Luke 10: 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. [2] Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

It could have very well been, “Hazel, Hazel, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary,  Ryan has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from him.”

My son taught me a wonderful  lesson one Sunday  morning.  I was busy doing things around the house.  I was also busy thinking of activities to give my  three year old son to keep him from becoming  idle.  Since he’s language delayed, I always feel the need to do something to help his speech  move further along.   I was busy that day with household chores, when I suddenly remembered Ryan.  I need to give him something to do.  In these days where parents get so much pressure from society, it’s not easy.  You want your son to be ahead academically, to have a good head start.  There is the enormous pressure to have them say their ABC’s, 123’s , to have them write early, to have them become more independent.  Developmental checklists can be a pressure.  Does he dress himself up? Can he eat by himself, brush his teeth?, etc., and the list goes on causing parents like us to go into paranoia.  So you see, I need to see what my son is up to so I can give him something worthwhile to do– maybe have him do puzzles, play with him, do some painting, read a book, etc.  I  looked for him, and there he was on top of our bed,  listening to praise and worship cd.  He was the one who turned the cd on. He was not just listening, but he was also singing along with the cd.  Never mind the garbled words, but the melody he can take on quite well.  I heard him singing along to the songs “ Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”, “Mourning Into Dancing”, but his favorite is “Shout to the Lord”. 

I realized, isn’t this a beautiful picture of what praise and worship is all about?  In the midst of our everyday busy life, my son took time to be alone in the room, listening and singing to praise and worship songs.  I was looking at him and realized God’s same words to me months earlier:  “I just want your praise”.  It seems my son is doing a better job than me.   So, instead of fretting over what activities to give him, I found myself joining him.  This has become our favorite activity before bedtime aside from reading books, of course.   It will start with him turning on the cd, dancing a bit, then later, we would just lie in bed together listening and singing to praise and worship songs  without a care in the world.  It’s our sweet bonding  moment.   The Lord used my son to teach me how to praise him. 

The Lord affirmed the verse in Luke 10: 41-42 I posted above the same Sunday I saw Ryan singing inside the room.  The pastor quoted this verse, and I could only chuckle at God’s sense of humor and ability to hit me on the spot.

I read from an article in MSN this morning about more people who lost their jobs are availing of the government subsidies such as food stamps, etc.  Most of them are just relying on their unemployment checks to pay of ftheir mortgages, and have little left to spend on food and other household expenses.  I feel for them.  Here I am thinking of buying this and that, while others are in financial distress.  I feel so shallow.  It reminds me once again of the old saying “save for the rainy days”.   I guess, we really do need to save, save and save because the sun will not always be on our side. 

                                                           ****

I was looking at the mirror yesterday, when to my horror, I saw three gray hairs!!!!  Gosh, I’m getting old.   I’m turning 35 this year, and I am now starting to notice the signs of aging.  I have to face the reality that a few years from now, I will have to regularly dye my hair just like my mother.  Tsk tsk…

                                                           ****

My daily devotions today speaks about “TIME”.  How time quickly passes — and how often we complain about this.  Yet, what are we doing about it?  Have I made the most of my time here on earth in worthwhile activities, or have I squandered time away with useless stuff?  Have I cultivated relationships, strengthened my family, devoted myself to prayer and spending time with God, and pursued activities that have  eternal value?  

                                                             ****

I was rummaging through my closet, and saw a few clothes that I bought a year or two ago.  Most of these were either from Old Navy, Forever 21, Aeropostale  or some other affordable clothing line stores.  I got them probably cheap or on sale because the quality of these clothes certainly aren’t as good as those I bought from Iora (Philippines), Banana Republic, Gap, AnnTaylor, etc.  I realized we really do get what we paid for sometimes.   If we want something that will last us a few years, it’s really better to buy one of good quality.  The price may be a little higher, but you get your money’s worth in the end.  Unless it’s something in fashion that you know will not be there a year or two from now, it’s ok to buy cheaper ones.  As I mature, I am now gearing towards  what is classic than just following the trend.   I try to balance what’s trendy and what’s worth the money.   I also learned to be practical with my choices.  One time I was trying on two pairs of sandals, one in wedges (about 4 inches), the other in flats.  I liked both, I wanted to buy both.  While mulling over which one to get or whether to buy both, I thought about what my lifestyle is like.  I cannot wear those wedges on weekends. It would look good in my outfits, but there is no way I’m going to the mall with a toddler in tow wearing those wedges.  I cannot bring my son to play in the sand wearing those wedges.  So, even if I really  liked those sandals, I had to forego it and chose the flat sandals instead which will give me more usage.   These days,  I shop with two things in mind:  classic and practicality.

