A Lesson in Humility and Obedience

God has demonstrated the wonder of His power in the past and He will do so again in our days. All He is looking for to do this is a people who are obedient to His word and humble of heart. He does not want us to take the glory for His work as He knows this will lead to our — not His — destruction. Humility and obedience often go together and are essential components of any work of God. Let us seek to develop them so that we will see God work His will in and through our lives and our community of faith.

Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (3)

R: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
1 When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. (R) Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” 3 The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed. (R) 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. 5 Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. (R) 6 Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves. (R)

My weekly time with God

SABBATH PAUSE

My weekly time with God

THANK YOU LIST

Things to be grateful for from the past week

Lord, I am grateful for the gifts of life, love, my family and friends, and for your unwavering love and support for me.

No matter how far I have strayed, you are always there, guiding me, giving me comfort, sending your special instruments into my life. Even in the midst of my trials and confusion, no matter how dark things may seem, you are always there to shine your light for me. This Lenten season, I offer you my undying gratitude Lord Jesus for coming her to save us, to save me, sinner that I am. Thank you Lord Jesus for all your blessings and for guiding me every single step of the way. Thank you for giving me glimpses of heaven in the lives of saints, especially in the life of your earthly father, St. Joseph. Thank you for giving us your Blessed Mother, to become our Blessed Mother. I thank you everyday for sending Mama Mary to be our light in this big old world, where things aren't always how we want them to be. Thank you for the stars and the moon, the sun that always shines every single day, for the people around me who continue to inspire me to be better, to do better, for the birds and the bees, well, I'm glad that bee didn't sting us this morning. Thank you for being the light at the end of our dark tunnel, for changing missed chances into opportunities, for showing me that love is all around, if I only take the time to stop and see the beauty of nature, all of your creation. I praise you Jesus for always being there for me, for my family, for my friends. Thank you so much Lord Jesus!

SPECIAL NEEDS

Things to ask God for in the coming week

 As another week begins, Lord Jesus, I pray for guidance and direction, for courage and protection, for love to reign in the hearts of all men and women, for strength to live out our faith in you, for hope to never fade, for joy and good cheer to spread all around us, for the enlightenment, discernment and wisdom so that we can make the right choices, for happiness to abound in every family, for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to work in each one of us, believers and non-believers alike, may you continue to use me to build your Kingdom here on earth. Lord Jesus, I pray that every single one of my spiritual blocks be revealed so that I may renounce them all and serve you fully in spirit, mind, body and soul, I offer everything in Your service Lord Jesus. Please show me the way to be a better servant Lord. This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

HIDDEN TREASURE

Most important word God told me this week

Two things come to mind -- humility and obedience. Lord, please guide my steps so that I may not falter and I may continue to live out my life in pattern with yours -- with utter humility and total obedience. Thank you Jesus! I love you Jesus! Amen.

A Lesson in Humility and Obedience

God has demonstrated the wonder of His power in the past and He will do so again in our days. All He is looking for to do this is a people who are obedient to His word and humble of heart. He does not want us to take the glory for His work as He knows this will lead to our — not His — destruction. Humility and obedience often go together and are essential components of any work of God. Let us seek to develop them so that we will see God work His will in and through our lives and our community of faith.

Psalm 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6 (3)

R: The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

1 When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion, we were like men dreaming. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with rejoicing. (R) Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” 3 The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad indeed. (R) 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the torrents in the southern desert. 5 Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing. (R) 6 Although they go forth weeping, carrying the seed to be sown, they shall come back rejoicing, carrying their sheaves. (R)

Thank You Lord Jesus!

Ok. So I'm still sick and feeling quite blue today. Bad and very dry cough, headache's getting better, cold is almost gone so yay! Praise the Lord! Been crying out Jesus' name all day, my family must think I've gone bonkers or something but hey, twas worth it. I'm so glad things are settling down a bit. My first day at my new full-time job was quite a success, even though I must've had the flu yesterday. Today was even better coz we got to work on our own and dig into google for research. Not really nerve-wracking, just a bit overwhelming as we had to go through a truckload of information. No complaints here, just reviewing the past couple of days.

I have a whole lot to be grateful for today but I'll try to squeeze it into a few paragraphs coz I still need to rest. I need to take some time out to thank Jesus for guiding me today.

First, I am grateful for the gifts of life and love, family and friends, most of all for God's immeasurable love for all of us. Life's a rollercoaster and sometimes the lows can get me down but I'm not giving up! The highs are worth it so it's only right to give thanks and praise where they are due. Thank you Jesus! Praise you Jesus!

