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.
Hello, everyone! I was supposed to write this yesterday for my #everyFridayblogpost advocacy but as you all know, I was a little bit down under the weather the past few days. Well, it’s an understatement because whenever I get sick, it’s usually a combo of illnesses a la one whole package. I had this cough and flu, then an infection, and a splitting migraine which lasted for about a week. 😀
I thought I needed to take a little break and allow myself to do the art of doing nothing. 😉 It’s a very hard task for me because either I do nothing physically but my mind is still working full-time. But yesterday, I was feeling a lot better so I did some photo editing for an invite I received about a photo submission for the Lens Culture Black and White Photography Awards 2018.
It was a great honor to be invited and if you’re wondering how it happened, it was through a black and white photo of our late pet dog which I posted on Instagram.
Who is Thirdie?
The story behind this snapshot is that Thirdie, our pet, was not your ordinary dog. We felt it that he has this human soul deep down in him. There’s this instance, for example, wherein he would always hide the shoes and slippers of Mom’s co-teachers every time they visit our house. So when the teachers were about to leave, here we were in this conundrum of figuring out where on earth did he hide the missing shoe/slipper. lol
Such a funny dog, wasn’t he? But the good thing about Thirdie was that he hid the slippers/shoes somewhere we won’t have a very hard time finding. Then he would joyfully and playfully strut around looking at us with such grinning eyes. It’s not the only time Thirdie did one of his playful jokes on us. Every time I am squatting in the garden to check on a plant, he would run this fast and bump me with his hip.
Of course, a dog’s bump is enough to knock you seated. When you’re finally half-seated and half-lying on the floor, he’d walk over and sit on top of your belly making it hard for you to stand up. You either push him away, which was hard because he’s such a big dog, or you wrestle with him, and that’s what he loved to do all the time.
This photo I took of him was my last memory of him when he passed away back in 2012 because of a disease. We were all heart-stricken and felt like we lost a family member so dear to us all. And yet, we felt like even if he’s already in pet heaven, he still watches over us. Thus, this invitation that I got because of his good-looking photo. 😉
The Vine
This made me think, might it be that he was an angel who lived in the form of a dog? Or maybe that song “One of Us” by Joan Osborne which goes like “what if God was one of us?” He’s always with us though through the Spirit, that is for sure. The Spirit whom Jesus has sent over when He has risen from the dead back to the heavens.
So this was how I chose the theme for the single photo entry I sent for the contest – the vine. It’s a very meaningful and sentimental photo for me because it symbolizes who Jesus is in my life as stated in this verse:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5
I would like to pray that this photo will make it to the 25 finalists. But I am already humbled and privileged enough to have my photo of Thirdie recognized among the billions of Instagram users all over the world.
It is always God’s will that matter and not mine in the end. All I want to do is to give Him the glory in everything I do and wherever I may be. 🙂 ❤
Always holding on to the vine,
P.S.
So, I am back in the grind of multitasking. If God wills it, I plan to review for the quiz in one of the online courses I am taking for the agribusiness next week along with more in-depth financial analysis. And I’m forever grateful that I have this job which allows me to be flexible with my schedule. I am earning not that much but not that less either, just enough to support me and my husband’s needs.
I’m also cleaning the house and rearranging stuff because a new set of furniture is coming in for my sister’s bedroom. Just one more month and she and her husband will be visiting from Norway for their Christmas vacation. Yes, family time is always the best time. Do you agree? 😉
While watching the church service today, this image of a beautiful sunset over a cityscape that I took a few days ago from our condo came into my mind. When we’re awestruck with nature, it automatically brings us back to the Creator – God.
Sunset and heatwave over skyscrapers.
But it also struck me that as inhabitants of this world, we also have an obligation to take good care of it. As the sun sets down, I wondered how long will nature remain to be this when the threats of climate change such as the heatwave are looming over all mankind? How long before man takes care of nature and be content to say that enough is enough?
CNN already released a report about the projection of enviromentalists and experts that 2030 is the saturation point. It made me think if we are making this world a better place for the next generations or making it worse. I’m not anxious on my end though but I am waiting on God. All I can I do, in my own little way, is just raise awareness as a nature advocate by taking photos such as these:
When night begins to fall.
Caught my attention from my room.
The cityscape under the stars and the moon.
How about you, my friend? What’s a sunset to you? ☺
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the One who is over all things.” – 1 Chronicles 29:11
A nature lover who chases sunsets and watches nightfalls,
P.S. I am praying the land developers of the condominium where we live will incorporate bigger gardens (I’ll hang out there every day) within the estate.
I believe that is what God wants us to do – strike the right balance between preserving what is God-made and adding what is man-made. ☺
I visited my hometown (Bulan, Sorsogon) just recently as soon as I had the opportunity to take a break from work. I’ve been meaning to ask my Dad regarding the particulars when it comes to palay production such as the financial report, the key Bicol terms used, and the step-by-step process.
Palay production is one of the oldest small businesses in the family for how many generations already starting from our great grandparents. Although the lands being utilized for palay initially belonged to my Mom as an inheritance, it’s my Dad who managed them for the most part.
My Mom and my grandma (aged 72 and 94 as of writing) some decades ago visiting the farm.
The aftermath of palay harvesting.
