The Cross

Awesome!! We complain about the cross we bear but don't realize it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we can't. Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, after the rain.... Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall; But God's always ready, to answer your call..... He knows every heartache, sees every tear, a word from His lips, can calm every fear.... Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night, But suddenly vanish, dawn's early light... The Savior is waiting, somewhere above, to give you His grace, and send you His love.... God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
...and you question God -'why me?'.. always look at the bigger picture.... A day without the Lord- Is a day wasted. ************************************************************************ Have a nice, quality time with God today! enjoy worshiping Him with your fellow believers :) I'm actually excited for this morning's Sunday Service because we have a Singaporean speaker, he ministered to us last Friday and it was amazing!! I'm sure God will do something great in the Sunday Service as well! For the meantime, I'm still up and reading about data center virtualization while listening to Hebrew songs in my background. I love the old songs and we are singing some of them in church later. Again, spend time with the Lord everyone!! It's worth it!!

Praisin Kids Town Update

We canceled the event for tomorrow because as I write this post storm signal no. 3 is up here in Metro Manila and it is too dangerous to have 150 kids in your hand while there is a typhoon. i would not risk the kids health and lives.

So we canceled the mini carnival event. It was actually a tough decision because we're all set for tomorrow, all the game booths are up, food cart suppliers are ok, the volunteers although we still need some are good plus some of the food were already bought yesterday.

But again as I have said I don't want to take the risk. Better to be safe than sorry. I'm sure the venue will be wet and slippery although it's a covered court and flooring is not a porcelain tile which is a lot more slippery but still kids do run and run and run so it will still not be safe.

We still don't have a new date and venue for the event, hopefully we can do it next Stauday November 7th. Will keep everyone posted.

It's Christmas!!

Do not be surprised because here in the Philippines we have the longest Christmas season ever. And since it's November soon, you can see Christmas decors everywhere, malls are now decked with beautiful decors.

And why do I post about this on Thankful Thursday?

Well, it's because this is my favorite season of the year.And I am more excited now because finally we have a home to decorate which we will do on Monday since it is a holiday here. I have whole day to do so. I hope I'll be able to mail also the christmas cards I have here.

For other things I am thankful for this week;

Baby Caley's (my newest nephew) dedication last Saturday. we did the balloons, invitations and give aways. It was a happy occasion. Most of the guests are from our side of the family. It just shows that we really are family oriented, we don't forget special occasion and events.

For more thankful hearts, please visit Lynn and be inspired :)

Are you insured?

I guess most of the reader of this blog from United States or from any Western countries would say yes, but most Filipino readers would likely answer no. It is not a big thing here especially if you are just on the average family income. While it's very different in the US, almost everything and everyone is insured, it's so easy to get term life insurance online quotes while I don't think such exist here in my place.

But does it really matter if we are insured or not? The recent calamities that hit the Philippines made almost everyone think of the insurance especially in their cars and properties and a lot are very disappointed knowing that their insurance doesn't cover force majeure.

I just hope we all realized that the best insurance we can have is the insurance of SALVATION. That what matters most is our soul that will be living forever. After all this body and all the materials are consumated we still ahve our souls. So it is best to know and be sure where your soul is going to right?

And guess what..insuring our soul thru accepting Jesus Christ is free!!! no monthly payment, no contracts to sign, no hassle, absolutely FREE!

SO are you insured?

Impossible??

It is comforting to know that.......


Absolutely NOTHING!!!

picture source here

Praisin Kids' Town update

Praisin Kids' Town - A once a year activity of fishnets ministry. A mini carnival for Urban/street kids where they can play, have some prizes and enjoy good food!

This year it will be on Saturday, October 31,

We have the following games;

1. Dance Rev-o
2. Plinko
3. Dart Balloons
4. Clown face
5. Animal hunter
6. Spin the wheel
7. Basketball
8. Bowling
9. Ring Toss
10.Art station

This year we will also have Glitter tattoo. I'm sure kids will love it!!

Snacks to enjoy;

1. Squid balls
2. Ice Cream
3. Hot dogs
4. Cotton Candy
5. and we have chocolate fountain!

We're all set for Saturday, we only need to follow up the car that the neighbor lend us. This is our prayer request, we need a dedicated vehicle for the fishnets ministry, we hope and pray the Lord will give us one soon. A spacious van will be very nice so all the stuff we need in teaching these kids will just fit there. it doesn't have to have nice accessories like good car grilles but a simple but useful van will do. Please pray with us.

