Kamikochi, Feb 2024

Photo while waiting for our bus.

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Breathtaking view..

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A Love So Beautiful 致我们单纯的小美好, To: Our Pure Little Beauty

     "A Love So Beautiful" is the latest series I've finished. It is a 24-episode Chinese Series that was aired last 2017. It starts off with high school classmates Chen Xiao Xi and Jiang Chen who are also neighbors. Xiao Xi, a cheerful girl who doesn't study much, is expressive about her admiration towards Jiang Chen, the popular guy known for his looks and high grades. Together with their fellow classmates the funny Lu Yang, athletic but loyal Jing Xiao, and cool swimming team member Wu Bo Song, they embark on high school life to university until their adult life (mydramalist.com).

    I started watching the series last August 28 and finished it by September 2, 2020. At first I am just watching it to relieve stress and not expecting to really enjoy the story and the screenplay itself. Aside from the fact that I like watching school set up with young characters, this series is really a feel-good series to watch to. No too much drama and everything seems to be realistic. I also like that the story continued after their high school life to their professional life.

Jiang Chen (Hu Yitian)

    Jiang Chen 将陈 is really a snob type of guy. Well, he is popular because he is handsome and smart. I admire his character and view in life. Respectful son and focused in his studies despite of getting a lot of attention from other girls. 

Chen Xiaoxi (Shen Yue)

    Chen Xiaoxi 陈小溪 is cute and happy-go-lucky type of girl. She may not be so good academically but she is quite talented art-wise. She is an epitome of "never give up". 

    Overall, I love the series. I love how it reminded me that all things has its time and season. There are things that will happen when the time is right. So hold on and work hard for what you want to achieve and get.. if it is meant to be yours, you will eventually have it. 

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Crash Landing On You

It was somewhere in February when I saw my sister watching the first episode of Crash Landing On You. Since she's not really fond of watching Korean Series, I asked her if the series is good and she said yes. Few days after that, she told me that she slept past 5 in the morning already because she was trying to finish the series. I also saw a lot of people posting in social media that this series is really good. Despite the good feedback, I refused to watch since I don't really feel like watching too serious series (well, I just thought that it is serious because of the military uniform), this is also the reason why I haven't watched Descendants of the Sun yet.

Come first week of March, I finally gave in and watched Crash Landing On You... and YES! It's really good. First episode alone will make you want to watch more. With its romantic-comedy story will surely hook you till the dawn.

Crash Landing On You is about a North Korean elite guy who is also part of the military named Ri Jeong-hyuk played by Hyun Bin and a successful businesswoman in South Korea named Yoon Se-ri played by Son Ye-jin. The story started when Yoon Se-ri was blown by a tornado while paragliding and accidentally crossed the border of North Korea and met Ri Jeong-hyuk who is the current captain of the outpost during that time.

There are a lot of fun characters in the story that will make you laugh. Love, faith and hope was also shown in the series. It is true indeed that love conquers all.

The show also made me realized how deadly the love for power is. On the other hand, if we love others aside from ourselves and do the right thing, the result is amazing. No border can block the power of true love. Oh well, all I can say is... go watch it now!


Finished Watching: March 10, 2020

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Well-Intended Love (Season 1)

Just sitting on your couch? Thinking of what to do? Then this series might be for you. With its romantic lines and prince charming moves to die for, surely you will choose to stick around and watch as many episodes as you can.

Well-Intended Love is a Chinese tv series aired in 2019. The plot was about a young D-list actress names Xia Lin who was diagnosed with Leukaemia. In order to survive, she needs to have a bone marrow surgery of which the perfect match is from the young and handsome CEO, Ling Yizhou. So the two decided to get married to fulfill each other's needs, for Xia Lin to have the bone marrow and for Ling Yizhou to present someone to his grandmother as his wife. 

At first, it was quite a common story to have a contract marriage.. but I continued watching anyway because of Ling Yizhou who is Xu Kaicheng in real life. I fell in love with his hands (haha, forgive me.. it is so manly, I don't know.. I have a thing in guys hands). Aside from Ling Yizhou's hands, I also like the idea of a man protecting a woman of which is very common in any series (must in a real life too!). There are a lot of twists in the series too which will make you watch even more. 