Engr. Daddy Farmer
There’s a reason why God chose Dad as Mom’s better half – he’s a civil engineer and formerly worked as a superintendent at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). It was part of Dad’s tasks at work to oversee the irrigation system of the rice fields. A majority of Bicol’s lands is being utilized for agriculture and farming.
Dad and his palay superheroes. 😉
Dad, who is now 78 years old, was very impressed with what digital technology can do especially when I showed him the Microsoft Excel template I made for the financial report. That is, compared to his log notebooks now that are torn and tattered from constantly flipping the pages back and forth. 😀 He also does every computation manually – a solving technique that will be the death of me. Seriously.
I realized only now the extent of Dad’s responsibilities as an engineer and how he juggles everything together. All I know back when I was a kid is that he goes to the farm on weekends and on weekdays, he reports to the office. He held two offices – one in our town and one in the city as an OIC (officer-in-charge) during the later years of his service.
Indeed, being an engineer is not easy. But Dad is just the right person to manage the farm. It’s part of his duties as an engineer to manage a team, conduct accounting and financial reports, analyze how the irrigation systems work, make an assessment of risk factors, and a whole lot more of engineering stuff.
Bicol’s Farming Industry
Palay and rice are Bicol’s primary agricultural products followed by copra (cooked coconut meat processed and converted to coconut oil). These types of agribusinesses were proven to be feasible although Dad said current profit from palay harvest dropped compared to the previous decades. One of the reasons for the decline is the government’s decision to import rice abroad.
Rice planting season.
Circa 2010: Behind me are the perfect Mt. Mayon volcano and the rice fields.
Palay Stalk
Summer harvest.
My siblings and I plan to venture into organic farming. But our parents said it can follow at a later date. I agreed because organic farming will be relatively new to all of us, and it involves a wider scope of farming and management requirements. For now, my siblings and I are learning everything we can about it first.
My parents plan to utilize a certain portion of the larger farm based on the existing agricultural products we have and were proven to produce at a steady rate. I think this is my parents’ way of making sure the risks will be minimal compared if we will utilize a huge part of the property for an agricultural venture that we haven’t tried yet.
Transporting the harvested coconuts.
Some of the locals in our town dry this up and place several of them in a vase as preserved flower replicas.
Ripe coconut meat should be hard enough before harvested and converted into copra.
Dehusked coconut.
There are still lots of uses for these coconut husks. I am thinking about combining it with soil as mulch or potting medium.
This is how Dad’s coco superheroes lay down the coconuts before cooking.
The cooking has started.
Where there are smoke and the smell of coconut oil, there are coconuts. 🙂
How it looks like when they’re all cooked.
This is how it looks like up-close.
My parents are open to the idea of organic farming, but first things first – establish in-depth land preparation to make farming management easier. Also, it takes a long time for the paperwork to be processed. So while waiting, I asked God for His leading what we should do for now. His answers led us to the next steps – new opportunities came along in all forms depending on how God intends them to serve His purpose according to His timeline. There are times when I couldn’t pinpoint how we can benefit from a particular opportunity. But as typical of God, He will reveal it later on, and then I get to understand why.
While in Bicol, I was able to talk to my parents and my 3rd sister, who’s staying with them, about my parents’ vision for the farm. Unfortunately, our stay was too short I wasn’t able to show them me and my other siblings’ vision for the farm in the long run i.e. social enterprise, retreat center, etc.
But that can also wait. My parents know better regarding what needs to come first since they’ve been in the industry for how many decades already. And yet I believe the farm will benefit more from a combination of traditional ideas and farming practices implemented by our parents and new insights and innovative inputs from us.
Some 20 years ago. 😀 Me, our niece, and my 3rd sister.
Businesses Then and Now
Every business must fare well when it comes to adaptability if you want it to be self-sustaining and thrive in the industry. It is, therefore, necessary to transition from the old to the new or a mash-up of both. This is similar to what I learned from a recent financial seminar I attended – creating multiple streams of income. In other words, you have to keep your options open.
In business, I believe there is no “best of both worlds” policy but always a “win-win” situation. This setup is suitable if you want to avoid major losses that can lead to your business/es going bankrupt. To have not just one type of investment will assure you of a win-win setup because you don’t have to borrow money from lending institutions in case one investment channel is losing income instead of the other way around.
While talking to my parents and my sister, they shared other developments in our town that are to start soon. I was very relieved upon hearing the news. I even told my brother that the future is indeed very bright for the family’s projects. I continued that it is not without a purpose when God placed a desire in our hearts to utilize the property back in 2017. It looks like it is about time we do something about the calling. And yet, we still rely on our complete trust in God and how He wants things to take place including the timeline for the farm developments.
“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” – Proverbs 19:21
Going back to the news, I saw them all as great opportunities for collective efforts and productive collaboration among the community, the government, and the private sectors. The timing is just right, indeed.
God is always a God of perfect timing, isn’t He? But we all know that perfect timing is always preceded by patiently waiting. It comes as no surprise that we were also placed on a standstill as far as developments are concerned to give way to these other major developments that will later on play a huge role in our farm projects.
It reminded me of this verse:
“Look at the nations and watch– and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” – Habakkuk 1:5
What Is the News all About
My apologies for running around the bush though but here it is. 😀 Can you still remember the Bulan Auxiliary Airport that I talked about in this article? News has it that the development will push through until it becomes fully operational. I still have to confirm this though.
