Precious Moments

John Lloyd Day

2011-01-22T01:39:00.001+08:00

No joke, I met John Lloyd last January 8. :) I joined Chai’s Day of Stories (see previous entry) and met a boy named John Lloyd at Virlanie Foundation. I just remembered it now. Funny because later that evening, I got to see the real John Lloyd Cruz in a concert I went to together with Onyi, Mune and Ate Agnes. :) From afar, he still looked oh so gorgeous. Note please that he didn’t sing or anything. He went on stage in a car and made pa-cute to the audience for like 5 or so minutes and that’s it. ;P

Ine with John Lloyd. Sayang I failed to take a photo with him. :(

at the concert with Onyi

girl bonding

this is the real John Lloyd Cruz. :p

Chai's Day of Stories

2011-01-13T16:11:00.000+08:00

Just last Saturday-January 8-I had the privilege of joining a dear friend for her birthday outreach. I have been reading about her previous outreaches through her blog, but this is the only year I got to go with her. I have to say it has been a blessing to be a part of something good. :)

helping Chai put name tags for the kids

fun fun singing with the kids of Virlanie Foundation

it has been a long time since I did story telling for kids


teling the story of "Ang Munting Mga Kamay"

Chai, the birthday girl, lining up the kids for some sweet treat!

with Chai and friends from Bethany

Have a blessed year ahead, Chai. Thank you for your friendship. May God grant you your heart's desire. Much love! ♥

Photos from Daryll Bales and Mike Ajero. :)

“I’m your Christmas present!!!” -Badiday

2011-01-13T15:29:00.000+08:00

Just so you know, her name was actually given to her by our Lolo Papang. Lolo called his wife, Inday. She used the same term of endearment when calling, Rachel(this is her real name btw), but added Badiday in the end-“Inday Badiday”. In the long run, almost everyone in the family calls her, Badiday.

She arrived in Manila on the eve of Christmas 2010. And everyday since then has been a real treat. The recent holiday season was a blast having her and her family around.

Thanks Badiday! Hopefully we’ll see each other again this February. :)


straight from the airport, Christmas Eve

Christmas Day with Andrei and Rea


Christmas Lunch at home with my siblings

Karaoke on New Year's Eve

with her bestfriend, Jollibee :)

New Year's Day dinner at Bag of Beans, Tagaytay

time to go!!! at the airport, with Daniel, Rachel's good friend. ;)

Holiday Caffeine Overdose! :)

2011-01-06T11:30:00.000+08:00

Tis the season to be jolly and to eat and eat and eat and drown yourself with caffeine. I have already lost track how many times I have gone to different coffee shops and how many cups I had since the start of December 2010. Oh well, it doesn't matter. All I remember were the conversations shared with family and friends while sipping my hot cup of cafe mocha. Below are SOME(I am not exaggerating) of the moments I was caught on cam.

pre-birthday Starbucks @ People Support, Makati

with girlfriends from church @ Starbucks, Columns

with cuzins and friends @ Starbucks, MOA

Christmas Day @ CBTL, McKinely

1.1.11= Road Trip and Coffee Treats

2011-01-05T22:29:00.001+08:00

I started the first day of 2011 with a road trip and ended the day with a cup of coffee! :) Sweet! Hopefully it will be the same way the entire year. I am looking forward to traveling more and having a great cup of coffee and conversations with people I love and new friends I have yet to meet.

stop over at Jollibee, Paseo de Sta. Rosa

Bag of Beans, Tagaytay

our beautiful cabana

having fun with my two Rachels :)

McKinley, enjoying our cup of CBTL coffee

Happy 2011!!!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2010-12-24T10:22:00.001+08:00

For the past weeks I have been busy with the wedding preps for Talit and Paul's wedding. 3 days to go before their "I DO"! That's the only reason why I haven't been able to post updates here. There are a lot of events happening here and there which I will surely share to everybody soon.

For now, I just want to greet everyone a Merry Merry Christmas! :)

I am glad that Jesus came to earth to be born of a virgin, away in a manger.

1 Friend Request

2010-12-06T12:49:00.004+08:00

Praise God for the success of Campus Connection 2010! I feel happy to be part of this event in a different way, though I am technically not a part of the BYP already, I was there to pray and support the new batch of leaders who worked hard to make this event feasible. I love the feeling that God's ministry continues on; it is my first time not to sit behind the Registration Table. Yey! :)

with my Onyi

2 thumbs up! Yey for Reg people doing their job! :)

in the middle of work, smile muna! :)

sir john, giving the final lesson

tutann with the ushers and 1 usherette/artista

tutann with perks and dear

with casey and james

Thank you to all the visitors who came, we hope to see you again. To the BYP, praise God for you, may you truly be servants of the King in your private life and in your ministries.

Photos from the event may be viewed at Facebook: Bethany Makati Youth Ministry

i ♥ family bonding moments!!!

2010-12-04T18:43:00.000+08:00

The best memories are those with people you love. Family is one of them and nothing beats simple moments turned to special memories. Here are a few of them that happened last week! :)

Rea's birthday celebration here at home

Sportsfest 2010 with Ine

watched this movie with Chester and Rea at Eastwood, sayang wala kami picture pala

I also had bonding moments with my mom and dad. I went with them to Toyota, Balintawak for the car's maintenance then we proceeded to Trinoma for lunch and then to SM Makati for some shopping.

It is Thanksgiving Day! :)

2010-11-25T19:21:00.001+08:00

For my salvation, my family, for true friends, for your abounding grace, for your unconditional love... Heavenly Father, I Thank You! :) ♥

Campus Connection 2010: 1 Friend Request

2010-11-23T00:56:00.001+08:00

You are all invited! :)

View the teaser at our Facebook Page: Bethany Makati Youth Ministry.

I'm a proud Tita!

2010-11-19T14:24:00.002+08:00

I love my pamangkins so much that is why I try to be present at each and every important event.

A few days after my trip to the mountains, we celebrated Monnesa's 10th birthday. As usual family and some friends gathered to have fun and eat!

with monnesa, the birthday girl! :)


This is daddy john's and my gift to monnesa.

Tito John with Monnesa and Leslie with A

Soon after, it is my Andrei's graduation from the Learning-to-Read Center! We are happy and excited for him. Congratulations Andrei! :)

Andrei & Monnesa with Tito Jeck, Tita Ine and me


with Mom and Dad. 11.13.2010


with my Andrei :)

A Memorable Baguio Trip: Part 3

2010-11-03T03:55:00.005+08:00

Last day...the best day...the most memorable day of the trip

Day3: My Tweet- tutann is being a good ate to @McSeason and @janm_ark ! :) enjoy kids. <3

We were suppose to be having breakfast before 9AM, but since JM was late, we ended up having brunch instead at Half Moon Cafe located in Minesview Park Hotel. Many friends recommended the bibingcrepe there so I really wanted to go. Casey and JM agreed to go with me. Apparently it was all hyped up. The bibingcrepe was ok, but we really didn't like it that much, my drink, green mango basil was nice though. :)

at halfmoon cafe with Casey and JM

bibingcrepe

This particular day seemed to start very slow, it took us a while to decide what to do next after brunch. Casey and JM, being the sporty kids they are decided to play badminton so we headed back to GreenValley. After the game, we headed back to meet JM's parents, brother and nephew for early dinner at SM. I told Casey that it was okay for me to not join them for dinner, but she said it was ok and at the same time I could see how great JM's family is. And great and warm they are! Specially JM's mom.

Next order of business, to leave the kids alone and be a good ate. hehehe. I told Casey that since they have plans of meeting her college friends as well, that I'll go with James and Maui for coffee. The Lontoc boys met me at SM Baguio and after walking around Session Road finding a local cafe we ended up at Cafe Veniz. I had Benguet coffee that I liked a lot since it has a bold and strong flavor. After coffee, we were suppose to return to SM to have some froyo at White Hat, but the mall was closed already. So they took me to this local resto (I forgot the name) where I had the best puto bumbong ever!

TutAnn with the lontoc boys-Maui and James

I had a good time with James and Maui, they shared a lot of kwentos with me. It has been a while since I last saw them, especially James, so bonding with them was really nice. Plus we were really cheering for JM and Casey to be together so 50% of the whole conversation was dedicated to them; how we wish they will end up together and stuff like that. =D We have been having this kind of conversation since I arrived in Baguio, teasing, guessing and wishing for things to happen already.

We were suppose to transfer to another resto since the boys are still hungry, when we got a text message that Casey and JM are on their way to meet us already. Maui and James wanted to go to McDo so we went there. As the boys were eating, Casey and JM were acting really funny. I was looking at Maui and James and they were puzzled with the behavior of the two as well. When we asked them what's up and why they seem to be giggling all the time, JM announced that he already has a girlfriend. Our first reaction was like this: "weh, hindi nga. niloloko nyo lang kami eh". We thought we were being punished for teasing them the whole 3 days we were together. But, it wasn't like that. Casey confirmed that they indeed were a couple already! :) Yey Yey Yey! We were all soooooo happy for Casey and JM. :) Nobody expected it to happen like this. Apparently when I left the two, they went back to Forest House and there love happened! :)

JM and Casey, the couple! Congrats!

I know the details but that story is not mine to share. I am just happy to be recalling the past 3 days, how unexpected things happen, how things fall into place as God has planned. Up to now I still smile remembering what transpired. It has truly been a memorable trip in more days than one.

A Memorable Baguio Trip: Part 2

2010-11-03T03:04:00.000+08:00

The trip continues...

Day 2: Sunday, the Lord's Day it is and Danny's birthday too.

We went to JM's church at Grace Baptist. Not only did we had a great time of worship but we also got to see more friends there. I was happy to see Jonathan, Josh, Tita Lani and other friends there. Since it is Danny's birthday that day, he treated us (JM, Casey, Maui, James and I) for a lunch buffet at Kamayan. It seems like I've been gaining weight every second I was up there. We've been eating and eating and eating everywhere we go. :)


Maui and the birthday boy, Danny

Casey and JM

James and Tutann

The celebration continued at GreenValley where we were suppose to play bowling but ended up playing billiards instead. Actually, the boys played billiards, Casey and I just watched. It our first time in GreenValley, Casey and I. There's a view deck where we can see Foggy Hills a place where it seems like you can actually touch the clouds. According to JM, if it wasn't that cloudy that day, we may have seen South China Sea too from where we are.

foggy hills

boys playing billiards

the billiard game that took forever to finish! ;)

After the church service in the evening, JM, Casey, Danny and I decided to have dinner together. The Lontoc boys-Maui and James-needs to be home already. First thing that came to mind-Forest House! We haven't tried the food there yet, all we got yesterday was sweet treats. Sadly, we have no reservations and the house is full. Dinner happened at Starbucks, Camp John Hay. Yey! my favorite Starbucks branch. :) As usual, we talked over dinner exchanging stories and stuff. In the middle of it all, JM called me-"TutAnn" a nickname that only closest friends call me; it is what Casey calls me. Hmm...somebody is getting comfortable already. Is he gearing up for something???

On a different note, a not-so-funny thing happened as we were walking down hill to wait for a cab. A van stopped, we thought they were going to ask for directions. The person beside the driver seat said, "Ate, Ate". When we looked at her another person in a very scary costume appeared at the back of the van. Casey and I screamed and got really scared. We kinda forgot it was Halloween too and was reminded through a prank! =(

We got home that day fairly early. It was only 10PM, there's nothing to watch on TV so Casey and I ended up talking and talking and talking until 2:30AM. One more day, our last day in Baguio is right ahead...who knew it will end the way it did?

A Memorable Baguio Trip: Part 1

2010-11-03T02:17:00.002+08:00

"There's something about new beginnings that make me hopeful"

It started on one Friday night, little did we know what was in-store ahead. I was with friends the whole day, a prenup shoot in the morning with talit and paul, followed by a dinner and coffee treat from Candy Rhea. (Read more about this here). Casey, on the other hand, was with friends too for a buffet dinner in Ortigas. We were having fun with friends that we ended up feeling nervous about making it to the bus terminal for our 11pm trip. Thankfully Casey got a really fast cab driver which took her from Ortigas at 10pm, to Makati to fetch me at Starbucks by 10:20, then at the bus terminal by 10:45. To add to the adrenalin rush, the cab driver failed to go to the right lane taking us to the Magallanes bridge going to SLEX! We almost panicked, well okay we were panicking already, but we remembered that there is a street at Paseo de Magallanes where we can turn and go back to the right route. Just right before we go down, I asked Casey for our bus tickets to look for the bus number so we can hop right down from the cab to it. This was when I noticed that instead of 11pm, the ticket said 11am!(Casey's mom, booked our trip and she was certain that it was for the 11pm trip, we don't know what happened here.) Waaaaaah! Talk about everything almost going wrong. 11pm, we boarded our bus going to Baguio. Casey used some magic thus the 11am ticket was honored and we got front row seats which allowed for more room for stretching our legs. hehehe. From Pasay to Tarlac it was non-stop kwento about personal life, work, church and other interests. It helped with the 6 hour trip.

We arrived at Baguio at around 5am. It was sooooo cold! My feet froze and refused to move for a while. But boy was I loving the cold weather already! JM fetched us and took us to the transient house where we will stay for 3 days and 2 nights. Day 1 of our Baguio adventure begins! :)

Day 1: Surprise Surprise!

Casey is the mastermind of this whole trip. It was her plan to go up to spend time with her special friend, JM. She opened the invitation to friends, and originally Dino and Saraah will join us too but failed to do so. From the very start Casey already has a plan to surprise JM. She asked help from JM's close friend, Maui to help her do it. Today is the day we execute everything.

We slept/tried to sleep for a few hours after arriving in Baguio and agreed to meet JM for brunch by 9am. But instead we met with Maui at Chowking, Session Road to finalize everything for JM's surprise. It took us like quite a while to finalize everything. So here's the plan:

Step1: Casey will text JM she has meeting with her boss and ABS CBN Baguio for a possible shoot at Tarlac and to meet Tutann at Cafe by the Ruins for brunch

Step2: Tutann to text JM saying she left Cafe by the Ruins to get Casey's stuff to bring it to her meeting thus hinting that she will go to Tarlac for the shoot instead

Step3: Maui to go to Cafe by the Ruins to meet JM, tell him that Casey went to Tarlac.

