My (Lenten) Sacrifice

There were lots of (happy) things that happened to me in the past few days, which i am really very grateful of, that I'd like to blog. But I was not able to write about them due to lack of time and lost of ideas on how would I express them in writing (i'm so lost for words).

I am so happy right now. It seems like everything's going smooth and perfect with my life. I have been so blessed by God. I thank Him for loving and for taking good care of me, my family and my friends.

In the last weeks's gospel (John 8:1-11), i witnessed how forgiving our God is. In the gospel, a woman was caught in the act of committing adultery, in which at that time is punishable by stoning the sinner to death. They asked Jesus what He would do to the woman to test Him (for they might have some charge to bring against Him). Jesus answered them "Let him who is without a sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." When they heard this, they went away, one by one. Jesus was left alone with the woman. I knew about this particular verse for a long time. But it was only this time that I got the whole picture of the story. It had really struck me what had happened next. Jesus asked the woman, "where are they? has no one condemed you?" The woman said, "No one, Lord.". And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go and do not sin again." This really hit me. I'd wanted to be as forgiving as Jesus is.

I remember saying this line to my friends, "wag ninyo akong galitin kasi nagtatanim ako ng galit or sama ng loob". This is partly true. I forgive but i don't easily forget. My thinking then is as long as i am not the guilty party, i will be okay whether or not we can ever patch things up. i really do not care. i feel it's not under my responsibility.

This is the reason why I felt very ashamed of myself when I heard the above gospel. I am a self-confessed follower of Christ but i do not follow His teachings about true forgiveness. I silently asked and prayed to Him to show me and to give me strength to do what He wants me to do.

Last Nov 2009, i was deeply hurt by a friend, enough to cut off ties with him. We are both very successful ignoring each other. Our paths never crossed since then except when we both attended a birthday celebration of former co-employee/friend in end of Jan 2010 (as expected of myself, i ignored him like he's not existing)

I have no plans of taking the first step for reconciliation. I got a pride too. I was not the one at fault. Besides, he didn't even bother to apologize. But on March 24, 2010 Wed, i broke my silence with him. I made a peace offering with him which he instantly accepted. :-) And so after more than 4 months of being intentionally silent, 'BATI' na din kami. I really feel very happy. :-)

@ Golden Fork Restaurant, Satwa March 25, 2010

Dahil sa bati na kami, i'd asked an important favor from him

napatunayan ko dito na friends na talaga ulit kami,

i did not feel any akwardness at all, nde ko rin naramdaman ang hiya.

feels like nothing's changed sabi nga niya.

Thanks friend for the big favor, i really appreciate it! :-)

I am so grateful with God. I feel His LOVE. I want to show him I love Him so much too. I want to please Him.

I made a promise that I will make sacrifices this coming Holy Week. These are 'little' sacrifices but i'm wholeheartedly offering all these only for Him.

1) starting tomorrow, i will fast. i will not eat rice- my favorite food. (this is the first time i'd do fasting for one straight week)

2) i'd also promised to visit Church after office

3) since my birthday will fall on Holy Wednesday 31 Mar 2010, i postpone my 'small' celebrations in the office to a later date on 05 April 2010. (Advanced Happy Birthday To Me! :-))

4) i will temporarily stop blogging and blog hopping in observance of the Holy Week.

But I will definetely be back blogging after the Holy Week. :-) I will miss you all! (just imagining na may nagbabasa..hehe)

May we always feel His presence in our everyday lives. :-)

Si Baby MJ :-)

Lab na lab siya ng kanyang tatay at nanay
Lab din siya ng kanyang 'ate' na 24 hours nag-aalaga sa kanya
Sympre lab din siya ng kanyang mga ninang (kasama ako dun)
Siya ay si Baby MJ na lab po naming lahat. :-)

Si Baby MJ ay anak ng aking kaibigang sina ID & RD
Dito sa Dubai siya ipinanganak
Ang bait bait ng batang ito
Manang-mana sa kanyang mga magulang

Madami na akong utang sa batang ito
Paminsan-minsan ko na lang siya nadadalaw
Kaya naman sinusulit ko talaga pag nakakasama ko siya
Napapaligaya niya talaga ako ng sobra :-)

