A Weekend in Callos Spa

My dear friends and I booked a spa getaway in Antipolo to celebrate a lot of good things, nataon sa typhoon Quiel, and decided to just push through with it anyway.

Kapag may bagyo, either nasa work or bahay lang ako, painfully waiting for the typhoon to just come and go, praying that my love ones are safe. While others dread traffic, exams and asthma attacks, my bad days are the rainy ones or when there's typhoon.

Personally, I have to say this is a refreshing way to get through a storm. Being somewhere else with people dear to me made me forget my typhoon anxiety and "everywhere is wet" crankiness.

And when I say "dear", I mean "I just had a setback so I should be bitter about your all expense paid Paris trip and your promotion, but I'm not because whatever makes you happy makes me happy, what makes you sad makes me sad."

God's Chisel

It was easy to share this video but I gotta admit it was hard for me to start writing anything about it. It just talks about many bible principles that my limited writing skills may not give it justice.

So instead, I just thought of writing about how this video ministered to me.

For quite some time now, I find myself wanting to be a better person, either by accomplishments, or just plainly for being known as someone who is kind and nice. Parang, there is this person I am called and I want to be.

In a nut shell, this video is about God chiselling us into the masterpiece he created us to be, removing stuff that are not supposed to be there. I am comforted to have been reminded na hindi lang pala ako ito, that God is also part of the work, molding me into that person He wants me to be.

The video was right when it said that I care deeply about what other people think of me. Compliments and insults will be thrown my way but the only approval I should be aiming for is God's. And while I am so focused on my bait-baitan pa-image, circumstances in my life would just push me to show the opposite. Ang hirap maging peacemaker kung pino-provoke ka. Ang hirap maging thankful kapag may setback ka. But slowly, I'm learning to accept that God allows some circumstances in my life to produce character.

So who do I want to be? Eto medyo hardcore but it gives so much clarity to all the confusion: we want to look good, we want a good name, we want to be the best that we can be. But God will chisel away until when people look at us, they see Jesus and not us.

What I'm liking now: Indak - Up Dharma Down

Wala akong masyadong alam na UDD song because I don't really listen to them. Yes, the poser confesses. Haha. Pero pag may nagustuhan naman ako, I must say I'm all out bananas over it (Oo, Tadhana, Sana)!

This is my new UDD favorite and listening to this in my earphones at work is not a good idea. Gagawin kang unproductive. Parang gusto mo na lang mag-emo at tumingin sa kawalan habang iniisip "bakit ang ilap-ilap ng pag-ibig sa 'kin?" Haha.

They say the song is about being torn between two lovers, and though not everyone can relate, one can still personalize it because of the universal message of love being something you chase but keeps running away, something you believe but also confuses you, something that gives you joy but also torments.

Ang sinomang mag-isip na korni ang huli kong sinabi ay isang plastik. Haha.

Enjoy!

Lyrics | Up Dharma Down lyrics - Indak lyrics

Ikaw na Patty!

Okay, so I like Pa++y L@urel like she's my Audrey Hepburn, but being a fan is not why affected ako when I learned that she and A+0m have broken up. Long term relationship and they seemed so happy. It was just so unlikely and unbelievable, I found myself asking "what happened?"

Sumuko ako sa sumunod kong nalaman. She's found herself a replacement who is not only cute and talented, but a hardcore Christian too.

Dang. You already!

Lechugas

Warning: Sensitive.

This is an excerpt from my YM conversation with a dear friend. I really shouldn't be sharing this, but I also think it's a shame if I don't.

Je: Kilala mo si John Piper? He advises that whenever someone is attacking us, always default back to God's promises, God's purpose on you. And that thing that's attacking us will be exactly what it is... just a thing, compare to God's promises. Do you wanna try to see the bigger picture together?

Me: Go!

Je: People like that is always a test of character. Or it's a character-making in the process. If ever you choose to be kind or to forgive or whatever, don't make the mistake of doing it just because you're a Christian kasi magbbackfire. So ok lang if I share what I'd do if I were in your place?

