Happy birthday mommy!!!!

So I don't have to say that today's my mom's birthday, huh? And I'm wearin' red all over in my office attire. hek hek hek! Parang ako ang may birthday!

Being the pathetic daughter that I am, I haven't got a clue on how to surprise her (if ever she'll happen to get surprised pa) on weekend when I get back to Cavite. And I can't seem to make up my mind regarding the sort of present I'll give her. Any suggestion there?

Just last weekend, my two little sisters both won 1st place in their inter-school quiz bee competition. Galing noh? Shempre kanino pba magmamana yan??? Edi kay (of course... ehem ). My mom don't usually watch her kid's contests in school coz she gets all nervous than we. But this time, she tried her best to keep it strong so that my sisters would have their mom clapping away while they jot down their winning answers. When I got home and heard the good news, we talked about it and all the sacrifice of reviewing the two giggly dolls for the quiz bee. Mom said that days before the event, she's been receiving a line of similar messages: YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS. Even last Sunday's mass included that verse in the homily. It struck her so much daw that she kept pondering about it for the whole week.

When the contest has ended and my sisters (and my mom din) got their bulk of congratulations, she figured: Hmm.... maybe this is what God is telling me about. He's right, you can't be a mom who's kids are in this kind of success while you go on conquering the career world.

So finally mom you got it there, didn't you? You see, it's been her all-time issue. This thing called career fullfilment and the predicament of being a full time mother to our family have constantly haunted her all this time. But then again, we all know that we can't be what we are now if there wasn't someone who nurtured and loved us well. That's mommy.

PS:

Makes me think, what kind of mother will I be? Often, I picture myself being a beautiful mom. Haha! I really want to see myself so lovely a mother but still be able to be there for my kids every step of the way. I don't think my kind would actually stay all day at home. It'll be so cool to be a mom while having a business of your own. I just don't wanna mess up with career that I'll lose my family in the end. Figuring this out, I can't be my mom I guess hehe. 

Happy birthday mommy!

Saturday.

Left the office 12 noon. I was too busy doing "work". Hehe.

Sunday.

Morning started at 6am. Dad drove me up to Biñan, Laguna. Ninang sa cute na cute na baby ni Che ang beauty ko.

3pm, went to SM to get that body massage with aromatic oil gift certificate to be given as a present for my mom on her birthday (March 03). I went back sa house to get the birthday card then sa village pool where my cuzins and siblings were off the pool already kse uwian na.. in other words, late na'ko. Anyway, I was able to give my gift (plus Cadbury Hazelnut Chocolate).

So, are you expecting me to go back to Manila that night? heck no!!! DVD videoke singing muna noh! And guess what I found there??? Si _uB_, ang receptionist namin modeling for that videoke track! Haha.

Monday.

Half-day in the office. I was successful at getting my eyes opened by 3:30am but I just couldnt get my ass off the bed. So you know what happened next... half-day nga.

BTW, I was the last person in the office.. quite busy again with "work".

Tuesday.

I was early. Finally, I wasn't late! And boy oh boy, my excess hour-rating is shooting up! Hehehe.

Wednesday.

Perfect! Can't get any earlier than this haha! Same ol' 'working" day.

Thursday.

I forgot to tell you that Wednesday afternoon, I received bad (as in real bad) news about my 8-year old sister. So off I flew to Cavite. Absent na naman haha. Arrived at the Pasay residence by 8:30pm.

Friday.

Read about my new "work" assignment. Shucks! Just the thought of the amount of output I'm supposed to produce is already a big stress.. But hey, I asked for this so stick to it, ROM!!! God will see you through.

Saturday.

Hey, it's still Friday and I bet tomorrow's gonna be busy again with work.. Hmmm.. but maybe this time.. some new exciting thing will happen. hahahaha! We're gonna catch that award-winning blogger! Idol talaga sa kakengkoyan ng blog nya itech.

Sunday.

Church program, probably... and the Sunday mass, of course.

I NEED prayers now.

Prayers for my SISTER.

Saturday Date

My officemates are goin' crazy for the kwento about my Saturday date-with-this-cool-and-funny-blogger named _ u_i_! HAHAHA! Well, it wasn't exactly a romantic date. The circumstances just favored the idea of a solo trip when it was supposed to be a group date-KKB thing. And oh, about that KKB deal... sorry talaga ha... He he he.. pero ang sarap nung pasta hahaha!!!

One thing I must say about him... amBAIT BAIT mo! Hehe. Well given the fact that you find me "kyut" as written in your blog entry hahaha! I pray that you'd always have that positive energy in you regardless of whatever life gives you (may gf man o wala).