@ AL GHURAIR CITY CENTRE- MARCH 21, 2010

takot na takot ako dito baka mahulog si baby mj at masaktan

pero super worth it, just look how happy baby mj is

another happy moment :-)

kayang-kaya ng akyatin ni baby mj ito hanggang sa itaas

parang walang kapaguran sa paglalaro

pinagpahinga ko muna saglit para may pic kami. :-)

Naka-leave akong nung araw na ito kaya sinamantala ko na ang 'bonding moment' namin ni baby MJ. Tuwang-tuwa talaga ako sa kanya. Sobrang sweet as in! Haaaayyy, parang gusto mo ibigay lahat sa kanya pag nag kiss na siya. Ang hirap kung minsan, sympre kailangan din niyang matuto ng disiplina. Buti na lang masasabi kong marunong magpalaki ng anak ang aking kaibigang sina ID at RD kasama ni ate E na sobrang maalaga talaga.

Eto pa pala, kahit matagal kung minsan bago kami magkita ni baby MJ, hindi siya nangigilag sa akin. Marunong ding mag-bless yan at mag-flying kiss. :-) Gustung-gusto kong kinakarga, niyayakap at hinahalikan ang batang ito. Napapagaan niya ang pakiramdam ko. Iba talagang saya ang naidudulot ng mga bata.

Out Of Office Reply

"Thank you for your note. I am on-leave today and will be back tomorrow. For urgent concerns, please email Ms. EA at ea@companyemailaddress."


I called in sick today for a very important reason. I will soon blog about it in detail (upon confirmation/after few more months). God really works in mysterious ways. I've been so 'makulit' to Him to grant me this one special request. I've been praying so hard for this since last year. I was never in doubt, He will give me whatever I need but in His time. Last year, His answer is NO. I admit, I was a bit saddened but as a believer, i understand He has good reason and purpose for everything. I had accepted His decision. He is my guide. I am a follower.

But few days before my upcoming birthday, He gave me His special gift. Guess what is it?!? It's the one I've been wishing/hoping/thinking/praying for! :-) I feel overwhelmed. I'm overjoyed. I can affirm to you, with God all things are possible (no matter how impossible the situation it may
seems)


Dear God,
I really thank you for loving me and for always being there for me. 'Gawan yuku pung talatuki yu. Kaluguran dakayu pu.' (in our dialect)

much love,
tin

'Isang Manhid'

A friend/irregular busmate (NS), who's really a music buff, had lent me his music collections. They were all stored in his 'cute' USB (named Funny Bone, a bone-shaped USB). I copied everything to my computer in the office and also to a ministation. Thanks, NS!

Last Sunday, I happened to hear the acoustic version of the song "You Belong With Me" from these music collections. I instantly liked it. I played the song over and over and over again like maybe more than 25 times in the office so i can get over it but it was not enough. When i got home, i immediately googled its lyrics and found out that the original is sung by Taylor Swift. Though i'd like more the acoustic version. To my surprise, sang by OPM various artist (as in it's way better than the original). I'd tried searching who the singers were but didn't find anything. Since then, this song has been in my playlist and continously playing in my mind. It certainly got my attention that it had landed me writing this blog entry. And should I add, it's actually playing right now in my laptop while i'm blogging. :-)


My Fave Lyric Lines

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers
She's Cheer Captain and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can't you see?
You belong with me

No Ordinary 'Friday' - March 12, 2010

Hangga't maari nasa bahay lang ako tuwing Friday. Full packed kasi lagi ang aking schedule sa araw na ito. Eto ang mga regular na aktibidades ko: attend ng 7am mass (either Fri or Sat), mag-grocery (dahil ako ang cook pag Friday), magluto from 10am to 1pm (as in ganito ako katagal, winner ako sa kusina sa tagal), 1pm to 4pm chat time namin ng aking nanay (request ng aking nanay na pagkatapos ng tv patrol, tigil na daw kami kasi agua bendita na. haha..), tulog, basa ng mga blog, nood ng movie, basa ng libro (current reading), kain in between then tapos na ang araw. Buti na lang at two days ang off namin. Pag Saturday ko na nagagawa kung anumang maisipan kong gawin. Ito ang aking FREE day. Pero madalas sa bahay ko din nagagamit ito. Minsan naman pagala-gala lang ako sa tabi-tabi. :-)

