A day made early

I decided to wait across the gasoline station by the diversion road for the bus going to work. Not more than five minutes later, I saw the bus and found a good seat. (Two things: I didn’t wait for nearly two hours to get a ride plus I didn’t have to suffer standing on the bus with people from all sides bumping on me.) As the bus rolled, some more passengers came in, until more than a handful had to stand. Then clambed a lady with three children: one boy, around seven or eight; a girl, about five; and a toddler, not more than two years old whom she carries in her arms. There were no more seats available and without second thoughts, I called her attention, stood up and gave her my seat. There were several men with (good) seats who chose to ignore the lady and her kids. I don’t have the heart to see mothers standing especially if I could do something about it. Before I got off the bus she thanked me at least twice. And her smile was enough to make my day.

DC ROCKS!!!!!

MY DAVID WON !!!

MY DAVID WON !!!
GO COOKIES!!!!
WOOHOO!!!

THIS IS PHENOMENAL!!!
I LOVE DAVID COOK!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! GOD BLESSES THE GOOD SOUL!

@ the beach

May

The start of the month is simply very special and memorable. On May 1st, we had our all-church swimming. A lot of my church mates joined and enjoyed the day of fellowship. It was so much fun! The little ones had all the excitement as well. Everybody loves the water. It was a thrilling, awesome day. Thank God for a beautiful day of fellowship with the brethren.

May 4th was Tatay’s 62nd birthday. We really made the most of the day. Our church mates came and celebrated with us. It was truly a blessing. My sister-in-law from the north came home and brought our youngest niece, Althea. She’s such a character! Ate Ester is really good in the kitchen. I was tasked to manage the kitchen had she not been around. God is all-knowing and sent her. Haha! Everybody brought his/her appetite! It was a blessed day.

May 4th was also Oscar (De La Hoya)’s non-title bout against Steve Forbes. Since we had an occasion at home, I wasn’t able to watch the entire match. I had a good view on the later rounds nonetheless. It was a unanimous decision. I’m (very) glad that he won especially that it was held in LA, his hometown—in a football stadium of 27,000 seating capacity. He said he’s preparing for two more bouts before the year closes: one in September, a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and in December, versus Miguel Cotto.

In the afternoon, brethren from Friends of Jesus International Ministries in Makati came and had an outreach at church. They also distributed Old and New Testament Bibles.

Sunday evening was the most exciting time for me. My friends from the MYF came to greet Tatay. Kuya Arnel, Red and Apple came!!! We had so much fun. We stayed in the kubo and chatted a lot! I had time to really TALK with them. I miss having just plain friends’ day with the group. It was unfortunate that Ate Marie did not make it. We will schedule a get-together before we leave for the States.

On Wednesday will be Jai’s birthday. I’m still thinking how to give her a blast.

What’s up and coming?

• We have an all-church swimming day on May 1st. I’ll be going home tonight for that.
• It’s Tatay’s birthday on Sunday. We’ll be hosting lunch at home. I invited a few friends to come over. I hope Apples can make it.
• I’m planning to experiment on a new dish. Finally found a recipe on the net. If it goes well, I promised to cook some for my officemates. Wish me well.

Reminiscence

I'm trying to recall some of the major accounts of "our [my] life" in my Filipino blog, not only for nostalgia but also, because those times magnify the goodness of God in our family. Looking back relives the memories and emotions in every event. But above all, it was a testimony of God's faithfulness and love.

Upset Tummy

I went to work this morning and right before I could get off the jeepney, the attack started. I literally dragged myself to walk an extra 50 meters and get to the second floor of our building to find our office. It was so painful. My officemates readily look for something to ease the pain: Tita Nors and Ate Lyj went out to buy some meds; Cha gave the pink stuff from RB; I had to drink hot water, etc. I thank God that by this hour, I am well already. Thank you, Lord. And thank you, guys.

something funny today

I saw something funny today on my way to work and thought of submitting it to Reader’s Digest site. After I clicked the “Submit” button, here’s what appeared on my screen:

Thank you, Arlene!
Your submission makes 20,918,366 jokes, quotes and funny true stories received to date.
So far we've paid $25,424,875 to RD readers! If we decide to publish your submission, we'll send you a check!

famous??!

It’s like a routine for me in the morning to check my mails and some sites where I have personal accounts at. I checked one this morning and found out that there is this article about US visa application that linked my blog specifically quoting one of my entries. Whoah! No wonder my visitor counter has been shooting up lately. Anyway, hello there!

Something to ponder

My nieces are watching the cartoons Spongebob when I came in. The characters are talking about getting rid of something that was 'special' to Spongebob. I like what the Krusty Krab owner told Spongebob:

"Sometimes, we have to set things free even if it's hard." ~ Mr. Krabs

Manifesting emotions

I believe there is always a reason for change. It may lead for the better, sad if it’s for the worse. But there are reasons. At least one.

Anyway, I cut my hair. Short. Why? I have three things:
1. It’s long. I always wear my hair long but now it’s been LONG. I had my haircut two weeks ago but it didn’t seem to make any difference. This time, it’s different.
2. It’s hot. Summer is simply getting into the lifestyle of people. At least shorter hair may lessen the heat for me.
3. I made a tough decision recently. How many of you know that one unique reason why women cut their hair is decision making? Yup. It’s an emotional thing besides anything physical. It was really tough for me, emotionally-draining, that I had to resolve into cutting my hair—short. I thank God that it’s over and that He favored us and made everything clear. Thank you, Lord.

Well, just blogging.

In Memory of Nanay

Today is my mother's 58th birthday.

lost post

This entry should be posted here instead.

A happy weekend

Happiness is a general feeling I have whenever I go home. But this weekend was more than just being happy, it’s matched with joy and gladness. I got home early on Friday and took my nieces to have their hair cut. It was a lot of fun bonding with the kids. Everybody liked her specific style. Cute!

On Saturday at practice, we tried a different setup for worship leading. I asked Mac and Aina each to sing solo. Plus we had all the singers upfront facing the congregation. It didn’t take a lot of adjustment. Plus the instrumentalists were good.

On worship day, the first thing in the program was the tambourine dance presentation of the little girls. Oh, I should have recorded that! It was awesome. Especially seeing the little ones enjoying their dance offering to the Lord. It really sticks to memory. And their planning on doing more of those. Good job, teachers!

In the afternoon, we watched a series of Filipino fighters in WBO matches. All of them won!

Sunday night was our meeting at the MYF office. God has showed me another miracle that night. Praise the Lord. Talk about that more on my Leadership blog.

Monday is my extra day-off. Yes, I did the laundry. But I’m glad I did.

Long Weekend Break

I'm heading home now to Malolos. It's exciting because I get to enjoy a long weekend again--Monday is a holiday. I hope to rest a bit this weekend. Anyhow, I get a feeling I'm gonna work on some housechores waiting for me. Oh boy....

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Monday, 31st

Oh, I just realized, today is the last day of the month, and the last day of first quater 2008...
--
This morning, I was on my way to the bus station when the trike passed by a familiar face. In a split second I recognized the face—Kuya Julius! I instantly waved at my favorite cousin, who, I guess, decided to visit home for summer. Now, I want to go home too and have a chat with him!