Step4: Casey to come from the back, cover his eyes and then say "surprise" and give him the happy donuts!

Okay, so that was all set and Step 2 was accomplished already. Casey, Maui and I proceeded to Cafe by the Ruins to execute Step 3. We arrived there and decided to check out the place when I saw JM across the street leaning on a tree, listening to music patiently waiting. Panic strikes again! Good thing he didn't see us. We went inside the Cafe hurriedly. Maui got a table, Casey and I hid at the farther end of the cafe. To make the long story short, JM arrived, Casey came from behind and did what she planned. It was successful for 5 seconds until JM said that he smelled her cologne and instantly knew it was her!!! That was really funny! All the planning boiled down to just a 5-seconder surprise!

That was the highlight of Day 1. We had brunch at Cafe by the Ruins, went to SLU, and then went to Tamaw-an Village. After that, we decided to go to Forest House for coffee and dessert. We fell in love with the place instantly. It was cozy, and since Christmas is near, it is already adorned with Christmas decors and a very nice Christmas Tree. I loved that place, but I am having a feeling that Casey and JM loved it more than I do. :D The day ended with a trip to SM Baguio where JM got a haircut and where we met the Baguio boys-James, Maui and Danny.


the 5-second surprise!


At Forest House with JM and Casey

Maui, surprise accomplice number 1

tutann and casey

It's Friday I'm In Love

2010-11-02T23:12:00.001+08:00

The fun and loving started last friday and overflowed until today. :)

Who knew Friday, October 29, 2010, will end up being one of the most hectic and most fun day I've had. Days prior I have been Tweeting that that day is packed with events here and there but I did not expect it will end up the way it did.

It started with Talit and Paul's PreNup Photo Shoot:

At first Talit was fussing a lot about the prenup poses because she doesn't like to be cheesy! Eventually she warmed up and ended up doing sweet poses with Paul. Thanks to the "Wedding Team" (from the photographers to the hairstylist and makeup artist) for being really supportive and for cheering the couple as they did their PreNup. I am tempted to share all the fun details here but I shall save this one for my wedding blog. :)

the couple with the wedding team


Behind the Scenes: Paul taking Talit's photo before the actual shoot

The day went on with Candy Rhea's birthday treat.

Right after the PreNup we headed for Talit's home (where I saw Chai again after sooooo long) for some more wedding work when Candy Rhea texted asking if we can come over their place because she prepared food (a.k.a. fiesta) for her birthday the previous day. We all agreed to go especially since we haven't seen each other in a long time. We had a blast! It is so nice to catch up again and to laugh and just be with friends. Thanks again to Tita Cita for the sumptuous meal we had and to Candy for treating us at Starbucks!

at Starbucks, Columns


parang nung highschool lang ha...

As the day ends there's one more in store for me, my trip to Baguio with Casey.

Did I mention earlier that this particular Friday is a pay-day-Friday and the "Undas" Friday where a lot of people are everywhere except their homes. Yup, this is that Friday. So as I am having fun with my friends at Starbucks, Casey on the other end of the Metro is having a great dinner buffet with her friends as well. It is true that time pass by so quickly when you 're having fun. Casey almost forgot the time and ended up rushing for our 11PM trip. Thankfully we just made it in time. Baguio here we come! Little did we know that this trip is only the beginning of something really wonderful. Do you smell love in the cold, fresh mountain air??? :) Love is bound to happen and it started on one Friday night. ♥

Happy 6th Birthday Andrei!!!

2010-10-29T02:29:00.003+08:00

Yup, our baby boy is now 6 years old!(His birthday is actually last October 25, Monday and he actually shares the same birthdate as his mom.) We had a small celebration with family and Andrei's special guest, Raya, at their home in Pasay. He was actually surprised that his parents, Ate Agnes and Kuya Mon, prepared something last Sunday, because he was looking forward to having his birthday party at school. I can't forget how his eyes widen when he saw his birthday cake and all the food prepared for him. Of course, the party theme is still Disney's Cars, which has been his party theme since forever! The food was great, we all had fun, and the birthday boy enjoyed an evening playing with Raya, Cassey-his cousin, and Monnesa, his sister.

andrei with special guest, raya

andrei's handa and birthday cake- Cars pa rin

naks, ang saya saya ni andrei! :)

Imagine that. It feels like it was just yesterday when we went to the Nursery Section in that hospital in Las Piñas looking for "baby boy Baluyot". It is no secret that Deidei holds a special place in my heart. Everybody teases me that he is my favorite pamangkin, I will not deny it, because he is! :) Don't get me wrong, I love all my pamangkins, but this boy makes my heart melt all the time. His smile makes me smile too and he knows how to "make bola" tita ann. (I have an old post about him as an example, read it here) He knows how to make me lambing and is a constant source of joy for me. Now that he is 6 I am afraid that he is growing up too fast! I am not ready to see him all grown up yet.

"Happy Happy Brithday my dear, Andrei! Tita Ann loves you soooooooo much!"

Eat Pray Love

2010-10-16T00:49:00.003+08:00

This post is one week too late, but nonetheless I am including it here.

I had a great time with friends-Casey, Dino, Rea, and my brother-Chester last Saturday. This movie date scheduled months in advance because we got excited about the book. Casey, Rea and I have read it and was really excited to see the movie. We all wondered how the characters looked like or if they looked liked how we imagined them while reading the book. :)

Best part about the movie:
-I love Italy(same as with the book)! I love the food! That part really made me hungry. I love the place! I love their language. It reminded of the time I really wanted to study Italian too! :D
-I like Richard's character very much, though he didn't look the same as I had imagined him while reading the book. I love his sarcasm and his wisdom too. It is sad to know that he died already because of his heart ailment. (Read more about it at Elizabeth Gilbert's Update on EPL at her website).
-I love Ketut and his toothless smile. He just seems happy and peaceful all the time.
-I love Tutti! Just cause I love cute, little, smart girls.

What I don't like:
-They kinda changed the ending, it felt like they didn't know how to finish the movie or that they wanted more drama so they changed it. Sad.
-Some parts of the book I thought would be in the movie is missing

Best quote from the movie:

“You need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life so bad, work on the mind. That’s the only thing you should be trying to control.”

Quote for Dino from the movie:

SEND HER SOME LOVE AND LIGHT EVERY TIME YOU THINK ABOUT HER, AND THEN DROP IT!

Well, in general it was a good movie. I am just really glad to have spent time with great friends. Till our next movie date. :)

P.S.
Thanks to Dino for the Dairy Queen Ice Cream Sandwich and to Casey for catching up, coming from a shoot in QC!. :)

it is the small things

2010-10-02T13:18:00.000+08:00

I don't want to fail mentioning my appreciation for my brother here in my blog. What he did may be a small thing but i truly truly love him for doing so. Here's a big shout out to you dear brother...

Thank you for waiting for me to finish my meeting. Thank you for spending time with me last night and treating me to a movie and my fave Mcdo meal. love kita! :)

movie was so-so for me, but i enjoyed watching it with my brother!

of birthdays and babies

2010-09-27T16:46:00.000+08:00

haay…parang field trip kami today with the family! :) parang tour ng bulacan to see relatives today. we were all tired, but definitely we had a great time.

happy birthday to Deuel and Tito Noel, and congrats once again to Cuzin Dunhill and Lorie. we were very happy to see baby ethan luis! :)

nice to be with ama and ina too. i’m sure they were the happiest people.

thank you Lord for our family!

rekindling my love affair with weddings

2010-09-25T23:29:00.002+08:00

after a long hiatus on any thing related to weddings, today i took time and rekindled my love affair with all things beautiful and dreamy and visited the 17th Wedding Expo at SMX.

an added bonus was that i got to see one of my best friends-kitten- and her lovely daughter-sky-there. :)

thanks to casey for giving me a complimentary pass and for my sister, rachel, for tagging along with me!

i had a great day! :)

p.s. thanks dad for commuting with me! ;P

another day with Anya Babe & Kuya @ the 17th PR Congress

2010-09-24T13:59:00.001+08:00

Baby Anya and TutAnn

2010-09-23T00:01:00.002+08:00

i didn’t get to see and say bye to kuya and his family before they left for SG a few months ago. i missed them soooooo much. so when kuya jon said they’re coming to manila, i made sure i’d see them this time! :)

here are some photos with Baby Anya, Ate Tara, and Kuya Jon. These were taken at church before and after the service! :)

a first time for everything

2010-09-21T22:15:00.007+08:00

ask my friends who knew me since forever, they will all say that i am not one to try out extreme sports or any thing like it. i'm quite content staying at home or having coffee somewhere nice. that's me. but as they say, there's a first time for everything.

backstory: gerwin, genieve and i planned to bring matthew(cuzin from LA) to tagaytay so he can see some sites here in the phils besides all the malls in the metro. the trip pushed through yesterday.

off to tagaytay we go- gerwin, genieve, matthew, andypot, and i together with our driver, bobby and his family. in the car, gerwin was already saying that his goal is to get me to do the zipline. i kinda anticipated this one, so i purposely wore slippers instead of snickers and a dressy top so i have an excuse not to go. but all my prep didn't work out as all my excuses not to do it went down the drain, hence i experienced doing the zip line for the first time at ParadiZoo and at Picnic Grove.

FUN with FAMILY & FRIENDS

2010-04-02T14:01:00.008+08:00

here are a few photos from great moments captured on cam! :)

A Special PlayDate at Sea Breeze

Andrei's Recognition Day and Mune's Award's Night

Dinner at Tagaytay w/ Rea

i just haven't met you yet

2010-03-13T14:20:00.001+08:00

I JUST HAVEN'T MET YOU YET

I'm not surprised,
Not everything lasts,
I've broken my heart so many times I stopped keeping track.
Talk myself in,
I talk myself out,
I get all worked up,
Then I let myself down,

I tried so very hard not to lose it;
I came up with a million excuses,
I thought I thought of every possibility,

And I know some day that it’ll all turn out,
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out,
And I promise you kid that I give so much more than I get~ mmm.......
I just haven't met you yet.

Mmmmm ....

I might have to wait,
I’ll never give up,
I guess it's half timin', and the other half's luck,
Wherever you are,
Whenever it's right,
You'll come outta nowhere and into my life.

And I know that we can be so amazin',
And baby your love is gonna change me,
And now I can see every possibility, mmmmmm....

Somehow I know that it’ll all turn out,
You'll make me work so we can work to work it out,
And promise you kid, I'll give so much more than I get, mmmm....
I just haven't met you yet.

They say all’s fair
in love and war
But I won’t need to fight it,
we'll get it right an',
we'll be united

Instrumental

and I know that we can be so amazin',
And bein' in your life is gonna change me,
And now I can see every single possibility, mmmmmm

And someday I know it'll all turn out,
And I'll work to work it out,
Promise you kid I’ll give more than I get
Than I get, than I get, than I get.

Oh, you know it'll all turn out,
and you'll make me work so we can work to work it out,
And promise you kid to give so much more than I get, yeah
I just haven't met you yet.

I just haven't met you yet,
Oh, promise you kid,
To give so much more than I get.

I said love love love love love love love.....
I just haven't met you yet
Love love love .....
So doy day ay ay ay, ay ay yeah
I just haven't met you yet!

in great anticipation....

2009-07-10T14:06:00.003+08:00

My heart yearns for you more and more each passing day. Some days are bearable-thank God! But there are moments that my heart longed for you deeply. the desire to be cherished and to hold another dear sometimes get too intense. In these times, I run to our Father's embrace and cry out to Him. I asked for comfort and prayed that He will keep my heart calm and quiet as I wait for you.

God is gracious, He provides His strength in every moment of weakness. He replaces my overwhelming emotions with His love and tender presence. His joy fills my heart like no other. He constantly reminds me that He is more than enough!

As I go through these, I whisper a prayer for you too. Praying that our Father will keep your heart and fill you with His joy as well. It is a comfort to know that we are both in the care of our loving Heavenly father.

I am in great anticipation for when we would finally be together; what a beautiful day that will be. As I wait, I continue to bask in the goodness and faithfulness of the One who loves us the most.

Resting in His time,

P.S.
Just a thought... Do you think that maybe we have met each other already? At least in prayer? It tickles me to think that there must be a time, even in its smallest measurement, that we may have prayed for each other at the exact same moment. :)

My God is greater than all the difficulties and trials that I face!

2009-07-03T20:28:00.001+08:00

Those Who Spend Time with Jesus Never turn their back at Him at the first sign of difficulty!

Just last Saturday I shared this insight to the girls for our Bible Study. We were talking about the characteristics of people who spent time with our Lord Jesus Christ. In relation to the topic, we looked at the life of Job. He was described in the Bible in Job chapter one as a man who was perfect and upright, one that feared God and eschewed evil. What a great description! To be known as a man who was perfect and upright in the eyes of our God is truly outstanding! His reputation exceeded his lifetime, he was included in the Bible and a whole book was written about his life! What a testimony! Such character could only be the result of intimate times spent with our Lord! As we go along, we also discussed how Job suffered trials and testings in his life; he lost his children, all his belongings, he even suffered tremendous physical pain! Yet we read in the Bible,In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly; futhermore, in Job 13:15 he said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him; but will maintain mine own ways before Him!" What a very bold statement! Just imagine all he has been through and he was able to utter this words! As I personally study this statement, it lead me to believe that Job knew
God, and He knows Him very well! He has experienced the goodness, faithfulness and the power of God in his life in a very big way. I admired his faith, what great example He is!

We all know that after each lesson comes a test. Mine came today. The day started with my regular routine-quiet time with the Lord in the first waking hours of the day, brunch, house chores, surfing the net, studying for Values Ed lessons, and since we have mid-week service and I have a meeting set at 5PM at church with my fellow teachers for the Values Instruction Class, I left the house at around 4. I rode on the first jeepney going to Pasay through the service road. I prepared my fare so I won't have to bother opening my bag and paid it to the driver as soon as I settled down. There was a man sitting right in front of me who paid his fare as well. I was praying in my head as I normally do whenever I am in transit, I prayed for a safe trip and that I would make it to my meeting in time. My prayer was interrupted when just a few meters away three other passengers joined me inside the jeepney. They all paid their fares and settled
comfortably since there were only a few of us occupying the jeep.

