LOVE AT HOME

2011-12-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a time of preparation and of celebration of the birth of our Lord, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. It is a time for fellowship, warmth, gifts, and song, good food, parties and memories, but make Christ center of our Christmas season. We invite you to read the inspirational Christmas Story of the birth of Our savior to your kids, to everybody that you know - to understand the reason why we celebrate this season and why we give our hearts to Him. Jesus is much more to us than the infant in the cradle, watched over by his mother Mary and Joseph and the shepherds and announced in praise and worship by the angels. That baby in the manger was only the beginning of mankind's redemption. We hope in the season of giving as you dash around town, trying to find that perfect gift for someone that has everything, that you will remember those who have nothing and those that are forgotten or overlooked. Spread the spirit of giving beyond your children, family and friends.

I wondered if I was truly loved

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

There was a time or two in my life when I wondered if I was truly loved. I know now that as long as I have the power to love others, so to am I loved. I used to dream of a better life, with a family who knows and loves me for who I am deep inside. I know now, Eternity is a lush meadow with more family than any heart could desire. My childhood lacked a solid parental guidance, the comfort of a father and the tenderness of a mother.

I now understand that I am a beloved child, held in my Father’s grace, kissed by my Savior’s warmth, and rocked in the kind and loving arms of a forgiving Heavenly Father. Just as I will always love and care for my own children, no matter what they do or say; I know that My Heavenly Father will love me; even though I have not always been kind when talking to him either. I know, that there is so much more in store for me, and He knows it more than I could ever imagine it’s hard to give my pain to him, but I have realized that every time I hand over my worries, pain, and sorrow and then take it back they become heavier to hold. He is my guiding light, my redeemer, my shelter from a storm. I know that his love will always be there to comfort me. Sometimes I lose sight of His plan for me, but then… a small whisper, a gentle touch, and His everlasting love take me back to the path.

My Daily Life Experience

2011-12-11T11:50:00.001-08:00

Sometimespeople come into our lives and you know right away that they were meant to bethere, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figureout who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people maybe (possibly your roommate, neighbor, coworker, long lost friend, lover, oreven a complete stranger), but when you lock eyes with them, you know at thatvery moment they will affect your life in some profound way.

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfairat first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstaclesyou would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart. Infact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones. If someone hurtsyou, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped youlearn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open yourheart.

If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because theylove you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to openyour heart and eyes to things.Withoutthese small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved,straight, flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull andutterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls youexperience, help to create who you are and who you become.

Make your everyday count:

Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that youpossibly can for you may never be able to experience it again.

Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen.

Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high.

Hold your head up because you have every right to.

Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if youdon't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.

You can make of your life anything you wish.

Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

Rock or Sand

2011-04-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

Jesus spoke of a house that was built on sand and shaken by storms, while another house was built on rock and remained unmoved. How many of us build our marriages on the sand of feelings instead of the rock of commitment. But I've been encouraged to see that truly committed couples are able, with God's help, to thrive even through the inevitable storms.

"A successful marriage has little to do with circumstances and a lot to do with determination — taking the word divorce out of your vocabulary and replacing it with commitment."

Commitment is a decision to have the abundant marriage God desires, regardless of circumstances or whether you think your spouse is doing his or her part. This includes:

Realizing that marriage is an unbreakable covenant before God. - Ancient Hebrew culture understood a covenant not as a contract, which could be broken, but as a binding, permanent agreement — just like the
covenant God makes with us.

Choosing to "do it until you feel it." We often let our feelings guide our actions, but we are actually built for the opposite. Our Creator has designed us so that when we love another person with our actions, our feelings inevitably follow.

Focusing on the good in our spouse and the sin in ourselves — instead of the other way around. If you're dissatisfied with your marriage, try this challenge: For the next 30 days, don't say anything negative about your spouse — neither to him or her nor to someone else. Every day, find something you appreciate about your spouse, and verbalize it. This marital application of Philippians 4:8 (which instructs us to focus on whatever is praiseworthy) has the power to transform a marriage. When we examine and work to change ourselves, we often bring out the best in our spouse as well.

Engaging in Christian community, Church prayer and discipleship — especially when you don't want to. These three aspects of the Christian life help sustain every believer, but they are particularly essential for those going through a difficult season.

Relying on God to help you act selflessly toward your spouse. "We are incapable of living out our covenant promises in our own human strength. Jesus says, 'Apart from Me you can do nothing' and calls us to engage with the Spirit of God being lived out through us."

The often-cited statistic that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce — even among churchgoers — can make commitment seem fruitless. But that statistic is misleading. Dozens of studies distinguish between couples who claim a nominal faith and those who prioritize church attendance. Couples who have a strong commitment to faith and attend church regularly are far more likely to have lifelong relationships.

The 'Love and Respect' Principle

2011-04-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Men often define love differently than their wives, while women often don't know how to define respect. If both you and your spouse have these needs, but don't know what they are, how can you satisfy each other? Without a definition, it's like trying to throw a dart at a board but you don't know where to aim.

Once you and your spouse understand what it means to love and respect, relational landmines can be avoided. The result can be greater love, deeper intimacy and movement toward the kind of marriage that God desires for you.

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Unity in Marriages

2010-08-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

"If each spouse is forever seeking the interests, comforts, and happiness of the other, the love ... will grow"

Unity in marriage is an important foundation for rearing children successfully. If a husband and wife do not support each other, they greatly weaken their influence with their children. However, if they are humble and strive to achieve greater unity, they can teach their children valuable lessons, both formally and informally.

In examining your role in promoting oneness in your marriage, consider the following questions:

Do I acknowledge myself and my companion as persons of worth and value (see Ephesians 5:2829)?

Am I willing to see my partner as my best friend?

Am I willing to put the interest of my marriage and partner first?

