3 Weddings and a Birthday

The first two weeks of December feels like a year! A lot of things had happened... or should I say, many couples got married for it's becoming a norm to get married on December here in the Philippines. All of the 3 weddings that I've been to are weddings of my friends from the church. :) (And I was also present to all of their bridal showers!)

#PeeweeIrisIDo

This year, it was my first time to celebrate my birthday in a friend's wedding! :) I wasn't really a guest but I was part of the team who prepared for it (I was more involved in the creative and styling part). :)

Last meeting (night before the wedding) for the Peewee-Iris nuptials

I had sleepless nights before the wedding because of the preparation but it's fine with me. It's always been my desire to be involved in a wedding specially if it's for a friend and when I'm with my friends! :) Thank you Lord for the roaring strength! :)

Happy wedding and happy birthday! :D

December 6 started early for me since I have to be in the wedding venue early in the morning. Thank God for my parents who went with me there early and had a breakfast with me at Coffee Bean! :)

This was also a test of faith for all of us! It was really a risk to held a wedding ceremony outdoor since there was a threat that typhoon Ruby will visit us with her rains and thunderstorms. But! Thank God He answered our prayers! It was a sunny-windy day and not even a single drop of rain came! What a happy wedding for the couple, Peewee and Iris and a happy birthday to me! :)

The wedding ceremony and reception ended and it has been a long day, so I thought that we will don't celebrate my birthday anymore but! Surprise! We celebrated it at again, in Coffee Bean! :) God knows how I really appreciate this, even though we are all feeling groggy and sleepy, my friends and my sister still made some time to celebrate my birthday with a few hours remaining for the day. :) A pleasant surprise indeed... :)


#MikLang Wedding

The following weekend (December 12, 2014), I witnessed another glorious wedding! A sunset and the Taal lake in front of us and a rainbow behind us! No event stylist or wedding coordinator can intentionally pull this off... only God. :) Both of the couple are my friends and I've been with them in Cambodia to share God's love to the Khmers. I'm thankful and I appreciate this couple, sooo much! One of the reasons is that they are so generous with advises and imparting wisdom when it comes to courtship and being in a relationship. :) They honored God in their relationship and they are proud of it! And it was also their first time to kiss on their wedding day! ♥

(Dear Papa Lord, can You also bless me with a glorious wedding like this one when Your right time (and the right man) comes to me to get married? ^-^)

God somewhat "spoiled" us with these: a sunset and a rainbow!

#JacqDaWedding aka #BIGatinwedding

This was on December 13, 2014 or 12-13-14!

Hahahaha! I was laughing all the time during the wedding ceremony! The bride, Jacq, is also a friend of mine and so far she's the most unique bride that I have known! Why? Because she's the only bride that I know who was howling (like cheering herself) while she's walking down the aisle! Woohoo! :D It think I was smiling big (and howling also) while she was walking towards her groom, holding her pomelo-colored bouquet and wearing that usual big grin on her face! (and Daryl, the groom, was crying by the altar. Aww...)

God's grace was really evident in this wedding... there were a lot of setbacks and it even rained before the ceremony started! But just what Jacq said, the wedding still took place because of God. And I say, "Amen!" :)

It also felt like a reunion for me since I had friends that I didn't have spent time with for some seasons now who were also present in the wedding. :)

The color motif was black and white... Not common colors for a wedding right? :)

So yes, it's been a loooong first two weeks of December! Not to mention I have also attended several Christmas parties too in this span of time... :)

All I can say is... Thank You Lord. :) For the 3 weddings (and more to go) that I attended and for another year (and more) that You have blessed me with. :) I just turned 26 and I believe the 2nd quarter of my life will be better compared to the first one because of You, Jesus. ♥

‘But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.’
-Jeremiah 17:7-8

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day

First day of 2014. Felt like year 2013 was the longest year ever because many things happened (personally for me and in our nation) and it's overwhelming sometimes to think that it all took place in the same year. But like any other years that have gone before... it ended. And today it's another year for all of us to face.

It was like a roller coaster ride for me. There were a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns. There were times of mourning and times of celebrations. I've build new relationships with new people and bonded more with people that I've known before. All in all I am thankful to God for the year that was. 2013 started with a bang and it also ended with a BANG! Yes, a louder one! Haha!

