Gift Giving in Balulang

Today is the gift giving in Balulang. This yearly activity has been started by my late father who many years ago went house to house in our neighborhood and to give a bag of groceries. I can't forget how he has retold the story of one of our neighbors who received the grocery bag with such joy (and with tears of joy) and couldn't helped but embraced my father tightly and thanked him countless of times. This and many of our neighbors were so thankful and touched by my father's thoughtful gesture. Our neighbors are actually very simple people who survive by their simple jobs such as driving the trisikad ( tricyle) , selling banana q, doing laundry or doing carpentry work. Some of them don't even have proper and regular income.

So, the gift giving has become a yearly thing with both my father and mother shelling out a portion of their income to give out grocery items to our neighbors. When my father passed away and with my mom retired from her job, the whole family took this up as a family project with each family contributing an amount to buy the groceries. Then, later the church also joined in and now the scope has widened by blessing not just our neighbors but also those who live farther from us. Indeed this activity is an opportunity to share not just our material blessings but also share our spiritual blessings.

I just hope and pray that through the sharing of these blessings more and more people will be able to experience the love of Christ in their lives.

Hi Tech Lasik

I've just read an article about Lasik. I'm still amazed with this hi technology procedure that can restore your vision 20/20 and can eliminate your need for contact lenses and eyeglasses. Some people might have reservations doing this procedure but it is actually very safe, painless and in fact the most common surgery procedure done in the US. If you want to find out more information you can visit the Stahl Eye Center now.

Word Filled Wednesday: Ecclessiastes 3

Ecclessiastes 3

1There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Almost Set

I'm excited! Our house is almost set! My Hubby and daughter are in our new (rented) house now and are busy setting it up while I'm with our li'l boy here in our temporary 'shelter' . I couldn't do much cleaning and arranging in our new house for now because of my li'l boy. If we were there, I guess I won't be able to accomplish anything except to run after him and guard him so he won't run up and down the stairs.

Anyways, I think most of the things are already done by my Hubby. Thank God for friends who also helped him to clean up last night. Yesterday, when we bought some of our house 'stuffs' we were also amazed by God's favor as we were able to see a shop which was on sale. They actually marked down all their items that has been on display for months. And apart from that, my Hubby also asked for more discounts. Praise God that we were able to save up a lot on the house items.

As I've mentioned in one of my posts, our house is actually in the same area as our 2 recent rented house. We've done a lot of house searching but ended up in the same place. Hubby and I believe that God has a reason why we are still in that area. And we are more than willing to be a vessel of blessing to our not so new neighborhood.

So, if you want to visit us in our new house, you are always welcome! Just call us anytime and we'll give you directions on how to get there. Our area is not at the center of the city but it's not also in the remote part where you need hid lamps to get in. :)

Visa Application

Our hearts are just filled with so much of joy and relief. We just have just received our visa from the consulate yesterday and we're once again amazed by God's great favor in allowing us to get 1 year multiple entry visa. We've been away from the country for more than a year so, even if we have the necessary documents for visa application, we would be considered a first time applicants since we still have to apply for a work permit. Naturally for our case, the most we could get is a 3-month single entry visa. But since we believe in a miracle working God we prayed and asked for His favor. Even when my Hubby submitted our documents last week, the officer didn't look so happy with our 1 year request. He explained the whole process to my Hubby and said, he can't give us any assurance for the approval for our application but he will just submit the documents anyway. But even with his not-so-positive reply we continued to pray.

Then yesterday was the collection of our visas at 3:30 pm. There was a long delay in the release of visa due to the long holiday. There were already a lot of people in the consulate when we came and many of them were already impatient and angry with the hour delay. When my Hubby was in queuing to get our visas, he saw that the American man before him didn't get his visa. He applied for a 1 year visa but it got rejected. The man was so upset and was scolding the officer, he told the officer that he has been teaching in the country for 14 years and why they're not giving him any visa at all ( even a 3-month visa). The officer angrily explained to him that he doesn't have the necessary work permit. The man retorted back that he can show a copy of his documents in his laptop. But the officer refused to concede because he only wants the hard copy of the documents. By this time, my Hubby prayed more because we seem to have the same case with the American man. And finally, when it was my HUbby's turn to get our passports with our visa, his heart leaped when he saw that we got a 1 year , multiple entry visa. That's God's great favor!! We can't thank God enough for answering our prayers!! Thank you, Lord and we also thank God for family and friends who prayed with us.

Our next 'hurdle' will be our work permit application. But just as God has shown to us HIs favor, I believe He will grant us our heart's prayer again to have a smooth process of our work permit application.

Logo Designs

Do you want the best logo design for your company? Then, why don't you start a Logo Design Competition and get to choose the best design from over hundreds of designs from great artists?

Our Gift

I could feel everyone's excitement that Christmas is almost coming. Their excitement is even contagious that I too, am doing my own countdown. If I were in the Philippines, I would be looking forward for our family Christmas eve meal, family prayer, sharing of our thanksgiving list, and giving of gifts plus dances and games for the kids. Christmas celebration in the Philippines will always be fun and memorable.

In Malaysia, we usually go for Christmas service and we also have family prayer and gift giving during the Christmas eve.

But how do I want to spend our Christmas this year? Apart from the traditional thing that we do as a family, there is something more that I want to do for this season. I just want to spend more time in quietness and solitude with my God amidst all the bustles, the busyness and the 'noise' about Christmas. We have given gifts to everyone but have we given our gift to the One who is the reason for the season? We owe to God our lives.. in fact that's why He sent Jesus who came and died for us and that's why we celebrate Christmas now.... What could be our 'gift' for Him this season?