Do I see how my selfish acts hurt my spouse?

Do I seek spiritual guidance in resolving disagreements?Obedience to the commandments helps us achieve oneness in marriage. When husbands and wives repent of their wrongdoings, strive to overcome their shortcomings, and seek righteousness, they can become one.

"Once you determine that a high priority in your life is to see that your wife and your children are happy, then you will do all in your power to do so. I am not just speaking of satisfying material desires, but of filling other vital needs such as appreciation, compliments, comforting, encouraging, listening, and giving love and affection."

Why Married Men Leave Their Wives?

2010-06-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Men have this great knack for not letting woman know their true feelings. Of course until it’s too late. How is a woman supposed to fix it?

How has your life been? I mean really think about. Has it been fun or frustrating? Do you have things in common? Are you always butting heads? Have you been able to compromise? These are important questions. If you want to get your man back, you might need to think about why he left.

Why married men leave......One day you wake up and he's gone. You have no clue where he went or if he's coming back. Your mind right now is all over the place. I mean he left....He just left.......With not even- I hate you, your make me sick...Nothing, not a word. You thought you had the best relationship in the world. Now, the only question in your mind is "why married men leave without a word". So now what are you going to do. Well, Stop freaking out and well keep reading this lens. Maybe you'll get a few ideas. Check this video: "why married men leave without a word".

Ten Things Wives Want From Their Husbands

2010-04-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

1. Appreciate her - Whether your wife is a career woman or a full-time wife, do not think that what you do is harder than what she is doing and that you are the one who should be valued more. It is not easy to be a career wife and neither it is easy to be a full-time wife. Yes it is true that it is part of her obligation as your wife to be of service to you and your children but she will be happy to know that she is well appreciated and thus she will not go weary of her daily obligations. This website will help you make your woman happy: Make Women Laugh And Fall In Love.

2. Listen to her - Be a friend to her. A woman wants somebody to share her thoughts, emotions and sentiments. She will love you more if she knows you are interested in what she had to say.

3. Provide her basic needs - Sometimes love is not enough, you have to take charge of your family’s needs. It is said that “If any man provides not for his own and specially for those of his own household, he has denied the faith and worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8)

4. Assure your love to her often - A woman wanted to have an assurance of your love to her. It is not enough that she knows that you love her and that she is the only one. It will be music in her ear if she will hear it directly from you. Being sweet and sensitive will not do you harm. Just do it. You will not know where it will lead you, if you know what I mean maybe a night to remember.

5. Support her - Sometimes people around like your parents, siblings, relatives and friends will see flaws in your wife. You should be in your wife’s side no matter what. Stand up for her and if you realize that they are right then talk to her about it; just the two of you. Nobody’s perfect. Everybody has their own flaws.

6. Do not lie to her - I’ll emphasize this, never ever lie to her or else it will be hard for her to trust you again. It is easy to forgive but sometimes very hard to forget. One more thing you and your wife are one now, whatever it is, she should know.

7. Do not decide on your own - Your wife is your partner. Do not make a decision without talking it out with your other half. It is best if you decide together. For one thing your wife can’t blame you for some wrong decisions that you’ve made, but the most important thing is that you are equal in all things. She will be pleased about it.

8. Do not be jealous - Do not be jealous especially if you have nothing to be jealous about. Do not keep your wife in the closet; let her mingle with friends and relatives. Over jealousy can kill you. It will eat you up whole. Stop being possessive. You will not notice that you are becoming an ugly person already, with all those doubts and suspicions. Be positive, have trust. You don’t want her to doubt you as well. This goes for the ladies as well.

9. Do not forget important dates - Occasions especially birthdays and anniversaries are very important to women. Forget it and you’re doom. LOL! Kidding aside, I know men don’t intend to hurt their wives by forgetting but at least make an effort to remember. If you know you’re the type who easily forgets then you definitely need a planner.

10. Do not flirt with other girls - Don’t stop to be friendly but stop the touching, hugging and kissing. What is big no-no to women who are married is a no-no as well to husbands. No double standard please.

Other than these dos and don't one important thing is to make God the center of your relationship and all the good things will follow. Every marriages encounter problems. Separation, annulment, or divorce is not an answer. I f you think of an escape every time you are in a difficulty, you will not solve anything.

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Why Some Foreigners Prefer Marrying Filipinas?

2010-04-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

Their smile will indeed lighten up your day as if they put you in clouds with a very light feeling, dismantling your worries for a great while, could uplift your spirits and leave a lasting good marks in your mind.

Filipinas’ sex appeal is capable of making you helpless as it captivates a heart as if you’re in a state of trance, thanks to their black and shiny hair that truly makes head turn, a face that is truly a work of art, and splendid eyes that could melt you like an ice cream amid the blistering heat of the sun. Filipinas are truly a walking gem whose glitters will indeed last for the lifetime.

The physical attributes of Filipinas are complemented with their priceless inner features. Filipinas are beautiful inside and outside, a rare combination in a modern woman, a double trouble that will surely make mincemeat of a lad longing for someone to be his sweetheart.

Filipina’s attitude and character are a cut above the rest. They are meek and amiable, but can be strong and persevering at times. Filipinas have warmth, sincerity and compassion, valuable things that makes them great friends capable of giving worthwhile companionship.

Filipinas are articulate and equipped with sense of humor and this makes them mingle with anybody else with relative ease.

A Filipina wife is well-known for forming a great half of what we called a couple, who would use all of her precious time tending to the needs of her family, although strong and brave, will serve her husband ala king.
Filipinas are humble and loving creatures, they would do all things to make marriage flourish without let-up. While rearing kids to be responsible citizens, she would give her all-out motivation, thorough guidance and never wavering support to her kids to help them acquire education, a priceless possession Filipinas aims with so much zeal and passion.