Second, I thank God for curing some of my ailments. It's not easy working while you're under the weather but I'm grateful cuz at least my runny nose is dry now and even though the cough and headache are still there, praise Jesus for giving me kind mentors and co-workers. So this is a double thank you -- for the healing and for the nice people who I've been working with all day. Thank you God for the early break too! :)

Third, I am thankful for the messages from friends and for the daily Gospel which brightens my day. I read it a bit too late but still applicable. I am also grateful for the chance to relax after work and have a snack that's filling and tasty. And I am grateful for everything else in between.

Yes, the confusion remains (along with the cough and headache) but I'm sure that tomorrow will dawn bright and beautiful. Way sapot ron so yehey! Hihihi. Thank You Jesus! Praise You Jesus! Amen.

Thank You Lord Jesus!

This is going to be short cuz honestly, I'm kind of feeling under the weather right now. Migraine, cold, cough, sore throat, my body is trying to tell me something... slow down, I guess. Must be stress-related or something. Sigh!

Oh well, now that I'm done complaining, I'm determined to jot down the heaven-sent gifts for which I am truly grateful.

First, just reading my blog post from yesterday, I am reminded of God's indescribable love! No matter how down and out or out of sorts I feel today, I know that God is still there all around me. That alone is worthy of a whole page but since I'm sick and all, please pardon me if I stick to just a few sentences.

Second, I am grateful for yet another day added to my life and my loved ones' life as well. I'd like to insert a small prayer too. Lord Jesus, please guide my Uncle's journey. May he travel in still waters and come home happy and may his trip be safe all the way.

Third, I am grateful for new opportunities and yet another chance to challenge myself and the gifts God has given me. Honestly, I am quite aware that this was not his plan for me originally and I know that my disobedience has a price that's why I'm going to stop complaining about my ailments. God will heal me, and that is enough for me.

Fourth, I am thankful for all the gifts God has showered me. I know I am blessed and this sadness is passing. I believe that God has a great plan for me so no matter what happens, I am secure in the knowledge that I have already surrendered to Jesus and will do so every single day of my life. Yet another prayer... Lord Jesus, I am ready to deny myself and take up my cross. I will follow you Lord Jesus, my God, my Savior, and nothing will ever change that. Thank you Lord Jesus for your love and your guidance. I know you are with me every single day and I will worship you every single day of my life. I love you Lord Jesus. Thank you Jesus! Amen.

Fifth, thank you Lord Jesus for surrounding me with loving family and loyal friends who have stood by me in spite of everything that has happened. I am forever grateful. Praise you Jesus! Thank you Jesus! Amen.

Thank You God!

It’s been a while since I wrote down the things I’m grateful for; this should’ve been a daily habit that’s why I’m still berating myself but hey, there’s no use crying over spilt milk. Life goes on and so does this journal. I have a lot to be thankful for, God has blessed me with so much, it's surprising why I mope around sometimes.

I am grateful for:

• The gifts of life and love, loving family and friends.

• The gifts of faith, hope and most important of all, love.

• The gifts of the Holy Spirit and the inspiration that comes with it.

• The gifts of wisdom, enlightenment and discernment.

• The gifts that come from a good confession, as well as the trials that may follow. It may be a contradiction of sorts but after reading today’s Gospel and reflection, I realize that temptations and trials are part of life.

To quote today’s Gospel reflection, “The publishers of the New American Bible put as title above the first part of the Letter of James, ‘The Value of Trials and Temptation.’ Yes, you have read correctly: the value of temptation, it says. Temptations are valuable and important. They are tests that will show whether we love God, whether we are able to show our love by loving obedience. They come, especially when you least expect them to come.”

Wow! Such an amazing and eye-opening revelation! I thought that after a good confession, life would be peaceful. Oh how wrong I was. True, my confession was sincere and heartfelt but I guess dealing with your past and accepting it isn’t as easy as I thought. I guess the key is to lift everything to Jesus and allow Him to work wonders from within. The silver lining is His constant presence. That’s the best part about wanting to grow closer to God… He responds in the same way. The most inspiring part about this experience is that not only does God respond He also sends His instruments to help us along the way! And for that, I am forever grateful.

• The gifts of second chances, reconciliation, new opportunities, blessings old and new.

• The light at the end of dark tunnels, the flickering embers of love that never dies out, the flickering light of guidance and the bright light that always replaces the darkness that threatens to engulf us sometimes.

