one fine day

Yesterday, I felt so blessed for being able to spend time with myself alone. It was what I really needed. And, I want to take you on how my Sunday turned out to be a one fine day.

this is a flower at our front yard, ready to bloom for summer :)

It was a sunny day so instead of calling a cab going to train station, I decided to walk to the bus stop and took a bus going to the sky train. Sometimes, I wouldn't feel like walking because the road is steep going to the bus stop. Good thing it was sunny. Great time to walk. Below is the street near the bus stop.

I attended worship service at Coastal Church in Vancouver downtown. The message was the last of the series, Intriguing Women.  It was about the most intriguing woman in the Bible, Eve. After the service, I ate lunch at Tropika because I was craving for their Indonesian spring roll - it's stuffed with veggies and chicken and coated with nuts. Yum! Then, I ordered a combination meal comprise of chicken satay, sweet and sour pork and veggies with tofu. 

It was good that I had a fully loaded lunch. Because I had a very long walk after. I walked going to Stanley Park from Robson street and took some pictures along the way. A lot of people were out because of the nice weather. Sunny day here is an opportunity to go out that's why everyone grabs it. Some were strolling like me, others rented bikes and others were just hanging out on different spots. Here are some of the photos I took.

I've been to Stanley Park for how many times but I've never enjoyed the view as much as I did yesterday. I was able to savor every pretty site I can see.  And finally, I've arrived at my destination. The English Bay. I've been imagining for how many days already to just sit on the grass, listen to the sound of the bay, feel the air and enjoy the sun. And, all of it happened. I was able to relax and enjoy God in a very special way.

    by the way, i just love my sandals! my aunt gave those to me when i visited Chicago and I just really had the chance to wear them now that it's spring :)

Time's up and I had to go back to do some grocery. It was a long walk back to the train station that I just needed to stop by and grab something cold. DQ was what I had in mind and DQ I had filled my tummy. Oh, the car in the left. That's a classic! The first time I was here in Canada, I've seen that already and now, it's still there, never fading. 

What a perfect fine day, right? :) If you haven't done this, I hope you would have the time too. It's a perfect time to just clear your mind and listen to God. 

a new 'love' interest

I'm still smiling with the title I put for this blog. hehe... 


Anyway, for the past 2 months, I've been taking up a new hobby which I really wanted to do before but just didn't have the time and extra money for it. And now, with the influence of an office friend (her name is Emma), I got started with a few tools, embellishments and papers. 


What am I talking about? Handmade Cards! :D


Next time, I'll try to document the step by step instruction on the cards that I'll be making. For now, I just want to show some of the few cards I have done and given away. :D


I'm praying for a few additional 'expensive' equipments. Praying for wisdom if they will be worth it. A printer and a cricut. What's a cricut? Google it. :D


Here are the cards I've made so far. I would love to make one for everyone! :D

This is the first card I made, materials by Emma; I gave this card to Emily on her birthday

We gave this card to Emily too when she had her delivery

 This card is for Art. Quite a challenge to make cards for men.

 This card is for Mama. I hope it arrives in Bacolod.

 Mother's Day Card for Emily

 Mother's Day Card for Emma

Mother's Day Card for Me-Anne

  

Birthday Card for Otella 

A very special card for my real love interest - the Heavenly Father

[Journey on Waiting 3] are you preparing?

A great lesson I learned on waiting for the past months was "preparation". I realized I was waiting but not doing much preparation.


Being single just gives us a lot of opportunities to be the person that God wants us to be. And it would be so sad if we would miss those.  We are missing the blessings of being single.


We all have our list of qualities that we've been looking for that "God's best" but the question we should be asking ourselves, are we also having those qualities to be someone's "God's best"?


For example - we want a person who consistently walks with the Lord. I would want that too. But we should ask ourselves, are we also consistent with our walk with God? If not, then we should do something about it, right? 


Preparation will never be in vain.  But let not our motive be of doing it just because we are waiting for someone.  Let God be the author of it.  And you? Be a woman after God's own heart, and no one else's. 

