God's Hand

Yesterday, our church, the Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF) celebrated its 29^th Anniversary at the newly built CCF Center, Frontera Verde, Ortigas Avenue (Tiendesitas), Pasig City. It was a joyous time as we were reminded of how the church began as a simple Bible Study group handled by our current Senior Pastor Peter Tan-Chi. As the choir sang “To God be the Glory (for the things He has done),” I was moved to tears as I remembered God’s faithfulness through the years. 

All the angels and the heavenly hosts sang with the congregation,
"To God be the glory!"

What also touched me deeply was the message on “God’s Hand in Your Life” based on Ezra 7:9-10. Ezra was a man whom the Lord favored because he set his heart in studying, practicing and teaching God’s Word. God’s hand was indeed upon him.

Having accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior since I was in elementary, I’ve somehow experienced the ups and downs of the Christian life. But the biggest blow on my faith was my mental breakdown which caused me to doubt, question and move away from God. It took years (yes, years) for me to sincerely get back on track with the Lord. But somehow, His promises which were planted in my heart prior to my breakdown gave me hope. I know that at that time, I hurt God by doubting and staying away from Him but He has forgiven me. And as I move forward in my journey, it is my prayer to always experience God’s hand in my life. I wish the same for you, too…

CCF Senior Pastor, Ptr. Peter Tan-Chi sharing God's message
for our 29th Anniversary

Today is another special day because it is “National Heroes Day” and the “Million People March” against the Pork Barrel system here in the Philippines. I really pray that He will continue to expose the corruption that is happening in our country – in all sectors of society. And that by His might and power, remove these corrupt people from their positions so that we will indeed be a nation that glorifies Him. May righteousness prevail! May GOD'S HAND be upon our country!

Let's pray for a righteous nation!
Photo Credit: www.ecadforum.com

Brain Dead

Did you know that there was once a time when I could not read? Literally. After my mental breakdown in 2007, my brain actually deteriorated. A short circuit happened up there probably affecting certain parts of my brain. I could not comprehend simple phrases. And mathematical equations that used to be rather easy seemed to be very very difficult already! L Whenever I try to read my Bible to pray, I have to repeat one verse around A GAZILLION times just to get a gist of its meaning. And believe it or not, at 30 years old, I resorted to coloring books and children’s crossword puzzles just to get my system back. Yeah, that bad!

Here fishy fishy fishy!
Back to the basics with children's coloring books. Hehe.
Photo Credit: www.raisingourkids.com

That is the reason why I’m so thankful that I can write again now. This blogging thing is actually a miracle for me considering the context of what happened. I’ll have to say though that numbers still elude me – still having a hard time with that. Hehe. L

That’s also why I really have NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF. From that experience, I realized that I don’t own anything in this life – not even my knowledge nor health. Anytime and anywhere, anything can happen. But God allows this NOT because He’s a cosmic KJ (killjoy) but because He’s concerned about our CHARACTER. He allows trials in our lives to make us humble and BETTER PEOPLE. J 

Puzzles like this one helped me with letters and words..
Photo Credit: www.emperorkids.com

I share with you this verse from Scripture by St. Paul (2 Corinthians 12:10):

“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I DELIGHT in WEAKNESSES, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I AM STRONG.”

So, if you’re at your lowest and are feeling faint, find your strength in the Lord. He will never leave you nor forsake you. J

I thought that my brain would be forever "dead"
But with Jesus, it's alive and full of colors once again!
Photo Credit: www.greenteadesign.com

Typhoon Maring

O Lord my God, you are very great;

You are clothed with splendor and majesty…

He set the earth on its foundations;

It can never be moved.

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

The waters stood above the mountains.

But at your rebuke the waters fled,

At the sound of your thunder they took to flight;

They flowed over the mountains,

They went down into the valleys,

To the place you assigned for them.

You set a boundary they cannot cross;

Never again will they cover the earth.

Psalm 104:1,5-9

The country submerged in floods...
Photo Credit: www.ph.news.yahoo.com

At this time of calamity in the Philippines, let us hold on to our heavenly Father, God Almighty, the Creator of the Universe who is in control of the winds and the rain. Let us pray fervently that the people will be safe from the flooding.

