Life

New Year is coming. A new chapter of our lives will start. I am pretty excited about it. My husband and I have many plans for this upcoming New Year. We want to plan ahead before it comes. Of course, there will be some revisions as time goes by; it might depend on the circumstances. We would like God to bless our plans and us. I don’t necessarily believe in horoscope; that life depends on the stars or whatsoever. But I do believe that our life depends on our actions. Life is the consequence of the actions we take today. That’s how it is. With these actions, we must include God. Proverbs 3: 5-6Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Resiklo (Recycle) movie

I was looking at the Manila film festival in the net and I came across with the list of the movies showing in the theaters in the Philippines for this holiday season. The movie that struck me most is Resiklo. They said it is “the most expensive movie of the year in the Philippines ever”. Resiklo means recycle. The story was about an alien invasion happens in 2021. The whole world was mostly destroyed. In the Philippines, survivors stayed in the place called " Paraiso". An ex-army colonel fights and defends against alien invaders "the Balangs" and the mutants called the "Mutanos". The ex-colonel and other survivors join forces and engineered recycled parts of machines and computers. The human spirit and courage reveal to fight against invaders that devastated the place they called home. This movie is from the same producer of the movie " Agimat and Exodus, from the same director of "Encantadia" and "Atlantika". It is under the IMUS Productions and Ignite Media. It is starring by Bong Revilla, Dingdong Dantes, Paolo Contes, Benjie Paras and Jennilyn Mercado.

I found this movie as an imitation of the movie "transformers" because of the presence of computer generated robots and is also trying to make it like star wars fighting against evil forces. I would say that the effects are definitely the best in the history of the Philippine movie industry. However, the 2021 setting is not futuristic enough. It wasn’t a very good concept. I do think Filipinos could enjoy mostly the visual effects of this entire movie. There are some scenes in the movie that seemed like a game station to me. But at least they are trying. I was having a hard time to give my opinion about this movie but as I watched the trailer over and over again, I started to like it. Even though, there is no originality of the story of this movie, but I can say the effects had really amazed me.

MeRRy ChRisTmaS!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! It is the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Enjoy!!! There are three purposes of Christmas: Christmas is a time for celebration because God loves us, He is with us and He is saving us. Christmas is a time for salvation because He saved us from our sin, for a purpose, by His grace. And lastly, Christmas is a time for reconciliation. What kind of peace does Jesus give us? peace with God (spiritual), peace of God (emotional) and peace with each other (relational). May everyone enjoy the spirit of Christmas!!! Hallelujah!

Zodiac Signs

This Horoscope was from Joy. She tagged me this. I just knew her a few days ago while I was browsing some blogs. My zodiac sign is Cancer, The Protector. Well, I would say that I could be shy at times and hide inside my shell. But I can be brave when it is necessary. I have a soft heart for the needy. Well, horoscope is somewhat fun to me. It coincides sometimes to our daily lives. But let's us not really rely on this, instead, we must trust God. We must enjoy and utilize what we can do today. Thanks for this tag, Joy. Hope to get to know you more.

CANCER - The Protector
Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.

Virgo- The Perfectionist
Dominant in relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Harsh. Practical and very fussy. Often shy. Pessimistic.


SCORPIO- The Intense One
Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive. Hardworking. Great kisser. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long relationships. Talkative. Romantic. Can be self-centered at times. Passionate and Emotional.

LIBRA- The Harmonizer
Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind. Have own unique appeal. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful. Flirtatious. Give in too easily. Procrastinators. Very gullible.

ARIES– The Daredevil
Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous. Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse. (easily angered.) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic.

AQUARIUS- The Sweetheart
Optimistic and honest. Sweet personality. Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional. Can be a bit rebellious. Very stubborn, but original and unique. Attractive on the inside and out. Eccentric personality.

GEMINI- The Chatterbox
Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty. Lively, energetic. Adaptable but needs to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Likes change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or inconsistent, But is only changeable. Beautiful physically and mentally.

LEO - The Boss
Very organized. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like boundaries. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy. Full of themselves. Loving. D oing the right thing is important to Leos. Attractive.

CANCER - The Protector
Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic.

PISCES - The Dreamer
Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind. Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful.

