Let's Dance

I was listening to DZAS the other week over the internet. And I can't remember who the preacher was, but i find the topic very interesting and pragmatic. He likened marriage to a dance. You can have a successful married life if you win a dance contest. There are four points in a dance that we can apply in our relationship:

1. There must be a choreographer. All dances must be choreographed. Otherwise, the dance would have no direction, no sense at all. In marriage, the couple must choose who their choreographer must be. But it is strongly suggested that it must be GOD.

2. The dancers must follow the choreograph. If the dancers do not follow the choreographer's instructions, then the dance would still have no sense at all. The dance, as choreographed, might not appear to be beautiful to the dancers. But it is an excellent dance from the viewers. As spouses, we may sometimes doubt God's will for us, but, hey, who are we to question His judgment?

3. Only one must lead. Have you ever tried dancing where both of you lead? Don't you always step on each other's toes, bump each others elbow, etc? It is the same with marriage. And i hate to tell you, but it must be the Husband who should lead. Being a leader does not give him the privilege to be a dictator (Remember points 1 & 2). And it doesn't make them our superior. In a dance competition, the man leads, but who gets the applause? Right. Because of our invaluable efforts, the marriage becomes successful.

4. Practice, practice, practice. Need i say more?

The Link Tag

Rule #1

Copy all the links below and replace a single link under the appropriate alphabet. If your domain name, or even the title of your blog, starts with an ” A,” you’d replace the link under that alphabet and put the replaced link at the bottom. Also, don’t forget to credit the tagger, or where you got the list from, at the end of the list with a full URL of the post so that a pingback gets generated.


alwaysbcmom.com
because life is fun
caffeine-overload.com
dzunejenn.blogspot.com
enjoyingtheride-jenn.blogspot.com
forumfinder.net
gotic-peach.net
happykeg.com
ipentimento.com
juliesjournal.com
kabalyero.com
leahjoseph.com
michmagbag.com
notjustmama.net
originalmx5.net
patrickdevivo.com
qweddings.com
rantingsofawoman.blogspot.com
sujeesarmiento.blogspot.com
the-working-mom.blogspot.com
utada-online.net
valmg.com
wickedbabylon.com
xaviermedia.com
yaneeps.blogspot.com
zbudapest.com

Replaced Link: yimto.com

Previous Tagger: sujeesarmiento.blogspot.com and http://www.dzunejenn.blogspot.com/

Rule #2

You now have to “tag” at least five people and encourage them to participate so that this thing spreads like a virus. Remember, though, that not everyone’s into these kinds of things, so don’t be upset if they don’t participate. Just simply replace your tag. Remember to tag blogs only and no pornographic ones as we do want to keep the integrity as a blogging community.

TIP: Tag your frequent EntreCard droppers via its messaging system.

1. Vergie
2. Lemuel
3. Judy
4. Jake
5. Chai

Kilig Moments

On the way to our dinner date to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary, Roney told me that there is one song that reminds him of me.

Here it is:

God's Best

On this day four years ago, I have committed my life to one man. And I celebrate this commitment by telling a story inspired, written and directed by God.

One evening while I was walking towards the jeepney stop along Ayala Ave after work, someone called my attention. It was a classmate from high school. We exchanged greetings and since I knew his girlfriend, I asked how she was doing. His hesitation to reply made me query him more, and he said that I should ask her. He changed the topic by inquiring if our church had calendared a Young Adults’ retreat since we are of the same faith but from different churches. He looked so sad, so I persistently asked him if he had a problem. He finally told me that he and his girlfriend broke up, but I should ask the details from his girlfriend.

All I saw was a brother who was so lost. I wanted him to hold on to the Lord so that he would never go astray in those trying times.

I also felt for his girlfriend who happened to be my friend. She was more of a friend than this classmate was. Hence, I connected with her to comfort her, and tell her that everything would be alright. I even encouraged her with hopeful words for reconciliation even though they were not of the same faith (mea culpa).

Blessedly, our church had lined up a youth and YA camp. I encouraged my classmate to attend this camp, which he did. My main plan was to surround him with male Christian friends who could help and console him without any chances of a rebound. During the camp, I purposely avoided him to force him to mingle with my male churchmates. Truthfully, it was quite difficult to evade him: I was the only one who knew him before camp, and I was the cell leader of a group of adolescent males (10-12 yo) who happened to be his roommates. I did not want him to befriend me because he was in a very delicate situation which can delude one’s self of falling in love but was merely on a rebound. In life, I have found that prevention is better than cure; that Joseph was wise to run away from temptation rather than face or play with it. Anyway, during our praise and worship, and prayer time in camp, I would see his face whenever I asked the Lord what His plans for me were. My thoughts were that God wanted me to pray for this classmate because he was really devastated that time, which I did.