I continued to pray making mention of the people I am meeting with and for our meeting to be fruitful. The guy in front of me said, "Para!" The jeep stopped,we all looked at him and thought he was going down when he declared a hold-up and pointed the knife he was carrying at me. At first, it didn't register in my head yet as my thoughts were in my prayer, but when he said "holdup to"and pointed his knife again, I reluctantly gave my bag. I took a good look at him, he was young, taller than me, had long hair up to his cheeks, wore a bandanna on his head, his shirt was either stained white or gray, and he was wearing shorts, he has light complexion. He took my bag and got off the jeep just when a delivery van was approaching. I screamed for my bag in increasing decibels and tone, "Bag ko!"

The approaching van hit the hold upper slightly that he fell to the ground and my bag got sort of stuck behind the front left wheel. By this time, I was screaming loudly. The driver of the van probably heard me, he went out and ran towards the hold upper. Two girls who were passing by turned to look at my direction, the jeepney driver did nothing, while a guard from the factory where the incident happened looked at the scene. In my head I was contemplating if i should go down and do something but fear
got a hold of me, knowing that he carries a knife held me to my seat. These happened simultaneously and very quickly. I screamed one more time. Just when the van driver was about to approach the hold upper he was able to stand up with my bag in tow. He scrambled towards the back of the van and jumped into a cavity in the pavement. The cavity apparently led to a creek under the streets which can
lead him to different places, who knows where.

In less than a minute all these transpired! The van driver tried to help me by going after the boy, but had to stop when the boy jumped in the creek already. The two girls who were passing by saw the whole incident too. The driver of the jeepney observed everything, same with the other passengers inside. I went out of the jeep already. The two girls approached me and said that they were able to recognize who the hold upper was,that he lived in the same area they do. The van driver told me to
go to the nearest police station, while the factory security guard approached us and gave us directions how to get there. I was shaking. The thought of being hold upped and pointed a knife on started to sink in my head. All I was able to do was to nod at what they were all saying. All that was running in my head that time was that I got hold upped and that my bag was gone and all my valuables in it.

The two girls continued to talk to me saying again that they recognize the hold upper; I asked them if they can come with me to the police station and they agreed. We started to walk towards the station and continued with the conversation. They told me that they recognized the jeepney driver too that he was from the same area and that he knows the hold upper also. As we were walking I continued to pray for God's guidance and leading, that He would show me what to do. I prayed that God would protect me and be with me through all that is happening. At the police station, I started to cry. I answered the policeman's questions between sobs and pauses. First business was to call my parents. My mom picked
up the phone first and as I was explaining to her what happened, she reminded me that God is greater than all the bad things happening to me at that moment. She told me to pray and to thank God He kept me safe. At that same moment, I remembered our lesson from the Bible study. Those who spent time with Jesus did not turn their back on Him at the first sight of difficulty and Job's statement popped into my head, "Though he slay me,yet I will trust Him!" Tears flowed. I cried to God and told Him to help me to continue to trust Him and have faith like Job. I thanked the God for reminding me of that lesson.

I went through the normal SOP. I and the two girls gave our statements. My parents came immediately to join me. Together with the police and with some barangay officials, we went to the area where the hold upper lived. The girls were able to identify the house of the boy, but as logic would dictate, the
hold upper was not there but both his parents were. They both agreed to cooperate with the authorities should their son turn up. The afternoon ended with a promise from the police that they will do their best to catch this boy and that they will also go after the jeepney driver who apparently is an accomplice to the crime. By the way, before separating ways with the two girls at the front of the police
station, we were able to see the jeep again passing the same route! The two girls identified the jeep and the driver once more.

On my way to church for the mid-week service I prayed inside our van. I thanked God for being with me through everything. I praised Him for He is God who is in control; I know that ALL the circumstance I
face are God-filtered always. I prayed for comfort and stability. I told God that I feared, I felt unsafe all of a sudden, that I cannot make sense of all that has happened. I thanked Him for bringing into my remembrance Job's words. I reflected on what has happened and I told God that I didn't suffered as Job did, and that by His grace I will not and dare not turn my back on Him during this trying times. I was once again reminded of Job's story. Because of Job's great faith, all that was taken from him was restored. "also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." Job 42:10b. I rest on God's grace, I trust in His Word, I have faith in who God is! My God is greater than all the difficulties and trials that I face!

Change in Direction

2009-06-04T16:18:00.001+08:00

i read this somewhere...can't remember if it is from a devotional or a book i'm currently reading. i failed to get the source, but it would be nice to share it anyway.... :)

"God does not ask that we figure out the reason for each change in our direction,

or look on apparent obstacles with frustration.

Rather, He wants us to accept the circumstances He permits in our lives

and respond in obedience and trust

even they appear confusing and contradictory."

While I'm Waiting

2009-05-08T23:56:00.002+08:00

This is a good song- OST from Fireproof movie. :) hope you all get to watch it too! Great movie! :)

While I'm Waiting

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Takeing every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

My heart's song

2009-04-24T01:47:00.002+08:00

This is my heart's song at the moment....

The Refiner's Fire

There burns a fire with sacred heat
White hot with holy flame
And all who dare pass through its blaze
Will not emerge the same
Some as bronze, and some as silver
Some as gold, then with great skill
All are hammered by their sufferings
On the anvil of His will

Chorus:
The Refiner's fire
Has now become my souls desire
Purged and cleansed and purified
That the Lord be glorified
He is consuming my soul
Refining me, making me whole
No matter what I may lose
I choose the Refiner's fire

I'm learning now to trust His touch
To crave the fire's embrace
For though my past with sin was etched
His mercies did erase
Each time His purging cleanses deeper
I'm not sure that I'll survive
Yet the strength in growing weaker
Keeps my hungry soul alive

Worth the Wait....

2009-04-11T15:18:00.007+08:00

"Never run before God gives you His direction. If you have the slightest doubt, then He is not guiding. Never act on the impulse of your feelings. If you do, you will cause difficult situations to arise which may take years to untangle. Wait on God's timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment!" - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

Waiting... to stay in place in expectation of,to remain stationary in readiness or expectation, to look forward or to hold back expectantly. -Merriam Webster Online Dictionary

Waiting... a dance of joy and pain expecting what could or could not be. Everyone has experienced waiting in one form or another. We wait in a cafe to be served our favorite blend of coffee, we wait for that important phone call telling us to start work by next week, we wait for the arrival of the baby, we wait in line, we wait for our turn, we wait for "the one".

Currently, I am waiting for the arrival of dawn. The promise of a new day. I was waiting for sleep to come, but sleep is elusive for the past nights so as I wait for dear sleep to visit, I thought about scribbling some things God has taught me and continuously teaching me about waiting.

1. Love God!
- Love God more than anyone or anything in this world! God is our grand prize as my friend would often remind me. Other blessings(material, financial, relationships or otherwise) are just mere "glimpses of Heaven". The reason why our hearts can rejoice is because of who God is and our relationship with Him made possible through Calvary's love. We can rejoice in any season of our lives-always-because God has provided us with nothing less but Himself! He is God! Creator of Heaven and Earth, Mighty, Sovereign, Omnipotent God! He measures the universe in the span of His hand! This same God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die on the Cross of Calvary for our sins! Amazing love isn't it? Love that humbles and compels us to love Him back! Love Him alone with all your might, with all your mind, with all your soul!

"With all my heart, I want to love you Lord, and live my life each day to know you more! All that is in me is yours completely! I love you Lord!"

2. Trust God completely!
- Trust God with all your heart, with all your life. Do not leave anything out! It requires giving yourself wholly, completely, fully to God and not withholding any part of you back. Offer up your life to God!
Your joys, your pains, triumphs, defeats...everything!

- Trusting means giving to God who or what you love most! Remember Genesis 22 when God asked Abraham to offer Isaac.

"Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. "

Isaac is Abraham's beloved son, in the same way, God wants us to offer up to Him what we love, cherish, treasure and hold dear the most! Remember that in the first place everything is God's! We do not have the right to anything or anyone in this world!

Note as well that we "give" and not "lend"! When we give it to God, it means that He can do anything with it or with that person as He pleases! He may take it away from us, hold it back until the perfect time, or He may give it to you right away. The point is, do not give and then expect that our object of affection will be automatically sent right back to our open arms. God may or may not do that. Let us remind ourselves that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts! He has a plan and purpose for everything and that He will make all things beautiful in His perfect time.

-Trust God even when we don't understand.
Oftentimes in the Season of Waiting, God will place us in circumstances that we can never fully understand or know what is going on! Let us remember that God does not require us to understand, He just said to trust Him with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding!.

"Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths!"

Back to Genesis 22, notice that Isaac also trusted and obeyed even though He didn't fully know what was going on. God gave the instruction only to Abraham; Isaac could have restrained and objected but he submitted himself to God's plan. In the face of danger, in the face of uncertainties let us be like Isaac and continue to trust and obey! While I was reading this story I noticed something towards the end of the chapter, God has already mentioned Isaac's future wife-Rebekah!

"Genesis 22:20-23 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor; Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother."

Trusting and obedience has a reward! Let us all be excited and expect what God has in store for us!

-Continue to trust even when circumstances does not seem to get better.
When we find ourselves grow weary and in despair because our situation doesn't seem to change at all, what do we do? We may cry, yes. Feel lonely, tired and exhausted in our wait. But we just have to resolve to continue trusting! As the song goes, "I cannot see through the shadows ahead, but I look at the Cross of My Savior instead!" Focus on God and run to Him for comfort! Let God's presence embrace us, let's cry on His shoulders if we must and tell Him that no matter how we feel we will keep on trusting. There is "an expected end" as Jeremiah said. God's grace is always sufficient and God said that we will obtain the promise if we patiently endure!

"Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

I don't always understand, what Your perfect will demands, God. But I will continue to trust you and obey you!

3. Hope in God!
- In God there is hope without disappointment and blessings without sorrow!

"Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it."

God doesn't lie like all else do! You can count on Him that He will do as He promised!

"Hebrews 6:18-19 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; "

-Hope in God's Word
The Bible is full of precious promises and truths! Let us claim it and make them ours!
"Psalms 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope"

-Hope in God's return
Remember that feeling of anticipation when we are about to meet and see the object of our affection?! Our tummy gets butterflies, our thoughts spin, nothing in the world really matters- all we want to do is to see the one we love. I hope we feel the same level of anticipation when we think of our Savior! He is our desire, the object of our affection! Oh, to see God face to face! To embrace our Heavenly Father, to finally see the lover of our souls! This is hope more than enough that we can ask for! In any situation, in any circumstance we can say that these too shall pass because we do not belong here. We belong with our Heavenly Father, in our home called Heaven!

God, I am a desolate person if I do not have hope! My hope is in You, in Your Word, in Your return. I look forward to see be with you and finally see you face to face!

4. Remember God's character!
The promise is only as good as the One who promised it! God has given us many precious promises in His Word and we now all these are sure and true because of who God is!

"2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. "

-God is Sovereign: He is great, mighty, awesome God! He created everything, all things are by Him and for His good pleasure!

-God is Omnipotent: All powerful, nothing is too hard for Him. He can do ALL things!

-God is Omniscient: He knows everything, nothing escapes Him. He knows you inside out!

-God is Omnipresent: He is everywhere! We are never truly alone! God is always with us!

-God is Immutable: He can never ever change! He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

-God is love: His love is unconditional!

God, I thank you for who You are! I praise you, adore you for You alone are worthy of glory and of praise!

5. Hide God's Word in our Hearts!
-God's Word is food for the soul! It refreshes our spirits and calms our hearts! Hide God's Word in our heart that we might not sin against Him! The more we read and study God's Word, the more we will know about Him.

-God's Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths! God's Word provide enough light for our next step! Light for us to know the next step, light enough to keep us from falling and wandering. This is why we should seek God's Word daily so we can be guided each step of the way!

-God's Word is our strength.
As we go through our Season of Waiting, we will often find ourselves in situations that may seem hard to bear. It is during these times that we need to ask the Holy Spirit to bring Scriptures to our remembrance, to remind us of the truths and promises we have claimed! God's Word is the source of our strength! If we have failed to arm our selves with God's Word we will surely fall in our battles.

Father, please help me to love Your Word. Thank you for the Bible for it truth, thank you that it is provides light to help me in my next step in my journey with You!

6. Pray! Get down on our knees and pray!
-Prayer is our lifeline! Pray to God like a child and tell God everything! Bare your soul, your deepest secrets and thoughts to God. He understands and He knows them even before we tell it to Him. Even the things that we cannot utter, God knows! Pray and cry out to God. Tell Him our pains and sorrows! Pray and rejoice in Him over our triumphs and joys. Pray even when it seems hard to pray. We can ask God to help us to pray. "Whisper in a crowd to Him, Cry when you're alone with Him". God longs to hear from us, He desires to hear from His children. He desires us to grow closer to Him.

-Tell God your heart's desire.
Just like a child would tell her Father what she likes, tell them to God. Let us learn to ask God to help us desire what He desires, to want what He wants. Only God can change our hearts. When we have hearts completely abandoned to Christ, obedience to Him will be a delight!

"Psalm37:4 Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart"

-Pray for our future mate!
Oh yes! I do not mean that we name names. Let us start today and pray for our future life partner, he will after all be the person that we are going to spend the rest of our life with. Pray that God will prepare Him, preserve Him because he is His promise. Pray according to God's will. Likewise let us pray that God will also prepare and preserve us for the one He promised us to.

-Pray for others!
Let us not be selfish in our prayer life. Do not miss out on the joy of praying for others. Realize that no matter how hard we think life is for us, there are people who have bigger problems than we do.

Pray for those who are in their Season of Waiting too. Family, friends, church-mates, classmates, name as many as you can. Pray that they too will not grow tired and exhausted in waiting for God's best. Bear in mind that other people are praying for us too; we may not know it, but we sure can feel it. This is one of the greatest blessings that God has given us. The ministry of prayer.

Father, let me not miss out on talking to you! Help me to tell you everything and lay them all to you, Oh Lord!

