My Thailand, Laos and Singapore Trip

Another Wedding

Last Saturday, March 29, 2008 was the long awaited wedding of our long long time friend/officemate Ate Jing and Kuya Meynard.

Katulad din namin simple at maiksi ang wedding pero masaya!

Congrats!!!

Christmas party in January

   
        Last December the only event that mattered to me is my wedding day. Because of that I didn't had the time to arrange a christmas party for my Discipleship Group (DG) in our church. So I told them that we will just have our Christmas party on January. Last Saturday, January 19, 2007, we had our Christmas party. Siyempre may exchange gift din!

        Part of the legacy that I wanted to share to my DG is the habit of journaling events in their lives. I told them that the journal is not like a vault that we can keep our secrets but it is also one of the ways that you can see what God had done or will be doing to you life. A spiritual autobiography not for other people but for you to see and recognize God's movement in your life. For the past ten years that's what I've been doing, journaling my journeys with God. As a Christmas gift I gave them a journal. But because I am kuripot, I decided to give them materials for their Do-it-yourself journal. Everyone of them enjoyed making their journal and from now on I hope they will make it a habit to account the things that God will be doing in their lives.

Sayang 4 of them cannot come

Feeling Art Angels

Kikay Journal for Kikay Nice

Charisse busy choosing her cut outs

A sentimental art for a sentimental Cherry

Finished products!

Statement of Faith (New Rendition )

I got this from one of my favorite blog to read, and it really expresses what I believe in as a Christian. The statement of faith is not too scholarly but rather experiential.



I believe in Jehovah God who created the whirling galaxies, the saoring birds in the sky overhead, the endless crashing waves and all that dances within them...and who knit together life, made in His very own image, in the secret quiet of our beings.

I believe in Jesus Christ, the One with no earhly Father, with the dust of this earth between His toes, and with our names etched onto the palm of His hands, right beneath the nail scars...Who now sits at the Father's right hand making endless intercession on our behalf. I believe in the stone rolled away, in the Body being raised, in the first fruits of the dead...and us all following soon, very soon.

I believe in the Cross as our only Hope, our only Claim, and our only Foundation. I believe that in the pounding surf of life we have only one thing to cling to: the feet of our Lord, hanging on that tree, His lifeblood flowing down, washing us whiter than snow.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, moving, whispering, indwelling our very skin. I believe in living by the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, and producing fruit in the Spirit...in the Spirit who helps us in our weakness with groanings that can't be expressed in words.

I believe in the infallibility of the Bible, God's Word- a sure Word, a pure Word, the only secure Word. I believe the words on those pages are breathed from the very throne room of heaven, are the love letter penned from the heart of the Lover of our souls; a beacon of light for stumbling feet to find sure footing on a dark path.

I believe there is more than believing. There is LIVING what I believe.

Shelby is now a Misis! ( Wala nang ko-kontra legal na po to!)

Hi! I know medyo absent ako for a month from blogging, sorry for that. Part of it kasi december super busy month and because that was the month that I got married! Waaaaaa! Babae pala talaga ako!!! I am still sooo overwhelmed sa mga nangyari sa buhay ko last month, and until now dipa nag si-sink in ang lahat lahat ng goodness ng God sa mga events ng life ko. Ika nga I am still in a joy ride with God!

I praise Him for His faithfulness sa kasal namin. When we were planning the wedding ang prayer request namin aside from provision is that the wedding will be simple, unique and a fun time with our family and friends. The wedding should be a reflection of me and Carlo's personalities. Ayun nakuha naman. As Ate Theresa (My boss/ninang/mother/at madami pang slash)  said in her blog.(click this link)
"A long awaited day! Everyone who joined this wedding agreed that we have never laughed so much at a wedding! It was funny, enjoyable, crazy, and somehow still a great blessing to all who were there!"

We can't also believe na kahit sobrang tight ng budget namin super dami ng food! Parang God multiplied it na sobrang busog na yung mga tao may food pa din!

After ng wedding di pa diyan natapos ang goodness ng God. According to our calculator, after the wedding wala na kaming pera na pambili ng mga gamit sa house at actually pati pang kain. Pero dahil sobrang tuwang tuwa ang God dahil kinasal na kami He gave us "ENOUGH" blessings to provide na mga basic na gamit sa house namin at may extra pa para sa laman ng ref. Actually ang dami na naming napakain sa house namin hehehe. So ngaon alam niyo na kung bakit speechless ako for a month.

I remember God's words to me last year at the eve of my birthday He said through Ephesians 3:16-21 " I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

All Glory to God!

Knowing God

“God is not a belief to which you give your assent. God becomes a reality whom you know intimately, meet everyday, one whose strength becomes your strength, whose love, your love. Live this life of the presence of God long enough and when someone asks you, “Do you believe there is a God?” you may find yourself answering, “No, I do not believe there is a God. I know there is a God.”
~Ernest Boyer, Jr.

This is what we have been experiencing from God lately. Since the time that we decided to get married we've sensed God's presence. Everyday He's telling us " anak, natutuwa talaga ako na magpapakasal kayo". Every single step of our preparation He never stops meeting us, encouraging us and giving us strength. A constant reminder that being a follower of Him is not just a belief.