Even though that this movie is not realistic at all, I believe that it  reminded me how important commitment is. Commitment in my marriage, commitment with my work, commitment with the people around me and commitment with what I like to do. 

While writing this, I found out that there is a Well-Intended Love Season 2 of which consists of 16 episodes and aired Feb 13, 2020 - Mar 12, 2020 in Sohu TV, sadly it is not yet in Netflix. 😭

Enjoy watching Well-Intended Love (Season 1) for now.

Watched from March 17-18, 2020.

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Post-Series Depression

In these days where there are so much good movies and series to watch to, where there are a lot of things that needs to be done but still we find ourselves asking, "what shall I do?". Despite of the to-do list that you have to tick, you still find time to watch and immerse yourself with these overwhelming movies and series. How are you now?

Well for me, I don't know. With the current pandemic that we are suffering now, here I am finding myself trying to escape from worries and all. Last week I started and finished Crash Landing On You, over the weekend I finished Kingdom Season 2, and in 2 days I finished Well-Intended Love.

Yesterday after finishing Well-Intended Love, I felt sad. This is not new to me tho because I usually feel sad whenever I am finishing the series that I am watching. I feel sad because of the thought that I already finished the series means I am not going to see them again. I have this separation anxiety thing with regard to the things that I focused on. Well, focused on too much.

Since it seems like I haven't moved on with these last three series I have watched. I had myself checked by the ever great doctor - google. According to Urban Dictionary, it seems like I have a PSD (Post-Series Depression). Ofcourse, this is just a joke for me! I am not entertaining this thing as a mental state problem (for me). I just really need to express and let this feeling pass.

*Clears throat* So what does Urban Dictionary says about this PSD?

It is the sadness felt after reading or watching a really long series or story. The bitter feeling when you know the journey is over, but you don't want it to end.

It is the longing for the words on the pages to move for you like they did the first time you read them. When you didn't know what the next paragraph held and the world in which the characters found themselves was entirely without limit. Because any time you re-read the story, you know that they aren't free to roam anywhere like they were before. They are stuck in a cart on a track and all you can hope for is to notice something about the scene you didn't before, and to just try to relive those feelings you had the first time around.

But it will never be quite the same.

This can apply to any series; be it a book series, TV series, an anime, comic, or even movie. The effects can also be felt after completing a stand alone piece that is not necessarily part of a series, although this isn't as common as PSD derives from the attachment one has to the story's characters.

Effects include, but are not limited to:
• A state depression or sadness
• The inability to start another story
• The need to rewatch/reread
• Excessively projecting felt love towards the internet
• Creating fan fiction

(prettyCoolGuy, 2012) 

It seems like I have 4/5 of the effects. *lol*. 😂

From what Lecklitner (2020) wrote of which he quoted some guy named Raymond Foss, “Reinvesting one’s energy and attention into another series can also help some move on”. Thinking about this, I was actually doing this reevaluating thing before... of which I had stopped doing by the way. *sigh* Oh well, I think this just be a temporary thing.

Last night during our GLC with my siblings and their D-Group, I found myself asking God for help. Help that He will find a way to deliver me from the sadness and emptiness that I am feeling. I realized that I have been spending a lot of time watching and even sleeping at 5am means that I am depriving God my time and attention. So this morning when I woke up and seek God. Aside from the daily bread, I allotted more time in reading the bible.

Watching series brings so much fun indeed, but guarding ourselves with its possible effect to our health (not sleeping for the sake of watching) and relationship with God must be observed. If you find yourself immensing so much with the series you've been watching, take a break and remind yourself of the reality that you are in. Series should help us relax and be better not makes as suffer nor makes as sad nor damage our emotions. Life is wonderful after-all. Smile! 😊


Reference:

Lecklitner, I. (2020). PSYCHOLOGISTS ON HOW TO FILL THE EMPTINESS YOU FEEL AFTER BINGEING A GREAT SHOW. Mel Magazine. https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/psychologists-on-how-to-fill-the-emptiness-you-feel-after-binging-a-great-show

PrettyCoolGuy, (2012). Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Post-Series%20Depression

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Welcome to Waikiki

If you want something that will make you laugh and chill, this Korean television series is for you. Watching this series reminds me of  How I Met Your Mother and Friends, which both are my all time favourite tv series. With the cosy and cute set of the show, it will surely help you distress. 