Pero last Friday naging iba ang aking buhay Friday. Hindi ako nagluto sa haws kasi birtdey ni RD (kaibigan namin). Umaga pa lang pumunta na kami ni JC sa bahay nila para maki-celebrate at makikain..hehe...sinabihan na ako ni ID (asawa ni RD) na may take out kami para sa mga housemates namin kaya ligtas na ako sa pagluluto...yipee!!! Before ko makalimutan, "Maligayang Kaarawan Sa'yo RD. Sana magpatuloy ang mga blessings at happiness na dumarating sa buhay ninyo. God bless you always."

Pagkatapos makipag-birthday kay RD, nakipagkita naman ako sa aking mga hayskul klasymeyts para sa nalalapit naming reunion.

Wala nang uwian na nangyari. Tumuloy ako pagkatapos sa Sheikh Zayed para naman sa birthday party ng anak ni SB, isang kaopisina/kaibigan/lunchmate.

as much as possible nde ko pinapalampas pag invited ako sa kiddie party.

bukod sa gusto ko talaga ang mga bata at kaibigan ko ang mga matanda

naiisip ko para pag anak ko naman nag-party, punta din sila (hehe.feeling)

@ McDonald's Holiday near Crowne Plaza

mukhang aliw na aliw si Hamburglar :-)

the birthday girl

Happy 2nd Birthday, ABBY!

Abby while enjoying her party :-)

parang nakikita ko si SB sa kanyang anak, carbon copy talaga

(thanks SB sa pagpayag mo na i-post ang pic ng iyong little angel)

GRAND FINALE, PANG-BLOG

in-email kanina ni SB ang mga pics namin.

pinakahuli niyang sinend ito na may titulo kagaya ng nasa itaas.

SB, ur right pang-blog nga. :-)

(After) Hayskul Layf...

from L to R: me, MM, AB, LP

"all the single ladies" @ Uno Restaurant Deira City Centre

special thanks to MM for organizing this meeting, she came all the way from Abu Dhabi

Noong Biyernes, nagkita-kita kami ng ilang mga klasmeyts nung hayskul na naka-base dito sa UAE para planuhin ang 2nd gift-giving cum grand reunion ng HCC 4-1 Batch '97 na gaganapin sa darating na December 2010. Maganda ang feedback sa nauna naming reunion kaya naman madami sa aming klasmeyts ang nais maulit ito. Na-discover namin na meron pala kaming natatagong ginintuang puso. Sabi nga namin, mukhang malakas yata ang panalangin para sa amin ni Father Aries, ang aming kaklaseng pari. :-)

Isa ako sa naging organizer sa una naming reunion. Nag house to house talaga kami sa mga kaklase namin para siguraduhin na lahat ng aming kaklase ay magiging parte ng aming proyekto. Nakakatuwa kasi nagkakaisa kami. Lahat ay magkakaibigan na bukod sa aming kanya-kanyang barkada noon. Dito ko naging close at kaibigan sina ED at MM kahit magkaiba kami ng grupo noong hayskul. Si ED ay kumare ko na ngayon (nabibigla yung iba naming klasmeyt kasi magkaiba kami ng grupo noon). Napaka-memorable talaga ng aming naging bonding.

Bago pa lang akong may driving license noon. Ang lakas nga ng loob nila at pumayag silang maging driver nila ako sakay ng aming XLT jeep (takot kasi ako mag drive sa highway, 1st tym ko mag-drive sa labas ng barangay namin na walang tagaturo at 1st tym naming muntik mahulog sa kanal..hehe..thank God, nde naman natuloy...nde nila ito makalimutan hanggang ngayon :-) ) Tuwing Sabado noon ay sinusuong namin ang init para mapuntahan ang lahat ng aming kaklase. Nagpunta din kami sa Divisoria para dun bilhin ang mga regalo para sa mga bata. Nakipag-coordinate din kami sa isang bahay ampunan na sakto naman ay nasa pamamahala ng aming dating guro sa Christian Living na si Sis. Tina. Naging very successful ang aming unang reunion. Yun nga lang, one week before nito ay umalis na ako papuntang Dubai. Hindi ko na naabutan ang actual date. Nagkasya na lang ako sa mga pictures na pinadala sa akin ng aking mga klasmeyts. Masaya na ako na naging parte ako ng isang napakagandang adhikain ng aking mga kaklase.

