Thankful for May 29, 2008

the past 26 years of my life.

This is really a late post as my birthday was last May 14, but before this month ends, I wanted to write about how grateful I am for the 26 years that I’ve been alive.

This birthday was different fo rme, because for one, I asked my parents not to treat me out. But instead to buy me some speakers for my laptop…hahaha I know, I’m weird.

Instead I went out with Yash after work, we ate Greenhills and he bought me the gift I really wanted…an EDGE for my Nintendo DS!!!! Yay!!! I’ve been wanting one ever since I bought my DS months ago, and he gave it to me! Not only that, but also this Kitchie Nadal CD that I’ve been wanting to buy. But my favorite gift that I received was this card he gave me, what I loved was he wrote this poem for me, it’s the first time he ever wrote something for me so I really treasure that more than anything.

And when we went to the service that night, my dad prayed for me in front of the whole congregation, it’s usually the pastor who does this but this time he was the one who prayed for me. Do you know how good it fels listening to your father bless you and dedicate your life to God?

So for me this has been the best birthday ever. I got to spend time with my family, and got the gifts I wanted, but more than that I felt God speaking to me, that this year will be different, and I’m looking forward to it.

Oh, and here are my gifts! My Yaby is such a sweetie don’t you think?!

 

Happy Anniversary to Wifely Steps! May 29, 2008

I have been reading Toni’s blog, Wifely Steps for about two years now. I’ve always enjoyed the easy, natural way she writes, I always feel like I’m talking to her instead of just reading her posts on the Internet. It helps that she writes about things that interest me, from books, food and Twilight!

This May, she’s celebrating not only her wedding annivesary but her blog’s anniversary as well. She’s giving away journals to 5 bloggers, and me, not wanting to miss out on this (because I love journals!), will write about two of my favorite posts.

They’re actually related, well to me anyway. I loved her Ode to Dead Poets Society . One, because it’s one of my favorite movies ever. Being an English teacher, I try to find ways to make students appreciate literature more. I showed this movie to my students and I believe they did appreciate it. Reading Toni’s entry, I became reminded of this movie I so love. And yes, at the end of the movie I was looking for a table to stand up on as well. I’ve never had a teacher like Mr. Keating, no one to actually challenge me to “seize the day”. But my hope is that I’ll be like him, that I can encourage timid students to stand up and find their voice, and to unleash whatever is hinding in side of them.

The other post is related because again, it has something to do with Literature, she wrote about her sister doing this activity with her students for the poem Invictus. This poem, which literally means “Unconquered”, is my favorite poem of all time. It reminds me that no matter what circumstances happen in life, I don’t have to bow down to the weight of problems that keep putting me down. And I loved Toni’s sister’s technique to make the poem more real for them. I wish that I could come up with those kinds of learning experiences for my students as well.

So there it is, I could actually write more, because there really are so many of her entries that have become favorites of mine over the years. But I wrote about these because I feel more connected to them somehow.

 To Toni, Happy 5th Anniversary and looking forward to reading more from you in the years to come!God bless you!

I was going to write about David Cook winning but May 22, 2008

…I just saw this on the news and thought writing about American Idol would be so shallow. I saw Steven Curtis Chapman when he had a concert here and his daughter actually greeted the crowd. It’s so tragic, my heart goes out to them, and to the brother who was driving the car, he would be carrying that burden for a while.

   This is one time I want ask God why, because it tears me up when it’s kids who die, they have so much to give to the world. I was listening to his song “Cinderella” and just started crying because the lyrics of the song talked of how time flies by so fast then one day she’ll be gone. I know he wasn’t thinking of this kind of goodbye when he wrote the song. But God had other plans, I hope they’ll get through this as a family.

Daughter of Christian music star killed by car

By JOE EDWARDS – 3 hours ago

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The 5-year-old daughter of Grammy-winning Christian music star Steven Curtis Chapman was struck and killed Wednesday by a sport utility vehicle driven by her brother, authorities said.

The girl, Maria Sue, was hit in the driveway of the family’s home Wednesday afternoon by a Toyota Land Cruiser driven by her teenage brother, said Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The brother, whose name and exact age weren’t available, apparently did not see the girl, McPherson said. No charges are expected.

“It looks like a tragic accident,” she said.

Several family members witnessed the accident, which happened in Williamson County just south of Nashville. The girl died later at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, hospital spokeswoman Laurie Holloway said.

In a statement, Velvet Kelm, a publicist for Chapman, said Maria was the Chapmans’ youngest daughter.

Chapman, who is originally from Paducah, Ky., and his wife have promoted international adoption and have three daughters from China, including Maria. They also have three biological children.

The singer’s Web site says the couple was persuaded by their oldest daughter to adopt a girl from China. The experience led the family to adopt two more children and create Shaohannah’s Hope, a foundation and ministry to financially assist thousands of couples in adoption.

The Chapmans did missionary work at Chinese orphanages in 2006 and 2007, according to the Web site.

“After our first trip to China, my wife and I knew our lives were changing — our eyes and hearts were opening to how big God really is, and we have wanted to experience more of that,” Chapman says on the Web site.