7. Do not put God in a box!
Let us not limit God's power in the four walls of our limited understanding! Let us not commit the mistake of manipulating our lives and taking things in control. Let us not take the pen and write our own stories, God is the author of our lives, let Him write the beautiful story He has intended for us to have!

Nothing is too hard for God. Our reactions, responses or lack thereof does not and will never ever dictate what God will or will not do! What God declares shall be! He is Sovereign God and He is always in control. He has a plan, a purpose for everything under the sun. Our hurts, our pains, our victories, our happiness, the past, the now and the future are all in God's hands. All these play a role in God's master plan! So let us be still and know that He is God. Let us let God do His work! Let Him surprise us and show us what great and mighty things He can do in and for us!

"Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:"

God, forgive me for many times I have put you in a box. Let me not do that but instead allow me to experience fullness of joy by letting you be God of my life!

8. Develop and attitude of Gratitude!
Be thankful for what He has done! Be thankful from the bottom of our hearts for Jesus is good all the time!

"1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. "

Everyday there is always something to thank God for! Do not focus on what we don't have but focus on the things that we do! Try to list down everything God has blessed us with and we will soon find out that He has given us more than enough, more than we have actually asked for! The list will be endless as each day God showers us with His bountiful blessings. Thank God for the big things, thank God for the small things. Thank God for the beautiful and thank Him for the unpleasant. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God!

9. Keep on!
-When we falter, fail or commit mistakes and sin do not be disheartened. Pray and ask God for forgiveness and repent of our sins! Let us continue to walk with God and keep on waiting. God has promised to forgive and forget.

"Psalms 130:3-4 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. "

Our Enemy wants us down and will do everything to keep us from standing up! The good news is, we have victory in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Enemy is already a defeated foe! Let us claim Christ's victory and keep on growing and abiding in God's Word.

-Resolve to refuse bitterness and self-pity!
Easier said than done, I know. But it can be done! God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. All these are poison to the soul. When it knocks on our hearts and thoughts, be sure to lock our doors and lock it tight! Do not entertain it. Pray for God's strength to resist. God does not want us to harbor a bitter spirit, He wants us to have peace and joy in our hearts.

" 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

-Look at things from God's perspective.
Sometimes we just need a fresh view of ourselves and our circumstances for us to realize that our situation is not as worst as we think. Remember that we our God's child and that He never forgets His children! God has taken care of the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, how much more us! We are His children!
We are special! God had created us, God redeemed us from our sins! Even if we do not deserve any bit of it, God loved us so.

-God's grace is always sufficient! His mercies are new every morning! His forgiveness is constant! God's love is unfailing and unconditional. What more can you ask for? God has given us everything we need in our lives that we may live it for His honor and glory! Let us not grow weary while we wait, instead let us look forward and be excited for God's plan and His fulfillment of His promises to us!

"Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. "

10. Wait quietly!
-Waiting is hard, but waiting quietly is harder! It requires endurance, restraint, and perseverance. Many times our hearts will be tested- we will be given a "heart exercise" to see the condition of our faith. Are we of little faith or big faith? Is our faith big enough that we do not take the pen from God's hands and write the story of our lives or author our love story?

"Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: "

"Ecclesiastes 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. "

-Wait quietly and tune out other "noises" around!
Listen to God's voice, He can speak to us directly! Get your answer directly from God! Be prayerful and discerning. Learn to tell God everything first especially things that we feel deeply about before we tell others! Pray that God will give you and surround you with people that will always remind you to look unto God, the author and finisher of our faith. it is a blessing to have friends that remind us to always seek God and His leading in our Season of Waiting. Remember also that it is better to trust God than to put confidence in man! God does not make mistakes, men often do!

-Listen well!
Many times our "listening" is blocked by our own desires, wants, feelings and longings of our hearts. Ask God to search your heart! There are times that God is already "shouting" the answer to us but we cannot hear because we are distracted by our object of affection or circumstances. Pray and seek to be in tune with God always so that we will not miss God's voice when He speaks. God's voice is still and small, make sure that we listen!

"Jeremiah 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."

-Ask God for a calm and quiet heart.
Our heart is deceitful and desperately wicked! Let us remember this verse always. Just look back at the times when our hearts tricked us to grabbing what seemingly is good and then it turns out to be sour and rotten! Give your heart to God and ask Him to keep our hearts calm and quiet as you wait. Pray that He will only open it to the right one!

Let us enjoy our Season of Waiting with God. Let us continue to pray and wait. Choose to rejoice each day. Determine to be satisfied with the Lord's answer for there is always joy, safety, protection, peace and blessings in the center of God's will. The answer may be a "yes", it may be a "no", but no matter what the answer is, nothing compares to experiencing God and His presence in our lives each and everyday! For many of us, God's answer is for us to continue waiting, may we not grow weary for God will not withhold any good thing to them who walk uprightly before Him. Let us remain faithful to the One who loves us most!

"1 Chronicles 16:8-12 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; "

Our greatest joy is to experience and know God in a more intimate way, this alone makes everything worth the wait!!!

TABLE FOR TWO

2009-04-10T13:05:00.002+08:00

He sits by himself at a table for two.

The uniformed waiter returns to his side and asks, "Would you like to go ahead and order, sir?" The man has, after all, been waiting since seven o'clock--almost half an hour. "No, thank you," the man smiles. "I'll wait for her a while longer. How about some more coffee?"

"Certainly, sir."

The man sits, his clear blue eyes gazing straight through the flowered centerpiece. He fingers his napkin, allowing the sounds of light chatter, tinkling silverware, and mellow music to fill his mind. He is dressed in sport coat and tie. His dark brown hair is neatly combed, but one stray lock insists on dropping to his forehead. The scent of his cologne adds to his clean cut image. He is dressed up enough to make a companion feel important, respected, loved. Yet he is not so formal as to make one uncomfortable. It seems that he has taken every precaution to make others feel at ease with him. Still, he sits alone.

The waiter returns to fill the man's coffee cup. "Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?"

"No, thank you."

The waiter remains standing at the table. Something tugs at his curiosity. "I don't mean to pry, but..." His voice trails off. This line of conversation could jeopardize his tip.

"Go ahead," the man encourages. His is strong, yet sensitive, inviting conversation.

"Why do you bother waiting for her?" the waiter finally blurts out. This man has been at the restaurant other evenings, always patiently alone. Says the man quietly, "Because she needs me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, sir, no offense, but assuming that she needs you, she sure isn't acting much like it. She's stood you up three times just this week." The man winces, and looks down at the table. "Yes, I know." "Then why do you still come here and wait?"

"Cassie said that she would be here."

"She's said that before," the waiter protests. "I wouldn't put up with it. Why do you?"

Now the man looks up, smiles at the waiter, and says simply, "Because I love her."

The waiter walks away, wondering how one could love a girl who stands him up three times a week. The man must be crazy, he decides. Across the room, he turns to look at the man again. The man slowly pours cream into his coffee. He twirls his spoon between his fingers a few times before stirring sweetener into his cup. After staring for a moment into the liquid, the man brings the cup to his mouth and sips, silently watching those around him. He doesn't look crazy, the waiter admits. Maybe the girl has qualities that I don't know about. Or maybe the man's love is stronger than most. The waiter shakes himself out of his musings to take an order from a party of five.

The man watches the waiter, wonders if he's ever been stood up. The man has, many times. But he still can't get used to it. Each time, it hurts. He's looked forward to this evening all day. He has many things, exciting things, to tell Cassie. But, more importantly, he wants to hear Cassie's voice. He wants her to tell him all about her day, her triumphs, her defeats... anything, really. He has tried so many times to show Cassie how much he loves her. He'd just like to know that she cares for him, too. He sips sporadically at the coffee, and loses himself in thought, knowing that Cassie is late, but still hoping that she will arrive.

The clock says nine-thirty when the waiter returns to the man's table. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

The still empty chair stabs at the man. "No, I think that will be all for tonight. May I have the check please?"

"Yes, sir."

When the waiter leaves, the man picks up the check. He pulls out his wallet and sighs. He has enough money to have given Cassie a feast. But he takes out only enough to pay for his five cups of coffee and the tip. Why do you do this, Cassie, his mind cries as he gets up from the table.

"Good-bye," the waiter says, as the man walks towards the door.

"Good night. Thank you for your service."

"You're welcome, sir," says the waiter softly, for he sees the hurt in the man's eyes that his smile doesn't hide.

The man passes a laughing young couple on his way out, and his eyes glisten as he thinks of the good time he and Cassie could have had. He stops at the front and makes reservations for tomorrow. Maybe Cassie will be able to make it, he thinks.

"Seven o'clock tomorrow for party of two?" the hostess confirms.

"That's right," the man replies.

"Do you think she'll come?" asks the hostess. She doesn't mean to be rude, but she has watched the man many times alone at his table for two.

"Someday, yes. And I will be waiting for her." The man buttons his overcoat and walks out of the restaurant, alone. His shoulders are hunched, but through the windows the hostess can only guess whether they are hunched against the wind or against the man's hurt.

As the man turns toward home, Cassie turns into bed. She is tired after an evening out with friends. As she reaches toward her night stand to set the alarm, she sees the note that she scribbled to herself last night. '7:00,' it says. 'Spend some time in prayer.' Darn, she thinks. She forgot again. She feels a twinge of guilt, but quickly pushes it aside. She needed that time with her friends. And now she needs her sleep. She can pray tomorrow night. Jesus will forgive her.

And she's sure he doesn't mind.

by Kirsten Burgess

The Last Watch!

2009-04-10T12:39:00.002+08:00

The hour is late. Warn them from me.

This is the last hour. Everyone is asleep. Danger is approaching. Invasion is imminent.

Only you know it. For you are the tower watchmen.

The last watch is a deceptively simple but important assignment. The temptation to slack is strong, but the possibility of a surprise attack is great.

Our King, the Heavenly Father, recruited watchmen throughout the ages. They served faithfully in their times to warn people against evil and to warn of impending destruction. You, Christian of the present, are a watchman of the end times. As we see the signs and read the Scriptures, we know that the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is nearer, much nearer, than it has ever been. The Rapture of the believers is coming soon. The reckoning of things done in the present world is near.

Every one of us is ordered to be a watchman. There is a prime directive to be watchful, prayerfully ready for the Lord's coming, ready to counter the world's influence. There is a direct order to warn others of the need for a Savior, of the need to be a proper soldier of the Lord.

Each watchman brings his own gifts and talents to the mission, and our King allows us to use them. But even as the watchmen are different, the objective is the same for all: to awake, to warn others, to watch.

Our order is clear. The hour is late. Warn them from me.

Dakilang Ktatapatan

2009-04-04T12:13:00.005+08:00

i'm no singer, believe me....and if you don't, ask my friends. they'd tell you that i'd be better off walking in church all day in my high heels! hehehe.

even so...i love to listen to songs that lifts the spirits and ministers to the soul. here's one that i bumped into lately. reminded me of when i was a kid, when mom would put on the casette and hit the play button....

enjoy it... God is truly good! He is our anchor sure and steadfast! Be blessed! :)

Dakilang Katapatan

Sadyang kay buti ng ating Panginoon
Nagtatapat sa habang panahon
Maging sa kabila ng ating pagkukulang
Biyaya Niya’y patuloy na laan

Katulad ng pagsikat ng gintong araw
Patuloy Siyang nagbibigay tanglaw
Kaya sa puso ko’t damdamin
Katapatan Niya’y aking pupurihin

KORO:

Dakila ka oh Dios tapat Ka ngang tunay
Magmula pa sa ugat ng aming lahi
Mundo’y magunaw man
Maaasahan Kang lagi
Maging hanggang wakas nitong buhay

Kaya o Dios Ika’y aking pupurihin
Sa buong mundo’y aking aawitin
Dakila ang Iyong katapatan
Pag-ibig Mo’y walang hanggan

TULAY:
Dakila ka o Dios sa habang panahon
Katapatan Mo’y matibay na sandigan
Sa bawat pighati tagumpay man ay naroon
Daluyan ng pag-asa kung
Kailanga’y hinahon
Pag-ibig Mong alay sa’kin
Noon hanggang ngayon
Dakila Ka O Diyos!

Prayerfully waiting...

2009-04-03T00:19:00.004+08:00

"As I write this, I am praying to God for you.
My heat beats faster every time I think of you.
The anticipation and excitement to finally know who you are
sometimes put me into a roller coaster of emotions.
But then again, I am in a cafe sipping away my second cup of coffee
so it might just be the caffeine talking. =)
Seriously though, i look forward for you.
You are who God promised, preserved and prepared for me.
I will know it is you when God tells me so.
I wonder, do you think about me too? I sure hope so.
But as we both wait for God's perfect time, let us remain faithful to the One who authors our lives and love story.
Let's see how our story unfolds....

Prayerfully waiting,"

With ALL my Heart

2009-03-28T02:11:00.005+08:00

This is my prayer for today....

With ALL My HEART
In this quiet place with You I bow before Your throne
I bare the deepest part of me To You and You alone
I keep no secrets for there is no thought
You have not known I bring my best and all the rest
To You and lay them down

CHORUS
With all my heart I want to love You Lord
And live my life Each day to know You more
All that is in me Is Yours completely
I’ll serve You only With all my heart

You faithfully supply my needs
According to Your plan
So help me, Lord to seek Your face
Before I seek Your hand
And trust You know what’s best for me
When I don’t understand
Then follow in obedience
In every circumstance

The Strength of the Lord

2009-03-25T15:15:00.002+08:00

Here's one song that truly ministered to my soul... God is indeed good, He provides comfort in our time of need. :)

The Strength of the Lord

Sometimes life seems like words and music
That can’t quite become a song.
So we cry inside, and we try it again
And wonder what could be wrong.
But, when we turn to the Lord at the end of ourselves
Like we’ve done a time or two before
We find His truth is the same
As it has always been
We’ll never need more
Chorus:
It’s not in trying But in trusting
It’s not in runningBut in resting
Not in wonderingBut in praying
That we find the strength of the Lord
(2 times)

He’s all we need
For our every need
We never need be alone
Still He’ll let us go if we choose to
To live life on our own
Then the only good
That will ever be said
Of the pains we find ourselves in
There are places to gain
The wisdom to say
I’ll never leave Him again

"With You" :)

2009-03-15T21:35:00.003+08:00

Here's the latest addition to my wedding song list
I so love it...