Sweet, caring and supportive, a Filipina wife will not dominate a household, she would respect her husband’s decisions and goals, and will stay besides him through thick and thin. A Filipina can also step up when a need for this measure arises, she would seek employment or engage in activities related to business to secure ways of earning decent income to make both ends meet. Most Filipinas are highly educated and they’re tailored to earn income for her family if needed. Although most Filipinas are gentle they can be ferocious so please do not abuse and take advantage of them, for they are capable of defending their grounds well. Filipinas are very loving and affectionate and it is just right to shower them with love and give them what is due.

If you fall in love with a Filipina, I may count you as fortunate for you have a potential treasure to keep, a crown that will surely make you very proud and live the rest of your life in harmony and immense love.

Looking for a Filipina Online? Check this out: The Filipina Bride Guide.

Why You Should Stay Far from Married Men?

2010-04-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

He is handsome, he is charming and he is taken... Every year countless women trip into the big triangle trap of falling in love with a married man.

Some women Will back off as soon as they notice the ring or see him with his wife or just sense any clue that tells them he is married. Other women though perhaps looking for that "adrenaline rush" will hold on and start or continue the relationship regardless of his marital status.

These women need to be aware that they are getting their feet stuck into thick quick sands. Very likely their relationship will end up going no where. Most men will not leave their wives for their lover. Most men will live the adventure to its fullest and then put their lover into their personal recycling bin forever. This will hurt all those women that have thought that for once and for all he was really falling in love with them and that they had the power to revolutionize his entire life. Do not fall into this trap and remember that if he is cheating in first place then he is not somebody that deserves your trust.

When it comes to dating married men there are many things to keep into consideration. All these bad sides of the story should extinguish the biggest "fires" before they develop.

First of all, there is secrecy to respect. You cannot present yourself at his front door or start calling and asking his wife for him. You will not have freedom to go to close by restaurants or spend the evening with him at his home where neighbors and friends can report your presence. You will have to be sneaky and accept the fact that you are going to have to hide all the time. Some women may find it exciting to have their own little "dirty secrets" and "secret appointments" but all this will end up soon being a big nuisance to his and your reputation especially in small towns where everybody knows each other.

Nothing is worse than having people talk bad behind your backs and even risking somebody telling your affair to his wife.

Affairs with married men may as well end up being dangerous. If the wife should discover they may stalk you and threaten you. Sometimes they can end up being deadly as well in what are called "murders of passion".

You will have to deal with the thought of sharing him with someone else. These thoughts can be nerve wrecking. Just imagining him leaving you for the night and having dinner and sleeping with his wife can cause unimaginable heartaches. As humans in our culture, we can share food, we can share clothes but we cannot share a man without feeling terrible about it.

Guilt. It will pop up every now and then even though you may hate his wife. True fact is that you are the intruder, you are the shadow threatening to destroy a marriage and the life of children if he has any. True fact is you wouldn't want to be in his wife's shoes and you want a traditional monogamous marriage as most women.

Get ready to be lied into your face. He is cheating, thus he is lying to his wife day and night. Meetings, traffic, over night job stays are the most common excuses. Lying is not a one way road, it goes both ways. His lies are oncoming and out going. Think it over when he says your are the most important thing in his life.

Unreturned phone calls, loss of contact. This will happen, he tells you he will call but every time something happens and you remain all night waiting. He tells to meet him but then he had to take his son to a football practice session. Be ready to be waiting and waiting and waiting. This should be a wakening sign that you are after all, just a small chapter of his life.

Not many people will be on your side to give you support. Friends, family may not approve your relationship and you may find yourself lonely and misunderstood. Many times he is the only one that can help you overcome your feelings. But he will not always be there for you.

Regardless, many women still endure in dating married men. We can see this from statistics of cheating married men. Some form of masochism must be present as it is hard to understand how they can overcome all the psychological disturbances that derive from such behavior. Many say that finally they have felt really loved, appreciated and that it was the best event in their lives. Perhaps, these women really need to better understand what real love is and to truly respect themselves, the married man and the married man's wife and children.

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To Those Who are Married, .. Not Married .. and soon To be Married, I hope You Will be Touched With this Story...

2010-01-29T10:17:00.000-08:00

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce.. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Dew. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.

She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Dew so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Dew.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce.
She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.

She requested that everyday for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning.. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions.. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully..

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mummy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time.. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Dew about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mum out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Dew, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead.. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Dew, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other any more. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you.

If you do, you just might save a marriage.

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

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A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME.

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matthew 19:6

PS. THIS IS A REPOST AND IS NOT MY PERSONAL WORK.

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Is Facebook Safe?

2010-01-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Everything we do today involves the internet. I think that a major misconception here is that parents hear the word “facebook” and then let their assumptions run wild. Facebook can be safe or unsafe, depending on how you use it.

My four years old daughter uses my facebook. With facebook she is able to keep in touch with her cousin and play the games together.

If your daughter is 16 years old, she should be responsible enough to have facebook. Just advise her on safety and modesty precautions. Here are some general guidelines:

1. Make sure your profile is set to private. This way, only people who you choose to be your friends can view your profile. Anyone else will not even know you have a profile because it will no show up on a name search.

2. Choose a false last name or an initial.

3. Only become friends with people you personally know.

4. Do not post pictures or comments that you would not want your parents to read.

If your daughter follows these guidelines, facebook will be perfectly safe for her. You could even make a facebook yourself and then become “friends” with your daughter so as to monitor her profile.

I think that facebook is a great utility that enhances social relationships and teaches teens about responsibility.Trust your daughter. If she betrays your trust, you can take away the privilege.