After the camp, this classmate would text me, and I him. I would text him of the verses I read or the preachings I heard; but he was only one of the many recipients of those text messages. I included him in my list because I wanted to obey God and really prayed that he would be enveloped by His love.

After a few months, he declared his intentions of courting me. Oh, no! This was the very situation I was trying to steer clear of. Hence, I easily said that we could just be friends and get on with our friendship. But he was unrelenting. He said that I was God’s will for him, a line I had heard so many times before. He was very sure of it; it was crystal clear to him.

But not to me. Prior to that Ayala incident, I had made up my mind that my next boyfriend, who would eventually become my lifetime partner, would, in terms of importance, [a] be a bible-based believer, [b] not be someone who knew me when I was very young (I did not mean to spend the next half of my life with someone who knew me during the first half. It might bore me to tears!) , [c] be a man of great faith, someone who is very active in the activities of the Church and occupies a high position therein (his stature might prevent him from looking maliciously at any woman other than his wife), [d] be two or more years older than me (so that we would be able to adjust well with each other as studies have shown), [e] not so good-looking, but merely acceptable-looking (I do not have a problem with his fidelity, but I might have one on other women who think of themselves as irresistible). He only qualified on the first.

Because of his forceful conviction, I allowed him to court me, but without any promise or hope of an ensuing romantic relationship. I would merely open myself to the idea that he MIGHT be telling the truth that we were meant for each other, because I really could not see even a trace of such tale. Thus, our courtship began.

As it progressed, it became clearer to him that I was God’s best for him. But, again, not to me. He was baffled that I could not see it. He became irritated that I was still struggling with the idea that he threatened to stop courting me. A part of me was glad that the ordeal was over, but a part was truly saddened since I began opening up my feelings to him. For years I had been meditating on my requirements for the next-boyfriend, and there came someone who did not qualify but one telling me that he was my pre-ordained lifetime partner. How can he expect me to change my perception, expectations and aspirations overnight?

After a few days, he came back and asked to court me again. He said the same lines, and apologized for rushing things. His return set the seriousness of our courtship. It was then that I realized that this was for keeps. I prayed harder to God. But the more I cried to Him to let this go, the more He made him closer to me.

I said, “Lord, I need a man who has great faith. I need someone who is active in the Church, not some attendee. I need a spiritually grown man!”

My sixty-something year-old mentor told me that we are all diamond in the rough. We are still work in progress. He might not appear to be like David, a man after God’s own heart. But he may be one someday. The only criterion God had given us was that we ought to have the same beliefs.

I said, “Lord, I do not want someone who is habulin. From his looks alone, I know that many women would want to have a piece of him.”

My devotions led me to the 1 Samuel 16:7b, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Still, I did not give in. And another “option” was coming toward the picture. I was toying with the idea of that option. But God, being a real Father, made me ill to refrain from going out of the house and going for it. Sometimes, God has a weird sense of humor, but i do appreciate it :)

What can I do but obey? And after fifteen months, we vowed before the Lord that we would love each other and never part for the rest of our lives. And though not everyday is ups, we try to submit the downs unto the Lord. Truly, God's best is the very best!



Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
-Isaiah 40:28

Let's Learn How To Speak

In his first year and six months, Jadon can now determine objects and utter one-syllable words. I wish I could describe his intonation on each word, but my capabilities are so limited. Anyway, I made a list of some words I heard him say:



Tatay: TAH! (his father)

Nanay: NAH! (me, of course)

Lolo: LUH! (sounds like duh)


Lola: LAH!

Papa: PAH!

Mama: MAH!

Barney: BHAR (he says barney's name sweetly. I guess he likes him much)

Jollibee: BIIII??? (although he doesn't eat the food, he knows the 'bee. He's like asking the name)


Ball: BOL (it's his favorite toy. but the sports that he loves watching are billiards and F1)

Car: KAHR

Fish: ISS; sometimes, PHISS???

Kite: KUHT (We were surprised that he knows the object and what it is called. I thought that it was written in the Alphabet poster, but it was not. Roney was correct in saying that Jadon learned this from Barney's CD. I soooo luv Barney right now.)

Down: DOWN

Up: EP!

Two: U! (I just heard him say it this morning. I asked him how many Lolo he has because his only one lolo was there, and he pointed his Lolo when i said one, then he looked around and saw his Tatay and suddenly said U!)

