Before 2010 Ends

I wish I had been able to post more for 2010; however, I did not have anything really new to say. Actually...many times, my thoughts were too deep that I'd rather keep them private. I tried penning some of my thoughts on paper, but they do not come as easy as I had pondered about them. After I start with a couple of sentences, I ended up tearing the paper apart. This was a recurring pattern, whenever I tried writing something down.

Maybe because 2010 was not as bad as 2009 and 2008 were that's why I could never muster anything to write. However, although not as bad, 2010 is not smooth sailing either. There had been times of tears, but often, they were overpowered by joyous moments.

So, my thoughts are as I pen my first and...possibly last, entry of the year, to count the blessings God had showered upon my family.

First, we still have our faith, health and strength. I was not as sick in 2010 as I was in 2009. I did not log it back then, but in 2009 I had undergone a major surgery and also battled with anemia. My diabetes, which is an incurable condition, has been my major concern in 2009. Fortunately, diabetes was an eye-opener to improve my lifestyle and become healthier. I started exercising more and eating right, which lead to my weight-loss. I lost over 50lbs, so I feel much better now.

My husband, although he had his own health problems, is doing fine. As a church deacon, he had been actively performing his duties.

I am thankful that our daughter is doing very well in her studies. In 2010 and 2009, she received back-to-back Dean's Honor's List award recipient. She's honing her God given talents. She loves classical music- she plays piano and now, started learning violin, which she started in September 2010. This year, she has decided that she wants to become a doctor. Although, she had changed her mind several times, now she seem set on her goals and dreams. I pray that she achieves her goal and remain humble with the blessings she receives.

I enjoyed spending quality time in 2010 with my husband and daughter. I hope that we can continue to do so in 2011 and the years to come.

I am thankful my brothers and only sister have jobs, but most of all, they still have their faith. I am so thankful that I interact with them more than I used to, thanks to the power of the Internet and social networking.

My freelance writing has improved tremendously. I continue to write for Demand Media Studios (DMS), Associated Content (AC) and Bright Hub (BH) for extra income. My articles have been featured on Yahoo!Local, Yahoo!TV and USAToday. My writing gigs have helped me, my family here and back home in many ways. I pray that I can continue to write, hone my skills and keep my writing clients happy.

I am thankful that we still live here in Beldin Lane, alongside my husband's family. Hoping for peace and good tidings in the neighborhood of family and friends.

As 2010's last few days start and end, I pray that I see 2011 with more blessings from God above.

Amen.

A Sad Day

Update: September 7, 2009: Bro. Erano G. Manalo, a.k.a. Ka erdy, was laid to rest on Monday, Septembr 7, 2009 at the Tabernacle, inside the Iglesia Ni Cristo compound in Central, Quezon City, Philippines. The funeral was attended by the members of the Church's administration, government dignitaries, and thousands of mourning members of the Church.

President Aurora Macapagal-Arroyo declared this day as a National Day of Mourning in honor of Ka Erdy. Vice President Noli de Castro partook in the ceremonial handing over of the Philippine flag in honor of Ka Erdy, which he handed over to Sister Christina "Tenny" Manalo, Ka erdy's widow.

The ceremony was very solemn and very simple. Some politicians dubbed the funeral a simple, but fit for a King emanating from the respect and adulation shown by the throngs of mourners. There was no eulogy, no mass, and no prayer for the dead...as it should be.

Thousands of mourners watched the live telecast of the funeral on the big screen outside of Templo Central, Quezon City, not hindered by the heavy downpour of rain, extreme fatigue from lining up for hours, and hunger. Some were sick, some were very old, some even had to travel hours just to get there...some were even in line for days. Members from across the Philippines and all over the world watched the live telecast via satellite and Internet.

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September 2, 2009:

A day after I celebrated my 45th birthday, a very important person passed away. Our dearly beloved Bro. Erano G. Manalo died on August 31, 2009 (Monday) at 3:53pm. I could not stop crying when I found out...my daughter who never met him, but felt his undying love for our church also wept. Even my husband shed tears of sorrow.