• Most important of all, I am grateful for God’s unwavering presence in my life and for our Blessed Mother’s constant love and support. Believe it or not, her presence was tangible last Friday after mass. My aunt and charismatic sisters and I were engulfed in such fragrance that all I could say was, “whose perfume is that?” and my sister replied, “That’s the blessed virgin! She is always with us.” Honestly, that nearly brought tears to my eyes. I can’t believe that Mama Mary would still accept me, sinner that I am. I guess it was her way of saying that now that I am finally ready to accept and carry my cross she will be with me all the way. I guess it’s just my pride and anger that stand in the way of true joy and peace of mind. All I know is, that night, I felt God’s embrace; and in the midst of the tears and doubts and the fact that I give in to some residual anger sometimes; it is of great comfort to know that God loves me in spite of my weaknesses and sinful nature. And so I am happy and at peace. Hopefully, as I gain spiritual maturity, this journal will grow too.

There's so much to be thankful for so I'm hoping that each day I will get the chance to tend to this journal and watch how God's love is helping me grow in every aspect of life. Thank you Jesus, for every single blessing!

My Thank You God List for Today

I am grateful for:

God's gift of life and love, family and friends, good cheer, joy and happiness.

The gift of another beautiful day added to my life.

The gift of healing, enlightenment and peace of mind... plus a good night's sleep.

God's instruments constantly working in my life--bringing hope, strengthening faith and spreading love to me and through me.

The opportunity to learn new things, gain new insights, practice what I've learned and learn how to redirect my actions in service of God's ministry.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom to use them for service. This is a constantly evolving process so I'm curious, nervous yet excited at the same time. It's such a great feeling knowing that little by little God's plans for me are being revealed. Lord, as I continue to pray for guidance, wisdom, enlightenment and discernment, through the power of the Holy Spirit, please continue to mold me and use me in service of your ministry. I pray for healing for my family and others who need it most. Please touch and heal us Lord, this I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

My "Thank You God" List for Thursday, 1/21/10

I am grateful for:

1. The gifts of life and love, loving family and loyal friends.
Thank you Lord for adding one more day to my life and blessing me with great family and friends, new acquaintances and for simply loving me unconditionally.

2. The gifts of guidance, enlightenment and discernment.
Thank you Lord for showing me the way and helping me out amidst all of my struggles and for sending your instruments to guide me along the way.

3. The gifts of hope, second chances and the chance to build bridges.
Thank you Lord for being the light at the end of my tunnel, for granting new opportunities and giving me a new job, finally!

Praise you Lord Jesus! Thank you for overlooking my mistakes and sins and giving me yet another chance. I am humbled and ecstatic at the same time. Yay! Thank you Lord! Your love is awesome! You are awesome! I love you Lord!

My "Thank You God" List for Tuesday, 1/5/10

After yesterday's slump, today is such a wonderful (and welcome) surprise! So many opportunities have come up and I'm on a natural high. Yep, it's that time of the day again. Time to thank God for all the blessings he has showered upon me. :)

I am grateful for:

1. The gift of life, love, family and friends. I am especially thankful for God's never-ending guidance, which has led me to new doors that He has opened for me. I love my life! :)

2. New opportunities and second chances. Truly, I am amazed at God's boundless love for us. I know some people may get tired of hearing this but everyday is a new beginning for me. Yesterday I was so down cuz I had to turn down a job offer from a very close friend. It was heart-wrenching for me to say no because aside from the fact that I am such a people-pleaser, this was kinda my fault cuz I wasn't up front about my hesitation over the long hours. I felt really bad and it was such an unexpected downturn that I was really so melodramatic about it. Long story short, I woke up to a welcome call from a former employer asking me if I was interested in taking on a new client. Praise the Lord for such fantastic news! :)

3. Tonight's get-together with my oldest friends from grade school, my closest friends, my berkz, my peepz... well, you get the picture. Round two this time! Wheee! Can't wait! Updates and pix tomorrow. Mere words cannot express how much I love these peepz. I'm amazed cuz they've stayed with me through thick and thin, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health... and we're not even married. lolz. Thank you, Lord for giving me such wonderful friends. May we continue to be blessed with many years of good health, good cheer and clean fun. Wait, the last part may be stretching it. Fortune na lang akong iilis peepz ha? :)

And so that caps my list for the day. I'm keeping it to 3 for now, just to keep things interesting cuz I tend to ramble. lolz. Cheers everyone! God bless you all! :)

My "Thank You God" List for Saturday, 1/2/10

Now that 2010 is officially underway, I've got so much to be thankful for that I simply don't have enough time to write everything down. So from now on, I'll limit them to 3 things.

