Love

Love love love. Where to begin?

Love can be warm and cozy. Hugs and kisses for a happy moment. 

A long hug on a disappointing day. Coffee and conversations while 

on a long drive. Lounging and laughter on a relaxed weekend.  

Love can be cold and harsh. Going to work when you prefer to stay 

at home. Doing mundane chores when you’d much rather relax. 

Waking up at odd hours to comfort a crying baby. Raising a child. 

Staying strong for the sick and dying. Foregoing luxury now in favour 

of the future.  Saying no when things aren’t right. Agreeing to disagree 

when you can’t compromise. Asking for forgiveness when you are 

in the wrong. Letting go when you’re itching to hold back. 

Love can be fire and passion. Embracing change despite the fears. 

Moving forward because it’s for the best. Baking a beautiful cake 

for a special occasion. Cooking a favourite dish to celebrate a 

success. Sex with the one you’re married to for life. Raising a child. 

Encouraging someone to pursue their dreams. 

We do ourselves a disservice when we expect a song, a book or 

a movie to portray an accurate depiction of love. How can something 

so immense and glorious be expressed in such short a time? Expect 

to see a mere moment of love. Nothing more. Real life and real love 

is an intricate tapestry of emotions and experiences. It is different things 

at different times. Love is something nurtured and cultivated for 
a lifetime. If you must, look to those who live a life of love. Learn from 
their stories of failure and success. Avoid the pitfalls and trappings. 

Do what needs doing constantly and consistently. Pray, act and believe 

that you too will reap the fruits of your labour of love.

Remember remember remember. LOVE is ancient and eternal. Love 

springs forth from the Almighty who is Father, Son and Spirit. God 

who is Creator, Redeemer and Paraclete. The One for whom our hearts 

will always be restless until it rests in Thee. You cannot give what you 

do not have. And so, you and I must, could and should — 

love and be loved by LOVE.  

Love in a chorus? Love in a page? Love in a scene? 

That’s not all there is. That’s not all it can be. 

It’s more more more.

A Cup of Tea

A Cup of Tea

When the world is all at odds
And the mind is all at sea
Then cease the useless tedium
And brew a cup of tea.
There is magic in its fragrance,
There is solace in its taste;
And the laden moments vanish
Somehow into space.
The world becomes a lovely thing!
There’s beauty as you’ll see;
All because you briefly stopped
To brew a cup of tea.

- - - - -

"Poetry is the mainstay of oral tradition and, over centuries, can communicate 
the innermost values of diverse cultures.

In celebrating World Poetry Day, March 21, UNESCO recognizes the unique
ability of poetry to capture the creative spirit of the human mind."

- UNESCO

Bits and Pieces (June 2014)

Thanking God for
Coffee and Hot Chocolate. Nowadays I need a cuppa to get me 
through the cold winter mornings. And afternoons. And then some.

I sometimes miss my old career. But I know that life would be

different if I had a "proper career". Thank you Lord that we've

managed to work things out so that I can be a stay at home mom.

Pondering on

Instrumentum Laboris - The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in

the Context of Evangelization. (Click HERE)

I've challenged myself to read it in its entirety. Go go go!

Praying for
I've mostly been praying for the family. Just realized that there's
more that need my prayers.

Learning about

M and I were able to do a Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus colouring 
activity. We had a short and brief "discussion" about the feast. Just 
planting seeds which I hope will bear good fruit.

In our home
What to do with over ripe bananas? Bake banana bread!

Train Ride to Oslo

Memories to treasure
"Mom, can I go to Oslo?" - M at 4.5yo
It seems THIS boring inflight movie has a fan.

Reading

Eeeck, a month has passed. I have to return The Well Trained Mind to 
the library. I will definitely have to borrow it again.

I've been scanning Catholicism by Fr. Robert Barron. Looks like an 
interesting read!

Went through a few other books this month. Meh.

Listening to / Watching
Read Aloud Revival Podcasts by Amongst Lovely Things. Click HERE.
- Loving Episode #5 with Jim Weiss. There's a great reminder there on 
why we parents should stop trying to make things perfect.

Working on
Oh my, still trying to get past posting once a month.

Trying this out 
Yahoo, I have managed to keep folding the laundry under control!
Next on the agenda, improving our evening routine.

Planning for the days ahead
Looking forward to attending an LOJ Marriage Enrichment Retreat.
Blessed to have the opportunity to share my faith experience at a CFC 
Christian Life Program. 

