Our three year old guy would regularly help around the church every after service. These shots were taken after our church’s Christmas party two Sundays ago. He always loves to be of help. He especially loves being able to help me load the dirty laundry to the washer and even helps hang the clean clothes outside by bringing out the hangers for us. However little, he has got to be involved if there’s work to be done.
Here are couple of other pictures that I took of him when he would stack the chairs up after the service. He really has got this heart to serve and not just out of boredom or restlessness. I would even see him wiping clean some stuffs around the house like the industrial knobs around the kitchen. I have a feeling I am not going to have a hard time with this guy when it comes to keeping things in order.
The day after Christmas our toilet tank decided to leak non stop and the hubby figured out single handedly how to fix it. I was ready to call on a plumber but he wanted to try to do it himself. I was okay with him experimenting with plumbing and all for we rarely call help for any plumbing problems right from the beginning.
Armed with not a single dipper in our household, we had to make do with our son’s old sippy cup and partner it with a basin. We are so not ready for anything like this. I am happy to announce that the hubby fixed the tank! The first attempt was not very successful because he wasn’t able to get a replacement for one part and tried to make do with the old one. So even if two other holes were good – no leaks, the one at the center leaked still. So everything has to be done all over again. Although we had to buy a new set of tank bolts, which are all very cheap, we still saved a lot on what we could have paid for the labor. The plus is the hubby gets to enhance his handy man skills.
This is a first for the hubby and I am so glad to believe in him enough to actually have him experiment and remained hopeful that it will be a success. Although at the back of my mind, I was afraid we will still end up getting a plumber anyway. I wouldn’t have minded, but we have a few get together events to host at home, so it does not sound very pretty. Normally, I would have just called an expert to just get it over with and have things function back to convenience but life won’t be as exciting, will it? And while he was at it, he also took care of the leaky lavatory faucet and got it replaced These little things make us happy, with its less than perfect timing – the day after Christmas. We don’t really plan things to go against our schedule, but they happen anyway. This reminds us how imperfect our world is and regardless of how pretty things are, these things are to deplete, deteriorate and have got to be repaired/restored one time or another.
Now we have a tank that’s working perfectly, until such time it decides not to. Meanwhile, I’m contemplating on posting a Plumbing Services announcement somewhere at the gate.
It was a busy but fun weekend for us again. Last Saturday, we celebrated with our son’s cousin, Baby Shane, her first birthday. She’s a darling. It was also the perfect time to meet with loved ones as well. It was lovely to see Auntie Tonette and her husband once again and even lovelier to have met for the first time one of the hubby’s cousin and her family.
One of the statements that are usually heard during Christmas is the Christmas spirit. We say, “We need to have the Christmas spirit,” but what is the true spirit of Christmas? Is the spirit of Christmas giving gifts? Is it conveying statements or greetings of well being and prosperity? Is it fun or fellowship?
To find the answer to this question, I believe there is no better place to go to but the Bible, where Christmas originated. Now, when we talk about the Bible, it may seem to many that it contains fictional stories – but looking at it closely and investigating, the Bible is a historical book and, when tested under the same standards as any historical documents, it is very reliable – more reliable. In fact, with thousands of manuscript evidences available. So, the accounts written in the four gospels about the Christmas story are in fact eye witness accounts verified by people who lived during their time, knowing that many accounts about and related to Jesus were written but not everything were accepted by Jesus’ contemporaries and the people who surrounded Him.
From these accounts, based on the reactions of people towards the birth of Christ, we can find the true spirit of Christmas. Below is a list of the reactions.
1. Elizabeth (Luke 1:41-42) - “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!”"
2. Zacharias/Zechariah (Luke 1:67) – “His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68″Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people.”"
3. Angels (Luke 2:13-14) – “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14″Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”"
4. Shepherds (Luke 2:20) – “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”
5. Simeon (Luke 2:25-32) – “Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29″Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss your servant in peace. 30For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31which You have prepared in the sight of all people, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel.”"
6. Anna (Luke 2:36-38) – “There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
7. Magi (Matthew 2:2) – “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
8. Mary (Luke 1:46-55) – “And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me holy is His name. 50His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. 51He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful 55to Abraham and His descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers.”"
From these reactions, we see a common attitude and that is the attitude of worship. That is the true spirit of Christmas – worship. Because even as Jesus came to earth as a baby, other gospel and old testament accounts declare Him as the Savior, Emmanuel (God with us), and King and He deserves our worship. Let us take time this season to reflect on these and worship Him.
This season is a wonderful reminder of the steps God took to make salvation available to all of us.  May we rejoice always because of Christ even after this Christmas season.  Have a merry Christmas and a blessed New Year ahead of you!
Taken after doing some last minute Christmas shopping. I still had to grab a gift for my little guy and do some last minute grocery shopping. I am not used to taking care of our noche buena. Our dear father always took care of it every single year, so all we really had to do was sit and feast over whatever was served. I would only make a cheesecake or lasagna. Papa and Mama will not be back until January, so that means I’m gonna have to prepare a little something for the family.
What could be neater than having your sister and brother in law for neighbors? They invited us over for early dinner tonight. This is the first Christmas that we did not spend with our parents. We miss them so much and we look forward to have them back in a couple of weeks. Mama has already asked if our little guy could sleep over at their place for one week when they come back. They miss their grandson so much after having been away for half a year.
Just one of those busy weekend nights. We had this very late, not-so-goodah-dinner (which can actually already pass for an early breakfast) after picking up the Christmas goodies for our church’s feeding center kids, we had to brave the holiday traffic and drive most of the packages (we left more than a dozen at home because we heard the shocks of the car squeal for help) to Makati in time for the gift giving the next day after our worship service. We brought the remaining packages with us when we went to church early Sunday. And that’s not even half of what we did the whole day. I will probably just do some photo essays in the coming entries.
