2.0.1.1

Sorry for not updating. The holidays was crazy and by the time i plan to blog I was yawning.. sleepy zzz.

This is just random, I'll try blog more about each one later.

1. Went to Singapore with DH and Kids, i didn't bring my reliable yaya this time to "check" if I'll be sane for 5 days and a "test" for the upcoming Sydney trip on April.. and yes! the kids are pretty much well behaved. Thank You Lord!!!

2. Been having Christmas parties, lunch & dinner here and there and as of today, my dress feel TIGHT and i wanted to panic!!! Not fair, sign of aging/slow metabolism.. sigh.. I need to work out twice as much to be able to burn the holiday food.

3. However as of point number 2, I reconnected with a couple of old friends from college and I'm soooo happy to see each one so settled & fulfilled. To good buddy CL, our Heavenly Father will watch over you :)

4. Spent December 25 with my parents, brother & his family and my family together in Singapore and had a wonderful Asian meal & mouth-watering Cereal Prawns!!

5. DH ate Laksa for 5 straight days! hahaha

6. Yesterday 1/2/11, one of the best Sunday worship message.. Pastor said: Your goal for 2011? is to Please God.
Then few minutes later after the service, I got a call & to cut the long story short, I had a very stressful situation that leaves my eyes extremely swollen like gold fish. I had never put so much ice in my eyes my entire life like last night.

7. Today 1/3/11, one of the hardest thing that I had to do.. and it was done. I have surrendered the situation to the Lord.

8. So after 2 straight days of stressful moments, I dropped by GAP SALE and came home pretty happy with a big stash of kid's clothing at a very good price.

9. God has been reminding me to "pay attention" to what is important..

10. This year, I'm claiming God's promises to 'not live' in fear and worry.. The enemy can shake me but I refuse to fall down because I'm anchored to my Maker!

Great is God's Love

Last Sunday during worship, Pastor Sarthou shared the testimony about "Brian Welch", co-founder of the band named "Korn". If you're a fan of heavy metal music, you must be aware that they are very famous! I'm not a fan, but i was intrigued. I really love to hear testimonies from famous people who have lots of money, fame and power.. but inside they are living in misery. I go-ogled it today and found this powerful video.. watch.. It really put tears in my eyes.



How great is His love? it passes all knowledge, No man’s comprehension, its measure can be; It filleth the world, yet each heart may contain it. - Annie Johnson Flint

Be Inspired!

I received this forwarded email from good friend and my kids Pediatrician Dr. JTS. I'm awed and inspired!

The Choice

by Max Lucado


IT’S QUIET. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.


In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.

For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary , I’m free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love . . .
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy . . .
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose peace . . .
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose patience . . .
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose kindness . . .
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose goodness . . .
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.

I choose faithfulness . . .
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My wife will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I choose gentleness . . .
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I choose self-control . . .
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace. And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

Travelog Day 6: Boston + New Haven + Inspired By Sarah + NYC

Anything in common between Presidents Bush and Clinton? Yale University at New Haven Connecticut must be one of the few items on the list. What a beautiful college town!

 The Yale University Dining Hall! It was pretty familiar, it looks like the hall in Harry Potter movie!

We're starving! We actually ate ALL of these...

After we finish stuffing ourself, MG and I went to ladies room and here we saw this.. the memorial stone (looks like Epitaph) of Sarah Edwards. Wife of the famous Reverend Jonathan Edwards. Before I proceed, Ladies.. can you please read what is written about her... and LEARN.



I heard about her many times mentioned as a woman of great faith during worship, but I was even more curious, why would her epitaph be in Yale? So i Googled her and this is my discovery..

SARAH EDWARDS (1710 - 1758)

By all accounts, Sarah Edwards, daughter of James Pierpont, one of the principal founders of Yale, was a deeply pious woman. In 1728, she married the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, who initiated the revival in Northampton, Massachusetts, which grew into the First Great Awakening. Mrs. Edwards’s own religious life was marked by the extreme fervor of the Awakening, which became a major movement in American religious history. (Source)

Sarah who would many times be locked in his study for many hours of the day, sometime not even coming for dinner. Sarah was responsible for the the care of 11 children, she was an overseer of all areas of caring for and managing their home. She was indeed the Proverbs 31 woman. I think in the age of self indulgence and a society who desires to seek what feels good in his own mind, I think the life of Sarah has much to teach us as we pursuit God and learn to be more like Him. (Source)

Wow. I was teary eyed. I want my epitaph to be written like that when God takes me home. "A sincere friend, a courteous and obliging neighbor, a judiciously indulgent Mother, An affectionate and prudent Wife, and a very eminent Christian" She died at 48 years old.

