Precious Prayer from my Backseat Angel

submitted for St. Paul UMC newsletter
originally written March 2007

...pray for each other so that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

-James 5:16 -

My usual chauffeuring schedule back in 2007 included taking our third son, Ian, to his high school around 7:30A.M. while I left Isabella at home with our eldest son, Phil, who did not normally leave for school until later in the day.  As soon as I got home from taking Ian, I prepared Isabella for school and then I took her around 8:30A.M.  But on Thursdays, during the spring quarter of 2007, Phil left for school before 8A.M. requiring that Isabella come with me when I took Ian to school.  Then we returned home to prepare before I drove her to school.  Isabella used to get a little car sick this early in the morning.  When we got home on this particular Thursday, she said: "I don't feel very well, Mommy."  I paused and said: "Let me pray over you."  And I prayed a brief prayer of healing for her.  Shortly after my prayer she said: "Mommy I'm feeling so much better.  Thanks for the prayer."  So off we went to school.

I went about my day and met with my new friend, Tessie, who came with me to my 9:30A.M, dance class.  Then we had a blessed fellowship over coffee.  Not long after that, it was time for me to pick Ian up from "minimum day".  Then Phil arrived home after his first class, since his next class was not until 3pm.  We had a wonderful mother/son bonding time over lunch at Yanagi Sushi.  Then I cleaned the house for a bit, and before I knew it, it was time to pick Isabella up from school.  Time certainly flew especially my day had been fun and fruitful thus far.

During our drive from school to home, Isabella and I normally talked about her day while we enjoyed the beautiful view of Pismo Beach.  Many times the awesome view made us pause in silence allowing us to absorb and savor the beauty of nature.  In our short moment of silence, I inadvertently uttered out loud to myself: "I'm not feeling very well."  Isabella's precious voice from the backseat: "You just need prayer, Mommy, and you'll feel much better.  Let me prayer: Dear God, please let my Mommy feel better, she's the most wonderful Mommy.  In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."

Needless to say, I felt heavenly after my precious backseat angel's prayer.

My soul, overpowered with a sense of spiritual ecstasy,

seemed to have soared to heaven

to give an ever so tight embrace

to the One who makes all things possible

for bestowing heavenly moments such as this

for His unfathomable sovereignty, goodness, and mercy.

Battlefield of the Mind and Prayer

(submitted for St. Paul UMC February 2013 Newsletter)

Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer is our small group's first study for the year 2013. Though I've read the book in bits and pieces, and even had the privilege of attending Joyce Meyer's live teaching on the topic last September, I'm still excited to learn more and re-learn or be reminded of ways we can fight the “battle” in our mind. I believe that we all need constant reminders that we are in a daily spiritual battle but we have weapons that we can use against our enemy, one of which is prayer.

Ever since I came to know Christ, I am very joyful and thankful to declare that my life has taken the path of joy and peace. But that is not to say that I don't have moments when negative thinking gets the best of me. But through prayer and the study of His Word, I am able to snap out of my negative thinking quicker and quicker as I get to know Christ more and more.

As Joyce Meyer often says, I may not be where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be. I believe that this is a wonderful affirmation to remember as we begin the new year. With that said, I thought I'd write down three major changes or transformations Christ has done in my life.

1. I am not as easily offended. If I do get offended, by the grace of God, I am able to somehow quickly move past the offense, remembering Christ's words: “forgive them for they know not what they do”.
2. I am less judgmental. The cross made me realize that ALL have fallen short of the glory of God. We all have our own weaknesses and struggles and only God can change other people, not us.
3. Prayer has become a major part of my daily life. Sometimes I think prayer is just all I could do in moments when I can't really do anything. But the truth is, prayer is the best thing we could do especially in those moments. Prior to my personal relationship with Christ, I wouldn't think of prayer as my first response. If anything, it was my last resort. And let alone praying for other people! But these days, I am happy to say that I even learned, and now enjoy, praying even for strangers.

