Mothers Day in Tagaytay

Mom. She’s always there for us. She gives us love, encouragement, confidence and cooked the best food for us and really took care of my nieces. I  salute my mom and honor her on this special day! This year we planned to bring her in Tagaytay.

She was so excited to celebrate Mothers Day in Tagaytay, it was her first time. We woke up early as we need to catch the mass at Pink Sisters Church unfortunately the weather is not good.

My mom never had a chance to see the overlooking Mayon Volcano, Palace in the Sky and stay long in Picnic Grove. I guess we have to come back next time.

We just had lunch in a yummy bulalo place and go home due to heavy rains. More than the place, being with them matters most. 

Turning 35 and single

I dont usually talk about my age, moreso writing about it but its a momentous year for me. Its also no big secret that i felt pretty okay with being single on my birthday!?

Three months ago, I turned 35 and for some reason it seems to be am just 30 years old wwhaaa am getting old but according to everyone i dont look it, so i guess thats good, young at hearts, sexy and baby face.  I could claim I was just a late bloomer.

I have to be honest. I woke up not wanting to be 35. I wanted to stay 30 forever. But here we have it – I have turned 35 and age is happening to me, whether I like it or not, thank God to my SFC family who make me feel young. And knowing that i am in the best place right now, surrounded by the best people and loving family and friends.

The great things about getting older is celebrating it with the most important people in my life, my family, officemates and friends.

Am surprised with what they prepared for me, greetings from family, gift from a friend in the office and even if am just knew in the office my boss prepared a food to share. I got a bouquet of flowers which am always longing to received, a picture that comes along with their sweet and loving messages, a book on sisterhood with dedication in each pages (blessed reading every messages) and I feel like am 18 years old when all of the brothers had dance with me.

I am extremely grateful that my family, friends  are making the trip —I couldn’t ask for a better gift than to be with my loveones. I may never had a special someone for now but i am delighted with the people around me.

 

Silent Retreat

A 4-day silent retreat is truly being with the presence of the Lord. A moment of solitude and experience the grace of God. From the time i wake up to the moment of having a breakfast, lunch and dinner with bonus snacks is being with the Lord. God is not just watching us but He is like us that need to have a dialogue, a conversation that lead to great and wonderful relationship. An experience that i can say i am not alone because God is with me.

Indeed there are so many things to say about these retreat. We start early, chatting with each other, eat together and getting along with other retreatants. Its good to see common faces in the community that makes me feel am home.

What follows is an orientation and expectation from us retreatant that all we need to do for 4 days is to Eat, Sleep and be in Silnce. The only time we have to talk is our time for our spiritual director wwwhhhhaaa

I was welcomed by the Lord with this verse "Come with me by yourselves to a quite place and get some rest" alone in my room I feel like God embraced me with his arm that like a child am lying down with him, thankful that He is just right there, watching me until i fall asleep in his arm.

It was timely for me, going through a time of major transitio in life.

In Prayer Exercise 2, God shows me that where i am right now is His dwelling place where i abudantly enjoy his love and grace. The people am working, my new boss, new learning through the training i had and the generosity of Ms. Elvi being in the same company. She was like my 2nd mom and a friend to me. In Psalm 27 i was being reminded that the Lord is my light and my salvation and there is nothing to be afraid of. The Lord will continue to lead my path and will guide me all the way. Am truly blessed that God had love me more than i love him. 

 

It was me 2nd day and before my prayer time i was thinking where i can be comfortable talking to God so i walk out the building and find a convenient place. While i was walking am starting to talk to God where He want me to stay but i cant find a place so i just come back and see myself going to the adoration chapel.

It is very comforting in the adoration chapel and I notice that the scripture am reading was all a revelation of God's love and affirmation that He will always be there for me.

Finally had one on one with my spiritual director and i was amazed with the way she started praying. These questions had brought me to have a deep and intimate knowledge of knowing God.

1) Who is God with you?
2) Characteristics of God? Identify
3) What God is telling you when He said WAIT?
4) What is the desire of your heart?

 A realization that God is inviting me to have a more and deeper relationship with the Lord.

I was sitting on the bench staring to nature, when these words came to me "While you were waiting my child may you enjoy the new life i have given to you, cherish the moment with your family, friends, the community and the work i have given you"

Do not be afraid my child, just be yourself and embrace the love i have given you. Just be with me my child.

A parting verse that our spiritual director had pray for us.

Ephesians 1:17-19

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength

In truth, four days is really not enough where in the beginning i thought i cant stay long in silent. I went home with the presence of the Lord and knowing his plans for my future.

 

Saying Goodbye to job of 10 years

I owe a great deal of my experience and success to my boss and my fellow collegues for giving me the chance, for supporting me through thick and thin, and for bringing me on board as a marketer and all around staff heheheh. I am forever grateful to them for letting me take deep root in the soil of this great company.

Saying goodbye to a job of 10 years was a tough choice i made, It was one (1) year of planning and praying if i will be leaving PWI, until finally God ways is perfect when we are about to start the reduced number of working day it was also the day that i was being offered a job.