As I journey through life I’ve picked up lessons along the way.  I’ve learned a lot from the people I’ve met, from what I’ve read, and from my own experiences as a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a friend, a woman and a child of God.

Here are 40 things I have learned in life.   I have learned that…

1.  the saying Let Go and Let God is really true.  When God tells us to rest in Him, He means it.  Sometimes we just need to sit and do NOTHING

2.  giving is indeed better than receiving.  There is more joy in giving than receving

3.  a nice reddish lipstick can do the trick.

4.  to hear from God, you really need to take time to listen. 

5.  God keeps His promises, and He doesn’t lie.

6.  the perfect accessories can brighten any outfit.

7.  life is a classroom.

8.  wearing high heels with a toddler in tow is a recipe for disaster.

9.  to whom much is given, much is required – with great blessing comes greater responsibility

10.  the words  “please don’t tell anyone, this is just between the two of us” is most often just a cliche’ and is not even taken seriously by most people.  every gossip starts with this opening line.

11.  God’s mercies are new every morning.

12.  nothing in this world can give us contentment.

13.  the word “mama” is the sweetest thing to hear from your child.

14.  men are like waffles, women are like spaghetti.

15.  our past does not define our future.

16.  God always provides streams in the desert.

17.  there is no love on earth comparable to the love a mother has for her child.

18.  the grass always seems greener on the other side, but once you’re there, you realize your original side of grass was not bad at all.

19.  we need to live within our means.

20.  it is not a wise idea to drink frappucino at 6:30 pm onwards.  it kept me up all night.

21. quality is more important than quantity.

23.  a classic designer bag  goes a long way and never goes out of style.

24.  shoes, no matter how beautiful it looks like, if it is not comfortable, it’s not worth it.

25.  the world will not stop at your misery.

26.  it’s so easy to judge when it doesn’t concern us.

27.  it’s always important to read the fine print.

28.  it is important to listen to our husbands.

29.  credit cards can be your best friend, but it can be your worst enemy.

30.  God is enough.

31.  God allows trials in our lives to humble us.

32.  nothing is certain in this world, and nothing is impossible with God.

33.  sometimes all God wants is our praise.

34.  worry doesn’t help, yet I still worry.

35.  all the information you get from the internet leaves you with more questions instead of answers.

36.  when your child is sick, nothing else matters.

37.  the saying “it will soon pass” is really true.

38.  you cannot buy class and style – either you have it or you don’t

39. relationships are more important than career or money.

40. life is a journey.  the moment you reach your destination, you’re dead.

Sometimes life gets so busy that we forget to stop and smell the roses.  I’m coming up with a list of my simple joys to remind me of the littlest things that truly make me smile and enjoy what life has to offer.  Here they are in random order:

1.  kissing my son’s chubby, rosy cheeks

2.  eating chicken inasal, with toyo calamansi, achuete oil with a dash of salt on top of my rice, sipping ice cold coke….heaven!

3.  a cold shower on a hot day…

4.  soaking in the tub with my son

5.  shopping!

6.  watching my son exploring the play areas i bring him to

7.  trying on new scents or make up at sephora without necessarily buying one

8.  watching dvd with my husband when our son is already asleep

9.  videoke

10.  blended mocha  frappuccino on a hot day

11.  reading fashion magazines on a lazy night

12.  cuddling with my son in bed….such bliss!

