Tag Archives: wait

Proactive Waiting: An Essential Life Strategy

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After ze husband’s exam last Monday, the waiting game still continues because the result will be released 2-6 weeks after the exam. 😃 I already declined several job invitations and writing projects because I don’t have my laptop and other work equipment with me. So yes, I am desperate to go back home. But I have faith that God will continue to open more opportunities.

By the way, I work as a freelance writer but I’m planning on going full time once I get back home and as soon as I’m comfortably settled in. My past 2 years involved a lot of major life transitions so this year will still be part of my adjustment phase. When I came to Manila last December, I wasn’t planning on staying long. But, as we all know it, God’s timeline is different than mine.

Ah yes, if there is one thing that is consistent in life, it’s waiting. For someone like me who is impatient, waiting has been one of my challenging waterloos. And yet, impatience also taught me the greatest lessons in life.

One of these lessons is to learn and master the art of proactive waiting. Here are a couple of great reads I found on the internet, and I also included some key takeaways from each article:

ARTICLE LINK: “The Art of Proactive Waiting”

“He would therefore be wise to take this coasting time to charge his batteries, in readiness for his huge and imminent life shift. He will be far more effective if rested. He will be better equipped to process all of the new coming into his life if rested, so it’s wise to treat and consider this coasting phase as a gift, rather than a frustrating annoyance. Change your thinking, change your reality.”

ARTICLE LINK: “The Value of Waiting”

[They say the sweetest fruit is the one ripened from the tree, not something that was forced to bloom. There are things and people worth waiting for. This quote from Charles Stanley is appropriate: “our willingness to wait reveals the value we place on the object or person we’re waiting for.”]

It looks like my period of waiting while here in Manila was planned by God all along in preparation for what I am set to do once I get back to Bicol. First is to take this time to rest because when I’m in Bicol, I tend to multitask nonstop my body can’t keep up. The second is to realign my plans according to the new decisions I will be making.

Thank God For Free Online Courses

Learning is also part of these preparations. I am extremely grateful for all of these free e-learning opportunities/online courses offered by LinkedIn Learning, the University of the Philippines Open University, and Harvard University.

I am hoping that these online courses will somehow prepare me and give me an idea of what to expect as far as business management is concerned. A couple of years ago, I took up an online course on Social Entrepreneurship offered by UPOU. I must say that I absolutely enjoyed my learning experience. The requirements to pass the course included actively participating in online class discussions and submitting a business plan by the end of the course that will be peer-reviewed by your classmates.

I mentioned in my previous articles that I’m planning to pursue a graduate study in management or agribusiness in Bicol. But, I am having second thoughts because you guessed that right – the course syllabus might include any subject related to Math, Statistics, and computing. If this is the case, then I know I have a high chance of failing the course, especially if the Math subject is a pre-requisite. Oh Math, just love me, please. Pretty please. 😭😅

Why, Oh Why, BU?

By the way, I’m just going to share a little side story to support the previous paragraph. I actually failed to pass the Bicol University College Entrance Test (BUCET) back in 2002. lol It’s a good thing I passed the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) and was blessed enough to get in as a scholar at UP Diliman. Because if I didn’t, then my 3rd choice was the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) since I qualified under their BS Nursing program. So yes, I need to prepare and overcome this fear of failing BU’s entrance test again because this time it will be graduate study, which means meeting a higher set of standards to qualify as a graduate student.

LinkedIn Learning

Thanks as well to LinkedIn because I received another offer to claim 1 month of free access to LinkedIn Learning. My first free access was back in 2017. I was able to take a couple of free online courses related to my job at that time. They came in timely as I was just building my online portfolio back then including this blog. You can check out the LinkedIn Learning courses being offered through this link if you have a premium account:

LINKEDIN LEARNING LINK: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/

Speaking of this blog, I made it a habit to write here when the schedule permits and even if there were times when I’m feeling meh to write anything. This blog not only serves as my online portfolio and my online journal about faith, but I also get to review my written work and see if there were improvements or if I keep on making the same writing mistakes again and again.