I believe you're a really nice guy. *winks*

Last: Thank you, thank you (dami dami!)

The "Being Single" Talk

Sunday came (of course) and I got myself seated among the good looking single men and women at the Our Lady of All Nations Chapel in Villamor Airbase. The Christian Life Program was in their 3rd talk. I missed the 2nd one because I needed to go home to Cavite last weekend. Good thing life has allowed me to find time and attend the program.

Ms. Irene, the speaker pointed out that when you're single, the top most concerns that you have are one-career, and two-love life. She said, with great conviction ha, na God knows what you truly need and He's got the best plan for your life. That dream career you want may not actually be the best thing. But God will replace it with something that's gonna mold your character and would bring out the best in you more than you could ever imagine. And that "gg" a.k.a God's Gift (terminology sa bf or gf) will come at God's best time because He's supposed to give you the best person din.

Ms. Irene, 23 years old, a graduate of Communication Arts once dreamt of being a multi-awarded broadcast journalist. Sounds familiar ei? I think that was my ambition too back then during freshie year in college. The media just evolved into something less contributive to societal growth and has got it's credibility tarnished that it lead me to dislike it.

So this amazing woman became a professional in the Philippine Daily Inquirer at the young age of 20. Take note, she landed quite a big post in the company already. With that, she felt that this was already God's way of making her dreams come true... she's on the right track of the kind of career she's always wanted to have.

Only that after a while, stress replaced bliss. Fulfillment became a foreign word for her. She narrated that there were nights when she'll be walking home from the office in tears. There was barely time left for her family, no growth in her social life, no prayer time, etc. Sino nakaka-relate dito, umamin na! haha! It struck her so that she begun asking why her dream career isn't making her happy anymore.

Turn of events. Her father got framed up and was facing 4 cases at the court. No breadwinner left but her... at the age of 20. The US government offered her a better paying job, but quite far flung from her educational background. No choice, she had to accept the offer.

Because God can turn every hardship into a blessing, Ms. Irene was able to provide for the needs of her family. God was also so good that every time they needed a big amount of money as cash bond for her father, it just knocks on their door at such perfect timing. God's ways are really amazing...

The best part of the direction shift for her is the fact that her new job allowed her to have the ample time that she needed for family, friends, and for that PREX seminar she wanted to attend. So when you thought you know what you want in life, in your career, truly God has the better idea of what's best for you, of what you really need as a person. He may not exactly give us what we want, but He'll surely give us what we need.

These are some of the issues that most single people face. Sometimes I also catch myself asking what I really want and what I just need. Good thing there's a wiser God who would intervene to usher me in the right direction to take.... even if sometimes, that path seems so vague and gray for me, for now.

Sabi ni kelly : No right person ever comes ahead of time.

E pano kung ganito...

"Bakit pag handa ka nang magmahal, siya naman yung hindi pa ready?"...

Have you ever had a conversation with someone, say a friend, that has changed your mindset ever since? Or has altered your feelings for someone you find significant... but now has been reduced to the level of that pedestrian lane along Ortigas Center? You just have to cross it... like when thoughts of him just had to cross your mind less than a minute a day.

Would you relate to this?

Iska: may sasabihin ako s'yo...

Isko: O, naapektuhan ka na naman...

Iska: shempre, maiiwasan ko ba yun?

Isko: bakit anong sinabi nya dis time?

Iska: e, alm mo na... lahat naman ng tao alam na yun. Alam ko din yung sad fact na yun... I just keep on ignoring it.

Isko: o, e anong feeling mo ngayon?

Iska: edi shempre nasaktan pa rin ako kahit papano...

Isko: e kase naman ikaw minsan, nde talaga kita maintindihan. Minsan sinasabi mo na ayaw mo na sa kanya... tapos after a few days babanggitin mo na naman sya. The more na pinaguusapan natin sya, the more na maiisip mo sya. Pano mo sya makakalimutan???

Iska: Alam ko naman na hindi siya yung gusto ko para sa'kin eh... kaya lang alm mo yun... importante kase sya sakin... not because of whatever we had, pero kase mahalaga lang talaga sya sa'kin.

Isko: Naku... kase sa tingin ko ha..

Iska: ano?

Isko: wala nang magagawa yang damdamin mo para sa kanya. Gusto niya na lng maging normal na lng yung treatment niyo for each other. Katulad ng dati.. nung hindi pa kayo. Ganun lang.

Iska: (keeps quiet).... oo nga. alm ko naman yun eh

Isko: tanggapin mo na talaga.

Iska: Bukas balik na tayong Manila...

Isko: you're not gonna cry?

Iska: not anymore.