So what's this Korean TV series all about? As seen in the photo above, the show is about a set of friends specifically the three men as shown in the photo. As they are trying to reach their goals to be a director, writer, and actor, they are also running a guesthouse which named was Waikiki Guesthouse. They are on the verged of bankruptcy and about to give up and close the guesthouse until a guest of them came and changed everything. 

Will we be able to relate to the characters? As for me, yes. Since every one of us must want to achieve something in life. Something that we really want to do. But let's admit that most of the time, it is hard to get those dreams of ours. Life gives us something that will spice up our road to our goal. Life lessons like forgiveness and perseverance will be seen in Waikiki. 

The show is really full of good scenes and jokes. It is a feel good tv series indeed. 

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Sydney, Australia

Let me share how faithful our God has been to us with regard to our vacation in Sydney. 

March 1, 2018 when we booked our flight. Supposedly it will just be me since lover is quite busy and he can't be away in the office for a long period of time. Then I learned that August 22 will be a holiday, I told Jay and he said that he'll be coming with me. 

I called my good friend Chawe and told him that we'll be going to Sydney.. being such a good friend, he said that he'll be requesting for a 4-day off for our visit. :) 

Everything is set.. August is quite approaching fast. Come July 15, we submitted our application for the Tourist Visa.. I was a little bit nervous since we submitted our application a month before our flight, and as I have read in the blogs it will take 23-27 days processing time. So I just prayed and asked God to give me peace since He is in control. Three days later, we have received our Visa with Multiple Entry for 1 year. 

So yeah! we are all set.. until Xiamen Airlines Flight MF8667 crash-landed in Manila International Airport on Thursday night. A lot of flights has been cancelled. Friday night and the airplane was still on the runway.. I was already worrying.. then I've read the article from MIA I guess (I'm not sure) they said that we should be thankful that no one was hurt during the incident instead of thinking ourselves. It hit me and I realized that yeah.. I am worrying that our flight will be cancelled and I forgot to thank God that the passengers of the said flight was okay.. 

So I told God.. Lord, okay.. give me peace.. if it is your will that our flight will be cancelled as well.. okay.. but if it is possible, I pray that we can still go since Charwin's off has been approved already. Saturday morning when I woke up, I heard the news that the aircraft has been removed from the runway but the runway will remain close for the clearing operation. Then 6 in the afternoon, I heard from the news that the runway is already operating.. so yeah! our flight will push through. Praise God. 

Below is our video/photo during our stay. :)

Praise God for the people we met there. Our friends and newly acquired friends. :) 

Mico & Chaweeee.. Thank you for your generosity and time. Love you both. :*


**I'll update and make kwento again soon** 

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Praying Through Scriptures When Anxiety Strikes

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Exam Preparations

For my friends asking me on how I prepared for the CPA Board Exam.. allow me to share on how I reviewed for the past 6 months (Nov - May);

1. Answer your handout in advance. Since everyday ang schedule ko sa review, I tried to answer the handouts before the discussion. I believe na in this way, na tetest ko yung stock knowledge ko. I also tried to grade myself sa bawat handout so I can mark the topic if okay na ba ako dun or hindi pa. If hindi pa, meaning more time ang kailangang i-allot para sa topic na hindi pa super na gegets.

2. Attend your class! Remember na bawat sasabihin ng reviewer mo ay mahalaga. Take notes sa mga sasabihin nila na hindi ka familiar, then review it after the class. 

3. Take notes or record the discussion. I did both.  I had a notebook for each subjects. Based on my experience mas okay na naka summarized per topic. Others do it on an index card. Super na appreciate ko yung gantong style lalo na sa mga huling months ng review. Even on the day of the actual board exam very helpful pa din yung mga last glance ko sa notes ko. 😉 For the voice records naman, pinapakinggan ko lang ulit pag may hindi ako maintindihan sa notes ko.