Always Learning, But Getting Better

This reminds me to edit my previous articles, especially those that were written before I started my professional writing stint. These were the articles published from the year I put up this blog (2013) until 2017. Because some of the articles were just drafts and since I’m impatient, I just published them right away without editing them. And these are also the articles that make me cringe now when I read them again. They kind of make you wish you’d vanish into thin air because of embarrassment. lol That’s how sloppy I was as a writer back then.

But all thanks to my editors (I had a lot of editors since I was working as a freelancer), I was able to hone my writing skills and improve my craft through their constructive feedback and coaching sessions. I also made it a habit to write regularly and read often to improve my vocabulary. It’s easier to express your thoughts when you have a wide vocabulary. Being a “logophile” does have an advantage.

As for the free online courses offered by Harvard University, I’m saving the best for last. I still have to negotiate with my imposter syndrome if we can make it and pass the courses. lol Because well, it’s Harvard. Hopefully, these courses will be available until the rest of the year because I am now enrolled in another UPOU MODeL online class, which will run from March 18 – April 12. My LinkedIn Learning free access will also end this month so I need to study as many online courses as I can. If you want to check out what are the free online courses offered by Harvard University, you can check out the link below:

HARVARD FREE ONLINE COURSES LINK: https://pll.harvard.edu/catalog/free

Indeed, when we wait, we get the best of everything when the right time finally comes. And God will provide what we need as we wait including the opportunities to help us prepare and keep us focused on the goal. This applies to relationships as well. It’s as if God was saying to me, “I’ve got you these opportunities, Tin, to keep you from being bored and frustrated while waiting. So, stop whining already that waiting is terribly excruciating.” 😁

We will get there in God’s perfect time. Hold on, calm your heart, keep on trusting, and remain steadfast. I feel you. ♥️

And continue PRAYING. 🙏

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

MY SASSY GIRL | Favorite Korean Movie

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Napanood nyo ba ang My Sassy Girl (Filipino Version) starring Toni Gonzaga and Pepe Herrera? I think okay naman siguro mag-share na ako dito ng movie review kasi alam naman nating lahat ang istorya. Kung hindi mo pa napanood ang My Sassy Girl na original version, magandang panoorin mo muna sya like now na at balik ka na lang dito sa blog. 🙂

My Sassy Girl (Noypi Version)

Kung ikukumpara ko ang dalawa, maganda ang naging remake nila ng My Sassy Girl na unang ipinalabas noong 2001 starring Jun Ji-hyun at Cha Tae-hyun. Wala silang binago sa scenes at sa istorya and I must commend Toni and Pepe for doing a fantastic job sa pagganap ng mga roles nila bilang Junjee at Sheena.

Athough noong una kong nakita si Pepe sabi ko parang ‘di sya bagay na gumanap as Junjee. Pero habang tumatagal ang movie, wala akong ibang masabi kundi napanindigan nya ang role. Saktong sakto sa character ni Gyeon-woo doon sa original version ng movie.

“You know what fate is? It is building a bridge of chance for someone you love.”
Ah yes, ito ang pinakapaborito kong scene sa original movie. 😎
Nagkita, hindi naging sila. Nagkita muli, naging sila na. Ang saya saya.

Ang My Sassy Girl ang pinakauna kong Korean movie na love story na sobrang nagustuhan ko at hanggang ngayon ay masasabi kong nothing compares. At dahil faney na faney ako ni Jun Ji-hyun at tawag din sa akin ng mga kaibigan ko noong high school ay “Ms. Koreana,” naisipan ko na what if gumawa din ako ng sarili kong version?

Ang naisip kong title ay “My Sisa Girl” (The Baliw-Baliwan Version). Syempre ang main character ay si Sisa. At ganito ang storyline nya. Dahil baliw sya ay hinanap nya ang mga anak nyang sina Crispin at Basilio (please review your Noli Me Tangere).

