I Believe in Love

When we tried to rework all of this
Each to her rendition
Painted ourselves in a corner
Lost for ideas blindly fishing
For a compliment or kindness
Just to bring us into view
But you could not interpret me and I could not interpret you

I remember that cold morning when the trees were black with birds
I tried to make out some connection
We were at a loss for words
After all that we've been through
I could not see giving up
Despite the picture of our coffee growing colder in the cups

I want to say that underneath it all you are my friend
And the way that I fell for you I'll never fall that way again
I still believe despite our differences that what we have's enough
And I believe in you and I believe in love

So we went rolling on down through the years
Taking time off we could steal
Until the thief of things unreconciled
Stuck it's stick into the wheel
Now we're tumbling in a freefall
No one's gonna go unscathed
But it's not because you held back and its not how I behaved

I want to say that underneath it all you are my friend
And the way that I fell for you I'll never fall that way again
I still believe despite our differences that what we have's enough
I believe in you and I believe in love

There are avenues and supplements and books stacked on the shelf
Labyrinths of recovery in search of our best self
But most of what will happen now is way out of our hands
So just let it go and see where it lands

I want to say that underneath it all you are my friend
And the way that I fell for you I'll never fall that way again
I still believe despite our differences that what we have's enough
I believe in you and I believe in love
I believe in you and I believe in love

Chasing Useless Dreams

Many of us chase fantasies just when we thought they are the biggest dreams of our lives. We all dream of living that grand life which we think can finally let us be the kind of individuals we dream for ourselves. But how do we even know if all the things that we are working hard for are aligned with God’s plans?

On a personal note, I guess it all starts with listening. This blog may have received as much criticism as the praises it has attained but we continue to strive our best to open a free venue of thoughts and reflections that later define who we are. It might also take a shift in which dreams to prioritize that maybe we are skipping on the huge ones that we might think are way too simple like working on goals of honesty, patience, love and wisdom. These may not seem too exciting but these are things that can determine future that is eternal in the long run.

The next time we dream, shall we take the time to ponder first if we have cared to listen to what God’s voice has to say? For us to be able to hear His voice, we must be willing to listen first. And treat it as normal that what we might hear from Him may not always be that comfortable for us. Take time to think of the goals and dreams that will cover the more important aspects of our lives.

We must start learning how to listen to God’s voice first and do our best to obey Him – right at that moment we heard it.

We’re All In This Together

Several years ago, I still remember Dori always wondering why we seldom fight. I personally like the fact that we never often do but once issues come around, you can expect one hot fight to happen.

In every relationship, I believe that conflicts arising once in a while can still be considered healthy. But to have those arguments as often as daily, then this can become one serious matter to handle. Arguments can only still be healthy if you maintain that goal of agreeing on one thing than proving that one of you is right.

There is no way that you can win an argument by only proving that you are the one who is right. You should go back to the root problem that arguments can happen when something has bothered you about the other person, something offensive has been done, or you actually stumble upon a misunderstanding that you both agree was a misunderstanding.

This is one good thing that I applaud me and Dori about: with our every argument, we make it our goal to come up with a solution that will be satisfactory to us both. It takes some shouting sometimes just to release some of that steam, especially someone like me who seldom gets angry, but blows off easy.

The key is to come up with a solution. Come back to the history of it all that you love each other. And that this should not change even when disagreements come. You do not literally fight each other; you fight with each other for the relationship to survive.

Working Under Grace

It irritates me all too much when I see individuals who always come up with excuses why they do not have any means of earning to feed their family or even when they do not get to find the right job to do. My say to this is that sometimes we always just have too many excuses to come up with when our hearts are not truly set into the goals we are trying to achieve.

These past few days I have been taking my time to work less compared to the seasons of my working life when I wake up early and sleep late writing. I appreciate it greatly when I am given the extra time to rest early, watch television, cuddle my dogs, or even update our blog. But this does not mean that I hate working.

I think working hard and on the double turns bad when we exchange it for other aspects of our lives that weigh far greater than the money we can earn like spending time with our loved ones. At the same time though, it can help to remember that God has nothing against human effort since hard work even honors God. Hard work only becomes a cover up that God cannot provide for our everyday needs when we depend all our lives on our work.

Despite all the perseverance all of us may be showing in these times of economic hardships, it is still important that we have enough rest and a lot of spiritual refreshment. But this should not be an excuse to be lazy. To strike the right balance between working and trusting God is what we need to do along with times of resting as well while trusting Him still.

The Big M

Love is grand. Divorce is worth a hundred grand.

So stay in love, no matter what, if you do not want to double your expenses in the long run.

\m/

To my nieces (and probably nephew) planning to and getting married soon, may you be guided by these three principles of MARRIAGE:

1. Love alone is NOT enough for a marriage to work; FEAR OF THE LORD is. You have to make a firm resolve that your life as a married person will be completely devoted to creating a family that is reflective of the Lord's love and goodness. Being Christ-centered means honoring and serving your partner, working together towards the enrichment and building of each other's character in the way Jesus showed us, dying for oneself because you're not two individuals anymore with your own separate desires but united already as ONE in marriage. May you both have a burning desire to seek His will in all the decisions that you have to do as a married couple, being aware of your roles as a man and a woman in the marriage. For guidance, read Ephesians 5:21-33.