With You
My days are brighter than morning air
Evergreen pine and autumn blue
But all my days are twice as fair
If I could share
My days with you

My nights are warmer than firecoals
Incense and stars and smoke bamboo
But nights were warm beyond compare
If I could share
My nights with you

To dance in my dreams
To shine when I need the sun
With you
To hold me when dreams are done

And oh....
My dearest love
If you will take my love
Then all my dreams are truly begun

And time weaves ribbons of memory
To sweeten life when youth is through
But I would need no memories there
If I could share
My life with you

55th BBC Church Anniversary AVP

2009-02-26T03:04:00.000+08:00

BBC-55th Anniversary Celebration

2009-02-26T01:32:00.000+08:00

BBC Makati- 9th World Missions Conference

2009-02-26T00:18:00.002+08:00

my pamangkin made me smile

2008-12-12T22:27:00.002+08:00

cuzin John made a phone call to Andrei today. He reminded him that it is tita ann's birthday soon.
kuya passed the phone to me and this is what my dear, favorite, bolerong pamangkin told me.

"tita ann, it is your birthday. i give you surprise gift. i give you birthday party!"

hehehe. made my heart smile! a big big smile!

grabe, it made my day.

i love you deidei! :)

breathe....

2008-12-11T16:34:00.002+08:00

i need to breathe. to remind myself to relax, take it easy, take it slow and go with the flow.
no reason to panic, no reason to get paranoid, no reason to be always talking to myself inside my head.
no need to second guess all the time, interpret things which aren't there, no need to expect anything.
no reason to be scared, no reason to think ahead
no reason to dream, day dream even

breathe....
take things as they are
be accepting of unexpected things
allow myself to be surprised by others even by myself
i need to open my heart
i need to smile some more and laugh more often.

twenty-something

2008-12-09T23:09:00.002+08:00

in a few days time i'll be turning twenty-something. *sigh*
i don't know how to feel about it; definitely i'm in no mood for celebrating it. i just want the day to pass by like any other normal day.
twenty-something.....

flashback 9 years ago, i dreamed of this day to the very last detail, being the control freak that i am. i saw myself having the job i love-that or a small business that i own myself. i saw myself traveling and visiting every beautiful corner of the island. i am happy with friends and family. most of all, i saw myself settling down. starting my own family. *sigh*

God has a different plan for me, i know that now and i knew it as the years unfold. it just felt different now that that day is fast approaching. God has His own way of teaching me that i don't hold my life and that no matter how much i planned for something, things will never go my way. believe me, when i plan, i plan! i don't only have plan a or b, it goes up to plan c or d, after that point, that's when i panic! hehehe. :)

i was quite stubborn, it was hard to accept that nothing that i planned for was pulling through. not one bit of it. God had me corned, I know in my heart and in my head that He has the best plan for me, i know that. it is just a matter of letting go and letting Him work....complete trust and surrender is the key. i want it, i want God's best. i hate myself for being so stubborn and hard headed.

i am scared of the unknown, that's why i plan. as much as i can, i want to anticipate things so i can prepare myself how to deal with it. but God has placed me in situations and circumstances that i cannot fully prepare myself for. i'm going crazy thinking about what might or might not be.

complete trust; help me God to give my full trust in Thee. you have never failed me like everyone else did. i have failed you dozens times, yet you remain faithful. Your guiding Hand is ever present, most of all Your Love is unfailing, it is constant, unwavering, secure.

Help me, take my heart. it should belong to you. i want it to be Yours alone.

i am turning twenty-something, if there's one birthday wish that i'll be granted. it is the joy that only comes from You! That's all I want, that's all I need.

Two Words

2008-12-08T14:48:00.002+08:00

this is one song that will definitely appear in my wedding song list!!!!

In a while, in a word,
Every moment now returns.
For a while, seen or heard,
How each memory softly burns.
Facing you who brings me new tomorrows,
I thank God for yesterdays,
How they led me to this very hour,
How they led me to this place...

Every touch, every smile,
You have given me in care.
Keep in heart, always I'll,
Now be treasuring everywhere.
And if life should come to just one question,
Do I hold each moment true?
No trace of sadness,
Always with gladness...
'I DO...'

(instrumental)

Now a song that speaks of now and ever,
Beckons me to someone new,
Unexpected, unexplored, unseen,
Filled with promise coming through.
In a while, in a word,
You and I forever change,
Love so clear, never blurred,
Has me feeling wondrous, strange,
And if life should come to just one question,
Do I face each moment true?
No trace of sadness, always with gladness,
'I DO...'

Never with sadness...
Always with gladness...
'I...DO....'

my favorite christmas song....

2008-12-05T22:07:00.000+08:00

this is my favorite christmas song. :)

Campus Connection Photos

2008-12-05T13:26:00.002+08:00

Thank God for the recently concluded Campus Connection. Dami visitors and dami rin professions of salvation that time. It was a blessing indeed. :)

Here are a few photos from the event!

Thanks to everyone who came and to my fellow YP peeps, thanks! Rest tayo for a while and in a few months time Youth Quest na naman! :)

Campus Connection 2008: He Rose Final Teaser

2008-12-05T13:23:00.002+08:00

colorgenics profile

2008-11-22T01:44:00.003+08:00

well, i read of this colorgenics thingy from a friend's multiply account. being a sucker for online quizes and personality tests, i decided to try it out. i took the test twice just for fun, below are the results!

TEST 1
You have always longed for tenderness, love and a sensitivity of feeling into which you would like to blend. You are a very gentle warm person and responsive to 'All things bright and beautiful'. This personifies a caring person, a person who 'needs' and indeed 'needs to be needed'.

You are trying to improve your position and prestige - be it in your life or in your workplace. Things are, at this time, OK - but they could be better. You feel that it is essential that you break down any opposition that could possibly lurk in the shadows. You know that you are quite capable of achieving this set goal because you have to and because it is essential to your self esteem.

Circumstances are holding you back, forcing you to back off and to forgo all the pleasures, fun and games for the time being. But this is only a temporary situation and before you even know it the situation could change.

As of late, you have been experiencing untold stress and this is a result of continuous frustration. You haven't been taking care of all your physical needs and it's beginning to show. It would seem that you have a need to find someone to whom you can really relate - someone perhaps whose standards are as high as your own. You want to be different - to be individualistic - to stand out from the common herd. Your inherent control of your sensual instincts is restricting your ability to give yourself to open up freely but this being on your own, being lonely, often makes you feel the need to give up some of your strict standards to surrender to the general flow - to be like everyone else; a part of the herd. Deep down you regard such instincts as weaknesses to be overcome. You would like to be loved or admired for yourself alone. You demand recognition and tender loving care.

You have so many ideas that you would like to revitalise but you need to realise a stable and peaceful condition to do so. Once you can free yourself from all the aggravation and tension around you, you will make strides that may amaze you. You will not be prevented from achieving all the things you so desire.

TEST 2
You are in a state of constant expectation and want interesting and exciting things to happen to you. But in fact, you are a 'Walter Mitty' at times - a dreamer - over-imaginative and often given to fantasy or day-dreaming. There is nothing wrong in 'dreaming' - how boring life would be if one just followed the doctrines of everyday life - but one must not continue leading a life of continuous fantasy. You need to face reality in spite of all its possible shortcomings.

You are very orderly, methodical and self sufficient. You demand and need the respect, recognition and understanding of all those who enter into your sphere on influence.

Everything seems to have gone wrong and the situation at this time is such that you are not quite sure which way to turn. So it would appear that you are 'holding back', re-consolidating your position and relinquishing all fun and games for the time being.

As of late, you have been experiencing untold stress and this is a result of continuous frustration. You haven't been taking care of all your physical needs and it's beginning to show. It would seem that you have a need to find someone to whom you can really relate - someone perhaps whose standards are as high as your own. You want to be different - to be individualistic - to stand out from the common herd. Your inherent control of your sensual instincts is restricting your ability to give yourself to open up freely but this being on your own, being lonely, often makes you feel the need to give up some of your strict standards to surrender to the general flow - to be like everyone else; a part of the herd. Deep down you regard such instincts as weaknesses to be overcome. You would like to be loved or admired for yourself alone. You demand recognition and tender loving care.

You are putting on a show - a facade. You are a master of demonstrating considerable charm in the hope that this can or will lead to better things. Deep down you are fearful that this may not work and that you may have to employ other strategies in order to realise all your ambitions.

well, i don't know what to feel about the results, there's a part that is actually the same. scary huh, must be saying something about the real me.

well, i'm too messed up to think about it.

you decide....

Campus Connection 2008: He Rose!

2008-11-13T06:33:00.004+08:00

One cold night 2,000 years ago...

a contingent of up to sixteen Roman soldiers was dispatched at Jerusalem...

they were given orders to guard the tomb of a high-security prisoner executed a few hours ago...

they were warned that a band of fanatics would attempt to steal the body of the famed criminal...

a huge stone covered the entrance of the tomb and was sealed with the imperial seal....

two long, dark days passed and no shadow of any thief was seen...

but on the third day...

something strange happened...

a series of mysterious events transpired...

the soldiers abandoned their posts...

some went into the city to report to their superiors...

filled with fear...

the huge stone blocking the entrance was rolled away...

the seals broken...

and the body of the notorious blasphemer...

...was gone

none of the soldiers were killed or wounded,
nor were there any signs of an encounter with the followers of the criminal...
all of these events caused a great stir in Jerusalem...

there can only be one answer...

Bethany YP Hands Play Performance

2008-11-01T23:23:00.004+08:00

Here's our YP doing Hands Play after a very long time. The team performed as the special presentation for this month's Evangelistic Meeting which the Deaf Ministry Department handled.

This Hands Play is a sort-of collaboration between me and my Onyi. She lead all the practices until the performance. My job is to come up with all the figures and over-see everything.

We all had fun! Most of all, it was a real blessing to those who were able to see it.
The kids are excited to do it again...I'm pretty sure there will be a next time.

Here's the video of the performance.
Photos found here.

path to rediscovering...

2008-10-15T01:07:00.002+08:00

i'm almost there. i'm getting there. i need to get there soon.
reflect, re-evaluate, study, learn, relive, be sentimental, enjoy nostalgia, laugh at memories, cry at pains, joy over successes, learn from failure, love, love some more.
see, feel, hear, know.
who i was, who i am, and who i want to be.
i'm almost there. i'm getting there. i want to get there soon.

Onyi's first MTV

2008-10-15T01:05:00.001+08:00

Just because I'm a proud sister. I'm posting the first MTV my sister did for her school project. It was her first time to direct and do something like this and it turned out okay.

Onyi dear, you did well. good job ka! love you!

kikay stuff

2008-10-10T13:45:00.002+08:00

How much kikay stuff can a girl have?

Insomia plus a to-do list for cleaning the room is not a good combination. I can't go to sleep last night, I tossed and turned until i got out of bed. Then I saw my to-do list for the room. I figured, since I can't shut my eyes, why not do something productive? That's when I ended up cleaning our accessory corner sa room.

Original plan was to just sort our stuff that my sister and I don't use anymore, ending ko... i reorganized everything. I put silvers together, sparkly necklaces in one space, Earings in a jewelry box and etc. I found out that Onyi and I have enough accessories to start a small tiangge already. hehe.

Still can't go to sleep, I started to take out old trinket boxes. Can you imagine I kept an assortment of thingamagigs over the years? I have a weird habit of keeping all sorts of knick knacks. (blame it to my mom's side of the family, we love to keep stuff kasi it brings back a happy memory)

I found stuff I got when I was still in grade school. I found buttons, ID pins, coins, broken mirrors, beads and etc. Wow! more than 10 years worth of kalat hehehe...funny thing is, for some of the items, I can still remember why I kept it and it still brings a smile to my face.

http://youthquest.multiply.com

2008-10-09T14:12:00.005+08:00

It's been in the pipeline for a while now. Since our YP year started last June, one of the projects was to come up with a Multiply site for our Youth Ministry. Time to be connected online. Who said YP are only for Sundays? Now we can be updated about anything and everything concerning our Youth Ministry!

If you have Multiply, add us up at the URL above, if not then it is time to sign up for an account now and join us everyday!

Baptist Youth Film Festival- BYFF

2008-10-07T14:57:00.003+08:00

Here's another BYP project that came true, our very own Youth Film Festival. To learn more about it, watch the video below!

Bye Frankie...

2008-09-29T13:09:00.002+08:00

I woke up late this morning, as I often do. I went down to the living room to see what everyone is up to. Everybody is at home, my sister don't have classes today and my brother is off from work. I'm looking forward to a enjoyable day with the family. I proceeded to fix myself a cup of hot choco to jumpstart the day when I saw my dad in the kitchen. We said our goodmornings, his was followed with a very sad news. "Frankie died this morning".

There was a moment of silence while I tried to let it sink in my head. Frankie's been sick for sometime now and we are all aware that this time will come soon. Even so, we all found ourselves shedding a tear for a beloved member of the family. She will surely be missed and will remain to be the only dog I ever loved. :(

Rumorville: Batman 3 villain's revealed!

2008-08-06T22:28:00.006+08:00

saw this article today about Batman 3 from Yahoo! Buzz, the article is talking about who will be the villains and the celebrities who will portray them in the next install of Batman. Got really interested coz this is one aspect of the Batman franchise I really look forward to. Even from the cartoon series to the old movies, I am always fascinated who Batman's villain's came to be. I like how there is a story behind each villain's character; what made them evil, how are they connected to Gotham city and its society, how the interact with other villains and how they position themselves as Batman's enemies.

By the way, I love the Dark Knight movie. I've seen it on its 4th day of screening already feeling bad and sulking how much of I looser I am having missed it on its first day. tsk tsk. (btw, I blame my movie buddies for this- they're all gone; we used to catch movies this big on the first day of showing!) As I was saying, I loved the movie-best Batman movie ever! I was not crazy at all about Batman though; his character took a back seat and was pushed to the shadows my Joker's character. Kudos to Heath Ledger for doing an excellent job! In this movie, I liked how Joker was portrayed as Batman's equivalent. It is like one cannot exist without the other- "they complete each other" as Joker has said in the movie.

