Additional Inaanak

Nadagdagan muli ang bilang ng aking inaanak, apat na sila ngayon. Last Sunday, bininyagan ang pinsan ko - Joaquin Antonio (pang-telenovela lang ang dating di ba?), kasabay ng kanyang 1st birthday celebration.

Natutuwa ako sa batang 'to kasi ang haba ng buhok nya sa side, kulot pa!




Naisip ko lang, mamimili ako ng Christmas gifts ng maaga para hindi ako magka-cram sa December! hahaha.

A Good Start

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." - Mark 1:35

It's good to begin a day with prayer and a dose of the Scripture. The same thing goes when starting a year. Last week was the church's prayer and fasting. I joined the fast last Friday night until the breaking, Sunday at 12 am.

The following I learned about fasting:
- Fasting is like declaring war against the enemy.
- We don't earn God's favor when we fast but it places us in a position of receiving from Him.
- Prayer and fasting is not a time for bonding and good time, it's a special time between you and God.
- It doesn't matter if you're on a partial, normal or absolute kind of fasting. It's not good to compare your commitment to others'. Fast without pride.
- Do not let others see that you are weak. Try to act normally.

Aside from the abovementioned, I took note of the following:
- Your god consumes you. Whatever consumes you and your time that is your god.
- Believing is what God wants us to do, absolute faith and not partial.
- When you fall in love with prayer, you will start falling in love with God.

I love this line from Pastor Anthony's prayer when we're breaking the fast, "Lord, we're serious, dead serious on our prayers to You." It's time to take God seriously because He is taking us too seriously!

This is one my prayers, "Lord, I want to start the year right and I want to start it right with You."

Saving Money Traditionally

Cards - Ito ang nangigibaw sa mundo natin ngayon. 'Pag pumunta ka sa grocery or department store at bumili ng anuman, maririnig mong itatanong ng kahera, "Ma'am/Sir, may SM Advantage Card?" Sa National Bookstore naman, "Ma'am/Sir, may Laking National Card?" Sa Walter Mart naman, "...may Plus Card?" Lahat tipong may membership na.

Lahat halos ng transaction kailangan ng card at ito ang ilan...
- Renting DVD or VCD sa Video City (pinaliit ang version na pwedeng isabit sa zipper ng bag)
- Shopping using credit cards
- Applying for a loan (GSIS members)
- Withdrawing/Depositing money via ATM

Na-realize ko lang yan last night when I was withdrawing money... from my coin bank. hihi!

Probably, most people save their money in banks and only a few save traditionally using 'alkansya' (mas cute ang dating 'pag Filipino term). Sa bagay, hindi naman nakapagtataka yun dahil "computer age" na nga, lahat encoded. 'Pag alkansya lang, di pwede ang balance checking (except na lang kung bawat hulog mo ng coin recorded), hindi rin pwedeng ibayad sa items ng department store or pang bayad ng bills (gaya ng credit card) dahil walang debit, lalong hindi pwede ang money transfer. Haha!

Ganon pa man, kami ng mga kapatid ko (even my mom) nag-iipon pa rin sa alkansya, 10-peso and 5-peso coins only. Yun ang takbuhan 'pag biglang kinapos. Pero kagabi, na-withdraw ko na lahat (nag-iwan lang ako ng P50.00) kasi kailangan kong bayaran si Kua Nad sa MP4. (Don't worry ipapapalit ko naman ng bill yung coins. hehe)

Almost 1 hour din akong nagsungkit ng coins. As a result, lumaki ang butas ng alkansya ko (as in kasya na ang isang daliri) at sumakit ang braso ko... ang bigat eh! Lumabas nanaman ang pagka-maskulada ko! :D Masaya pala ang may coin bank.

Lakad to the Max!

I'm currently renewing our (PACEOS) business permit for 2008. In effect, I have to go to Pasay City Hall over and over again to complete and submit the requirements.

Yesterday, I went to the following places:

- Barangay Hall (to claim our renewed Barangay Clearance)

- Pasay City Hall (for tax assessment)

- Philhealth Office in Taft Ave. (to submit 2007 last quarter contribution record)

- BPI- United Nations Ave. (to activate my E-cash. singit lang 'to! hehehe)

- Banco de Oro - United Nations Ave. (to encash check. kailangan ko ng allowance sa lakad eh)

- Break muna... so lunch sa Chowking - UN Ave.