May God be truly glorified in our lives.. May we continue to seek to please him this season and the years to come.

A Blessed Christmas too all of you!!

An Online Auction

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bidazzled. All opinions are 100% mine.

I've just come across a great online auction site that allows everyone to save up to 90% on the merchandise your are buying while also funding a charity. It's called the Bidazzled.com. I just saw the items that were on auction now and I was just so amazed that there were items with the starting price of 0.00 $. And if you bid for a merchandise for .10 $ and no else bids after that, than you will surely get that item for .10 $. I'm actually looking at an HP W1858 18.5-Inch Widescreen Monitor now with the latest bid at .30 $. Hmm... It's a very tempting offer for an LCD screen, but sad to say that at this point the merchandise are only delivered in the US.

So, how does this great site works? You just register at Bidazzle.com for free, create an account and use your free 5 bids to get you start bidding. If you want to bid more you can buy bid packs for as low as 25$ ( you'll get more than 25 bids). Plus you'll get more bids from Bidazzled lucrative viral referral program.

So, why don't you check out their site now, see what I'm talking about and also see their other great exclusive offers :)

Joy Overflowing

Good byes are always sad and hard. We said another 'good bye' to our family in Taiping and set off to Thailand in the afternoon. We had a slow drive to Thailand as our car was so heavy and packed with our family's stuff - our accumulated stuff for a year. We brought back all our clothes, books, children's toys, bags and etc.

We had a 'peaceful' road trip as both kids we asleep. So, hubby and I were able to spend some quality time praying, talking and praying again. We know that our hearts and our lives are being prepared by God for yet another chapter in our lives. Our hearts were just so thankful for everything that he has allowed us to experience for a year - the blessings, the trips, beautiful memories with our family and loved ones. And our hearts are expectant of what God will do in us and through us as we go back to Thailand.

When we reached the border, my Hubby and I both has that sigh of relief.. " Ahh.. Thailand!". We can't help but smile and exclaim with glee that we're back home. ..Never mind if I only got a 15 days tourist visa ( Hubby and kids got 1 month!)... never mind if we still don't have a house to stay in ( we will be basically 'homeless' for a few days).. never mind if it'll be quite a challenge settling in and fitting back in.. never mind if we only have a short period of time set to rest ... But I just couldn't explain, my heart was just overflowing with joy! It was then I knew that indeed this is the place where we should be. Even if I know how happy I would be to go back home with my family in the Philippines . I even 'wished' that if I could just stay there forever.. but there is a different kind of joy when we in the place where God wants us to be.

My heart overflows with joy.. it's good to be finally back HOME.

Thankful Thursday 33

It has been a great and busy week for us. Just last week ( last Thursday) we were still in our hometown in the Philippines and traveled to Kuala Lumpur and then Taiping, Malaysia. And now we are Thailand! :)

Here are the things that I'm thankful for this past week:

I thank God for his traveling mercies upon our family last week. We were almost late for our flight from our hometown to Manila. But praise God for that kind and gentle hearted ground stewardess who allowed us to check in even if the check in counter was already closed. Whew!

I thank God for our loving family back in the Philippines and Taiping. They all gave us surprises, great meals/ parties and gifts before we left. We will miss you all!

I thank God for a great road trip from Malaysia to Thailand. It was a refreshing time for me and Hubby as we spent a lot of time praying on the way.

I thank God for we are back HOME in Thailand.

Praise God for whom all blessings flow!

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Intermission: Investments and Services

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Word Filled Wednesday: Genesis 39:23

Genesis 29:23
... because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.

I've been reading the book of Genesis today and I can't help but notice that the verse above has been repeated so many times in the story of Joseph. These verses has somehow reminded me that the most important thing of all is for the Lord to be with us especially in our work, in our ministry, families and in everything... If the Lord is with us, then He will surely give us success in whatever we do..

For more encouraging and inspiring WOrd Filled Wednesday entries, please click the badge below.

Glasses Galore

Eyeglasses, Sunglasses, Prescription Glasses. Are you looking for a cheap yet high quality pair of glasses? Then, no need to look further, just search far and wide here in the world wide web and who knows you'll be able to find your perfect pair- fashionable, high quality, comfortable, stylish and cheap.

I've just read an article that reviewed the famous Zenni Optical and it really got a very excellent review from a very satisfied customer. So, why do you need to pay more when you can get great quality for a very low cost.

I do have a 20/20 vision but if ever my vision needs to be corrected, then I already know where to go to get my eyeglasses .

End Of The 1 Year Break

Today officially marks the end of our 1 year break. Wow! It has been a year of fun and excitement with all the family get togethers both in Malaysia and Philippines, with our travel to different places, meeting of different people and etc. It has also been a year of challenges, if you could remember the flood, hassles of traveling with kids and budget constraints. But all in all, we could declare that God has been faithful ( and more than faithful) throughout the year.

So tomorrow, we will be going back to Thailand. One question that my Hubby and I have been asking each other is , " Are you prepared to go back to 'work' in the field ?" And our answer is " we will be fully prepared once we step on the border ". We believe that God is with us and His grace and strength will be sufficient for us. Of course there will be some adjustments and challenges but that's all part and parcel of our life. All these things are allowed so we would draw closer to God and not to rely on our own strength. On the other hand, I'm also excited.. excited to see how the work has grown during our absence.. excited to see our old neighbors and friends...excited to speak my rusted Thai language.. excited for the many opportunities for us to be a blessing.. and of course, excited for the delicious Thai food.. and I can't wait to visit Carrefour and see our friends there ( the cleaners, hair dressers and etc) !