Last Saturday, we went to Divisoria to look for a cloth for my dress. Sobrang saya ko kasi nakita ko yung tela na gusto ko talaga at yung nasa imagination ko. Aside from that yung tatahi ng damit ko ay Christian, dahil pareho kami ng God, binigyan niya ako ng MALAKING dicount. Ang total price ng dress ko ay P1,500 kasama na ang tahi. Haaay salamat talaga at buhay ang Diyos ko. Di lang diyan nagtatapos ang patuloy na pagpapasaya sa akin ng God.







This week we were pressured to get the apartment na nagustuhan namin last month kasi dalawa na lang daw na apartment ang available nakuha na yung lima. Actually lahat naman yun eh bagong gawang apartments, pero dahil bago madami ang gustong mag rent. As of last week wala pa kaming perang pang down ng one moth advance at one month deposit. Puwede kaming mangutang just to reserve the place pero di kasama sa prayers namin na mangutang at medyo lugi kami kasi pagkinuha na namin yung apartment this November ibig sabihin we will pay again on December. Doble ang gastos. Because we have a real God, may favor na naman kami. Last monday (lunch break) the landlord told us that we can reserve the place and as a wedding gift from him di namin kailangan magbayad ng rent for November. By the way Christian din yung may ari ng apartment. Paglumipat kami, don palang mag take effect ang rent namin pero we need to pay him 1 month advance as a reservation that day. Ano?! ngayong araw na? eh wala kaming naka budget for that amount of money as of that time. So we went back to work (1:00 pm)and pray na makakabayad kami that same day.Around 3:00 pm somebody gave me an envelope, advance wedding gift, sabi niya baka kailangan na namin ni Carlo, and guess what kung magkano yung laman ng envelope? EXACT amount that we needed to reserve the apartment. Grabe ang God wala akong masabi sa pag encourage sa akin na mag asawa na.


 Do I believe in God? I think every single cell in my body is shouting... "I KNOW THERE IS A GOD!!!"
 

The License and Ring

Last Tuesday. we took a leave from work to process our marriage license, ang mga sumusunod na kwento ay ang aming adventures noong Tuesday.

1. Pray

Nag pray kami na mabilis namin malakad lahat ng papers needed to get a license. Nag pray din kami na sana tama lahat yung papers namin at higit sa lahat eh wag kaming mabibigla na baka ang isa pala sa amin eh kasal na hehehehe

2. Get Birth Certificate at NSO
5:00 gising na ako to go to East Ave. 7:00 am kami nagkita ni Carlo, kasi sabi ko dapat maaga kami para maaga kaming matapos. Dahil confident kaming maaga kami, so relax lang kami going to NSO. Pagdating sa NSO, lo and behold number 422 na kami. Ang dami nang tao, tapos di pa gumagana yung digital nilang pang tawag ng number, kaya kailangan mong talasana ang tenga, para marinig mo yung number mo. Though there were a lot of people, we praise God kasi 30 minutes lang nakapagbayad na kami.Sabi 2:00pm pa raw namin makukuha ang aming mga birth certificates. Para ma sulit namin ang araw, we decided to go to Binondo and then just come back at 2pm.



3. Ongpin-China Town


One of my favorite place in Manila. From food, colorful authentic chinese things, the katinko (balm) haven and siyempre kilala ang china town sa murang jewelries!!! Take note, sa China town puwedeng tawaran ang alahas. So our objective is to look for the cheapest but unique wedding ring that we could find. Easy lang yun ako pa! THE QUEEN OF CHEAP!!! (in the pix Carlo: naghahanap ng murang ring, Shelby with our friendly sales lady).


Praise God, nakahanap kami ng mabait na tindera yung tipong siya ang naghahabol sa amin. Kasi yung mga ibang pinuntahan namin tingin sa amin para kaming dukha. We saw a unique at cute na design sa muran halaga pa. We don't like a silver ring kasi uso, alam niyo naman kami galit sa uso hehehe joke lang! Everybody is wearing silver ring that's why we opted for a unique but simple rings. Nakakita naman kami. Siyempre bukod sa ring naglibot libot kami, sayang nga lang limited ang time namin, kaya bumalik na kami sa NSO.

4. Q.C. Civil Registry

Pagdating namin sa NSO medyo maaga kami kesa sa time ng release ng papers, pero another favor from God na naman, available na agad yung papers namin so takbo kami ng City hall. Pagdating sa Civil Registry office, may makikita kayong iba't ibang window to accommodate the people's needs. May window para sa bagong silang na sanggol, window para sa namatayan, sa humihingi ng legal seperation at siyempre ang window 10, ang window ng mga magpapakasal. Medyo mahaba ang pila sa window 10, yung iba mukha nang sinakal, yung iba buntis na at yung iba tulad namin, first timers. Dahil first time namin ito medyo nalilito pa kami kung ano ang mga isusulat sa papel at kung ano ang susunod na mga steps, dahil diyan pabalik balik si Carlo kay Manang Window 10. Sabi ko sa kanya "ok lang yung, hayaan mo sa susunod alam na natin" hehehe. Praise God ulit dahil di kami hinanapan ng kung ano ano. Di na rin kami pinag seminar ng buong araw dahil we already attended a seminar sa ISOT. Tapos wala nang ibang tinanong pa sa amin di tulad ng iba ang daming hinanap na papeles. Basta ang sabi balikan daw namin sa November 19!

Wow! that's it tapos na? Galing talaga ng God, iba talaga ang nagagawa Niya if you are in the palm of His hands. PTL!