13.  garlic fried rice, egg with any of the ff:   spam, sardines in spanish oil or tuyo, longganisa, corned beef…perfect breakfast

14.  peanuts from Lim Guan still tops my list

15.  occasions that give me an excuse to dress up and look pretty

16.   slathering lotion and putting baby powder all over my body after an evening’s shower (preparing for bedtime)

17.  reading my favorite devotional books

18.  google chat with lynn, mom and marj

19.  zankou chicken is unbeatable, and so is my dad’s fried chicken recipe

20.  body massage – haven’t had one in years though

21.  watching my son sleeping peacefully

22.  cuddling with my husband in bed on cold, winter nights

23.  going to the beach in the Philippines every summer and having grilled porkchop, grilled fish, and sweet Philippine mangoes brings back wonderful memories

24.  scratching an itch – so relieving

25.  writing in my prayer journal

26.  the $1 toys I get for my son from Target

27.  taking pictures of my son’s precious moments

28.  reminiscing the past with my friend lynn – - reminds me of how we used to be, and how we are now.   missing the memories of the past, but thankful for how far we’ve come

29.  seeing my son’s face light up everytime he sees Shrek, Woody and Buzz on billboards

30.  listening to 60′s and 80′s songs never fails to lighten up my mood

31.  daydreaming =)

32.  spoiling myself once in a while with new makeup purchases, new footwear, or accessories

33.  a day off all to myself

34.  belting out the song “Staying Alive”  everytime it plays on the radio with my son singing with me (in gibberish) and imitating my actions   

35.  bonding moments with my mom, dad and sister

36.  dining out on weekends with my son and husband

37.  my private conversations with God

38.  surfing the net, getting an email from a friend, or checking my facebook

39.  laughing – at anything funny be it a joke, a nasty comment, situations, etc.

40.  traveling to new places

God gave me this promise found in  2 Chronicles 20:17 three times for the past two weeks. 

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”

He also gave me Isaiah 41: 10 & 13  twice last week. 

Verse 10

“’Do not fear , for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God . I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand .’

Verse 13

“For I am the LORD your God , who upholds your right hand , Who says to you, ‘ Do not fear , I will help you.’

I am in awe of God’s love and faithfulness.  Who am I that He should be mindful of me?  He gave me these words at a time I  needed it most.  It’s been awhile since I last heard from the Lord.  Maybe it was because I’ve been too busy to hear Him speak.  I’ve been trying to ask HIm to talk to me, but I felt there was something amiss.  It was only when I gave God my undivided attention that paved the way for me to hear Him speak again. 

It was so reassuring for me to know that all God wants me to do is to rest in Him and praise Him, and He will fight the battle for me.   How do you solve fears and problems by just praising?  I don’t know, but the Israelites sure did, and God fought the battle for them. 

Indeed, the Lord is worthy to be praised.  He is our Jehovah-Jireh.  He is our comfort, our strength and shield.  He is our redeemer.  He is the alpha and the omega.  God is an ever-present help in times of trouble.  He is our stronghold, deliverer and shelter.  He is our healer.  He is mighty to save.  Our God is the only living God.  He is wonderful, awesome and beautiful beyond description.  His faithfulness reaches to the skies.  His love and mercy overflows each day.  Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto Him who is the one and only God.  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  He is almighty, most holy GOD!!!

Child,

I want you to know there is nothing you can do to make things better.  Once you’ve surrendered your burdens to me, allow me to work in them.  I don’t need your help.  I just need your praise.  That’s all I ask from you…your praise. 

 I have your worries and concerns under my wings.  You do not need to do more than you need to.  I am taking care of it even if you do not see how it is going to turn out.   Hold on to that hope.  Don’t give up just yet.  The odds may be against you, but that is not going to define your future.

 The future is in my hands.  I am the Lord.  I determine the lives of my people.  Do not be discouraged, do not be dismayed, for I am with you.  You need not fight this battle.   I know you’re tired.  Allow me to fight it for you.  I just want your praise.

 Is anything too hard for me?  Have you forgotten my goodness?  If you still remember my marvelous works, turn your pity into praise.  That’s all I want from you. 

 The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him (Nahum 1:7).