For the next film, I would really love to see Johnny Depp, I think he will shed new light to Riddler's character. Angelina Jolie as Catwoman made me meow! why not?! she would look hot in an all black, skin-tight suit. Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Penguin, hmm...could be; he is a really good character actor and I believe he will do a good job as well.

My problem with this is I've seen them all in the previous Batman movies; are there new villains who will come to life in the movie?

before it is too late

2008-08-05T00:30:00.002+08:00

Just last weekend I had the chance to chat with my Cuzin john. He updated me with how Ate Emily, was doing. He has been taking care of her since she got hospitalized and operated on recently. Up to now, he takes care of her and goes with her for all her dialysis sessions. During our conversation, he mentioned to me that one of the patients who is having dialysis with our cousin died; it got me into thinking that it could happen to Ate Emily too. Seriously, she has had 4 (if i am not mistaken) near critical experiences; there was one time that we really thought she'd die- she got to the point of calling all her family who passed away already. God knows how much it pained me to witness that ordeal; I cried buckets of tears in fear of loosing a beloved cousin.

Ate has been like a sister to me in more ways than one. From my mom's side of the family she's my closest girl-cousin and we grew up together. We are alike in many ways; both eldest daughters, both have a sister who have outrageous fashion sense, we both love to read, and we love to spend time together and just chat even if it means staying up all night and paying for it the following day feeling light headed at work. We have bonded a lot, and because of this I thought that I would not want to regret not being able to do this while she can still appreciate it.

So before it is too late, Ate Emily, know that:

- I love you so much!
Yeah, yeah, I know I have expressed this to you in notes and text messages; I told you I love you the last time I visited you in the hospital. I just have to say it again. I know you hate overly dramatic stuff such as this- but hey, I'm the one writing and there's nothing you can do about it. :P

-I am sorry I have not visited you often
There's no excuse really except being preoccupied with work and stuff. But besides that, I have to confess that I am really scared to visit you. Not because I didn't want to see you or be with you, but because I am scared that I'll cry when I see your condition and I know you will not like it. Sorry.

-I am thankful for the wonderful memories we shared together
Memories, these we have lots and lots! Too many to share here though. I am just glad that when I close my eyes and think of you, the memory of your smiling face is the first thing that comes to my mind. (but this is not to say that you're an angel coz you got quirks you know! hahahaha). We have laughed and cried together, we shared gossip many times over, we have been in each other's side during trying times all I can say is that I am grateful that you have been a part of my life- you have touched it in more ways than one.

-I pray for you
I pray for your fast recovery
I pray for your finances (when kuya john told me your expenses for dialysis alone, I just shook my head. If I were filthy rich, you wouldn't have to worry about money. )
I pray that things will be easier for you- given your condition. There are some things we can't change, I just hope that each day will be lighter for you.
I pray that God will lift your spirits each day- His mercies are new every morning!
I pray that God will grant you the courage to accept the things that cannot be changed; the hope that things will get better; the joy in knowing that you are surrounded with people who love you!

Ate, if I can ask God to come down from Heaven just to hug you, I'll do that. I hope that through this you'll feel that His love and our love for you never ceases.

if you're at the cross roads of your career...

2008-07-28T11:31:00.006+08:00

a friend emailed this to me and I find it really interesting...a very good piece to reflect on especially when you're at the crossroads of your career.

AN OPEN ADVICE ABOUT CAREER DECISIONS:

Several of my staff has approached me lately about their career decisions. I really appreciate my staff opening up to me. It is quite reassuring to know that they're still having second thoughts about leaving. Here is part of the email I sent to a "confused" staff: I have worked for more than 5 companies already so I guess you might be correct in saying I have had considerable experience about leaving and moving on. I will not stop you nor tell you to leave, though of course it will be better if you stay. In any career decision, leaving or staying I believe, based from my personal experiences and as an HR professional, should only be done for the right reasons.

For one, you shouldn't leave because you don't like several people in the company, nor should you stay because of the friends you have made here. At the end of the day, it is your life. Your friends or "enemies" should not make or break your career. If you let them be the deciding factor, then maybe you should think twice. You are the craftsman of your fate and the captain of your ship. Captain Hook shouldn't be one of your worries!

Do not leave nor stay because of the "brand" of your company. If that was the case, I would have rushed off and sign my JO in "C"! Ask yourself whether you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a bigger pond. Know your priorities. Only you can answer that. Do not leave the company because you're so damn frustrated about the way things are being run, or stay because you have this "messianic complex" that you can change things overnight. Be realistic about the things. Learn to accept that there is no perfect company. Be accepting that change is a slow and painful process at times and be thankful that you realize and act on things that can be changed and improved.

Definitely, do not leave or stay just because your parents want you to. I know I am advocating obedience to parents but again, we are talking about YOUR career. But learn to value their wisdom and discern well. Money isn't everything. The package being offered now might be better but look at the long-term prospects. Do not leave or stay just solely on the compensation package. Look for growth prospects and review their career plans for you. Your immediate gains today might actually be a loss a few years from now if you do the Math.

Boredom is another challenge all professionals are faced with during lull periods in their career. Do not leave because you have become so bored with your job. Do not stay either because you want things as they are. Change is inevitable in any organization. Talk to your boss. Ask for more responsibilities or other tasks if you're bored. Enroll in a special course. If you're satisfied with the status quo and is just waiting for retirement hoping things will stay the same, you're in for a big disappointment - either you will be forced to change or you will be forced to leave. Be ready before that time comes. Boredom or complacency is perennial battle most professionals have to deal with. Arm yourself with creativity everyday!

Tonight I suggest you rest well. Sit still and listen to what He is saying. PRAY. I have always made my career decisions through His guidance. He was and still is my Career Adviser/Talent Manager. Your work, our work, is a vocation. He knows us more than we know ourselves so trust Him for whatever plans He has for you. You can never go wrong.

And remember: Use your head to get to the top. But use your heart to stay.

an emotional rollercoaster

2008-04-27T21:04:00.003+08:00

i'm overwhelmed!!!
with the trust, the expectation, the big opportunity that has come my way. nothing's really that concrete yet, but slowly things are taking shape. i'm overwhelmed because i did not expect for this to happen, nor did i think in my wildest dreams that it will happen early. i'm humbled at the same time scared what might happen. but for now, i can't seem to get over this feeling. i pray for guidance, i pray that i will get to do my best and make a difference. i can't divulge the full details yet, but my head is spinning every time i think about it. i'm getting diZzY!

bored...
sometimes i get bored of myself. i was reflecting on my life, good things are happening and i'm thankful, yet there are times like i'm missing out on a lot. i find myself wanting to do more outside work. hehe. i want to travel, i want to learn a sport, i want to do more and enjoy life. i've been cooking every weekend, which is a little bit therapeutic and at the same time fattening! haha. i want to get a makeover, go shopping, go outside the country, i have a lot of things on head. i think i'm taking life too seriously...hahaha! help me please!

Tired...
physically, i've been feeling really exhausted each and every day. work is not physically demanding, but i find myself feeling really tired when i go home from work. my back hurts a lot- i've been wanting to get a massage, but i've been putting it off since my budget is already running low. i spent the last two weekends at home, sleeping! this feeling sucks, i lack energy...precious energy that i need to be able to do things that i've been planning to. *sigh*

i'm an emotional rollercoaster once again.....it's making me sick, i'm about to throw up!

STARBUCKS Summer Oasis’s mall invasion

2008-04-26T12:28:00.001+08:00

Starbucks invites everyone to take a cool coffee break as they launch the Starbucks Summer Oasis.

Chill out in a beautiful, Brazilian-inspired cabaña and have a taste of the newest offering from Starbucks, delightful Dulce de Leche Frappucino Blended Coffee. It’s a sweet indulgent treat featuring classic milk caramel that’s well-loved all over Latin America. This unique flavor, combined with premium Starbucks coffee, ice and whipped cream is a delightful new way to beat the heat in an instant!

Know more about the Starbucks Summer Oasis here.

Fun Facts on Tea

2008-04-21T22:12:00.002+08:00

I saw this from Laszlo's Blog. I love coffee and I am on my way to loving tea as well. So far I'm into mint tea, some chai tea and basically that's about it. :)

When i read the article the Fun Facts caught my interest. For more about the article, click me!

Some fun facts on tea:

All teas come from the Camellia sinensis plant
Tea has about 50% less caffeine than coffee which makes it great for those sensitive to caffeine.
Caffeine is released in the first minute the tea in infused with water.
Environmental and climatic conditions of a region (including soil and water) determine the unique taste of tea
Green tea is claimed to help:

prevent cancer
lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels
lower blood pressure
regulate blood sugar levels
raise metabloism and burn fat

India is the world's largets tea producer
Tea is generally categorized into three types -- black, green and oolong [but recently, other variants such as white, yellow and red have been added]
Water quality will affect the taste of tea

Relationship Dictionary

2008-04-21T22:05:00.002+08:00

I read this interesting article...I didn't know before that there was such a thing as a relationship dictionary.

Did you know that what is an Alpha Relationship is? What about being in a Dating Moratorium, or what an Ex-box is?

Let's go see the Dictionary:

Alpha relationship: A couple who seemingly have a perfect relationship. MFEO (made for each other). Example: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have an alpha relationship.

Dating Moratorium: a temporary, self-imposed suspension of all dating activity for the purpose of recovering from a bad relationship or to go on the proverbial journey of self-discovery.

Ex-Box: The box where you put away all the souvenirs from a relationship that has ended, i.e. photos, cards, ticket stubs, etc. In extreme cases, this box may be given faux funeral rights and buried or set fire to as a symbolic gesture of closure and complete obliteration from memory.

Interesting huh?

Click here to expand your vocabulary! hehe. :)

Yehey! Summer Outing at Subic

2008-04-17T21:33:00.002+08:00

Legend Villas and Camayan Resort
I'm a first timer, I had a good time...
Here are some of my fave pics from our outing.

Starbucks Supports Earth Day 2008

2008-04-17T21:29:00.002+08:00

Starbucks Coffee is supporting Earth Day 2008!

On April 22, 2008, Earth Day, Starbucks will be treating you to a Php 40 discount if you use your own tumbler/mug in purchasing any of your favorite beverage at any Starbucks store in the Philippines.

• We recommend customers participating in this campaign to bring tumblers that have the proper insulation for either warm or cold drinks.

• Bottled water and pre-packed juices are not included in this campaign.

• Transactions with Senior Citizen, VAT Exempt and Handicapped discounts are not qualified for this promotion.

Article from: http://mcshutterlovin.blogspot.com/2008/04/starbucks-discount.html

A Quick Weekend Vacation at Baguio

2008-04-10T16:35:00.004+08:00

Last Saturday evening while my sister and I are going home from a friend's place, we kinda made an impulsive decision to go to Baguio. The conversation went like this.

Rachel: "Ate, help me pack for camp ha. I'm leaving for Baguio on Sunday night"
Ann: "Sama kaya ako? We could leave tonight."
Rachel: "Whe... hindi nga?"
Ann: "Tara, we could take the early morning trip. bukas nasa Baguio na tayo."
Rachel: "Oo nga! Dun tayo kay tito bhel mag stay."
Ann: "Sige. pwede. tapos we could spend 2 days sa city. I'll take you to the camp site!"
Rachel: "Paalam tayo kay Daddy"
Ann: "Yup. Pack na tayo. let's go na! wait...check ko budget ko."
Rachel: "Sige na... lagot tayo sa friends natin, hindi natin sila sinama"
Ann: "pwede na, enough cash. let's go. Baguio na tayo!"

The conversation lasted mga 5 minutes. We got home, asked permission from my Dad. Dad called my tito, who has a house in Baguio and in a matter of 10 minutes we're all set.

We packed for like an hour, had dinner and headed for the bus station.

The trip almost didn't push thru; when we got to the terminal, there's no more ticket for the 1AM or 2AM trip we are hoping to catch. The next one is at 5Am. Dad said we can still go ahead, so we bought the ticket and went back to the terminal by then.

Baguio here we come!!!!

Our itenerary went like this:

Sunday:
11AM- arrival at Baguio, went to tito bhel's house, had lunch, rested for a while.
2PM- went to the city, visited Burnham park, ate street food! (yum!), talked, walked around, ate another street food, took pictures, went to SM Baguio, had coffee.
5PM-went to Pines City Baptist Church for the evening service. met with Ate Gladys, Kuya Don and their kids-ramboy and gwen. Saw other friends from Pines too! tita sheng and arriane, lindsey and janice and baby spurgy, kuya dennis who is visiting the church for deputation. plans were made for the next day.
8PM- went to session road, had dinner
9PM- went home, cleaned up,slept. :)

Monday:
10AM- went to good shepherd convent, checked the view there, long line for ube-didn't get to buy, went to minesview instead, ate banana-que, took pictures, enjoyed the view, bought souvenir shirt
12PM-went to tito bhel's place, ate lunch, rushing...
1PM-rushing to pines to catch ride for the campsite, Rachel went to camp. I stayed with ate Gladys.
3PM-we went to Burnham park, talked with ate glads, ate street food, gwen and ramboy went boating with kuya don and kuya dennis, kids went to the playground and rode bikes
6PM-bought my ticket going home
7PM- dinner with ate glads and family
12AM-took a taxi to the terminal
1AM-headed back to manila!

that was a really quick visit. i wished we could stay longer.

things i love most about the trip:
-i'm with my sister!
-love the weather, as always
-street food at burnham! yum yum
-taxi and the taxi drivers! always gives back the change, always taking short cuts, brings me anywhere i want without any complains! hehehe.
oh well, i hope to go back sometime soon. :)

Canteen Prank

2008-04-05T11:04:00.002+08:00

The Perfect Blend

2008-04-05T10:54:00.004+08:00

It's been a week already. Finally we get to taste and see the Perfect Blend!
Here are some pics from the wedding. To see the full album, you can check it here.