Image Credits:
Cristina Alexanderson

Bits and Pieces (May 2014)

Thanking God for:
Nice Weather.
The sunny days that we've been enjoying.
Any respite from the autumn gray is highly appreciated.

Pondering on:
"Look at everything with the eyes of faith, do nothing but in view of God,
and attribute all things to Him." - St. John Baptist De La Salle

Praying for:
Friends with sick family members, missing people, the lost who're trying
to find their way.

Learning about:
Still reading, counting, writing (at least attempting to do so) and playing.

In our home:
Mom asked if I had cooked anything new lately. Hmmm, maybe it's
about time I tried something new!

Memories to treasure:
So yeah, we're late in the game... BUT we're now in a season of Frozen.
Letting go, for the first time in forever, do you want to build a snowman...
You get the picture.

Reading:
The Well Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home
by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise is such a great read! It can be
a bit overwhelming but do remember that it's meant to be a guide.

Listening to / Watching:
I had a blast watching Jason W. Womack talk about how to Think Bigger
Make More of one's life. Many thanks to CreativeLive.com for the rebroadcast.

Working on:
Trying to get back into blogging... Because I want to... Because I have to...

Trying this out:
Trying to start the day "at my best", trying to conquer Mount Foldmore and
trying to get the family out of the house in record speed time.
Trying to squeeze in a little me time.

Planning for the days ahead:
Hmmm, how does one get their groove back?

I decided that it's about time I started reading again. Something to look forward
to this June (many thanks to the Public Library):
Tribes by Seth Godin, $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau, Grace for the Good Girl
by Emily P. Freeman

Clicking Around:
Preschool Revisited by Everyday Snapshots. Click HERE.
- Yes, this pretty much sums up our Early Years Homeschool experience.
You don't need a curriculum. Read, do activities and have fun. And before
you know it, the kids will learn what they need to learn.

Mastery Learning Audio by Andrew Pudewa. Click HERE for the link.
- This is a good listen for those who're a fan of early learning. Pudewa also
talks about how the Suzuki Method is not just for music and how it can be
used in learning other disciplines.

The Ultimate Guide to Memory Work by Everyday Snapshots. Click HERE.
- Loads of info on the Whats, Whys and Hows of Memory Work

10 Things to do with Your Child before Ten by Trivium Pursuit. Click HERE.
- I don't really agree with everything on this list. But it does provide some
food for thought on what topics I can cover with the kids.

Preschool Skills Checklist and The Ultimate List of Preschool Themes
by Homeschool with Love. Click HERE and HERE.
- 2 great guides for moms with Preschoolers.


Image Credits:
Guilio Mola
HDWallpapers
CreativeLive.com

Lent 2013

I've been a Catholic all my life. Lent was a de facto; it just came
and went. Yes, I fasted, abstained from meat, and gave up chocolate.
Unfortunately, I was too busy being a Martha about it.

In recent years, I've switched gears. Lent has become an opportunity
to grow my personal relationship with Jesus. I haven't exactly been
successful in my attempts. I have never completed 40 Days of
intentional living; going about my day with a disposition of prayer
and sacrifice. Even if I managed to do so, I'm sure there is much more
that can be learned about the breadth, length, height and depth of
His love. - Eph 3:18 


Here are a few ideas for celebrating Lent:

Our Sunday Visitor recommends that we go back to basics with
The 1-1-1 Plan
One Sin: Concentrate or focus on one sin or fault that is getting in
                the way of your relationship with God and with others.
One Add-in: Add one positive activity that will deepen your prayer
                     and spiritual life (especially if you think you are too
                     busy to put anything more into an impossibly busy
                     schedule!).
One give-up: Deny yourself something you really like or are
                      attached to.

A Holy Experience has a free Lent and Easter Jesus Tree Devotional. 
There are readings for 17 Days and one just stretches them out for
the entirety of Lent.

The De La Salle Community in the Philippines has a list of
Good Deeds for 2013. The good deeds are acts of kindness
that one can do for others.


Lent 2012  has other ideas on things you can do to celebrate Lent.

Each year, we receive an invitation from the Lord to grow closer to
Him. He invites us to pause, remember and celebrate His passion,
death and resurrection. This is Lent.

Photo credit

Yes! You Can Read Your Bible in 90 Days!