CAPRICORN - The Go-Getter
Patient and wise. Practical and rigid. Ambitious. Tends to be good-looking. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimists. Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be unfriendl y at times. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they want.
TAURUS - The Enduring One
Charming but aggressive. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers. Warm-hearted. Strong, has endurance. Solid beings who are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind. Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally. Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very generous.

SAGITTARIUS - The Happy-Go-Lucky One
Good-natured optimist. Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome). Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and outgoing. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient. Fun to be around. Having lots of friends. Flirtatious. Doesn't like rules. Sometimes hypocritical. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted. Beautiful inside and out.

I tagged Belle, Yami and

cho-cho train

Tag from Belle. Thanks so much!

The Rule: When you get tagged, you have to add your name below the person who tagged you and by doing so you are letting the list grow.

Limadang.com
RamblingMoo.com
blogginginmypyjamas
Chinneeq
Dora-zooropazoo
Babyshern
HiPnCooLMoMMa
Rachel’s Soulful Thoughts
When Silence Speaks
Dancing in Midlife Tune
Underneath it All
I am Dzoi
Hobbies and Such
moms.....check nyo
Choc Mint Girl
Amel's Realm
My Thoughts
Rusin Roundup
Juliana's Site
Max
Rooms of My Heart
Mariuca
A Great Pleasure
MondayMorningPower
LadyJava's Lounge
Colin aka Cotojo
NafaSG
Hanna
My Life My World
Mommy's Gibble Gabbles
Author's Sweet Life
A Window To Our World
Jenny's Wandering Thoughts
Juliana of Pinay Wahm
Teacher Corner
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Journey To Life's Destiny
The Concept

Passing this to Yami and Joy!!

2 days to Christmas day

It is 2 days to Christmas day. I am having a countdown to Christmas day, although, I am going to work on that day. It’s okay. There are some things that we can’t really control especially, our jobs because we need it. Haha. Today is Saturday. I have many things to do in my list. The house is pretty messy. Oh well, this is the life of a busy person. Despite my hectic and busy life, I can still manage to visit my Blog site. Apparently, I am really into this thing. Ok, I have to hurry now. My chores are waiting for me. I wish I owned a robot to do my chores here at home. Haha

Blog Treasure Award

I would like to give my appreciation to my friend Belle for this treasure award. I wish it was real! It would be very nice then I would bury and hide it on the ground. Or maybe (hmmm tsk! tsk!) sell it! haha Just teasing! Anyways, thanks again for this award. My blog is the treasure of my knowledge!

Christmas stockings

Have you been wondering how and when Christmas stockings and gifts started? Well, here is the story behind this Christmas tradition. In 17 centuries ago in Turkey, a bishop of Myra named Nicholas was known for love of children and benevolence. On every Christmas Eve, he used to secretly and surprisingly give gifts to the children in the town. On Christmas Eve, while he passed by a house, he heard a father and three daughters mourning about their poverty. They used to live abundantly but when their mother died of illness and after losing their money in useless and bad inventions. They moved into a peasant’s cottage, they were discussing on how they were not able to be married because they can’t afford nor provide a dowry which was the traditional thing to do at that time. Knowing the grief and despair, St. Nicholas felt pity on them. He looked in the window and observed that they were sleeping. He threw three small bags of gold in the chimney and landed in the stockings that had been hung over the fireplace to dry. St. Nicholas was caught in the act by their father which whom he begged to keep his secret. Guess what? Their father could not help to keep his mouth from telling the incident. The entire village learned from it days later. The three daughters were able to get married and lived happily. After that, hanging of stockings became a tradition on Christmas Eve. That’s how Christmas stockings started.

comfort food

My friend belle tagged me this. This dessert or snack food is called " Palitaw" made with rice flour, freshly grated coconut and served with mixture of white refined sugar and sesame seeds. I love this snack food. It is one of my favorites. But this can only be found in the Philippines. Thanks for the tag Belle. But you gave me a nostalgic feeling. haha :-)

Jalapeños

I had Jalapeños yesterday. I like the burning sensation and spice of it. I had jalapeños in a can, pickled in vinegar with carrots and onions. It was so appetizing to me.Jalapeños (Capsicum annum) are a good source of vitamin C, folate and vitamin A. It can boost our immune system. They are popular chili peppers that have a good amount of heat and rich flavor. They are commonly used in Mexican cooking which add a great deal of flavor. However, most people considered jalapeño as being very hot, but it actually varies from mild to hot depending on how and where it was grown and how it was prepared. The heat is more concentrated in the seeds and the veins. I usually don’t eat the veins. If you want to have a milder taste, remove those parts. You can find jalapeños in a can, pickled and sliced. The sliced jalapeños can be milder than fresh ones. But the whole pickled jalapeños are always hot and it is appetizing most especially with carrots.

