HongKong Weekend

Wei! Just came from HongKong last Sunday and spent one of the coldest weekends I've ever had. Twas about 15C during the day and perhaps 10C or lower in the evening. Woah, the wind is a major killer. It's like you can well tolerate the temp, but, with the wind gushing relentlessly through your face, you'd definitely get the feel of hard ice hitting you head on. Weird though, coz when my office mate arrived there mid-week, the weather wasn't all that cold.. well, I guess it HAD to wait till the weekend for the temp to drop.

Disneyland HK was actually the major event with the trip. I pray I can take my kids here soon (hopefully get an incentive package - with my family included hehe). It's a nice nice place with all the nice nice views. It's not as crowded as Disney L.A.; but can still expand to have more rides and other attractions. The place was great but the weather was a bomber. It drizzled almost half of the day and the winds were blowing at every angle. It was about 5C that time. Oh thank GOD I live in a tropical country. I don't think I can last a week in that kind of weather.

So, enough of my boring post and let's start clicking away with the photos we had from the trip. God bless you!

God's LOVE

Happy Valentines Day! God LOVES each and everyone of us. You say, why? Because He does. Period. Because as Scriptures say, we love because He loved us first (1Jn4:19). How can we know love if not from our Father above? How can we learn how to walk without anyone showing us how? How can we read without anyone teaching us how? Before we smoulder with those Valentine goodies, let's pause and think what God's LOVE is - for us.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39

Mistakes

A mistake is a mistake. It happened. It was overlooked. It was not earlier on detected. And moreover, it was not planned. I've been going through a rut at work because of a mistake I've done, and perhaps some people around me as well. It was the first time in three years. I didn't see it coming, nor was I able to rectify the situation at the soonest possible time. Now it's a lesson to even be more critical of the things and documents coming my way. To be more mindful of the work I do everyday. To be more keen in every single email that passes my mailbox by. Yes, there's a lesson to the mistake I've done. But if it's any consolation, it DID NOT cost money... only time and an added effort to please an irate customer.

Shucks, I can't believe how people marvel at pointing severely at people's mistake. Not to mention talking as if you've done this mistake every single day of your working life. I must admit that I am somehow bothered by how things are being thrown at me. But then again, I know GOD HAS SEEN EVERYTHING. HE knows who's not speaking up and admitting to their flaws.

You know what never fails to amaze me? See my list below....
1) People will NEVER admit to their mistakes AS LONG AS somebody else has raised his/her hand in admission to the fault.
2) People will always "wash their hands" when worse comes to worst.
3) People take delight in pounding on people's faults and incessantly ask the "why" and the "how come", even if you've apologized and offered to move forward with the solution. (on a note, did you ever think that in life, there will ALWAYS be questions that cannot be answered? Especially when it's over and done with. Most especially when it was a mistake or an accident.. yah, asking WHY will only aggravate the EMOTIONS, blind the PERCEPTION and blur the path to the SOLUTION).
4) People like it when other people don't fight back. They feel they've received victory, whereas, they do not know that it doesn't actually solve ANYTHING.
5) People always look at SILENCE as a sign of weakness. That if you apologize and remain quiet they love to still keep on pounding on you. I mean what gives? Can pounding bring back time? Can continuous nagging solve anything? No. What matters is the fault has been acknowledge and actions will be taken to SOLVE it.

I know that mistakes can be irritating when it happens ALL THE TIME. Like people don't learn from it. But can a certain consideration be given granting that it has only happened for the first time?

Anyhow, I am moving on..... I am leaving all these to God. I shall choose to be HAPPY today. This is the LAST of my whining.

Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 17:3So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.

Luke 17:4If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

Proverbs 19:11A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

Acts 17:30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.

What the WORLD can't fill - God CAN

Going on-leave for even a day can just about refresh anyone. I mean it has recharged me with much energy for the week and it's great to be up and about - doing nothing. So, I just finished cooking for tomorrow's meal .. and here I am poking my keyboard away. I don't have actually any breaking news to share, but I do want to emphasize how God's been utterly awesome this week. Twas my son's 8th birthday last Saturday and God was gracious enough to provide; I've heard of our cell leader's mom ready to leave the hospital soon after being in the ICU for weeks; My husband and his friend is moving forward with their new business; My brother is hungrier everyday for God's Word; I see people still with that g0-get-em attitude despite that EVAT rising up to 12% this February.