So for now, bye bye Philippines and Malaysia and Sawatdee Kha, Thailand!

I have so many things to be thankful for this week. Though today would be a 'sad' day since we will be leaving our family in the Philippines but I'm still thankful for the opportunity that God has given us to spend time with them. It was short yet sweet.. :)

We would also want to thank God for our family and church leaders who gave us a surprise early " Christmas Party" the other night. It was indeed very touching and we truly felt loved by our dear church leaders.

We are also thankful for the opportunity to serve God. Indeed it is a blessing to serve our Lord and saviour. We know that the 'road' will not be as easy as we would want it to be, but our assurance is, God is always with us.

We are thankful for the one year break that we had. It was indeed a year full of blessings and refreshing!

THank you Lord!

Intermission: French

I don't know how to speak French and I wasn't so interested to learn the language when I was still in University. In fact, I took German language as my language elective which I enjoyed. But sadly, I can't remember much of those German words anymore except for " Danke" and a few of the numbers.

For those who knows how to read and speak French, I know of some French sites that you might be interested in like abri de piscine, big bag and sites francais .

Deleted

I've just written a long post about something wonderful that happened last night. It was a post that was full of thankfulness and emotions. But when I tried to publish it, I got an error and when I hit the back browser button, I couldn't find it anymore.. Huhuhuhu!!

So, I would have to write the post again tomorrow since it's already late at night and I still have some pending tasks to accomplish. Good night everyone!

Intermission: TV and More

We went to Big R the other day and was surprised that they were selling their big LCD TVs with big discounts. One of our friends told us the last time that they find the appliances in Big R cheap especially at their discounted rates. It must be true because we found discounts as high as 25,000 Pesos in their shop. So, if you're in Cagayan de Oro, you better check out Big R's appliance section.

And if you happen to be in UK, there is also a site where you can find information, reviews and tips if you're looking for cheap 19 inch LCD TV .

3 Days

It's another countdown for us.. we only have another 3 days left here in the Philippines and we're going back to Malaysia and then Thailand. We are slowly preparing ourselves to get back to our base and once again do the 'work' that God has entrusted to us.

It has indeed been a blessed year of spending time with our loved ones both here in the Philippines and Malaysia. Our kids have enjoyed being with their cousins. And our family also got the blessed opportunities to travel to different places. God has been good to our lives. We truly thank God for this break.

And now we are excited and very much looking forward for all the things that God has prepared for us in Thailand. May we found faithful to Him who called us.

The Last Day of the Month

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dirt Devil. All opinions are 100% mine.

I can't believe it. It's going to be the 1st of December tomorrow. Another 10 days to go and we will be going back to Malaysia and then to Thailand. Then, a few more days after that will be Christmas and New year.

I'm sure we will be so busy next month especially we will be moving to a new house ( which we haven't found yet) and settle down again after being away for a year. I'm not sure if we even have time ( and budget) to do any Christmas shopping or holiday plans.

But for those of you who already have a long list of things to buy for Christmas then the Dirt Devil holiday buying guide will be good for you. For those who don't know, Dirt Devil is actually the name of the leading brand for vacuum cleaners in the US. I've just found out about their buying guide and have found that it would be very helpful to online shoppers. They have an intensive list of online shops with great discounts and promotions. They even have handy tips and info on 300 ways to save with online shopping. Holiday Deals DirtDevil.com also havs great offers like Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, and Family Favorites.

Your Beloved

This is one of my favorite songs. It tells us about the greatness and power of God and at the same time His great love for us.. and because of this we are greatly humbled. What a loving God we have.. He calls us His beloved. Thank You Lord!

Your Beloved

Lord it was You,
You created the heavens.
And Lord, it was Your hands
That put the stars in their place.
Lord, it was Your voice
That commands the morning.
'Cause even oceans and their waves bow at your feet, O Lord.

Lord, who am I
Compared to Your glory?
Lord, who am I
Compared to Your majesty?

'Cause I'm your beloved,
Your creation,
And You love me as I am.
You've called me, chosen
For Your kingdom.
Unashamed to call me your own-
I'm your beloved.

Lord it was You,
You created the heavens.
And Lord, it was Your hands
That put the stars in their place.
Lord, it was Your voice
That commands the morning.
'Cause even oceans and their waves bow at your feet, O Lord.

Lord, who am I
Compared to Your glory?
Lord, who am I
Compared to Your majesty?

'Cause I'm your beloved,
Your creation,
And You love me as I am.
You've called me, chosen
For Your kingdom.
Unashamed to call me your own-
I'm your beloved.

[instrumental]

Lord, who am I
Compared to Your glory?
Lord, who am I
Compared to Your majesty?

'Cause I'm your beloved,
Your creation,
And You love me as I am.
You've called me, chosen
For Your kingdom.
Unashamed to call me your own-
I'm your beloved.

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Mommy Moments: Chore Time

Hello Mommies! It has been quite awhile since I joined Mommy Moments from this blog. So, I'm back and excited to share the chore photos of my li'l girl. It actually took me some time to search for her 'working' photos and I had to search from my old photo file.


No, she's not really mopping the floor. It's just a toy set as her 'practice' to mop our floor in the future.



My li'l girl loves to help me bake. And of course after every baking time will be wiping time. She was only around 3 years old here.

At the age of 3, she also likes to help me set the table. This has actually been here chore before. But since we're living 'transient' lives now. She hasn't been doing this for quite sometime.