Way Back Into Love playin in my head

2008-03-28T12:30:00.003+08:00

Thursday night- I was channel surfing finding a good program to watch on TV. I caught the last few scenes of Music and Lyrics on HBO. This is concert scene already, funny how the song got stuck in my head even a day after. It pops out of nowhere, then i always find myself humming the tune...oh well.

Music and Lyrics

I've been living with a shadow overhead,
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed,
I've been lonely for so long,
Trapped in the past,
I just can't seem to move on!

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away,
Just in case I ever need them again someday,
I've been setting aside time,
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind!

[Chorus]
All I want to do is find a way back into love.
I can't make it through without a way back into love.
Oooooh.

I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine,
I've been searching but i just don't see the signs,
I know that it's out there,
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere!

I've been looking for someone to shed some light,
Not somebody just to get me through the night,
I could use some direction,
And I'm open to your suggestions.

[Chorus]
All I want to do is find a way back into love.
I can't make it through without a way back into love.
And if I open my heart again,
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end!
Oooooooh, Ooooooh, Ooooooh.

There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation

[Chorus]
All I want to do is find a way back into love,
I can't make it through without a way back into love,
And if I open my heart to you,
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do,
And if you help me to start again,
You know that I'll be there for you in the end!
Oooooooh. Oooooooh. Ooooooooh. Oooooooh. Ooooooh Ooooooooh. Ooooooooh.

The Last Time

2008-03-21T20:03:00.003+08:00

this is one song that is definitely appearing in my wedding song list.... The Last Time by Eric Benet.

Here's the lyrics:

"The Last Time"

The first time I fell in love was long ago.
I didn't know how to give my love at all.
The next time I settled for what felt so close.
But without romance, you're never gonna fall.
After everything I've learned;
Now it's finally my turn.
This is the last time I'll fall... in love.
The first time we walked under that starry sky,
there was a moment when everything was clear.
I didn't need to ask or even wonder why, because each question is answered when your near.
and I'm wise enough to know when a miracle unfolds, this is the last time i'll fall in love.
Now don't hold back, just let me know.
Could i be moving much too fast or way too slow.
'Cause all of my life, I've waited for this day.
To find that once in a lifetime, this is it, I'll never be the same.
You'll never know what it's taken me to say these words.
And now that I've said them, they could never be enough.
As far as I can see, there's only you and only me.

This is the last time I'll fall in love.
Last time i'll fall in love.
The last time i'll fall... in love.

Revisiting our "Holy Week" family tradition

2008-03-21T18:06:00.002+08:00

It has been ages since we have last seen "7th Heaven". I am sure at one point in time you've heard about the show. It is about the Camden family-their adventures and misadventures as well. We caught the second-to-the-last season this holy week break. It wasn't a planned thing, my sister was flipping through the channels yesterday when she saw that it was showing on studio 23. We watched and flipped channels in between commercials, until we ended up focusing on the whole show. there's a 7th Heaven 2-day marathon and we sat down to watch everything.

funny how you get to reminisce while watching. we've seen several seasons, we even followed the series for some time. there were like several holy week breaks when we really tune in to watch past episodes. it is something to see the characters grow old and grow up. kinda like seeing ourselves, how things have changed in the family both good and bad.

oh well, call me sentimental. i'm just happy to relive happy family moments. watching the show is definitely a happy family moment i wish to keep.

my latest koreanovela addiction

2008-03-20T20:58:00.005+08:00

i was kinda late actually....i caught the "cofee prince" craze right when it is about to finish showing on local tv. thank goodness for cheap dvds.

story's cute, all the characters are funny, everything seemed to fit together like a perfect cup of espresso.

oh well...another reason for watching- the hottie coffee shop owner. his character makes my heart melt, but basically his dimples and his eyes sold him out. enuf said.... gotta get me a my daily dose of caffeine.

Bubbly Video version 2

2008-03-20T20:40:00.002+08:00

Here's another version of the Bubbly video. My sister was experimenting and decided to make to versions...it was really sweet of her. she said she made the video for me and chester. luv you babe! mwah! you made me wrinkle my nose! hahahah

Free MySpace slideshows, photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Bubbly Video version 1

2008-03-20T20:38:00.000+08:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

the perfect blend- roasting the coffe beans and the taste test

2008-03-17T23:35:00.003+08:00

last friday we roasted coffee beans
- that is we had a sort of shower/stag party for kuya jon and ate tara. it was really a long story how everything came together, but i'm glad that everything fell into place. everyone had fun playing some games but most of all we enjoyed listening to the story of how the coffee beans came together. :) i enjoyed kuya don's short admonition too...it's not the coffee cup but the coffee itself that truly matters.

taste testing the first drip...
-saturday, we had the wedding rehearsal. the whole entourage wasn't there, but it was a good one. i'm glad to be able to meet ate tara's friends and to see tita bernie again...oh, she's so funny and sweet. hehe.
thanks to tita glean for the delicious pasta and our all time fave-macaroons. hehe. your cooking never fails tita...yum yum! :)

the perfect blend is coming together very soon! watch out for it. :)

=(

2008-03-17T23:31:00.001+08:00

happiness
bliss
pain
tears
missing
anxiety
numb

Live Chat with Yeng Constantino at Yehey!

2008-03-10T21:17:00.000+08:00

Chat with Yeng Constantino on March 12, 2008 from 3:30 PM onwards!

Check Yehey! Chat for more details.

50 Things You Need To Know About Manny Pacquiao

2008-03-06T22:28:00.000+08:00

I'm not really a boxing fan, but i grew up watching boxing matches together with my lolo, my dad and my brother. basically all the girls in the family was kinda forced to face the television and finish watching the fight. let me rephrase that, we were not forced...there's just no other choice but to join in and cheer for your favorite contender. you can just imagine how noisy my lolo and dad get from reacting and getting overly excited about the match...whatever you are doing, you can't help but get curious (and annoyed sometimes) and seat in front of the tv.

As tradition dictates, we will again be gathered to witness an exciting match- that of Marquez and Pacquiao. But before the fight, here's a special trivia about Philippines' most famous boxer.
Enjoy!

"Betty La Bea"

2008-03-06T22:10:00.003+08:00

Apparently Bea Alonso's fans want to see her in a different kind of role. One that requires her to transform from ugly to fabulous. Other contenders for the this role are Anne Curtis, Angel Locsin, Judy Ann Santos, Valerie Concepcion, Claudine Barreto and Regine Velasquez (who practically volunteered herself to do the role).

Click here to vote for your choice!

To read the full article check out Yehey! Entertainment.

My Big Love Movie Pass available at the Yehey! Promo Hub

2008-03-06T22:03:00.002+08:00

If you're a Sam-Toni fan, here's your chance to see them together in their latest team-up. Get your movie passes now!

the perfect blend- coming very soon!

2008-03-04T22:34:00.004+08:00

so why am i talking coffee? that's the wedding theme. the color motif is wine red and gold. nice huh? what can i say, the theme and the motif matches their personality. i am so glad that they chose a theme, not many couples like to do that. i like thematic weddings, it gives you more room for creativity. i'm thinking about explaining why they chose coffee as a theme, but i won't spoil it for you. you have to be at the wedding to find out!

it was just last week that i met with the couple; they gave me this big responsibility of coordinating their special day. my task is to bring it all together. Friday, lunchtime, the couple treated me to a very good meal at the Executive Dinning Hall of ADB. (It's my first time there, it feels very corporate and classy. hehe. very very different from what i'm used to at Yehey!) oh well, back to the meeting. it was my first time to actually sit with them and discuss the wedding details-finally! i was nudging kuya jon to meet earlier, but i know him better...everything gets tied in together at the last minute! haha. the wedding is set on the last day of the month and we have a few weeks to go to polish and tie all loose ends together. thankfully, they got the major part done already. i just have to take care of small details and always remind them that time is ticking very fast. one more wink and it's the week of the wedding already.

the meeting got me really excited. my wedding mode turned on and then list of things to accomplish soon followed:

Ann's tasks:

-Remind B&G of pending tasks for the wedding

-Check Wedding and reception program

-submit reception game to take the place of the B&G

-submit possible table names- coffee themed

-Meet w/ Emcee, Music Director, String Quartet, and Ushers to discuss program flow and other details of the wedding

-Remind all suppliers about pending tasks, call time and etc.

-coordinate w/ Kuya John for rehearsal of wedding ceremony and reception special numbers. Ask Kuya John to practice Genieve.

-conduct wedding rehearsal

-remind participants of the wedding rehearsal (call time, venue and etc.)

-follow up RSVP for selected guests, specified by the B&G

-remind entourage and guests of wedding time and venue the day before the wedding

Then, there's a joint shower and stag party to plan on the side! exciting isn't it?

-finalize time and date

-book venue

-make invites

-distribute invites

-prepare a surprise

good thing i have friends who are thinking of the same thing and they are most willing to help!

it is always nice to do weddings for your friends. i'm so excited for kuya jon and ate tara! can't wait to have a taste of the perfect cup!

STAGES- audition call for West Side Story

2008-03-04T21:27:00.004+08:00

I'm no stranger to theater productions. I have been part of some productions both from school and church. When I was younger, I was able to perform on stage, but as years passed, I found backstage work more exciting. That's why this recent audition call from STAGES caught my attention.

If you’re 17-30 years old and you think you’ve got what it takes to breathe life into West Side Story’s timeless characters, show up on March 29 to 30 from 10 am to 5 pm at the Stand Studio, Brahma Bldg., 172 Mabini St., Addition Hills, San Juan, Manila. Bring your 3R colored photo, resume, and minus one CD so the guys over at STAGES can see what stuff you’re made of. For more information, you may check out this article written by my friend, Cheekie.

What does Your Birthday Mean?

2008-03-02T22:37:00.002+08:00

i was just browsing Facebook. a friend sent me this request....what does your birthday mean? here's what i got! well, some of it are true. :)

Based on your birthday ...

You always follow the good and the right instead of listening to your heart. Another word, you are a perfectionist. You care for every word people say about you. You often seen isolated while you are, by nature, curious and a dreamer who is ready to get over the edge to make your dream comes true. Your Love, You often fall in love with a person who is much different from you, in age and other aspects. Your relationship grows on friendship. Love at fist sight is not your style.

as wide as an eagle's wings

2008-03-02T21:51:00.004+08:00

It is Sunday once again, signaling the start of the fresh new week. Come to think of it, February has come and gone in a wink of an eye. One minute we were just celebrating the new year, listing resolutions, the next minute we are exchange "i heart you" during Valentines. Now, we are ushering the the summer and vacations months. Time has wings as wide as an eagle's!

Speaking of time, it flew fast last week.

Monday started quite slow....it's a holiday. A day dedicated for celebrating Edsa 1. Nope, didn't join any of the street rallies begging and pleading the current president to resign. Instead we (my sister, my 2 cuzins, my brother and his girlfriend) were here in the house, savoring each passing second of vacation from either school or work. as usual, i woke up a little after ten. I had coffee and went straight to planning what to cook for lunch. I have to feed 6 people who haven't had any breakfast yet. i went directly to the kitchen...after an hour or so, lunch was served...
The day continued i took a nap, watched some tv, did Coffee Prince marathon, and prepared for dinner.

Tuesday- back to work. Monday usually is the busiest day of the work week, since we skipped it, all the work was packed to the second day of the week. It was a regular work day, except for the fact that we have a premiere night to attend. "My Big Love" For those who don't know, it is the latest movie of Sam Milby together with Toni and Kristine. It is the movie wherein Sam wore a fat suite. More about the movie here. I went to the premiere with my sister, Rachel and with Yehey! friends- Elaine, Jori, Kan, Lasz, Tina and Jay2.

Wednesday- i worked in the morning, but we have to leave for a marketing research seminar in RCBC in Makati. I had lunch with Elaine, my boss, talked about the office and work mainly, then we proceeded to the seminar venue. Sadly, the seminar turned into a product demo. Approximately after an hour the seminar begun, we left! we can't take the boredom anymore! Instead of going home, i went to see my favorite pampamkin, Andrei and his sister Monessa. i stayed there for the whole afternoon.... being with kids really takes away any trace of stress! In the evening, I went to church to attend the Mid-week service.

Thursday- Ne-Yo's presscon was scheduled around lunch time. Yup, i got to see him upclose alright, but then we had to wait more than 2 hours to catch a glimpse of him for like 30 minutes. hehehe. Oh well, I'm not a fan girl, but if you want to know more about the presscon, you may check out Cheekie's article at Yehey!

Friday- packed with Interviews for Marketing Associate applicants. Lunch was scheduled for a meeting with the Kuya Jon and Ate Tara. Finally the ball is rolling...more about this in my next entry. Then, there's dinner with the girls at MOA. Well, 2 of the girls are missing (Saraah and Rachel) but we always manage to chat the night away and stay late in Starbucks.

Saturday- Rest day supposedly. But i wanted to see my best friend and her adorable baby, Cassie. :) Since their place is near my pampamkin's house, i dropped by for a quick hi and i hit the mall. I met up with ate khalille who is currently shopping for shoes to wear to kuya jon's wedding. i never planned to do any shopping that day, but the impulsive shopper in me took the better of my will. hahaha. i ended up buying the black dress i needed for the wedding. i got it for a better deal- half the price! so it is not bad after all. i always love getting discounts and bargains. haha. i'm cheap.

Now it's Sunday. it has always felt busy for some reason. yup, it's church day but there's always meetings left and right. Oh well...

I had quit an eventful flight last week. at least i accomplished much, but there's still a lot of work to be done! i'm already rehashing my sched for tomorrow....getting ready for another packed week!

Pablo Baluyot does Absolute Comedy in Ottawa

2008-02-28T23:03:00.000+08:00

Here's cuzin Paul's You Tube Video!

Exciting Promos at Yehey!

2008-02-28T22:13:00.003+08:00

Told yah, i'll be back! yipee!

Here are some exciting promos going on at Yehey!

AXN Beyond Promo!
It's sometimes difficult to pick out facts from fantasy,
but if you can pick out the correct answers to the questions,
you stand to win an exclusive AXN Beyond Skype phone,
USB thumbdrive and other AXN Beyond merchandise!