I am attempting the impossible LOL! I've joined the The Bible in 90 Days
Program hosted by Mom's Toolbox!!!

Yes, you read that right, with God's grace, I hope to read through the
entire bible in 90 Days. I feel really blessed as I've been placed in a
Catholic Bible group. So yes, I am reading the Catholic Bible from
cover to cover.

Why do this in the first place? At the start of the year, I realized how
the Lord was inviting me to a deeper relationship with Him. In the past,
I had grown in the faith by attending Mass, attending households and
listening to talks. This year, I've been "invited" to more prayer time
and to reading His word.

Flash forward to today... I'm on Day 1 of the Bible in 90 Days Program
and I've discovered that this challenge will take up an hour of my time
daily, thereabouts. Every Monday, I'm expected to check in with my group
leader and fellow members to update everyone on my progress. So far so
good!

Click here if you're interested in knowing more / joining the Bible in
90 Days Program hosted by Mom's Toolbox. Do pray for us, that we will
have the grace to complete this program!

What is WEALTH?

What is WEALTH?

W-orship God
E-nrich your relationships
A-ttain and maintain good health
L-ive Financially Free
T-rain your intellect
H-elp others live a meaningful life

Special thanks to You Are Truly Wealthy by Mannix for this inspiring
definition!


Photo credit

Lent 2012

Today, 22 February 2012, is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the
start of the Catholic Lenten Season. Lent is a beautiful season; 40 days of
prayer and sacrifices, all leading up to glorious Easter.


If you're searching for things to do in observance of Lent, here are some
suggestions for you to consider:

1. 101 Practical Ideas for Life by One Catholic Life
- Practical suggestions on simple yet meaningful sacrifices for Lent
2. 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting by Bo Sanchez
- A how to on Prayer and Fasting
3. Ignatian Prayer Adventure by Loyola Press
- A daily reflection guide that runs for 8weeks
4. Lunchtime Examen by Loyola Press
- A 6 section prayer guide
5. 9 Ways to Prepare Your Family for Lent by Tina Santiago-Rodriguez
(Smart Parenting Philippines)
- Practical suggestions for celebrating Lent as a Family


I look forward to changes in the church calendar as I do believe the different
celebrations serve as opportunities for us to further deepen our relationship
with God. May you have a grace filled season of Lent!


Photo Credit

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

- Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss

We recently purchased Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss. It's one of the

books we got for Little M's homeschooling. Little did I know that it would 

turn out to be a book that we all would enjoy. 

Oh, the Places You'll Go is a book about life. It presents a no nonsense view

of life that children and adults can appreciate. It tells us how sometimes you'll

be up, and sometimes you'll be down. Regardless, it's what you decide to do

with your life that matters: if you work it, good things will manifest in your life.

And so if you're ever in need of a simple pick me up, grab a cup of tea and

curl up to Oh, the Places You'll Go. It's guaranteed to give you a good dose

of warm fuzzies.

On Fire

What comes to mind when you hear the words "On Fire"?


Passion

Couples for Christ's Theme for 2012 is On Fire. Wow!

I did some introspection and faced up to the fact that I could NOT truly describe
my relationship with God as On Fire. Hmmm!?!

Honestly, I don't want to go through the: I will do this this this list. It's too
"tired"and tested. Instead, I will try to approach this "renewing" in the
same way that others are pursuing their passions. 

Learn it!
Zee is really into stocks. He constantly updates himself with what's happening
in the market. He closely monitors stocks. Many mistakenly think it's all a
breeze. Time and time again, Zee will tell you that the art of buying and selling
stocks is a discipline.

Ahhh, discipline. I'm sure Zee spends a few hours per day studying everything
so he can make the right stock picks. I'd love to say, "I will devote x amount
of hours everyday to praying and meditating on God's word." However,
I can't peg a number just yet. I also don't want to be too methodological
about it. I am simply aiming for daily prayers and bible reflection. I'm glad
I was able to bring over a 2012 Bible Diary; it has the scripture passages so
all I need to do is read.


Love it!
Jay is a running afficionado. Looking at him now, you'd never know that once
upon a time, he was extremely overweight. He's now quite fit. And then there's
the running clothes and shoes!!! Yes shoes!!! Apparently, running shoes should
only have a certain mileage in them. Then it's off to a new pair. Otherwise, you
risk seriously injuring yourself! As for Jay's schedule, expect to see running
events blocked off until the end of the year!

