Merry Christmas

This Christmas, we made Christmas letters thanking God for all the answered prayers, for His love and all that He has done for us. HE is really awesome! It was touching to hear the kids read their letters for Jesus. As our pastor said, Christmas is indeed the GREATEST NEWS about the GREATEST PERSON who solved the GREATEST PROBLEM to give us the GREATEST FUTURE.

Happy birthday Jesus! I love you!

 

Strength for Everyday

I've been battling with flu for more than a week now. I have a really bad cough and just yesterday, I lost my voice and all I can manage is a whisper.  There were nights I cried and told the Lord how much I miss the kids.  I also told Riel and Aethan that I miss them and Riel said, "but mom, we are here with you..." and I would tell him that I miss kissing and hugging them - something I cannot do because I'm sick.    In spite of this, I am able to homeschool the kids, cook, wash the clothes, clean the house and read books to them (until the time I lost my voice).  I thank God for the strength He gives me.  And as I read His Word today, I was encouraged. Dt. 33:25 says, "... As thy days, so shall thy strength be..."  Whatever kind of day I will face - 'in sickness or in health' -  the Lord has already blessed me with enough strength! Isn't that comforting?!!

Ray Pritchard illustrated the verse beautifully.  He said, "Some days are filled with joy, light, and happiness; others with sadness, tears, frustration, pain, and heartache. Whatever each day brings, there will be strength enough to meet it... God will give strength to all our days until the end of our days. We will run out of days before we run out of God’s strength. The more days, the more strength God gives". 

The Lord knows when to heal me and I know He will, in His perfect time. And as I continue to battle this flu, His strength is more than adequate for me.

I cannot thank you enough, Lord, for another wonderful day that you have prepared for me.  Though my body is weak, my spirit is rejoicing for what is one day with flu when you are with me.

Mommy Fears

     I was just browsing at our old pictures and videos today and I got really sentimental.  My kids are growing up too fast ... really fast!  A few more years and my little boys would be teenagers. We don't even fit on one bed now.  My husband insists on having them sleep with us because he said a few more years and they wouldn't want to do that anymore.  We call it "siksik days" when we all would sleep on one bed - usually on weekends - and because the kids are growing big, mom and dad are not allowed to move and we sleep sideways til morning. lol.  I can understand him.  The backaches when we wake up (we're not getting any younger, right?) are nothing compared to the joy it gives us.

     As I look at the pictures, I said, "Lord, can you just freeze time"?  Life is so much easier now.  Their present age - 7 and 6 yrs old - is just perfect for every parent.   But as they grow, I know we will be facing more challenges.  I really cannot hold their future, its in God's hand.  I know that. I believe that...and yet, sometimes, fear would set in. Would they also follow and serve the Lord? Will they grow in wisdom & in stature? Would they have good friends? Would they rebel?  Am I doing it right? Am I a good mom? Lord, were they scarred by my harsh words in the past? Are we teaching them everything they need to know? Will they remember all that we did for them - everything we talked about - every magic moment? Will I be there to watch them grow? The list is endless.  And the Lord just reminded me in His Word - "Which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life span?"  I can't  and so every time I feel like this, I just surrender all my fears to Jesus. I bring to mind the truth that God loves them and wants the best for them.  He holds my children close to His heart and they are precious to Him. Psalm 112:7 says "He will not fear evil tidings. His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord".

layout credits: gottapixel kits / cluster your heart challenge

                                  

Photo journal states: 

"Being present is not just carving out time. It's also leaving behind our jobs or other tasks in more than just body, but also in spirit". (T.Jones)
-As we give our kids our time - ourselves - we pray that someday, when they're all grown up, they would always love to go back home - a place where they felt a love unlike any other.

GDS challenge-Digidish challenge
summer afternoon kit by kuper doodles,maria designs my cuties 23 alpha

This is a nice song . :-)

Find Your Wings
by Mark Harris

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray
For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And If I never told you
I want you to know
As I watch you grow

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

Happy Birthday to Me!

They say that "a birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun" but today was different, it was extra special!

I woke up to find the most wonderful gifts a mom and a wife can ever have. Alvin and the kids filled my morning with love and love letters! They just brought tears to my eyes and I would treasure them in my heart forever!

I am especially so happy to read Aethan's letters.  For 2 years (since he was 4), there was always a  struggle whenever I ask him to write something.  He doesn't like writing - unlike his brother, Riel, who delights in it.   It takes sooo much effort for him to write even one sentence.  This year, as we started homeschooling, his first composition was a letter for me and now on my birthday, he made 3!  Thankyou, Lord!

