Day 120: Wandering Mind.

Dear wandering mind, Can you please focus on God's unfailing love for you? Sincerely, Me.

Find myself wandering again which is an unhealthy habit.  Practicing self control and discipline over unnecessary worries and thoughts. 

Day 119: Cool Coffee Jelly.

My sister's recipe called "coffee jelly." Soooooo refreshing this summer! Leftovers from yesterday's party. 

Day 118: Indra's 2nd Bday!

Celebrated Indra's 2nd birthday today. Went to my sister's place in the morning to help with the preparation.

Started the party with some games and yes I hosted it with LG. Pinagkaguluhan ng lahat ang pabitin!

Indra asked to blew the candle more than once. Yay!

Ang mga batang nakigulo sa party. Gab, Ace and JC - my nephews and niece. Please bear with my photos, can't crop the legs in the background. Hahaha.

Some candies that my nephew got from the "pabitin".

Lastly, keychains were given as souveniers to those who attended the party.  What an idea!. Thanks for the tip! Happy birthday Soi-Soi!

Day 117: Artwork devotion.

Want your daily devotions to be more exciting?  I would like to share how I do mine.  I use different color pens, highlighters, draw pictures, lines, arrows, boxed/encircle/underline keywords, put check marks, asterisks on important thoughts and so on. You don't need to be a very artistic person to do this. Look at my work! A work done by the child inside of me. Yay!

This morning, I meditated on Psalm 91, picked out one verse that strike me the most, which is verse 1: "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty".  I draw 5 shelters and write inside some of the things that I dwell in to find comfort and encouragement.  The verse says to find shelter in God alone so I draw a house (sort of) and draw a human inside.

I find studying God's word this way more fun and would not be a boring ritual or task that I have to do everyday.  After all, God wants me to enjoy my relationship with Him to the fullest. 

Day 116: Old School is Cool!

Have you tried coconut milk on your hair? I am not talking about the ready made coconut milk that you can buy from supermarkets but the milk that is produced by squeezing grated coconut meat.  Its kinda old school because salons nowadays offer a variety of hair treatments.  I am not against those treatments, in fact I have one at home.  But its a lot more different when you use the natural and pure way once in a while. All you have to do is apply the milk to your hair thoroughly, cover with a shower cap and leave it for an hour or two.  For best results, let it stay for longer hours. Rinse. Use your favorite shampoo and conditioner to remove the smell. 

Applying coconut milk can be a bit messy and difficult if you do it only by yourself (good, if you can find someone who can do it for you). You need to bear with the smell also and you may feel a little hotter the longer it stays on your hair. But it will all pay off in the end because coconut milk will strengthen the strands of your hair and make it shinier and blacker.  It is also a very good remedy for dandruff, falling hair, dry hair, lice and other insects. And most of all its CHEAPER! Old school is cool!

Day 115: Remembering Childhood Game.

Remember these? We call it "tex" (not sure if I spelled it correctly). Me and my cousins used to play this back in our childhood. Its different, though.  Back then, the cards are thicker and a bit bigger.  Most of the pictures are scenes from movies and has captions.  Surprised that the game is still being played today in the midst of all those new gadgets.   

Day 114: Yes to Yogurt!

Its 2 in the morning and am still wide awake, maybe because I slept longer in the afternoon + some thoughts bugging me + rumbling tummy + someone thinking of me (yuck!).  I only had pizza for dinner so here I am with my fave snack - yogurt strawberry flavor with some real fruit pieces. It is good for digestion and a good source of calcium for strong bones. (as per the cup) hehehe. And I just found out that I need to turn the flash off to get a better picture of my subject.

Day 113: Mom & Dad's 38th Anniversary.

Dad reminded me that today is their 38th wedding anniversary (forgot about it). hehehe. Dad is 65 years old and Mom is 58. Grateful for my parents:) Yey!

This cause for another pizza celebration. Yay! Its ham and cheese again from Lots'a Pizza!