So, that's my li'l girl's chores photos. When we get back home and settled in Thailand, I need to start giving chores to both my li'l ones again. Especially we will be by ourselves again. :)

Have a great weekend to all!

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WFW- Matthew 8:23-37

Matthew 8:23-27

23Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"

26He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

27The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

While writing this post, the rain is pouring down. It's not an ordinary rain since it has been pouring since morning. There's a storm warning at some parts of the country. I would have been at peace if we don't live beside the river, I would have been at peace if we hadn't experienced a flood ( up to 2 meters) early this year.

But we live near the river, and now the water level has already risen up. And as the rain pours down ,so are my thoughts of remembrance of our 'tragic' flood experience. I don't want to experience that again, fleeing from our flooded house barefooted without a thing but carrying our kids. Having very limited clothes (and no proper shoes) for days. Seeing our house all dirty and muddy after the flood and losing all the things that seem important at that time. But as I was thinking of the possibility of another flood with a hint of fear in my heart. I was reminded of the story in which Jesus calms the storm. And now the question of Jesus is echoing in my heart "Why are you so afraid? " " Why are you so afraid?".

When Jesus rebuked the winds during that storm, it was also like rebuking me of my little faith. It was not the storm that needs rebuking but me. When I completely trust in Jesus even the physical storms in life, only then there will be calmness.. in every aspect in my life.

A Milestone for My Li'l Girl

Our li'l girl always wanted to ride a bicycle on her own but we felt that she wasn't ready yet. First, her bicycle back in Malaysia was too big for her. So, that's why we had to assemble trainers wheel so she won't fall. But as month went by the other wheel came off but surprisingly she can still manage to ride with a single trainer's wheel. The two days before we left for the Philippines, the only trainer's wheel also came off so, she had to 'practice' riding without it.

For a day or two she tried to ride on her own. I saw her trying her best and even told her to use her cousin's bike with the trainer's wheel. But she told me, " It's okay Amma. I will try to learn. Even if I fall down, I will be okay". Now, that's determination. But sadly, she wasn't able to continue her 'self training' as we then traveled back here in the Philippines.

But when we arrived here in the Philippines, we were excited to know that my sister bought 2 small bicycles ( without the trainer's wheel) for Tricia and her cousin Z. So, day 2 of our stay here, our li'l girl started to practice riding the bicycle on here own. This time, it looks a lot easier for her since she can put her foot down whenever she feels that she's starting to fall down.

And on the second day of her 'training', she was indeed able to ride by herself. Now, she's already such an expert riding her bicycle that she uses it whenever she goes to her cousins house ( which is actually just a few meters away from my Mom's house). Riding the bicycle is actually one of the first things she does when she wakes up. So, whether she's on her sleeping clothes or runners clothing, she will just jump right into it and excitedly ride.

Praise God for our li'l girl. I'm just amazed by her 'determination' and her eagerness to learn. I just hope and pray that she'll have this attitude in her school work and all the other aspects in her life.

Thankful Thursday 31

We're back in my country now. We never expected to be back here so soon. But God knows our hearts desire to spend some more time with family before going back to the place where God called us to be. It's amazing how everything started with a desire and a word was uttered and the next day, a call confirmed of our 'possibility' to go back home. Then, we prayed and prayed. And now we're here. :)

I thank God for He is a God who meets our every heart's desire. I thank God that He will continue to refresh us and prepare us as we go back to our 'work' at the end of the year. I thank God for taking away all our fears as He constantly reminds us to trust in Him.

What about you? What are you thankful for today? Join us on Grace Alone for today's Thankful Thursday.

Silver

My sis has a small silver jewelry business. This actually started when she found out several years ago that the silver jewelry in Malaysia is quite cheap. And then, when we befriended someone in Thailand who also sells silver jewelry, we found out that their goods are much cheaper. So, once or twice a year, we would go to our friends' shop to buy silver. There were also a couple of times when my sisters went to Thailand and were the ones who came to buy their goods.

But sadly, this year, my sister wasn't able to sell some items because were not able to bring some supply for this year since we were out of Thailand for a year. I'm not sure though if my sis still plans to continue with her small business. But in the future, if her business becomes bigger and she'll need some kind of online banking, I can actually recommend a site that does small business banking solutions.

WFW- Proverbs 17:17

Hi everyone!

It's been quite a while since I joined this meme. Here is my entry for today.

Proverbs 17:17

A friend loves at all times, a brother is born for adversity.

For more Word filled Wednesday entries, please visit Critty Joy. See you there!

The Broken Laptop

My Hubby's lcd for his laptop was broken. We're not so sure what happened but as far as we know his laptop hasn't fallen anywhere. So, we went around yesterday and tried to check the costs of repairing his lcd monitor. Many of the shops don't repair his brand of laptop and advised us to go to the service center of the brand. My hubby actually went there the other day but they qouted 15-7 thousand pesos for the replacement. Tsk..tsk..tsk.. With that cost, one can already buy a new unit huh?

There's still one shop where we haven't checked and hopefully we can get a cheaper lcd monitor for the laptop there. This shop is actually known to sell cheap computer stuff like cheap laptop power supply cable. But if they don't have an LCD available, then we have an option to connect the laptop with another computer monitor for it to be useful.

The Prize

As mentioned in one of my posts, my Hubby has won the 1st prize of the KLM Airlines 90th Anniversary Contest! :) My Hubby just got to know about the contest in one of the sites he surfed online a couple of months ago, he answered the 'quiz' , made a slogan and forgot about it.

