We Are Alive.

These past few weeks or months, there are a lot of death news in the family, close family friends and in my close circle likewise. My mum and I had a few talks regarding the sad news, nothing of a big issue just an ordinary random conversation about it. But then we realize, that our lives REALLY are short, I know most of us always hear the saying "life is short" everywhere and we don't really apply nor understand it beyond those words. I came to realize with all the deaths surrounding me, that I want to, besides that I need to start making my life more meaningful. Now yes, we feel more worthy when we are productive earning big bucks from our works and being busy making a living with all that other shenanigans.. I agree, because I myself, came to a point when my eyes are just all focused on this "goal" I have, of course it's for me to live a happy life with my luxuries. I was a ruthless mthrfckr, I would kill rather than be killed. But when death comes to us, we may have the money, the house, the car or even the lifestyle one must work hard for... Think again. There will be a lot of silence. Does everyone just loves you when you're dead? Did you help a person get his/her life back on track while you were alive? Or as for me as my thoughts are off wandering, what if it's not you who dies? What if it's your spouse, or worse, your son or your daughter? Well, for me that's the worst thing that can happen, I don't see myself having a reason to live anymore. The reason I'm here is for my family; to love and care for them and give them what they need. If they die, how about me? What will happen to me? I will be devastated for sure. When I took in that idea, my belief and vision changed. It all again led to LOVE. We shouldn't be selfish, we should be selfless; not only for your family but also with the rest of the world. Love unconditionally like how you treat your sons and daughters, I'm not saying to just love one person. Love everyone... Love the world! It's true, happiness is not about chasing greater net-worth - it's about cultivating a greater self-worth. It's not about having more money but finding more meaning. And it's not about only being successful but about being truly significant - a person who creates lasting value in the world. How would you want to be remembered when you die? What will you leave here that will not die when you do? What would it take for you to help change the life of a friend or a stranger for the better? Even for someone you are not related to? As far as I know we are all connected, I wouldn't let anyone face it all alone. Would you? It will start from us... Not from them. Pay it forward.

I wrote this because with the random chat I had with my mum, I thought I wouldn't want my mum to feel sad altogether, I want her to live a happy life that she deserves. I want her to stop worrying about everything. Sometimes she fails to be aware of that, she's stressing too much about life. I love my mother so much and I'm happy I still get to remind her to just chill from time to time and make her life much more meaningful. I wish through this writing, everyone else who'd read this would appreciate what my thoughts are... I just want everyone to come out of their shell and let out their potential powers to love and more. We have so much to give. Let's give it to the ones who need it the most. It could be anyone...the beggar at the street, the old woman riding the train alone needing assistance or even a starving stray dog. Love life and die happy. This blog entry is for my mum and for you all out there. 

shots taken by yours truly at the streets of Malate, Manila. 

Eros Clothing Philippines x The Glorieuse Bites

Watch out for this new clothing brand that's just lurking around the corner as it awaits to pounce at the great timing of God to release their items this July-August 2013!

Designs have been well-thought of by great artists and people of good taste! We're excited about this project because they have partnered with The Glorieuse Bites Feeding Program, the feeding ministry that was once just a dream to two great friends; now ready to serve God and soar High for His glory.

If you patronize Eros, 10% of your purchases will benefit the homeless and street children of Metro Manila. What best way to live but by being fueled by the joy of giving?

Do "LIKE" their Facebook page (Eros Philippines) and Instagram (@erosclothing_ph) for updates and feeds!

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31

For donations and inquiries, please be in an attitude of thanksgiving and contact them via their temporary email accounts below as The Glorieuse Bites' site is still under construction:

gloriousbites2@gmail.com
t.maraonline@yahoo.com
or directly send messages at the page of Eros Philippines.

Thank you! :)

Praise and honor be to God! :)

Love WIll Take You.... Home.

"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." 1 John 4:20-21

Yes... This verse got me today. My life gets meaningful each passing day as the traces of the scars left fades day by day. And I thought life is too short, let us not waste our time. By this moment, we should all create memories worth watching when our life flashbacks before our eyes when we die. It clearly says that we should love one another. There's simply no more room for hate. God gave us our tongues to either bless or hurt another. Now, why would we choose to hurt? I know for sure no one wants to get hurt. God bless those tongues who speak of love and praise to Him.

If God leads you to (whatever you may be thinking), you may never again know a time like the one you're in right now. With God's help and leading, you have the freedom to invest yourself, your time, your resources, your youth and your flexibility in relationships, ministries, and causes that can bear unbelievable fruit.

We all want to go out there... We all want to see more of life and the rest of the world. 

But at some point, we all wanted to go home... Let's go home...

I pray for my uncle fighting for his life right now. Tito Boy, I know I couldn't help in any other  way but all I could offer is my prayers... Kapit lang po, laban po tayo. This is for you.

If I Die Tonight...

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. - Martin Luther King Jr.