Day 112: Why does it have to be Colton?

Last week's emotional "one-save vote" to Jessica Sanchez was indeed another record in American Idol. However, this week's elimination was very disappointing.  Colton is one of my favorites and even see him as one who will hold the AI title.  He has the complete package - has the looks, great voice, can play the piano and the star quality. I can also see the frustration on the judges faces and other contestants as well. They believed on Colton's talent and what he can do and I think he's better than some of the contestants who were saved. Colton admitted that he was not on himself when he performed last Thursday and promised that he will learn from it.  He sung his favorite worship song - Everything by Lifehouse as his last song. I'm not sure if he's a Christian or not but it made me admire him more.  At the end of the day, whether win or lose, he gave the glory to God and dedicated everything to Him.

Day 111: Overnight at sister's house.

 My brother-in-law was not around so my sister invited me to spend the night with them.  This was actually the second time I slept at my sister's house. Yay! Again, the reality of what a married life is starting to unfold right before my very eyes. All throughout the day, she has been shouting and "nagsasaway" to her two kids - a girl and a boy. My niece has a lot of demands and sometimes would cry without any reason at all. My nephew, on the other hand, was running here and there! They will play while eating and will mess up their food. They will do a lot of "delaying tactics" before brushing and bathing. My sister admits that its hard because she's working at the same time.Though she had a helper, she would still do other household chores after work (she's a teacher).  Ok, that's enough for my sister's life. Lol.

I realized that when I ask and pray to get married, I am not just asking a piece of candy that God would give right away.  Its not as easy as I thought. It dawned on me the importance of preparing yourself while single.  Also, I see marriage as the season where its not about me anymore, its about the kids, its about raising a family better than the one I was brought up to. Now I appreciate more my singleness and wanting to be prepared more than ever.

Day 110: Summer Nail Polish.

Green nail polish perfect for summer. Taray! 

Day 109: Let's Organize.

Time to organize my important documents/files with this clearbook, it has 20 pockets and 40 sheets, A4 size metallic color.

Day 108: Passport Renewal.

Got my passport renewed this morning. I am glad that DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) office is in our hometown because other people from nearby province will travel long hours just to get here. I am just so happy that I am from Lucena City. Its cheaper to have my passport renewed here in the Philippines than abroad so I would like to take advantage of it,  10 days will be the processing, though.  While waiting for my queue, I looked on my passport stamps and realized how great God is.  It was 24th of May 2007 when I left for Singapore. Excitement, fear, anxiety - all emotions were there because it was my first time to ride on a plane. Grabe! I have no idea why God would bring me in Singapore. It never crossed my mind the thought of working abroad, in fact I once told myself and even my friends that I don't see myself leaving the Philippines. Yay! At kinain ko lahat ng mga salita ko because God intrudes my own plan to give me a better one.  

Turning the pages of my old passport, I am thankful how God has brought me to different places - Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore. Not all people have the privilege of travelling and here I am going from one place to another.  Honestly, I didn't appreciate all these things at first, but later on I realized that God has always a better plan for me and that I needed to trust Him even it does not make any sense.

Day 107: New Conditioner Variant.

This is a new Creamsilk Conditioner variant to give more volume to your hair and make it more bouncy.  I want to give it a try since I have curly hair.  Glad to have 8  sachets for free. Yey! Actually, I didn't know that there was a promo for this.  The cashier didn't told me about it but when I get out of the supermarket I saw a signboard for the promo.  I must have been missed it if not for slowing down.  Got reminded of what I read few days ago about slowing down  and enjoying life more. One of the principles discussed was being present and focusing on your environment and others around you.  Little by little I'm starting to practice and getting result. Wow! I tend to overlook small things because my mind is always after the big things. I know I am still a work in progress in this area of "slowing down" but through consistent practice it can be a habit and part of my life.