2. Marriage is a LIFETIME bond. Therefore, make sure you can visualize the rest of your life with your partner, that no matter how ugly and old and fat he/she gets, you will love unconditionally, unchanging and unselfishly, loving your partner as you love yourself. That is called AGAPE love, the God kind of love. That does not mean you will tolerate each other's sinful nature, instead strengthen each other in weakness and practice tough love.

3. RESPECT and SUBMISSION to one another are the foundation of a good marriage. "Submit to one another OUT OF REVERENCE FOR CHRIST." Remember, when you get married, you are not alone anymore in any decision you make, so communication is paramount to a harmonious relationship. There would be many times you will have varied opinions and views, but the key is to meet halfway, kick ego and stupid drama away, stand on the side of sensibility and wise judgment, and come up with a COMPROMISE that would work for BOTH. You can best express your love for one another by respecting and celebrating each person's uniqueness. Learn from each other and make 'good change' a part of your unchanging love for one another. Make certain you hold each other's TRUST dearly, for once broken, it might be like going through hell to regain.


I am so happy you chose a path greater than the road I travel in the "Singleblessedness Road". Count on me to always be praying for you, that grace abound your relationships, and that all things would work out for your good, so that as married couples, you will be a great addition to the Lord's ministry. I wish you joy and overflowing love all the days of your married life!

Just When You Think You Hate Your Mother Or Your Mother Hates You

Remembering our mothers should not be just done each time there is a cause to celebrate Mother’s Day. If you can say I love you freely to your mother or you can hug her anytime, then you are so privileged. But for those who have unhealed relationships with their mother, I know how difficult the process can be. However, it is all worth it when you reach reconciliation.

As a blossoming woman, I can remember a lot of times when I argued a lot with my mother. Didn’t we all reach that point in our lives when we feel that they are trying to control us too much? Now, that I am ‘just like’ a mother to Pio, I actually understand that it was just my mother’s way of intruding in my life to stay connected with her own child. The lesson: Do not take it personal.

When you experience a shift of perspective in your life, you can expect a lot of good difference coming your way. There is nothing wrong for a child to express how they feel towards anything that they disagree about with their parents. In fact, you must congratulate yourself once you see them talking about how they feel. But this does not mean that you should let your children walk over you too and for parents to push your kids around.

It is way much better when it comes to my relationship with my mother right now. The anger that we may have felt for each other was just part of expressing acceptance toward the normal process of finally separating. But once we found ourselves already comfortable with my growing independence as her daughter, we then became close again.

Hope everyone had a nice and sweet Mother’s Day!

Thief in the Night

It is certainly hard to hit the right sense of balance in life; especially when it involves raising a kid who will soon become a stubborn adult like all of us. Lately, I have been getting things from Pio without his knowledge which I think he does not value much. And I have been constantly in the lookout for his possible reactions, attitude, and behavior with what could have been happening around him.

My guess is that he knows I may have kept some of his things already but he just does not want to bring the issue up because of pride. There are just some people out there in the world who always want other people around them feel that they are doing fine even if they aren’t.

Apart from the desire of seeing Pio learn from such things and instances, I find myself learning so much more too. Many of us fail to appreciate and give value even to the small things that we have in our lives. That is why I feel grateful and mature that even the smell of clean sheets, old books, seeing Dori sleep in a big, lifted bed, Tita enjoying our flat TV, Pio already enrolled for school, or the sight of my dogs happily strolling around the house well fed and healthy – all these and more make me feel happy grateful. This is probably because we stumble upon happiness only when we find meaning.

Procrastination is not just the thief of time. It’s the thief of meaning, our happiness and life itself. – Timothy A. Pychyl

No wonder God is also described in the Bible as a thief in the night. It says that Jesus is to come back like a thief in the night, when you least expect it. What would you do if one day you’d wake up to a day that all the things and people you often disregarded and failed to appreciate and value are taken away from you? Just like that, in a snap of a finger.

Or maybe by the time you have finished reading this entry, you are already decided to review your life quick and get back all that once was yours.

Easy, Sleepy Mondays

If there is a problem to deal with Mondays is that we are too sleepy to get up, start the week and work. It is just such a blessing to sleep especially when you would look back on days when life’s problems keep you awake for several days. I believe it is as precious as relationships, time, and appetite. Besides it caught my interest to have read recent research that afternoon naps can make you smarter.

Don’t you agree that it is that exact time after you have just taken lunch that you feel most sleepy? The psychology research says that it can improve your memory and other mental abilities. This is due to the scientific reason that the time after lunch is when the brain is at a very low point and is wanting to rest.

Hence, a lot of Americans envy those who live in Latin America and other Asian countries like the Philippines who carry out the concept of taking a siesta. With that, I feel grateful too for working homebased. Which office would allow you to take naps as part of your working schedule? Maybe in Google, who knows.