The venue is also confirmed.
Volunteers -we still need some hand because we expect at least 150 kids that day so that's a lot of kids to take care plus we need people to man the booth games.

That's all for now, for sure I'll post picture of this activity for all of you.

God bless everyone!

Christmas vacation

Anyone planning there Christmas vacation now? Guess what? Christmas is my favorite time of the year because it's the longest break i get from work and from ministry, both me and dear husband gets to spend more time with family and time for ourselves. Last year was a very memorable one, we spend our new year in a secluded island with only tent as our home for three days. We went to Anawangin with our 2 couple missionary friends and we were really rested, recharged and we enjoyed it. I'm sure all of you workers for the Lord know what I mean..right? sometimes we need to take time off the ministry and all and just relax and have fun.

This year, we will have another great vacation, and nope we are not going abroad to got to the famous and super nice orlando vacations but that can wait..maybe on the future. But this year, we are going to spend our new year in Palawan, it will be our first time there so hubby and I are both excited. Undergound river, City tour, and all the seafoods!! I can't wait really.

So where are you spending your Christmas break?

Thankful Thursday

I thought I might not be able to join today, well in my part of the world it is already Friday 12:38 AM but in others its Thursday.

This week I am thankful for the "Women's conference" last Saturday. I am thankful for the speaker for delivering the message from the Lord. I am thankful for servants of God. On the last part of the message she mentioned and sang a part of "Stubborn Love" and it went through my heart. I am most grateful forever for God's stubborn love.

I posted the lyrics below and found one in you tube also, so pls feel free to listen and I hope it encourages you as it did to me.

God bless you all!

Oh before I forgot, Lynn is still hosting the TT this month so head on to her site to read more thankful entries.

Stubborn love

Kathy Troccoli

Caught again. Your faithless friend.
Don't You ever tire of hearing
What a fool I've been?
Guess I should pray,
But what can I say?
Oh, it hurts to know the hundred times
I've caused You pain.

The "forgive me" sounds so empty
When I never change.
Yet You stay and say, "I love you still,"
Forgiving me time and time again.

CHORUS:
It's Your stubborn love
That never lets go of me.
I don't understand how You can stay -
Perfect love embracing the worst in me
How I long for Your stubborn love.

Funny me.
Just couldn't see
Even long before I knew You,
You were loving me.
Sometimes I cry -
You must cry, too
when You see the broken promises
I've made to you.
I keep saying that I'll trust You
Though I seldom do.
Yet You stay and say You love me still,
Knowing some day I'll be like You.

CHORUS:
It's Your stubborn love
That never lets go of me.
I don't understand how You can stay -
Perfect love embracing the worst in me.
And You never let me go -
I believe I finally know
I can't live without Your stubborn love!




THANK YOU SO MUCH LORD FOR YOUR STUBBORN LOVE!!!

Business Plan

I'm excited! We've been praying for a small home based business for quite sometime now and just this afternoon a friend of mine which happens to be our housemate and a fellow missionary also came up with this business idea and we are getting our first client so soon!! We are no business plan writers and we didn't have any feasibility study about this because really it is just a small business.

We will be renting out chocolate fountain for parties!! and who does not love chocolates especially kids right? Actually, I've been thinking about this few months ago and I am just so happy to finally see it happen.

I wanted so badly to work at home because of the ministries. I want to spend time with what God has been impressing in our hearts and so this is really a big start for us, so aside from printing shirts and selling sweets, we can now rent chocolate fountain and when the income from these sidelines indicates that i don't have to work anymore in the office to cover all our expenses then I will surely quit my job and focus on the ministry.

Oh well, it may sound idealistic but let's see. Nothing is too difficult and too big for our God.

Thankful Thursday

It's Thankful Thursday once again and this week I will only have one here but that doesn't mean God didn't bless us enough this week, It's just that I am so much grateful for this and wanted to write it down;

My dear husband has resigned from being a full time worker in our church, he worked there for almost 9 years and He felt, we felt it's time to move on. Resigning though doesn't mean he stopped serving the Lord but it only means new beginnings, new hope, new opportunities. He is now doing volunteer work in International Teams Philippines ( a mission organization) and we hope this small step will lead us to where God wants us to be.