“A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ, that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.” - Maya Angelou

Duty or Delight? - Week 2

Week 2 was a less painful week. God has slowly been changing my mind and heart on how I see things. It was a sweet week! I got refreshed with God's Word and He gave me a 'kilig' feeling for the past days. I remembered the words of my friend and I re-phrase it - God just knows how to make you 'kilig' especially at your brokenness. :)


I was made to reflect this week on the Body and Blood of Jesus. As the author Tammie Head says, "Eat more Bread, Drink more Blood".  


Are you familiar with the story of the Israelites and on how they were freed by God from Egypt? Do you know what one of their problems was? Dissatisfaction. God promised them a land that would be full of riches but they couldn't wait. In the middle of their journey, they kept on complaining. Can you relate to them? I can. At some point, we all want to be free from something that we've been struggling but we are not willing to go through the process of pain. We want to be satisfied instantly. Who doesn't?


I've been reminded this week of Jesus being the Bread of Life (John 6:35). I understood why Tammie said eat more Bread. Because only Jesus can give us the bread that will never make us hungry. It is only in Jesus that we will be satisfied no matter what circumstance we are in. 


And what's another good news? That no matter what, God accepts us because we've been covered by the Blood of Jesus. I'm guilty of feeling 'guilty' when I feel that what I do for God is never enough. I realized that I was trying to do a performance in front of God which He really doesn't need. What God wants is a heart that delights in Him. It doesn't matter what is our position when we pray, either we sit or stand or kneel. It doesn't matter how we worship Him, either we lift our hands or we just close our eyes. Our heart is what matters to Him. It  doesn't matter if our past if so messed up. If we accept Jesus in our life, His Blood has covered those already. And when the Father looks at us, He accepts us through Jesus. Isn't God amazing? :)


I learned two things: 
Guilt leads to Performance
Conviction leads to Repentance


Which one is yours?


I pray that I will fully enjoy the rights and blessings of redemption that God has offered to us through Jesus Christ. And I pray, that it will be your prayer too.


As I ended week 2, I celebrated the Body and Blood of Jesus through a personal communion. It was actually my first time to do this. I should be doing more of this. You should too. :)

"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." -- Ephesians 1: 7-8

Duty or Delight? - Day 3 and 4

You might be wondering what's with the picture.  Most of you might not know that I have huge burn mark on my right leg. If you'll see in the picture, those darker brown areas are the marks. I had them when I was 2 or 3 years old I think (I can confirm that with Mama). Yes, I got burned at a very young age. It's somehow the reason why I seldom wear shorts or skirts or dresses. I just don't want to show my mark.  A short story about it? It was because of a very hot water. Our helper asked my sister Amity to transfer the water to the thermos while she's watching me. Well, she sat me on the table just beside the thermos. So when Amity was pouring the water, it spilled and the water went down to my right leg. The rest is history.       

            

Day 2 and 3 of my journey on Duty or Delight was about shame and fear.    My sins made me hide sometimes from God because I got ashamed of what I did. At the same time, I also fear for the outcome of my sins. I realized these reactions are nothing new. Adam and Eve hid behind the trees to cover up their nakedness. They got ashamed. But, God didn't want them to hide forever that's why He made them garment. I was once again reminded of what Jesus did for me in the cross. He became the covering of my sins so that when God looks at me, He will see the Lord Jesus. He will not see my brokenness and messy life. The enemy will always make us feel ashamed and fearful that's why it's very important that we will always look up unto our Savior.

Do you know what is amazing about God? And will forever amaze me? That He has chosen us despite the person that we were becoming. That's why there is no reason for us to feel obligated , to feel insecure, to feel ashamed and to be fearful.  Because no matter what, He has already chosen us.  That will not change anymore. 

I was deeply moved by God tonight that I just jumped off from my bed and made Him a card. I want to share what I wrote to Him. 

The reason why I showed my burn mark is because I don`t want to hide it anymore. I`m not ashamed of it anymore. It`s a reminder of how I had fought that pain and endured it. Starting today, I`m not allowing my failures, my shortcomings, my pains and brokenness in the past hinder me in coming to God.  I was handpicked by God already before anything else. I just want to move forward with a heart that is not in a duty for God, but a heart that delights in Him.

I encourage you to delight in the Lord too.

1 Peter 2:9

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.