Thankful Thursday

This week I thank God for:

• Keeping my entire family safe from typhoon Frank that hit Manila last Sunday.
• My friend who blessed me with a month's supply of food and toiletries . Now, I don't need to go to the grocery to buy them.
• A new Korean tutee. That would again spell additional income for me.
• The skin care products my former tutee's wife gave me last Monday night when she got home from Korea.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

When we obey God's will and calling, He makes sure we are blessed. God is faithful to fulfill all His promises to us.

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris over at Sting My Heart. Have a happy weekend ahead y'all. God bless! =D

Typhoon Frank

I woke up at 4 a.m. last Sunday because of the noise the glass sliding door on the left side of our bed was making. The wind was whistling from the small gap of our window which I left open from the night before. I didn't watch the news so I didn't have any idea what's going on, but from the sound of the wind and rain pouring, I knew there's a typhoon. After an hour, the lights went off.

Great.

I wanted to watch TV and see what's on the news, but there's no electricity. At around 7 a.m. I got a call from my mom. She told me that there's a typhoon. I was right! Three hours later I realized we have an emergency socket in our unit.

Duh!?!

I plugged in and turned on the TV, flipped the channels and... no news, just cartoons. Sheesh! Finally, there was a news flash. "Public Storm Signal No. 3 (100-185 kph winds) remains hoisted in Metro Manila and in the following areas..."

Hmm... I remembered the last time I saw how storm signal number 3 was like. From our window I saw roofs flying all over the place and my mom told us to stay inside the bedroom. I was nine years old.

Please say a prayer for the family and survivors of the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars, a passenger-cargo vessel, that claimed lives. 20 are confirmed dead, 57 survivors and 787 remained missing.

Thankful Thursday

This week I thank God for:

• My good friend Sylvia. She wrote me an email that just gave my heart so much joy. Friends who'd stand with you in prayer and believe with you, for me that's priceless. Here's what she said, "keep on holding on Pia, and even if everyone else no longer believes, I'm believing and holding out right along with you."

• The extra money He provided me with from our Baguio trip. I was just expecting a small amount but I was surprised to get six times more than I was expecting. God is truly awesome!
  

• The Refreshing Times CD from Daystar Television Network. I can't even remember if I requested for this CD or they just gave away this wonderful compilation of worship songs to all their partners and friends.
  

Friends, I'm sharing with you these blessings to encourage each of you to wait upon the Lord. There was a point in my life when money was a major problem, but God did not turn His back on me. He's been faithfully providing for my needs. If He did it for me, He will surely do it for you too.

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord: be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:13-14

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris over at Sting My Heart. Have a happy weekend ahead y'all. God bless! =D

Baguio Adventure

We went to Baguio again last Thursday to visit our office there and to check the site where we're putting up our training center. Going up north, a five to six hours drive from Manila, was an adventure for all of us in the van. I've never gone up to Baguio with fog so thick we could hardly see the road. I told the driver to pull over, the others were saying we have to keep going because it's more dangerous if we stop. We just need to go slowly. We were holding our breath until the fog subsided. Thank God there weren't any car around except ours. Whew! We went home the following day.

L-R: Melanie from our Baguio office; me; Jun, our driver, Ging from HR and Linda from Secretariat. For more photos, click here.

Angel Security

Cartoonist's Comment: Here is the verse in context. It is quite a promise from God's Word.

If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. – Psalm 91: 9-12 NIV

Thankful Thursday

This week I thank God for:

• My mom's lab tests. They've all improved and even my dad was amazed.
  
• My new curtain rods and curtains. I have been wanting to change my curtains and maybe God said it's time for me to have it so my friend gave them to me as a gift.
  
• Wisdom. He has been teaching me a lesson about my words. I never really cared about the words that come flying out of my mouth then, but God wanted me to choose the words I declare. He wanted me to choose LIFE. Just this morning, He reminded me about this lesson again.
  

As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations.' He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were." Romans 4:17

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Iris over at Sting My Heart. Have a happy weekend ahead y'all. God bless! =D

Waiting Is Like Marination

My friend, Zenda, gave me the most interesting analogy about waiting. According to her, waiting is like marination. The meat gets pinched, pounded, tossed about, seasoned, etc. Ouch! Then we let the meat sit untouched for a period of time (that's the waiting part). Then we cook the meat with fire (not again! Ouch!). When done, the meat tastes yummy and has such delightful aroma. Now imagine you're the meat.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

He makes all things beautiful in His time.

Back To School

I'm excited to go back to school! I've enrolled myself in our church's Every Nation Leadership Institute (ENLI) and classes starts next week. I'll be on my first year, first semester. Woohoo! ENLI is a two-year, part-time program that is purposefully designed to provide discipleship training and biblical teaching for people from all walks of life. You know, I never liked going to school before but this time, I'm looking forward to it. =D

True Friends Are Gifts From God

I was on my way to work this morning when I got a call from my very good friend, Corry, who has been like a second mom to me. She asked me if I was okay. I was kinda lost for a while and then she said she read or heard a news that the Philippines was hit by a strong earthquake. I was surprised because I didn't hear that from the news and I didn't find that in the newspapers either. Hmm... I'm quite sure I didn't feel anything. In other words, I didn't know there was an earthquake here had I not received a call from Corry and checked it on the internet. Thank God there were no casualties. Later on, I've read that it measured 6.8 on the Richter scale. It rocked the northern part of the Philippines and the southern part of Taiwan. Lord, thank you for sparing us.

Another dear blogger friend of mine, Enid, emailed me weeks ago also asking if I was okay because she heard that China was struck by a strong earthquake too and she thought I was from there. Thank God I wasn't.

I feel truly blessed to have friends (even those I haven't personally met yet) who cared sincerely. God bless their good hearts. Thank you for your concern and prayers.

(((HUGS)))