I know I have got a lot of backlogs to work on and I just have to get started, I’m really not a fan of things that pile up. I love the busyness of the season to an extent because to be honest it can pretty much be a little too tiring that it can almost snatch away the Meaning of it all altogether. I am going to post away and do some webmaster thingies in the next couple of hours or more because I am going to have to zap away before I know it to do some more holiday stuff. Merry Christmas in advance everyone! Despite the many events here and there, let us be reminded what this season is all about – it’s all about Jesus. :D
Dear hubs gave me yet again a couple of neat stuffs for our anniversary. In all the years we have been married, he has never ran out of “drama” how he would make me think and expect nothing more than a greeting card, but I always (always) wind up getting surprised. He places his gifts in the most inconspicuous of places. I don’t know if I am just not very observant. Oh well, maybe you have to give it to me that I take care of a lot of things in our family- on a daily basis.
One of the gifts that he gave me for our anniversary is my all time favorite. Let me just say that I should never have a reason to have a bad hair day ever because of it (unless there’s power interruption, lol!). There’s one thing that would very much complement that gift and it’s what I want to give myself for the holidays-to learn some hair color ideas from videoshelf.com
After exactly a year, it was only today that I got to watch the hubby play football together with his team mates from Marikina United FC. As mentioned from some previous posts, their team is playing in Third Terry Razon Copa Filipina Tournament (Third Division) and the latest of which is today’s game against SJDM FC who came all the way from Bulacan.
I have to say that their team has gone a long way since the last time I watched them play. The hubby played the full 90 minute game, talk about stamina in a very rough sport (at least, for me). It didn’t matter much that they lost 2-0 against the other team, I was impressed no less by how well they did today. My man even made a goal, albeit via dangerous kick, which meant it cannot be counted. I am really happy to have been able to watch him play today.
It was not a planned hiatus – my break from blogging. You see, aside from the Tagaytay getaway that we had, I was also deep in my reading for the whole week. I have finished the last book from the Twilight Series a couple of days back. I would have finished earlier if there was nothing else to do, but I only immersed myself during my free time, which is not aplenty.
The trip wasn’t a planned one, as well. In fact, we just packed our stuff a few hours before departure time. I was still kind of hesitant because I wasn’t feeling very well yet. But then again, I thought that was just the break that I need and it proved so. I was no longer bleary and teary eyed from the colds on our last day in Tagaytay. In fact, I was never better in the last month or so. :-) All the while I thought I would be worse because of the cold weather up there. It was just nice hanging out and having fun with my boys. On the way back, the hubby decided to go for a joy ride down towards the foothill of Taal Volcano in Talisay.
Here are just a few of the shots from almost a couple of hundred ones that we took from the trip.
We stayed in the Tulip Cottage of Robert’s Inn. Although spontaneity formally jump started when we packed our things just hours before driving off to Tagaytay, we followed it up by hopping from one bed and breakfast place to another when we got to Tagaytay, which was fun. Nothing very fancy we decided, since we do not really plan to stay indoors. We could easily do that hotel feel right at home. It’s fairly easy to clone that ambiance. Plus a spa treat if we want, with all the candles around the tub and some bubble bath. Â We just really have to get away and it was really a treat.
From the foot hill of Taal Lake. We inquired for some place we could stay in for our next trip but we did not find one that can be considered nice enough. Once you leave Tagaytay, all the cool breeze is gone. It’s really hot in Talisay, to say the least. I wonder if it’s the lake, because we kind of felt sticky when we were down there. I figured it wouldn’t be all that fun being in a vacation in such a humid place anyway. We will probably just drive to Talisay and go on a boating trip to Taal Volcano, if ever.
The hubby just left for a youth camp meeting and in a few hours for Tagaytay to officiate another wedding. The original plan was for our little guy and I to tag along and stay in a hotel while he’s doing the wedding and stay there for the weekend. A supposed quick anniversary getaway for us. We weighed the odds and figured we should really just stay in Manila for the weekend.
First, although I’m relatively better than the previous day healthwise (thanks to Pei Pa Koa and my BEP supplement), it will be altogether pushing it knowing that I have been having this respiratory trouble for approximately a month now. I need the rest obviously, bed rest to be exact. I’m just doing this quick post to get my readers updated. Please pardon my very short posts and virtually zero updates.
Another reason why we decided to delay the getaway — tomorrow there are few scheduled events. My hubby’s soccer team has a scheduled game tomorrow for Third Terry Razon Copa Filipina Tournament (Third Division) against La Salle Zobel, which coincides with the Sony Expo that the hubby hopefully is getting an invitation to. We still haven’t figured how we are going about this, if ever. The game is at 10AM, the expo is at 11AM. Then by evening (also tomorrow), there will be a staff and deacons Christmas party that we will attend to.
This leaves us to just settle to leave on our anniversary day itself, December 8. Which is better. No rush, nothing else to think about, but celebrate our seven years of marriage!
Seventeen days to go. That’s the number of days left for the hubby to work on the SEO on promotional products that he joined a couple of months back. He is new at this and has ran out of ideas. It was just something he wanted to try out anyway and he’s okay with whatever the result might be. He has done link building and done some bookmarking, a little of this and that, but none of those black hat strategies, which he is practically clueless about. Anyone with bright ideas?
I am so happy to report that the hubby’s soccer team, Marikina United Football Club has yet won another match. The latest being against Xavier Football Club and they scored 6-0. I watched them in a few matches last year and it sure looks like this Third Terry Razon Copa Filipina Tournament (Third Division) is going to be good for them. Read the rest of this entry »