But it is not easy, moving out of your comfort zone is not always easy, changing direction is not easy, making tough decision is not easy and I know hubby is going through some tough time, adjusting and making plans and thinking of what to do. But God is so good and I believe He has great plans for us and we hold on to His promise to us in Psalm 32:8

" I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you"

There are times that we still feel lost..do not know what to do next or where to go..but Praise God for always leading us. We still do not know where we will be ten years from now but we are assured that God will still be with us 1o years from now and that we are going there together as husband and wife and possibly with kids.

I thank God for conviction, for that nudging of the Holy Spirit to always go back to the Lord whenever we feel at lost. I am thankful for His WORD that enlightened, encouraged us to go on in serving Him.

What are you thankful for this week? Please do share it and link to Lynn of Spiritually unequal marriage.

Have a blessed Thursday everyone!!

Random thoughts

We went home to province last Sunday, it's my mom's 70th birthday celebration :) It was nothing grand but you can see how happy she was, she prepared snacks for the church people as she always did on her birthdays.

So we attended church service there and it's great! I can say it's a breather, a rest from what you have accustomed to. The Pastor is our cousin and we were blessed. he talked about Psalm 103: 1-5

¹ Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

² Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

³ who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

he taught 5 things

1. GOD FORGIVES

2. GOD HEALS

3. GOD REDEEMS

4. GOD CROWNS

5. GOD SATISFIES

Can't thank the Lord enough for HIS goodness :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On another note, old acquaintance from there notice how I gained weight of course and everyone didn't forget to ask me if we already have a child (that's the "ouch" part) but we just smiled and said we were still praying.

I just hope I really be serious and committed in losing weight, actually, 2 of y friends who wanted to lose weight also have scheduled an "exercise day" for us. Wednesday and Friday night. I am thinking of making an online journal about it to encourage myself to really lose weight and be accountable to readers who will read it. I'll probably write about food I eat, my weight progress, our work ups, our chats, diets, and maybe even write about running machines, bikes, dip bar and body press.

I actually started it by cutting off coffee and I did it for 5 straight days :) but sad that I had a relapse tonight. I beg hubby just for a cup. I said give me a break! it's been 5 days..lol :)

Anyways, I've been blabbing so much here. Will have to hit the sack now..I still have work tomorrow er..later.

GOD BLESS YOU EVERYONE!

Reminder

source : greatcommissioncharities.org

Start Spending smart

Would you love some tips on How You Can Start Spending Smart? well, do you know that you can buy an $ 8 Rx eyeglasses at zenni? that's spending smart, because if you want different pairs that would match your outfit then I think you don't need to buy expensive ones unless of course you have the money to spend. The photos below would be My favorite high fashion eyeglasses if I wear one. Fortunately my vision is still clear and ok. Thank God for that.

Thankful Thursday- Count your blessing

Lynn has a beautiful theme and post for this Thankful Thursday.Let's all count our blessings one by one and I am sure we'll be counting for a long time. God is so good and He has blessed us in so many ways.

So to start , I'll count one to ten but I assure you this is still not enough :)

1. My mom is celebrating her 70th birthday on Sunday- Thank you Lord for the gift of long life and good health.

2. Good health for me and hubby (although I fell sick last Tuesday night) I'm alright now.

3. good friends - who showered me with love and affection.

4. answered prayer- this is countless..

5. Unanswered prayers- I know God is teaching me through this

6.Decent home, nice and warm bed

7. Food ( that we are not deprived of sometimes what we want to eat)

8. My nieces and nephews - sweet blessings

9. My job

10. My ever loving and understanding husband - God's best gift to me ever.

Count your blessings too!!!

Dream vacation

I want, I dream, I long, I like, I wish to at least one day have a vacation in Mexico and checked in at one of the isla mujeres hotels. Imagine waking up with this buffet breakfast


and then spending the day leisurely here
and then cuddling with dear hubby during evenings here


That would be awesome! wonderful! great experience. But I guess I am dreaming too big, bu then again there is nothing too big and impossible with our God. So I'll just keep on dreaming and while I am dreaming big I'll get back to reality and work.

God will heal our land

Source : doorposts