Time is so dear to us. Sometimes, all I want to do is chill. Instead, H and I have
decided to allocate more time to growing spiritually. There is the regular CFC
activities to participate in. We're also excited for a recent discovery; we hope
it will be a means for us to attend more teachings.


Live it!

My memory is a bit fuzzy on this but -- I think I first met Teacher Weena on the
night that she shared to our community her decision to pursue teaching. I didn't
really know her back then. Regardless, I admired her for making such a brave
career move; teaching is not exactly a lucrative career. Today, Teacher Weena
is an excellent Early Childhood Educator who is positively touching the lives
of children in her community. Kudos to her for living her passion!

I'm currently going through an interesting phase in my life. The recent move is
a bittersweet affair. I'm thankful for this great blessing. Yet it has it's own
share of challenges. Regardless of the circumstance, I've tried to stay positive. So
far so good. I've decided to be more open to sharing my experiences with
others. I've learned so much from the moms out there, I think it's about time I
added to the community pool.


Learn, Love and Live. Can't wait to see if these will put me On Fire.


Image courtesy of matthewvenn

It's Time to CONNECT!

My 2012 officially started today. We've been on vacation mode for a few weeks now.
Spending the holidays in our new home was a great way to end 2011. Yes 2011 was
a good year for us. As for 2012, it's going to be better!

Instead of the usual New Year's Resolutions, I've decided to welcome 2012 with a
theme: CONNECT

I wish I had some witty acronym on hand. Unfortunately, Creating Opportunities
Now by Networking, Executing, Creating and Trying doesn't exactly work wonders
for me. lol.

In case you missed it, I am now faced with the challenge of creating a new life in
a new country. One month into this new life and I already know that my life is no
longer what it used to be.

Hence the need to CONNECT.

1. Connect to the One Above
Sadly, I'm having a case of "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about
many things...." My prayer time has taken a backseat to all the things that need
doing. I definitely need to block off more quiet time. Lately, my prayer has been:
Lord, guide me that I may be a source of blessing to my family and to all whom I
encounter.

2. Connect Within
I know it's only been one month but I'm already longing for some me time. Since
the move, little M and I have been inseparable. No daycare for now. It's been great
as I get to see him grow. But it does have it's tiring moments. And, I have yet to
resume my VA work. I intend to do a shifting of sorts --- do errands and take care
of M during the day. Then do VA work at night. I know it's doable; I did get the
idea from a mom who works part time in the evenings with a bank.

3. Connect to those Beside Me
Okay, I know this sounds cheesy, but all whom we love, regardless of age, need
our time and attention. I am consciously trying not to let every day life get in
the way of BEING there for H and little M.

4. Connect Back
A few months before I left, an expat's wife commented that the price one pays
for living overseas is the possibility of returning home then discovering that one
is already out of touch with the people that stayed on back home. I am truly
grateful that technology has made it easier for H and I to reach out to people:
Skype, FB, email, sms, etc are all there for us to use.

5. Connect Anew
New country = new experiences = new relationships. It doesn't get simpler
than that.


I'd like to end by saying Thank You for being a part of this Pinay Mom's 2011
Adventures. I hope we continue to journey together in 2012! An abundance
of blessings to you and the ones you love!

The Holstee Manifesto

The Holstee Manifesto is just what you need to start your week on an inspired note.
A great week to all!


Image courtesy of Holstee

38,000 Millionaires (US$) in the Philippines by 2015

Over the weekend, Z mentioned that Php50million in the bank is the bare 

minimum for a Pinoy to be considered rich these days. 

I wondered, How many people actually have this much assets??? 

Well according to Julius Baer - "The Philippines will have 38,000 millionaires 

(in US$) by 2015". Hence, the Php50million number.

I'm not quite sure when Php50million became the gold standard but I must

admit I wasn't paying attention when this figure was pegged. I mean is this

really an exact science? And if it is, what should it mean to me?

If you don't know where you're going, you might not get there. - Yogi Berra, 

American Baseball Player and Team Manager

The short conversation that I had made me realize how much I've changed 

through the years. You see, 10 years ago, I was like other people; listening 

and believing others who had a definition for rich and successful. This brought

me some heartache because I was apparently chasing after things that were 

unimportant to me. 