God LOVES us and is SOVEREIGN over all things.

Stay safe, my friends. God bless you all. 

Photo Credit: www.newsinfo.inquirer.net

Never Again

“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any KINDNESS I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.”

~ a quotation generally credited to Stephen Grellet (1773-1855), but without proven attribution

***

When I was growing up, I used to hear my dad say this quotation. I believe it’s one of his life’s mottos and true enough, he’s one of the most giving and generous people I know. This saying somehow stuck with me through the years and I have come to internalize it many times… Although, honestly, I'm still finding it hard to live it out... 

It’s good to be reminded that LIFE IS FLEETING. And we really have just ONE LIFETIME to make it matter. 

As we start another busy week, may we find the time to offer a hand to someone who needs it badly. A family member, a friend, an officemate or classmate.. A stranger.. Whoever it may be, let's try to grab that opportunity. I’m sure it’s going to be worth the extra effort and time. J

Have a nice rainy day, friends!  

May our hearts be open to uplift another...
Photo Credit:  www.matchingtracksuits.com

Sunshine After the Rain

It’s the rainy month of August and I’m sure you’ll agree that sometimes the weather makes us feel gloomy. In fact, just a few days back, I was quite down and regretful of some mistakes I’ve made in the past – wrong decisions that left psychological and emotional scars in me. And maybe for some, these mistakes have even caused physical scars -- just like what happened to my mom who had to be operated on for gallstone due to wrong eating habits in the past; something that she’s not proud of. [Do read her full story in my blog, “Beautiful Scars.”]

But we don’t have to put up with “ugly” scars to always make us ashamed of the past. After we’ve stumbled (both figuratively and literally), let’s pick ourselves up, learn from the blunder and MOVE ON…

Now, speaking of scars, I am so blessed to have been invited to a bloggers’ event sponsored by the “Move On Club” by Contractubex Gel wherein we were introduced to the wonderful effects of the product especially in helping scarred and somewhat insecure people get on with their lives. J  Contractubex® is an anti-scar gel that helps lighten, flatten and soften scars. It also helps make scars smoother and more pliable. It contains three complementary active ingredients namely:

1.     Extractum cepae (special onion extract, YES ONIONS!) has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal properties and prevents the formation of excessive scar tissue

2.     Heparin softens the tissue structure, has anti-inflammatory, anti-swelling and hydrating properties

3.     Allantoin promotes wound healing, hydrates the skin and has a soothing effect which helps relieve the itching often associated with scar formation

During the event, the different types of scars were explained to us:

1.     Raised or Hypertrophic scar – confined to the area of the original skin injury; forms after the healing of the wound and is caused by overproduction of connective tissue fibers; tends to bulge and protrude above the level of surrounding skin

2.     Keloid – also results from overproduction of connective tissue fibers and tend to bulge above the level of the surrounding skin beyond the original wound edges

A hypertrophic scar on the arm
Photo Credit:  www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertrophic_scars  

A keloid on the foot
Photo Credit:  www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keloid 

So what makes Contractubex® different from other silicone-based scar treatments? Well, its ingredients help reduce inflammation and prevent excessive scar formation. Its water-soluble ointment base allows active ingredients to penetrate into deeper layers of the skin. Just gently message Contractubex® on the scar 3-4 times daily or as prescribed by your doctor and results may be seen after at least 3 months of use. The product works best when applied to fresh scars, when the wound has closed or when the sutures have been removed. 

Don’t lose hope, though, when you don’t see results immediately. The gel works slowly but surely! As long as you follow instructions carefully and apply it consistently, you’ll soon be FREE FROM the marks of the PAST. You need not have a visible scar to remind you of that gloomy period in your life – a scar to make you feel down and regretful especially during the rainy days. SMILE. There's HOPE for you. With Contractubex®, there can be sunshine after the rain! J

  

THE EVENT

The bloggers’ event which was held at Posh Nails (Hand and Foot Spa), Perea Street, Legaspi Village in Makati City started at 4:30PM with the pampering of our hands and feet. Now that’s a TREAT, dontcha think???! Hehe. J The staff who worked on my arms and legs actually did a good job at scrubbing, massaging, nail polishing, etc. Thanks heaps!!!

