11 people am Grateful for 2011

Inspired by the David Award that was given to CFC-SFC, i decided to come up with my own list of 11 people who made a big impact in my life for 2011.

Of course no one else but my parents, i really want to honor them as am blessed to have them as my parents. Sa natatangi kong ina for your love and support, who wakes up early to prepare my breakfast and lunch hehehe at sa tatay ko who always remind me to bring my cellphone and umbrella everytime i leave the house.

To all my beautiful, pogi at gwapong pamangkin, you were all the source of my joy, even if the house is small when they gather together I feel like our house is a mansion because they can run and play anywhere they want.

Yeye, my first pamangkin, so adorable and charming. She is now in Grade 1 and she reads very well. I always want to bring her in any gathering that required kids representative hehehe as if she is my own child.

Jhian, whom i thought can’t talk well but now a talkative boy and am really impress when he speak to me in English.

JY tatay called him American boy but, i will always remember him as sweet boy...also a talkative one, whenever i ask  him whose gwapo he will really raise his hands.

He loves to pose :)

Joshua, who is suplado when he was a little boy but am glad that he is close to me now  because of my laptop and ipad as he loves to play angry bird ang ninja fruits

Jamjam, a younger version of Joshua who is also suplada but if you will ask her na you will go down she will immediately come to you.

Hamphrey i rarely see him but my tatay called him German boy kasi super cute nya

Ms Elvi who keeps on reminding me to spend time with family. Thank you for not giving up on me, for without you i don't have a job right now hehehe...you were there when am down and hurt and confuse.

My brother Glenn, if my mom is not home he will cook for me and to my dearest brother Pevy who spend almost all of the expenses at home hehehe

Spiritual Director Sis Bheng and Bro Ronnie. God bring them into my life as I met Sis Bheng first quarter of the year and i met Bro Ronnie last quarter of the year when i joined the Silent Retreat. I will never forget how blessed i am being directed by them. I may not have their picture but they will always be in my heart.

Lara & Rodel, they fondly call each other "G" short for "GG" Gods Gift and now its "GGG" Gods Greatest Gift. I can say that they are now my fav couple, i am so inspired by how they began their relationship, by how they serve in SFC that they need not be together in one activity as they value first the service for the Lord. I can honestly say that i hope to find myself in a relationship as great as theirs by next year 2012 :)



 

Bro. Ode. I rarely chat with him but whenever i got a chance to talk to him he is an amazing person and am thankful i have known him. Sometimes its so easy to get jaded and to just think of yourself but he is the guy who will really push you to do more and to die in service.

Sharon, a good example of how she truly loves her mom and I really admire her for such especially when she went home giving up her job abroad just to take care of her mom. A fighter at the same time and it’s something to be emulated.

Christopher West. You wont believe it but i run after him when i saw him during the CFC Anniversary in Luneta.

He is a Catholic author and speaker, best known for his work on Pope John Paul II’s series of audience addresses entitled the Theology of the Body.

It was not just me who were inspired by Fr. Joel Jason but everyone in the community. I thank the Lord that i was able to hear and listen to him during our session in Theology of the Body.

He is the author of the book Free love true love, love it!


Finally, where i gave my heart and time ...CFC-SFC family which is the biggest gift God had given me. Being a member of SFC is one of the most amazing experience of my life, each year is a different experience but this year had a great contribution in all areas of my life.

This picture was taken when we had our run for a cause to one of our dear sister in Christ Zai Engracia, she made an impact not just to me but to everyone as well.

Definitely, the guy you have been waiting to know, he is the reason my heart is beating hehehhehe, okay, okay, i don't personally know him and he is a celebrity but i just dream that someday i may meet a guy like him :) tall, adventurous and good looking but seriously a guy who will give his all in service.

Lastly, thank you to all who have touched my life with their own, i may not mentioned your name but you know who you are.

I love iPad and i like Galaxy Tab

Why have an iPad? i know its unreasonable answer but honestly i want an iPad because a couple of my officemate bought their own iPads and were constantly using and bragging about it and how it was so good and that it does so much..actually I already wanted an iPad last year pa but i was torn between buying a laptop or an iPad but i see the importance of a laptop. This time it's for a different reason I find it so heavy to carry laptop specially when your riding an MRT so i requested my second mom in the office if she can buy it for me then i will pay her since her husband is coming and after a long conversation and sermon she said yes...it just show how she loves me heheheh

Needless to say when we had our Christmas party i got the second major prize in the raffle...a galaxy tab...wow God is good and am so blessed to got it but i dont know which one to retain? Deciding between the two tablet is hard hehehehe my officemate says to sell the galaxy but my brother want to trade the galaxy tab with his dslr so without a second thought i said yes to him.