I am grateful for:

1. The gift of life. New year, new life. Lots to be excited about.

2. The chance to go back to a former employer (or two, God willing). I won't say which one(s), since everything's still up in the air. Needless to say, I'm gonna have to make the tough decision -- office or home-based work. Tough decision, cuz I like working at home but I also miss working in an office environment. I am grateful for every opportunity that God has sent my way but heaven help me, making this choice is going to be sooo difficult. Wish me luck?

3. The gift of forgiveness and second chances. This one's a no-brainer. I know how tough it is for us to forgive each other for offenses real and imaginary. One thing that amazes me though, is God's boundless love for all of His creation. I'm amazed that He finds it so easy to forgive us, no matter how many times we have sinned. I am both humbled and awed by His patience and unwavering faith in all of us. I mean, it's a bit ironic that in spite of our lack of faith, sometimes, God never lets go of us.

And so, I will end today's list with a short prayer. Thank you, Lord, for loving us unconditionally and for making the ultimate sacrifice. I pray that this year would bring us love, peace, joy, hope, and faith. I pray that the gifts of reconciliation, kindness and gentleness will rule in our hearts. I pray that broken relationships will be healed and that love will reign all over the world, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit remain in our hearts. This I ask in Jesus' name. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

My "Thank You God" List for New Year's Eve 2010

Advance na lang ni kay I can't wait til midnight. Sooo sleepy na me. (Yeah, right! Eat pa me spaghetti. Mi favorito! hehe.)

I am grateful for 3 major things:

1. The gift of life -- here on earth and the one that awaits us in heaven -- life everlasting. Thank you, Jesus for coming here on earth, becoming one of us, suffering the indescribable agony on your cross, our cross, and saving all of us from the slavery of sin. I praise you Lord Jesus, now and forever. Thank you, Lord. Your love truly is incomparable. I am utterly humbled by your love for all of us, sinners that we are.

2. The gift of love -- from God, from my family and friends. Thank you everyone, for making 2009 memorable for me. May God continue to shower all of us with blessings, good health, good cheer and endless love, peace, joy and happiness all throughout the coming year. Peace be with all of you!

3. The gift of yet another year -- hope I make it til the end of 2010. Hey, only God knows what's in store for me, for all of us so cheers to everyone! Have a blast tonight but please, please be safe. No firecrackers, I hope. Basta, be safe lang jud. Much love to you all! Hugs and kisses! Happy new year! La buona fortuna! (Hope I got that right. In any case, good luck, everybody!) Praise the Lord for another year! I can't wait to unravel what He has in store for me. Yipee! Nyt nyt Peepz! See you next year! And the countdown begins. Mana daw ang new year sa New Zealand, ingon c Marjo. Hahaha. Ka late pud nato oi. :)

My "Thank You God" List for Saturday, 12/26/09

I know. I wasn't able to make my usual list for Christmas day. Sorry, I got too caught up in my blog about Father Bob's sermon that I was too tired to write anymore after that. In short, tingbon lang nako karon. hehe.

I am grateful for:

1. The birth of our Lord and Savior. Thank you, Lord Jesus for saving poor wretched sinners like us (hmmm... too much ra pud ang wretched no?). I am forever grateful for the gift of salvation and life everlasting. Thank you, Lord!

2. The chance to spend quality time with my half-brother and cousin. Thanks, Vin and Don! I had a blast! Even though nag cramps jud ko from all the walking we did... sakit from feet to upper thigh. But what the heck, these muscles need to adjust kay I intend to start walking again, bahala na maabot na pud ko ug airport ani walking. hehehe. I sorely need the exercise so Evz! :P

3. Hanging out at the mall with my best cuz, Donna (and almost running into her old karela. wahahaha. now that would've been one very awkward moment!), and then eating Mais and sharing a 500ml-bottle coke on the way home. Mas lami pa kaysa mga fastfood sa Gai Mac. As in! :)

4. Coming across some of my old write-ups during our local general cleaning. Forward mags, natch! As in napa ako pic didto nga naghiyong ang mata pag first year! Tawn pud oi. hehehe. Nice man diay mi mo write even back then. Char! Self-promotion ayo. I'm thinking of bringing these mags gai to our reunion tomorrow though not sure pa ko if katunga ko kay sunod2x jud ako laag ron ay. Medyo kutas pa... yeah right! Ako? Kutasan laag? Now that will be the day!

5. The prospect of seeing some of my oldest writing pals from college. Forward Fipol reunion tomorrow -- for those who have not received the memo from our ever responsible organizer, Belle. Now this, I have to attend! Wish me luck, peepz! Cuz I need to convince the fam to let me go pa. Kinda feeling Britney, er, "overprotected" here...