Welcome to Posh Nails, everyone! 

Ready for a relaxing spa?  

Pink and purple! I super love pink. And look at those fluffy star-shaped pillows! How cute! Hehehe.

Uh oh, I think I'm going to get drowned by these bubbles! Heeeellllpppp!!! 

Here's Ate Sally, a staff of Posh Nails, making a miracle out of my ugly feet. I must say her massage was superb! 

I forgot what this mentholated substance is called... But its cooling and relaxing effect is fantastic! 

As the bloggers enjoyed the relaxing and wonderful indulgence, we had a very informative lecture on scars by Dr. Anisette Cristina Librojo. Our very pretty event host, Ms. Karen Golfo, led us through a Q&A portion afterwards. Then, the gorgeous guests and Contractubex® users shared their success stories with us. The radiant Ms. Maricar Reyes, Contractubex® product endorser and actress, explained how the product helps her deal with cuts she gets from shooting for shows in the most unglamorous locations like grass fields. Ms. Janice Lagman, a nurse and taekwondo national athlete, also relayed how the gel helped remove the surgery marks on her right knee. Lastly, Ms. Belle Gascon, owner of Skye High Fashion online store, told us that she once had a head injury that left a scar on her forehead. She felt self-conscious and insecure and had to cope by wearing bangs to cover the wound. But, thanks to Contractubex®, she was able to recover and gain her confidence back. What inspiring stories, indeed! J

Our gorgeous guests posing after the event...
(L-R) Dr. Librojo, Maricar Reyes, Belle Gascon and Janice Lagman

Smiling with their flawless and scar-free skin!
(L-R) Belle Gascon, Janice Lagman, Maricar Reyes

Next was the announcement of winners of the “My Scar Story Contest” by the charming Ms. Grace Mendoza, Category Manager of OTC from Contractubex®. For the best blogs, the company generously gave out one IPad Mini (Grand Winner) and three External Hard Drives (consolation prizes). What more, there were other goodies given away. Pretty cool, huh? And finally, the night was capped off by sumptuous refreshments. Yumm. J

It was my first bloggers’ event and, MAN, I had loads of FUN!!!  Meeting new blogger friends, the hand and feet pampering, the education, the giveaways (and the consolation prize that I won! yay!) – oh my, that’s a lot for one night.

Thanks very much Contractubex® for giving all the bloggers a grand time. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME. God bless you all and more power to Contractubex® in the years to come!!! J

     Lovely lady bloggers being pampered...

          It was great meeting all of you!

Delectable food to be enjoyed after the nice evening.. Bon appetit!  

Taddah!!! HOT RED NAILS. Heeheehee. Got a bit tired of blue nailpolish.. Trying something new this time... Hehe.

Nice gifts from Contractubex! The box actually contains a pretty bracelet that says, "I've Moved On."

Sweet. 

Contractubex® is available in all leading drugstores nationwide. 

Ladies, mommies, GRAB ONE NOW!

Hard Drive

Do you believe in answered prayers? I DO.  J

It’s been a while that I’ve been canvassing for an external hard drive. You see, Snow, my beloved laptop is already six years old (and so full of files) and although he’s one tough cookie, I’m preparing for the worst – for that unexpected moment when he would just go berserk and bog down. OH DEAR. L Of course, that would be my worst nightmare since I have not backed-up my files EVER in the past six years. Yeah. Tsk tsk tsk. Bad practice, I know.

So, here I am, trying to be a good citizen (or techie-zen?), looking for a hard drive. Honestly, it's currently not in my budget and God knows that. Nevertheless, I have prayed about it and left everything under His care.