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

 1 O LORD, you have searched Ryan 
       and you know him.

*you know him not just by name Lord, you know his whole being. You are acquainted with all of his ways*

 2 You know when he sits and when he rises;
       you perceive his thoughts from afar.

*you know what he’s doing and thinking, even if he cannot speak it yet*

 3 You discern his going out and his lying down;
       you are familiar with all his ways.

*you understand his behavior, O Lord, much more than we as parents, teachers, or even specialists can*

 4 Before a word is on his tongue
       you know it completely, O LORD.

*you know what’s on his tongue, O Lord, you understand Him more than any of us can do* 

 5 You hem him in—behind and before;
       you have laid your hand upon him.

*your blessings are upon him*

 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for him,
       too lofty for him to attain.

 7 Where can he go from your Spirit?
       Where can he flee from your presence?

 8 If he goes up to the heavens, you are there;
       if he makes his bed in the depths, ^[a] you are there.

 9 If he rises on the wings of the dawn,
       if he settles on the far side of the sea,

 10 even there your hand will guide him,
       your right hand will hold him fast.

*He is never far from your presence.  Your hand is always upon him*

 11 If he says, “Surely the darkness will hide me
       and the light become night around me,”

 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
       the night will shine like the day,
       for darkness is as light to you.

 13 For you created Ryan’s inmost being;
       you knit him together in his mother’s womb.

*you know each intricate detail in Ryan’s body, O Lord. 

You know every vein, every muscle, every fiber of his being. 

You know his strengths and weaknesses.  You created his brain.

You know which part should be rewired.  Not everything O Lord

can be explained by behavioral or physical or psychological studies,

for all too often, we forget that there is a spiritual side to our being.

I surrender him to you O Lord.  You know him in and out.  Please help him O Lord*

 14 He praises you because he is fearfully and wonderfully made;
       your works are wonderful,
       He knows that full well.

*He is beautiful.  He is loved.  He is a blessing*

 15 His frame was not hidden from you
       when he was made in the secret place.
       When he was woven together in the depths of the earth,

*You created his frame of body, mind, and spirit.  You make all things beautiful.  He is your craftsmanship*

 16 your eyes saw his unformed body.
       All the days ordained for him
       were written in your book
       before one of them came to be.

*His life is yours, O Lord.  He is your child.  His steps are ordained by you.  Use him for your glory*

 17 How precious to ^[b] him are your thoughts, O God!
       How vast is the sum of them!

*May your wisdom be upon him, O Lord.  May he defy the odds and be victorious.  May he be a man of integrity.

May the wisdom you were able to give Solomon, the courage of speech you were able to give Moses, and the favor you have granted to David, be upon my son, all the days of his life, O Lord. 

 18 Were he to count them,
       they would outnumber the grains of sand.
       When he awakes,
       He is still with you.

*May it be that one day, he cannot even count the blessings upon him.  He cannot even fathom the wisdom and understanding you have given him.  May it be that one day I shall see him as a man whose presence glorifies you. One who commands respect, honor and wisdom. One who is not only wise, but also humble in spirit and loving towards everyone.  One whose words will one day be respected, listened to, and be a glory to your kingdom.  He will speak and will not lie.  He will speak with eloquence, and will speak of wonderful things.  He will speak with wisdom.  I surrender him to you Lord.  He is yours.  You know him better than we do.  I humbly surrender all of him to you*

They say promises are made to be broken.  Well, that’s so true in my case.  I made a promise in my previous blog entry (What’s In A Bag?)  dated August 11, 2008  that I will never splurge on another pricey bag again.  I mentioned there how my husband gifted me with a Gucci bag for our third wedding anniversary, which I thought would be my one and only luxury bag in my lifetime, or probably at least for a decade.  I was wrong!  A year after I got that Gucci bag. I found myself in another bag frenzy.  My husband and I were celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary, and we decided to go shopping in the outlets since I was planning to go home to the Philippines for Christmas, and I needed to buy stuff to bring home to families and friends (pasalubongs).   The black Mossimo bag I mentioned in my 2008 blog is starting to wear out from my daily use in the office. I’ve been using it for a year, and have grown tired of it.  It was starting to fade a bit in color too.   I wanted a sturdy bag to hold my daily office essentials but,  I don’t want to use my Gucci daily to the office.  I am preserving it as much as I can, and stashing bananas, sandwiches and my son’s JuicePlus vitamins everyday  is certainly not my idea of preserving my Gucci.   Since there’s a Coach store in the outlet, we checked out their bags, and chose a black bag as a wedding anniversary gift from my husband.  I justified it wasn’t actually like I was breaking my promise because the Coach bag costs only a fraction compared to what he spent on the Gucci Bag.   Sure, Coach is pricey, but not in the same league as Gucci , Louis  Vuitton, Chanel, etc.    Up to this day, I’m still happily toting my Coach bag daily to the office.  Case closed with Coach.