6. The promise of yet another warak, este, kodak moments come Tuesday with K2y and the gang. Looking forward to that jud! Bahala d ko sugtan ana, moipsot jud ko. Ing ana ta mo ka love Noemz. (Diay to, ikaw na pud ako alibi Noemz. hala ka! hahaha. peace wui!)

7. Hearing about Marvin's call center antics. I never realized lingaw man diay ang call center jobs, irate callers and all. Thanks for the advice pud, bro! Will chill re the job thingy. I know God has a plan for me so I'll wait for His go-signal. Kay I wanna be in for keeps this time. Lord, your will be done! My calendar is yours, iuli na pud nako Lord, kay You're much better at planning my life than I ever will be. I surrender my occupation na pud this time. Thank you, God!

8. I am grateful for all the laags pud this month, and all the laags that are still coming up. Can't wait, y'all! Looking forward to more chika, sungog and perhaps harassment suits? aw unsa ba? wahahaha.

Seriously though, I have a lot to be grateful for this month alone. I'm sooo psyched I embarked on this journey of documenting my gratitude on a daily basis. Gives me something to look forward to each day and maybe something to look back on in the near future? When I'm old and gray, I hope my blogs will still be around cuz I sure would love to reminisce about the things I have been grateful for. I bet magbalik balik ra jud ni ba. Life, love, good friends and loving family. Ah, God truly is good! Thank you, Lord Jesus! Happy birthday again! :)

My "Thank You God" List for Christmas Eve 2009

I have so much to be thankful for, not just for this day, but every single day that I've been blessed with in my oh-so-dramatic life. In the spirit of Christmas, I would like to focus on one thing, just one single blessing that I am and always will be grateful for.

Thank you, God, for:

1. The gift of unconditional LOVE.

Thank you Lord, for loving me and the rest of us sinners in the most precious, amazing, unconditional way. And thank you for giving me such a wonderful family and fabulous friends. My cup is overflowing, Lord. Truly, I am blessed. I love you, Lord Jesus! Happy Birthday! Mille Grazie!

Buon Natale peepz! :)

My "Thank You God" List for Wednesday, 12/23/09

Sorry for the major delay. Would you believe I slept for almost 12 hours last night? Or should I say early this morning? Hehehe. After painting the town bright red with my favorite bunch of friends, I got home at 1am, slept past 2:30am after the inevitable txt barrage, woke up past 2pm, stretched until almost 3pm and woke up just in time for the 3 o'clock prayer. Well, I must admit, it's way different than my normal routine but I simply could not care less. I had a blast! So much fun, in fact, that I can't wait for the next "warak" (I'm beginning to love that word! lol).

So here's my list for today, albeit a bit late.

I am grateful for:

1. The gift of life, love, laughter, great friends, good cheer, and a very understanding and supportive family.

2. My 3 helpings of Gelatissimo last night, c/o our balikbayan bff, k2y. Boy, those calories were worth the intake. I had two chocolate macadamia and one chocolate biscuit. Hey, I still believe in the ice cream diet, can you blame me? Hihihi. All I can say is (other than mille grazie, k2y!) is oh my ice cream, how I love you! :P

3. That chat-filled taxicab ride from SM to Ayala. Who cares about traffic when you've got friends who won't stop gabbing, right?

4. Roaming through all the Ayala terraces restos for the best dinner place (free, thanks again k2y!) and finally settling down at Cafe Laguna. Hey, I forgot La Tegola was in Ayala too so forgive me for not taking everyone directly to my all-time favorite resto!

5. The mouth-watering staples of Cafe Laguna -- Lechon Kawali, Dinuguan, Pancit Canton, Tanguige and their oh-so-yummy shakes and juices. Free plugging na pud! Pastilan!

6. The inevitable banter that led to me being labeled as "Lady-boy" which, according to them, is what they call transsexuals in Thailand. You know, those who have had their breast implants inserted and their adam's apple taken out. You won't believe how many times our waiter left us giggling like a schoolgirl because k2y won't stop telling him I'm a guy? Man, that was sooo embarrassing yet sooo much fun at the same time! Me, a "Lady-boy", who would've thought? Oh well, my attitude was, grin and bear it. I almost went into the men's room even... nah, that's stretching the truth. I could never get away with that, even after a dare. lol.