If we empower our children with knowledge and monitor how they use the tools we give them then I think we are helping them to become educated and life experienced individuals who will grow up to be the leaders of our society. If we keep our children in a box with minimal outside influence then we are providing them with a huge disservice and not allowing them to experience their full potential.

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Freaking Cold Here

2010-01-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

Yeah. it's cold, freezing cold, welcome to Chicago baby! I was recently asked about how to survive a Chicago winter by someone moving here from a warm southern state who had never dealt with extreme cold, wind, snow and Ice. I have lived in Chicago for almost 5 years. So, I figured I could help with some tips for survival and hopefully help him/her avoid being cold and stuck somewhere during a blizzard.

Winter means cold, so keep yourself warm is the simplest answer.
However you need details.

1) Night and Day temperature difference is generally high. You can spend some of your day outside. At nights you can feel very cold if you stay outside for an hour. (15 Minutes is usually enough to start seeking a warm place if you are walking)
2) If you have a gentle skin use creams for your face.
3) Use your nose for breathing rather than your mouth.
4) Do not try to use a bicycle or try to run if you are in a hurry.
5) Don’t think much about cold it is really important if you feel pain in cold. Do not try to make yourself ready for cold when you go outside, because mentally it makes you feel more cold. Actually feel free and just feel the cold but try to avoid from wind.
6) Double wear, it means wear more clothes than usual. No matter how they are thick the important part is the volume of warm air inside the clothes. I wear a lot of thick turtleneck sweaters (sweaters in general are good) with a long sleeve t-shirt layered underneath and jeans or courderoy pants. Thick socks are also a must, and boots that are waterproof are important.

Other than that you have some options as far as type of sweaters, hoodies, fleece, blazers, cardigans, sweatshirts, jackets, scarves and all kinds of pants but thicker heavy weight fabrics are a must.It is like a kind of isolation.

And remember even if we get 3 feet of snow, school, work and the stores do not close down. We live with most of our snow in January and February and it happens every year so we know how to power through it. We dig out the cars and buses, take public transit, shovel the sidewalks and driveways and bundle up and go out slowly and cautiously. Nothing is stopped by bad weather in Chicago.

Have any other tips or suggestions for cold weather wear? Let me know by posting them as a comment with your helpful hints and cold weather clothing strategy below:

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Teach Your Child The Important Of Prayers

2010-01-21T08:04:00.000-08:00

In our family Prayer is very important. Because it is how we communicate with God and how He sometimes communicates with us. Prayer can be said in one's mind or out loud. I personally find that praying out loud makes it easier for me to focus on my thoughts on what I'm saying. A prayer has four simple steps: Address God, Thank Him, Ask Him, and Close it in the Name of Jesus Christ.

1.)"Father in Heaven" or "Heavenly Father." We address Him as our Heavenly Father because He is the Father of our spirits, He is our creator and the one to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives.

2.)We show our gratitude to our Father by telling Him in our prayer what we are thankful for such as our home, family, health, the earth, and other blessings.

3.)We can ask him to bless us with the things we need, such as knowledge, comfort, guidance, peace, health, etc. We close the prayer by saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

We do this because Jesus is our Savior, our mediator between death (physical and spiritual) and eternal life. Christ is the one who suffered and died for us that we may be able to return again to our Father's presence and He is the one we are commanded to have faith in. He Apostle John taught: "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." (John 14: 13-14.) We also close with saying Amen because it means we accept or agree with what's been said.
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34 Tips for an Exceptional, Superb & Powerful Life

2010-01-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
2.) Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3.) Always pray and make time to exercise.
4.) Spend more time with people over the age of 70 And under the age of Six.
5.) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants And eat less foods that are manufactured in Plants.
6.) Drink plenty of water. Eat broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
7.) Try to make at least three people smile each day.
8.) Clear your clutter from your house, car, desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
9.) Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, Invest your energy in the positive present moment.
10.) Realize that life is a school and you are here To learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum That appear and fade away like algebra class .......but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
11.) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a layman And dinner like a beggar .
12.) Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
13.) Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
14.) Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15.) You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
16.) Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
17.) Don't compare your life to others'. You have no Idea what their journey is all about.
18.) Ladies - Go on and burn those 'special' scented Candles, use the 600 thread count sheets. Stop waiting for a special occasion. Every day is special.
19.) No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
20.) Frame every so-called disaster with these Words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
21.) Forgive everyone for everything.
22.) What other people think of you is none of your Business.
23.) Time heals almost everything. Give time, time!
24.) However good or bad a situation is, it will Change.
25.) Your job won't take care of you when you are Sick. The people around you and your family will. Stay in touch with them.
26.) Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
27.) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all You need. God provides, remember?!
28.) The best is yet to come.
29.) No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
30.) Do the right thing!
31.) Call your family often.
32.) Each night before you go to bed complete the Following statements: 'I am thankful for Today I accomplished.
33.) Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
34.) Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast Pass. You only have one ride through life so make The most of it and enjoy the ride.

LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH. LIFE'S A gift. that's why it's called PRESENT ... UNWRAP IT!
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Give The Gift Of Time

2010-01-21T07:14:00.000-08:00

How much time have you spent with your partner lately? Not sitting on the sofa watching TV or over dinner, but real one-on-one time. It's amazing how much a little "private" time can help improve even the best of relationships. In the spirit of the quote by Torquato Tasso, "Any time not spent on love is wasted," I implore you to give your partner the most precious gifts of all... your time. Just in case ideas seem to be lacking on how to give your time, I've come up with a few suggestions:

First, make it easier to spend a few minutes here and there talking by taking advantage of everyday actions. The perfect opportunity maybe in taking a few minutes before getting out of the car to go somewhere. Lean over and kiss your partner and tell them you love them. Then, ask how their day was or how they're doing. Call your partner up every so often, even if you live together, and just talk for a few minutes like old friends. Before you go to bed is also a great time to spend together. Talk about your goals and dreams and snuggle together.