Gratefully smiling! :)

Personally I have many things to be thankful for to God this past 2013-- for my family, friends, loved ones, in kids ministry at church where I am actively involved, for all the answered prayers (even to prayers that are still unanswered), for my new work, for the mission trips that I had (in Aparri and Cambodia)... the list could go on and on. For our nation Philippines, it's been really a tough year for us, but still thank God because He made the Filipinos tough. In our weakness we are mede strong because in our weakness, God's power works best. :)

For 2014, I relate it to a song that's been playing in my mind for these past days. It's not a new song, but it is a good one. :)

"We gotta start looking at the hands of the time we've been given If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying 

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell them that we love them while we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying" -Live Like We're Dying by Kris Allen

I know that in God there are no calendars and there is no such thing as "new year", because I know that He is not bound by time. He is above time and He holds it. But for us unfortunately, we are. So maybe that's why God caused our ancestors to invent clocks, calendars, planners and organizers so we can keep track of our time.

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." -Psalms 90:12

Image from funkycalendar.zoomshare.com

I just turned 25 last month, and it's been a fruitful and fun first 25 years of my life (thanks to Jesus). :) A lot of things happened that was not really part of my plan but it still went great. It's only a proof that God's plans are always better than mine haha! So it's like 2014 is the first year of the second quarter of my life (thinking if I'm going to live a hundred year just like my grandma). I have lots of plans, but of course they are still subject to change depending on God. :)

May we plan according to God's will in our lives. May we plan with a heart of wisdom. May we set our goals with faith not just in ourselves but with God who can do immesureably more than we can ask for. May we live like we're dying, living a life fully for God. :)

Charge on to 2014!

Twenty Three. Bente Tres. Dalawampu't Tatlo.

Seeing the number 23 reminds me of two persons: Michael Jordan and David Beckham. Number 23 is their jersey number and both are brilliant athletes in their chosen sports. ;) (And Beckham was one of my highschool crushes then... until now haha! :D)

Image from Wikipedia

Image from Wikipedia

I just turned 23 last Tuesday and my 22nd year on this earth was quite crazy! Haha! :D One of my major decisions then was about my career (oohh, career! ;P). Within the year I got a job then several months later I resigned because I decided to go freelancing and put up a small business (online most probably) so I'll have more time to volunteer in the church. But it was easier said that done! I was more delighted and satisfied helping or serving in the church, engaging with people and leading them than being in an office. I'm not saying that I was not thankful during the time that I'm in it, but I'm just happier and felt more fulfilled doing these.

It was not easy because I just found out that when you are just starting as a freelance graphic artist, looking for clients/project-based works through the net is not a piece of cake. Since you're searching in the worldwide web, the competition is more challenging because I'm sure there are hundreds of thousands freelance graphic artists out there doing the same stuffs that I do. Honestly, there are many times I saw myself complaining to God regarding this (and I am sorry to God.. :( ). Generally, I bring my plans to God for His approval before doing them. I believe that I got His approval when I decided to go and leave my previous job. But then in the following months I started to doubt if I really got Him right! There are times when I really got consumed with these issues like I don't have a regular income at the moment. I've known that when things are getting difficult it doesn't always mean that it is not God's will. (Again, easier said than done! Haha! ;P) I'm just thankful to God because when I feel like giving up, He will give me a Word and by His grace I will be able to hold on again. :)

Image from notsalmon.com

I frankly asked Him if I got Him all wrong and can I just get another office work because it looked like I got all the reasons to do so. But He just said to me, through His Word, that I just have to "keep the faith and keep hoping" (Romans 4:16 & 18). He didn't say I got Him all wrong, but just keep the faith. So until now I'm still working on my freelance career and my tiny-winy business hehe. :)

It's said that when you count your blessings, you will find out that there are reasons for you to be always thankful for... even on the little things. So I looked in what I have and not on what I don't. First, I have this intimate relationship with God, I have a whole & loving family and we don't really get sick, I have my spiritual family who are also my friends and are ready to encourage me, God gave me talents that I can use to serve Him and others and He entrusted to me people for me to guide in their walk with God. The list could go on and on and really I have many blessings in this life that I should be thankful to God for. :) This past year may be really crazy (there are more "crazy" things that happened actually than this ;P) but having this roller-coaster ride was worth it all because God is with me. :) I believe He's just teaching me lessons when He put me on these "crazy" situations. :) And yes! Celebrating my 23rd birthday is also a blessing! :D

Image from dogs.lovetoknow.com

I prayed to God a thanksgiving prayer during my birthday, and that I may do His will by His grace and be always joyful while doing it. It's my prayer that I will finish the race strong AND joyful! (And I hope you will have the same prayer, too! ^^) I asked what His Word for me for my birthday and the book of Titus was impressed to me.

"...who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own eager to do what is good." - Titus 2:14

"This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." -Titus 3:8-9

"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives." -Titus 3:14

BOTTOMLINE IS: Continue to do what is good! And what is "good"? The will of God (Romans 12:2)... And the will of God is the Word of God. :)