Jeep: IP

Book: KUB; sometimes, KU

Truck/Tractor: KAH!

Lord: RO

Balloon: BON

Bubbles: BAB

Bear: BER; sometimes, BEH

Hooray: HOOR

Star: AR

Moon: UHN

Sun: SAN

Wow: WAW

Go: GO, GO, GO, GO, GO,GO!

Nose: NOWS

Ears: EEEH!

Comb: KUM

Grapes: GRIP (it's his most fave fruit. The next one is papaya, which he still cannot pronounce)

Apple: APEL (uyy, it's a two-syllable word!)

Queen: KIH!

Phone: FOH (When he was barely one year old, we were surprised when he got our cellphone, put it on his ear and said 'Low?')

Hello: LOW???

Call: KOH

Dog: GOH

Duck: KHUH!

Quack: KHUH! (i know. it's the same)

Turtle: THEL!

Drums: RAM!

Bed: BED! (he says it like it's urgent)

Yes: YEEAH!



And lastly, when i asked Jadon this morning if he already prayed, he answered with his head swinging from left to right, "AAAAH, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!"

Thrice on Hearts' Day

Just like any person who is in love, I was full of excitement and expectant feeling yesterday, the Hearts’ Day. Thus, as soon as I was free to go home, I immediately packed my things and went on my way to pick up Roney. Since he texted me that he was still in a meeting, I decided not to rush my way to his office.

As I was cruising along Buendia on the second to the leftmost lane and nearing Ayala, this white Ford Everest with Plate No. ZFF-990, which was on my left as we were almost side by side, suddenly shifted to its right without even a warning! As a result, I was scratched on my left rear bumper. Grrrr…. So, I immediately stopped in the middle of the road and put on my hazard lights as the Ford Everest with Plate No. ZFF-990 was behind me. Since I was alone, I deemed it prudent not to get out of the car first, but wait for the driver of that vehicle to get off and inspect the damage s/he had done. I was expecting that the least I would get from this is an apology. I guess I was putting too much confidence on human kindness, decency and courtesy, because I saw that the Ford Everest with Plate No. ZFF-990 slowly turned its wheel and began to rush to Ayala Ave. I couldn’t believe my eyes! I immediately rolled down my shotgun window to get the attention of the driver. But the vehicle went on, and all I saw was a dirty finger of the passenger seated behind the driver. I was tempted to tail that vehicle and teach the people inside some manners. But, a cautious person that I am, I computed in my head that there were at least 2 people in that vehicle (driver, plus the passenger giving me a dirty finger), and decided that they were not worth my time.

But please, readers, if you know the owner and/or driver of that Ford Everest with Plate No. ZFF-990, please, pretty please, teach them right manners and good conduct.

I thought that I had enough misery on Hearts’ Day. But, it was just the beginning of a very looooonnnnngggg night.

Roney and I decided to forego our V-date because we wanted, and were very excited, to watch The Amazing Race Asia 2 Finale. We have been religiously watching the show and rooting for Marc and Rovilson whose attitude during the race set them above everyone else. They truly enjoyed each leg without losing focus on the prize. They finished first last epi, so we were really hopeful that they would snag the title! But, though they were the first to reach the roadblock, they were the last to complete the task. Nevertheless, they handled their disappointment and frustration well. I did not hear Marc yelling at or even blaming Rovilson. Instead, he said that if he was frustrated, he could imagine how it frustrated Rovilson more. My hats off to you guys!

Anyway, I thought I was going to have a good night sleep after rising above depression over the results of TARA2. But Jadon had a restless night. He woke up at 130am crying and wanted to go out. We had difficulty in getting him back to sleep. He would wake up intermittently and we would rock him to sleep. Needless to say, I did not have my rest. I was tempted to take a leave from work due to lack of sleep, but i can't. I just hope that i would be able to go home earlier than usual tonight. (Usual is 11pm)

What a night! I eagerly await next year’s Hearts’ Day for I know that it will be better. It should.

Anna's Tag

This tag came from fellow n@wie, Anna.



Copy this entire list of questions and change all the answers so that they apply to you. Then tag and pass it along to other blogging friends. Let’s see how well we can get to know one another!



1. What is your occupation? LO cum EA



2. What color are your socks right now? transparent (coz am not wearing any!)



3. What are you listening to right now? the buzz of the vacuum cleaner



4. What was the last thing that you ate? camote chips for breakfast



5. Can you drive a stick shift? a master of it!



6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red



7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Hubby, informing him that i have arrived the office safely despite the traffic gitgitan



8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Of course :)



9. Favorite drink? Watermelon shake



10. What is your favorite sport to watch? everything except golf and contact sports



11. Have you ever dyed your hair? yep, during my younger, silly years. but i think i will do it within the year if given time (and money).