A couple of weeks ago, my sister, Ate Mimi, invited me to a blogger’s contest, the “My Scar Story Contest” sponsored by “The Move On Club” of  Contractubex Gel (that very effective scar treatment). We were asked to blog about the story of a person who has a physical scar and how he/she has moved on. Of course, there were prizes in store for the best blogs, namely an IPad Mini for the Grand Winner and for the consolation prizes, well, surprise surprise – EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES! Hmmm. Interesting.. J

I said to myself that I would give it a try. But I was a bit hesitant since it was my first bloggers' event and I was pretty sure there would be better entries and more professional and experienced writers. Anyway, there’s no harm in trying, right? So I decided to write about my mom whose story could be read in my blog entitled, “Beautiful Scars.”

The event finally came – last night, to be exact (the details of which I will blog about soon). I will not spoil the surprise so let me skip over the event details for now. J  Going straight to the announcement of the winners, I really was not that expectant anymore. I looked around the room and my heart sank. Well, “That’s OK,” I thought to myself. Being in such a cool event by itself was my prize. And the fun of blogging about my mom’s scar story was already a source of satisfaction. J Until my name was called! My entry actually won AN EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE!!! OMG!!!! I was soooooooo surprised and happy!!! My smile must have reached my ears that it hurt a bit! Hahaha. 

The prize! My preciousssss... Hehehe. 

Thank you sooo much to the wonderful people of Contractubex, especially Ms. Grace Mendoza (Category Manager for OTC), for giving my article a chance. My deep appreciation to Dr. Anisette Cristina Librojo, our event lecturer. Thanks heaps to the tireless event organizer, Ms. Jay de Jesus, of FUSE (Omnicom Media Group). Thanks to my pretty dear sister, Ate Mimi who encouraged me to join the contest. And, thanks so much to my mom who lent me her story and allowed me to take pictures of her scarred tummy!! Hahaha. I LOVE YOU ALL. Snow and I will appreciate it forever. J

But most especially, thank You, Lord. Indeed, You know our needs and answer our prayers just at the right time. YOU ARE AMAZING. J 

With the lovely Ms. Grace of Contractubex Gel
Thanks so much, Maam! Yay! 

The hardworking Ms. Jay with Ms. Karen
smiling brightly after the event. They made it all happen.

Ate Mimi, my beautiful sister (ahem hehe), with her daughter, Mariah
I owe you big time! Hahaha.

Mom proudly showing her "I've Moved On" bracelet,
a very nice souvenir from Contractubex Gel
It matches the blouse, huh?

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door

will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

Lost My Bearings

All things work for our good

Though sometimes we can’t see

How they could

Struggles that break our hearts in two

Sometimes blind us to the truth

Our Father knows what’s best for us

His ways are not our own

So when your pathway grows dim

And you just can’t see him

Remember you’re never alone

God is too wise to be mistaken

God is too good to be unkind

So when you don’t understand

When you don’t see his plan

When you can’t trace his hand

Trust his heart

He sees the master plan

He holds the future in his hands

So don’t live as those who have no hope

All our hope is found in him

We see the present clearly

He sees the first and the last

And like a tapestry, he’s weaving you and me

To someday be just like him

  

-- “Trust His Heart” by Babbie Mason

***

Sometimes, when I lose my bearings and I compare myself to other "normal" people, I feel down and ask God, "WHY?" Why did I have to get sick? Whatever happened to my career? How will I ensure a stable future for myself? What will I do next? Where will I go?  

But this song, "Trust His Heart" reminds me that God is good, loving and is IN CONTROL of my life. I just have to depend on him for He knows what's best for me and my future. 

I hope that you will find comfort in this beautiful song in the same way that I did. Have a great day... 

Life has its many twists and turns..
But with God, you're always in the right direction.
Photo Credit:  www.theconnectedcause.com   

Beautiful Scars

In 2004, after my mom’s retirement, she began feeling pain in her abdomen. At first, she thought it was just gas pain so she drank hot water and tea to relieve the tummy ache. Suddenly, the pain became more intense and it attacked every night. L She was brought to the Emergency Ward and underwent ultrasound, X-ray and other examinations. Guess what that doctors found out? Mom had a problem with her gallbladder. They initially thought that the organ was just inflamed but further analysis made them conclude that there was actually gallbladder stone.