Long before I escaped my comfort zone, I have the biggest fear and all I have held in me are the questions "what if" and "why". Then I had grasped that I don't know what else to say anymore... Or do I even have the right to speak up with my own. When I have my worries, do I have to rely myself to anyone? And expect some compassion and empathy? Of course not. Not anymore. I've thought I can still take care of myself especially now that I know God's got my back. I feel invincible. I'm glad that I didn't hold back with what I feel. I'm elated that reception and diversity go hand in hand, and that I easily put up with it. I have learned that love is not just a feeling. It is a divine intervention. It makes you happily surrender and commit to faithfully love and to hold, to be there for one another through ups and downs, highs and lows, good and bad and everything in between. Most of all, it gives you confidence that that person got your back, look beyond imperfections, and inspires you to be better. Yes, I was too selfish in a lot of ways before, I've always prayed in high hopes God would give me THE BEST. But I came to realize that my prayer is wrong...it is still selfishness. So the prayer transposed... As told by a sister, well expressed and in line with my thoughts, "Lord, make me the best girl worthy to follow." And everyday I pray to be a blessing to others in any way I can. I'm getting to know God each day and building my relationship with Him, I've practiced from the start to take each day as it comes. I don't look into the future with a fervent desire to have anymore. Everything is written, it's His plan, we are just here to prepare ourselves to follow Him. When you feel life is very hard and beyond your strength or control to move forward, it means you're going in the wrong direction and something needs to be changed. It is a phase, one step closer to what needs to be done for your purpose. Just with this thought alone, I wake up everyday grateful, surrendering my life to God... I've set free the nightmares of the past, I'm free from the thoughts of it with peace in my heart. I am happy. 

I guess enough is said there... If I die tonight, I won't mind at all... I feel happy and content knowing that my son is in good hands with God. Bahala na Siya kay AK. I can even translate it into two songs. Hehe! :) Here...for your ears. I really love these. Enjoy!

Sketches Of Pain

I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

"It can open your eyes, but it can’t see for you..."

It's weird how you learn new things these days. Less is more... Next time I have something heavy battling in my mind, I don't need to share. I think it's for Him and mine to keep. Always.

It is quite easy to get approval if we ask enough people, or if we ask those who are likely to tell us what we want to hear. Do not seek praise, seek criticism. It's the only way you'll learn, grow and better of yourself.

But you know you are my best other half and also my best critic... Yes, you...my other half. The reason I’m exposing this is anxiety. If I don’t express it, my soul will just die in me. You got a part of me for all my brutal honesty. It bothers me to see us drifting, so I had to tell you something uplifting. The night’s getting darker, the day’s getting brighter. Reminiscing on the times when we were much tighter. Love supersedes you, everything I need. Together we achieve, hold my hand if you believe.

Street Grub.

Here's to this wonderful month full of surprises... It's been a while since I stayed here in my hometown for a long time. I went out one late afternoon and met my friends at the town proper, we found a new place which is previously a lomi house, they expanded and renovated a little bit. And so we tried the food there, we ordered pizza and we later discovered that some ingredients are fresh from Barcelona and the pizza dough was made from scratch! Hahaha what a treat we had. The owner told us that he grew up there and went home obviously to retire and run his small business here. I was overwhelmed with gladness simply because, not only the food was very cheap, the place also had a "cocktail bar" in it! Haha the owner himself will make you a sangria. We didn't try one tho. Here are a few snaps. Sorry I didn't take a picture of the place but to describe, it's just like a common merienda place with a feel na parang nasa bahay ka lang... Because the owner said that's how it is in Spain also "parang nasa bahay lang". It didn't make so much impact tho because it's one of those typical mini canteens in our town. Unlike the food, it's like digging gold in your own backyard. Haha! :)

Their P25 "Burger with Fries" :))

 Pizzaaaa... P140 only! Good for 3-4 :)

Something Made Different.

Circumstances has turned drastically. Fortunately, the year has been good to me as this will be my first blog entry for 2013. A lot has changed as my life continues to take its natural course to self-improvement, success and growth. I think this year has my name written all over it. It's about the death of the outworn aspect of myself and my life, while the sunrise of rebirth is always waiting in the horizon. Add to this fact that my ruler, is in what is known "mutual reception" with the swapping signs and the force for rebuilding my life from its very foundation is doubled. Death and rebirth become daily themes as I shed layers upon layers of the former me. Wonderful isn't it? The speed at which my life is moving, evolving and changing is unprecedented. What can I only do is simply trust that to whatever I'm putting my passionate energy into this year will indeed build out to something lasting and beautiful. I could feel that this could easily be one of the most exhilarating and spiritual years in a long time (emphasis on the spiritual hehe). I will definitely appreciate the support for my quest for deep change and self-awareness. I will delve into my own secret depths and discover how powerful I really am. I will heal others by showing them that it's safe to confront their own darkness as I have done. Now I finally understood it perfectly... The real definition of change; the means of actually doing and applying it into your life rather than just always thinking about it. I finally fathomed what it means to be truly embracing change.  But of course, for everything I had, have and will have, I'm still trying to figure it out how to make it through this life, because If i did, I'm good as dead. I'm grateful to be a part of life's pleasing processes. Considering this some greatest realization. Word.