In another news, the construction of the Bulan Fish Port in our town has already started. Yes, next to farming, fishing is one of the bustling livelihoods in our town. Dad said our coastal waters are thriving with fish sanctuaries. I am not sure if it has something to do with the geographical location of our town or God created them this way to serve His purpose. But, I believe in the latter.
Bulan’s coastline.
In yet another news is the Bicol International Airport in Legazpi city, which is now almost done.
The news did not stop here because I still got one more although it’s only a rumor because I lack sufficient data that will support it. There is a possibility of it not happening, but there’s a high chance it can also come true.
There is news going around of plans to utilize a property as a subdivision. This property is situated on the way to our farm. If this pushes through, I see it as another big market with consistent demand. And if God wills it we become a local supplier of agricultural products, this is going to be one big opportunity.
A Vision of the Future
I am not claiming I have the wisdom of God but what I only share are my visions, which cannot be interpreted entirely as God’s will. But maybe we can get a message or two from them.
I mentioned in a previous article that our town is a “sleepy town” because of the low revenues during most times of the year. With all these recent developments, it is not impossible for the town to become a city once urbanization and commercialization start ramping up. Though this means higher taxes, too.
I believe it is not by chance when I mentioned in my previous articles that maybe time will come our town will be the supplier in the Bicol region of basic commodities from agricultural products to seafood demands. And not just in the Bicol region but even across the globe.
I guess I was claiming it in my heart when I shared that it is my vision that the Philippines will be sending these products to other countries as our way of helping them alleviate problems of hunger and poverty. At the same time, an increase in revenues will also mean flourishing businesses which will provide more opportunities for the local community when it comes to other sources of livelihood and income.
Yes, I see all of these promising opportunities as a way to boost the country’s economy and one of the ways to alleviate poverty. The Bicol International Airport, the Bulan Auxiliary Airport, and the Bulan Fish Port are all reliable channels when transporting goods. Now, there are more options to transfer goods from one location to another and not just by land. This will help minimize logistics and shipping expenses as well as cut down the travel time while keeping all perishable goods in excellent condition.
Bulan’s Auxiliary Airport.
If the products are all in good condition when they are delivered to the buyer, you’re assured of having a regular client as far as the business partnership is concerned. And more importantly, consumers will have the best products on top of getting their money’s worth.
God Closes Doors Because He Knows the Right One for You
In another news, another God-given opportunity came along. I tried a lot of doors but God kept on closing them either because they rejected me or it was I who declined their offers. Why? He reserved this one particular career opportunity, which I earnestly prayed for – earn an income but the work schedule and location will allow me to manage the family project on the side.
I felt it in my heart to resign from my previous work after I asked God for His leading. I ended up with this new job where I get to deal with every data when it comes to real estate. Once again, it is like hitting two birds with one stone because it has something to do with properties. What I can gather from doing research at work, I get to apply it in our family project and vice versa.
“Land development is both an art and a science. It is an art that builds on creativity, instincts and vision to transform an idea from concept into reality. As a science, it systematically progresses through a series of activities to accomplish a successful outcome — a new development.” – Professional Builder
God is simply amazing, and He never fails to work His wonders all throughout even though there were times that I had to suffer for a while because I was waiting for His right time. And yet, what I suffered is nothing compared to the glory that He has reserved for us in the future. And I am not just talking about the good things here on Earth but what is in store for us after death – life in eternity.
Sometimes I get to think that what I do and everything I do now don’t really matter in the end. Because we all will leave this place anyhow. But I guess that is not God’s purpose for us – waiting for our dying day. His purpose for us is to do what He asked us to do while waiting. The way I see it is that all these things that happen around us are never for our own glory but for His glory.
He wants His Name to be proclaimed everywhere. Yes, nothing else but this. Nothing is far better than leaving a legacy that glorifies His Name to remember by. 🙏
To end this article, I’d like to share these verses which I stumbled upon Godpreneur’s IG profile (a reminder):
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
– James 4:13-17
Are you a business owner? You might want to ask God if our town will be part of your business ventures in the future, too. :-)
Close encounters are not just limited to unidentified flying objects but unseen objects, too. Have you heard about miracles? How about divine intervention? Does the word “premonition” sound familiar? If we are to look closely at all three questions, they all have one common denominator –a powerful force behind them. For all we know, the unseen object may not be a matter of “what” but “who.” Read along and find out through some of the close encounters I’ve had as a Christian.
9 Close Encounters with God in Our Daily Lives
1. The Slip
Have you ever been in an accident or close to getting into one? I may not be in a serious accident but I experienced slipping my foot while walking on a very steep trail. The trail traverses along the cliff of a mountain and I estimated the deep fall to be about a hundred feet.
How did I escape that fall? It was our local tour guide who instantly grabbed my hand exactly at the moment when I slipped. I was barely holding on to a patch of tall grass to keep me from falling.
What are the chances of her not being able to catch me on time? Most likely it’s 100%. She’s in front of me and she could’ve failed to notice I made the wrong jump and slipped. Every time I remember that moment, I always wonder how that saving moment could be so timely. And yet, all I can think of was a divine intervention.
2. On Top
Being in an elevated spot always reveals the skyline. The skyline is always the best demarcation between the heaven and the earth. It also reveals everything about what is God-made and what is man-made. If you want to have a close encounter with God, try communing with nature.