I'll list things that thrill me about the iPad and galaxy tab.  It's hard to put these in order, because they are all important to me.

The Galaxy tab pictures and camera looks vibrant.  Compared to the iPad, the photos looked washed out heheheh

The iPad screen is, of course, totally addictive.  I find myself touching the laptop keyboard, my finger just fits on its virtual  keyboard

The Galaxy tab size is marvellous.  It fits in my purse.  This to me is a big plus over iPad because no one really wants to lug around a big tablet when you're on the go.

I love the apps in galaxy tab its free unlike in ipad.

You may find that there are more things i like about the galaxy tab but i preferred to use iPad hehehe

Looking Back, Looking Around, Looking Forward & Looking Up

LOOKING BACK 

Walking towards the venue of our retreat i got a lot of questions...why I am here Lord? What are you trying to remind me? As this is the same venue where I had my silent retreat 7 months ago.....so we had dinner followed by an orientation and during the orientation we are being reminded not to talk with our co retreatants..wwhhhaaa silent retreat pala ito talaga....which am surprise as I thought someone will talk and we will just listen.

When we went out the orientation room and got the sked of our Spiritual Director...again a lot of question going on in my head...as am really questioning God why I am here? What are you trying to remind me? Did i missed anything from what i got in my last retreat?

LOOKING AROUND

i woke up with the same question in my head, thank God I will now have the chance to talk to my SD (Spiritual Director) and I told him frankly what's in my head..and i just listen to him.  I find it's a quick conversation but It took us 45minutes. He gave me prayer exercise and it was really a struggle as am starting comparing what I did in my first silent retreat. The prayer exercise is the same exercise I got and I can't answer it...my body wants to sleep and my mind is full of wonders and questions. I read the exercise ten times but still nothing is coming out in my head. When my SD gave the second exercise still my mind is full of questions wwhaaaa i cried with my SD why am having such conversation...i prayed for a few sec but my body want to sleep and just i relax until i fell asleep and finally the Lord ask me "are u still sleeping and taking your rest? Get up, do what you have come for?...listen to my words and acts on them"

I prayed the rosary asking for the intercession of mama mary and I got a very striking message when Mary said yes to the angel who came in unto her...and she said be hold the handmaid of the Lord, be it  unto me according to thy word.

First manifestation of Jesus to me is when am about to have my dinner...I walk towards the kitchen looking for a bowl and I can't find any so I sat down and walk again and needless that I know the bowl is in the table already hahahah and I realized that I don't have to look far or look somewhere else because the answer is just right beside me... God already prepared the bowl of greatness for me....it was very simple but the Lord speak to me very well in that manner.

We went for the simbang gabi and the sermon was very inspiring as the priest talk about something is coming ....I don't know how I don't know when and it speaks the situation am going through...who knows it's the love of my life...I just had to say yes to the Lord.

I like my SD actually even though in the beginning I feel awkward about him as he is a guy but he speak very well and he knows what his telling me..he ask me to recall the time I said yes to God and the things am grateful for. He even gave me a book entitle ALAB its a 70 day prayer exercise.

LOOKING FORWARD

In prayer # 3 I beg God for the grace to let go of my comparisonitize and be present to the purpose of why am in a retreat the prayer guide had help me a lot see who is the star of my life...who am I following for and why I am following him. The story of the magi in Matthew 2:1-12 had brought me to truly answer the purpose of my retreat hahaha ah anyway the prayer which was given to us fervor and draw strength and hope with me as I realized I am full of wishes, full of desires and full of expectations.

Another simple yet powerful manifestation of God with me is when I want to use the heater in the shower room but i don't know how to turn it on, I don't know how to use it even if I twist and turn the red color until I stop...the following day, out of nowhere while i am having shower  the water suddenly become hot and i was surprise how did it happen? i never tried to change anything or turn on anything and i realized that God will not allow me to leave the retreat house without getting anything, without using what i want, without enjoying what i need and so he give it to me without me asking for it. The message actually that i got is the Lord will just surprise us if we will just allow ourself to follow him, mostly the answer to the question is already in front of me.