As usual, buses on a Monday morning were like raindrops in the desert. After waiting under the heat of the sun for nearly 35 minutes, I jumped onto the first bus that came and suffered the “sardines-formation.” I was carrying an extra bag plus umbrella, which made it a lot harder for me to grab the railings. Being a passenger for several years, experience and observation taught me that inside a jam-packed (standing-room only) bus, you’ll find that 70 percent of the people standing are women; 30-40 percent of them are 50s and up. Disappointing but true. Anyhow, there are instances when “a gentleman” happens to be on the same bus and humbly offers his seat. However, that doesn’t happen everyday; at least not today.

The summer sun really dries us up. Ang init!!! (So hot!!!) The same reason I’m so determined to work on the laundry at home. I have just declared an all-out war against dirty clothes. When I’m through, my next battlefield will be the bedrooms.

The Godmother

Yesterday we went north to Tarlac City where my eldest brother’s family lives. It’s Geng’s graduation day. I have always called her “anak” which means “my child” since she is my niece and goddaughter. And I think I was even more excited than my brother and sis-in-law given the fact that our third-generation “first born” so-to-speak is graduating.

All of us drove there except Tan and Archie who had their final exams scheduled the same day. Instead, Wally and Fati came along. Tatay made some rice cakes (kalamay) while Ate brought spaghetti. It was a smooth, almost three-hour trip.

It was really nice to see the girls again. This was also the first time for me to see our youngest niece, Althea. She is such a character!

As always, I play the photographer part in the group. One thing is observable: if you hold the camera, you’re not in the picture. Anyway, I enjoyed every shot especially when my girl is in it.

And like icing on the cake, Geng had a surprise for all of us. We didn’t know she’ll be given a medal of excellence. How about that? So Kaka climb up the stage and received the medal with Geng. After the occasion, my nieces came home with us to Bulacan for the summer break.

On our way home, Geng said, "Ninang (godmother), your gift to me is a swimming outing for us this summer!" Everybody answered, "Yay!" O-oh! So, we have three little children running around the house starting today, and myself preparing for a summer getaway for the children.

I'm back

I'm back in the office after an extended (Holy Week) holiday break. Tomorrow, we will be heading to Tarlac City. It's Geng's graduation day and I don't want to miss it. She's my goddaughter.

--

My passport was delivered on Saturday. Kuya Arnel and I both got a 10-year visa. Amen!

Success!

Yesterday was the interview at the US Embassy. They approved our application. I, sort of, enjoyed the conversation with the consul. She didn't even ask a single document. This time they granted me a multiple-entry visa. Gee...

Thank you for praying for us. Praise the Lord for His goodness.

Updates...

Bank statement----check.
Church letter-------check.
Employer letter----check.
ITR----------------check.
ID pics-------------on Saturday.

Power of Appreciation

This morning, I received an email from a friend professor from FSU. He asked if I had a copy of a file I made for him two years ago. A couple of hours later, I was reading his letter of thanks. It was enough to make my day. He wrote:

“This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks so much. You are a gem! I hope Ma’am Lily (my boss) knows how valuable you are.”

Gee… nobody ever called me " a gem" before. Hehe... Thanks, Sir RB!

LIFE IN THE 1500s - Interesting!

We were told in high school, "When you learn, you share." Here's what I learned today. (Courtesy of JVA's mail)

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.

Here are some facts about the 1500's:

1. Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

2. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

3. Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

4. There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

5. The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until when you opened the door it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying a "thresh hold." (Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

6. In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old."

7. Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

8. Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

9. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."

10. Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

11. England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift") to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."

And that's the truth... Now, whoever said that History was boring ! ! ! Educate someone...Share these facts with a friend.

A Poem

I had an urge to write a poem this morning. Here’s the first draft:


Woman
By Pinay, 21 February 2008

Each morning I wake up hopeful of a better today;
Whispering prayers of trust and assurance,
Gearing myself with smile and pride,
Walking in faith armored with love.

I am the one at the corner
Tying the ends left undone.
Many times I stay in the shadows
To push on and make you shine.

My words can be as gentle as a cat.
Listen when I speak to understand my heart.
I can be daring, yes, you’ll be surprised
Though I certainly know when to subside.

I like flowers and details of sorts.
I can enjoy petty things like a pot of gold.
Do not think I’m unreasonable once I made up my mind.
The logic of my action is more than what it signifies.

I am the defender of order since time immemorial.
I won’t mind your business just make sure it’s done right.
Company is enjoyable; loneliness is hostile
But for solitude and serenity I would pay a price.

I am called in many names;
I know that for a fact.
Within this revered sight
A soul endures to bring life.

Favors are not what I intend to have;
Respect is what is due me.
Love defines who I am.
Time belongs to me.

You find me strong, yes, I am.
My heart is full of courage though marred with strife.
No, I am not selfish; I know my rights.
Sacrifice, if I may say, understates my role and act.

I don’t really mind how you sound; I want you to sing.
Make me laugh and I will consider your whims.
It may seem absurd but ‘I remember everything.’
Treat me as a princess and I will be like your queen.

Who am I?
I am a woman.

THIS SAYS IT ALL:

Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.

BUT.........

Sisters are there,
no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you.
A girl friend is never farther away
than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you...Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.
Pass this on
to all the women who help make your life meaningful.
I just did.

--Adapted

Weekend Delight

Friday. I went to the ‘Nights of Obsession’ at Turn to Jesus. It was nice to see a number of kids attending the first event of the year. Of course, it’s a joy to find my MYF family; though I was hoping a lot more were present. Anyway, here’s an exciting news: Ate Eugene and Kuya Danilo ARE GETTING MARRIED IN MARCH!!! YAY!!! We earlier thought it would be in April though. She gave me the Wedding invitation and expected 100% attendance from all the core. Now I’m busy thinking of what gift to give the couple. I think I can come up with something unique. Que Romantic!

XXX

We learned a new song at church on Saturday night. I love the music and lyrics. I just couldn’t keep myself from dancing! Pa ra ra rap pap pa ra rap pap pa….

XXX

Yesterday at Church, we had a post-Valentine gimmick. One of the games was themed like the game show “Game KNB?” or simply survival of the fittest. There were only two pairs left: Fati and myself; and Ate Adel and Nana Remi (?). The last question was to supply as many definitions of LOVE based on 1 Corinthians 13. Guess what? We Won!!! Haha! My prize which I brought here in my office is a cute décor with an inscription, “JESUS: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.” Amen. I placed it next to the roses. XD

XXX

Ate is back. Tan has a new pair of shoes. The kubo is almost finished. Tatay is happy. The kids are enjoying themselves. I feel good after doing the cube. God is Awesome. Thank you, Lord.

XXX

Today: I successfully finished working on all six phases of the Rubik’s Cube.

Heart’s Day

Valentine’s Day is uneventful for me since time immemorial. I simply don't make a fuss out of it. Nonetheless, I’m happy for those who make this a special holiday.

This year’s Heart’s Day must have been the most accessorized one for me. Thoughtful PC sent me a card; sweet Biday gave me chocolates; I got flowers from our ever romantic Kuya Neil and “expecting!” some more later tonight (right, Aidz?!). I’m also quite sure Stephen will be generous enough to bring desert for dinner. But the best so far was the pre-Valentine lunchdate with the girls and our generous and charming Lolo, Sir Ben! How about that? Thanks, guys!

So, Happy Heart’s Day to all of you!

Cheers,

Pinay

The Kiss

(Photo taken at Lake Merced, Daly City, CA on May 10, 2007)

Six years today

It happened on the eve of Valentine’s Day: a Wednesday. It’s been six years since Nanay’s been with the Lord.