By the way, while I was in another supermarket, I saw a game show for the first time. Enjoyed watching the woman gathering grocery items within a short period of time.  These small things made my day. Indeed life is more fun when you slow down and appreciate little things in life.  Thank You Jesus!

Day 106: Hello Hairband!

Got this hairband from Lilibeth that matches my curly hair. Yey!

Day 105: At a Crossroad.

Crossroads refers to an intersection, a road junction where two or more roads meet (Wikipedia).  A crucial point especially where a decision must be made.  I am on that point and its not easy.  I felt like I'm stuck in the middle and don't know which road to take.  I'm weighing things, analyzing the what if's, the pro's and con's of each road. I am not good in decision making and its just so ironic that God will allow me in a place where you have to make decisions based on a lot of options.  I don't know if this is the result of me being fickle minded on things.  I can't make up my mind because I am afraid of failing and regretting decisions that I made.  My Mom once asked me "What do you really want?"  "You're already xx. You should know by now what you want".  And I will just smile and be silent.   

I am continually seeking God for directions and leading because at the end of the day, I desire to be in the place where God has called me to be.  I believe on the power of proper placement.  It is the place where I can expect God's blessings, grace, favor and protection. I want to be in the center of His will where I will worship and serve Him together with my future husband who remains anonymous as of todate. hahaha.

Day 104: Sakal Sakali Saklolo.

A movie back in 2007 which stars Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo. This movie is interesting because it shows the reality of a married life.  It is indeed a big responsibility and needs preparation.  I was impressed how Angie (Judy Ann) faces the challenges of a wife, a mother and still a daughter to her family.  She talks a lot and was very protective to her son.  I can imagine myself to her. Yay! This movie also shows different issues of the family of Judy Ann and Ryan that they need to deal with which is especially true to Filipino families. I learned the importance of constant communication between a husband and wife.  Truly, marriage consists of two people committed and faithful to each other, willing to sacrifice his/her own comfort for the sake of others.  Funny, last Sunday I was in a birthday party where most of the guests were already married.  And now comes a movie about how a married life looks like.  Am I ready for this, Lord? hahahaha...                                                    

Day 103: Back to Basic.

Today I am grateful for the dinner that we had.  Actually, I don't like the food that was served at first but had a little surprise from God. I am glad that even in simple things like this He really knows what's inside my heart. I decided to blog about this so I will not forget how God has surprised me on this dinner. He indeed knows what I need and every desires of my heart. My part is to trust Him and seek Him first.  It goes back to the basic of my faith which I need to remind myself everyday. Trust God. He knows and is concerned on every details of my life.     

Day 102: Slow Down.

I would like to share this great post from Leo Babauta about 10 Essential Rules for Slowing Down and Enjoying Life More.  It was an interesting read and I learned a lot from it.  Surprisingly, the author has released the copyright, anyone can use it with or without credit (will credit him anyway) That is so unusual! Anyway, out of the 10 rules, I picked 3 that struck me the most.

1. Be present. It’s not enough to just slow down — you need to actually be mindful of whatever you’re doing at the moment. That means, when you find yourself thinking about something you need to do, or something that’s already happened, or something that might happen … gently bring yourself back to the present moment. Focus on what’s going on right now. On your actions, on your environment, on others around you. This takes practice but is essential

2.  Focus on people. Too often we spend time with friends and family, or meet with colleagues, and we’re not really there with them. We talk to them but are distracted by devices. We are there, but our minds are on things we need to do. We listen, but we’re really thinking about ourselves and what we want to say. None of us are immune to this, but with conscious effort you can shut off the outside world and just be present with the person you’re with. This means that just a little time spent with your family and friends can go a long way — a much more effective use of your time, by the way. It means we really connect with people rather than just meeting with them.     