Christian ways to reduce stress

Yesterday, I received an email from my dear friend, Priscilla. She included a forwarded message in her email. I don't care much for any forwarded emails. But this one is very good. It is all about ways to reduce stress. We know that stress is part of our lives but we can do some things to reduce and minimize it. Stress affects your body. Especially, this Christmas season, people are stressing out to buy gifts or to get involved in a party and gathering. Whenever you come up with against something that excites, upsets you, frustrates you, scares you, your brain sends stress hormones to you body. They can make your heart beat faster. It can be bad to your body. Here is some ways to reduce stress that I was talking about. While reading it, I realized I did many things that caused me stress. I hope you enjoy reading it.

CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."
1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day not rushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and don't clutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before.
GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Misa de Gallo

It is 6 sleeps to Christmas day. Are you excited for that event? I am sure some are not and some are so excited. Christmas is about family gathering to celebrate the birth of our savior. It is so nice to spend time and share your blessings with family on that day. I remember when I still in the Philippines I get so excited about this moment. I still get excited here in the U.S. But there is a huge difference. In the Philippines, every December, there is what we called "Misa de Gallo" which means " dawn mass". At the stroke of 4 in the cold early morning, the bells in the church awake the Filipino residents. It is a reminder that the mass is about to begin too soon. Traditionally, misa de gallo is a nine-day novena mass. It is great and full of a joyful atmosphere at the church. Outside the church, there are many vendors selling rice cakes, "bodbod", "puto", "bibingka" etc., and the sweet and appetizing aroma of these food fascinates people. I remember I would buy "puto" with matching "sikwate" (a native hot chocolate). I could still remember the exact taste of it. It is funny to remember inside the church, some people are still sleepy and are unwashed. But they go and hear the misa de gallo to commemorate and join in the preparation of the celebration of birth of Jesus which is the most significant of the mass. It manifests faith.

Bossa Nova

Right now, I am enjoying the swaying stream of a Bossa Nova music. It is a Brazilian type of music. I like Brazilian music despite I can't understand nor speak Portuguese. I just don't care about the lyrics when it comes to boss nova music, I really love the beat and the harmony. There are many boss nova songs translated in English so that works out with me (haha). The bossa nova style of music was popularized by the famous musicians Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim in 1950’s. Some of you may have heard about them. The first time I heard the song called " The from Ipanema" by Astrud Gilberto. I thought it was an Italian song. At that time, I just couldn't identify what it was. I didn't know any Portuguese and boss nova back then.

The bossa nova music derives from samba beat and is highly influenced by jazz. It is more commonly played on guitar and piano and sometimes with accompaniments of orchestra. And its rhythm always sways. The most popular boss nova was "The of Ipanema" which was sung by Astrud Gilberto and performed by the famous Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was also sung by Peggy Lee, which the title was changed to "The boy from Ipanema". I also like the song "Desafinado" which means "slightly out of tune" by Antonio Carlos Jobim and also popularized by Frank Sinatra in his own English version.

Indeed Bossa nova speaks with love and a bohemian life. Until now, it is still popular around the world. Here is one of the bossa nova music that I love. It is called "So nice" by Bebel Gilberto.

A friendly award

I would like to thank Belle for this very cute award. I really liked the picture. I love puppies but I don't want to be around them all the time. I am afraid of fleas. But I know this cute little puppy doesn't have any fleas. haha. Just teasing!

Passing this to Yami

Mt. Hood

It's getting colder every day. I see snow in the television, newspaper, internet and in any forms of media. I even heard it from my friends from other states. They said that I am lucky here in California because we don't have snow. Actually, I want to experience the snow. It's like what you don't have, you desire for it. haha This time of cold season reminds me of when I went to Oregon to visit my hubby's folks last year, even though it was during Spring time. It was my first time to witness snow ice. We went to Mt. Hood. I was so excited and didn't think that it would be so cold (duh). It was full of fun. We played there and took some pictures. By the way, Mt. Hood is a volcano located in Northern Oregon. It is the tallest mountain in Oregon rising 11,237 feet. It is a famous place for hikers, skiers, and climbers. The volcano is considered dormant. Some pictures of my fun experience at Mt. Hood:

Christmas tree

It is 16 days until Christmas. Oh boy, time runs fast. I always get excited about this event as the song goes, "It's the most wonderful time of the year, with the kids jingle belling and everyone's telling you be of good cheer. It's the most wonderful time of the year". Isn't it the most wonderful time of the year? It commemorates the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.