You’ll get to see God’s wonderful creations in their purest forms. May it be a seascape, a landscape, the mountains, a river, lake, the forest, or even just in your own garden, you can have a close encounter with God.
Have you ever wondered why rainforests are bursting with all forms of life from plant life to animal life? And yet, no one takes care of them. How about in your garden? Did it make you wonder why a seed ever grows to become a plant? Do take a look at some of the stunning photos I took of my nature escapades below. Yes, they are all for real.
3. In Sickness
Serious illnesses most often take lives. If not, they cripple. How many of us have prayed for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for people we know who are battling with an illness? There are countless instances wherein these prayers were answered in the form of recovery.
But there are also those moments wherein these prayers were unanswered and grief took over because of loss. It’s hard to cope with the idea of losing someone you’ve known all your life and yet miraculously, God heals us too despite all the memories.
4. Through Poverty
I can never forget that moment when I only have about 50 bucks in my wallet and I allowed God to take control of the rest. Have you been in this predicament, too? It can be very challenging most especially since money runs this world.
But, it’s good to know that there is someone else greater who runs not just this world but all of the heavens and the earth. It’s all a matter of trusting Him who can provide you with eternal life, what more, your basic needs. I survived that week because God provided for all my needs.
How?
He can provide you through a lot of channels such as a decent amount of cash you stashed away somewhere and stumbled upon it out of the blue. Yes, at just the right time. Or, there’s this random person at work or through your family who gave you money because they just felt it.
Again, at just the right time. Another is a free meal courtesy of reward points you never knew you had until you checked through your phone and you’re entitled to it. Surprises? Yes, they truly are.
5. A Prophecy
This is a gift. Science can explain it as ESP (extra-sensory perception), the world can define it as premonition, and faith describes it as a prophecy. Though we do not have a mind like God’s, He definitely shared some of His wisdom to us. Is it a wild guess?
Certainly not. In our family, we don’t need text messages to inform one another about doing an errand or letting one another know what one thinks. In most cases, the receiver already got it even before the sender informed that person. How did this happen?
6. With An Advocacy
Having the heart to serve without expecting anything in return exemplifies a Christ-like heart. It is almost as similar to having goosebumps as what people say when you encounter a beggar on the street and you felt as if there’s something about him/her. “What if God was one of us?” as Joan Osborne sings in her song.
“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” – Proverbs 28:27
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” – James 1:27
7. My Loved One
A personal relationship with God is more like your relationship with a loved one. You know all his crazy antics, you’ve seen the good and the bad traits, you’ve shared the best and the worst times, and your relationship is intimate. When situations arise between you and your beloved, you either see your loved one exemplifying how God would’ve acted or it could be you acting just like God. May it be that you or your loved one behaved through Spirit-filled actions?
8. As I Labor
Ever had that moment when you’re sure you will be fired from your career and yet what happened was the opposite? Or that moment when you’re seeing no progress at work but along came new opportunities just when you’re about to give up.
These moments surpass our human understanding because it is only God who sees the toil of man, who rewards the man for his labor, and who sees the hearts, minds, and intentions of every human being.
9. Altar Call
This is definitely not the least but the best way of having close encounters with God. Have you had that moment wherein you’re feeling too sure of yourself that this is what you’ve been wanting to do for the rest of your life? That is definitely God’s calling. When God set it in your heart what His mission is for you, you know there is nothing that can hinder you from doing it. This is how passion came alive.
After listing all these items down, these moments are unexplainable and yet something is at work behind them all – the Spirit. If your soul is in tune with the Spirit, the more aware you will be when these close encounters take place. The personal relationship you have with God is what binds you to the Spirit.
There is no such thing as “coincidence” in the Christian faith nor a word such as “luck.” There are, instead, forces of both good and evil that are at work in every single moment of our lives here on Earth. Thus, it takes a discerning heart, mind, and soul to hear the voice of God and it is only possible when we allow the Spirit to work within ourselves.
Have you had close encounters with God in your life? How can you be in tune with the Spirit always? Do let us know what you think in the comments box below and let’s grow spiritually together. ❤
Hindi man makabagbag damdamin ang aking karanasan sa kolehiyo bilang iskolar ng bayan, nais ko pa rin itong ibahagi bilang pagpupugay sa mga magsisipagtapos ngayong darating na Linggo and because I went through a similar ordeal 10 years ago.
It took me 2 years to finish my undergraduate thesis. Sabi ng iba mahirap daw makapasok ng UP at ‘di hamak na mas mahirap daw ang lumabas. Kasama na ako sa maliit na porsyento ng mga Isko at Iska na sumasangayon sa kasabihang iyan. Ngunit ano pa mang karanasan ang danasin nyo sa unibersidad, kailangan nyong alalahanin na the role of the university is only to prepare you for the outside world. In my case, muntik man akong naging dropout at na-delayed ng 2 years, naintindihan ko ngayon na will pa rin ng Dios na grumadweyt ako. Pero kung sakali mang hindi, alam ko rin na God has better plans for me na Sya lang ang nakakaalam – God’s timeline and not mine; God’s plans and not mine.