Animax Primetime Watch n' Win
Win PhP 2,000.00 EVERYDAY!!! for Four Weeks!
Open to Philippine residents only
Promo is until March 21, 2008

My Big Love Promo
Be one of the lucky winners of PhP1,000.00 worth of Gift Certificates from Unisilver.

Pastry chef Macky (Sam Milby) has struggled with his weight for most of his life. It’s not easy being fat, especially when you’re in love with a young socialite columnist named Niña (Kristine Hermosa). He has been her constant secret admirer, surprising Niña every time with cakes and flowers. Everything is going well until Niña meets Macky, who gets the shock of her life when she sees Macky in his 300-pound glory.

here again...

2008-02-24T18:02:00.002+08:00

been out of touch for a long time. typical of me; when things go busy, blogging takes a back seat. i usually spend most of my free time either sleeping or engaged in a movie/series marathon. ironic coz i'm online almost everyday for more than 8 hours, yet i don't have time to update my blog or any other social networking sites i belong to. i get to upload pics every once in a while and browse through other friend's posts, but to blog and to spend a few minutes typing my thoughts away is not part of the daily internet routine. sad really coz everybody seems to be putting their print on the web, and if you check out mine, you'll get a blurry image. hehehe.

but i'm here again, don't know how long i could keep this up but i'll try.

watch out for more updates. hahaha! (if you're patient enough, you'll see some soon)

2 days of Movie Madness

2007-10-03T13:54:00.000+08:00

I watch TV as a form of relaxation after a stressful day at work. The routine would be work, go home, rest for a while, have dinner, then watch TV before getting ready for bed.

Monday

I saw "My Girl" showing on HBO. Without hesitancy I watched the movie again. As i was watching, i felt a tiny feeling of nostalgia. i remember first seeing this movie when i was in
elementary or first year in highschool. it became quite a hit with my peers. As the movie progress, i realized somethings:
-i fell in love with the "weeping willow tree by the lake" scenery from this movie
In fact, during my Art Appreciation class in college where we were required to do a painting, I chose almost the same scene, expect the one i painted was a night time scene with full moon. i didn't know then why i chose that particular picture then, it is only now that i realized that that weeping willow tree made its mark in my mind.

-i miss the good old carefree days of childhood
yeah, call me a drama queen but i do. its nice to remember those days where all you have to worry about is getting a good grade at school and what you are going to do in the afternoon with your friends. i especially love the scene where Veda and Thomas J were riding their bikes, i kinda remember doing that with my friends as well. Sigh!

-i miss my friends
awww....lately i haven't been hagning out a lot with them. i've been hiding inside my shell. hehehe. it's nice to have someone you could share stuff with.

Tuesday
An officemate let me borrow his Korean movie DVD. He recomended that i watch "Parang Juiibo" So i did. The movie was a real tear jerker. i cried a lot in this movie. hehehe. I've seen quit a number of Korean films already. I can say that i like their way of storytelling, how they carry your emotions within the story. in one movie, you could feel a wide array of emotions. With this film, i was reminded why i got into Korean films:

-their love stories make you remember about the first time you had a crush and fell in love.
-the scenery in most of their films are "romantic"
-there's always an unexpected twist in the story
-the background music never fails to either tickle or twist your heart
-there are specific scenes that will get stamped on your mind whether you like it or not
-there are certain lines you take with you hehehe

These are just based on most of the films i saw. well, one funny observation about Korean movies- their leading ladies are really pretty! but the leading men????uhm...not really good.
hehehe. not the type that would make girls swoon even after watching. hahahaha!

Let me see...i still have several Korean films in my MUST SEE MOVIE list. i hope they'll be as good as the others! :)

My Visual DNA

2007-09-21T17:02:00.001+08:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Who makes me happy?

2007-08-31T16:18:00.000+08:00

my nephew and my niece does!

recently i find myself missing my nephew, andrei and niece, monessa a lot. it's nice to have kids around the house sometimes. true, you have to babysit them and look after them, but they also bring you joy that's incomparable.

i look forward to sundays when i will get to see them again. andrei already knows our routine. i wait for his sunday school class to finish then we go to either ministop or mercury for his snack. same with monessa. being with them for a few minutes takes away all the weariness i feel from last week's work.

i wish they could visit us and stay for a long time. it would be nice to go home to a house with kids. hmm...makes me think about adopting a baby? i'll give that more thought......

usual lazy fridays

2007-08-31T16:04:00.000+08:00

it's friday again, the usual lazy fridays as always

today is the worst so far...the previous fridays were kinda normal. i feel lazy but then i still work. today, i feel lazy and that's it! well, of course i still work, but i found my self drifting today. i browsed through Yehey! and other websites, answered several emails, chatted and made kulit some people in the office. grr...i should be working more and playing around less. oh no! i need to snap out of this quick. if i continue on this pace, i'll be swammped with work everyday!

funny thing is, i can't afford to stay this way. i am planning an event for sunday. i should be busy with that. but my mind is wandering everywhere. i can't seem to focus! waaah! i hate this feeling. the feeling that you have to work, but then you feel lazy too, and then you'll regret feeling lazy so you go back to work again and the cycle never ends.

i hope after today,i will not have another episode of this slow and lazy friday.

i won an N92!

2007-08-15T11:51:00.000+08:00

yehey! i got me a brand new N92 phone!!!

i was in IMMAP last week thursday. Yehey! has a booth there that we have to attend to. early in the morning there were Smart promo girls walking around showing everyone the new N92 and how cool it is. you can watch your fave tv show anytime, anywhere with this phone. they said there was going to be a raffle and 2 Nokia N92 phones will be given away. i inquired how to join their promo, i said i was using Globe and if i can still join. they said that it was okay and that all i should do is to drop my business card which i did. after that, i forgot all about it. i never win in promos or raffles anyway. i went on doing what i had to do which is to take care of the Yehey! booth.

around lunch time, i received a call saying that i should go up the stage, they didn't tell me any other detail. then following that i heard them announcing my name. when i entered the hall, they were starting to count down already to forfeit my prize. thankfully some of them saw me approaching the stage and stopped the counting. then right then and there, i got the raffle prize! i said i was from Yehey and thanked them and went down the stage. it took me some time to realize that i won an expensive phone, it didn't sink in immediately. i got back in the booth, most of them was cheering for me! it was just then it got clear in my head, i have a brand new cellphone! yehey!

thank God for this blessing. i gave the phone to my dad. he's deserves it more than i do. after years and years of working hard, he couldn't afford to get himself a really cool and expensive phone. now he has one and he's enjoying it! i'm glad!

See IMMAP pics here

rain stories

2007-08-15T11:25:00.000+08:00

i love the cool weather and the rainy season. i feel fresh when its cooler and it is nice to be sipping a hot cup of good coffee while watching the rain trickle down your window. but for the past weeks, my encounter with the rainy weather was really harsh.

two typhoons visited the metro in two weeks time. first was last wednesday and then today(which happened to be a wednesday as well) what's with wednesday by the way? the strong winds and the hard rain seem to like this particular day. oh well. last week, despite the bad weather, i was forced to still go to the office. IMMAP(a marketing conference) was scheduled to start the following day and besides we need to set up our booth at Hotel Intercon that night. so i braved the flooded streets and went out. thankfully i got in the office safe but really wet. don't ask me anymore what happened during that day. all i could remember was a day of non-stop work and finishing touches for the IMMAP event and getting more wet in the evening as i went to makati while waiting for 10:30 to strike which is the scheduled time for the booth set up. i got home around 11:30pm, tired and weary from the day's work. still the 7am call time for IMMAP was programmed in my mind and thankfully i got up really early the following day.

today, same thing happened. i left the house around 7:30am, it was drizzling a little. there was no news that there is a typhoon or anything. so i went on and commuted my way to the office. while i was in the jeepney, it rained really hard and strong winds begin to blow. i wasn't even half way to the office and i'm all wet already. no sign or advice that classes or work was suspended already, i took the MRT and prayed that i'll make it to the office in time. when we reached Boni station, the train stopped. the operator spoke over the PA system and said that there was a problem with the electricity and that we will have to wait until it was resolved. we waited there for at least 15 minutes. i texted my mom just so she would know where i am in case anything happens, and then my boss to inform that i'll be late for work. after a few more minutes, the train started to move again. in the next station, we had to wait again. at this time, i'm already thinking of going home. i continue texting my sister and some office friends. realizing that the rain wouldn't stop soon, i decided to get out of mrt and start my commute back home. on the way, i texted my sister whose classes was suspended already. we were suppose to meet here in makati, until now she's not yet here. according to her traffic is moving slow, not a surprise really considering that most streets are flooded. thankfully there's an internet shop open here in ayala mrt. so here i am blogging about the morning's events while waiting for my sister. i hope she arrives soon.

of habits and dreams

2007-08-05T20:06:00.000+08:00

you have the habit of making your presence felt out of nowhere. i don't know if i should be flattered or if i should be annoyed. you show up whenever you like to. in the same way, you just leave without any warning or notice. you always leave me feeling confused and wondering. don't come if you intend to leave. stop your bad habit please.

and to you, i don't know how i feel about you. i'm happy, geniunely happy for you. at the same time, when i look at you, it's like watching a dream. a dream that someone else is living for me. sometimes i ask myself if i have cried enough for you to know that i have let you go already. i don't think there ever was a transition period. at the same moment you told me how happy you were, my heart froze. just like that, it stopped beating. it ceased from feeling pain, happiness, it's dead. it's better that way....i guess, is it?

tale of three fishies

2007-07-27T18:13:00.000+08:00

we used to have 3 fighting fishies which i got as a give away from the PNMC at Sofitel a few months ago.

first three weeks, all the three fishies got their own fish bowls. i feed them everyday and mom takes care of cleaning the bowls every week.

one saturday, i was at home by my lonesome. i was watching tv and playing with franky, our pet shihtzu. i noticed something black that is crawling under the center table. i didn't clearly see what is it really, first thing that entered my mind it could be an insect or snake or something. i instantly hit what i thought was a baby snake fearing that it could get to franky and hurt her. so without hesitation i got my slippers and whacked with all my force the black crawling creature until i noticed that one of the fish bowls was empty! i stopped hitting the black crawling creature which turned out to be one of our pet fishies. i quickly looked at the poor thing closely, really hoping that it was still alive. to my disappointment, fishie is already dead. i felt bad about what i did. I killed fishie and i'm really sorry.

just last week, my sister was watching tv before going to school one morning. she suddenly realized that its time to go. she turned the tv using the remote control and tossed it to the center table. she hit another fishbowl! when my mom came home later that day from a visit to her doctor, she found out that the fishbowl was left broken in our dirty kitchen. she saw the second fishie almost dead. instinct dictated that she should put the fishie in water. so she palced the second fishie to the bowl of the last remaining fishie. uhm, the fishies are called fighting fish...a general rule is never put them together in the same fish bowl! the second fishie survived for a few hours, i feel sorry for him coz he lost most of his fins. it was probably too tired to fight. another poor fishie.

the last and only fishie remaining is still recuperating from his last battle. its fins are broken, and it seemed a little sad. maybe its missing two of its original fishie friends. how sad!

glad i'm not famous

2007-07-27T17:58:00.000+08:00

I watch Hollywood Entertainment news on cable tv once in a while. last night i tuned in to E! and ET to get my dose of hollywood news. it is not really shocking to hear that britney and lindsey are still the headlines. Britney stole some $21,000 worth of designer dresses and jewely and lindsey has 2 DUI charges and a posessino of coccaine. Funny how lots of girls used to say i wanna be just like her when i grow up-pretty, sexy, popular and rich!

as i was watching, i really felt good that i wasn't someone popular like they are. i do not exactly pity them, but i feel sorry for them a bit. sorry that popularity got into their heads and damaged it, sorry that they don't enjoy a sweet family life like mine, sorry that they didn't choose to do any better. it may take a while before they may redeem themselves from the scrutinizing eye of the public, the question is will they ever redeem themselves or will they continue to go down the path to oblivion.

B-U-M-M-E-R!!!

2007-07-26T18:20:00.000+08:00

that's what i call it.

for like a month or two, we have been preparing for the GAP exam. Alloting an hour each day to listen to the multimedia lectures on line, printing the text module to carry around and read in between tasks, and then spending a few minutes before bedtime to digest it more and more.

this past week, i struggled to keep myself awake just to review everything in preparation for the exam which was scheduled June 25 weeks ago.

day before the exam we were informed that there were no vouchers yet which are necessary to take the exam

day of the exam, i got this text message from my boss who will take the same exam:
"hi ann, hindi tuloy yung exam today!"

we were informed on the day itself that the exam has been postponed!!!

the week that was...

2007-07-20T15:47:00.000+08:00

well, just a pretty normal week for me...

as far as work is concerned, things have been busy. they always are. as soon as finishing one task, here comes another one. good thing? to a certain degree, yes. better busy than not doing anything. i was doing my weekly task updates for the following week, looks like it's gonna be a busy busy week again, nothing new.

been eating a lot...with friends, i made a post about this actually. funny after we went to world chicken we said that we will save money and go on a diet. for one day, yup we were triumphant about our new goal. the next day, we were on our way to mcdo. we weren't satisfied and craved for dessert, we thought of having donuts at gonuts! when we got there they gave us mini cupcakes to try out! and it was so good! we ended up buying a regular size...tsk tsk tsk..so much for saving money and going on a diet.

finally i got to watch and finish "Which Star Are You From?" hahaha! i'm going gaga over director choi, i'm having a major crush on him! I slept really late just to finish all the episodes and get to see him again and again and again. hehe. he's so manly, smart, has a good sense of humor, and good looking most of the times - he has angles kasi which are not really good on screen. tsk tsk...i feel so pathetic now.

i can't get up really early this week. grabe! last wednesday i woke up at 7:30!!! by that time i should be in transit already so i won't be late. thank goodness the roads weren't jam packed that day and the ever reliable 15-minute MRT, i arrived at 9:05. not bad, i left the house at 8:10. =)

today is friday! oh happy day!

Sshhh... I have a crush!

2007-07-17T19:18:00.000+08:00

Haha. I feel silly, I'm crushing on the character of Director Jeremy Choi from the Korean soap "Which Star Are You From" ;) Don't tell anyone! I'm blushing already! lol!