7. Heading over to Starbucks after meeting Amy and polishing off two different cheesecakes (with their help, of course), my all-time passion, blueberry cheesecake and another one with choco on top. Amy won't tell us what that cake was called, sorry peepz. You have to ask the Starbucks peepz or else take me with you to identify the perp, er, the cake. :P

8. (Over)Staying at Starbucks (we left at 1am), talking, exchanging personal and work-related fiascos, chatting up a storm and laughing the whole time. I'm still reeling from all the sugar, let alone the laughter but I can't help but say this -- kulang pa!!! Rematch! Rather, take two please! Can't wait to meet up with Irene, Noeme, Amy and our resident balikbayan (from oz, natch!) k2y! Sa uulitin peepz ha? Dapat may part 2 jud kay we've got sooo much ground to cover.

9. The feeling of peace and contentment that comes from knowing that no matter where each one of us will end up, even as a "Lady-boy" (hahaha), we would still be the best of friends. Nothing beats grade school friendship, we may still be sip-onon until now but that's not the only thing that remains the same. The bond is still strong, stronger now, even, and for that, I am sooo grateful! Thank you, God for giving me friends like these -- fiercely loyal and protective, kind-hearted, sooo much fun to be with and way libug! As in!

10. Going to bed in the wee hours with a huge smile on my face and Alicia Keys' "The Element of Freedom" in the background. Nothing beats a fabulous night out on the town with good ole friends. I can't believe I'm still on a natural high until now. That's how fantastic these people are. I love you all, you know that right? See you soon, after Christmas, I hope. We've got lots of ground to cover and even more waiters and people to harrass. Hehehe.

And so, this list is obviously centered around my friends. I am forever grateful that God has showered us with so much blessings and yet He still gives us the chance to get together, even though it's not that often, to share these blessings with each other. Peepz, your mere presence is a blessing, so mille grazie, I, Noemz, My, and K2y! I mean it! Praise the Lord for giving me berkz like you. God bless you all and Merry Christmas!

My "Thank You God" List for Tuesday, 12/22/09

This is gonna be short cuz I'm all out of time. Mag "warak" pa daw mi according to my balikbayan berk. Hehe.

I am grateful for:

1. The gift of life, love, good friends, and a loving family.

2. The chance to reconnect with old friends.

3. New opportunities for growth, both personal and professional.

4. Ice cream again tonight! Free pa jud! Wheee! Gelatissimo, here we come! Hehehe. Shameless plugging na pud da. :P

5. The gift of forgiveness. Nothing can beat a conscience bereft of guilt. Praise the Lord!

Maybe one more?

6. Tita Julie's (now) infamous Leche Flan, which I heard she is giving to me as a Christmas present. Yipee! Many thanks, Julz and Yan. See you both soon, I hope!

And to everyone, much love, blessings and happiness this Christmas season and in 2010 as well! Luv y'all! Hope you have a blast! Just remember to be safe, always. Buon natale! :)

My "Thank You God" List for Monday, 12/21/09

This time I'm including stuff that went on last night. Here goes:

1. The gift of life and love and family and good friends.

2. Catching up with one of my closest friends last night. Thanks, Noemz! I'm amazed la ka na bored sa atong chika. Mora ako ra man to cge tabi. No wonder grabe kalabad ako ulo. Hahaha. Although, it might have been the ice cream no? Choco overload 2 days in a row. Waaah! I'm officially an ice cream addict. Saonz. Dating gawi na pud? Hay. I had a blast though. Sooo much fun jud. Can't wait for part 2 with the rest of the gang (including our mysterious balikbayan? hehehe).

3. Small miracles. Like getting ahead of everyone else (about 10 people) in the vhire line to Opon just cuz I'm riding all by my lonesome and everyone else had companions. Only one seat was left you see. The driver even scolded me cuz I skipped the line but the passengers ahead of me were so nice to point out that only one seat was left. Ah, the perks of being single and free! Hehehe. Nice people, those passengers. Mr. driver was a bit mean but hey, I'm letting that go.

4. Second small miracle? Reaching church in the span of 30 minutes! Just in time to reach the final mass for the night. I arrived there at exactly 8pm, just in time for the priest, et. al. to reach the altar. Was already in the front seat when the mass officially began. Praise the Lord! I even got to help out with the projector. Seems there was a slight problem and the guy in charge had to go out for help. Unfortunately, he didn't come back after mass had started so I had to wing it. Thank you Holy Spirit for the guidance. Wasn't able to do much about some of the songs though. Not familiar with the new ones, didn't know where to find them. Oh well, charged to experience.

5. Third small miracle? Lola was in the mood to help me pray our 2 novenas for the week even after spending over an hour in church. Amazing, my nana. I don't know where she gets her "power" but I'm glad we were still able to say the novenas together after such a long day.