Ika nga, “Many are the plans of man but it is the Lord’s purpose that will prevail.” – Proverbs 19:21
To be able to graduate from college was both a trial and a journey of faith meant to mold us to who God wants us to become. And yet you will encounter more trials wherein the world will ask you to conform to its patterns and standards and deviate from your faith. Your heart will be tested when choosing between what is right and what is wrong sa mata ng Panginoon. You will rise and fall along the way. Your priorities will change as seasons shift. You will weigh opportunities that could’ve made you look great in the eyes of the world, but will leave you feeling empty and with a corrupted soul. And you will be torn between pleasing this world or pleasing the Lord, your God.
If we were given wisdom, it is not for the sole purpose of just gaining knowledge. If we were given power and influence, it is not to prove how mighty and popular we can be. If we were given provisions, it is not so we can be secured with our future. They were not given so we can use them according to our ambitions and wants, but they were given so we can glorify God’s name, His will, and His plans.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” – James 3:13
“Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.” – 1 Corinthians 3:18
“Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.” – Proverbs 15:33
UP, with its diversified community and culture, has taught me the value of freedom by being a nonconformist, and yet it is faith which taught me that it is God whom I should please by not conforming to the patterns of this world.
Through the bittersweet memories with our UP Naming Mahal, I took an oath to serve God, serve my family, and serve the country not through the standards of this world but through God’s standards.
Lastly, why God?
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit for APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING.” – John 15:5
“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” – Matthew 16: 26
As you embark on yet another season in your life, may you not depart from the greatest wisdom of all time, wisdom that is even greater than what the academe has taught you – God’s Word.
Praying with you in faith,
Christine Lailani G. Ginete-Rome ❤
BA English Studies major in Literature, College of Arts and Letters, UP Diliman (04/28/2008)
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! ❤
Did you graze upon our home and left this proof of your presence? 😀
Okay, now this belongs to a bird, a small one, which frequents my little garden at the back of our apartment to get bits of a pot made from coconut husk to build for its nest.
But for angels, it oftentimes occurred to me that they do exist with us except that they are not the ones which we commonly imagine or how angels are portrayed in children’s books – with wings of fluffy feathers as white as snow and with silken, long white robe.
I have read in the book of Revelation that angels are actually very huge beings which do not take the form of a human. They usually come in a bright light which, I believe, is where the “white figure” idea of an angel came from.
I know angels can also be spirits and yet there is only one Spirit that lives in all of us – that which is of Jesus Christ, the one He sent to be with us when it was time for Him to physically take leave of this world and be with His Father in Heaven.
But then again, childhood memories are not easy to erase. Though I believe in the Spirit and acknowledge His presence in my life everyday, I will still stick with my bright, feathery angel and this photo I’ve randomly taken will remind me of that. 😉 ❤
“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” – Psalms 34:7
P.S.
I don’t have any formal training in photography and I just shoot when I want with what I want on who I want. But I guess you don’t have to travel far and be in grand and new places to enhance your photography skills. Same thing with writing. I was trained to write scholarly and academic papers back in college and even now in my graduate study and the jargon is totally different to that of feature writing like this one which has a very casual tone.
But in life, faith in God and experiences taught me more than the technicalities of photography and writing per se for they taught me more about one thing – appreciation. It was actually my faith followed by my transformation/salvation that brought this blog to life, not to impress readers nor gain followers and likes but to express my thoughts and honor my God.
I was then urged to make the mundane interesting by appreciating what is already in front of me a.k.a. what I can make out of what I already have – God’s love. This is what I call the by-product of “eyes being opened.”
Then, everything becomes worth capturing – they all now have a story to tell. All we have to do is take on the Spirit’s leading in His ways and in His time when to share them. 🙂
This movie review is a Father’s Day tribute to honor the roles of the father in the family and in society. If you are wondering why I don’t have a Mother’s Day tribute here in my blog for this year, hubby and I went home to my province and celebrated it with my 69-year-old Mom and 91-year-old grandma – two great matriarchs in my family.
Circumstances won’t allow me to visit my hometown again and celebrate Father’s Day this June 19 with my 76-year-old Dad. I thought about honoring my Dad here instead. Since he is not updated with thetechnology-driven world, he’d probably joke around saying what I wrote about him over social media will already “expire” before it reaches him. Yup, that’s how funny my Dad is. 😉
This photo of us taken around year 2011 is enough proof on how funny we are. 😀
Before I proceed with the movie review, I’d like to share some snippets on who my Dad is. My brother wrote an essay about him 11 years ago, which was selected as one of the articles read during the graduation rites of my brother’s class (Sanlingan 2005) at the Philippine Military Academy. When the announcer started reading Kuya’s essay during the ceremony, there came the gushing and shedding of tears – our tears. It did bring us all to tears because my brother was right, our Dad is “The Unsung Hero” and yet loved and respected by all.
Taken inside the cockpit of the Cessna aircraft during Kuya’s Naval Aviation Group Graduation in 2010.
Our Dad is a man of few words and yet he cracks the silliest of jokes. He is seldom the disciplinarian and yet when discipline comes from him, we all remembered this need to hide as his discipline would mean leaving a mark for the rest of your life. He seldom gets angry but when he does, it is the kind of anger that you would not want to see.
I am grateful though to my Dad that he got to “discipline” us.If it wasn’t for this, our lives might be in a total mess right now and without direction. Now that I am a believer, I have learned that discipline in a family is very important not to show who’s the boss in the household, but for parents to guide their children in the right way because they love them and only because they wanted the best for them. It’s just like how God, a Father to His sons and daughters, disciplines and rebukes us so we could live fruitful and better lives.