LOOKING UP

Jenny, the goal of your life is to live with me forever, I gave you life because I love you. Your response of love allows my life to flow into you without limit. All the things in this world are my gifts, presented to you so that you can know me more easily and return your love to me more readily. I want you to appreciate and use all my gifts insofar as they help you develop as a loving person. But if any of my gifts become the centre of your life, they displace  me and so hinder your growth toward your goal. Your only desire and one choice should be this, to want and to choose what better leads to my deepening my life in you.

Since we are all inspired, we had our dessert at sweet inspiration where we just shared and celebrate what we got even if no one reveal their answer to the question hahahaha looking forward to know their answer....as for me...God knows what it is!

I thank the Lord for the great and restful vacation with him, to the person he uses to make this things possible for us..thank you so much to sis iris and brother nino for their  love and support and thanks to gem for without her i wont be able to go home easily, to pritzi and rodel for being an inspiration...yey buy one take one! Hehehe


December 16-18, 2011
San Jose Seminary
Ateneo De Manila University
Katipunan, Quezon City

Trendy Curly Hair

After so many years of long straight hair, i finally decided to do something different, initially i was thinking of a bob cut hairstyle until i saw my friend with a curly hair, i love her hair, and it is fabulous! Without thinking twice i ask her if she can accompany me to salon where she got her hairstyle.

Surprisingly my friend brings me at Tony and Jackey to have my hair curled. Wow... The place itself is cozy and cute! My friend recommended me to do a regular perm but apparently when the Korean hairstylist check the condition of my hair she recommended me to cut my hair short, layered and apply hair treatment to avoid hair damage i actually didn’t get what the Korean told me.... good thing there is a Filipino who interpreted everything to me hahahhaha

I was amazed with the Korean hairstylist as she cut my hair and trimmed my bangs for only 3-5 minutes. So okay, that was fast! Well it was actually! The assistant then washed my hair and applied the hair treatment to protect my hair from damage, put on the heating machine and set the timer for 10minutes. I was impressed how the Korean works from one customer to another, she moves fast together with her assistant and yey its my turn again she applied the perming solution for 10minutes, rinsed it off and prepped my hair to be attached to the "octopus" digital perming machine. Her assistant applied another solution which is supposed to be the keratin to lock in the shine. After about 15 minutes, they removed my hair from the curling machine and I was amazed because my curls were so gorgeous.

While waiting i was pleasantly surprised to find out that they have digital mirrors, meaning i can use the mirror to browse the Internet but am not comfortable checking my Facebook on a mirror that’s visible to everyone in the salon so i just watch video in You Tube.

The whole process took about 3 hours. Thanks to my dear friend Lara who patiently waits on me. The Korean hairstylist didn’t advise me anything on how should i do after instead she encourages me to purchase their product wwhaaaa it’s a hefty amount already and i can’t afford it. Anyway my friend advises me to leave permed hair unwashed on the next day and i can just buy the same products outside.

The next couple of weeks is the real test of how long my curls would last but I'm praying for the best! Out of 10 people, they like my new hair style!

Sagada turned Baguio Trip

We were having our Chapter Household then when it was announced that there will be a four-day long weekend towards the end of August due to National Heroes Day and end of Ramadan, the first thing that comes to our mind is to have an out of town trip, Yehey in Sagada.

Arrangement and accommodation has been made by our dear ate Lorie, when i heard in the news the coming of Typhoon Mina. It was signal number 1 then in Benguet and the travel agency deliberately says upon their monitoring everything was cleared. I just thought that if anyone of my group doesn’t want to go, i may defer also the trip but no one does.

The day has come, when we left Manila around 11pm, it was not raining and everyone is excited for long weekend and to see the wonderful creature of God but when we reached Tarlac, Pangasinan and the rest of the town the rain was pouring and i wasn’t able to sleep seeing the flood from every town and knowing what’s waiting for us in a middle of typhoon. All throughout the trip instead of sleeping i was praying and it is the longest ever prayer i did. The hills scarred me a bit.

Yehey, the night is over we were able to surpass the floods, the rocky road, the strong wind, the rain but not the landslide and erosion...yes due to landslide we stopped for more than an hour then suddenly the driver decided that it was not safe to move on and the road is not passable.

Guess what we are near Sagada already 2 hours nalang!, when we turned back and look for a place where we can stay for awhile. We stopped in a Mountain Lunch Restaurant where we had our breakfast; it was so cold and windy. By after lunch it was broadcast that Benguet is in Signal #2, wwhoooaa then finally the group decided to stay for overnight in Baguio and that the travel agency will return our funds.