4. Practice. Aside from answering your handouts, it would still be the best to answer your P1 and P2 + Auditing Problems + MAS + Tax and Law na din. In short lahat pala hehe. 😋 Sa akin po, nag start lang akong mag sagot ng mga Prac Books 2 months before the board. Medyo cramming na din. Medyo nakakasisi yung 4 months na pinalagpas ko na chill ako. Pero on a brighter side... dun ko na kita na nakalimutan ko na agad yung ibang naaral ko for the past 4 months. So medyo maganda pala yung effect sa akin ng 2 months na pag sagot ko ng mga Prac Books. Medyo imposibleng matapos ng 2 months lahat yun no? Yes! Kaya naman daan lang ginawa kong pagsagot. Pag di ko masagot or mali sagot ko binibilugan ko lang yung number para mabalikan a week before the board.. (pero never ko na nabalikan hehe) 

5. Make sure ka na sa lahat ng subjects before the final pre board. As if actual board na yung final preboard for you dapat.. para medyo relax ka na sa preweek. Dapat handouts for the preweek na lang talaga ang inaaral mo. Konting balik sa mga previous handouts pag may extra time pa. 

6. Have a very clear reason why do you want to pass the board. I'm sure mararanasan nyo din yung pakiramdam na aayaw ka na.. yung tipong masasabi mo sa sarili mo na, nag-aaral ka naman pero parang wala namang pumapasok sa isip mo.. Sa mga panahong yan, dun natin mas kailangang iremind yung mga sarili natin kung bakit natin kailangang gawin to. Kung bakit hindi tayo pwedeng sumuko.. Paulit-ulit mong sabihin sa sarili mo na "Mag-aral ka!! Kailangan mong pumasa dahil/para........" 

7. Study! Minimum of 2 hours a day.. Just study.. For the first four months, Yung pag sagot lang talaga sa handouts ang naging pinaka study hour ko. But for the remaining 2 months... I did really study, minimum of 6 hours per day. Di ako yung tanong super haba ng oras sa pag-aaral, but I'm really trying to absorb kung ano ang kakayanin sa maikling oras. 

8. Bring a review material wherever you go. Sayang kasi ang oras sa pag tayo sa lrt, pag hihintay ng order sa restaurant, pag hihintay for someone, or kahit ano pang ginagawa mo na feeling mo not productive.  So why not magbasa pamatay ng oras? 😊 kaya naman I have review materials in my phone. Para anytime, pwedeng magbasa basa.. 

9. Sleep!!! I know na halos lahat ng reviewee ay sobrang mag-aral. Sobra din mag puyat.. Pero para sa mga kagaya ko ng mahilig matulog.. May chance!!! Since I usually sleep 7-10 hours. Nag aaral lang ako sa oras na kaya ng katawan ko. Hindi talaga ako nagpupuyat. Well I tried.. until 3am. Pero nagkasakit lang ako at super tanghali ang gising kinabukasan. In effect mas ineffective lang. So dipende talaga sa inyo.. you know your body at kung ano ang best study period sayo.

10. At the top of my list... PRAY!! Before, During, and After.. Sa mga panahong nahihirapan talaga ako.. pray pray pray. Yun din siguro ang dahilan kung bakit naiiraos ko ang bawat araw ng review ko kahit super ikli lang ng naka allot na oras sa pag rereview ko. God will provide wisdom, energy, positivity, and everything else that you'll need. 

I hope you could learn from my mistakes last October;

1. Wala akong clear vison why I want to pass. 

2. No practice at all. I'm so so so tamad.

3. All I have was prayer.. but no executions. 

4. Preweek na pero naghahabol pa lang ako sa mga di ko alam na topics.  

5. I have no organized notes and thoughts. 

I hope you guys got something from this.. Anyway, effective naman yan because;

♡ top 106th for the first preboard, CPAR  

♡ top 76th for the final preboard / 6th in homeschool ranking

♡ and a good grade on the actual board examination

These are the materials (books and handouts) that I'd used for my preparation for the board exam this May 2017. I am giving them all away for free. Sana ay maging useful din po sa inyo. God bless!

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Fated to Love You (Korean Version)

I started watching this Korean Series few days after the board exam.. Since I am a free lady now (haha). I've watched the Taiwanese Version of this series when I was in high school, of which I believe is the original one. Since I have a lot of time, it's no surprise for me to finish this 20-episode series in one week. Well, I kinda feel like a bum tho. 😂 Don't get me wrong, I'm really thankful to have a ton of movies and series here with me now. I know that when I start to work again, it would not be possible for me to watch a series again. And I'm just enjoying this phase in my life where God is giving me the time to rest and relax. 😁

Anyway, I just really like to share that this series is so awesome just like the Taiwanese Version. You'll surely laugh, cry, and fall in love. 🤗 

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CPA by God's Grace and Faithfulness

May 29, 2017 9:04PM, Jay called me.. sabi nya CPA na ako.. naiinis pa ako nung una. Kasi akala ko inaasar nya lang ako. Kaya chineck ko if totoo. Pag kita ko.. nandun nga yung pangalan ko.. totoo nga, CPA na ako. "Lord, thank you" paulit-ulit kong sinasabi..