It's time to have Christmas tree at home. It would seem right to some people to put a lot of fancy decorations on their tree. Why do we have a Christmas tree? When did it start? I was really curious how this Christmas tree started. Of course, it’s a tree (duh). But how did it start? Christmas trees are believed to have originated in Germany. Legend has it back in the 7th century a monk used a Fir tree to describe the holy trinity of God (God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit) to the German people. And it was in a triangular shape. From then on, people started to idolize and venerate the Fir tree as God tree. Eventually, the tree became symbol of Christianity. And on 1535 Martin Luther made a small Christmas tree lit with candles. He symbolized the candles as Jesus came down from the stars to bring us eternal life.

Nowadays, some people have Christmas trees in their homes for ornamental purposes while some people have their Christmas trees to simply commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus. Well, whatever the purpose is, I always think Christmas trees are beautiful.

a little about Philippines

Today, I thought of my birthplace Philippines is one of a kind. The Philippine archipelago consists of 7, 107 islands. Geographically, it is located in Southeast of Asia. I remember the Miss Universe ’94 was held in Manila, which is the capital city of the Philippines. Charlene Gonzales, a candidate, was asked how many islands in the Philippines. And she answered with wit, “ high tide or low tide?”. I was amazed at that time when she said that.

Philippines is a tropical place. I love the beaches, mountains, etc. I remember when I used to work in a non-profit organization, I enjoyed exploring in different places with a great variety of sceneries. Philippines is divided into three regions; Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. And there are over 100 dialects. The national language is Tagalog. It is amazing that English is the second language.

Speaking of places, there are many beautiful sceneries in every island of the Philippines in which I would love to see some of them someday.

Blog Buddies Award

Thank you so much, my friend, Belle for the blog buddies award. I am proud of it! I will pass this to my other friend, Yami

DC Talk

I really love this Christian song by DC Talk. It is called, "Just between you and me". I used to hear this song on the radio about several years ago. At that time, I did not know the song portrays a christian message. Click play and tune up your volume. Enjoy!




Sorrow is a lonely feeling
Unsettled is a painful place
I've lived with both for far too long now
Since we've parted ways
I've been wrestling with my conscience
And I found myself to blame
If there's to be any resolution
I've got to peel my pride away

(chorus)
Just between you and me
I've got something' to say
Wanna get it straight
Before the sun goes down
Just between you and me
Confession needs to be made
Recompense is my way to freedom now
Just between you and me
I've got something to say

If confession is the road to healing
Forgiveness is the promised land
I'm reaching out in my conviction
I'm longing to make amends
So, I'm sorry for the words I've spoken
For I've betrayed a friend
We've got a love that's worth preserving
And a bond I will defend

(repeat chorus)

In my pursuit of God, I thirst for holiness
As I approach the Son, I must consider this
Offenses unresolved, they'll keep me from the throne
Before I go to Him my wrong must be atoned

If there's to be any resolution
I've got to peel this pride away

Just between you and me
I've got something' to say
I wanna get it straight
Before the sun goes down
Just between you and me
Confession needs to be made
Recompense is my way to freedom
It's my way to freedom

It's my way to freedom (2x)
I've got something to say, so let me say it today
It's my way to freedom (2x)
I've got something to say, confession needs to be made
It's my way to freedom (2x)
I've got something to say, confession needs to be made
It's my way to freedom (2x)
I've got something to say

december 1st

Today is the first day of December.This year 2007 is about to end. I could hardly believe that time runs fast. I am looking forward to next year. Christmas is in the air. The stores will be packed with people. Traditionally, Christmas is the season of giving and sharing. But for me, you don't have to wait until Christmas to share your blessings with other people or your loved ones.They panic and force themselves to spend a lot of money for this event and then later, they became broke. You can give anytime you want to as long as you have something to give to your loved ones or most especially, those who are needy. And the most important, we remember Christ on this season. It commemorates the birth of our savior Lord Jesus.