I miss you a lot Nay. I love you.

Pinay’s January

Last month has been rather exciting and memorable for me (with a little sarcasm).

On January 8, we had the centennial kick off here in the University. It was an awesome event. That very night, I accidentally burned my thighs with a cup of boiling chocolate drink. It was hot! Thank God I didn’t have to rush to the hospital.

About two weeks later, on the 27th, my brother and I were merrily riding a motorcycle going to my friend’s house for a visit. On the way, another motorcycle overtook the car on the opposite lane and crashed on us. Surprised, the man instantly jumped off his bike unharmed and let the thing hit us. Next thing you know, my brother and I were in the hospital waiting for the x-ray results of our arm and leg.

I had to be off work for several days because the wound on my foot was too deep; it was hard for me to walk. My brother didn’t miss any because his injury was on the arm. Anyhow, we are grateful to the Lord for sparing us from any serious injuries.

My brother is almost completely healed. I’m still on the healing stage. Tell you what, it hurts a lot! Ouch!

One thing I learned from all these: God always protects us and gives us strength in days of trial. He loves and cares about us. Thank you, Lord. Perhaps it’s about time I take a little rest and stay home.

d' men

Ninong Obet, Pastor Aries & Tatay Daco

(Smiling at the back: Tita Josie, Jai, and the LJMP Family)

Coffee Prince

It's been a while now since I decided not to drink coffee as much as possible. It's either tea or choco/milk(?). But right now I'm so into KAPE (coffee) as my friends call it. Napupuyat ako sa panonood. Nakakatuwa ang prinsesa, aba, at talagang sa prinsipe pa rin ang bagsak. Isa lang ang masasabi: pagkagwapo naman talaga ng prinsipe na yun! When do I meet my prince? Haha!

Where my heart belongs...

At Home

23 December 2007

Christmas Sunday

It was a great day in Church. The worship was good. We had visitors from Sun Cellular which also sponsored a few parlor games for our Christmas Party. It was fun! A lot of us won in the raffle. Archie, Jai, Wally won P500-worth GCs from Robinsons. Jai and myself both won in the ‘Bring Me’ contest. Kuya Rene won the grand price of a brand new Nokia 1112. The Christmas Party proper was totally elating. We had so much fun. The youth presentation of “On My Own” was very good. The acrostic made by the mothers was equally wonderful. But of course, the youth won. Haha!

Another exciting part of the Christmas Sunday was our Best Hat Search. Everyone was asked to participate in the contest. Archie made a reindeer hat; Jai, a White Christmas; Tan, a Christmas Tree; Wally, a giant sock, Tatay made for himself a Filipino inspired hat with coconut skin, Ate wore an angel hat; while I had a trumpet style. Guess what? Archie won the first prize and Tatay brought home the second prize. It was really fun. Praise the Lord for a blessed day.

25 December 2007

Christmas Day

It’s Christmas Day! A few friends came over to visit. Kuya Edmon and Ate Jen brought here my goddaughter Erica. Several children dropped by. The biggest surprise is actually my nieces coming home from Tarlac. It was two Christmases ago when they last celebrated with us. You won’t believe how big they are now; especially Geng! She’s just a few inches short my height. So I guess they’ll stay here for the rest of the Christmas break.

One sad thing that happened during the season was that, Charlie, our dog, died on Dec. 19. We were really upset. But God is good. It’s time to say goodbye to Charlie.

26 December 2007

I was requested to cook for my Sis’ unofficial class reunion. It was A LOT of cooking! Thank God I survived with flying colors. I was asked to cook again the following day. Praise God the cell group said it was good. Hehe. Now I’m preparing myself for New Year’s Eve. My sisters already went to buy the ingredients. Looks like I will be the official holiday cook.

HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A WONDERFUL
NEW YEAR AHEAD! GREETINGS!

:)

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas

and a Blessed New Year!

God loves you and may His grace abound in you

and your homes today and always.

It was a great year filled with God's love and mercy....

Thank you, Lord!

Looking forward to a more exciting,

victorious year by God's grace!

All glory and honor and praise be unto Jesus,

our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Again, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Our God is an Awesome God!

Greetings! ~Pinay & Family

Back from the unknown

I can’t remember the last time I key-in a blog entry. An overused excuse is the undying “I’m busy” statement. Seriously, the first three public lectures were done; that’s really a relief. Thank God.

---
Unfortunately, I regret to blog about what happened today especially that it’s just a few days before Christmas. (Technically, we’ll be staying in campus until the 19th and thus off we enjoy the long holiday.). Anyway—

It was not a very exciting Monday morning coming to work today; I came at just a few minutes before lunch time. We were supposed to have a staff meeting at 10 am but my director decided to “delay” it. By the time I came to office, there’d been a glitch in the power supply of the entire building. The office was mainly ‘impaired’. With not much to do, my director casually talked about the plans in the office for the coming year. We all have home works so we can easily take off in January. One of the senior staff (excuse me, but perhaps I must mention that her attitude is better understood using the word “difficult”) who was out earlier came and instantly thought that the staff meeting went on without her and she was excluded from the planning. My boss was really very kind to her and tried her best to let our senior staff understand that we did not “betray” her at all (as she implies). The following events were very unhappy and really made us all upset—especially, in the spirit of Christmas. I couldn’t help but shed tears…

I hope that our senior officemate will open her heart and listen to reason after what had happened. Her fury was actually based on wrong assumption. And besides, is a good example of the idiom, 'a mountain out of a mole hill.' I really feel bad for her. Huh..

---
Needless to say, there are a lot of wonderful things that happened during my hiatus besides this sad incident. God is so good. He is good to me, to my siblings, to Tatay, to Teeny and Aidz, to my Pastor, to the church and to my friends… Actually, it’s harder to write all of them here. But I thank God for His grace and mercy. Again, He showed us His faithfulness.

My work has caused me to delay my Christmas preparations. I have until tomorrow to ready my gifts. But I haven’t even started yet. Tonight is the SURP Christmas Party; tomorrow, here, in the college. Lantern Parade will be on Wednesday, while Teeny’s birthday party (she was born on Dec.25) will be on Thursday night. It leaves me until Friday to go home and prepare for the church Christmas celebration.

All the cards I’m supposed to mail for Christmas will also be late—perhaps I should warn the recipients to expect them on Valentines’ Day instead. Huh.

---
I just want to say hi to my friends Sir Keith and Pastor Ben of Amadeo. I enjoy reading your entries.

An early Merry Christmas to all!

Updates…

Freedom...

God blessed the Freedom Concert 2! Thank You, Lord! All glory to Jesus! And thank you for all your support and prayers for us and the ministry. Modesty aside, we literally filled the venue! I will write a separate entry later… I am very, very busy right now!

---
Rants…

Work has become more and more pressing as days pass by. It’s really tough to put all the pressure onto yourself. This one I’m working on is, in a way, bigger than the Congress. It drains me. And I think my boss is somewhat “out of context” at times. I don’t think I’m responsible for this tight schedule in the first place. Huh.

---
Personal…

I’m weak and broke. I feel like my head is ready to explode. I’ve been having troubles calming myself lately, and so with breathing well… even when I wake up in the morning. So many things are making me anxious—work, home, life. I pray for God’s peace. I need to keep my faith high. I need to trust God whole-heartedly. Forgive me, Lord whenever I feel neglected. Please help in prayer. Thanks.