6. Yet another good night's sleep. Third night in a row! Yay! Thank you God!

7. Finding everyone in a good mood when I woke up this morning. Now that is such a rare occurrence that I'm sooo grateful. Lunch time with the fam! More stuff for the list later on, I'm sure. Laterz peepz!

My "Thank You God" List for the day...

Before I dive into my list for the day, I just wanted to share something amazing that happened last night when I resumed my "Miracle Hour" prayer. While I was on Scripture readings, the instruction is the same as always... ask for the help of the Holy Spirit and then open your Holy Bible to some random page and then look for a word that "leaps" out of the page and then ask the Holy Spirit what He wants to teach you through that word.

Imagine my surprise and immense glee upon opening my Christian Community Bible last night and reading the word "heaven" upon first glance. I was so moved, I immediately closed my Bible and my eyes and waited for the Lord to speak.

I know some people may find this "corny" but here's what God told me last night: "The gifts of heaven are yours, My child, if you choose to accept it." And accept it, I did. No way I'm turning that offer down, even if it means I have to take up my cross and carry it from that moment on. They say we have little crosses too, and I am so inspired these days that I don't even see them as little crosses anymore. I see them as little opportunities to turn crosses into blessings!

Amazing doesn't even begin to describe how I felt. The Lord had other instructions for me but I'm keeping that to myself for now. Some of them are a bit personal, others relate to my family.

Upon the Holy Spirit's urging, I skipped the Intercessions and Petitions part and immediately began my Thanksgiving prayer. After that, I turned off the lights, immediately dozed off, slept like a baby and woke up with praise on my mind and on my lips. This is such a miraculous experience that I just had to write about it. Imagine getting that message from the Lord! I have no idea why or how that happened but it's truly life changing. It has totally altered my outlook on life. No way am I giving despair any room from now on!

I am still on a natural high right now so you'll have to forgive my enthusiasm. Anyway, with this miraculous experience as my jump off point, I'm officially counting my blessings for the day.

Here it goes:

1. The gift of life and love. Such an amazing package, if you ask me. No other present could ever match God's gift to all of us. All I can say is, thank you Lord!

2. The gift of inspiration that did not dissipate even after a good night's sleep. In fact, it's building up to something entirely hard to keep to myself. Amazing!

3. I just have to mention getting a good night's sleep on today's list. Even after the 2 glasses of coke and yesterday afternoon's mocha (a.k.a. coffee) chocolate ice indulgence, I can't believe I had no trouble catching those oh so elusive ZZZ's. I guess peace of mind is one powerful weapon against troubled sleep huh?

4. The chance to meet up with one of my closest friends later this afternoon. It's been a while since I've seen her so this is gonna be a chika-fest. Can't wait!

5. Last night's miraculous encounter with the Lord. This is just such good news that it deserves a spot on today's list. And I choose to add it under my favorite number. Now you know, 5 it is.

6. So many opportunities, I've literally lost count. For this one, I am still reeling. God truly is great! He knows what we need even before we ask for it. I don't want to brag so I won't mention all of the job opportunities that God has sent my way. I simply want to thank Him for showering me with so many blessings during Advent, for that matter. He truly knows how to lift and heal a broken spirit. Goodbye despair, hello bright future! Thank you Lord!

7. The chance to spend lunch time with my Grandma. That's why I have to say bye for now. Need to have some quality time with my "Nana." God is good. He loves you and me. Time to spread the good news! Catch up with y'all later. Might be another list later tonight, who knows? Until then, have a blessed Sunday everyone! May God be with you! :)

My "Thank You God" List for the day...

Wow! Now I have a total of 10 things to be grateful for. The list is growing peepz! Yay!

So here are my 10 things to be grateful for today a.k.a. my "Thank You God" List:

1. The gift of life. (natch!) Told ya this was gonna be a staple. :)

2. A good night's sleep. (Finally!) After days of too much work and stressing over it, I finally woke up at past 10am today feeling refreshed and ready for anything! Waking up past 10am is simply glorious! Everyone should try it. lol

3. Starting off the day with the first 7 parts of my "Miracle Hour" prayer book. Just a few more pages to go and I will have completed the whole hour today. Can't wait to resume. Hope to "hear from you" Lord! Love you, always!

4. Getting the go signal to work wherever I want from someone who matters. (Yay me!) Amazing! Thank you Lord!

5. Losing 2 more kilos in less than a month (without a proper exercise regimen!), just found out today. That's 2x2.2 to convert into pounds so yay! Note to self: gotta get more cardio workout (walking, of course) into my daily routine. Need to get over my phobia of Tamiya (Basak) and Marina Mall (Save More). Z, you know the reason for this phobia so keep mum or else! Hihihi.