My Mom is never the stage mom type and when I was in grade school, I was always invited to participate in dance numbers, presentations, oral declamations, etc. So you’ve probably guessed who was with me most of the time during these activities – my Dad. 😀
It is a #FlashbackFriday today so please allow me to backtrack a little bit to when I was in grade school just to share some photos of moi and the extra curricular activities I have mentioned:
Here we are preparing for an Ati-Atihan folk dance number when I was 6 years old. That’s me second to the right.Before The Walking Dead, there was zombie dance. lol Seriously, this is a Hawaiian dance number.Grade 3 Star Scout Camping. There’s another star scouter wanting to have her photo taken with me – except that she became a photo bomber. Tsk, too late. 😀I totally love my childhood because of Girl Scout Camping. This was taken during our hiking and swimming at Obou Falls along with my childhood friends and classmates. That’s me in the middle wearing a white shirt.I played the role of a bridesmaid during a school program.Competed with other schools in the folk dance category during the Literary & Musical Contest.Performed during a school play when I was in Grade 6 and played the role of Thisbe in one of the stories in Greek mythology, “Pyramus and Thisbe.”
I’d just like to give credit to my Dad for being our all-time photographer – these photos and memories wouldn’t have been made possible. Nope, I am not a Daddy’s girl and I do not consider myself as one. I never experienced being so absolutely clingy to my Dad, but at some point I did feel a deeper connection with him more than my Mom when I was in high school. But when I got into college, I felt that both my parents did so well in raising me and my siblings, and they never had any “favorite” among the five of us.
I believe one thing that I am forever grateful to God for is the fact that I grew up with both my parents present through every milestone that we went through. Though we all had to leave home when we all went to college, we always looked forward to the days when we will all come home together and both our parents were there to welcome us.
As for my Dad, I admired him for being a civil engineer by weekdays and farmer by weekends (tending farms is difficult) just to make sure we have enough for all our expenses as a family, while Mom was a grade school teacher on weekdays and stayed at home cleaning, gardening, cooking, and doing take-home work on weekends. But this kind of setup didn’t mean Dad had no time for us at home. It was, on the other hand, quite the opposite. Despite juggling through a lot of responsibilities at work and at home, my Dad made sure all our needs (not just material things) were well-provided for including emotional support, bonding time, etc.
Dad, the civil engineer, fresh from oath taking during his late 20s.Dad, the farmer, and me, the farm girl. I mean, the photographer. 😉
I’d like to share at this point a little trivia on me – I was Daddy’s little maid. We all are actually, but I believe it is more of a “youngest” thing. *wink* Yes, every time he cuts grass in the garden with the lawn mower and he was all sweaty, you’ll hear him calling out to his “errand girl”:
“Nen (my nickname which is short for Nene)! Please get me a glass of cold water and towelette and wipe my back dry.”
Then, after a hard day’s work at the farm, Daddy would ask me to give him a back massage while he is resting. When I was little, back massages for my Dad meant doing my “cat walk” on his back while he’s lying face down. Well, that was when I was still skinny and little. When I grew older, it became just the regular back massage.
It was only when I was in college and the only child in the family still studying that my parents were able to gather enough funds for our house to have it completely constructed – the product of all their hard work, patience, and perseverance. But it is more than just constructing a house that they have built – they have built something greater in us over the years.
While reminiscing our younger moments spent with our parents, it just dawned on me how we were taught to value hard work over riches and accumulation of possessions, why quality time with loved ones is better than splurging and being with a lot of people on grand occasions, and being content with whatever we have. They didn’t particularly instruct us with Bible verses on how to live our lives, but now that I am slowly learning the Bible day by day, I realized that my parents brought us up according to the Scripture – live life simply with fear in the Lord.
To end this part, I’d like to share this text message that my Dad texted me about a difficult situation that I am going through. This was in the vernacular (Bicol), so I’d just translate it for you:
“As long as you trust in yourself, you trust in God and if it is meant for you, it will and it will come.”
Of course, Mom also has something similar regarding another event which I informed her yesterday:
Never mind the exclamation point because my Mom wasn’t angry nor excited, she just wanted to emphasize the last statement.That is how my Mom texts – stressed words in capital letters accompanied by exclamation points at the end a.k.a. generation gap. lol I’m just kidding. It’s a good thing my Mom doesn’t read this. But if she does, errrr, love you Mom! 😀
Another thing, praise God for Skype – long distance relationships are now easier to deal with. After reading this, you might have this impression that he is a perfect man. But honestly, like any Dad in this world, he is not perfect, too. Well, let’s just say he’s close to being perfect. I chose to see him that way despite his imperfections. He is our hero, anyway.
“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you.” – Exodus 20:12
A portrait of Mom and Dad talen in 2012. 🙂
Courageous: The Movie
Now, let’s get on to the movie review. This is, by far, one of the best movies I have watched that focused on fathers. If I have to commend the Kendricks brothers for producing such great Christian films, it’s because a majority of the scenes portrayed all depicted real-life scenarios. Although we can say that some were tweaked to fit the entire theme of the movie. If all the scenes were to happen in real life though, some may take quite some time to happen, unlike how the timeline progressed in the movie.