Then last week, he was so surprised to receive an email congratulating him as one of the winners. He first was looking for his name on the consolation prize list and didn't see his name on it. Then, he saw the 3rd prize winner, 2nd prize winner and finally the 1st prize winner and his name was there! Haahha!

So,what did he win for the contest?

- air tickets for two, business class from Kuala Lumpur - Jakarta- Kuala Lumpur
- a free one night stay at a 5 star hotel in Jakarta
- 200 Ringgit gift voucher from Watson's
- 2 tickets for the Preliminary and Final competition of the International Lion Dance Contest at Genting.

Last November 10 was the giving of prizes for the all the contest winners at KLM's office at Park Royal Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. My hubby went there to claim his prize and it was also announced that the 'real' awarding of the winners will be done during the Lion Dance competition at Genting. But unfortunately, we won't be able to attend that even since we are currently in the Philippines.

So, that's the story if my Hubby's winning prize. Hahah! Until now, I can't help but smile thinking of God's great favor over us and even letting us win contests like this. Thank you Lord for your great favor and great reward. :)

So, next destination would be Jakarta , Indonesia!

Christmas Countdown

It's 46 days before Christmas! Christmas and New year are indeed the most exciting part of the year for many of us. Even though we won't be spending Christmas in the Philippines nor Malaysia but I'm sure we will still have a blessed celebration In Thailand.

The Christmas 'mode' is not felt yet here in Malaysia but I can just imagine that in the Philippines now, the whole country must already be in a Christmas mood with all the malls and houses with Christmas lights and decoration.

If you're in the Christmas 'mode' now, you might even want to get a Christmas or Holiday Fun Eyeglasses from Zenni. They've got new arrivals of $8 prescription Zenni glasses. Below is a sample of the fun glasses that I like.

Request

Hi! I would like to make a request from you. Please vote for the photo that I've submitted in a contest at Parent Thots. I'm doing this contest for my li'l ones. You see the contest prize is a very nice and educational toy from Disney that my kids would truly love.

To vote: just click this link from Parent Thots and look for the photo named 'jesu_d' ( the last photo) and click vote. It'll just take a few seconds of your time to do this. Voting ends on November 10. Thank You so much and I truly appreciate your time.

On Contests and Video Contest

Last night, my Hubby excitedly showed me an email he received. It was an email congratulating him for winning the 1st prize of a contest!! Hahaha! My Hubby has joined that contest two months ago and completely forgot about it. I'll tell the details of his prizes later but as of now, I'm just so amused and amazed on how God meets the desires of our hearts.

And speaking of contests, Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO), a global leader in laser vision correction is hosting a contest called, You Gotta See This iLASIK Video Contest. They are inviting people to make a video that shows the importance or impact of better vision through ilasik. This is actually an ongoing contest and people have already submitted:

• original music videos
• videos on boxing and swimming
• videos that just show how their daily lives would improve.

So, if you like to create videos or music videos, then this is your chance to shine. And who knows, you might be able to grab the grand prize of 5,000 $. All you have to do is to submit your video and tell your friends to vote for it. Votes are one of the major factors in determining the winners. You want to know the rest of the prizes aside from the 5,000$ grand prize?

First Prize (one in each video category):
HDTV package — a $2,500 value

Second Prize (one in each video category):
The Flip UltraHD™ camcorder — a $199.99 value

Cherishing The Moments

I'm cherishing these moments as we are nearing the end of our one year break. As I look back on the months that have passed, I can't help but be amazed as to how God has granted our desires for this break. It has indeed been a time of refreshing and quality time spent with our loved ones. Thank you Lord for this break and He has truly been faithful!

Five more weeks to go and we'll be back to the place where we have been called to do our share of 'work'. It's my prayer that God will prepare our hearts as we continue to do the work he has entrusted us. May we be found faithful as He has been so faithful in our lives.

8th Anniversary - 50th Anniversary

I just visited a site that specializes in making personalized 50th anniversary wedding favors and I love their products.If I have to wait for our 50th wedding anniversary to have a simple renewing of vows ceremony just like most people do, I will have to wait for quite a long time since we're still going to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary next year. And if I do the maths, we'll be so old by then..hehehe!

Anyways, this site doesn't just give cute, personalized shower favor ideas. I like browsing thought their products and it also inspire me to create creative stuff like they have here. I'm just reminded that during our wedding, ( since we were in a budget) my Hubby and I made our own wedding favors and invitations. It was quite amusing because we were in two different countries during our wedding preparation so, made the invitations and wedding favors halfway, then send the stuff to Thailand for my Hubby to finish it. But then, they turned out to be beautiful even if they were inexpensive. I remember that a lot of our friends loved them because the materials we used were not found in Malaysia. Our Wedding invitation and token was actually made of capiz shell which I bought in Cebu.

Thankful Thursday 30

For this week's Thankful Thursday theme: Change

I thank God for a wonderful week! We are actually on a holiday now and it's such a welcome change from our daily routines. But even if we are on a holiday, there are still some stresses involved especially we are first time in this country, on a tight budget and we're traveling with kids. But even with these experiences, we are learning a lot of things from our loving Father. He is indeed changing us and molding from glory to glory whether we are working or even on a holiday - in whatever circumstances we maybe. But that is indeed such a comfort because we know that God wants us to be the people He wants us to be and never letting us just go on our own way.