Three weeks ago, I accompanied my husband to a posh mall which is an hour drive away from our place.  He planned on buying something as an advance birthday gift to himself. It’s something he had long been saving up for years.   I’m not going to divulge what it is anymore, but I know he also deserved it.  My husband is usually a tightwad.  He doesn’t spend much on himself.   He buys clothes on sale, and usually does so only on special occasions.   He is the type who will  spend half of his paycheck and put the rest of  it to his savings account.   He is also the type who uses credit card, but will pay off everything when it is due.  He doesn’t want to incur interest or finance charges.   This is one thing admirable of him. He never overspends.  He doesn’t live beyond his means.  This trait is so much similar to that of my mom which I don’t think I inherited.  Anyway,  he seemed pleased with his purchase, and since we were already at the mall, I decided to check out some boutiques there, particularly the bags.   I don’t know what happened, but I sort of sweet talked him into buying me something too.  I was surprised he agreed. Maybe he was in a good mood and was happy with his purchase.  Initially, I was thinking of getting a pair of Tory Burch Reva Ballerina flats ($214 tax-inclusive)or a pair of Chanel earrings which costs less than $300.  I wasn’t sure yet, so I just kept checking out stores and  happened to step into Louis Vuitton boutique, and saw this classic Speedy 30 bag in both Monogram and Damier Ebene designs.  I decided to get one of those, but couldn’t decide which design to choose.  The Monogram is the most popular one, and since it’s my first LV bag, it would be the best choice.  The downside though is the vachetta leather of Monogram has the tendency to darken in color as they age.  That’s the only downside to it.  The other design is the Damier Ebene which is a more toned-down design that doesn’t scream LV that much.  Its brown-checkered design is also classic and sophisticated.  Its leather is different  from that of the Monogram, and so discoloration is probably less of a problem here. There’s another Damier design which is the Damier Azur, but it’s in white, so I’m not partial to it.   After comparing the two designs in each of my arms while looking at the large mirror, I decided on the Damier Ebene (my husband’s choice too).   It actually costs less than my Gucci bag.  It’s probably $70 lesser in terms of price comparison.   This LV bag is really classic.  The Damier design has been there since 1888.  The Speedy monogram design was popularized by the late Audrey Hepburn. Imagine, that was in 1960’s and it’s still the same bags we see right now.   Due to the popularity of the Speedy, they eventually produced designs in Damier to add to the Monogram ones.  

Lesson learned?  Never make any promises you cannot keep.  I made a promise, I broke it.  All in the name of vanity.  Oh, wait!  I’m not all for luxury bags, just to get that straight.  I still love good bargains. In fact, I got one nice purple bag from Aldo during the black Saturday sale after Thanksgiving last year.  The price?  $20!!!  If you see the bag, you’d think it’s expensive.  It looks stylish and elegant.  Here I go again…I’m turning into a bagaholic.  I really promise…no, not anymore.   No more promises this time.

I had a blast last night with some friends from Bacolod who were here for a visit.  Two of my other friends and churchmates from Bacolod who are currently based here contacted me a few days ago for this said dinner.   The original plan was to meet up at Universal City Walk for a dinner at a certain Italian restaurant there, but later it was decided that we meet at Americana At Brand in Glendale instead. 