“We’ve really wondered whether or not we should just go to China and stay there. But I don’t think so. I believe God is saying, ‘I want you to go, get your heart broken, your eyes opened, and then take this story back to the church in America and around the world.’”

The 45-year-old singer also has released a book about being a father titled “Cinderella: The Love of Daddy and his Princess.” He has won five Grammy awards and 54 Dove awards from the Gospel Music Association, according to Kelm.

source: Associated Press

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She never sang to me May 12, 2008

My mother never sang to me. I don’t remember lying in her arms and hearing the familiar lullaby that every baby becomes familiar with. Maybe she did,  but not when I was old enough to remember. I keep remembering this commercial on TV where a certain well known Filipino lullaby is sung in different dialects and I wonder if my mom ever sang to me.

My mother never read me bedtime stories. It was my dad who would read me and my sister bible stories until we fall asleep. I can still hear him in his big voice reciting the lines of David as he fought against Goliath. Then I would fall asleep dreaming about little boys slaying giants.

But I don’t feel deprived of a mother’s love. You see while I think about these things, two scenes come back to me. I was probably 6 or 7 years old, there was my mother, writing my name on an index card. Then she drew three columns on the card, on the first column she wrote the dates for that particular month,  but she left the next two columns she left blank. Then patiently, she taught me how to have my own quiet time. The first column she explained was for my Bible reading, and I should check it when I’m done, and the next column is for my prayer and my praise and worhsip time. I remember being so excited to do it, I got a barbecue stick then taped some crepe paper into it, then I started  jumping on my parents’ bed, singing all the songs I just learned from Sunday School, with my mom and sister on the other side of the room. After that I would read my Bible and pray for my family. I don’t ump on beds anymore nor do I have an index card, but I have learned the value of my quiet time with God because of her.

The other scene I remember is my mom teaching me how to read. Do you remember that yellow ABKD book? It was in Filipino and it teaches you the vowels and consonants and finally how to read? It was my mom who taught me. I remember her voice dictating the words and me reciting them. I spent the next years of my life reading everything that came my way. From the signs on the wall (one of my grandparents’ favorite story to tell was me trying to read the “Merry Christmas” sign on the wall and every other sign I would see) to the Bible stories for kids I asked my parents to buy,then to the books my dad had. I was trying yo read the Exorcist at 10 years old, not knowing it was a book on demon possesion. Thank God my mom saw me holding it and took it or else I would have nigthmares. My love for books and reading is still very much evident until now. I can’t go a day without surfing the ‘Net, looking for the next books I’ll download or buy.

So you see, I don’t mind that my mother never sang to me, or read me stories when I was a kid. She gave me something better. She taught me how to sing to the  One most worthy to sing to, and she helped me discover one of the greatest loves of my life -reading.

For that, I will eternally be grateful.

***For my mom, Happy Mother’s Day!

 

Twilight Movie official trailer May 6, 2008

 

 

December 12 seems so far away…

 

 

 

Because today is May 1 May 1, 2008

…meaning today is the first day of my birth month, plus  it’s Thursday meaning it’s Thurday Thirteen Day, I will list down the 13 things I want to get for my birthday. I don’t know how many of them I’ll actually get but just in case, there are some people there wondering what to get me, ahem ahem, you now have a reference!

 

1. an R-4 for my DS, I’m getting tired of playing the same games over and over again so I really need this!

2. a DSLR. Now I know I probably won’t  get this on my birthday but hopefully within the year I cab convince my dad to buy me one using his credit card then I’ll just pay him monthly.

3. my own laptop. Now this isn’t actually a wish list anymore, since I’ll be buying my mom’s laptop since I’m the one who has been using it the past year anyway. I was supposed to just buy a new one, but he suggested I just buy the one I’m using now. It’s for the same price but the features are better so it’s still a good deal.

4. an external hard drive – to store all my pictures and games in!

5. a cute laptop bag from KYCS! Only 900!

6. a new pair of boots, I’ve overused my old ones because they became my everyday working boots so now I need to buy new ones.

7. new Altec Lansing speakers for my laptop. For some reason my laptop’s speakers aren’t that loud so when I use it in the classroom the students can’t hear the audio.

8. a cooling pad for my laptop, do you notice how a lot of the stuff I want have something to do with my laptop?

9. the new book by Stephenie Meyer – the Host I think?

10. to go to the Hillsong concert (check!!!! I’m going with Yash and Hannah! I hope I’ll see Marty Sampson!)

Now that’s it for the material stuff, for the list that really matters…

11. a nice quiet, intimate lunch with the people I love the most. Since my birthday falls on a Wednesday, there’s a service in the evening so lunch is the only option I have to be with my family and Yash. I’m thinking Cafe Mediterranean for lunch then after buying a book at the new bookstore at Galle, we’ll all go to Starbucks for dessert. =)

12. that this school year I’ll make a bigger impact to my students, and despite the workload I have I’ll still be able to study for my MA, hopefully I can enrol at Ateneo or UST soon.

13. And the last, that in the next  two years I’d have completed my G-12, that God would just use me more in whatever ministry he brings me to.

I have this one other wish I won’t specify it but it’s what I’m praying for the most, that by next this year I’ll finally get to planning and executing this ideas I have.

 

Can’t wait for May 14!