Here are my other TT list:

• I Thank God that we're in Hong Kong right now and giving us a chance to visit Disneyland tomorrow.
• I Thank God for letting us avail of Airasia's Zero far promotion last February and just paid 560RM ( about 7000 pesos) total fare for the whole family from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong.
• I thank God for our generous and hospitable cousin who allowed us to stay in her beautiful apartment here.
• I thank God for his provision that we could go around the city and see different sites.
  
• I thank God for a very pleasant trip from KL
• I thank God for seeing the beauty of this place and HIs creation.

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TSMS- Wedding Song

We've just attended our friend's grand wedding last night and while we were there my Hubby and I can't help but beautifully reminisce our very own wedding. It was indeed one of the most special days of our lives and even if it wasn't that grand or expensive but it was indeed a blessed one.

The following song is the song that we've played ( the instrumental version) while I walked on the aisle with my parents and as they gracefully handed me to my groom. Wow! The feeling of joy was indescribable! :) But before I babble on and become too excited.. please take time to listen to this beautiful song, The Gift by Jim Brickman.

Lyrics | Jim Brickman lyrics - The Gift lyrics

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Excited for Homeschool

I haven't done any physical preparations to homeschool my li'l girl yet, but I'm now mentally preparing myself and so with my li'l girl. From the very beginning, she already knew that she'll be homeschooled so, she's actually looking forward for it already since last Friday was her last day in Kindergarten.

I'm planning to start her Homeschool in the middle of January once we're all settled back in Thailand. Hopefully the house that we will be renting in Thailand will have ample of space so, I could set aside a space or a homeschool room for her. It'll be nice if that room would be like a mini classroom with children's furniture, children's book and education toys and games.

For the meantime, let me continue reading some articles and materials to help me with my new homeschool jounery with my daughter.

Friday Photo Flashback - Maid of Honor

I had the honor to be the maid of honor for my older sister, Laureen's wedding on October 26, 2000. So, that means my sister and brother in law will be celebrating their 9th wedding anniversary on Monday. To those who doesn't know my sister is Laureen from Words from My Heart . I would like to take this special privilege to greet my sis and her Hubby a Blessed 9th Wedding Anniversary!! God bless you both and your 2 adorable and cutie kids!! Love you!

Back to my FPF entry, here in this photo I was still 9 years younger here and maybe 9 kilos lighter too! LOL!! This is one of my fave photos because I was still slim here and my sis' make up artist did a very good job in making us pretty ! :)

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To Those With Charter Digital

Are you a Charter Digital Subscriber? Then, do you know about the free On Demand service that they have? With this free feature, you can have access to over 6,000 movies and shows and you can watch anytime you want. So, if you're fond of watching 24, Prison Break, CSI Miami, The Biggest Loser and all those other series, all these can be accessed in your Charter Digital, a day after they're shown in TV. Cool huh?

And if you're a Mom with kids who are fond of cartoons like Spongebob, Dora the Explorer and other shows, your kids can also get to watch all these shows during the TV times.

We don't have Charter Digital here in our place but if we have, I would love to watch all those Travel and Living shows. They actually have these shows in the cable TV here but then, by the time I'm free to sit and watch TV, all my favorite shows have already ended. So, having an On Demand feature on Charter digital must be so cool! You can browse their site and learn more at charter.net/ondemand or you can also get updates and fun extras on Charter’s Facebook page .

Word-Filled Wednesday: Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called according to his purpose."

A recent event this week has left me regretful of one thing I haven't done. I thought that it was because I was negligent that I missed one 'blessing' for us. But then as the days passed by, I soon understood the reason why that 'blessing' has been missed. There was actually a greater one that was in stored for us. If we didn't 'missed' that 1st opportunity, then we wouldn't have taken hold of God's higher plan and purpose. Indeed, God works for the good of those who love him..even if at that specific time we would have thought otherwise.. and at the end, only His greater plans and purpose that truly prevails! Amen!

Lyle's Birthday Bash

Yesterday must be our li'l boy's happiest day. It was his birthday party! Unlike his first birthday when he still couldn't understand much of what was happening, yesterday was entirely different. He somehow knew that it was a party for him and was dancing and giggling the whole time. It was such a joy to see him filled with such excitement and delight!

Oh, I just praise God for our li'l boy. I could remember the joy in our hearts when we found out that the life inside my womb was a small cutie boy. I always get amused whenever I recall the time when we asked our Thai doctor to confirm whether our baby is a boy or a girl, he didn't say a word but just smiled and pointed at the cute thingy sticking out. LOL!

And now, he our boy is already 2 years and we continually thank God for letting him grow up well, for protecting him and he is just a joy to us.

We praise God for giving us wonderful kids and it's our prayer that we wil be able to nurture them and train them the way God wants us to.

So, before I get more sentimental here, I would like to share our li'l boys kiddie party yesterday.

No, he's not doing karate, he is dancing!!:)

New Wardrobe !

Just a few days ago, I was looking through my closet and was quite confused what to wear. It's not that I have a lot of clothes but I was more confused because most of my clothes were either too old or not appropriate for the hot weather. At the back of my mind, I was just hoping to have new clothes. We don't regulary buy clothes, most of our clothes are given to us and if we do buy, we buy more for our li'l ones.

And true enough, God does meet even the simplest desire of our hearts because just yesterday a friend of ours came and she brought us clothes! She actually brought 2 big bags of clothes but only 9 blouses ( including blank t-shirts) and a skirt could fit me. LOL! So, now I have new shirts, blouses and a skirt which I really love the designs and the styles. Thank You Lord!