These naps can go from 45 to 90 minutes to make you perform better throughout the day. This should make corporate people think twice about firing their employees who take quick naps while at work. And this should make kids like Pio value the time they are given to get to sleep in the afternoon. And also, make me be convinced all the more why Dori is as tall as she is.

Our Dogs’ First Road Stop: Zambales

A few years ago, I remember myself turning down Dori each time she would tell me to go for an outing with Pio or other friends who would also bring their own kids.  It was one of our leading topics for our arguments that seldom happen. My reason: I find our travel time together as a way to get away from all the stress of work and family life and get to reconnect with our true selves and appreciate the blessings of the Lord to us both. 

However, at the back of my mind then, it was clear to me that I only needed time to realize and prepare that I am really entering a new phase in my life – this part where I am motivated to be responsible, all the more mature, and selfless. Here comes now the time that the level of happiness me and Dori enjoy is not anymore limited to the two of us, but extends to many. It is not just with Pio this time but also with my disabled aunt Tita Ubeng and our four loving and intelligent dogs – Attack, Ready, Getsy and Go-Go. 

Here are my most favorite moments during our first road trip with the dogs as we head to Anawangin Cove. 

Subic Stop-over

Dori with our (twin-like) dogs Go-Go and Getsy

Attack's nervous look during his first boat ride

Go-Go inside her fence cage at Anawangin Cove

Getsy and Ready done eating sand :p

With the four dogs and Tita Ubeng

The trip was not perfect at all for stress was definitely here and there. In fact, I always kid Dori about comparing our situation with shows like John and Kate Plus Eight. It is that chaotic but this is where you learn and appreciate the best lessons in life you could ever learn. 

Yes, I still do miss occasionally traveling alone with Dori. But somehow, now, we do not feel more complete than spending our blessings with the family we call our own. Even if it means it is composed of a mentally retard, a reading disabled kid, and four children which all have fur and paws. 

We are blessed. 

Looking forward to more of our dog road trips.

Knowing When Christ Is The Center of Relationships - Part 3

You know Christ is the center of your relationship when:

3 - You set your hopes and dreams for each other on God instead of merely trusting it all on each other.

Both of you should not solely rely on each other all the time to pray to God for the relationship to work. You alone are responsible and accountable enough to help the relationship work by planting more on your faith, so that you would have so many good things to share to each other.

There are simply holes in any kind of relationship that we could never mend no matter how hard we try or put in. This is to serve as proof that for these holes, God is the only one who can take the place of mending and filling them up. God loves us more than anyone of us can love others.

How could any relationship be better than loving each other and being aware of how grateful you should both be to the Lord for allowing you to spend life together?

Your Valentine's Messages!

It's time for some Cheese!

From: Mike

To: Sheree

Valentines Message:

If I were to buy you a bunch of roses, I would place a plastic one in the middle, then say "My love will be the last one to die". Happy Valentine's Day!


From: Aimee Coreign P. Rabanal
To: Jefferson Ong Lim

Valentines Message:

Life became life when I met you …

These pictures was taken last November 2010 in Hongkong with my boyfriend and his family. I would like to post this to show the world how much I love you and how much you mean to me.

For more than 6 years of being together and still counting, my love hasn't changed and it just grows everyday despite the distance and differences. Your the one who makes me believe that everything is possible, that no religion or culture and even in miles can make someone stop from loving a person. We grew together and became a better person as we put God in the center of our relationship, that's the reason that makes us holding into each others hands, until forever.

Hon, Thanks for being my best friend, my true friend and my boyfriend. Thanks for always standing by me. Your the person I count on. Since, I'll be leaving the country after a month, I want to say this.. I”ll be always thinking of you. I promise I will always be your hon. Please wait for me...

I love you so much.. Always take care of my heart :) xoxo


From: Roby
To: Cel

You brighten my day with the sound of your voice, you bring so much laughter and love, you are everything to me and I was so blessed when God sent you here for me. Glad I was married to you! Happy Valentine's!

Knowing When Christ Is The Center of Relationships - Part 2

You know Christ is the center of your relationship when:

2 – You do not fall in love. You walk in love, together. (holding hands in the spirit)

Many people usually stumble upon the wrong perspective that you date around and find someone to be in a relationship – only to replace the last one you were with. We forget to think that every new person we meet is like having a brand new book you are so interested to read and know how things will turn out to be in the end. 

This just means that when you date, you must go out with someone whom you are ‘considering’ to be spending the rest of your life with. Of course, others may say that living that kind of dating life is hard, idealistic and full of pressure. Henceforth we placed quotation marks around the word considering. This means that you should not just get a relationship. You should be in it. 

One of the most important things compatibility factors you should consider is that desire for God to be in the midst of your relationship. That is one most people forget to take note of. As a couple, you must build up each other’s faith and you can start by simple encouragements that go a long way. 

If you do not want your relationship to stumble, then you better not start with ‘falling’ in love when you can love better by ‘walking’ in love. 

*to be continued