Finally, when you're both bored and have no idea what to do, get up, light a few candles, break out any old board or card games, order a pizza and play. Even if you don't play for very long, it's still a perfect way to provide a little one-on-one time. Remember the words of Henry Van Dyke, "Time is... too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice; but for those who love, time is eternity."

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Home Has Forsaken God

2010-01-20T11:45:00.000-08:00

This is the reason why I stay at home as Mom. The home is one of the basic bulwarks in any strong society. Most homes have forsaken God now spell the doom of our nation. Men no longer want to take their place as head of the home and to be the spiritual leader of the family. Women no longer are willing to fill the God ordained role of helpmeet, homemaker, and child trainer.

Spiritual training is sadly neglected and all but entirely absent even in the homes of so-called Christians. The overwhelming majority do not take their children to a Bible teaching church and Sunday School. Father and mother both work and the children are left with a baby-sitter. Then as they get old enough to barely get by, they are left to fend for themselves until the parents get home from work.

No wonder that so many kids are taking dope and smoking pot, even before they get into their teens. According to recent polls, the majority of high school students drink, and a large percentage of these are heavy drinkers. Venereal disease and pregnancy is spreading like a flame among the teens of our nation. Now they can get birth control devices, treatment for venereal disease, and even abortions with the promise that their parents will not be notified. Many parents wouldn't care anyway.

Parents get rid of their guilt feelings by buying the children things, and furnish them with money. With the money they can buy the pot, dope, and liquor that the world offers them.

Is not to late to change. We need God in our home.
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Is It Really Hard To forgive Your Spouse?

2010-01-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

Every relationship has room and need of forgiveness. We’re imperfect people and we make mistakes. We lose our tempers and lash out, or we say things that are unknowingly hurtful.

Marriage requires, perhaps, more forgiveness than any other relationship. When living with someone that closely, friction occurs regularly. The best marriages consist of couples who have learned how to let go of things that don’t matter.

Know what matters and pick your battles. In a marriage, it’s more important to care for the relationship than it is to be right or to win. It took me a long time to learn this. I’m a competitive person by nature, but marriage is not a competition. If you win an argument and leave your spouse in tears, you have missed the whole point. Is what you’re arguing over really that important, or is it okay to let your spouse put up the pink and yellow curtains in the bathroom because they make her really happy?

Assume love. Many times arguments continue because one party thinks that the other party is out to get them. At one point, you were in love with your spouse. You knew she/he loved you back. If there was love there once, it’s probably still there in some way. Simply allowing this paradigm shift allows you to see that she/he loves you, Hes’/she’s just angry or hurt. If your spouse yelling at you, but you know she/he loves you, then perhaps there’s something going on that you don’t know about. How can you help her/him? Owen Johnson of Let’s talk to man to woman writes extensively about this topic. I highly recommend reading her stuff.

Take a deep breath. One of the best things about yoga is that it teaches people to relax with the breath. Holding on to anger and resentment is exhausting. You tense your shoulders, neck, back, and you take shallow breaths. When you’re really upset, take a moment to take a few deep breaths, from the gut. This simple act will unconsciously relax you and you will make better choices.

Build a bridge. Not a bridge to nowhere, but a bridge to your spouse. Reach out to her/him. It’s pretty difficult to hold a grudge against someone that you are doing service for, talking to, or otherwise helping. Little acts of service can go a long way to soften your heart. Fix something around the house, make a nice meal for her, or buy her a small gift.

Get help. Licensed therapists are trained to help people move beyond issues just like this. Deeply emotional issues are difficult to resolve by ourselves, and sometimes we need outside perspective.

Make the choice. When it comes down to it, forgiveness is a choice. All of these options are just ways to help you get to the point where you can choose to let it go. Anger, resentment, fear, and grudges are heavy weights to carry. They are poisonous cancers to your soul.

Why forgive? Forgiveness is a cleansing balm to your soul. It gives you the opportunity to set down your heavy burden. Holding a grudge does more to harm you than it ever does to the person you are angry with. How about you? I’d love to hear your stories of forgiveness and how it blessed

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Love Is the Most Important Thing

2010-01-18T12:26:00.001-08:00

We could all stand to improve in our relations with others, and the Bible has lots of helpful counsel for us on that subject--how to work with others, how to treat them, how to be loving towards them, and so on. It talks about patience, longsuffering, love, unselfishness, and giving. In all the passages about these things, the Lord is talking about relationships between human beings, not about our work or the relationships we have with things--our papers or computers or machines. He's talking about people. You may work great with your computer, but you're not going to grow much spiritually unless you learn to have loving interaction with other people--and that's not always easy! It takes patience, love, and humility.

We don't grow or learn unless we have a challenge, so look at this as a new challenge in life. "What can I do to grow in my relationships with other people?" That's the whole purpose for living, to love God and others. That's the most important thing! And if you love God, you'll love others, too, because loving others is one way you show love to the Lord.

You can read the Bible all you want, but if you don't live it in love, it doesn't do any good. You can make all kinds of other sacrifices, but without love it is nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). You can be the tops in your field, but if you don't manifest God's love to others, then it's all in vain. If you don't have love, you don't have anything! Love is the most important thing!

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I haven't Updated My Blog

2010-01-12T12:05:00.000-08:00

I know! I haven't updated in so long.

My Husband is on Christmas Break! We needed this break. And I realized that we need to take care of our household. So I decided to stop blogging for a few months and spent time with my family. And we have a good time together.

I am also busy these days. I also barely find time to sleep properly. And that affects my blog, of course - I haven't posted anything since I came from the Philippines and that is really annoying for me as well as for my readers.