Now, it's about time to say good bye to some of my old clothes ( blank t-shirt and other blouses) and find a new home for them. Actually, we really need to do some sorting out and give away some clothes and items before we go back to Thailand in December.

And speaking about clothes and shirts, there's this site which I've come across that sells t shirts wholesale. It's a pretty cool site especially for those who might want to go into t-shirt business or those who need to have blank shirts for company uniforms and the like. I've also read that this site is also the best place to find big and tall hip hop tees. Finding these sizes are quite difficult so getting a site with these sizes are quite a relief to some. You might want to check out the site now.

TSMS 2- Every Move I Make

As I am writing this post, the music that we had this afternoon for our li'l boy's 2nd birthday party is still ringing in my ears. This song has actually been my kids favorite song and they always wanted this to be played whenever we are in the car.

I love this song too, because it reminds us that the only reason for our being is God... our every move, our every breathe, our every step is in our God.




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Free Vs. Paid

I love free things! I guess that is why I like to join contests and give aways because I could get things for free. But sometimes free things are not always the best. Most of the things you get for free somehow have some kind of limitations. Take for example the free business cards offered online. Because it's free, the designs are limited and you won't actually get the specifications you've always wanted. If you are one of the perfectionists, then free things are not for you. So, for your business card needs, you can always check on some sites that has affordable rates but with endless variety of designs.

Word Filled Wednesday- Matthew 21:16

Matthew 21:16

.. From the lips of children infants you have ordained praise.

It's amazing how children can be easily taught how to pray and worship God. But that's simply because God has already ordained praise in their lips.

For more Word Filled Wednesday entries please visit Lori at www.allyouhavetogive.com

The Bible Through SMS

' Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light on to my path'

Do you want to be encouraged through God's word even through your handphone? It is possible now with today's technology. You can sign up through TheBibleNow.org, pay a small monthly fee and you'll receive daily verses from Bible.

Getting started is easy, all you need to have is a cellphone and you're off to a start with daily encouragement and inspiration through God's word. And by the way, 90% of the proceeds from your monthly membership fee is donated to other faith-based organizations. It's indeed a great service as you can also be a blessing to other faith-based organizations. So, check out www.thebiblenow.org .

Through It All

Through it ALL

This song always brings tears in my eyes because there's a memory that is attached with it. We sang this once for worship in the church 5 years ago. That was the time when my father was still sick with cancer. He was still able go to church but he couldn't talk nor sing anymore since his cancer has already spread from his throat. I was worshipping God with the congregation and singing this love song to HIm during that difficult season in our life when my father was sufferiing and sick. When I opened my eyes, I saw my father who was just standing in front of me. He was lifting his hands high, heartfully 'singing' and worshipping God even without his voice but with complete peace and joy. I could never forget that image,.. even without his voice, even in times of pain and suffering, my father was still able to lift his hands, worship God and declaring that our God is faithful.

I was just so blessed to have a father whose faith was so strong and whose and heart was just so near to GOd. Indeed, God is faithful and he carries us with His loving arms..never letting us go... no matter what season we are in our lives we may be right now. And now, my father is with God experiencing the truest form if worship to God in Heaven.

iLASIK Video Contest

You could win a 5,000$ worth of prizes by simply joining the " You Gotta See This" iLASIK Video Contest contest. All you have to do is to make a video showing the impact of improved vision, for a chance to win cash and prizes. There are 3 video categories to choose from:

• “My contacts are getting in the way of my good time”
• “My favorite sport or activity would be so much cooler with better vision”
• “You should see life after the iLASIK® Procedure”

And once you've created your video, you can spread the word and ask your friends to vote for it. The video with the most votes win the grand prize of 5,000 $ selected from all video categories. While there will also be 3 First prize winners who will win an HDTV package(a $2,500 value) — one per video category. Lastly, three Second Prize winners will win the Flip UltraHD™ camcorder (a $199.99 value) — one per video category.

With a lot of prizes waiting, I'm sure there are more chances of winning. So, get your camcorders ready now, stir in a bit of your creativity and start shooting your way for the " You Gotta See This " Video Contest. If you're planning to join, just buzz me and I will surely vote for you!:)

Sick But Still Active

Our li'l boy is sick again. He has been having cough, fever and flu for the past days. When we went to have him checked in the clinic, the doctor said that he has mild asthma.

Actually, when we were in the Philippines a few months ago, another Doctor also suspected him to have asthma but she really didn't confirm and just asked us to just observe his condition.

So, for our li'l boy we have to avoid a number of things now so, his condition will not worsen. We have to avoid dust, powders, lotions, extreme cold, extreme activities and etc. I'm just praying that he will be healed because it's really difficult if he grows up with asthma. He's a very active boy and his actions will really be limited.

As of now, our li'l boy is feeling much better compared from two days ago. One thing with him, even if he is not feeling well, he can still jump around and move a lot. We'll.. boys will be boys..:)

Looking For A Job? Then, Update Your Look First

Is there a connection between getting a job and updating your looks first to get a job? Yes, there is. I've just read an interesting press release from Gillete which explains the relation between both.

Just recently a survey was conducted of more than 500 HR professionals revealed that 84% of HR professionals agree that well-groomed employees climb the corporate ladder faster than those who are not well-groomed. When it comes to first impressions, ninety percent of HR professionals place more importance on being well-groomed than even a firm handshake. Hmm.. and all the while, I thought that the hand shake was the most important 'first impression'.

Why? It's from the fact that being well groomed projects self- confidence and interest in the job while those who appear on an interview being unkept projects lacks of professionalism and is uninterested with the job.