Not all relationships and marriages are the same. They’re always a case-by-case basis and yet watching this movie now made me realize what to expect and what to do if time comes I am faced with the same situations. I highly encourage all the young men out there, fathers, and soon-to-be fathers to watch this film, and I am praying you will step up to the place that God has called you to be – as Godly leaders and future leaders of your homes. My husband and I watched this film together, and what he blurted to me after watching was this,
“Honey, can you look up on the internet for more movies like that?”
Ah yes, that’s an affirmation, a positive response. I was just glad that was the kind of response that the movie elicited from him. I wasn’t expecting anything at all regarding my husband’s reaction though I did my research what the movie was all about prior to watching. I just thought we’ll view it like any regular “chill time” movie that we come across and watch during rest days.
Praise God for sending the Spirit to guide and prepare our hearts, minds, and souls on how we are going to interpret the movie. I only recommend movies if I rated it with 5 stars (very good) meaning it made such a life-changing impact on me i.e. how I view things, how it changed my perspective on certain things, such as my lifestyle, my attitude, and my character, and so on. So yes, please do watch this movie.
Hubby and I watched it a couple of weeks ago, and we both agreed this is the perfect movie to watch on Father’s Day. Thus, I’ll cut this short for now and let you watch it. But first, don’t forget to shower your Dad with much love and appreciation on his special day as a father. 🙂
The Ginete family at Dad’s ancestral house circa 1993 and my favorite sheepish, no-teeth smile which I never seem to outgrow. 😀
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THE FATHERS and most especially to my ONE, GREAT FATHER from up above, FATHER GOD! ❤
RESOLUTION
“…I now believe that God desires for EVERY father to courageously step up and do whatever it takes to be involved in the lives of his children. But more than just being there providing for them, he is to walk with them through their young lives and be a visual representation of the character of God, their father in heaven.
A father should love his children, and seek to win their hearts. He should protect them, discipline them, and teach them about God. He should model how to walk with integrity and treat others with respect, and should call out his children to become responsible men and women, who live their lives for what matters in eternity.
Some men will hear this, and mock it. Or ignore it. But I tell you that as a father, you are accountable to God for the position of influence He has given you. You can’t fall asleep at the wheel, only to wake up one day and realize that your job or your hobbies have no eternal value, but the souls of your children do.
Some men will hear this and agree with it, but have no resolve to live it out. Instead, they will live for themselves, and waste the opportunity to leave a godly legacy for the next generation.
But there are some men, who regardless of the mistakes we’ve made in the past, regardless of what our fathers did NOT do for us, will give the strength of our arms and the rest of our days to loving God with all that we are and to teach our children to do the same.
And whenever possible to love and mentor others who have no father in their lives, but who desperately need help and direction. And we are inviting any man whose heart is willing and courageous, to join us in this resolution.
In my home, the decision has already been made. You don’t have to ask who will guide my family, because by God’s grace, I will. You don’t have to ask who will teach my son to follow Christ, because I will.
Who will accept the responsibility of providing and protecting my family? I will. Who will ask God to break the chain of destructive patterns in my family’s history? I will. Who will pray for, and bless my children to boldly pursue whatever God calls them to do? I am their father. I will.
I accept this responsibility and it is my privilege to embrace it. I want the favor of God and His blessing on my home. Any good man does. So where are you men of courage? Where are you, fathers who fear the Lord? It’s time to rise up and answer the call that God has given to you and to say I will. I will. I will!”
If I will be allowed to be proud of something, that I will reserve for the beautiful beaches that my hometown offers. I grew up in the province and as a kid, summertime with family means scouting local beaches and nature hopping from rivers, falls to springs and mountains.
It is through this that I got to appreciate nature at its best in its original beauty. Yes, that kind of beauty that is not tampered by man or any modernization. I have somehow developed this kind of appreciation when it comes to what is beautiful and having gone to commercialized beaches such as Boracay, I must say that I wasn’t fascinated that much at all compared to the ecstatic feeling I get every time my eyes lay upon the sight of paradise in its original state – how God created them and not how man created them.
It was this appreciation that taught me to love nature and care for it as if its part of me. I actually wanted to promote in our province, in light of this, an advocacy to tourists and locals alike how to enjoy nature’s bounty and yet at the same time, preserve its natural beauty. Commercialization of beaches as tourist spots means a flock of tourists which is also equivalent to more use of resources as well as more litter. The latter is what becomes far too common in all commercialized beaches.
I do not mean to be selfish and enjoy the luscious and diverse beauty that nature can offer just by myself, and yet it saddens me to know the fact that not all tourists have the same kind of appreciation and concern as I do. Seeing a single trash along the seashore is enough to make me furious and the first thing that goes into my head is this – how irresponsible the person who threw this trash is. Now this is something I should not do, for it is not right – judging and thinking negatively about any person. It is similar to committing a crime in God’s standards.
Instead of that accusing thought though, I might as well divert my thoughts how I could partner with the local government units in preserving local beaches which include but is not limited to informing the public (tourists and locals) about a policy that will implement stricter discipline when it comes to taking good care of nature. And I mean STRICTER DISCIPLINE.