I wrote my thoughts on Facebook for the Iglesia Ni Cristo to sum up what I feel--
Few people walk on earth that leave a lasting mark. We lost one of them on August 31st. He may be gone, but his memory will live on forever. Like a candle in the dark...his light will guide us through. He will be greatly missed.

Watching the live online coverage of the wake, I see throngs of brethren paying their last respects. I wish my husband, daughter and I could be there. How I long to see him again. Nevertheless, we are there in spirit. We also pray for all of us who are still living...that we may be able to finish our journey until the second coming of our Lord, just as our dear brother wished and prayed for when he was alive. In heaven...we will all meet each other, all the members who are still living and those that went before us to see the glory of our Lord God's presence. May we all reach that blessed place.

July 27, 2009 Marked INC's 95th Anniversary

Oh joyous day, oh joyous day---July 27, 2009 was a joyous day.

Luckily, I had already planned and got an approval to take my vacation from work from July 27 through July 31. July 31st being our wedding anniversary. Spring time 2009, the church had been in full gear towards preparation for this milestone.

My vacation turned out to be better than planned. Patrick, Jessica and I went to San Jose HP Pavilion to join the throngs of INC (Iglesia Ni Cristo) members from Northern and Southern California to attend the 95th year celebration. We stayed from beginning until the end of the program. I felt so proud being a member of the true church. I have always been since I was a child. Having parents who were active in the church-- they both passed away and resting in peace. As a youngster I was already holding offices in the church. Something that I try to inculcate with my own daughter. Serve selflessly for the glorification of our Almighty Father in heaven!

The collection of videos called "Chosen", which are inspirational stories from brethrens across the globe, the hymns, the lecture, the musical special with special guests Lea Salonga and the speech from the Deputy Executive and Executive Ministers touched our hearts deeply. As my daughter would always say when she hears or read something that is thought-provoking..."That's deep!".

As we journey back home...which too an hour and a half (not counting our dinner stop at Denny's in San Jose), we spent talking about the day's event and re-affirmed our faith.

Glory be to God the Father in heaven and to our Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen.

Welcoming the New Year

I cannot wait until this year is over. I love welcoming the New Year each year simply because I cannot wait to start the year fresh and I also cannot wait to see what is in store for all of us. A lot of people plan their New Year's resolution before December of the year that is about to end. However, the most popular New Year's resolutions we hear of are about dieting, handling finances, doing better at work or school. Although there is nothing wrong about all of these so-called New Year's resolutions, however, people tend to forget the most important thing in life-- their spirituality. Our spiritual being needs an overhaul every now and then too. Nobody is perfect and a lot of us succumb to vices every now and then. Mistakes in life are part of human nature...of our frailties; however, it is also important to scrutinize each one of our mistakes in order to avoid them in the future.

Gaining spiritual strength is important in order to live a well-balanced life. Far more important than losing weight, saving money, career advancement, good grades, etc...is our spiritual health. Our spiritual being balances our existence...it is what would keep us strong against all adversities, it is also what will keep us humble...reminding us always that there is someone that reign above us, the One who we answer to. It is our connection to our Great Creator, it is what we have to nourish each time. And when we do, we can reach our other goals easier since we have the strength that can empower us to do what we put our minds and our hearts into.

Our spirituality helps us to give love better, keep our faith, and find hope when it seems there is no more. It is what speaks to us in a form of conscience to avoid the evil temptations in this world. It fuels the mind, body, and soul. It is what completes us.

So, for the coming year...ensure that you put more thought first on your spirituality over the things that do not last forever. In the end...it is what you can bring with you.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Unsurpassed Love- A Thanksgiving from the Heart

This poem is wholeheartedly dedicated to Our Lord God who had showered the Iglesia Ni Cristo with so much blessings through the years. As we commemorate the 94th Anniversary of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) in the Philippines and the 40th Anniversary in the West.

We thank you, Oh Lord,
Our hearts filled with joy as we sing;
All these years you were true to your words,
Giving us your unsurpassed love and blessings.

You have given humanity one last chance,
In the Far East, as prophesied;
Your true Church was re-established,
Decades had passed...until now It still stands!