Wala akong ibang gustong mangyari kung di ang pumasa ako para masulat ko to. Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi kay Lord na I want to pass for His glory. Gusto ko kasing i-share yung mga messages nya sa akin. Gusto ko din i-share tong testimony ko ng faithfulness nya sa akin. An encounter that I had with my Lord and Savior.

Bago magsimula yung review. Ang word ni Lord sa akin ay "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

Yan lang yung hawak kong message from the Lord for the first few months ng review. Hangang sa biglang ang lapit na ng actual board. 2 months na lang.. so I kept on praying. Asking God for encouragement.. and He answered "..testing of your faith produces perseverance" -James 1:3

Lumipas ng lumipas yung araw. Papalapit ng papalapit yung actual board.. So I continuously prayed to God.. na bigyan nya pa ako ng lakas ng loob. Na bigyan nya ulit ako ng word of encouragement.  But for more than two weeks, God was so silent. I prayed and prayed.. pero lahat ng devotions ko at quiet time ko.. hindi related sa board exam yung sagot ng Lord. Sa mga panahong yun... wala akong ibang magawa kung hindi magtiwala. Alam ko at naniniwala ako na God is still at work.. hindi man nya ko sinasagot.. sa puso ko, alam kong nandyan sya. Hindi man nya ko sinasagot, He's still strengthening my faith.

During my D-group, I even cried to my sisters in Christ. That time.. I realized na hindi na lang talaga para sa sarili ko ang kagustuhan kong pumasa. Dun ko naramdaman na si Lord talaga yung nagbibigay ng desire sa puso ko to pass the board. That time.. I am so sure that I would like to glorify my God.  I want to pass for His glory.. I  want to pass to testify that my God is really faithful.

So I continuously prayed to God kahit wala akong narereceive na message from Him. Medyo na ffrustrate ako nun kasi never naging ganun katahimik si Lord sa akin ng ganon katagal.. My God always answers my prayer through His words.. pero this time iba. Walang sagot sa akin.. hangang sa matapos ang Easter Sunday. Then I got the message from the Lord through CCF Eastwood's Sunday Chronicles.. the Lord made it clear to me that... "Fear takes away the logic of faith." "Fear takes away hope." "Faith is the reason gone courageous." Sinabi dun na yung dream natin nagmumula sa Panginoon.. it's up to us to trust the Lord that He will equip us. I cried so hard nung nabasa ko yun. Totoo na naririnig ako ng Panginoon ko.

Lumipas ang mga araw.. at sobrang faithful ng Lord, patuloy yung nga messages nya sa akin everyday.. sobrang dami para isulat ko.. Pero isa yung nag struck me the most.. It was in Romans 5:21 "he was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises" eto yung faith ni Abraham. Na kahit no reason for hope, he kept on hoping.. so every night ang prayer ko is.. "I believe God that you are able, I pray that you are willing." And believe it or not.. the very night before the board exam.. God answered... He said through Matthew 8:3 "I am willing." 

Sobrang daming revelations ni Lord sa akin. Pero sa dami nun, isa ang hindi ko makakalimutan.. that was when I was reviewing sa Family Mart.. tapos may sumasakit sa tyan ko ng sobra. As in masakit. Hindi ako makapag focus sa pag rereview ng Law nun.. so I prayed.. and instantly, the pain was gone. The PAIN disappeared, just like that. At sa lahat ng araw ng pag aaral ko.. yung araw na yun yung pinaka madami akong naaral. Feel na feel kong effective yung pag aaral ko dahil alam kong kasama ko at tinuturuan talaga ako ng Panginoon.  Sobrang real yung encounter na yun.. may mga times pa na hindi ko mahanap yung paliwanag sa mga hindi ko maintindihan na topic.. then instantly biglang pagbuklat ko ng book napupunta talaga dun sa mga pages kung saan masasagot yung mga tanong ko. Alam ko na ang Lord yung nagtuturo sa akin sa mga panahong yun.