I told my husband that this summer, instead of going to commercialized and expensive hotels and resorts (being the practical me), I suggested we visit my family in the province, celebrate Mother’s Day there and scout for local beaches which is what my family would usually do during summertime. So we went to this beach which is a 30-minute drive from home and we usually spend our family outing there during the summer and once during Christmas. What we saw next was the ultimate paradise deal.
Mt. Bulusan in the background, the province’s active volcano.
Combination of patches of seaweeds and sand.
This beach is an inlet with a rich and diverse marine ecosystem and at the end of the reef is the Pacific Ocean. Pretty deep this ocean. So if you are not a swimmer like me, better stay a little closer to the shore. My husband is adventurous and yet when we both saw the different sea creatures we found in the reefs, we were fascinated and yet a little scared at the same time. He started joking that there might be a great white shark which somehow got inside the shallow reefs as there were plenty of other sea creatures to feed on.
Something pink underneath.
There’s the edible seaweed.
My foot was here.
Funny hubby with his signature wacky pose.
That’s me introducing the rock.
Well, I told him it is a possibility and yet it should not stop us from exploring what else that inlet could offer. Besides, my family and I have been there a couple of times already and we never encountered or heard any incident on shark attacks or a jellyfish sting even. Although we did see this jellyfish-like sea creature which we could not identify whether it’s an eel, a variety of a jellyfish, or a sea snake. It looked harmless though as local kids were poking and covering it with sand. We tried to uncover it after they left but we couldn’t find a solid object to remove the sand away. Besides, it is still heaving so we know it is still alive.
Local children covering the slimy sea creature with sand.
Low tides are a great opportunity for me to explore what is on the ocean floor. Being a lover of Science (probably because my Mom used to be a Science teacher), I love exploring everything most especially when it comes to nature. I even thought that maybe I would’ve ended better if I pursued a degree in Biology. But that is not God’s plans for me. Or maybe it is, I just don’t know. Yet. *smiles*
For me, the sea is such a vast expanse of space for exploration. It’s very ironic though because I do not know how to swim. Now you must be wondering how did that ever happen. Well, I am wondering about that too. *wink* But I never let anything get in the way when it comes to pursuing things that I am interested about.
So going back to our seafloor exploration, we found a live snail, a small one. And hubby and I enjoyed observing how it attempted to raise “himself” up back to its crawling position. I didn’t know that a snail has a tiny claw/hook of some sort and it is fascinating to know that that hook was strong enough to lift itself up despite the heavy shell. We wanted to take a video of it but, unfortunately, we left our cameras already because decided to swim and explore and we didn’t bring any waterproof camera case with us.
Oh and I can’t forget this edible seaweed. We eat them raw and just dip it in lime juice. It is a perfect side dish for barbecues or grilled fish. We call it as “lato.” We saw local fishermen harvesting them during low tide somewhere before the reef ends and big waves from the Pacific Ocean hit the side of the reef or the wall of the continental shelf.
The Pacific Ocean and the continental shelf.
Our harvest.
Harvesting a big one.
We got to the beach about lunch time and after 2 hours, the tides begun to rise. Hubby and I waited as each small patch of dried seaweed start to be submerged in water again. We did swim nearby when the water level became high enough but because it was late in the afternoon approaching night time, we decided to leave and let nature have her rest too – it was feeding time for the sea creatures. Yep, we don’t want to be part of their food chain so out we went and just took photos around.
High tide is finally here.
White sand it is.
Indeed, they are right when they say that in order to keep things balanced with nature, you have to know your limits. Hubby usually is the adventurous type and is always on the go. But this time, it made me smile when I saw him learn to have this respect and love for nature out of awe and fascination. This was the same kind of awe and fascination that I first had when I was a kid which made me love and care for nature because I have learned to understand our relationship with it. We felt guilty though when we showed some locals the seaweeds that we were able to harvest and they said it was the right one but they usually pluck the stems out but leave the roots so it could reproduce. *insert sad face here*
But it made me smile still. It means that they already know their limits as to the proper use of nature’s resources and how to take good care of her and this will be very essential in informing tourists like me about the limitations/boundaries between man and nature. 🙂
This photo of us taken around year 2011 is enough proof on how funny we are. 😀
Taken inside the cockpit of the Cessna aircraft during Kuya’s Naval Aviation Group Graduation in 2010.
Here we are preparing for an Ati-Atihan folk dance number when I was 6 years old. That’s me second to the right.
Before The Walking Dead, there was zombie dance. lol Seriously, this is a Hawaiian dance number.
Grade 3 Star Scout Camping. There’s another star scouter wanting to have her photo taken with me – except that she became a photo bomber. Tsk, too late. 😀
I totally love my childhood because of Girl Scout Camping. This was taken during our hiking and swimming at Obou Falls along with my childhood friends and classmates. That’s me in the middle wearing a white shirt.
I played the role of a bridesmaid during a school program.
Competed with other schools in the folk dance category during the Literary & Musical Contest.
Performed during a school play when I was in Grade 6 and played the role of Thisbe in one of the stories in Greek mythology, “Pyramus and Thisbe.”
Dad, the civil engineer, fresh from oath taking during his late 20s.
Dad, the farmer, and me, the farm girl. I mean, the photographer. 😉
A portrait of Mom and Dad talen in 2012. 🙂
The Ginete family at Dad’s ancestral house circa 1993 and my favorite sheepish, no-teeth smile which I never seem to outgrow. 😀
The Journeyman's Moments 