Forgiving in order to be forgiven.

Today I was just talking with my friend Ellen about relationships and how sometimes its so hard to forgive and forget. We were just casually talking and then she said that God said something about forgiving others so that He will forgive us also..

Then tonight, while I was doing my book reading with Joey... Voila! In Mark 11:25, the verse she was talking about was right there! hehehehehe.... Wow... isn't that amazing?! So as soon as joey fell asleep, I texted her right away the exact verse that I read... "And Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive your sins."

Ang galing talaga.. na-aliw ako.. hehe.. I'm sure that's no coincidence.. Meant to be talaga na mahanap ko yung verse na yun para ma-ishare ko kay Ellen.

Here's the other verse that struck me while reading. Which is, incidentally, the verse right before the one that I just wrote. It says, "Therefore I say to you, whatever thing you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." Mark 11:24

ASK-BELIEVE-RECEIVE-HAVE.... what powerful words.

So, Lord, I ask, believe, receive and have a worry free Boracay Vacation.. hehehehe :)

I know and I believe. :)

'Till my next post!

PS. No, that picture above was not taken today.. haha... It was taken during Mai's Wedding last February 2009.

Happy Birthday Joey!

A few hours before June 26, 2009.. so technically its advanced Happy Birthday Joey! hehe..
Joey is turning 5 years old tomorrow and we are having a simple birthday celebration in his school. I'll be bringing some spaghetti and cake for his classmates and teachers :)

It's ironic for a party person like me (who've had fabulous birthday celebrations year after year since 7 until I was 21) not to mention our family having a catering and events company... to be having such simple parties.

But I realized now that I'm all grown up (hehe..) and with a son to raise, that we do not need to spend unnecessarily. Especially for kids who would probably hardly remember how their birthday was at 2-3-4-5 or 6 years old.. I feel its not practical to be spending too much. (Kaya pala sabi nila pag 1yr old, 7years old and 18years old lang bongga ang party... hehe)

A birthday has always been a special day for you to feel special. And for you to feel special, its not so much about having big parties.. but rather having special people tell you that they love you, care for you and wish all the best for you.. The Big Hugs and Big Kisses are the main event.. hehe.. You can have the biggest and most fabulous and most expensive birthday party and yet its still possible that you won't feel as happy or as special.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying I'm against parties.. haha.. of course not.. that's our business diba?! I'm just saying I'm pro practical and pro quality over quantity.. hehehe...
Tumatanda na rin siguro ako, kaya nai-intindihan ko na ang mga bagay-bagay na'to.. hahaha...

Let's not be one day millionaires, but instead spend and save wisely. :)
And that my friends is what I hope to inculcate in my son's mind as well.

Thank you Lord for giving Joey another year.
I pray for continued protection, good health, mind and body.
We praise and thank you Lord for your great great Love.
Lord, help me raise Joey according to your plans.
In Jesus Name, We pray AMEN!

PS.
I'll post his picture here tomorrow. :)

'Til my next post!

Reading to Joey every night

(*see.... I'm inspired na tlga.. wala pang 5 minutes may naisip na ulit ako na isusulat sa blog.. hehehe..)

As you may all know, Joseph Anthony "Joey" Rabe-Alleva is my one and only or kaisa-isang anak.
He's been growing up so fast that he is already getting bored with the same books that I read to him every night. One time, while looking for a book to read, Joey saw my small bible that I put under my pillow. He then said, mommy.. read to me this book. My small bible is color red and book bound... I guess he liked how it looked like. :) :) :)

So from then on.. I never have problems deciding what to read to him.. hehehe.. Cause I now read to him the BIBLE!!! Isn't that fantastic?! I find it amazing that even though he doesn't understand the words completely, he finds comfort in hearing it. I certainly know it relaxes him cause he falls asleep after reading one chapter at least.. hehehehe.... On other nights when he can't seem to sleep I have to read two to three chapters. :P

I started reading the book of Matthew a month ago.. Now we are in the book of Mark chapter 8 na :) hehehe...

Cool eh?! I just hope he doesn't outgrow this wonderful routine we've started.
This routine is really a great blessing to me also.. cause of course I get to read the bible again too.

:) :) :)

Sometimes I do reverse psychology to him also.. I tell him, Do I really have to read the book joey? Mommy's sleepy na... and because my son is the type of child who insists on the opposite of what you suggest.. the more that he says.. Mommy please read... or Mommy, Read ka na... hehehehe.....

Galing ng strategy ko noh?! hehehehe

I really pray he doesn't outgrow it.

'Til my next post!

Inspired by Mai's Blog

If it weren't for Mai's blog, it would have taken me another 2 or 3 months to have my second post (for this year) in this blog.. hahaha...

Yes, Charmaine Tumalad-Pavloskovi my friend from highschool, has inspired me to write again. She's pregnant and she's blogging her weekly experiences in her pregnancy. (Something I wish I did when I was pregnant with Joey... hehe). It's so inspiring cause even though she's so many miles away, it seems she's just a village away.. hehehe..

One of the ideas that I got is to make the blog viewed by selected users only.
Another idea I got is also to write at least once a week. less taxing but still making an account of what's going on.
The third idea I got is to focus on blogging about joey :D hehe... He's growing up so very fast.
It's important I get to document it in many ways.

Joey is turning 5 years old in a few days. :)
June 26, 2009 to be exact.

I'll post some pictures here too.
I'm reformatting my laptop so hopefully next week I'll get to post some pics.

Anyways.. highways...
Thanks Mai! for inviting me to read your blog. :)
It made me "stop and smell the flowers"
Now I'm inspired to grow some flowers myself.. hehe...

Til my next post.. hopefully sooner than later.. hahahaha

Blogging

For a long time I thought blogging would be a natural thing for me.
As I revisit this site and look back at what I've posted, I have obviously discovered that it's not such a natural thing after all.. haha.. averaging with 2-3 posts a YEAR! hahaha...

I guess the point of this realization is that although I enjoy writing about my thoughts, feelings and overall comments and reflections about life.. creating a healthy habit of writing about it in a blog is a totally different story.. Just as no matter how you like cooking different dishes but not having a healthy habit of cooking everyday would make you end up cooking special dishes only 2-3 times a year! haha.. Or enjoying singing but not practicing singing everyday or at least regularly will not give you the same end result.

Here's looking into more posts for year 2009!
:)