Magiging sobrang haba nito kung isusulat ko lahat ng ginawa ng Panginoon sa journey ko sa pagrereview. But please, allow me to share the message that I received from the Lord the night before the actual board exam..

Huling review na ako that night for Taxation and Law, first set ng exam.. so after my final review.. I closed everything and opened my bible. I prayed  and lifted everything to God. I asked Him to override my preparations.. then ayun sinabi nga nya na He is willing.. he also said "Daughter, be encouraged!  Your faith has made you well." - Matthew 9:22 and.. " Because of your faith, it will happen" - Matthew 9:29

At sa actual board, tuwing nadadalian at nahihirapan ako.. throughout the examination, paulit-ulit ko lang sinasabi sa sarili ko na "My God is with me." Sya ang nagbigay ng talino sa BOA na gumawa ng mga tanong.. Kaya alam ko na sya din ang magbibigay sa akin ng wisdom and knowledge to answer the questions. Masaya ako na natapos ang board exam ng maayos at mapayapa ang kalooban ko. Payapa because I have my God with me. Indeed He is faithful.

One week of waiting para sa result.. kinakabahan ako. Pero God gave me peace.. I know that I took the examination under His presence.  And amazingly, today before ilabas yung result, lahat ng quiet time and devotions ko lahat may word na successful and victory..

I have nothing to do with this victory.. it's all because of my Heavenly Father.. All praises and glory to my one and only King, Jesus Christ! 

I am Madeleine Alinea Isais, CPA by God's Grace and Faithfulness..  To God be the Glory!

PS..
Please allow me also to share with you on how God used my failure last October 2016 CPA Board Exam.. You can read it here.. God is greater than anything that happens to us.

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Daddy's 9th

March 16, 2008 Sunday afternoon… when police officer / llb Medel G. Isais; my father, passed away.. Ang bilis talaga ng panahon.. today marks his 9th year death anniversary.. 

It's already nine years when our lives changed when our dear God called our earthly father back. Nine years… matagal tagal na din pala no? Well.. matagal na talaga. 

I was only 16 years old back then.. Hindi ko pa masyado alam yung mga mangyayari pag nawala na si Daddy. Ang naalala ko lang na naiisip ko noon, mawawala na si Daddy.. yun lang. Hindi ko naisip kung pano mababago yung araw-araw naming buhay.. 

Until lately.. palagi ko tinatanong sarili ko kung ano kaya ang buhay namin if nandito pa si Daddy.. Kung mas naging close na ba kami habang tumatanda ba ako? Magiging proud kaya sya sa akin? Ano kaya mga ipapayo nya sa mga gagawin ko? Ewan.  Ang daming tanong.. Ang dami kong tanong kung paano ang buhay kung nandito pa sya.. Ang kaso lang.. wala sya. Wala na sya. At kahit kailan, hindi ko malalaman at mararanasan pa yung “what if kung nandito pa sya”. 

Wala akong ibang pwede gawin kung hindi kausapin yung Father in Heaven ko.. I thank God na binigyan Nya ako ng ama dito sa lupa.. Nagpapasalamat ako na for 16 years pinaranasan sa akin ni Lord kung pano magkaroon ng Daddy. Hindi man perfect si Daddy… pero  lubos lubos ang pasasalamat ko na sya ang eartly father ko. 

Mahigpit sya sa amin.. pero salamat at naging mahigpit sya. Kasi lumaki naman kaming maayos.. Nagagalit sya pag hindi kami pumapasok.. at salamat dahil doon ay nakatapos ako ng pag-aaral ko.. Pinapagalitan nya kami lagi pag hindi nauubos yung pagkain namin. At sobrang pasasalamat ko doon.. Dahil hangang ngayon sobrang sakit sa dibdib ko pag may natitirang pagkain. Kahit sa mga nakakasalamuha kong mga tao, palagi ko sinasabi na kailangang ubusin ang food. Nagpapasalamat ako na nagkaroon ako ng ama na sobrang sipag mag-aral.. Dahil sa kanya nakita ko ang halaga ng may pinag-aralan. Nakita ko din sa kanya ang pag tulong ng walang kapalit. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoon sa buhay na binigay nya kay Daddy. Nagpapasalamat ako na naranasan kong may matawag na Daddy. Nagpapasalamat ako na may nag disiplina sa amin noon. Nagpapasalamat ako sa pag mamahal at pag aalaga ng isang ama. 