If only we can look at the world through God's eyes, we will definitely feel that the world isn't cruel after all. I know I've harped on making the right choices in my previous posts.. but, at the end of the day, these choices determine where we will be the following day. It's not always easy to let an offense go when our flesh tells us to take revenge. It isn't easy to smile when things went real bad at work or at home. It isn't easy to wake up the following day when you know you've got problems as big as the Titanic to face. It isn't easy to lift yourself up when someone has dumped you for the most preposterous reasons.

But one thing's for sure. Our GOD is at the most appropriate place to fill that void in our hearts and lead us to the right direction. Of course the pain will not subside in an instant. But when we continue to seek Him with all our hearts and yearn for Him, God is faithful enough to fill it. Sure we may have had a painful experience, however, the beauty of it all is that we can surely get out of that rut - with God. How else can you imagine getting out of your problems now when before you thought things seemed bleak? That's God working for you. No matter what it is we are going through, God is ABLE to make us choose the right decisions. From the most trivial cases to the complex ones, HE is much able to create a way out. Have you tried calling out to Him lately?

Matthew 11:28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Whoopee!! :)

God's FAVOR is upon YOU! Yes you! It's upon us all! Woah, I am so super thrilled today about how God makes things HAPPEN. And I mean happen - just in the nick of time. Amaaazzing... I mean, I'm still at awe at His goodness that I couldn't stop thanking God for helping me/us today!

When I woke up this morning, I declared that God's favor will be upon me today - and whatever it is that I'm waiting for at work will come to pass. God started working out our deals yesterday and I knew in my heart, by faith, that He will definitely give a good & pleasing outcome today. And true enough - clock strikes 11am, and there you have it! The huge deal that we've been waiting for to make our numbers!

There are some hurdles in the way, but nothing that God can't handle. Important thing is that, God knew exactly what we needed and He MADE a WAY. Oh PRAISE YOU FATHER!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,whohave been called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. - Psalm 23:6

You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.. - Job 10:12

For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. - Psalm 5:12

Worry

The group went back to Bible Study yesterday and it feels great to reconnect with spiritual family after such a long break. Anyways, we discussed about 'WORRY' and why it is considered to be a 'SIN' which is unconciously done by most of us. If you dissect the scriptures and dig through your experiences on why it is an offense - it plainly implies a distrust to God. When we worry, it is like telling God that 'I believe you BUT.. Ya I do trust you BUT.. I know, BUT. ' Worry just takes out our focus on our Heavenly Father. And that, my friend, is disastrous. I mean ya we all know what a seed of worry can cause in our hearts and minds. Why do you think there are so many pranings, OC's, over-thinkers, over-analytical thinkers (that never get anything done).. etc. Don't let WORRY become your way of life. Do not EMBRACE it. Do not hold on to it. God is commanding you to CAST it to Him. To LIFT up OUR burdens to Him.

So there, it was a nice study to open the year because indeed, if we want to succeed and experience triumph in our lives here on earth, then we must focus on Jesus and take God's Words of advice to heart. To sift our hearts and minds of negative thoughts that causes us to WORRY, think of Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Yeah! I love that verse. You should check out the amplified version or the message version for some parallel reading too.

Glad to be posting here after a hard day's work! Praise God my WORRY-List has gone from plenty to measely.. Konti na lang Lord. Help me rise over the rest of em! :-) God bless you!!!!

Sometimes we slip...

ya, sometimes we slip.. we know perfectly what to do, how to do it, how to speak and how to react on things, but we sometimes slip. we sometimes slip. i personally hate it when i slip. i tend to sway to the other direction when the going gets rough.. but i'm just so happy that God is always there to just nudge me right back. isn't it a wonder how God loves us unconditionally? isn't it amazing how He can love and not be tyrannical or bossy at the same time? isn't it so cool the way God loves - that no matter how badly we think of ourselves, He still thinks we're beautiful? He's as focused as He can be at you and me... wouldn't it be the greatest thing ever if WE likewise placed our focus on Him instead of our worldy selves? .. just some thoughts i'd like to pour out while i'm eating lunch here :) have a blessed week ahead people!!!