The Freedom Concert II

On Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007 @ 6p.m. at the C.E.U. Centrodome, City of Malolos will be the much-awaited FREEDOM CONCERT II!

Praise God for all He's done in the lives of the young people and in the MYF ministry for the past five years. We are forever grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ!

Last year, Freedom Concert I was swarmed by 4,500 young people from all over the place. This year, we are expecting 6,000 souls to fill the arena. Lord, may Your will be done. We wanna see Jesus lifted high!

Please pray for all the MYF teams as we embark in this ministry for Christ. And most especially, for souls to be saved in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I will head the Ushers' Team. Please remember us in prayer. Thanks.

I'm excited!

for us

received from a friend....

Being Twenty Something

They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis." It is when you stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start feeling insecure and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because you barely know where you are now.

You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What you don't recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they are as confused as you.

You look at your job... and it is not even close to what you thought you would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.

Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your list of what is acceptable and what isn't. One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and cry with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move forward.

You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such damage to you. Or you lie in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing this because you know that you aren't a bad person.

One night stands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting wasted and acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic.

You go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision. You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself... and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be a contender!

What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.

~~~

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

prayers please

I’m suffering from indigestion and it hurts a lot! Ohh.... (sniff)

Testimonial Dinner Pics

Here's the link to the pics at the dinner last Friday. Well, yeah, I wore a dress.

The Dinner

Last Friday night we went to the awarding ceremonies of the outstanding career executive officers in the Philippines. I believed I was the youngest guest until I saw a three-year old girl (smile). As you know, it’s a formal gathering and they required people to be in so-called formal attire. Thank God I got one.

It was nice to be at the venue...very elegant. The awarding ceremonies actually came at the end of the program; the CESB was also celebrating their anniversary that evening. One bonus of the night was the chance to hear my favorite chorale, UP Concert Chorus. They were invited to perform.

Like I said, I was one of the search validators. My validee won and I got a chance to personally congratulate her. She remembered me. What I’m actually excited about was the part when the presentor read the biosketch of the winner. He was reading an excerpt from MY REPORT. The exact words I’ve submitted to the awards committee. I felt so honored. I could still remember how hesitant I was to take this assignment at first. It’s a great feeling for a first-timer like me.

It was quite an experience and I got a chance to fellowship with other partners from the CESB and other departments. I will probably post some pictures here later.

A wonderful church day

I was elated of yesterday’s service at church. For one, the worship was very filling. Praise God! Another thing, I was blessed by the message preached by Pastor Aries. It was words of comfort and assurance in the Lord. Also, I am happy to see how bold Pastor Aries was in preaching the word. He shared it with remarkable confidence and sincerity; and you can feel the power of God’s words speaking to your heart. I thank God for every blessed day spent in church. May it always be.

Women's Language: Read between the lines

I stayed for four years in the dormitory while in college. One of my roommates sent me this today.
--

If I don’t call you
[ It's because I’m waiting for you to call me ]

When I walk away from you mad
[ Follow me ]

When I stare at your mouth
[ Kiss me ]

When I push you or hit you
[ Grab me and don’t let go ]

When I start cussing at you
[ Kiss me and tell me you love me ]

When I’m quiet
[ Ask me what’s wrong ]

When I ignore you
[ Give me your attention ]

When I pull away
[ Pull me back ]

When you see me at my worst
[ Tell me I’m beautiful ]

When you see me start crying
[ Hold me and tell me everything will be alright ]

When you see me walking
[ Sneak up and hug my waist from behind ]

When I’m scared
[ Protect me ]

When I lay my head on your shoulder
[ Tilt my head up and kiss me ]

When I tease you
[ Tease me back and make me laugh ]

When I don’t answer for a long time
[ Reassure me that everything is okay ]

When I look at you with doubt
[ Back yourself up ]

When I say that I like you
[ I really do more than you could understand ]

When I grab at your hands
[ Hold mine and play with my fingers ]

When I bump into you
[ Bump into me back and make me laugh ]

When I tell you a secret
[ Keep it safe and untold ]

When I look at you in your eyes
[ Don’t look away until I do ]

When I miss you
[ I’m hurting inside ]

When you break my heart
[ The pain never really goes away ]

When I say it's over
[ I still want you to be mine ]

When I repost this bulletin
[I want you to read it ]

Something formal

I got this invitation today. It’s actually the awarding ceremony of the country’s top executives (If you recall I was one of the validators during this search and my validee happened to be one of the five winners.). Now, my concern is…this is a formal dinner! Pwew! I would not want to wear a dress…. Now I got to find myself a decent Filipiniana. I’m sure I’m the youngest guest here. Oh…

Prayer for a friend

Dear God,

You are our loving Father. I come to you today in behalf of my friend PC. He needs you. He’s been having some concerns about the church and at home. Please give him wisdom and discernment. And most of all send him peace. Keep him still—calm in the knowledge of Your love. Be with him today. Thank You, Lord. I trust in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Long vacation

I was able to enjoy a long vacation recently. There’d been many holidays starting from the Barangay Elections to All Saint’s Day.

I’m very happy to have lots of sleep while at home—that’s got to be the best reward.

Besides Tan winning solo from her slate, we enjoyed fun times with the rest of the family. Ate and I had to finish the bulk of laundry that the kids couldn’t catch up on (yeah, that’s where big sis’ role come in), and of course other household chores. What’s fun were not really the chores, but the bonding moment and sense of accomplishment together.

In the MYF, both Ushers’ Training sessions went well. This year, we had a good number of volunteer turn out (Praise the Lord!). Red and I are very encouraged with the ushers’ response. It’s a tough job for 55 people ushering for 6,000. But I’m happy that they are willing to take the challenge. Our theme verse: 1 Corinthians 15:58 “…Your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

Our time at the cemetery on All Saint’s Day was also enjoyable as it also became an occasion to be reunited with several relatives—especially my cousins. It’s been a while since we stayed late at the cemetery.

During the past few days I was in active inspection of the plants at home. The rain still come-and-go which delays the flower season in our yard. But before I came back to work this week, I noticed the buds starting to come out. That’s a pretty good sign. I guess early December would mark the blooming season. Tatay is very positive about it. I feel bad that some plants did not survive the flood; anyhow, there are still others left to look forward to blooming. Oh, the euphorbias are already in bloom!

I got a new assignment at work. My boss assigned me to spearhead the public lectures on the assessment of the country’s constitutional bodies. I have to call the chairs/heads of the respective commissions now to follow-up schedules, etc. We’ll publish another book after this.

Please continue to pray about the Freedom Concert II and the MYF teams. We are less than three weeks away before the concert. Please pray that the glory of the Lord be lifted up amidst the young crowd. We really pray that God would bring in 6,000 souls to hear His word. Thank you.