Thank you Lord, that even though I lost my earthly father…. You found me and allowed me to call you my Father.. 

Daddy.. 
Someday.. we'll see you again in our forever home, in Heaven.  Together with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We love you so much! 

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God is greater than anything that happens to us.

It's been three years since I graduated when I finally had a chance to take the board exam. I enrolled myself sa mga review school before.. but I stopped reviewing after the first pre-board. I never finished the review.. why?

Kasi duwag ako e.. Mayabang din ako.. Duwag ako kasi I don't want to take the board knowing na baka bumagsak ako.. I know hindi ko kaya yung sakit. I don't know.. but the thought of me failing the examination makes me sick. I don't even know on how am I going to handle it.. But I know na the real reason why I didn't take the board exam these past three years is because.. Mayabang ako. Me.. a child na never nawalan sa honour list mula pre-school hangang 1st year high school. Ako na kahit nagloko na ako nung 2nd year high school e tingin pa din ng mga teacher namin na matalino ako. Ako, na basehan ng mga friends ko sa board exam.. One of my friend even told me na.. "Mida, pag hindi ka makapasa.. ibig sabihin wala na kaming pag-asa".. Ayokong mag take kasi mayabang ako. Ayokong bumagsak kasi nahihiya ako sa mga taong ang taas ng tingin sa akin.. In short.. Mayabang talaga ako..


Not until 2016.. This year, I decided to get rid of myself. I know naman na God has been telling me to take the board. Ayoko lang talaga sumunod... but everything has changed.. March 2016 I enrolled again myself for the October 2016 CPA Board Examination. This time, I followed what God has been telling me. I remembered God telling me sa isa sa mga devotion ko na.. "It's not about you passing the board exam, mida.. It's about you following what I want you to do.." That very moment I surrendered to Him the result of the board.

July 21, 2016.. My devotion about the story of Jonah.. Then I realized how I am alike with Jonah.. If you are familiar with Jonah's story, we know na he's asking God to kill him kasi hindi nagkatotoo yung prophesy nya which is inutos ni God sa kanya at nahihiya sya sa mga tao. Well that's me.. I'm vey very much like Jonah. Like him I dont want to follow God when He told me to take the board exam. Ayoko! Kasi baka bumagsak ako at mapahiya ako. Pero kahit anong gawin ko nili-lead pa din ako ni Lord mag take e. He's continuously putting the desire in my heart to take it.. So I followed.. Pero this time.. My ending isn't alike with Jonah. Hindi ako nahihiyang bumagsak ako.. Hindi talaga. Kung nahihiya man ako, kay Lord yun. Kasi binigay nya lahat sa akin e. Pero I know na I didn't give my all. Pero kahit ganon, I know na may reason why He allowed this thing to happen. And I would still praise Him.

I praise God for the result of the examination. I praise Him for giving me a peace in my heart. I praise Him for being with me and to overcome my fear of failing. I praise God dahil no matter what... He's still my Lord and Savior, and nothing will ever change that! I praise God for I know that He will do something good out of this failure. I praise God for He is good. Yes He is good! always and forever... :)

Amazingly, God's message for me after the result was released....

Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the one who is leading.

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Best boy friend, Reymus..

Tonight I had a very good conversation with my best boy friend, Reymus. Well.. He came here in Eastwood around 12am. We just sat somewhere and we really had a good chat.

I learned a lot from him. He made me realized a lot of things. Well, that's us. When we talk... It's always about our lives.. The things we would like to do and accomplish... Our past.. Our present.. And our future.

I am writing this because I would want to remember how blessed I am to have friends like Mus. I want to remind myself few years from now that there is someone who made me feel wonderful. A friend who dreamed with me. A friend who tried to reach it with me. A friend who encouraged me. A friend who's hungry to pursue God. A friend who knows my heart beat. A friend who knows me. A friend who's genuinely true. A friend whom God sent to me.

We basically end our conversation past 3 in the midnight. I still want to talk to him tho. But I'm so sleepy na. Hehe.

Such a blessing to have Reymus as my best boy friend.

Thank you God for his life. I thank you for allowing me to part of his life as he is in my life.