We were able to reach Baguio safely and thanked the heavens that we had a safe, albeit a quite frightening trip. However, the group wants to go to Vigan instead but I was uncertain and so I stand to just stay in Baguio and enjoy the cold weather, good thing the rest of my friends stayed.

Inspite of the typhoon in Baguio we were able to hear the mass, shop and go around the city.

One thing i realized, never to ignore the message of  God. It’s not appropriate to travel in times of typhoons.

Fianlly, it certainly feels like more of the adventure I was looking for, maybe summer is the best time!

In the beginning it was not so

These is my favourite phrase i got from the Theology of the Body course, where in it was already stated in the bible but during these course it made a lot of impact and meaning into my life. It was an 8 session every Wednesday with Fr. Joel Jason as our resource speaker.

I was once heard him during our ICON in Camsur, the way he talk and explain every word awaken my senses and completely listen to him.

TOB: Session 1

In the beginning am actually hesitant in attending to this course as am not sure if i can faithfully attend or finish the course, anyway they only need one representative for each chapter but nevertheless the first session transpired me to go on and see what’s in store for me.

There has been many things i truly appreciate with this course which gave me determination to finish it. I was able to compile all my favourite line from Fr. Joel, as:

• Love is the only adequate response to the greatness of the person. Fr. Joel had explained that we have to give our self as a gift to the other person. (08172011)

TOB: Session 3

• When love reaches the person, it is forever (08312011)

• Man does not create the truth, he merely discover it! (08312011)

• God, who alone is good, knows perfectly what is good for man (08312011)

• No greater love a man can give than to lay down himself to other (09072011)

• Losing always leads to finding at a higher level (09142011)

• In youth we learn, in age we understand (09142011)

• To the pure everything is pure, to the impure nothing is pure (09142011)

• Christ love is free, total, faithful and fruitful (09142011)

• We not only look for the right person, we wait to become the right person (09212011)

• We gives in a receiving way and received in a giving way in which we are to initiate giving and receiving love to others as an attitude. (09282011)

TOB: Session 4

What catches my attention is in session 4 where Fr. Joel talk about the story of Sarah where i deeply feel the misfortune and sadness of Sarah’s heart when all of his 7 husband died and here comes Tobit who shows how he truly love Sarah that both of them began praying while they were in one flesh. – Tobit 3:7-8

It was also a reminder for me when Fr. Joel mentioned the verse from Song of Solomon “You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes...” wwhhhaaa so teary, i may not a have special someone right now but i feel like i have a boyfriend in the presence of God.

Truly, free love, true love comes from God and no one else. I may not clearly explain what i felt and what transformed me during this course but it will leave forever in my heart. Thank you Fr. Joel :)

Bonus point, about 12 from our chapter were able to attend and finish the course.

I didnt know how to teach until i met you

I can't believe that it has been so long since I have posted! There have been a lot of life changes for me, but I think I am back and organized.

Cornerstone Program Orientation Day

Looking back, when i was still in grade school i wanted to be a teacher that is because my mother is a teacher. i dont know what happen in the past when suddenly i dont like it anymore. Well, now, i still don’t want to be a teacher but somehow God had lead me to experience to become a teacher by serving as a volunteer tutor in one of the program in SFC wherein every Saturday we tutor kids ages 8-11 years old at Dona Juana Elementary School. I have found the joy and happiness in the work where I can (hopefully) inspire, motivate and support the learning of the kids.

Teachers from different Schools

What amused me more is when we moderate/facilitate a group of teachers during their workshop held last October 22, 2011 at the Ateneo de Manila Grade School. In the beginning, a lot of things are going on in my head, first is fear knowing that they are older than me and they have a lot of experience as a teacher. But with God’s grace, walking into a classroom full of teachers felt like i am a full pledged teacher as well and eventually feel comfortable getting to know each one and welcoming all the teachers. There are times when i have to look for the facilitator guidelines and see if am on track specially on the time heheheh because we are a bit late.

SFC Volunteers



Lastly, one of the most fascinating aspects i have learned with all their sharing is that they have Love their calling with Passion and it becomes the meaning of their life. What strike me more is the video of Miss Thompson with his student Teddy quoted as "You were the one who taught me that i could make a difference, I didnt know how to teach until i met you" It was a very inspiring story :)