I have learned to use any and all available “empty” time. In our study of Battlefield of the Mind, I learned that we have to consciously choose what we think about. Otherwise the enemy will fill our passive minds with negative stuff. “Empty” time for me is while waiting, cleaning, or sometimes driving. My daughter, Isabella, is the one who actually showed me that I could pray for strangers while driving, when one commute day to ballet she pointed out a car pulled to the side of the road and said out loud: “I hope that person is ok.” Ever since then, we offer a quick prayer whenever we see someone pulled to the side of the road.

As for free time while waiting for Isabella's ballet class to end, I have learned to observe and look for any prayer need. Sometimes it's someone trying to parallel park on a busy street. I pray for both the one trying to park and patience for the one waiting. Sometimes it's a parent having a hard time with a misbehaving child. Other times it's a motorist getting a citation, or worse, getting towed. The list can go on and on. And before I know it, Isabella's class is over. I have found that praying is the best way to make use of my empty time and the best way to fill my thoughts with good stuff thereby coming out victorious in my own “battlefield of the mind”.

Our Christmas Home 2012

A Blessed Christmas from our home to yours....

Welcome to our 2012 Merry Christmas home Tour. Come on in!

Our Christmas decor would not be complete without our nativity scene greeting our dear guests and reminding us all of the reason for the season

I love decorating especially for the holidays.  It's a way for me to prepare not just our home but also my heart for the celebrant of the season....for the One Who "stepped out of heaven onto earth, in order that we might one day step out of earth into heaven".  The One Who left us peace...'not as the world gives' (John 14:27) but the kind of peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), so that it may be for us, heaven (in the here and now) all the way to heaven.  

Our homes should be a place of comfort and refuge; and so I like to create an atmosphere that reflects simplicity, peace, and serenity, that my heart might be prepared to celebrate the birth of Christ, The Immanuel (God with us), and also the birth of our middle son, Immanuel.

View of our Living Room from upstairs

and of course, every year since Isabella's involvement with SFBallet Nutcracker production (since 2009), our Nutcrackers and ballerina ornaments come out to grace the top of our piano joined by our taekwondo ornaments (representing our 3 sons)

Dining/Living Room

Family Room

I hope you enjoyed our Merry Christmas home tour this year.

Blessed Christmas from our family to yours.

Our end-of-year family letter is available here

Nutcracker

It's Nutcracker Time at the War Memorial Opera House!

Here is Isabella's schedule for 2012.  She will be one of the 4 dragonflies in Act 2 this year.
for tickets go to: sfballet.org

Date                     Time       

12/8    Saturday      2 PM, 7 PM

12/11  Tuesday       7 PM

12/13  Thursday      7 PM

12/15  Saturday      2 PM, 7 PM

12/18  Tuesday       7 PM

12/19  Wednesday  7 PM

12/21  Friday          2 PM, 7 PM

12/23  Sunday        2 PM, 7 PM

12/24  Monday       11 AM

12/27  Thursday      2 PM, 7 PM

12/28  Friday          7 PM

Here are some photos (by Erik Tomasson) of Isabella as a butterfly from last year's production

Thanksgiving 2012

Ever so grateful for an awesome Thanksgiving celebration this year filled with so MANY blessings.  Our loving family is complete, as always, including my dear niece, Daisy, and dear auntie Edith who came to join us this year.

Though the usual turkey was absent from this year's menu  (our oven had a stuck key that couldn't be reset)  we still had plenty to feast on including beef caldereta (stew), inihaw na bangus (grilled milkfish), empanaditas, and fruit salad. We eventually had the turkey the following day:) I set our old table (that we finally moved back from Pismo) in our family room so hubby and the boys can watch their favorite sports shows while feasting.

Later in the afternoon, we headed to the park for some photo shoot and some football fun for Isabella and big bro Phil (Isabella is inspired by a  book she's currently reading about a girl playing football).

While Phil and Isabella were playing football, Ian and I were enjoying photo shoot fun with Daisy as our photographer

And more park fun until dawn!!!

And park fun continued the following day, Friday, playing basketball and more football.

And for Saturday, it was on to bowling fun with the kids and Daisy who slept over.  They finally got me to play bowling for the very first time.

And we ended the week with fun in the city on a beautiful Sunday.  We (my sons, Daisy, and I) headed to Crissy Field after dropping Isabella off at SFB for Nutcracker rehearsal.  Immanuel met us there with our dog Isis.