I came solo since it was Monday night, and I didn’t want to bring my son along with me because he still has school the following day. Besides, we may stay out late catching up with friends, so my husband opted to stay with Ryan so I can enjoy my rare time with our visiting friends.

The weather was perfect.  It was neither chilly nor too hot.  It was a perfect spring day.  I wore a sleeveless top, but brought a light sweater with me just in case it gets cold later in the night.  Unfortunately, I left my sweater inside the car after my husband drove me to the supposed meeting place.  It was a tad late when I realized I didn’t have my sweater with me,, and he had already sped off.   My US based friends (both guys) came earlier than me, so we had time to go window shopping while waiting for the visitors to arrive.  The visitors  informed us they might be half an hour late as they are still braving the traffic and figuring out their GPS.  I told my guy friends I left my sweater, and one of them teased me I did it on purpose, so I can use it as an excuse to go shopping.  Hmmm…not a bad idea.  Since Americana At Brand is also a haven for shopping, off I went to H&M with my two bodyguards in tow.  I searched and searched for a nice little sweater that would go with my outfit for that night.  I was looking at the sale rack, but couldn’t find one I liked.  I then settled for a sweater similar to what I already owned (and left in the car!) in a different color.   I decided khaki would be a nice one, since I already have the gray one.  It’s really perfect for spring and early fall.   I just love H&M!  My friends must have gotten bored because they decided to check out other stores, and just came back for me after I’m done paying for the sweater.  A few minutes later, our visitors from Bacolod showed up, so off we went taking pictures alongside the famous ala Bellagio fountain and then headed for dinner at Trattoria Amici, an Italian fine dining restaurant. 

It was fun catching up with people I’ve known for a long time.  It was fun to brush up on my Ilonggo too.  The food was kinda pricey, but the ambiance was great.  I ordered lasagna only because the appetizers alone proved to be heavy already.  More chatting and picture taking followed.  After dinner, we all went inside Barnes and Noble and checked out some books and other stuff.  Afterwards, we all went for a little stroll, taking more pictures and just enjoying the night.   Our two female visiting friends liked my sweater and asked where I bought them. They were so excited to buy one similar to it at H&M, but the place is already closed.   We ended our night a little past 10:30.  I got home exactly 11 pm.  My son and spouse were already off to dreamland in their sleep. 

It is always wonderful to see old friends.  It’s also a welcome break for a mom and wife like me to go out and simply have fun.  I believe it’s healthy to go out with friends once in a while minus your spouse or kids.  It gives you a sense of balance and it revives you.  You get to relive what you missed most about being single, yet it makes you appreciate your life too as a wife and a mom.    Also, occasions like this gives me a perfect excuse to wear nice outfits, put on makeup and perfume, wear sexy high heels and accessories.   It’s fun to be a woman!

Last June 2008, I made a commitment to pray for my impossible list of dreams.  Here’s an excerpt of what I wrote (see June 2008  titled “Operation: Dream Big” for the full article):

….”Our God is a God of the impossible.  Today, I make a commitment to pray for five seemingly BIG requests for me and my family:

1.  Mom and Dad being able to come and visit me here in US

2.  My sister Marj finding a lifetime Christian partner

3.  My sister Marj to find a job here in US with sponsorship

4.  Our dream of buying our own home

5.  To be promoted as FA before the District list expires

God’s verdict?  Well, out of five only one has been answered, so far.   The answered prayer is item no. 2.   My sister got married to a wonderful Christian guy last December 2009.   Because of this, item no. 3 will have to be scrapped for now.  Instead, I will replace it with another item.   It will be for my dad’s eyesight to be restored.  He is suffering from retina detachment and is due for a second opinion this coming Saturday, March 6, 2010.   Another addition to the list, if I may, is for God’s intervention on my son’s speech delay.  He’s talking a lot of single words now, but I am praying that he may learn to string words together to form phrases and sentences soon.   I am still unsure on whether to continue asking for item no. 5.  I got a promotion last August 2008, but for a different position, a little lower than my FA target.  Well, I’ll just keep this on the list for now. 

God is a God of  all impossibilities.  Nothing is too hard for Him.   Thank you Lord for answering item no. 2.