6. Sharing a single lasagna with my aunt without craving more food. Guess this means my carb and junk food craze is officially over. Sooo glad to get over that phase. Healthy me, here I come! Glad to be back on the healthy living bandwagon. I have no idea why I left it in the first place. Hmmmm...

7. This one is really special (less so compared with my Miracle Hour experience but you get my drift)... The Gelatissimo "Christmas of Chocolate" (free plugging pa yan ha! hmph!) Thumbs up for their "Chocolate Macadamia" and "Mocha Nut Crunch" ice cream flavors. Didn't even hurt that it cost me Php150.00 for the two flavors combined. Sinfully delish! I was happy and content, that is, until I remembered that mocha=coffe! There goes the perfect choco ice cream combo! Huhuhu. I just hope i get some sleep tonight after having coke for lunch and mocha near dinner time. Hehehe. Guess it'll be chocolate macadamia only from now on... until I find another flava to replace the mocha a.k.a. coffee flavored one. Oh well, still yum!

8. Getting the next vhire ride while the others had to wait for several more minutes. Thank you Lord! God is good jud oi! Hay! Plus, the added bonus of "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" blasting through my cellphone headset during the whole ride home. Nice, my regular Mimi fix.

9. Getting home in one piece to find my Uncle Buddy home from his cargo ship looking in tip-top shape with such a flattering haircut.

10. Dinner and videoke with my family. Now this is what I call a perfect end to a wonderful day. Had a blast! Thank you God! As in! My cup is overflowing! Ciao for now. Hope I don't lose my voice though. Hahaha. Z, practice na pud ko for our new year's party, this time. Bantay lang jud mo. :P

My "Thank You God" List (the second one for today!)

Here we go again! When inspiration strikes, it doesn't stop until you've written everything down, or fallen asleep trying. Hehehe. Seriously though, I have 5 more things to be thankful for today, or should I say tonight?

1. The chance to attend simbang gabi. I love our local church's idea to hold 8pm masses every night in addition to the early morning (or dawn?) masses. It's just as solemn, without having to face the hordes of people who (I heard) reach our city plaza due to their sheer number each day. Plus, I like walking to church at night. It's like going to our monthly healing mass, only better... cuz we get to do it everyday. And oh, I love the fact that different choirs sponsor the mass each night--different sets of songs every night. Gotta love the variety that offers... I know I do!
2. The opportunity to help a stranger (an old man and his family) carry their Christmas gifts from one of our local church's volunteer gift-givers. He was clearly carrying a burden (the basket was laden with gifts so I'm not surprised manoy was willing to lug it around) and, well, softie for old people that I am, I just had to help. Nothing beats helping people in need, especially the elderly. Reminds me of my lolo and lola each and everytime. Thank you manoy. Best of all, thank you Lord for that opportunity to do good today.
3. Getting $5.00 for 2 or 3 hours worth of writing. Not exactly a whole lot of wealth but it was a "something-I-need-to-prove-to-myself" project so there you go. Just glad I could help out a friend during her own version of a "writing emergency" situation.
4. Receiving a Congrats, you've been accepted to (a new writing group) email. Yay me! I just hope I can live up to their standards... or live, period. Hahaha. Wish me luck?
5. The peace of mind that comes from saying the Rosary with my family, plus our 2 pre-Christmas novenas right after the mass. Nothing like a good family prayer to prepare us for sleep.

All in the span of 5-6 hours! And here I thought I only had to come up with 3 things to be thankful for today! Guess this is gonna be a start- and end-of-the-day habit. I am one grateful gal. Life is wonderful!

My "Thank You God" List (the first in a series)

I picked up this cool idea from my healthy living newsletter today. It says making 3 things to be grateful for list (or what I'd like to call my "Thank you God" list) helps bring good cheer. And so, I'm giving it a shot. I just hope I can keep it up. And so, here I go... (drum roll please!)

Three things I'm grateful for today:

1. The gift of life. One more day. Yay! (I think this will be a staple on this daily list.)

2. The chance to take a break from writing.
This is why I absolutely love freelance/home-based work--you get to choose what to do and when to do it. For now, a mini-vacation... just in time for Christmas.

3. Discovering the buy one-take one burger promo at burger king (for lunch!) today. All I can say is... burp!

So that's officially my first entry for this daily 3 things to be grateful for (Thank you God) list. More to come in the next few weeks, I hope.