At some point, I woke up and realized, "Hey, wait a minute, this isn't what 

I want." I then started making life choices based on what I assessed would 

work best for me.  I'm happy to say that at this point, I'm quite happy with 

the decisions I've made.

Some people will scoff at what I said and write me off as naive. But you 

know, the thought of that doesn't really bother me. C'est la vie. We all have 

our own reasons for being. Others have the right to be them, I have the right 

to be me, and you have the right to be you. 

Image courtesy of areasauburnphotos


p.s. So what about the state of our economy? Don't get me wrong, the more
financially stable we are as a people, the better. But I'm less hung up on
the ultra rich. What I'm hoping for is for the Philippines to have a stronger
middle class.

You don't need Php50Million to be middle class. But you do need enough
money to have a home, provide for your children, retire comfortably and then
give some to those still trying to get there.

Start Now and Use Blogger

Starting something new is a difficult thing. You may have your reasons, here are some

of mine:

- There's always tomorrow.

- It's too hard.

- What if?!?

- It's gonna explode!

- Do I really have it in me to do this?

And on, and on, and on....

Yesterday, I asked everyone to make a wild guess on what The Sartorialist, 

Vosgesparis, and Ode Boutique had in common.

The usual answer: fashion, style, artistic and black + white. Okay these

are all true. But....

THE ANSWER:  Blogger.com

Whaaaaaat?!? Yes, this is a "technical" post of sorts...

The Sartorialist

Yes, The Sartorialist has been using blogger since time immemorial. You don't believe

me? Use the original URL: http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com and see where you'll end 

up. Okay, he recently switched to Wordpress. But there's no denying that he did really 

well when he was still using blogger; think Time Magazine 2007 Style and Design 100
and paid advertisements from fashion brands.

VosgesParis

I love VosgesParis for its minimalist zen type approach to home design. VosgesParis 

is obviously an artist. But I love the fact that that she mildly tweaked her blogger theme

to make it all her own. 

Ode Boutique

Who would have guessed that Ode Boutique is running on Blogger. Even more

surprising is the fact that web developers now get paid to do Blogger design and 

development. I'm sure hard core developers will be screaming in protest. In the
end, it boils down to what works for the client. Interesting!!!

And so, to all who've been deliberating and delaying on starting their 1st website,

my suggestion to you is this: Start Now and Use Blogger. Blogger really is the

simplest thing to use. You can always move on to other platforms. What's most

important is that you take that first step and get yourself online. And......

May that first step bring you to better and brighter things!

Image courtesy of Blogger.com

How to Conquer Overwhelm

The cheque is in the bank. The kid is tucked in. The hubby is prepared for our big 

move. And yet I can't shake off the feeling that something is amiss. Why why why?

3 Things Im doing to conquer the Big Overwhelm:

1. Revisiting my Goals and Priorities.

Im blessed because I can still afford to be a WAHM. However, being a WAHM

doesn't mean I have all the time in the world to do the stuff that I want to do. 

Yes I've managed to get rid of the travel time but I'm just as busy as when I had the 

corporate job. 

One activity I've had to rethink is homeschooling. My homeschooling attempts

have been on and off. It seems more realistic to do it less frequently but more

consistently for a longer period of time. Meaning, I should ditch the grand plan

of homeschooling everyday because 3x a week is really more sustainable. Then

when we do our big move; M will probably attend school; I will just focus on

providing quality after school activities. This makes more sense than me worrying

that M isn't getting the education that he needs.

2. Embracing my humanity.

I am not a superwoman. And it's okay that I am not. So some things are not

working out in the way that I'd want them to. No use kicking myself on things

that are clearly unrealistic. I can accept that certain things don't fit. I can adjust. 

I can create new plans. I can do other things to achieve the same end goals.

3. Recharging my spirituality.

I definitely need to get my prayer time back into gear. I need God to enlighten me

on what needs doing and what needs pruning. I need Him to provide me with

courage and strength for the challenges up ahead. And I need Him to teach me

to appreciate the blessings and opportunities that I'm overlooking. Oh yeah, only 

He can assure me that things will work out.

I guess I'm like most women; trying hard to be a superwoman when all I really 

need to be is myself.

Image courtesy of daedalust

Who Am I

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherrattsam

"This was the culmination of a unit about who each student is
as a person and as a learner."

This picture, "Who Am I?", says it all!

When was the last time you asked this question? Just a thought~
The answer is important to a child. But vital to an adult.