Blogging is not easy. You need to prepare your topics in advance. This is a must. You know what you are blogging about and you should always have a prepared list of topics. This way you can easily write an article when you have an inspiration or simply when you find some free time. I always have a list of at least five subjects. I just don't have time.

You can also write a few articles in advance. Then you can post them on regular basis and keep focus on work without worrying about next article. But I don't do that on regular basis :(. I often find myself in the same predicament, but tend not to worry about it much. Readers, in general, will forgive you for your absence.

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The Heart of Jerusalem

2009-06-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

Do you realize that USA is in the heart of Jerusalem! Those who doubt should simply look closer jerUSAlem...... exactly in the middle ! Is it a pure coincident or is it far beyond it? I never noticed it before. USA is in the middle of JerUSAlem. Always remember that God 's purpose in bringing everyone is so they can see His plan of salvation. In most countries there is no freedom of anything, here if people don't care to know then most of it is their fault. America puts us a step to heaven.

I believe that God in his infinite wisdom put the United States of America (USA) in the hearts of our founding fathers. The United States was founded on strong moral values and their strong belief in the almighty God. Israel has always been in the heart of the American people because the Israelite' s are God's chosen, and Jerusalem is the birthplace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The United States has always been one of Jerusalem's biggest allies. That is why we are a blessed people and a blessed nation full of prosperity.

Traditional Filipino Wedding and Symbolism

2009-06-09T08:23:00.000-07:00

Filipinos have many age old traditions make for a beautiful and exciting event. Filipino weddings, also known as kasalan, are among the most beautiful and intricate celebrations in the world because of the Filipino culture’s high regard for the sanctity of marriage making the event a lengthy and ceremonious occasion to remind everyone attending—especially the bride and groom—that the bond connecting the couple is expected to become permanent.

Traditional Filipino weddings used symbols to represent the aspirations of the couple and their families on the future of the marriage:

CANDLE- is said to light the way of the couple in their married life, especially in times when they need to make a difficult decision. It is a symbol of hope in times when the couple is going through rough times.

COINS (Arrhae)- is symbolizes bounty, wealth and prosperity in the marriage. The act of transferring the coins(arrhae) from the hands of the groom to the cupped hands of the bride is a sign of commitment from the groom to look after the marriage by providing for the family in every way he can. By doing this, he makes a promise that he will make sure that his family will be secure in the future. The acceptance by the wife is a commitment that she recognizes her duty as “keeper of the purse” in the family. She makes a commitment to help her husband in providing for the family needs by budgeting the needs of the family wisely.

CORD- is a symbol of infinite love. The cord binds the couple together so they will stick together and be each other’s support through thick and thin. The figure 8 of the cord is a symbol of unending marriage as the number 8 does not have a beginning or an end. With the cord, the couple will love each other forever in their marriage.

WHITE VEIL- is a symbol of purity in the marriage. With it, the couple hopes to have a pure and unadulterated love for each other through the years. It also symbolizes the union of two families, that of the bride and the groom.

RICE- showering the newlyweds with rice after the wedding ceremony is also a sign of bounty. It’s a prayer that the couple’s family never grows hungry.

MONEY (BILLS)- Attaching bills to the couple during the wedding dance is a symbol of support of the families and friends of the couple during the lifetime of the marriage. The money collected will also help the couple in starting their married life.

SUGAR- symbolizes the lasting sweetness and love of the married couple forever. The couple is given a teaspoon of sugar usually before the wedding reception bet after the ceremony

WINE & CAKE- drinking of wine with interlinked arms and feeding each other with a piece of the wedding cake also symbolizes a infinity in the marriage and the promise of support of both husband and wife to each other in rearing the family.

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How to Avoid Marital Arguments with Filipina Wives

2009-06-07T09:37:00.000-07:00

I do not mean to be preachy about this because I know different people have different personalities. This is based on my experienced and some Filipino friends who got married to a foreigner. As a Filipina married to a foreign man, I think there is a need to write a few more pointers on how to keep a Filipino-Western marriage alive.

A Filipina girl can be a martyr at times and just try to absorb and take the blows until they reach their tipping point and then they say “Ouch!” Crying is the way a woman says “I’ve had enough!” so western husbands must not get offended by women crying. It is their way of saying “Please take notice of what you are doing to me!”. It doesn’t take much to please a Filipina back. Simple gestures to show you’re sorry is enough, You do not have to rationalize and explain to them why you are or have been horrible. That will only make the matter worse and could escalate to a full blown fight. This is the secret of lasting marriages in a Filipino society. Because of “suyo”, simple spousal complaints are easily addressed to and are not allowed to grow into a big fight.

One must understand the following to avoid marital arguments with Filipina wives:

1. Family comes first above everything else. You might have a very big problem with work or money but when family is involved, everything else has to take a back seat. If a Filipino will be made to choose between a career and taking care of a parent with Alzheimers, most Filipinos will definitely choose to take care of their parents. For nothing will be more important to a Filipino than their family. They would rather be poor than lose a family member.

2. Do not make a Filipino choose between a spouse and a parent. We are all brought up with a belief that we owe our lives to our parents and we should be eternally grateful for that. There is a saying in the Philippines that “one can have as many spouse as he can but he will only have 1 set of parents.

3. Pursuit of happiness is paramount in all relationships. Do not get too absorbed on worries or money problems because it takes away the life in a relationship. You can have too much money but if you lose your family/wife along the way of achieving the same, you will never be truly happy in the end. You can have as much money as you want if there is no one to share it to (and I mean someone who matters to you), it will be futile.

4. Never forget your wife no matter how busy you become. Be aware of your actions and never taken them for granted. Your wife should be your best friend whom you can share your deepest and darkest secret, your worries and you problems without fear of having to be judged. So do not keep things to yourself when you have someone to share the burden with. You’ll be a lot happier this way.