And finally, after we picked up Isabella, our beautiful Sunday ended over wonderful dinner at the equally beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens 

Personal New Year (Birthday) Thanksgiving

(submitted for December 2012 Church Newsletter)

The month of November is a special month for me. Not only is it Thanksgiving, it is also the time when I get to celebrate my very own personal new year...my birthday! With that said, I thought I’d share my “Personal New Year’s Thanksgiving” including some of the things that I have learned thus far over 45 years of a blessed life and over 26 years of equally blessed marriage and motherhood coupled with some of my fave Scriptures and quotes.

Count your blessings, name them one by one, ….see what God hath done! 

Thankful for: 

• God’s goodness and love (my saving grace....though unearned and undeserved, is always ever unconditional and unending) 
• Jesus Christ (my Rock and Redeemer) 
• Holy Spirit (my Guide and Counselor) 
• Word of God (my daily bread) 
• Prayer (my lifeline; “oldest form of wireless communication; no busy signal, always available, never a dropped call”) 
• Family (my first-hand teachers on love; “The love of family is life’s greatest joy”; “Love is the only thing that can be divided without being diminished”)
• Friends (my angels on earth) 
• Health (my wealth on earth) 
• Home (my refuge and shelter on earth; “All the riches in the world cannot equal a home filled with love”) 
• Writing/journaling (my reflections and testimonies of God’s faithfulness in my life) 
• Quiet time (my time with God; In His presence is fullness of joy - Psalm 16:11) 
• Bible Study Group and church (my brothers and sisters-in-Christ) 
• The beauty of nature (my favorite art; How Great Thou Art!) 

Some of my Spiritual Do's and Don'ts: 

• Don't think of how far we have to go; Do think of how far we've come. (“I may not be where I need to be, but thank God I'm not where I used to be” – Joyce Meyer) 
• Don't wait until everything is perfect before we decide to enjoy our life everyday; Do enjoy where we are on the way to where we're going 
• Don't compare and judge ourself and others; Do realize we all have strengths and weaknesses and therefore need one another 
• Don't take on cares; Do cast off our cares on HIM. (To do what I can, and leave what I can't to God. To let go and let God)

On Marriage: “The gift of weathering the seasons of life together is only experienced when we do not give up in the dry seasons.”

On Motherhood: To embrace the differences amongst/between our children. To notice and to love what is already good in each them. To be attentive and to completely savor every season/phase of their growth. (they grow up fast)

On Life: To be aware and fully enjoy the richness of everyday life; To have an expectant heart....The best is yet to come!!!

Thank God We Are Not The Same

(submitted for November 2012 church newsletter)

Have you ever heard a sermon at church and the message pertains to a situation that you are currently experiencing? And it's as if God is talking to you right then and there? Doesn't it give you goosebumps of gratitude and awe all over?

I elbowed my husband during the sermon at the recent Heritage Sunday to point out the title of the message: "Thank God, We Are Not The Same!" Though the focus of the message was more about embracing the diversity in the church, the title hit home for me as it pertains to my recent complaints and frustrations toward the "differences" between me and my husband.

You see, my husband and I are polar opposites. Besides the obvious age (15 years my senior) and cultural (I'm Filipino and he's American)gaps that we have, my husband is a night owl and I'm a morning person. His top choices for TV shows and movies would be my least, and vise versa. And while I love to go out and big crowds don't bother me, my husband would rather stay home especially if there's even a slight chance that there would be a big crowd. The list can go on and on.

Like a diverse church united by the same Spirit that established the very first church (Acts 2:1-13 The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost), over the years (26 years and strong), the same Spirit empowered our marriage and we have learned to respect our differences, to compromise, and to focus on our similarities and the things that bind us together.

By the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have even learned to like some of the things that the other enjoys. And most importantly, I have come to realize and embrace that there are wonderful gifts that a polar opposite can bring. The gift of our polar opposite can fill in our blanks, challenge us to stretch, and even complete us.

For years I have been asking: "God, please change my husband" when I should have been praying: "Thank you God, we are not the same".