Year: 2013

I’ve got sunshine

Tina 2 Comments

You know what, I always associate you with sunshine and happiness.

Someone said that to me on my 27th birthday, and it was one of the nicest compliments I have ever received. I’ve always loved the sunshine (and summer), and like I said on my birthday post, I want to live up to that. I’d like to believe that I’m a naturally happy person, and I’d like to keep it that way…so it was really nice to receive this blog award from a blog friend, Toni of Wifely Steps. :)

sunshineaward

So let’s take a break from all the serious life posts and bask in some sunshine (because the weather here is kind of bipolar lately), yes? :)

Here are the rules:

For the Sunshine Award, the blogger must:

  • Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
  • Share 11 random facts.
  • Answer 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
  • List 11 bloggers to recommend. They should be bloggers you believe deserve some recognition and a little blogging love!
  • Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate, answer & let all the bloggers know they’ve been nominated. You cannot nominate the blogger that nominated you.

11 Random Facts:

  1. I must always have a pen in my bag. I figure I should have paper, too, but I always forget, so I just bring a pen (or two) at all times.
  2. I used to skate. I mostly skated around the streets at home, and I had a dream of being a figure skater. I even tried playing street hockey for a while, until I got into a rollerblading accident when I was in Grade 6.
  3. I hate horror movies. I avoid their trailers on TV like the plague, and I would never watch one without company. The last time I watched a horror movie (Paranormal Activity 3), I couldn’t sleep for two nights.
  4. I have a good sense of direction (most of the time).
  5. I collect train maps. As in subway maps from different countries. Right now, I have a map for Madrid, Paris, London, Shanghai, New York City, Hong Kong and Singapore. :) (If you’re in a trip and you want to bring me a gift, a train map will do. It’s free. :D)
  6. I feel most excited when I’m on planning mode for anything with my friends. Movie nights, dinner, parties — I love planning them and making them happen. My dream is to plan an out of the country trip with my friends — from booking the tickets to planning the itinerary to actually getting there and getting lost discovering new places with them.
  7. I am in love with New York City.  I’ve never been there, but I really, really, really want to go there. My heart skips a beat whenever I see or read or watch anything related to that place. Someday, someday.
  8. I love my book club. ♥
  9. I usually pay attention to the lyrics of the song more than the music. I’m just a terribly wordy person.
  10. I am currently addicted to watching Suits. Late to the party, I know.
  11. If I had to go somewhere that is walkable even if it is a bit far…I would walk as long as I have time. Case in point, earlier, I had to pay a bill at a bank which is on way on the other side of this major road where I work. I could’ve ridden a cab to go there, but I walked, instead. I’ve also been known to walk from the Katipunan LRT station all the way to Fully Booked/Regis Center (that’s about…er, 4 blocks away or something). Sometimes I walk home from our village gate. I just like walking.

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New Beginnings

Tina Leave a comment

Last week at my SFC household, our topic came from Matthew 6:24-27. Upon reading, I realized that this was one of those Gospels that hit us a lot back when I was in YFC. In a funny way, I didn’t like this back then, even if I kept on going back to it, because it sounded so hard. Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. For someone who’s still trying to find her footing in a bigger world back in college, this was a scary thing. Still, I knew it was important, so I tried.

So our household head asked us: what are the things you denied yourself so you can follow God?

Of course I had an instant answer, but I stopped myself from speaking first because I wanted to chew on the question a little, and perhaps try to find another answer that doesn’t lead to that automatic answer. It was a good example, but I personally thought it was already old, passe, and wasn’t I supposed to be done with that already? So when it was my turn, I picked my answers carefully…and still ended up talking about that. Oh well. Anyway, here’s what I shared:

I denied myself of being self-sufficient. On my recent trip to Singapore, there was a time when I wondered if it was worth it. I wondered, because as I was planning my itinerary, I felt like I was hassling my friends there. For one thing, I was already crashing with them, and now they were rearranging their schedules for me. I tried to shake it off, and instead, focused on accepting this grace from them — because it is grace — but then somewhere in the middle of the trip, I felt it again. How maybe I’m such a burden to them, especially since I forgot to have my money changed at the airport. How they don’t have to do this, how I should be able to manage alone, how I should try not to be a hassle to them especially since I’m just a guest. I shouldn’t disrupt their lives and all that.

What destructive thoughts, right? I think I’ve been so used to taking care of myself and trying not to be a hassle to anyone that I forgot that people just want to do things for you because they want to. Not because you forced them to, or you asked them to, but because they love you and care for you. I’m that person who will go and do things for my friends and not ask for anything in return because they’re important to me, but when I’m at the receiving end of it, sometimes it’s hard to just accept it.

So I forced myself to stop putting myself down, and instead, just humbled myself and accepted this grace, no questions. There really is something humbling about allowing yourself to stop thinking of yourself as a hassle, and instead, leaning in to the people who care for you and accepting the grace and hospitality they can give. Because surprise surprise, we need just as much grace as the next person. We can’t give what we don’t have.

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Stories to Tell: Everyday Miracles

Stories to Tell Guest Blogger Leave a comment

Stories to Tell

Stories to Tell is a blog series where I invite guest bloggers to share share their story.
I think stories are wonderful things, and we all have our own stories to tell.
It is my hope that in sharing these stories, we will remember that we are never alone.

* * *

My guest blogger is a friend I met through one of the groups of friends I have. She has asked to remain anonymous as well, because of the nature of her story. Nevertheless, I am proud to know her and share her story on my blog. :)

—

It was a sunny, cool day in December, 2010 when I gave birth through Caesarean section to my first child: a lovely baby girl with a mop of fine downy hair, soft supple skin and the prettiest, most pouty lips I’ve ever seen. She is our firstborn, and she might be the only child we’ll ever have.

Image from we heart it
Image from we heart it

That is, if my husband and I will abide by my pulmonologist’s advice against having another baby.

Because another pregnancy is no longer safe – I guess I’m lucky enough to be able to physically carry out one pregnancy, albeit not without incident.

Because my lungs may no longer be able to bear it anymore.

* * *

It was in 2009 when I was diagnosed to have a chronic lung disorder. Prior to that, I was only a small child of 3 or 4 when my pediatrician declared me to have “inherited” the asthmatic genes that run in my maternal side of the family. It can’t be helped, I guess; some cousins are also asthmatics, but I couldn’t think of anyone who wasn’t able to lead a normal lifestyle notwithstanding the physical constraints that the illness entailed. If I remember correctly, a couple of my mother’s siblings – an aunt and an uncle, I think – died of asthma, but that was in their old age. So I didn’t think I was something exceptional to not be able to live that normal, physically-active lifestyle that my relatives have.

I guess I thought too soon.

Since childhood, I couldn’t remember a time when I didn’t have the sniffles, or a cough, or the wheezes. Sure, I still had a lot of physical activities back then, and led a relatively ordinary childhood – playing physical games and joining a lot of school activities that required rigor and stamina – but even then, and because of my asthma, I couldn’t do as much as I wanted. If I wanted to do something so badly, I had to push myself to my limits. I’ve had this illness to endure for the larger part of my life, and so when I came of age, my apprehension was how it would affect my future – with my own family.

* * *

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