“I had no hesitation to undergo surgery because the pain was unbearable already. Kung ano yung sabihin ng mga doctor na gawin ay OK na sa akin,” mom says. And so the operation pushed through and to the doctors’ and nurses’ shock and amazement, mom’s gallbladder stone turned out to be almost as big as a chicken’s egg!!!! Hahaha. Can you imagine that?? They said mom’s stone broke the record in the hospital for being the BIGGEST STONE ever removed from a patient (during that year, of course)! Wow.

Mom's Black Diamond is as big as a chicken's egg!! Whoa!!

The operation left an almost six-inch scar on my mom’s tummy. It was something physically “ugly” but mom said she had to accept it. Having that scar was the only way to remove the gallstone which was perilous to her health. Mom says, “Why do you deal with your scar throughout your life? You have to accept it. It’s a part of life.”  Mom believes that there are more beautiful things in life that we can celebrate. Sickness, ailments, diseases are part of life’s imperfection that make us stronger people.

Indeed, the scar made mom stronger through the eight months the fresh wound healed.

“During cold periods, kumikirot,” mom recalls.

The "ugly" scar on mom's tummy.. 

Part of MOVING ON are the learnings gleaned by mom from the experience. LEARNINGS make life richer and worth living. “Bawal na talaga ang sobrang alat at taba. Healthy food na lang talaga ang dapat kainin.” She regrets having eaten lots of oily, salty and meaty food during her childhood. When she was younger, my lola would always cook adobo for her baon. ALL KINDS OF ADOBO! Chicken adobo, pork adobo, palaka/frog adobo, adobong kangkong, adobong sitaw, etc! My lola cooked that because it does not easily spoil given that it was just the two of them (mom and lola) living together at that time. Little did they know about the bad effects of eating oily food most of the time. L

But PAST IS PAST and mom has suffered the consequences of such lifestyle. What’s important is that my mom already learned from her mistakes and that she stepped forward as a wiser, stronger and more “beautiful” woman, despite the “ugly” scar.

BUT I WILL NOT END THERE. Mom need not settle for that six-inch incision on her tummy. Thank goodness, there’s Contractubex Gel. Friends say it is a good product. I will recommend it to mom. J  And if you also have a physical scar, why don’t you try it out as well! True enough, there is HOPE for "ugly" scars to be beautiful. J

My strong and lovely mom.. Boldly moving on... 

Photo Credit: www.contractubex.com

So Heavy

SHUCKS. I’M OVERWEIGHT. Waaaaaahhhh!!! L 

Oh men.. I'm getting heavy. Ahuhuhu.

I’ve been feeling soooo heavy lately. L I haven’t been exercising for a month now, ever since mom got sick. Even though I have this exercise equipment at home, I always fail to sweat it out. And what I’ve been anxious about has been confirmed by the body measurements that I took today. I’m overweight by 4 pounds and my Body Mass Index (BMI) has gone overboard, too. Boohoohoo!!!

It was time to face the truth.. Here are my body measurements. Eeep!

I guess this is mainly because I’ve been so busy blogging that I have not been able to balance my time. GOSH. The workaholic in me. And, of course, I’ve been eating lots of rice lately.

That’s my problem. (How about you? Have you experienced this?)

The consequence of this, of course, is that my back (especially the lower back) hurts a lot from too much sitting down. (Imagine stabbing pain!) My legs get painful too whenever I stand up after hours and hours of working with Snow, my laptop… In effect, my body is getting heavier and heavier as the days go by.

I feel really bad for my lack of DISCIPLINE. I know in my heart that I am not being a good steward of my body. Scripture says that I have to honor God with my body. And I know that I am hurting the Lord because of my actions. L 

Sigh. Struggling with self discipline.

I NEED to make changes in my schedule including lifestyle changes. PLEASE, pretty please pray for me, friends!! I hope to be fit and healthy soon so that I can serve my purpose in life for many more years to come. Gosh! And I want to blog more, too! Thanks for your prayers in advance...  

I want to enjoy my life with a healthy body...

“You are not your own… Therefore, honor God with your body.” 