Extra Grace Required

I'm still at work.. anticipating an important deal that will hopefully come to a graceful end.. I'm hopeful and prepared. So there, how are things with everyone today? It's a friday and boy am I thrilled! I mean, sure my yaya went home to the province.. sure I'd have to do the laundry (yikes), sure I'd have to maybe cook, sure I'd have to help out with our business.. But nothing beats the grace and strength that God can give. As Rick Warren puts it, it's one of those days when you are in EGR mode - EXTRA GRACE REQUIRED. But ya, God is so faithful - He will definitely see all of us through. You just got to have FAITH... Faith coupled with deeds or actions. Hey, are you going through a rough time with family, work or maybe in your relationship/s? Don't worry too much. You're in good hands.. you're in God's hands. All you have to do is TRUST Him. Come on now, put on some lip gloss and shake that booty, put on some nice clothes and show the world that you don't crack under pressure!

We're not PERFECT

.. not because we're Christians it means that we're automatically PERFECT and SINLESS. We're only humans. Made of flesh and blood. Not because we attend Bible Study, we can live like saints. We're only human. Not because we quote verses from the Bible mean that we're all holy. We're only human. Not because we preach God's Words mean that we can never ever ever ever make mistakes against ourselves and other people. Wouldn't the world be a better place to live in if people would HELP each other grow in their faith and become a better person in the process? Now even if you ace your bible study class, go to service or mass every single day - but if you have a "dark heart", always putting people down or saying bad things about others, not being obedient to God's Word.. I don't think God will be pleased with that either. Please, let's all live in harmony and learn to RESPECT one another.


Matthew 7:3-5 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Proverbs 15:3The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Ephesians 2:10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We are all a work in progress :-) Amen? Amen!

Be blessed! :-)

oh stuff...

Hola! Been quite a couple of days since I last posted. After last Friday, I somehow got sick of looking at the computer screen and totally couldn't take anymore. Aiya! It's always this taxing every January when people are rushing for their 2006 business plans (including me) haha. Talk about cramming. Praise God I'm almost done with mine.

So how has everyone been doing? Twas a great weekend. Spent some time at home with the kids and attended my officemate's wedding at Lipa last Sunday. Oh and I've finally finished reading Your Best Life Now and I feel inspired to go live my life and make the right choices. Oli just started reading it (seriously) last night and as I was in my twinkle-twinkle-little-eyes stage, half asleep, half awake, he was saying some stuff about how good of a book that was.. (sorry sweetie, i knew you were saying hosts of things but i simply could not remember). So ya anyway, come on!! Get yourself a copy. It's worth it!!!

The Lord's favor is upon us all - may you have a great day! I pray that today will be the day that your dreams start coming to pass. But if you aint see anything happening yet - keep on praying.. You're one day closer to receiving your answered prayer. Let's be hopeful in the Lord!

thinking aloud...

"It doesn't matter what anybody else does or doesn't do, I'm going to live my life with enthusiasm! I'm going to stay on fire. I'm going to be aglow. I'm going to be passionate about seeing my dreams come to pass."

We won't get any closer to our dreams by feeling sorry for ourselves, for the mistakes we've made in the past. Loosen up, lighten up. Just stop being so miserable!

Don't wait for others to change when you yourself have so many issues you don't even know how to love.

It's nice to respond nicely when someone's been polite to you. Try it.

You can NEVER live life alone. Stop pushing people away. Get over your fears. Run to God for help.

Get over the pride. It never did anyone any good.

Stop pretending to be somebody else. You're perfect just the way you are. Don't let society dictate how you should act or dress or speak.

Taking your life is not the solution, and you know that deep inside. Seek help and counsel. There are more people on earth who has experienced far worse problems than you. You are too valuable. God loves you.

A New Me

With all the challenges coming my way at the start of 2006, I realize that God is molding me with the right character if I wanted to succeed in whatever I put my hands on to. Wallowing much before on the might have beens and should haves, I'm happy to have discovered a new me.. Amazing how I kept on running around in circles in pursuit of answers that didn't live up to my expectations. But even more amazing to know that it is only GOD and a life of service to Him that can make life beautiful in its every aspect.

So to sum up helpful pints of wisdom from the Bible, from friends and Joel Osteen's book, here are some of the few tags that helped me, and is helping me get through the tests. Now it's going to be a good fight of faith.. and I'm glad to be a part of it.