Personal: On Tuesday morning, I heard the gecko in our room again. Please pray that it goes away. It’s my nemesis. Thanks.

Jubilee!

Yesterday was the Barangay (local) Elections in the country. As the banner reads, my little sister, Tan (better known as Angie in the community), ran for councilor in the Sangguniang Kabataan or SK (Youth Council) age group 15-17. I’m happy to announce that SHE WON! Yup, my dear lil’ sis is now a politician—to our big surprise. What is interesting here is that, there were only two parties vying for the elections and Tan happened to be “recruited” by the unpopular/opposition party. After the elections, the entire administration slate got the posts except for one which my sister got elected to. Haha! So, in effect, she’s the only opposition in the entire leadership. Now, we face the challenge!

Anyhow, my congratulations to my dear baby sister! I’m so happy for you! Let’s celebrate! The "Victory Party" will be after church service come Sunday. Thank you, Lord!

Friends for Keeps

a.k.a. The Three Bears; Orig Housemates; HSP (Halik-Sa-Poon)

Crush

Okay, probably this is the first time you’ll ever read about something like this here.

Yesterday, I went to interview our validee for the outstanding CEO award. I was back in the office around 3pm. Teeny’s Pastor will be coming over for dinner to pray about the house. I went to fetch her in her office (next building). As I waited downstairs, Sir Ben (Dean) came out and we had a short chat. As he was speaking, out came from the main door the (cutest!) young professor in the School. Boy, wasn’t he cuter than ever?! (sigh) He is known for being prim and proper, intelligent and very good-looking. He is very quiet, too. I should mention, he looked my way (maybe curious who the dean’s talking to) as he passed. Pwew! Even when Teeny and I came home, I could still remember that handsome face striding along the lobby. Teeny was so excited seeing my reaction; surprised with the idea that I was actually saying how cute the professor was. Until this morning, she’s not letting go of the subject. Haha. Anyhow, guess I got a little crush on him. (wide smile)

Counting blessings

The last few days has been filled with showers of blessings from the Lord. I rejoice and give all thanks and praises and honor to God! Amen.

- The Congress was done with flying colors! Yahoo!
- Birthday bash was a happy day!
- The PCNC report is done!
- My validation partner is a Christian!
- The MYF PLAY Seminar was so much fun!
- Today is the last day of field interview.
- I finished HEROES last night! Very Good series!
- God is so good to my family, especially to Tatay. Thank you, Lord.

Jubilant!

And so the world would know… finally.

Ang kasaysayan ng TIN

Sa hinaba-haba ng panahon;
Nagkaroon din ngayon!
Hay,,,
Sa WAKAS!!!!
TAGUMPAY!

Thank YOU!

To all those who remembered me on my birthday and special thanks to those who bothered to send me gifts. You made it a very special day.

Thank you Lord for the gift of life, family and friends.

at work

Prayer Request

We are now working on the preparations for the Congress. Please pray that everything will be under control. Also pray for the success of the event. This will be happening on 17-18 August, Fri-Sat. Thank you very much.

Today, offices are suspended but everybody's working overtime here in the office for the Congress. The typhoon is still in the country.

First in August

This is a very late update for this month. Actually, I got sick on the night of July 31 to August 5. I got back from work only on the 6th. Thank God for my friends who watched over me, for families and friends who prayed for me, and for God’s merciful healing to me.

--
This month is one of the busiest here in the office. I have a lot of back-to-back activities going on. Right now, I am working on four things simultaneously; Congress, GK Build, CESB validation, LVC’s TSG Legal. All happening in August.

--
I made a new wallpaper for my monitor. My materials are courtesy of PC. He doesn’t know yet, but I’ll tell him. It’s the picture of the flower ‘Lily of the Valley’ he took and on it the ‘words’ that he made too. It turned out very nice--i like it, especially with the green background. Peaceful.

--
It’s been raining nonstop since last night and the water level is really pouring everywhere. Outside our building, the frogs are having a major concert! They’ve been like that since the moment I stepped in the room! Believe me, they sound like mooing cows—no joke! It’s like they have a loud speaker to amplify their cry! I’m a bit cranky about them.

--
I am so inspired by the messages I’ve been receiving lately. This morning, Apple and Arnel both sent good ones. This one I really like:

Just for today
Just for today, decide to be happy, to live with what is yours.
If you can’t have what you want, maybe you can like what you have.
Just for today decide to be kind.
Be cheerful.
Be agreeable.
Be understanding.
Be your best.
Dress your best.
Talk softly.
Look for the bright side of things.
Praise people instead of criticizing them.
Just for today. Try it.
After all, it’s just for a day…
Who knows, you might like it and do it again tomorrow.

That’s really nice. I did most of it today except for “Dress your best.” Hehe…

updates today

Contrary to what’s expected, today is quite a dull day at work. The Congress will be on August 17-18; I have 12 working days to make it run. A meeting with the Council is scheduled on Thursday, hopefully, there will be a quorum to finalize and approve the 3-year plan. I also hope to have enough number of participants to report on the Council meeting. As of the moment, there are >30 confirmed attendance. I’m trying to strategize how to better cast invitations and follow up participants.

---

The shower drain is worse than ever. I need to do the laundry tonight.

---

Our adopted cat finally got the spotlight on him. He is quite infamous in the house (ask Aidz); but last night he was cared for like a baby. We can tell that he was not feeling well. He looked sick and helpless. Teeny offered him a rag to sleep on. I had to put some “medicine” on his fur so he could lick it. The three of us were worried he might not survive the night. Before we went to bed, all of us checked on him and saw him lie peacefully. It was a relief to see him ‘normal’ in the morning.

---

It feels like I’m going to catch colds. I don’t accept it. Shoo!

cramming!

soooo tired!

Something light to start the day

I was washing the dishes this morning when I heard the local patrol make an announcement: “We are inviting everyone to attend the Department of Agriculture’s Orientation this morning at 9:00am in the Plaza Covered Court. We will be giving out seedlings and fertilizers…” I started to chuckle but consequently burst in laughter after hearing my landlady shouted back at the announcer: “How do you suppose we make use of those seeds and fertilizers, when you don’t even see soil in here?” FYI: My apartment is located in a densely populated residential area, and literally, there isn’t SOIL in sight anywhere.

--

Also this morning before going to work, I commented how my hair seems to becoming heavier. Aidz said that it’s because it’s getting longer. So I joked maybe he should start calling me Rapunzel. I asked him what would be a better nick name for Rapunzel. He said with conviction: Rap-Rap. Great!

Old habits!

I am a tea-drinker for quite awhile now. Anyhow, today I had to fill my cup with black coffee—again. Last year, I worked on a huge project for my office, we call National Congress. This year will be our 2nd Congress and surprisingly, my boss delegated the assignment to another staff. It is scheduled on the week of my birthday. Good news? At first, until the bomb exploded today!

Taking care of the Congress matters took a great deal out of me. It made me fight my natural physical system, accumulate stress, heartaches and frustrations, and put me on my threshold. I paid the price for that cause; it was done with sweat and blood. Modesty aside, as big as the challenge was, I can proudly say that it was a huge success. That’s one main reason they resolved to have it every year. Now that it’s only about two weeks before the two-day event, my boss (and me, too!) was alarmed learning that a lot of loose ends have to be met. Her response: call for SOS. She directed that I take over.

I’m rushing a lot of matters—invitations, follow ups, documents and details—everything for the second Congress. Actually, this was my fear—that I would have to step in and make do of what’s at hand. It’s harder to do repairs! The director said we (I) must salvage this cause. Good Lord!

