Missing Pinas

a friend of mine is coming and she asked me "hey, what do you want me to bring to you from manila?" hmmm.... i thought, nah... most of the philippine products and delicacies can already be found here, what with hundreds of thousands of pinoys inhabiting UAE!

plus, the things i enjoy in manila, i have to enjoy in manila... such as...

FOOD TRIP
Jollibee!!! i have long foregone eating fried chicken skin, but when it's jollibee, no rules!

Max's!!! oh, i just love this resto! and now they have more affordable combo meals!

Red Ribbon!!! my fave cake store, and they added other sumptuous meals!

MALL HOPPING
Trinoma!!! it's like SM, glorietta and greenbelt rolled into one

Serendra!!! i love the greens and the cozy ambiance! i like ayala malls!


BARGAIN HUNTING
Ukay Ukay!!! not a visit is complete without a trip to Ukay Ukay with Nanay!

Greenhills and Tutuban!!! well, if we have the time and the energy...

Sta. Lucia Mall, Big-R and Ever !!! i can't believe i found bargain gems in these malls near our place!


GET AWAYS
Tagaytay!!! especially when summer heat is scorching!!!

Sleepovers at friends houses!!! oh, nothing beats this! haha!

Mall cafe's and Restos!!! rendezvous with friends has always been in cafes even if i'm not a coffee-drinker... or stand aloone specialized restos in timog or eastwood, or the fort for some reason...

Fellowships at church!!! oh, i love spending time with my mcbc family, either for church, activities, fellowship, etc.

our humble abode in cainta!!! oh the best get-away place from all the work chaos! i love the breakfast time with nanay, the afternoon play with the kids, and the evening tv time, catching up on dyesebe, maging sino ka man or 24 oras! hahaha!


ohh......... just writing this makes me misssssss pinas soooo much!!!!! even though there's traffic, undending rain, impatient drivers, humidity, high cost of gasoline, etc. well, you can't have it all!!! ;)

Forgive and Forget, yes.... but Help???

last week we've finished our exhaustive bible study on the life of joseph in CnC (college n careers) which we started wayback in february 2008. there were a hundred and one lessons which we can digest on, but one thing that really struck me is the lesson of forgiving, forgetting, AND helping and loving back. reading his story is like a very nice story to be told and to listen to... but to apply it in real life?... hmm, really takes much grace from God!

for many, forgiving is hard enough... and then add forgetting.......... and now, even help this very person who hurt you, who betrayed you, who caused so much pain to you?

there are only a few people who can hurt me so deeply, that is, my family and so-called close friends. because my principle is, i choose the people who will affect me, and if you do, it means i consider you close to me.

so the past years in my stay in dubai, i have been hurt so badly maybe just a handful of times. others are mere egotistical offenses, which, fortunately, i forget so easily.

he is one of those who has really let me down. i've forgiven him (even if he has not asked for it) and even forgot the offenses... but now, he is there knocking on my door for help, desperate and seeking...

should i shrug him off? should i lick old wounds? should i help him?

remembring again EB's words at CnC, "let us always think how Christ would act if He was in our shoes at this particular moment." i think i know what i have to do........

Alive.. Dying.. Dead

Love is alive when it is patient, it is dying when it is hurried, and it is dead when it cannot wait.

Love is alive when it cares, is dying when it forgets, and is dead when it ignores.

Love is alive when it is secure, dying when it starts doubting, and is dead when it stops trusting.

Love is alive when it is giving, is dying when it is exchanging, and is dead when it is taking.

Love is alive when it acts its way into feeling, is dying when it feels and doesn't act or acts and doesn't feel, and is dead when it no longer feels or acts.

-Anonymous Author

When It Rains It Pours

truly, when it rains, it pours...so many of my prayers have been answered. i'm so thankful for i do not deserve any of these... i just pray that all these blessings be used for His glory! sometimes, we only ask for a day, and He gives us months. and at times, we only ask for one thing, and He gives us more. not because we are good, but because our Father is good and He knows what we need and when we need them...

and truly, God moves the heart of the leaders as well. months (or even years) ago, we've been pushing for a number of people programs to our top management. and this day, i saw a silver lining...just a little paper pushing and in a few days, maybe we will see these programs coming to life! ;) sometimes answers can take a while, but when it comes... it's such a sweet gift from above!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17