Little did anyone know,
That this little church would grow;
With throngs of devoted followers;
Everywhere across the globe.

As we witnessed your Church's growth,
We are proud to be called your own;
As we await Christ's returning,
Until the end we will be devoted to You.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

How do we overcome the pain that we feel inside when we are missing someone terribly? We find ourselves at times sobbing due to our loss that had resulted in a huge void in our lives. Oftentimes, after we cry we try to go about our daily chores, trying to keep ourselves busy to make the hands of time move faster. It is amazing how time flies when we are busy toiling each day. There are different ways people deal with sadness; it is during these tough times that we end up in search of ourselves...of our existence!

For so long as human beings depend on each other for material needs and companionship, we will always feel some void when we lose those we depend upon. Whether this loss was due to a passing of a loved one, breaking up, or the unavoidable separation due to job relocation or residential moves. There could be a hundred reasons why we are separated from people we care about...people we hold dearly in our hearts. There may also be a hundred ways to deal with these situations and each time we try to cope.

So, how do we cope? Aside from crying or keeping ourselves busy all day? The answer is to kneel down in prayer. Oftentimes, we hear people who pray that it can help heal your wounded soul and it can give you strength to face another day. Trusting in what our Almighty God can do to help us ease the sorrows and pain of missing our beloved. There is also a saying that time can heal all wounds. So, the pain and aching feeling you feel inside your heart will go away, with God's help and guidance, in a matter of time.

With every pain, suffering, trial, and separation that you endure...you will become resilient--- a better and stronger person!

How Was Your Day?

Everyone of us goes through our daily lives, with our so-called daily routines. At the end of each day, we rest after performing our daily tasks. But, have you ever done a mental recap of what you have done for the day? Do you gauge your day by exclaiming whether you had a good day or a bad day? The reason I asked is that all too often people go about their daily lives even before the sun comes up, doing their daily chores, then gasp at the end of the day that it just went by so swiftly. Some of us even whine that the day is too short, that there should have been more than 24 hours to do all the tasks at hand. I, like many others, am guilty of thinking that the day is just too short. I tend to multi-task a lot, juggling three or four different things at a time. However, even when I start earlier than usual to do my work and end later to try to finish it, it's as if I still have a mountain of tasks to accomplish ready for me to tackle again the next day.

The idea of writing this article was brought about by the single question that my teenage daughter asks me whenever she and her Dad would pick me up at the train station after I get off from work. She would always ask how my day was...to which I often answered with a simple single word that describes my typical work day- "Busy". It's funny because now that I think about it, I answer the same way almost everyday for how many years now. So, what does this word really means to me? I recapped my day from the moment I woke up in the morning. I did a mental list of the things I have done.

From the time I woke up before the dawn breaks, to the time I came home just when the sun is about to set, there were indeed a tremendous amount of things to do each day. Never-ending tasks, a lot of challenges; both at work and at home to worry about. I am not going to bore you with the details of my day to day activities, besides, the list is a mile long, and we might run out of space!

Kidding aside, I am here to proudly say that each day I start with saying my thanks to God, for He allowed me to wake up with renewed health and strength that I can use to get through the day. After I hop on the train to and from work, I say a little prayer for Him to take care of me on my travel. When I have difficult challenges at work, I close my eyes and say another prayer for Him to help me solve those problems. At the end of the day, before going to bed I have my own prayer, unless all three of us are at home, then we say our family prayer together before we go to sleep. Through out the day I pray from 5 to 6 times, more if there are situations that call for one such as, worship services, prayer meetings, illnesses, problems at home, and the like. It may be a lot to some people, but considering the other tasks and the amount of time each one takes to complete, it doesn't take too much to say a prayer. Some people even spend time talking on the phone much longer, even lasting for several hours. A prayer doesn't too take long... a couple or so minutes should be enough in most cases.

So, what am I saying is that there should not be any excuse for us, no matter how busy we get each day, not to say a prayer. You may be on a train, on a plane, or driving a car you can utter your prayer or speak in your mind. The important thing is that you have that communication daily with our Almighty God. You should put God as your top priority...for He can make all your worries fade away.

So how was your day? Have you spoken to God lately?