Only to realize later on na hindi pala sya nagbuntis kahit kailan. Parang ako lang talaga. Tapos ayun na, end of the story. Target ko ‘yung super short film lang. ‘Yung tipo ng pelikula na sa bungad ng film ipapalabas agad ang after-credits followed by the closing credits. Pagkatapos ng closing credits, tapos na din ang pelikula.

Malay natin masama sya sa Guinness World Records bilang “Shortest Film Ever Made.” Pero syempre hindi kayo maniniwala na magiging totoo ito. Hindi ko na rin kayo pipilitin na maniwala.

Pero huwag ka ring masyadong tumawa. Discreet lang tayo, beh. Sikuhin kita dyan, ih. 😃 Pero syempre masarap talaga sa pakiramdam ang laging tumatawa kaya panatilihing laging nakatawa at tumatawa kahit hindi nakakatawa. Panindigan natin ang baliw-baliwan version. ✌️

Yours truly,

Sisa Girl

Hindi po ako kolehiyala, 38-year old Platypus lookalike lang po ako. Pls. don’t forget to say “hi” sa pimple ko.

P.S. Baka alisin ko din itong post na ito dahil panigurado ang credibility ng blog na ito ay bubulusok from 90% (kunyari) to 10% na lang dahil sa post na ito. Pero sana makabawi pa din sa originality. Parang criteria for judging lang. Miss World ‘yan, Tin? 😅

The Name I Love

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Here’s a special poem for Valentine’s Day to warm the heart wherever you may be. Happy Valentine’s Day! 🌹❤️🥰

THE NAME I LOVE

by Christine Lailani

I may not have it all,
But there’s one thing I’m grateful for.
At first I find it hard to trust,
And just difficult to believe.
It is irresistibly sweet
And reminds me whose I really am.
It’s the way You made me feel,
Which will always hold true.
And that it will never end in vain
For I am truly and only Yours.
There’s just no other way to put it nicely.
So when I responded to the call,
It was revealed for me to see.
The name that I truly love
Was heaven sent through an angel.
An encounter that made me eager
To love You like I always should.

❤️❤️❤️

“To Make You Feel My Love”

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

When God Answers Differently

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I saw this photo on Facebook, and I felt like it is worth sharing here. It reminded me how often God answers our requests and prayers differently. But always, He gives an answer. 🙏🙂

Ctto

‭
“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” – James‬ ‭5:7‭-‬8‬ ‭ESV‬

Counting The Days

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Have you ever had those moments when you’re counting the days towards that one dreaded moment? It’s as if each day after the other doesn’t get any better. And you just want to fast-forward everything so you can get it over and done with. How do you make these days more tolerable?

I was thinking of these questions while walking on one of the streets of the condominium compound. The street is beside a school and when I passed by, I heard some students singing “I love Math, I love Math.” And I thought, “Well, good for you because I hate it.” 😅

And if my grade-schooler me is in that class, I’d most probably be singing that song with a poker face. lol I really don’t hate Math. Let’s just say I never got the proper training, thus, learning it was a negative experience for me while growing up. But given the right mentor and ample time to relearn every mathematical formula out there, I’d be happy to do it. Any patient Math teacher out there? Don’t worry, my “Platypus pose” days are over so you’ll be dealing with a 100% mature adult. No tantrums – that I can assure you. 😃

But yes, sometimes I wish I didn’t know how to count so I wouldn’t notice how the days are passing by up to that dreaded moment. So what is that one dreaded moment I’m talking about? It’s none other than my husband’s departure going to abroad.

It is this season wherein I have a lot of “why” questions. Like why is God taking away my husband during a season when I needed him most and I need him beside me. Why take him away from me when I just lost my Mom? Why take him away when the world is going crazy and the effects of climate change, the Big One, wars, and new pandemics such as Disease X can break out any minute in all parts of the world?

There came a point when I asked God if I could go and live with my husband in the Middle East this year or wherever in the world that God would call my husband to serve after his job contract ends. Because I want to insist that I have to be beside him always. And yet, the answer was “no.” The calling for me to stay here is greater.