Our journey continues and we arrived NYC in the afternoon after the long bus ride.

 NYC Biggest Cemetery!

Arch connecting New Jersey to NYC

Our room in New Jersey

30+ Something Birthday

I interrupt my travelog to show you some pics of my birthday. The pics are all halo-halo from gifts & food & cards from family & friends.

The actual day is a Tuesday. Treat from DH- Emperor Chinese Food in Mall of Asia. Just us and the kids.

My D12 ladies with husbands prepared a Nigella inspired dinner at BN & SN lovely house. Everyone brought Asian dishes (mostly Thai)

 I made this! Indonesian Chicken Curry

Had such a lovely evening! I Thank God for the gift of friendship! Some of the nice gifts I got, both functional & practical! Love them all. I forgot to take the picture of a pair of hot pants from GT!

 

Portable oven from DH, exactly what i needed.

!

Beautiful bib-neckpiece from SN. neckpiece made by Nicole Wisenhunt

Of course the most special to my heart are letters from my kids !

Lord Heavenly Father,

I thank you for all the years of staying by my side thru good and bad, giving me good health, a nice fun job & career, having a wonderful family & true friends. What more can I ask? I will not lie to you and never will because I'm asking more.... I'm asking more time with my husband, my kids, grow old with them, see my children grow to become man & woman after Your heart, grow in wisdom and excellent character. I want to see success in my children the way You define 'success'. More time & opportunity to share your love to other people. More time to travel with my husband & children. More time with my own parents (they are not getting younger). And lastly, I want to grow more in love with You, be faithful & obedient to you, for the rest of my life...

Your Child.

Blessing

Today my Dear Son graduated from Kinder 2. This June he will be entering Grade 1.

DH, myself and my in-laws all went to his graduation. I don't know what to feel, 6 years ago he's just a baby in my arms. I remember during those sleepless nights that I had to wake up and pump milk and pondering how I wanted him to grow up faster! Now I don't want my kids to grow up 'that' fast!

He received his diploma and got awarded with 2 medals. I never imagined that he would excel in academics, not because I don't think he will, but I just want him to enjoy school. I don't force him to study but I train him to be responsible. He can play all he wants after doing his homework. DS is a reader so I'm not worried about his comprehension. My yaya is his tutor in all English and Filipino subjects! Yes I have a Yaya who's a high school grad and a scholar from her province in Ormoc! I know, she's a blessing.  I tutor him in Chinese subjects. I was floored to received the phone call from his teacher a week ago and congratulating me because DS was 1st honor in English and 2nd honor in Chinese. Yaya definitely will be rewarded as well. LOL!! My in-laws are beaming with pride :)

I'm so thankful to God, having my kids being obedient and gifted are blessings that money cannot buy.

Thank You Jesus, for blessings that exceeds my expectation. May my family continue to bring honor and glory to You for the rest of our lives.

Psalm 37

For the past few months, my heart is troubled by some decisions that I have to make.. Give it up or what? It's been hard. I am waiting for the Lord. I admit many times I "fret". God just kept pulling me back and reminding me have His perspective.

I'm reading the book called "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Amazing book. These are my highlights for today from Chapter 10.

God's Word is sufficient to lead me, teach me and heal me. His WORD is alive and powerful; it is medicine for troubled hearts and peace for plagues minds. 


God CAN be TRUSTED. From time to time I have to remind myself, God has never once let me down-and He's not going to start now.

Psalm 37

 Do not fret because of evil men
       or be envious of those who do wrong;  
for like the grass they will soon wither,
       like green plants they will soon die away.  

Trust in the LORD and do good;
       dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  
Delight yourself in the LORD
       and he will give you the desires of your heart. 
Commit your way to the LORD;
       trust in him and he will do this: 
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
       the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
       do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
       when they carry out their wicked schemes.  
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
       do not fret—it leads only to evil.  
For evil men will be cut off,
       but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.  
A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
       though you look for them, they will not be found.  
But the meek will inherit the land
       and enjoy great peace.