1) Adversity often pushes us into our divine destiny.
2) The struggles give you strength.
3) If you will handle adversity in the right way, God has promised that He will turn your challenges into stepping-stones for promotion.
4) Your reaction to a problem determines how long you will stay in that problem.
5) It's not the adversities that cause our problems; it's how we respond to our adversities.
6) God will use any adversity you face to take you to a higher level if you'll just do your part and keep standing strong.
7) Best thing to do when things or life doesn't make sense is to TRUST GOD.
8) Good ALWAYS overcomes evil.
9) People who hurt other people are usually broken inside. Take the opportunity to be a blessing and help him heal that scar.
10) You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish when God puts a little pressure on and you get out of that safe zone and step over into the faith zone.

Oh and here's something to reflect on if you've been having get some good beating in the office...

18You who are servants, be good servants to your masters--not just to good masters, but also to bad ones. 19What counts is that you put up with it for God's sake when you're treated badly for no good reason. - 1 Peter 2:18-19

Trying to be Creative..

I've always wanted to be in photography but never had the chance to fulfill it. Digicams weren't born yet when I took photography class in college... :( So taking the cue from my bro-in-law, who's into this, I decided to flick my cam away .. and here are some of the results.

"Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly!" Proverbs 23:31"..whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him
will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.." John 4:14

"He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth.." Psalm 104:14


"Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults." 1 Corinthians 14:20

Let me know what you think! :-)

Currently...

.. at work;
.. feeling sleepy;
.. in the middle of a couple of emails;
.. trying my best to stay focused;
.. thinking about a new digital camera that I don't really need at all;
.. feeling a bit irritated with work (hihihi);
.. thankful to God for favor in one account that we thought had no chance of closing.

it's gonna be a great day!

God's Requirements

“ He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ”- Micah 6:8

Before I start my day at work, the first website I go to is biblegateway.com. It's amusing because it's Bible Verse for the Day oftentimes falls appropriate for how my day turns out, what I'm feeling or what I'm going through for the current season. The verse above is their verse for today. Isn't it so straightforward that it screams, GOD WANTS US TO BE GOOD?

But just what is "good"? If there's one word that can describe it, it is "over-used". Too many times it is associated with almost everything. Good person, good hair, good job, good deed, etc.. etc.. The good ol' dictionary states that good is an adjective that means "being positive, or desirable in nature; worthy of respect, honor, of moral excellence, pleasant". And the list goes on. When Micah wrote the verse above, he was appealing to a concern on the pretensions and lawlessness of Jerusalem. If we look at the world today, our own selves can sometimes be a reflection of the then Jerusalem. Goodness appears on the surface, from the outside and not within. Tarnished hearts, yet shiny on the outside.

"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?" God has given his one and only Son as the perfect example of a good man that lived a good life. This verse gives hope for all of us who are aiming to be the person that God wants us to be. We've been spoonfed to have been given a role model. But why is it that to be "good" is such a difficult thing to do? As we walk through life we encounter situations that will make us or break us. Either or, it's a choice. Either or, there's a price to pay or enjoy.

The remaining half of the verse says, "to act justly". To act honorably and fair. Why can't we do this? Because we've been cheated, we need to take revenge. Because we've experienced how it is to cheat and get away with it. Because we want to do things fast and easy. Because oftentimes, we get away with trickery. Going further in the verse, it says "to love mercy". To consistently be compassionate, kind and forgiving. Why can't we do this? Because someone has walked out on us, left us, lied to us. Because no one has returned any gratitude. Because people look at mercy or compassion as a sign of weakness. Finally it says "to walk humbly with your God". Humility. To be modest in behaviour, meek, gentle, to show respect. Why can't we do this? Because we have low self-esteem. Low self-image. We mask our inferiorities with an arrogant stance. Because we know it all. Because we have it all. Because we're higher than others.

It's encouraging to note that even by just one verse, we can say so much.. But I hope we can all try to take some time to ponder about what it means. The world is already full with all sorts of crap - from people, made by people and lived by some. It's all a matter of choice. How do we fulfill God's requirement? If we dedicate, and I mean DEDICATE our lives to Jesus, then, we can be assured of rising above ALL our "issues" in life. The requirements become easy to follow. The burden becomes lighter and lighter. Your self-image improves, gets better and better.

I am perplexed to see other people that choose to wallow on self-pity, thrive on pride and feed on people's weaknesses. Do you actually get a buck richer everytime you lambast someone to shame? Can the past be relived? Can you bring back the lost time? As Pastor Joel Osteen says, 'you cannot unscramble eggs.. but God uses that to make an amazing omelette!'. God's requirements may be difficult for you or us to do because of our past experiences (that have broken us really bad).. However, know that God allows such trials or circumstances to make a better and wiser me and you. And, before you know it, you're all.... good.