12. Pets? can we consider the boys in the house? (fingers crossed, hoping that hubby would not have the time to read this)



13. Favorite food? chicken curry and right now, korean beef stew!



14. Last movie you watched? the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford



15. Favorite Day of the year? Feb 25 - the Freedom Day. though it's a working holiday this 2008.



16. What do you do to vent anger? be by myself then shout and/or cry



17. What was your favorite toy as a child? barbie dolls!



18. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Fall. i like the smell of autumn. and love it when the leaves are falling. it's our own version of snow



19. Hugs or kisses? hugs AND kisses



20. What kind of pie? Mango Creme Pie



21. Do you want your friends to email you back? yep!



22. Who is most likely to respond?



23. Who is least likely to respond?



24. Living arrangements? live-in with my lifetime partner and lifetime son. i only get day-off when am out of the country.



25. When was the last time you cried? cant remember



26. What is on the floor of your closet? shoes and bags



27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to?



28. The friend you have known the shortest amount of time that you are sending this to?



29. Favorite smell? hubby's sweat (but he doesn't know it!)



30. What inspires you? games!



31. What are you afraid of? heights



32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? cheese burgers



33. Favorite car? ferrari



34. Favorite cat breed? pusakal



35. Number of keys on your key ring? 4



36. How many years at your current job? almost 5 years



37. Favorite day of the week? FRIDAY!!!



38. How many provinces have you lived in? one (1)



39. How many countries have you been to? 4, including the Philippines


am tagging anyone who wants to answer these Qs...

I am so honored to have received this award:

Thanks Trinity for making my day :)

I would like to pass this award to Karen and Jake

Life's Simple Pleasures

I don't think i have answered this Tag from Judy yet, so here it goes...

1. A Kiss. from hubby and from baby. Tells me how much they love me, and vice versa.

2. Chocolates. Happy food. Need i say more?

3. Bed. A nice, warm, soft haven after a toxic day.

4. Barney. When tired after a hectic week and have to take care of a super cute active Jadon, i just turn Barney on. Voila! i can now take my rest.

5. Lipstick. Never mind the lead. My face transforms when i'm wearing one.

6. Massage.

7. Soft, lovely music. Soothes the soul.

8. Good books. Feed the mind.

9. Long bath. Refreshes the body.

10. Malutong na tawa. Nakakapawi ng lungkot, pag-aalala at anumang agam-agam.

Five Values

This meme from Meeya is delightfully timely. I have been procrastinating on my 2008 M-V statement for my son. But this opportunity forced, err rather tagged, me to now "define" my Jadon's path.


As a believer of God's Word, i will use the Bible as my guide for the values i want my son to keep for the rest of his life.



1. Faith and Fear of the Lord.

"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates" Deut 6:5-9

I would feel safe and secured knowing that my son fears the Lord. I know that he will be taken cared of, all his needs would be provided for, and would never be neglected if he submits himself to the Lord.

2. Commitment

"Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond
this comes from the evil one." Matt.5:37

Integrity begins from commitment. I have never seen a more committed person than his father. When he says something, he will see to it that it will come to pass. Hindi nang-iiwan sa ere.

3. Love for Family

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Exo. 20:12

"Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord." Col. 3:20

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as
Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." Eph. 5:25-31

In my book, family is one of the most important part of one's life. This is where values are formed, the character is shaped, and of course, where you run to when everything else failed. I hope that i would be able to inculcate this value to my son. I hope that he would always protect his family, especially since he is the male, the would-be head of a household.


4. Industriousness, Diligence & Hardworking (parang isa lang ito ah?)

"Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." Proverbs 10: 4

I am earnestly praying right now that God will give me the temerity to restrain myself from giving everything to my son in a silver platter. He should learn that he must work so he could eat. It would be my great honor if he would be a good provider for his own family someday.

5. Humility

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." Proverbs 11: 2

Most of all, I want Jadon to be humble always. Humble in the sense that he does not boast his talents or achievements. Rather, he would use these to help others who are in need. After all, everything he has comes from God.

My prayer: Lord, help me to bring up Jadon in the way that he should go. Teach me to remember these things every time I interact with him. Most of all, guide me to be a good example by doing what I preach. In Jesus' Name I pray, amen.




And now for the TAG....

i am tagging mommies in my blogroll who have not posted this Meme in their blog yet.