Avoid The 10 Biggest Divorce Mistakes.

Children And Divorce.

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Why We Filipinos Love Noise?

2009-05-28T12:02:00.001-07:00

Playing loud music and noise does not apply to all Filipinos but can be observed in most of them, and those who do not do it seem content and comfortable with it. We beg for your understanding of what would seem like a very inconsiderate attitude on the surface. I assure you, habits like this are not meant to hurt other people, especially foreign nationals around us.

Right from birth, a Filipino is never left alone. Babies sleep with their parents and when they grow older, they are made to share rooms with the other siblings in the house. In poorer societies, the entire family even shares a whole room which makes up the entire house. Only a small portion of the population can afford separate rooms for each child. But even when they can afford it, babies and little children are not left alone because of superstitions. Because of the extended family a lot of Filipinos have, there is always someone to look after the baby.

As a result, they grow up and get use to in an environment full of people. In times when they find themselves alone, Filipinos feel a certain amount of loneliness and sadness which most would call boredom. Music and noise comes as a soothing relief and makes one feel much better by creating the impression that they are not alone. This is the reason why Filipinos flock in packed places during fiestas and celebrations despite the noise and heat and smell. It is the sound and feel of home; and home is equated with families.

Filipino Health and Hygiene

2009-05-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

It is also quite remarkable that using public toilets for doing “personal business” is considered taboo in the Philippines. Filipinos seldom used public toilets for defecation. Only in very unavoidable circumstances will they resort to such. This is because public toilets are not properly equipped with the basic needs for keeping oneself clean based on Filipino standard, mainly, clean running water, soap, linen towels, pail and dipper.

The Western practice of wiping themselves with tissue paper after doing their business is not considered enough for Filipinos. It is common practice for Filipinos to always wash the private areas of the body with water, soap making sure there is no residue or smell left, and then they dry themselves properly with cloth towels every time they use the toilet.

And to answer a query in one of the forums, we do remove our clothes first before we do our business and so it doesn’t get wet when we wash. Sometimes you have to sacrifice convenience for a better purpose. Wiping oneself with a tissue only apply when one uses public toilet for peeing. Since one cannot be sure that water in public toilets are clean, we try to avoid using them, hence we avoid doing business in public loos.

It’s true and I’m proud to say that Filipinos always maintain cleanliness at home and their immediate surroundings. However, Filipinos also have the tendency to disregard cleanliness rules once they go to public places. If Filipinos are clean, why is Manila dirty? A good explanation can be found here.

Transitioning from Filipina to Filipino-American

2009-05-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

I received this article from a forward email and I think It's very informative to shared to my readers and fellow blogger.

Culture shock will affect Filipina and her American husband, and every couple will encounter unique problems that require both partners to make lifestyle adjustments. But the Filipina is at a disadvantage in that she is utterly immersed in a new culture, inside and outside the home, whereas her American husband is on familiar ground as soon as he steps out the front door.

Please read more>>>>

Happy Family Benefits Our Whole Society

2009-05-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

Family is the backbone of society. Without strong family ties, any given society will weaken and deteriorate. It takes a solid family upbringing to form the individual, which will logically contribute to the next generation. This is how cultural norms are ensured, through the proper teaching of language and values, whether moral or religious. The family, along with other social institutions, keep society functional.

A very important thing for families to teach their children is how to make good decisions. If they have watched their parents making well thought out decisions over the years, they will tend to be good decision makers themselves.

A healthy, happy family benefits our whole society. Among the children of strong families their is less crime, less divorce and less emotional problems. They tend to go on and have strong, healthy families of their own, having learned from their folk’s example.

I Am Thankful

2009-03-31T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am thankful every day for being able to wake up and see that my daughter and my husband have woken up as well. I am thankful that we have a loving and supportive family unit. We have great friends and I am thankful most of all that we have the freedom to vote, talk, and love whom ever we choose. Our country may be lacking in a lot of areas, but we are above all FREE to LIVE.

I am thankful to God for life, family and the opportunity to live in the US. Even with all of America’s shortcomings, we have been blessed as one nation under God and should never take for granted the privilege.

I am thankful for my family. I am thankful that God has given us the opportunity to have our daughter, Solaris, with us for almost four years now even though it looked many times that we would never make it this far. She’s the light of our life. She sometimes tries my patience, but I have to remind myself that those are the tests of God gives me to learn to be more patient. I am thankful for my husband who is my best friend in the world. I am thankful for all the blessings in our lives - a nice home, my husband's job. He works so hard to make sure I can stay home and takes care of us so well.

I am thankful for our health. We have had a rough winter this year. I am thankful for family here in Chicago who supported us. And our family in the Philippines a thousand miles away who would do anything for me. But overall, we can only be thankful. May God bless everyone.

LISTEN TO YOUR PARTNER

2009-03-17T07:30:00.000-07:00

If this is a difficult issue for you it sometimes helps to establish structure. You could set aside a time where you are required to listen to your mate without interrupting for 10 minutes. Don’t plan your defense or rebuttal. Just listen. You'll be surprised at how much you'll learn and when it's your turn you'll realize a unique pleasure in being able to express yourself freely.

We have numerous distractions in our lives today -- telephones, televisions, and now the Internet. If we want to be listened to with concentration, we must provide the same. Hang up the phone when your spouse walks in the door. Turn off the TV. Escape from the Web. Otherwise your mate feels like second best, and when you have something to say it will also fall on deaf ears. We have to remember that marriage creates a unity, a oneness. We can use our powers of communication to solidify that unity or, God forbid, to tear it asunder.

As the Chazon Ish, a great Jewish scholar, wrote "Treat your wife as a left hand protecting the right one ... and not an independent limb.” If we accept this attitude we will recognize that spending time and energy to improve communication is the way to achieve a true marital bond.