I pray that everything will come out well and that we could still make this Congress a success. I personally don’t want this to flop. And I hope to be able to smile after this for my birthday. So help me God.

Coffee, anyone? No sugar.

I feel good!

It’s always a great feeling to know that you accomplished something—which means winning over the odds—and go home satisfied. ‘Details’ is everything to my boss. Thank God we finished our “surprise assignment” last night. Thank God we got an “A” when I passed it. Cha, we did it! We did a ‘milestone’ alright. Ha ha!


---

Got an email from RB. It was his birthday on Tuesday. He was so happy to receive the birthday card I sent him in behalf of CLCD. I chose the ‘man stranded on an island fetched by a gang of pirates with birthday cake and present’. Pretty neat; it made him laugh aloud. He said he’s making up various schemes to get back here. We surely miss our “Lolo” at the office. See you soon, Dr. Brower!

Something amazing for today

You can barely see drizzle outside my window but opposite the building is ‘raining cats and dogs’.

Random

Lunch with girl friends

Yesterday, I was busy discussing details of the Congress with Ate Pauline. I helped her out with the invitations and directory, etc., so she could focus on the workshop kits. Barely did I realize that it’s lunchtime. Checked my phone and saw two messages—one from Teeny, the other from Mam Dol. She’s inviting us for lunch and said she’ll drop by the lobby to pick me. Great! I rushed down and fortunately, was right on time.

Haven’t seen Mam Dol for about 3 weeks since her trip to Zamboanga. Teeny and I were happy to be reunited with “the beautiful” Mam Dol. Boy, she sure is gorgeous. At 44, she looks younger than me and Teeny, most of the time. Mam Dol is a good friend; a warm Mommy. She took us to Sweet Inspirations and we enjoyed Mongolian and cheese cake and halo-halo. Of course, a nice chat!

It was another good time spent with friends.
---

5 o’clock habit

Working for my boss for almost four years, I’m very familiar with her 5 o’clock habit. That means, delegating assignments when it’s already 5 pm and expecting to submit, if not before 6, the following day. Most of the time those reports/data are needed by other “entities” so you have no choice but to deliver. Yesterday was one of those instances. Right now, me and my partner Cha are beating the deadline.
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House Quest

Lately, my housemates are eager to look for another apartment. We’ve been staying for more than two years now in our apartment; however, the ambience doesn’t seem pleasing anymore. Last night, we decided we’ll take a walk after work and check the neighborhood for any good place. Teeny and I will also be visiting our optometrist.
---

I cooked sauteed radish with chicken liver for dinner last night. My housemates loved it. Yay! And Aidz, bought me waffle for calling him handsome. Hehe… Thanks!

---

Finally, was able to sate by cravings for this:

Friday!

We have Nights of Obsessions tonight. All the while I thought I'd be teaching. To my surprise, it was Red's schedule, not mine. Anyway, I pray for my brother.

I'm going home for the weekend. Hope you all have a great weekend and Lord's day!

Geng's bday

Today is my niece's 11th birthday. Happy Birthday, Geng! Ninang loves you so much. I hope to see you soon.

this week

Aidz and I went to see Transformers on Tuesday night at TriNoma. Wow, the mall is huge! We almost got lost going out of the building.

We had to take a long stride across SM, the next mall, for a ride home. Sorry for me, I was wearing hills that day so my feet hurt. I couldn’t use my other sandals because ‘our adopted cat’ tore it. Gee. I’ve been wearing rubber shoes for the last two days since…

Transformers is really good. I’m glad I went.

---
I received an unexpected message last night. Guess who’s “casually asking” if I had dinner already? Huh! Sorry, I cooked menudo for dinner.

---
Tonight is ‘TV’ night. Yup, the only day in the week that I’m really looking forward to turning on the tv… I want to see my lawyer... (Tom, Justice) :-)

I better go now, Teeny had allergies, will take her to the Infirmary.

think

It's not how you rock a person's world when you come into one's life, nor how you keep your image... What's far better is not being liked when you come in, but being missed when you leave.

Red flag

Girls know this. My abdomen hurts. Red flag for me at least for the week. Oh well...

Message received

God made you in such a way that when people in the world are sitting, you would be standing. And when the world is standing, you will stand out. And when the world stands out, you’ll be outstanding. And when the world dares to be outstanding, you will be the standard.


Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s learning to dance in the rain…it’s singing in the car even if you don’t know all the lyrics of the song… it’s giving your whole heart to someone even if you’re a little scared… it’s about taking risks and making life worth living… because every minute you waste is a minute you’ll never get back…


Trusting God in everything is the softest pillow on which to rest and the hardest rock to stand on! God is with you all the time! “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.”—Proverbs 3:5-6

Adventure Day!

Pinay left the house without her glasses on! And she does not intend to wear it for the rest of the day. ^-^"

A borrowed thought

"It's quite ironic that in life, the person that brings out the best in you and the one that makes you strong is actually your weakness."

Food for thought from friends

The heart that loves is always young; the heart that serves is always happy; and the heart that cares is always strong. Stay young, happy, and strong.

Lirio, 5 July 2007


“Pray about it…”
Its meaning was only changed by people who think they can change God’s plan for their lives. When we pray we ask God to change ours to be in lined with His will. That’s why if it’s not God, it dies away.

Apple [on God’s will], 29 June 2007


God’s healing power is yours for the taking! His will is for your perfect health and well-being. Anything that comes against you is subject to change. As you speak healing scriptures daily in faith, the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus will be activated in your body. The medicine of God’s Word will go to work to effect a healing and a cure. Remember, by His stripes you were healed.

Again I tell you, if two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever (anything and everything) they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven. For whenever 2 or 3 are gathered (drawn together as my followers) in (into) My name, there I Am in the midst of them. Matthew 18:19-20 AMP

For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:22

Rx:
1. Jeremiah 17:14
2. Psalm 103:1-5
3. Isaiah 53:4-5
4. 1 Peter 2:24
5. Isaiah 40:30-31

DOSAGE: The more you confess—the better! Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

DIRECTION: If symptoms persist, confess more scriptures!

PHYSICIAN: Jesus the Healer License # 15:26 Exodus

Arnel [on healing], June 26, 2007; 03:58:23 PM

The mysterious ear problem

I’ve been whining about my left ear for almost two weeks. First, my hearing became weak. Next, pain is felt every once in a while. Until finally, the pain became excruciating I couldn’t bear it anymore. Last Thursday, June 28, I was able to go to the doctor –and I did not plan to leave that place until the doctor assured me the pain will go away.

The doctor first checked both ears. My right ear is clear and in perfect condition. Inside my left ear he found a growth on the ear wall called polyp. This “abnormal tissue” blocks (nearly closed) the ear canal. It was difficult for air to get through the eardrum. At first they (the doctor and his team) thought the biggest challenge would be the polyp removal. I agreed to go on with the procedure with the knowledge that “slight” pain would be felt. (You don’t imagine the pain I’ve been through with this ear so I’m willing to take a little more just to end my suffering.) To my surprise, they didn’t give me anesthesia! Do you realize that?! It was a complete torture. I literally “called upon the name of the Lord” as I clenched my teeth in agony (I was holding on the metal bar on the side of the bed and I felt like it nearly broke!). It was not long when they found ‘another case’ even closer to the eardrum. What was actually behind the polyp is not dirt or something but keratosis. It has grown big enough to completely block the eardrum and expand the ear canal. That’s very painful!

