Kids Say...Mentos!

Kel (6 y.o.) called me up at work and was making a small request.
"Mommy, can you bring home spaghetti for pasalubong (take-home treat)?" an excited small voice rang from the other end of the phone.
"Ok," I casually replied.
"And mentos!" she quickly added.
Now I would not want to oblige to every request so I wanted her to just choose one "pasalubong".
"No, Kel," I firmly said, "...one only."
"Ok!" she quickly replied. "Please also buy one mento!"

Ahhh...hmmm...

"May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children." Psalm 115:14

crazy mom @ funny farm: Remembering Sangko Ben

http://madmader.blogspot.com/2011/09/remembering-sangko-ben.html?spref=bl: Today, September 12, is my Dad's birthday and as a tribute to him, I am posting this letter sent by his brother Mon of Fremont, CA. Thanks,...

Kids Say...The Point.

On our way to Cavite, the adults in the car were in the middle of a serious conversation. Points of view were running around, and it was becoming a bit stressful. Finally, Ariel said emphatically,"So, what's the point?"

Kel (6 y.o.), in a small confident voice quickly answered, "The point is a dot!"

That's stress buster for you. End of conversation.

"Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul, if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off." Proverbs 16:24

Kids Say...Take Off!

Coming from visiting their Tatay and Nanay in Anabu, the kids were pointing at airplanes passing by Coastal Road. Zel (6 yo) was pointing to an airplane, "Look! There's an airplane landing...". Kel (4 yo), was keen on spotting another one..."There! There's another one!"

Not to be left behind, Ariel quickly pointed to another plane. "Look! That airplane is taking off!"

There was a short pause...the kids may be looking at that plane...

Zel asks, "Taking off what?"

Now, how do we answer that?

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

Kids Say...Ice Plant!

My Ate told me once...write them down! She was talking about stories about my kids. So here goes the first one I remember. Kids say...

We were cruising along the North Bay Area (Manila Pier). Ariel asks me, "Where do we take a right turn?". "By the ice plant", I replied. Immediately, two excited voices were asking by the back seat, "Ice plant? How does an ice plant look like, Mommy?"

"You'll see when we get there," I answered casually.

After a few minutes, we turn by the ice plant. "There's the ice plant," I told Zel (4 years old) and Kel (2 years old).

"Where? Where? Where's the ice plant, Mommy?" Both of them were talking at the same time, excited. And I would point at the big gray building and say " There it is, there it is, can't you see? It's so big..."

"Where? Where?"

Well, apparently, the kids were looking for a "plant", the one with a trunk, branches, leaves...and made of ice.

Children will take our word for what it is...it is our role to define what we mean.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127:3 (KJV)

Analyze My Coffee

Good morning! Usual? I'd say yes. And they call out - Iced Tall Sugar-free Vanilla Non-fat Caramel Macchiato!

It has to be iced. I need something to refresh me, and something cold is it. Tall size is just the right amount. Not overwhelming, but satisfying enough.

I like vanilla - from flavors to scents. Sugar-free is just a whim. And yes, I'd always go for non-fat milk, all the calcium sans the fat.

The caramel just adds excitement to the macchiato - milk "marked" by the espresso.

Aside from all these, it's so great to have people from your coffee shop recognize you, not just by your name, but also by your favorite coffee. Feels like one of those familiar places where you can just be yourself.

No wonder, taking time to sip my coffee and just relax on the couch is such a stress-relieving exercise. It gives me time to sit back, take stock of what has transpired so far of my day, say a short prayer and carry on with renewed vigor.

Let's go for a coffee-break!

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

PAIN

Pain. I thought labor pains were the worst. When you've gone through it, any other pain would not compare.

Until I got struck with a combination of physical, spiritual, emotional and intellectual pain - all messily bundled into one gigantic roller coaster of events.

My back hurt. It started with the lower back, that radiated to the whole back, shoulders, thighs, knees, legs...until the whole body ached, every movement was a struggle.

They said it was stress. Yes, the peak of our work was the worst this year. Intellectual pain was bearable, but when combined with emotional pain, the hurt multiplies exponentially. There is wisdom in the saying that you should keep your emotions separate from work. But then, when you invest in people, your most precious resource, it would not make sense to keep your emotions out of it.

Then there's spiritual pain. Now, God tells me..."be devoted to Me, not to the work at hand". Serve the King, not just the Kingdom.

I was struck down. Hard. And all I could do was lie down in bed, nursing fevers. Lay there and pray. God had to keep me on my back, so that I can clearly see Him, clearly listen to Him and just stop and obey Him.

Revelations. People around me stepped up to the plate. I was not indispensable. Everything turned out right. Maybe a bit harder than we would expect, but it turned out right.

It was refreshing to step down, and let others step up.

Today I am taking it easy. Savoring every bit of the memory of my pain. Albeit, the wonderful feeling of pain. Ironic as it may be...my pain brought me gain.


2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

Teaching the Teacher

I am a teacher. I love children. I have been teaching Sunday School pre-schoolers since 1981. That's around 30 years.

And what have I learned as a teacher? My students taught me a lot. They taught me, among others, patience, simplicity and child-like faith.

God taught me a lot. He gave me these children to teach me faith, hope and love. I felt so ill-equipped to teach them and so incapable of loving my students in my own strength. So He showed me that His wisdom is more than enough and His love is more than enough. I have experienced His infinite wisdom and His transforming love through these children.

All these years, I have learned a lot as a teacher. And yes, it is true - if you stop learning today, you stop teaching tomorrow!

I've learned that unless God teaches me, and I learn from Him, I can never be a teacher for Him.

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (Today's NIV)