have to find the right balance, so while I’m in the process of doing that, I don’t socialize often because there’s a high chance I’ll offend people if I won’t be able to control myself.

But praise God for the gift of salvation and faith, I think I am making progress on self control albeit slow and small. A progress is still a progress, right? As they say, celebrate even your small wins. 🙂🙏

What’s another side of you that people don’t get to see often?

P.S.

If you’re wondering why I was digging old photos on Facebook, my 2nd sister and brother are the November celebrants in the family. I was looking for something nostalgic to add to my birthday greetings for them. 😊

I’ll also take this time to share one of my brother’s greatest milestones, which is being one of the 189 officers who finished the Command and General Staff Course (Class 76) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines representing Philippine Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Force. And he finished it as an Honor Graduate, too. 😻

Congratulations, Kuya Commander Abe! 🫡
With his very own Gal Gadot, my very pretty sis-in-law, Heather. 😻

Ah, yes, that is my brother, one of my accountability partners, and the one who planted the seed for my being born again. Together with my sister-in-law, they are living proof of God’s profound love and faithfulness.

May God’s favors and protection be upon you always, our brother bear, as you conquer new heights in your career.

Soli Deo gloria! 🙏🥰

P.P.S.

You can check out the other poses I did for the Creative Shot through this link: https://thejourneymansmoments.wordpress.com/2024/04/09/when-they-say-glam-up/. 😊