3. Find pleasure in anything. This is related to being present, but taking it a step farther. Whatever you’re doing, be fully present … and also appreciate every aspect of it, and find the enjoyable aspects. For example, when washing dishes, instead of rushing through it as a boring chore to be finished quickly, really feel the sensations of the water, the suds, the dishes. It can really be an enjoyable task if you learn to see it that way. The same applies to other chores — washing the car, sweeping, dusting, laundry — and anything you do, actually. Life can be so much more enjoyable if you learn this simple habit.

Now I have new and specific prayer points for myself.

Day 101. English quizzes.

To get rid of boredness, I answered some of the English quizzes online. It is a test of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. It was fun answering and glad to see the results at the end, some failed and others are a perfect score. I am thankful that I can still recall some of my English lessons and I think this will be a great help for blogging. Yey! Below are sample questions in the test. If you want to learn more, you can follow them at EnglishClub on G+.

 

Grammatical Terms Quiz

Choose the term on the right that matches the definition on the left.

A word opposite in meaning to another:
A group of words that usually go together (eg fish and chips):
A group of words that includes a subject and a finite verb:
A word that connects two parts of a compound sentence:
A combination of two vowels:
A phrase that is not intended to be understood word for word:
A verb that has a subject but no object:
Expressing an action done to the subject:
The subject does the action and receives the action:
A phrase added to a statement to make a question:

Your score is:

Day 100: Bedsheet and Pillow Cover.

I did changed my bedsheet and pillow cover today. I used to do it once a month but Mom advised me to do it every two weeks. It so comfy to sleep in a newly changed bedsheet and also the more you want to lie down in your bed. I am grateful to have a bed where I can rest my mind and body.

Day 99: Easter Sunday.

Photo by Google

 Easter Sunday and also my best friends' daughter (Selene) birthday. Skipped church and went straight to the celebration to be welcomed by church people. Yay! I was one of the first to came, thought I was late. It was awkward because the first batch of visitors were all family.  A lot of things has changed, my church friends are already married and have kids and so the first 3 hrs of my stay there was like Boom! Though I know most of them but it was a bit of struggle.  It was different, what can I expect, I've been away for 4 years and it was only now that I had quality fellowship with them.  I chose to work abroad though I didn't like it at first.  I didn't regret it though because the experience taught me a lot about myself and my walk with God. Singles came. Now I've got some real company! There's Lilibeth who was a friend since college and still have her blooper stories.  Hyped once again with all those jokes! hahaha.  Love the fellowship!

Day 98: Blogger Tips Blogging Challenge

This post is in response to the Blogging Challenge initiated by Jenson Taylor.

It was only recently that I started blogging. My blogsite is about daily act of thanksgiving.  It is a compilation of the random things which I am thankful of everyday. In a short period of time, I would like to share some tips (B-L-O-G) which I find helpful in blogging.

1. Be consistent.. It takes a lot of discipline to be consistent.  Consistency will help you improve your blogging skills and increase your passion as well.  Blog as often as you can to keep the momentum. Also, you will never be good at something if you are not consistent with it.

2. Look for great template designs and photos. Although people are after the contents of your blog, it is also important that your designs and photos are inviting. There are a lot of template designs you can check online and choose the best ones that matches your theme and personality. Personally, I am motivated to check blogs with excellent designs and colors. Great templates will also give your readers a "first good impression" and inspire them to view your site regularly. 
             

3.Observe other people's blogs.  You can learn a lot from other people's blogs. Check other blogs for tips and ideas. Do a lot of reading, researching, ask help from tutorial blogs and keep on learning.  Put those ideas together and your on your way to your very unique blogsite.

4. Grammar and Spelling. Blogs are more interesting to read if the sentences are grammatically correct. You can use the "check spelling" tool from the toolbar section. Make sure to review your posts before publishing them.

Happy Blogging!

iamchasingcolours.blogspot.com

 

Day 97: Its my 29th!