Their letters encouraged me.  I am blessed to know that they really love homeschooling.  Riel said he wants me to homeschool him 'til college (hehe).  I also learned that Aethan delights in the little things I help him with like washing the dishes, sleeping beside him,etc.  The kids help us with the household chores and I actually feel guilty because sometimes, I just let them do it and most of the time, I don't help them anymore. I realized it would make a big difference for Aethan if we would do things together.

I appreciate very much the surprises - (esp. the letters!) that Alvin and the kids prepared for me. They know how to fill my tank and how to speak my love language.  For me, words of affirmation speak louder than any gift or action. And more than anything, I thank the Lord for giving me such a wonderful husband and kids... I cannot ask for more. Thank you, Lord Jesus! Thank you for loving me. Thank you for the life You gave me! Thank you because I am Your child! Thank you, Lord!



October 2, 2011

Another surprise!

I was truly blessed when our dgroup threw a surprise birthday party for me. I was shocked to see them in our house just as we were about to leave for church.  (of course, only then, did I realize why Alvin took such a loooong time dressing up...He was an accomplice!) I felt happier to see that everyone was present.  I truly thank the Lord for giving Alvin and me the privilege to serve Him through our spiritual family. It was the Lord who brought us together and it is His LOVE that binds us. We feel unfathomable joy whenever we see each couple growing in their relationship with each other and with the Lord. We rejoice for each answered prayer and our hearts cry in their trials.   We SHARE not just joys and sorrows but we are also one in our mission to reach out more souls for Jesus Christ.  LIFE will not be the same without them. Thank you, Lord, for our dgroup.

Human Body Lapbook

The kids are so fascinated with the human body so I decided to focus on it for around 2 weeks.  We made a life-size model by tracing their bodies.

Crisdam designs-GottaPixel, creations by rachel-dinoland kit, alpha by designs by shari,

I asked the kids to draw some parts and label them.  We also placed a picture of our internal organs and the kids "color-coded" them (one color per organ for easier identification).  We started making mini-books (we are not done yet) which we can use for our human body lap book.

We bought books and also watched videos about the human body from the National Geographic and Magic School Bus.

(...to be continued...)

** updates on this post: HUMAN ANATOMY

Timeline

We love Mystery of History!!!

Sharing with you the timelines that we made from Creation to Homer (c. 800 B.C.)

Accordion type timeline for Riel

Wall timeline made of balikbayan boxes for Aethan

Our wall of history

Aethan's Elijah riding a chariot

prophets after division of Israel, Homer

Aethan's ancient Egypt - Amenhotep, Nefertiti, King Tut and Ramses II

Riel's timeline cover

Riel's Tower of Babel and Stonehenge

Riel's Division of Israel

Riel's Homer

digiscrapkit credits: 
P52 template Gotta Pixel, 
Friends and Family kit by HunnyB, 
alpha by SbyJ,paper by missmint

Gliders

To better understand how lift works, we made 2 gliders out of cardboard, straws, clay and tape. The gliders were exactly alike except for the size of their wings.  RESULT:  The glider with the long narrow wing traveled faster than the glider with the short-wide wing.  Dad also made airplanes out of colored paper and we joined the fun.  Everywhere there were flying gliders and paper planes! Our house was literally a mess after the experiment ... and it was a lovely mess!

curriculum:
Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the 5th Day (Mid lesson experiment)

kit credits: P52 template, flying into Spring kit from Gottapixel

This is how Riel explained FLIGHT (grade2)

This was Aethan's interpretation

Moses Lapbook

We studied the life of Moses for the whole month.  We watched 'Prince of Egypt', made a few crafts and danced! Yes, dance! :-) Stumbled upon this nice 10 plagues song - 10 plagues song

Riel, my son, also suggested, "Mom, let's make a Moses lapbook!" And so we did.

It was a fun month and we're looking forward to our next lapbook ... Abraham! ;-)

.

scrap materials from GDS-system template 127, papers by christy skaggs

Here are the sample pages:

Riel and Aethan's Moses lapbook

the lapbook

The 10 plagues

The burning bush

The matzo cover and Moses parting the red sea

the frog (10 plagues) made of popsicle sticks

Pretending this was the place where the princess found Moses

All these we got from these wonderful websites:
Baby Moses
Burning Bush
 Frog
matzo cover
coloring pages
other crafts

Balubad Outreach: Mass Wedding

"Where will we get the funds, Lord?"  I remember asking the Lord this question when we had our first outreach in Balubad back in December 2010.  I can still hear God whisper,  "Anak, when I ask you to do something, I will enable you to do it and I will provide for your every need."  Right before our very eyes, the Lord did just that.  And so from them on, as we continued ministering to the people he brought to us, we have learned to depend on Him for our every need.  