1 Corinthians 6:19b, 20b

Friends

When you’re down and troubled

And you need a helping hand

And nothing, oh, nothing is going right

Close your eyes and think of me

And soon I will be there

To brighten up even your darkest nights

You just call out my name

And you know wherever I am

I’ll come running to see you again

Winter, spring, summer or fall

All you have to do is call

And I’ll be there, yeah..

You’ve got a friend

If the sky above you

Should turn dark and full of clouds

And that old north wind should begin to blow

Keep your head together

And call my name out loud

Soon I will be knocking upon your door

--- “You’ve Got a Friend” by James Taylor

Our friends' hands help bring healing to our soul...
Photo Credit:  www.santabanta.com 

Thank you, Lord, for the many FRIENDS that you gave me from the past to the present... Thank you for my family. But most of all, thank you that YOU are the best friend I could ever have in this whole wide world!!! J

The Syringe and Needle

I’ve had a moderate number of encounters with injections and needles. The worst was when I was hospitalized around 2001. Lots of blood was taken from me for testing. It took some time before the doctors determined my sickness which turned out to be protein-C deficiency. I left the hospital 10 pounds lighter with marks of needles on my arms. L

Cute and colorful syringes! Which one do you like? Hehe.
Photo Credit: http://www.free-hdwallpapers.com    

 It had been a long while since I came face-to-face with the needle again. Not until this January 2013 when I had a psychotic episode (the gist of it is in the blog entitled “ Jobless Again”). The story that I created in my mind was that the Evil One was looking for me and I was an angel sent by God to give the world a message. I had superpowers – mental telepathy – and I can communicate with other “special beings” through the eyes.  I was hiding from the Evil One who was out to kill me. When I was at home with my parents, I even thought that the he used them to destroy me. I was manic, sleepless and paranoid.

When I couldn’t and wouldn’t sleep, my mom brought me to the hospital to see my psychiatrist. In my mind, the Psychiatric Ward was the Evil One’s lair and guess who was that villain? None other than my psychiatrist! Haha.

So, there I was outside the Ward, waiting for Doc – my enemy. I was playing Christian rock music in my headphones (if I remember it right, it was “Take It All” by Hillsong United). I was singing out loud to drown the seeming “darkness” in that place. I waited and waited with my mom until finally, we were ushered inside the Ward. Doc had arrived.

I was wearing shades to protect my eyes which was supposedly the key to my soul. We sat down with Doc, I removed my shades and I looked straight into the eyes of my psychiatrist – my “enemy.” I was still singing because I was afraid. Somehow, the lyrics of the song calmed me:

“Jesus, we’re living for Your Name, we’ll never be ashamed of You.

Our praise and all we are today, take, take, take it all! Take, take, take it all!”

Doc and Mom talked for a while and later on, a nurse came in the room with a syringe. I did not resist receiving whatever was in that injection. All I knew was the God was in control. After around a minute, I became groggy – the medicine had taken effect.

OUCH!! That was painful. Huhuhu.

I later on discovered that I was given an intramuscular injection of Serenace (Generic name is Haloperidol). Haloperidol is an older antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia, acute psychotic states and delirium. It is sold under the tradenames Aloperidin, Bioperidolo, Brotopon, Dozic, Duraperidol (Germany), Einalon S, Eukystol, Haldol (common tradename in the US and UK), Halosten, Keselan, Linton, Peluces, Sigaperidol and Serenace.

The delusion created in my mind did not disappear immediately though. I was put back on Aspidon 2mg daily (Generic name is Risperidone), the antipsychotic drug that I had been taking whenever I’m being treated for psychosis. It took days and months for my brain to recover.

Now, thank God, the delusions are gone. My brain had stopped thinking that my psychiatrist was the “enemy.” Months ago, my Risperidone was initially brought down to 2mg every other night and then NOW, FINALLY I’m weaned off the drug. Yay!! J  It was a long process but I just needed to be patient and to go through the process of recovery and healing. And hopefully, I will NEVER EVER have another injection encounter in the Psychiatric Ward again. NO MORE, PUH-LEEEAASSEEE!!! J

No more injections, puh-leaaaassseee!!! 

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haloperidol

I’D LOVE  TO HEAR FROM YOU:  What's your most memorable experience with syringes and needles? J