I guess it was obvious that I could not stand the procedure any longer. The doctor ruled to have another session (!) on Sunday for the second case. On Sunday, they were able to remove the ‘thing’ successfully. Praise the Lord. It was painful alright, but the knowledge of friends and family praying for me made it more bearable. Thank God. (Besides, I do not want to scare the next patient who was a little girl.) I have follow up check up with the doctor after a week. Right now, I’m taking a lot of meds to catalyze the healing process (I normally don’t take medicines).

That Sunday, July 1st, was also our MYF big outreach for the month. I went there after the procedure and found my brethren—my MYF family with open arms happy to see me doing fine. Bro. Mark even said he thought they’re all going to rush to the hospital! Haha! Thanks, General!

This experience actually taught me a lot of things. But above all, I felt so loved. Family and friends have been very supportive and prayed on my behalf. Isn’t that one best thing to know?!

Thank you for your prayers. And thank God for his healing.

Charlie's Angels :-)

in pain

I still did not go to the doctor over the weekends. I wasn’t able to go home until late Saturday afternoon. I missed the Prayer Meeting, too. Sunday was just too hectic, there’s no room for doing so.

I plan to really see the doctor this week. The ear problem isn’t getting any better. And at times, I just couldn’t stand the pain. I have to supply myself with antibiotics just to feel a little better.

Last Friday night must have been the worst. I was alone in the apartment and there I felt that excruciating pain. I called home and cried over the phone. I just wanted to hear my family; at least to make me feel better. I know they prayed for me and that’s all I needed. I did not know that my sister sent a message to Aidz asking him to come home and look after me. I was surprised that he was home earlier than usual plus, with medicines. Praise the Lord for friends.

Please continue to pray about my ear. And that this will not be anything serious. Thank you.

Prayer Request

My left ear has been hurting since last week. Please pray that I get better. I really don’t want to see the doctor but if I have to, I probably will by the end of the week. Thanks.

amusing...

Just thought I'd share a few lines...
1. All shrimps are born female, but turns to male as time goes…so are they like lesbians?

2. Starfishes are pretty but they don’t have brains…so be offended if someone calls you one.

3. Penguins can only have one mate; they spend almost half of their life looking for their destined partner, and then spend the rest of it with him/her. How sweet is that? >sighs<

End of the week

Another week has gone by…

Tonight, I’ll be going home. We have Nights of Obsession at TJCM.

I’m not feeling very good today. Red flag for me. But, praise God for the gift of life.

Bye, everyone!

By the way, I’m curious, do I have visitors from Rancho Cucamonga?

Weekend Report

I had one great weekend. I’m so happy.

It’s nice to be home on Friday night. Tatay and the kids (my younger siblings--who, by the way, aren't kids anymore) were all at home. My Saturday morning was quite productive; I did some house chores as usual—the general cleaning day. I started with the windows, then the ceiling and the floor. After that, the yard. It’s a fine, hot day outside. Worked onto the bougainvilleas, euphorbia, and the other plants. Cleared the flowerbeds and plant boxes from dried leaves and worn flowers. I guess I was successful; I ended up with a few scratches on my arms and ant bites on my feet (ouch!). I enjoyed it anyway.

On Saturday afternoon, we went to church for the worship team practice and the prayer meeting. We read Psalms 37:1-11 during team devotion. We delved more on verses 3 and 4. Then we did a few exercises like ‘dog panting’, the vowels, the happy birthday, and ‘face massage’. At the prayer meeting, Pastor asked us to pray for stronger faith of believers. Then I prayed for new souls to come to know the Lord and join us in worship the next day.

Right after the prayer meeting, my sisters and I went for a stop at Tita Monica’s. Tan wanted to cut her hair; Jai and I would have our nails made. After a short while, our Ate came in and joined the club. It was really a bonding moment for us sisters. I miss going out with them like that.

At service, the worship went well. Praise God. The worship team did a good job. And the congregation responded in worship. When it was like only five minutes since the message started, several newcomers arrived, I believe three families altogether. It was such a joy and encouragement to all of us. Glory to God. He answered our prayer.

At home after service, while preparing lunch, I played “Why So Downcast?” in the kitchen. My Ate almost jumped on me asking how I got a copy. That was the first time she heard my CD and like the rest, she’s overjoyed. As the song was playing, you can hear us in chorus. Lunch was great; the best part actually was SINIGANG! (my favorite)Yum yum!

My eldest brother came home too. I had a long chat with him. I miss Kaka. Have not seen him in a while. I told him about our US trip and all the exciting things that I could think of. I also told him about our Thailand adventures and he was really in chuckles. My brother is a good listener. It was really a quality time spent with him.

I went back to UP on Monday after lunch. After dinner, Aidz and I enjoyed our buko salad desert we bought at Grill Queen. Hmm, still the best.

I so enjoyed my extended weekend. I didn’t really expect that Monday was declared a nonworking holiday—switching the 11th with the Independence Day holiday on Tuesday, June 12th. It was a restful, fun weekend. Thank God!

Now, Happy Independence Day to all!

It's Friday!

I'm going home tonight! Yay! *dances*

Have a wonderful weekend! (I hope the rain would stop.)

Glad!

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." --Matthew 5:16

I was eating lunch with my peers today when they started saying jokes that I find immodest. Then they said that ‘I have no part in such conversations; I have kept myself untainted and they respect that.’ That’s nice to hear from them! Glory to Jesus!

:-(

Left the office at 6:15 pm last night to prepare dinner. I cooked ginisang mongo (sauteed mongo with tofu, tomatoes, and ampalaya leaves) courtesy of Tita Jean. Dinner's ready at 7.30. Teeny was out so I was waiting for Aidz to arrive from work. It's ironing day for me; from 7:55 to 8:35 everything was well-pressed. Suddenly, it felt like my head was too heavy, it hurts, and felt like going to explode. I was afraid my blood pressure's going up (have no basis for thinking that though.) Could it be the egg? ( I had one in the morning and one in the afternoon). I don’t know. But what I did was to lie on my bed and hoped it goes away. Aidz was not home until 9:55. We ate late and I hardly was able to finish my plate. I excused myself and went off to bed. I’m glad I’m okay in the morning. There’s a lot to do.

xxx

Got an email from our host today. It was fun to read.

First of the many…

Me and my buddy Apple, behind me, enjoying the snow on the mountains of Lake Tahoe.

i'm back... to back ^^

I came back from the US trip on May 23. That break (April 23-May21) was really awesome!That was one of the best experiences I ever had. Thank God for the privilege to go abroad. It was really a blessing. Most of all, I'm happy to build new friendships from the other side of the globe.

Just a few days after coming back, our Center boarded the plane going to Thailand for our office planning. May 29-June 1. Today is the official day of my returning to duty.

Thank God for all the blessings He has showered on me. I'm happy to be home.

Coming to America

We are all set for the US trip come Monday, April 23. Thank you for all your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for us as we embark in this journey. We wish to bless our brethren in the US the same way they blessed us in our ministry. Also, we want to share the Love of Christ to all of you. God bless you!

Personal:
Thank you Ate Pauline for all the help in preparing for the trip. To my best buddies Teeny and Aidz, I couldn't thank you more. I love you. I hope to get that signature, guys! Ate Lyj has been so wonderful since day one. Thanks for taking my plants in custody. I'll miss you sis. Sir Keith, I’m really looking forward to seeing you there. I got your number. See you in May.

It's a hotta-hotta summer here in the Orient. Got to prepare myself for the temp in the West.

Fun!

Currently listening to Oscar dela Hoya (Yes, he’s the boxer who sings too!). It’s in Spanish. I was playing around with the lyrics; those that seem hard to understand I look up in the dictionary (thanks to babel fish). Then I got excited and tried typing my complete name—(given name, my mother’s family name, my father’s family name) inside the box. ¿conjetura qué? A Joseph-syndrome! My name in literal Spanish translation means I rule my family! Great! Haha!