The truth can sometimes hurt. Ever cliche, but it'll set you free in the long run. Never spend your life brooding over the pain, especially if it's already self-induced. The past is something no one (even God) can ever change. The present is your gift.... too beautiful to just spoil because of yesterday's tragedy.

To my new friend, there is so much more than those feelings that haunt you like hell every minute of the day. Cupid can really be a mean fellow, but I bet his arrows won't catch you if you weren't blocking along that wrong direction. Hehe. Smile na ha.

So when did it ever happen that facts don't coincide with the truth?

Listen...

FACT: 90% of the Philippines are Christians.

TRUTH: We are the 2nd most corrupt nation in Southeast Asia.

FACT: 84% of the Filipino Christians are Catholics.

TRUTH: We rank 5th in the list of nations where kidnapping is most rampant.

Geez, friends.

The Philippines has received enough beating already in the past 2 years. It's now time to have these negative criticisms be sidetracked for a while and really reflect on what has happened to us.

Last night, I went to recollection at Villamor Airbase where I stay with my aunt. Lucky that I was, the speaker is Studio 23's live Sunday Mass priest. I couldn't remember his name but I do recognize him very well because of his TV appearences. We were blessed to have him there in our parish when he was actually scheduled for other and "bigger" speaking engagements. His sacrifice, penance for the season of Lent - to turn down other recollection schedules but instead, choose to serve in Villamor for last night's talk. I was in awe.

From him, I got this very striking reflection: That God won't make us the only Christian nation in Asia if He didn't have a greater plan for the Philippines.

So I figured, all these negative perceptions about my country, even the hopeless esteem of our people with regards to our homeland can never match up to the fact that we are destined to be Christians. Being that, we are called to LOVE. Yes, as followers of Christ, we are to be living testimonies of how Christ has moved in our lives in His most amazing ways. And there's no other way of accomplishing that but through showing genuine love and concern for one another.

But how about our Muslim brothers? That is the bigger challenge. I believe that we don't have the least right to condemn the beliefs of other faiths. All we have is the duty to show God's love to people regardless of their religious affiliation. Through that brand of Christianity, they will respect and believe that we are true followers of a Man who stopped at nothing to show His love for all mankind.

Imagine a point in time when all Filipinos would really live to manifest their Christianity... when we would see each other as brothers in one God who's got a beautiful agenda for the Philippines... when we can let go of that one thing in our selfish hearts then serve God and our people...

Then maybe our facts will no longer be drastic contradictions to the truth.

Regular na'ko!!!! yey!!!

so you need a break this time... enough for now.

Binigyan ako ng surprise quiz ni Lord kanina..

Anak ng!?! Na-surprise ako talaga! Hindi pa naman ako nag rereview the past few days kase akala ko ok lang.. ok na.. tapos bigla ba naman akong may pop up quiz kanina!

Nung una akala ko madadalian ako.. well kase manhid na naman ako sa mga gantong klaseng bagay, pero hindi pala... nahirapan pa rin ako.

Hindi naman siya kasing hirap ng identification type. Hindi rin naman kasing dali ng True or False. Multiple choice questions yung binigay sakin kanina. Well, for some siguro madali lang yun, kaso parang lahat ng maisip ko e mali para sa tanong. Ang "hirap" talaga. Pero there is only "one way, one truth" to choose.

So I tried praying baka maawa si God at ipasa na lang ako without taking the quiz. Kaso naman, sabi nya this test is made especially for me. I can never run away from it. Tignan mo nga naman at "customized" pa sakin yung test hahaha!

Yung ibang items parang na-encounter ko na sa mga "old exams ko". Pero iba pa rin talaga kapag biglang nagulat ka sa reality in front of you. You thought you're ready to face anything, even this, pero it becomes different when the "real thing" happens. That's where your faith is being put on the line.

So yun na nga, ang hirap. My tactic was to read through all the items first before I start answering. Meron pa nga dun situational in a mathematical equation:

"If X situation is now, what is Y then? "

Ewan ko di ba? Pero fortunately nasagutan ko naman. Then I figured, ah.. okay... alam ko na'to.

This quiz is all about TRUST. Kaya pala "customized" sakin to kase all the items included were my biggest, most potent issues.

Kaya pala nahirapan ako. hehehe!

Tapos biglang, "pass your papers!" So yun, in fairness marami naman akong nasagutan. Yung ibang questions left unanswered eh sa palagay ko i-didisclose din sakin ni God after this test.

Feeling ko pumasa naman ako. Well, like I always say:

"God will always want us to win regardless of the trial at hand."

Maybe someday.. in that very near future... mape-perfect ko din yung quiz na yun. Tsaka hindi na'ko masyadong masu-surprise. Hehe.