Happy New Year!

I'd like to greet you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! This New Year's Eve celebration was, I'd say, the most cost-saving of all. Hey we only had lusis and torotots (hehe) to toy with as we welcomed 2006. So, my mother and her household watched to their eyes content as our neighbors sprung different awesome (and expensive) fireworks up in the air. Wish I had some pictures to post here but I don't :-( I left my camera at home.

Anyways, prior to New Year's Eve, my friends and I had a post christmas party at Ronnie's house. SBG's Manila Chap was complete once again (we miss you SBG New York & Doha!!). Click here to check out our wacky pics. It was fun to be with the girls again...now, mostly talking about wedding preps for Lala, Soph and soon, Cha. Ok, no rush sweeties, we don't have to exactly get married once the chart states 30. Haha. It was nice to see Soph and Clem again after four months of being home in Texas. Looking forward to see you all again on Friday! :-)

Anger!!!!!!!!!

"In your anger, do not sin." I've always found this verse quite difficult to do. When it's that time of the month, or when I'm stuck in traffic, I get this urge to blurt out in dismay and just complain till I turn completely red. There are moments when I would hear some things from other people that would just tick me off, like, what in the??! Or silently before I would say, "madapa ka sana!" or say whatever quiet curse I could think appropriate for that moment.

I later realized that anger is a choice that one person can make. It says in Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger". There! Isn't all a matter of choice? You can choose to respond in a well-mannered way OR you can reply with one big blow of profanity. Which do you think can yield more of a solution? Violence, endless cussing won't solve anything. Like the more I yell at my kids when I'm having a bad day, the more inattentive they become. But once I apologize to them and I am calm, the kids feel sorry for their behavior too.

I used to get offended by small things said against me. Even just a dispensable comment about my driving can make my eyebrow raise. But I'd rather be called a wise man rather than a fool. "A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control", Proverbs 29:11. Choose not to take offense. Choose to find a positive angle in the situation. Of course you wouldn't draw to become a martyr or something like that, but God has given us the right mind to decipher situations and circumstance. I'm glad that I'm progressing on this. Thank God!

Anger leads only to evil. Sure, yell at your spouse, friend, sister or brother and get the results that you want. But you will only be planting hatred in their hearts. Sure you can be condescending to a friend who's not earning as much as you are. But money is not confined alone to measure wealth and success. Sure you can punch your neighbor in the face for taking that parking slot but it only leads to... yes, you guessed it right, more fighting. Sure you can give that "maangas" look and "mansindak" all you want, but it only is "JUST THAT" at the end of the day.

LOGIC should supersede anger. Hey, even the Bible says that. I know we're only humans, we are not perfect, we will always fall short. But our God is a loving god. It is working fine for me, to having to pray continually, and for sure will work for you too. Anger - and how you will respond to it will always be a matter of CHOICE. We may be having the worst day of our lives but ANGER won't make it any better. You may have been hurt so bad that you feel the need to take revenge, but ANGER will not turn back time. Are you having a difficult time dealing with your anger but is so sick and tired of it? Maybe it's time you focus more on God instead of your circumstances. Maybe it's time to look to Him for your troubles instead of dwelling too much negative, unproductive, angry thoughts. Now, it's time for you to make that choice.

Thank you, Jesus!!

Ok, this post is for someone who's very, very special in my life. In fact, He's what I'm here for! I'd like to say thank you - Jesus. We all wouldn't be here if you weren't born into this world and if you didn't die for our sins. It was the ultimate life-saver for us all. Imagine swimming in the fiery lakes of hell.. the thought just gives me the creeps. But PRAISE GOD. The world lives. We live. We breathe a breath of new fresh air everyday. All BECAUSE. It's funny how some people look at me as if I have a disease just because I'm a born-again Christian. What gives? Do we pray to a different GOD? At the end of the day, no matter which religion we belong to, God will not ask you, 'so which hood have you been at?' .. He will ask, 'did you believe and live for my son, Jesus Christ?'. If you love Jesus and believe that He died for your sins, start living a life of love and service to God. Live a lifestyle of worship. Love your neighbors. Bless your enemies. Enough with slander. Hey, I'm not perfect. No one is. Do you know that we are all works in progress? We are God's workmanship. He ain't done with any of us yet. What matters is we progress in our faith, in our walk and in our obedience in His Word.