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Sinking Deep

I was having my lunch with Jesus this afternoon. When I heard this song played on my phone... This song was already in my phone for such a long time. But it never hit me before like it did a while ago. It seems like, the song knows what's in my heart. It says exactly the unspoken words of mine.

"Sinking Deep"

[Verse 1:]
Standing here in your presence
In a grace so relentless
I am won by perfect love
Wrapped within the arms of heaven
In a peace that lasts forever
Sinking deep in mercy's sea

[Chorus:]
I'm wide awake, drawing close, stirred by grace
And all my heart is yours
All fear removed, I breathe you in, I lean into
Your love, oh, your love

[Verse 2:]
When I'm lost you pursue me
Lift my head to see your glory
Lord of all, so beautiful
Here in you I find shelter
Captivated by the splendor
Of your face, my secret place

[Chorus:]
I'm wide awake, drawing close, stirred by grace
And all my heart is yours
All fear removed, I breathe you in, I lean into
Your love, oh, your love

[Bridge:]
Your love so deep is washing over me
Your face is all I seek, you are my everything
Jesus Christ, You are my one desire
Lord, hear my only cry, to know you all my life

[Chorus:]
I'm wide awake, drawing close, stirred by grace
And all my heart is yours
All fear removed, I breathe you in, I lean into
Your love, oh, your love

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Depend on God

Life is not simple, and God’s ways are not our ways. Making the right decision may come at a cost. But in God’s eternal plan, His blessings arrive in due time. 

Lord, thank You for the examples of courage and obedience in Your Word. Help us learn from their mistakes and from their wise choices, as we make our choice to serve You.

God helps those who depend on Him.

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Like Sheep

Good morning! I just want to share my devotion for today... 

One of my daily chores when I lived with my grandfather in northern Ghana was taking care of sheep. Each morning I took them out to pasture and returned by evening. That was when I first noticed how stubborn sheep can be. Whenever they saw a farm, for instance, their instinct drove them right into it, getting me in trouble with the farmers on a number of occasions.

Sometimes when I was tired from the heat and resting under a tree, I observed the sheep dispersing into the bushes and heading for the hills, causing me to chase after them and scratching my skinny legs in the shrubs. I had a hard time directing the animals away from danger and trouble, especially when robbers sometimes raided the field and stole stray sheep.

So I quite understand when Isaiah says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way" (53:6). We stray in many ways: desiring and doing what displeases our Lord, hurting other people by our conduct, and being distracted from spending time with God and His Word because we are too busy or lack interest. We behave like sheep in the field. 

Fortunately for us, we have the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us (John 10:11) and who carries our sorrows and our sins (Isa. 53:4-6). And as our shepherd, He calls us back to safe pasture that we might follow Him more closely.

Shepherd of my soul, I do wander at times. I’m grateful that You’re always seeking me to bring me back to Your side.

If you want God to lead you, be willing to follow.

My Reflection: I just realized that I am still like a sheep. Often times I still get astray. There are a lot of distractions that's keeping me away from my shepherd. I can only imagine how God wants me/us to be with Him. He wants to lead us so we can go home to our forever home in heaven safely. He doesn't want us to be stolen by the enemy. Our shepherd loves us so dearly, what an amazing God. Thank you fathered God! Truly truly, you deserved all the praises!

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An Old Machine

Today, my office mate used this machine. I was so stunned when I saw the machine, so I asked her if I can use it. I was so happy while typing because *wow* it is really amazing, indeed! I really don't know what am I going to type. So I typed my favorite verse instead. :) It's really wonderful how things evolved. From this type writing machine to this computer that I am using now. 

Despite of all the new things around us, it feels good to sometimes go back to the old one. Once they were used and needed as much as we need the computers that we are using today. It feels good to use the old things that were used by other people with the same age as I am now decades ago. 

It's like a time machine, I felt like I was one of the people who used this years and years ago. I remember when I was still a kid, I used to see this at home.. then few years after that, I saw the more modern one which was the electric typewriter. Being a small kid, I used to press the keys.. pressing the keys yet composing nothing. Today, I got the chance to press the keys of the typewriter again.. but this time, I am composing something.. I am really writing something.. one of my favorite verse in the Bible, "Galatians 2:20".  

Praise be to God with this machinery! 

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