Me: Kaya nga tayo andito kasi I'd like to hear ur thoughts.

Je: I would like to pray for my enemies-- hindi to Mother Teresa kind of "bait-ness" but praying for your enemies is your only best defense. It saves you from sinning and it's for me in a way eh "making sumbong to God". Yan una. Sabi nga, "loving your enemies" doesn't mean that you will be fond of them or saying that they're nice even when they're not, it just means that first of all you do not fight bitchiness with another bitchiness, you do not be overcome with bitchiness. Remember that only hurt people hurt. So kung ako sayo ha, being provoked is a human thing. But what you choose to do after yun yung nagmamatter. How you choose to see "it"... how you choose to respond. Everytime "it" hurts you, try to see "it" as a hurt person... whereas you're a happy person with so much blessings to be thankful for. Try to see "it" as the LOST person.. and you're already found. Now when it comes to day-to-day moments, it'll be hard to remember BIG thoughts like this kasi nga napprovoke ka but that's when prayer comes in. We cannot leave God out of this alamo yan. And God, so loving Father that He continues to call us to love and forgive. Ang hirap sobrang hirap to find out HOW THE HECK CAN I BE LOVING DITO SA LECHUGAS NA TAONG 'TO...

Me: Hahaha!

Je: But then again.. it's not gonna be up to you. You just pray lang talaga na Lord I want to honor you but this situation is making it harder to honor you. So you want to see the bigger picture? Yun. You ask God to show you how He sees this little situation from His own eyes. Don't make patol, Raquel.

I saved this so I can read it over and over until it sinks in to my core. As I read this time after time, I came to realize, I'm blessed to have this kind of friend.

Hot Sweaty Crazy Fun Franco Night

Nag file ako ng leave for a Friday with a plan in mind - to watch Franco in the flesh. Kasama sa plano ko na makapunta sa gig nila before the year ends, so when I learned that they are performing in Cainta Rizal, I thought it's only practical to go.

Dahil nakahanap ako ng kasama, tuloy ang plano. Ang daling kausap ni Kars, go agad kahit medyo rock ang lakad. Pagdating namin sa venue ang dami ng tao. Tatayo na rin lang kami, dun na kami sa malapit sa stage. From there I thought I saw some Jejemon's on mosh pit high on pot. Nakipagkulitan din kami sa mga katabi namin na members pala ng isa sa mga performing bands. Nakakatawang isipin na ang tagal namin iningatan ang pwestong 'yun, nung Franco na ang tutugtog, matataboy din pala kami sa area kung saan ang view ko eh kung hindi side, puro likod. Wala eh, rowdy ang crowd at hindi kami lalaban. Sabi ng isa kong kaibigan na nakita ko dun, nakapunta na siya ng ilang gigs ng Franco sa ibang lugar, pero hindi ganun. Nung nagkabasagan ng bote, Franco even had to remind the crowd to take it easy para hindi masira ang show. Nakita ko ang sarili ko bilang isang fan, wa-poise at walang pakiaalam. Ni hindi namin nakuhang magpicture ng sarili namin sa loob, feel na feel kong mukha akong dugyot. Para akong tinotorture pero ayokong ipatigil? Ayoko na kasi ang init sobra, ang dami kong pawis! Inspite of that, I enjoy watching them so ayoko pang matapos. The band was sweating big time too, but they were obviously thriving at the crowd's energy. We don't smoke pero nag-amoy yosi kami. Napaisip pa nga ako, "dapat ba sa 70's Bistro na lang ako nanood para medyo urbanized?" Then I thought, no, this is the way to best experience it: the waiting, the mixed crowd, the init and pawis. These make actually seeing them sweeter.

Thanks Kars for putting up with my Franco craze and for not being maarte. It was crazy and unglamorous, far from a sosyal gimik night or ideal date. But it was quite an experience. And we, church girls, survived!

Haisst....

Saw this from the blog of Ja$mine Curti$, copied it, and underlined the phrases I agree with.

Don't we all feel like this sometimes? That he or she...is just out of our league.