Pinay of the Family rules!

Inspired

Late this semester, I helped a group of nursing students with their research study. Just a while ago, I received a short message from one of them. She said she got a high grade from her Research class. She thanked me for the support and effort given them. That made my day. Thanks, Jhen. Keep it up!

xxx

I showed Tan's grad pic to my officemate. It opened the door to some sharing about how we go about with our family. It was really sentimental and I managed to keep composed. She was so inspired of our story and said she'll share it with her kids. Thanks.

Nanay's birthday

April 10

Today is my mother’s 58^th birthday. The last time she celebrated with us was six years ago; before the Lord finally called her to rest. She was a lovely woman and I’m ever grateful to be her child. Her memories are cherished forever.

My Mother

Who was it that risked her life that she might give that life to me?
Who was it that braved a thousand storms that shelter I may be?
Who was it that rocked me in her arms that I to sleep might go?
Who was it that loved me all night long yet never let me go?

This was a verse from a poem I read from a very old book in our grade school library. My classmates and I were cleaning the shelves then and the book was so worn out that I believe the teacher resolved to put it away. I really couldn’t remember who wrote it nor was the rest of the poem yet these lines strike me the most. I guess it was not very hard for me to recall after first reading since it’s a perfect description of my mom.

And may I add…

She wears the sweetest smile that calms my troubled heart.
She walks with grace and confidence that makes me stand all odds.
Her lullaby is the best melody that plays in my ear.
The song she taught has been on my lips each time I had to sing.

Her joy is like a fountain that could not be quenched.
Her eyes tell me that life is full of blissful surprises.
Her memories can bring to life all happiness and triumphs.
I could not care for anything else whenever she holds my hand.

From her I learned selflessness and sacrifice in its truest meaning.
It was for her that I learn to dream and understand how to be fulfilling.
Respect is earned and love is priceless but to her those are abounding.
She is someone I proudly call mine and hopes others had one.

I love her and I love her more everyday!
Truly, mothers are heaven’s gift!
Mine is the best I received!


‘The child who knows how to love is the one who was loved.’ I miss her so much. Happy Birthday Nanay!

TV day for me! I did not get a nap; I watched tv! Tomorrow is a holiday and I plan to do my ‘other stuff’ by then.

Funny because whenever I’m away from the keyboard, I have tons of things to write. Why is it that whenever I face the pc, everything seems to slip away.

FRIDAY

I started off slow—still. Got myself a dose of John Grisham and stopped at about a hundred pages left to dig. It’s getting pretty exciting. Checked my phone at eight quarter and found a message from Bro. Mark sent 6am. Angela from Bayside wants us to sign up for particular sessions in the Conference—which we’ll do online. Bro. Mark wants us to drop by the office to do so. We have practice in the theater arts on Saturday; I said I would get there an hour early to do the assignment.

SATURDAY

It’s Black Saturday. It’s very unusual for me to be home with all—at least just one left out—my siblings at home. The eldest down to the youngest, with the exception of my brother Pastor, are all here. Everybody’s busy now at the kitchen preparing lunch as I type this.

I can’t think of how to best spend my remaining vacation except for finishing my book. Hmm, I guess another option will be, get more sleep.

It’s quite dull outside. The sun is up but is hidden under the clouds. I’m not an outgoing person so I don’t have much to do in mind. I guess I’ll check on my files later after lunch.

xxx

After lunch, prepared for my 2pm appointment at the MYF office. We will be choosing from a list of choices the topics we want to join in during the break out groups in the Thrive Conference. I did not choose Lincoln Brewster, he’d be speaking in the assembly anyway. I picked Developing Your Speaking Voice, sounds like speech class; People and Organizational Development; Scars are Tattoos of Better Future, among others. We had a practice in the theater arts afterwards and I got to do some challenging roles like a condemner and a lesbian. Haha, I sure had a hard time acting the latter. We’re still preparing for another short skit which we’d practice on April 15^th.

xxx

Finished the book after lunch. Did not sleep until 12:30 midnight. O-ow!

We get to enjoy a long weekend as the holy week beginning Maundy Thursday is declared a non-working holiday.

The day passed as is. It was 10:30 am when I got off bed and felt good about it. I’m looking forward to more sleep in the coming days. I was at home before the sun was down yesterday, and that was amazing. It was different. I’m used to coming home late and, being there before dark was a surprise. I like it.

Today, was able to focus on my third John Grisham book. Did not find myself a copy of The Pelican Brief so I dug into The Firm. It’s good. Though I find the first two as more suiting my taste. Or maybe it’s too early to tell since I’m just halfway the book. But don’t get me wrong, it is a really good one still.

At four, the brethren were here for the mid-week Bible study. Our neighbors came too. It was a short fellowship and fun one. Everybody had a good time.

I would still work on the book and hopefully finish tomorrow. I should have brought another book at home too, say The Rainmaker or The Street Lawyer. Guess I will indulge myself with John Grisham books until we get on the plane.

restful weekend

SATURDAY

It was a restful Saturday for me. Have not had such long hours for myself in a long while! Finally, I’ve finished my second John Grisham book, A Time to Kill (I read The Client back in college). It was a great read. The author is really building on the characters. I like the way he described the setting, very vivid. I’m enjoying every page as if I’m watching it onscreen (have not seen the movie though). It’s beautiful. I hope I can start with a third book, The Pelican Brief.

After Saturday night practice, I went to Bro. Mark’s place as promised. He was asleep at 7pm! Yeah, he sleeps very early and wakes up in the wee hours of morn as part of his discipline. I left the thing to his nieces Shek and Sarah.

When I got home, my cousin Julius was there! He came home for the graduations (his siblings are also graduating). I love him so much; he’s my best buddy. We practically grew up together and spent childhood as pals. Since we went to college, we barely see each other and very seldom that he could make it on special occasions. I was so happy to see him. He said he really waited for me to get home. It’s been a practice that whenever he’s in town, he visits us. I’m glad he did. It was a joy.

SUNDAY

I was the song leader for this first Sunday. My lineup was all worship songs: Psalm 19, Still, Spirit Touch Your Church. Sunday service was over after the communion.

After lunch, I got a text from my niece who’s been away (in Tarlac) for a year now. Oh, I missed her and her sisters so much (Geng, Jing, Ayeka). It was a fun exchange of messages talking about everyday things like viands, what’s up for the moment, school, etc. Then finally she said, “Sige po, I love you.” I replied saying how much I love her and missed them badly. I could not help but cry. Even now as I type this, I’m still crying. I love all my nieces and nephew. I miss my Geng so much! To be honest, I have a very special affection to Geng. Perhaps because she’s the first in her generation in the family. I’ve always thought of her as my own. I’m so attached to her that I feel bad toward my brother for taking the kids away (They moved to his in-laws and enrolled the kids there.). And Sunday afternoon was like, “I want to see my kids back”-syndrome for me. It was too bad they can’t make it for the summer break. Although Jing said she will be home this summer. I really wish to see them soon.

At 3pm, we went to MYF’s outreach at Hiyas Convention Pavilion. The theme is on witchcraft and other deceiving media of the enemy. The theater arts had an excellent performance! To my surprise, they used To Where You Are as one of their main songs. Beautiful!

So I went straight to our apartment afterwards for another week ahead.

Today is Mhes' birthday. Happy birthday, mare!