Sa sobrang dami ng nilakad ko, nasira na ng tuluyan ang shoes ko.. huhu.

Nabiyak yung swelas! wheew! Napabili tuloy ako ng bagong pair kasi 'di ko na matiis yung pain na dulot nito. I went straight to Quiapo para mura-mura naman. Supposedly, pupunta pa ko ng SSS, Macapagal Branch to submit contribution record din kaso 'di ko na kinaya kaya after bumili ng shoes sa office na ko dumiretso.

I uttered, "Lord, bakit kailangang ako ang maglakad ng lahat ng ito? Sabay sagot sa sariling tanong, "Kasi naman po Karen, ikaw lang ang staff ng PACEOS remember? So, walang ibang gagawa n'yan kundi ikaw!" God must really have a purpose. Before, I went to the Embassy for my superior's VISA to Thailand. Ngayon naman, business permit. Probably, God is training me this early because sooner or later sarili ko ng VISA (as in Tourist VISA not Working VISA) at ng family ko ang aasikasuhin ko. Same thing, with the business permit...maybe we'll manage our own family business and my own business as well. Ayoko kasing forever maging employee. I want to put up a business in God's time. Yeepee!

When I reached home (apartment), I said that exact statement to God and this is His Word to me...

- Ephesians 3:20: "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us..." (NIV)

I love the King James Translation:

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us..."

I can only think this much with my limited imagination but God has a greater plan that is far beyond what I can fathom. (I'll patiently wait for You, Lord)

No Rice for Dinner

Since Monday, I was trying not to eat rice for dinner. Anyway, ganon naman usually whenever I stay in Manila. Minsan naman nakakatamad mag-isip kung ano ang kakainin ko 'pag uwi sa apartment kaya hindi na lang ako nagdi-dinner.

Last night ito ang dinner ko...

bread and spanish style sardines. Nung Monday, bread lang din with liver spread.

Naisip ko lang, kasalukuyang nagfa-fast ang workers sa church. I wish to participate kahit papano. :)

Time to Relax

In a year, it's too seldom for leaders to have some time to rest. When I say "rest" i mean spending time together outside, making ourselves free from worries, unwinding and having some fun! :)

Last December 30, Sunday, we went out for lunch. Take note, nagpapicture pa sila Mark, Mitch and Mae kay Jollibee tapos sa McDo pala ang punta! tsk tsk tsk... After that, balik agad sa Church to prepare for 3:30 service.

January 5, Saturday, ibang gimik naman. We went to Robinsons Imus around 7:00 pm at nag-bowling and billiards. Napagsarhan na nga kami ng mall.

Hindi nga pala kami nagbilliard ni Ate Eu kaya picture-picture na lang kami. Hihi!

Nakakalungkot nga lang dahil merong hindi nakasama (Ate Peps, Ate Thine, Ate Kath, Mina, Eca, Chayanne) pero nandun naman si Kua Jer, Jerich at ung Barak.

Thank God for giving me true friends... they are real treasures!

Praise & Worship

Ang tagal ko nang hindi nakapag-post, madalas kasi gusto ko lang magbasa ng posts ng iba. :D

I kept this as a draft since early December and finally I was able to post this today.

When I hear the words Praise and Worship, I always have these in mind:

A Praise & Worship Leader...

Choir and back up singers...

A music band...

Dancers...
Congregation...

(photos taken last December 30, 2007 - Sunday Service by Karen Novicio)

But I was reminded of a deeper kind of worship, Worshiping Him alone. "Alone" as in mag-isa ako, nobody sees, nobody hears, nobody knows... Just between God and I.

Last December 4, I started to have my own Praise and Worship (and believe me sobrang saya! yihee!) Bigla na lang may pumapasok sa isip ko na songs at ayun...praise & worship ako mag-isa sa apartment.

I appreciate the song "Alone" by Clint Brown.

You don't need majestic choirs

and awesome voices raised

You don't need a congregation

to offer Me your praise

You don't need a mighty orchestra

to bless Me with your song

You get all of My attention

When you worship Me alone

I love to hear it when you sing your song

and worship Me alone

I'm praying that God will give me a heart of worship not just for a day or on Sundays. I want it even on my darkest times and especially when I'm alone.

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks." - John 4:23