Malamang wala ulit ako sa actual reunion sa Dec 2010 dahil ang aking bakasyon ay sa Sep 2010, gayunpaman nakikiisa pa rin ako sa magandang proyektong ito. Habang nagpapalitan nga kami ng mga suhestiyon, parang naramdaman kong gusto ko din umuwi sa Dec 2010 kahit saglit lang para makadalo sa proyektong ito. Sana mangyari ito. :-) Very positive ako na magiging successful din itong 2nd reunion namin. Nakakatuwang isipin na nag-mature na talaga kami ngayon. We're thinking BIG, plano din naming magtayo ng sariling foundation in the near future. :-)

Why I So Love This Particular Blog?

Before pa ako mag-blog ay isa na akong follower ng mga blogs. Nabanggit ko na din ito sa aking pinakaunang blogpost. Kulang na nga lang i-classify ko ang sarili ko na 'stalker' kasi hindi ko nakakaligtaan na sumilip sa mga blog nila tuwing nag-iinternet ako. Kaya alam na alam ko ang nangyayari sa kanilang buhay base sa kanilang sinusulat. Believe it or not, feeling close at kilala ko sila sa lagi kong pagbisita sa kanila.

Medyo malayo na din ang aking nararating sa aking pagba-blog (hehe..feeling ko lang). Marunong na akong makigulo at makihalubilo sa ibang mga blogger (kaya sobrang feeling ako). Nandyan pa ang minsang nakaka-received ako ng comment na sobrang ikinatutuwa ko talaga. Feeling ko, ibang level na talaga ang blog ko.

Isa din sa dahilan kaya pinilit kong magkaroon ng blog ay para makapag-comment ako sa aking mga sinusubaybayang blog. Madaming beses kasi noon na sobrang gusto kong ipahayag ang aking komento sa mga sinusulat nila pero hindi nangyayari dahil sa "mahiyain" daw ako.

Sa ngayon, medyo nawawala na aking ang aking pagka-mahiyain, naisusulat ko na nga dito ang aking mga nararamdaman. Hindi na din ako nahihiyang mag-comment sa ibang blogs. At home na at home pa nga. :-)

So, bakit ko naisipang i-blog ito? Kagabi, as usual, dalaw ulit ako sa mga sinusubaybayan kong blog. Dumami na sila ngayon (7 na sila to date). Kahit alam kong wala silang bagong post, punta pa rin ako. Kahit comments binabasa ko. hehe. (Adik!). Dun sa mga feeling close ko na (ibig sabihin nde na ako nahihiya sa kanila), nag-iiwan ako ng comment. Pero dito sa blog na ikukwento ko, never pa akong nakapag-iwan ng komento dala na naman sa pagiging 'mahiyain' ko daw..haayyyy....

Dalawang beses kong binalikan ngayon ang blog niya para sana mag-iwan ng comment. Gusto kong ipaabot sana sa kanya ang aking paghanga at simpatiya sa kanyang blog. Gusto kong ipaalam na sobrang follower niya talaga ako. So sana, wag siyang mawalan ng gana sa pagba-blog. Malulungkot talaga ako.

Hindi na ako nabigla nung malaman kong siya ang nanguna sa isang prestihiyosong blog awards. Ganun ako kabilib sa kanyang blog. Malamang kilala ninyo ang aking tinutukoy. Sigurado yon. Hindi ko na papangalanan ang kanyang blog (dahil wala akong permiso at nde naman niya ako kilala).

Ito sana ang gusto kong i-comment sa blog niya pero hindi ko nagawa. Kaya naman, dito sa sa sariling blog ko na lang idinaan. :-)