Updating your looks doesn't mean you have to wear an expensive suit but by being well groomed, clothes to have great fitting and a clean shaven face. Anyways, there are more great tips on getting a job or getting ahead on the corporate in the Gillette Career Advantage site. You can view great Gillette Resource Center to really keep you ahead with the others. You might want to check it out yourself.

Happy Birthday to My Nanay!

Proverbs 29: 29-31

29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Today is the 69th birthday of my Mom and I would like to dedicate verse above for her. Today's Thankful Thursday is also for her as I'm just thankful to God for giving me a Mom like her and I'm most thankful to God for giving him more fruitful years.

--

My Nanay has indeed been a great mother not just to us but as well as to our cousins, friends and church friends. For she truly has such a loving, motherly and generous heart. I think that's why it's easy for other people to call her Nanay as well. Can you imagine that even the people who deliver our drinking water call her Nanay as well? That's how motherly she is to everyone. :)

One very attribute that I admire from my Nanay is her strength. Her faith and commitment for God is just so strong that even though what circumstances may bring but she would be unwavered. She is even my constant encourager whenever I share to her some of our family's concern. Indeed, she is not just a Nanay but a friend and prayer partner at the same time.

I believe that Nanay's strength comes from God alone. I see more of it even after my Tatay passed away. A few years ago she visited us in Thailand and willingly traveled all by herself from Malaysia to Cebu. It was her very first time to do that but she did it and we are so proud of her. I'm sure my Tatay would also be proud of her courage and strength.

No one can surpass my Mother's heart of generosity too. Even if she only has enough but she is willing to share what she has to anyone who needs something. That is one very reason why God has blessed her so much.

My Nanay is not just beautiful from the inside but from the outside too. My friends whom she has met for the first time couldn't believe that she was 65 years old ( 4 years ago) when she visited us in Thailand. She doesn't look like her age. We would jokingly say that her secret is Oil of Olay, which she has been using for decades. She's also updated with the latest trends and fashion and would always smell so nice.

That's my Nanay.. I'm just blessed to have a Nanay like her...

Happy Birthday Nay!! We love you so much and we are blessed to be your children. God has indeed given us the best!!


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Sings My Soul Saturdays

My Hubby just came from Nepal and last night we had a very long chat regarding everything that he has seen and experienced during his 9 days trip. Some of the stories that he shared were heartbreaking while some were very touching..like people are just so hungry for God's word that they would walk for 10 hours to attend an evangelistic meeting, like children during the Vacation Bible school were heart fully crying out to God and receiving Jesus in their lives.. Wow! Amazing work of God!

But as the team left, they all had the same question... truly, the harvest is plentiful..ready and ripe for harvest.. BUt "WHO will go??".

If only we have more than one body and can commit to different fields at the same time..

And from our long talk last night, the following song has ever since been ringing in my ears.



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New Furniture

This is a sponsored post.

Last week, a big truck stopped in front of my mom in laws house. In it is a big beige couch that is given to my mom in law by her friend. The couch looks very nice. And when you sit on it, it's very soft and comfortble and you wouldn't want to get up anymore. I also like the modern design of the couch.

I love furniture with modern and contemporary designs. I've just browsed through a site with exquisite Modern Furniture . You can find great designs for your living room, bedroom, kitchen and all the parts of your house.



Back to my Mom in laws couch, it's such a great blessing to have generous friends. And do you know that this is the 3rd sofa set that has been given to her by friends? :)

Homeschool

I can't believe that it's already the month of October. This means that we only have 2 months to prepare for our li'l girl's homeschool. We are actually targeting our girl to start homeschool in January.

It's a blessing that we met the homeschool teacher in Camerons 2 months ago, she not only gave us some ideas about homeschool programs but she referred a good forum for Homeschooling parents in Malaysia as well. So, I joined the Yahoo groups HomeFrontier and asked about the different homeschool programs avaialable. Several parents replied to the questions I posted about homeschool programs but I was most impressed by the 3 parents testimonials' on the Sonlight curriculum. And last night, as I went through their site until 3 am, I was drawn to the Sonlight curriculum and feel that it's a program that would most likely fit our daughter.

Though nothing is certain yet but I am very excited. I still have to take one last look of all the different programs again and then make the final decision. And for the meantime, we are praying for God's favor and provision for us to get all these materials.

Find Everyone in One Place

My Life is America's number 1 people search engine. It's the where you could find everyone in one place. So, I also tried out this site and tried to look for my friend whom I haven't seen in years. So, I typed her name, her approximate age and clicked searched. And there I found her name had 4 matches. Hmm.. I wonder if she is one of the four people matched. If I really want to find out more and view the complete profiles, I would have to pay a small amount of money. I won't do that for now but I'm just contented to know that she's still somewhere out there. But now, at least I know where to go, if I want to reconnect or find out more about a long lost friend or relative.

Do you know why MyLife is America's number 1 people search engine? It's because there are thousands of sources within this site, from Facebook to Linked In, My Space, Twitter and a lot more. So, you don't have to jump from site to site to look for a friend, a relative or maybe a lost love but My Life would do it for you. You might want to try it.

FPF- JS Prom

This is my first time to join Friday Photo Flashback. I thought that I won't have the chance to enter this meme because I don't have my old photos with me, but just recently, my High school classmate posted our High School pictures in Facebook. So, here it is..



This photo was taken during our Junior-Seniors Prom in 1992. Wow! I can't believe that was more than 17 years ago! LOL! Writing '17 years ago' makes me feel so old now. Anyways, this was High School life and it was truly a fun time.