Yay! Its my birthday! I didn't have a feastful celebration this year, in fact this is the most unique of all because I celebrated it only with my best friend.  I am thankful that even she's already married, we got to have quality bonding where we share what's going on with our lives. I know a lot of people from church but I have only like 2-3 close friends where I can really tell everything. Bondings like this brought so much encouragement in my life and in my walk with God.  I was discouraged in the past weeks because of what happened to my job and I am thankful for God lifting me up through a real friend. I am overwhelmed with the grace of God carrying me all these times. Thankful for the love of God filling my heart once again. Since its another year of my life, I felt like its another fresh start in my walk with God. Lately, God has been impressing to me the importance of sharing my life with others, loving each other deeply with the love of Christ and valuing RELATIONSHIPS more than achievements and worldly possessions. There are times I tend to withdraw myself from other people and think only of myself.  It was so selfish of me! Thank God for showing me all these things. Truly, apart from Him I can do nothing.

Day 96: Well-done egg for breakfast.

Started the day with a breakfast prepared by Dad.  Actually, I don't like the idea of him doing all this stuffs for me but he insisted of doing it. Nevertheless, I like how he made the egg well-done because I prefer it than sunny side up.  Had dinner at my sister's house to post celebrate her birthday and pre-celebrate mine. hahaha. Again, my nephews and nieces acted like they never see each other for years. Grabe ang ingay at kulit! Seeing them brings joy to my heart.

Day 95: Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition

I still cannot move on from last night's program Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. It was the first time that I watched the show and was stunned by the weight loss of the woman named Krista.  It is somewhat similar to The Biggest Loser, the only difference is that it is not a competition rather it only features one person whom Chris Powell (trainer) will choose to provide 1-year intensive training and lessons for weight loss and healthy living. Exercise equipments will be brought right to your house and he will go through with you the drills. Aside from the good-looking host that will motivate you (lols), there are also rewards that will be given if you reach a certain goal. A brand new car was given to Krista who lost 100 pounds after 3 months! OMG! But it was not an easy road because she stopped the training along the way when she got depressed due to her sick daughter. Chris came back to the house and inspire her once again. To make the long story short, she was able to get back on track and lost an incredible 180pounds - from 445 to 265 pounds! To celebrate, marriage vows with her husband was renewed and this time she was wearing a wedding gown! What an amazing transformation!

Discipline and perseverance really pays off! Nothing is impossible!

Day 94: Bloggerageous.

If Linsanity is to Jeremy Lin, Tebowing is to Tim Tebow,  I come up with my own "Bloggerageous". hahaha. I've been really hooked up with Blogger and wants to blog more often. My blogsite started with 366 ThankYouNotes where I put short notes for the random things which I am thankful of everyday. Then I find this site interesting and could be a place where I put my thoughts and ideas.  I began composing longer notes so I decided to change my blog name to "Chasing Colors" so it won't be limited to just thank you notes. Its just so amazing that these ideas suddenly popped up to my mind. Single benefits, I guess. 

Looking back, I learned how to play guitar, enrolled in dance class, took short class in Mandarin, do some coloring and painting, cooked sometimes, and that's me - wanting to learn and exploring different things in life. And now its "Bloggerageous".

Day 93: Project Runway Philippines S3

I didn't know that Project Runway is being shown here in the Philippines and now on its Season 3! Wow! It is hosted by Tweetie de Leon and other famous fashion designers in the country. I enjoy watching the show because it features different designs, clothes, prints, patterns made by artistic people. These designers would compete with each other to create the best clothes based on the theme that the host will give at the beginning of the show. They will be judged and the poorest designs would be eliminated.  Unbiasedly speaking, the Philippines version will never be as good as the Project Runway in America hosted by Heidi Klum but I'm just so glad that our country is able to "franchised" that show.  

There are more gay contenders and I think there's only about 3-4 female designers. That makes the show even more interesting. Yay! Great show!

Day 92: Sunday Surpised Visit.

I love surprises! It was Sunday afternoon about lunch time when my sister Choi invaded the house with my cute nephew and niece. Yay! Please bear with my photos, I still have watery and red eyes due to allergy. Ewwwwww!