What this job has done for me is something I would never forget as i learned and do things i thought i cannot handle, it expands my horizon and skills but I would trade all the comfort and the memories that came with them.

Where i am heading is a new chapter of my life, though am anxious and unknown but i believe that this where God is leading me.

April Fool's Day

First day of April represent April fool's day but for me its a new beginning, a new chapter of my life as this is the first day of my work. I am blessed that God had welcome me by attending the first friday mass in the office and the warmed embrace of my previous collegues, feels like home :)

My first day at work, proved to be fun "fire drill and fire extingushing drill" wwhaaa am afraid that it will blow in front of me  but i was able to handle it well.

One of the thing, am impressed with the company is they care about the wellness, safety and security of their employee.

Who am i on my first day at work? just like the old Jenny...so quite, just smiling :) and my defense mechanism am still adjusting after my 10 long years in Philippine Wireless, Inc.

Behind the Scenes: Takbo para sa Puso (Run for a cause)

Zairra Engracia is a very passionate and committed member of SFC, you will never thought that she is sick as she dance graciously, attend to different meeting in church, regularly hold household and practice singing for the CLP, name it and she will volunteer herself in an activity. A faithful and loving servant of God, until such time that one of her leader approaches us and says she will be having a heart operation by end of July. She has diagnosed with Rheumatic Heart Disease with aortic and mitral regurgitation and she needs 700K for her operation.

It was on first week of June when we approach our Sector head about her condition and we have suggested that we will have a run for a cause dubbed “Takbo para sa Puso” No stress. Just our Best. All for Sis Zai (thanks to becca for the tagline), with his support we started sending out letters for the venue of the run. Praised God because Quezon Memorial Circle Administration has approved our request, and this is the beginning of our plan on how we will market the event.

Given the date of her operation and knowing that we only have a short period of time to prepare for the run, still we have decided to hold the run on July 24, 2011. Our goal is to have 500 registrations to raised funds for her operation.

Everyone in the chapter play an important role in planning and implementation of the event, from designing the logo, flyers, posters, registration form, printing of singlet and race bib, coordination with sponsors, video teaser, promoting the event through facebook, family, officemates and friends in other chapter.

SFC Sta Mesa together with SFC in Bacood were united with one goal and i have witnessed the love and support of everyone and even the support from other chapter (Our Lady of Fatima in Mandaluyong), cluster, sector and the CFC-SFC family.

Even they are hungry and tired after office hour members will meet for the printing of singlet, updates on the status on their responsibility and remit payment for the registration and go home late without expecting anything in return.

Moreso, members were so generous in saying "YES" to every task, without complain.

Of course, it was not all work and updates on the events. this is also the moment of grace where we pray before we start working, laugh with each others weakness, eat together (corned beef and sardines) and surprisingly some of the members bring food for everyone.

A grace from God where everyone wanted to finish printing the singlet and excited in going to Divisoria to buy the shirt using their own pocket money for the transportation and food.

This is also the moment that some of the members had to stay late and sleepover and still you will see the smile in their face. They were so keen that their friends and officemates registered for the event.

More than the preparation, members were able to bond together, know and accept each other differences, expand their horizon by reaching out with others and do the impossible things that we thought we cannot and lastly our relationship rooted together in Christ by doing this event.

With Stronghold in Christ, Gods timing is perfect as the event head allowed us to promote the run during the MMC.

It was a great opportunity for everyone to stand in front of our fellow delegates. 

We only have a few brothers in our chapter but we are glad and blessed that hand in hand they were so passionate in making this event possible. As early as 11pm of July 23 they prepared the set-up of the sound system, stage, tent, table and chairs  and coordinating the whereabouts of everyone.  First time that they didnt sleep and work together just for one reason, LOVE for God and support to our dear sister Zai.

The day has comed in a brilliant sunshine and a record crowd gathered on the field. We are blessed to have a generous sponsors particularly Pocari Sweat, Medicol I-400, Pepsi, Macropharma Corporation (Circulan 4-in 1 and Lungcare Plus) UL Nutritional Inc (Enervon Prime) Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (Tumbler) Velco Asia.

Thank you to  441 runners who make a difference by running for a cause and to other individual who graciously donated to this worthy cause. 

You have made a concrete contribution to the heart operation of our beloved Zairra Engracia. Both the event and the cause mean a lot to us and we are so grateful for your support.

It is a grace from God to have one of our member working in Law enforcement who took over in the streets in securing the safety of all the runners and the place

It’s a Gift and a miracle from God that TAKBO PARA SA PUSO Run for a cause was a huge success! Thanks to our CFC-SFC Family, many volunteers from other chapters, to all of the enthusiastic runners, to our hard-working committee in SFC Sta Mesa, you all came together to make this a great event.

The real race is not over yet, let us all pray for her operation which will be scheduled anytime this August. May God continue to give her the strength and unlimited love!

THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BE PRAISED!