Again, thank you Jesus for your unconditional love. I pray that everyone will realize the importance of what the hoola is all about this Christmas. I love you to bits! :-)

Your Best Life Now

I'm reading this book, "Your Best Life Now - 7 Steps to Living at Your Potential" by Joel Osteen - Lakewood Church's Senior Pastor, and oh I strongly recommend you to read it too! It got me glued after reading the first few pages on amazon.com. Praise God for technology, I immediately got myself an e-book copy and downloaded it right away. I'm not done reading the entire book yet but it has a handful of uplifting content that can boost your spirituality. Take seven healthy tips to take your family, relationships and career to greater heights!

Why should you read this book? If you've said any of these comments before ..... "I can't do it", "I wasn't born that way", "I'm not an eloquent speaker", "I just can't seem to get it right all the time", "I'm never going to achieve my goals", "Life sucks", "I'm no good, I'm never getting that promotion".. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? These are the very things that hinder our success. If you've been down and out for the last couple of months or years, and if you feel as if God doesn't care about you, think twice. Joel Osteen narrates verses and stories from the Bible and presents what God thinks about YOU and YOUR situation and how God is so excited to bless you!

Where to get your copy:

OMF Literature
Along Boni Ave. Tel. 531-0141
* stocks to arrive only on January or Feb. 2006.

Amazon.com
* takes about 2-3 weeks to ship to Manila; and this is direct to your local post office.

Mobipocket.com
* If you've got a PDA/Pocket PC, PDA phone or a device that supports Symbian 60, 80, UIQ Sony Ericsson P800 or P900 series, download the Mobipocket Reader for free and purchase the e-book online and install to your device.

Can't Wait for 2006!

Perhaps for the first time this holiday season, Oli, myself and the kids finally braved the gift-frenzy crowd and tried to shop for Christmas. We checked out Tiendesitas. Bought a few items each for ourselves and went around enjoying this morning's cool christmas breeze. Had lunch at Casita's and it was fun to exchange dreams with the kiddies. Tristan was aiming for 100 million bucks when he grows up while Tiff was okay with 70 million. They said they wanted to have money to be able to provide jobs to other people, and of course, to buy their dream cars. It was actually surprising for me and Oli to hear them "want" to bless other people. Wow, they understand the teach-a-man-to-fish concept. We decided to bump off to Eastwood as the kids were aching to buy themselves a toy. Praise God these little ones know how to work around the "allocated budget", we seldom get tantrums with the buy-me-that-now syndrome.

As the kids were shopping for their toys, Oli was drifting in his thoughts and blurted out that it was his plan last year to "shop until he drops" in Christmas 2005. Well, here we are, trying to work around a budget, and planning carefully what to spend for, Oli gave a sheepish smile, somehow a little disappointed, that he couldn't actually make his 2004 plan a reality. Just as I was about to respond, he immediately turned the other direction and said, 'well, God has pruned me quite a bit this year, and yes, 2006 will be THE year for us!'. Yeah!! That's the spirit. God has built up our faith so much in 2005 and we are sure of the things we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

You see, last year, if you were to see me, I was the type who'd always appear positive and show that can-do attitude with family and work. I was trying for myself to build an image of strength, hoping to encourage the people around me. It is true as the Word says, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. I was never really an encouragement (well, maybe a little..hehe). My heart was doubtful, unsure and was on a weak foundation. It wasn't any different from Oli as well. We shared the same sentiments. We thought that life was "just like that".. and whatever comes, comes.

God has done awesome and wonderful things for us this year and He was gracious and sweet to teach us to look at ourselves as the person He designed us to be. God sees us (and you!) as overcomers and victors. He did not plan for us to settle for mediocrity. God is a god of increase! He wants to see us ever increasing in all areas of our lives. 2005 was an icebreaker for Oli and myself - and this is the year we've come to realize that God wants to bless us... over and abundantly! 2005 is the year that God said, 'enough of those negative, weakling, i-dont-see-myself-successful thinking! It's time to get it on!!!' This is the year we've come to discover our God given talents and gifts. The year we've come across new God-fearing friends; the year of open doors and opportunities, and the list goes on. The good news is, it doesn't end here! It's going to be an exciting new year ahead!!!

Of course we couldn't just laze around and wait for blessings to come. It's not like it's going to rain peace, forgiveness, love, provisions in just one prayer. God has done and will do His part, but we will do OUR part as well! ...........So, 2006, here we come!!!