If I push through with what I want using willpower, I know I can find a way to make it happen. But it will be met with unfavorable circumstances and attaining the goal will be very difficult. It’s like me going against the grain because it is not what God wanted for me.

And then there are the “what if” questions that are always included in these moments of contemplation/bargaining with God. One example is what if he got into an accident while he was there and died without me beside him. Or what if I was the one who got so sick and died while he was gone? Also, what will happen to our romantic life as a married couple? What if this is goodbye forever? And what if we can’t resolve our marital issues while being in a long-distance relationship? And a whole lot more of “what ifs.”

I know only God can answer these questions. But His assurance is always available through His Word such as the ones I listed below.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6

Indeed, who am I to question God’s plans? And instead of thinking that this agony from waiting is unbearable, I have to convince myself over and over again that this is for our own good. Instead of thinking about the “why” and “what if,” I’m thinking about the good opportunities being offered through this experience such as what we could possibly gain from this and how we can possibly grow as an individual and a couple during this season.

I think man’s instincts automatically shift by default to survival mode during a separation. It is part of our defense mechanism maybe as far as self-preservation is concerned. And yet no amount of survival instincts can prepare even those who profess as self-made individuals and do not feel the need to have God in their lives.

When God wills it to happen, it’ll happen and nobody can stop it. Our best response in times like this is to let go and always let God take control. It’s as if God was telling me “Tin, why are you so worried about the future? Instead of counting the days, make the remaining days count by creating good memories with your husband while he is still here. Because these are the memories that you get to cherish forever whatever happens in the future.”

P.S. I am not afraid of being alone, by the way. Because as an introvert, I actually love solitude. Being independent comes naturally to me and it sometimes becomes my weakness. I am just the type of person who doesn’t head towards the fire exit when what you and I have built together is being engulfed by flames. I will stand in the fire with you and beside you. ❤️

Dance The Bachata While Waiting

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Ater 1 week of hibernating, I can no longer dismiss the “tugging” to come back on WordPress. This will break my yearly tradition of hibernating here for my birthday prayer and fasting, but I believe God has planned this all along.

I also stumbled upon this Youtube video today, and I also felt the “tugging” to share it here. I have a hunch a lot of single people out there need to watch this, especially since December (and February) is usually the month where a lot of single people feel depressed for not having a special someone to spend the holidays with aside from their families.

I hope this video will remind you to appreciate this season of waiting for the right love to come along – God’s best for you. Because if I can give a message to my younger self, it would be this: “don’t be young and reckless.”

This video is about an hour long, you might want to set aside time for this so you can watch it without any distractions. 🙂

While waiting for your special someone, you might want to learn a new dance routine – Bachata. What is Bachata?

“Bachata is a genre of popular song and dance of the Dominican Republic performed with guitars and percussion.” – Merriam Webster

Who knows, you might dance this in the future with your God-given special someone on your wedding day or honeymoon. 😉 I chose “Bailando Bachata” because the beat and melody can also be a perfect addition to your Zumba sessions at home.

Bachata – Couple

You can dance the Bachata as a pair or as a group. I am currently practicing a few Bachata steps though I am no longer new to dancing because I’ve been dancing since grade school. You may read more of my dancing experience here: “When Grace And Aura Captivate You.”

Bachata – Group

The poet in me also loves the English translation of the lyrics of “Bailando Bachata,” but methinks it’s too sensual for my blog. Though I find it similar to “The Song of Solomon” in the Bible. ❤️

Enjoy dancing (while waiting and praying), my loves! 💃🎶🕺

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.” – Song of Solomon 8:6

Sentinels on Guard

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Peekah & Peekie on Guard

Peekah & Peekie on Guard

Here are my babies acting like “grown-ups” by closely keeping watch of the door. 🙂

But not really. Why?

When someone passes by, this is the first thing they do – SCAMPER! Yep, run away with their lives as if it is going to be their last day here on Earth. 😉