 We have already conducted several marriage seminars and biblical foundation classes from March til August of this year, and finally, last August 27, we had the opportunity to serve the Lord through a mass wedding.  The Lord has provided the funds for our group to sponsor the wedding of 9 couples who attended the 1st outreach.  Praise God!  These couples, by the way, live in Balubad Resettlement Area.  When there's typhoon, these families would always be the 1st to be evacuated.  Seeing their happy and excited faces during the wedding,  was enough reason to rejoice.  I thank the Lord for using us to bless these couples in ways I never thought possible.   Everything is the work of the Lord and I just want to praise Him and thank Him, that by His grace, He gave us the privilege to serve Him and to experience how big and mighty He is.

Thank you for everyone who made the mass wedding possible.

1. Pastor Leo and Ate Sheila - for their vision and entrusting us to be part of it, for their untiring support - as if they have 30 hours a day to spare.  Thank you ate She for the souvenirs.
2. Pastor Erwin and Sis. Jhie - for officiating the wedding, for their support and blessing us with their presence
3. Ma'am Fifi - for her patience and for helping us with all the needed documents
4. Archie of Media Ministry for volunteering to cover the event
5. Arnie and  Bebeth - for their generosity,  providing the chafing dishes and for cooking and preparing the food. (so yummy! The food was overflowing that we even have enough to feed those people who were "just passing by", those who helped clean up the place and also more than enough "pabalot or pabaon" for us and the barangay workers
6. Lara & Mario (and ate also)- for helping us organize, for her generosity, supplying us with the things we need  
7. URC - for sharing 7 boxes of Chumbos that we used for our 2 marriage seminars, as well as, again, the goods (around 20++ boxes) they provided in our December 2010 outreach which we used for the Christmas baskets that we gave away. 
8. Ate Amy - She was an answered prayer for us also! The couple who were supposed to head the food committee were absent and God sent us the best person to take their place.  We thank her  for sharing with us her time and expertise esp. in handling food and arranging the buffet table
9. OMF - they gave a lot of 'Ang Buhay Na Hindi Bitin' booklet in our Dec 2010 outreach that we had enough to give away during the mass wedding
10. Kapitan Randy Leal and his secretary, Marijoy - for all their support
11. Kuya Palag for helping us with the set-up and preparing the stage ahead of time
12. For our prayer partners - everyone who prayed for the event
13. And of course, for our Dgroup... Rolly & Veck, Mike & Misce, Jesse & Ria, Henry & Che, Mark & Abi, Prakash & Nanu, George and Jhen, Carlo & Malou, (and the dgroup kids) We are blessed to see them serving the Lord with their gifts. (The number of the boys  singing "Kahit maputi na ang buhok ko" was awesome!  Hearing them sing and watching them perform on stage, we just can't help falling in love with our husbands all over again!)   It was amazing to see everyone working as one, even without instructions from us.  We hope they will continue to grow and we are praying that everyone would start handling their own dgroups soon. (Amen!)  :-)

In the next months, please pray with us as we continue to minister to the couples and their families through home visitations and Bible studies.  And by God's grace, we pray that we will be able to carry out the planned livelihood programs, parenting seminar and follow-up outreaches in the same area.  

I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, "who has strengthened us, because  He considered us faithful, putting us into service" (1 Tim 1:12) To you, O, Lord Jesus, be the glory, forever and ever!

OUR DGROUP w/ Ptr Erwin, Sis Jhie, Ptr Leo & family (digiscrap kit by LST)

Riel and Aethan packing the spoons and forks for the mass wedding

 

Preparing the place amidst typhoon Mina, a portion of the gym was already flooded - BUT praise God - the rain stopped minutes before the wedding and it didn't rain all throughout the event --- Thank you Lord!

Henry - preparing the stage - We were not able to put everything that we planned because of the rain - but the placed still looked beautiful. :-)

The boys practicing their song

THE COUPLES

 

Praise God for our DGroup singers!

 

Pastor Erwin and Sis. Jhie with Marvin and Jeannel

THE CAKES AND THE SOUVENIRS - We got yummy cakes that were not expensive. One couple got 1 cake each. Praise God! Thank you ate She for the beautiful souvenirs. Thank you Lara for the cloth bags. Each couple also got 1 Bible.  (They don't have Bibles at home)

Kapitan Randy Leal

DGROUP GIRLS

The boys - during their song number - "Kahit Maputi Na ang Buhok Ko"

DGROUP BOYS

THE FOOD - Our Dgroup member assigned to head the food committee wasn't able to attend but Praise God He provided the best person to take her place. Ate Amy from Astoria Plaza was there to help us set-up the buffet table and prepare the food. Thank you Arnie and Bebeth for the food.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

It started as a project in GLC 4.  In June 2010, We were challenged by our church to conduct a bridging event.  We rose up to the challenge and that is when we experienced firsthand how to actually prepare, plan, coordinate and conduct outreaches. 

Some photos of our outreach

credits:Erica Hite,SbyJ

All glory to God!