Ten Commandments for a Successful Marriage

2009-02-26T12:59:00.000-08:00

I am back...I got better today. thank God.This some kind of version of “Ten Commandments for Women” or “ Ten Commandments for Men.” Well, …Since we are on equal footing, being partners in living, how about his version, the same set of commandments for both genders: I got this from the booklet of moments to each other which I know it will help us lead to our successful marriages.

I. Put your mate before your mother, your father, your son and your daughter, for your mate is lifelong companion.

II.) Do not abuse your body with excessive food, tobacco, drugs or drinks, so that your life may be long and healthy, in the presence of those you love.

III. Do not permit your business or your hobby or your recreation to make you a stranger to your children, for the most precious gift a parent can give his or her family is the gift of time.

IV. Don’t forget that cleanliness is a virtue.

V. Do not make your mate into a beggar, but willingly share with him or her your worldly goods and possessions.

VI. Remember to say “ I love you.” For even though your love may be a constant, your mate yearns to hear those words from you more than any others. Say it often.

VII. Remember always that the approval of your mate is worth more than the admiring glances of a hundred strangers, so remain faithful and loyal to your mate. And forsake all the others.

VIII. Keep your home in good repair, keep your marriage alive, for out of it comes the joys of old, together.

IX. Forgive with grace. For who among us does not need to be forgiven and often?

XI. Honor the Lord your God all the days of your life, and your children and grandchildren will grow up and also bless you.

Well….there you have them. Not only interesting reading, but plan of action! Words do us no good until they have been translated into an understandable language.

Maybe we should add #11 as well: You shall not hit your mate over the head with these commandments, but keeping these will be a willing act of love.

And I also wanted to shared some of my favorite verses in the bible: Submit yourself unto such, and to everyone that helped with us and laboureth ( 1 Cor. 16:16).

In marriage, two people enter into a covenant with one another and with God. This marriage covenant can best be illustrated by an equilateral triangle. God is at the apex, with the husband and wife at their respective corners on the base. As the marriage partners grow closer to God, they actually grow closer to one another. The result of such a covenant relationship is a fulfilling and dynamic marriage.

Nobody, and No Marriage, Is Perfect even Mine is not

2009-02-23T13:52:00.001-08:00

I got confused this morning i lost like six people in my followers. I was like, does somebody stole some of my followers or I make some mommy online get offended on my blog? I am so sorry for those mom that I get offended with my blog: "Proposed to Marry tag" That maybe they don't have special memories to shared because their husband is not that romantic when they proposed to them.

I will say: Nobody, and No Marriage, Is Perfect even mine is not. Because it's the imperfections that make or break a relationship in the long run. “People can be in love madly and deeply and go through so much and still end up with each other and that’s what you hope for. But no one should get married if they think it’s going to be a fairy tale.”

Most of us have an almost perfect, passionate relationship when we first meet someone, because it's all new, bright and shiny and the world is our oyster. When people get married the first few years can still be fairly passionate (although never perfect .. no such beast) and when children come into the picture passion can certainly fade to a low murmur of loving words and busy schedules. As one ages, people go through hormonal changes, some people become ill, and some medications lower the libido. Diabetes and heart disease can cause low libido as well.

To me, there is no such thing as "the perfect marriage" no matter how well two people get along. There will be the odd argument or, problems in the sexual area of that marriage. If you've got that there isn't much else in this world you can't beat and keep your head above water. I am glad to read some stories of mommy blog online which inspired me to do the same.

How We "Met"----Epilogue

2009-02-20T23:56:00.001-08:00

The first time I saw my wife back in 2002, I knew she was the "One". It sounds very cliché, but it's true. I had this rush of emotion were all of my senses came together and compelled me in unison not to let her get away. I saw her profile on-line and nervously made contact with her. I don't really know what it was about her, besides her beauty, that caused to me to try to reach her. Maybe it was her humble, mild-mannered look. Simple but sophisticated was the overall impression I got from her. After the first E-mail I sent her, I waited for a response and to my utter amazement we connected right away! I was looking for a Christian woman like her. I was not looking for the next saint. I was looking for the saint of my heart. Needless to say I was hooked. Then we found ourselves sending each other daily messages across the globe. The advent of technology had come right in the nick of time. (Otherwise we would have never met.) She was working in Davao Philippines, and I was here in Chicago, IL. A Mexican and a Filipina. Who would have thought?! I sure wouldn't---not in a million years. Juan-Maria's husband.

Check this website from one of my friend name Madz
Unique Ideas For Your Beach Wedding - Planning Your Own

Proposed to Marry Tag

2009-02-18T19:56:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about how on a woman’s hand a wedding ring always hides in the shadow of the engagement ring? Now, this is true even if your engagement ring is a slender band with a tiny sparkling diamond. But maybe there is a story to tell here.The engagement ring time is usually a time when you’re walking on air. There’s nary a care in the world and it’s like the two of you are in your own special space bubble, lost in time and space. It’s a different dimension and most things that happen around me either don’t intrude into my space or they don’t affect . It’s a glorious feeling and very often, that’s the way it goes right through from the time the engagement ring is slipped on up to the time the wedding ring joins it on my finger.

I personally make a Proposed to Marry Tag and wonder what other people have. Well, let’s continued to spread love around. Here's my story.

We got engaged at 24th floor Apo View Hotel Manila, Philippines. It was 17th of April 2003 after three days Juan arrived to the Philippines to met me for the very first time. So I was enjoy watching the view of beautiful Manila bay in the window. When he asked me to come unto him and tell me that there was something else. He then pulled out a box (this was a massive box so I didn’t think it was a ring) My husband to be asked me to shut my eyes and when I opened them - he said to me: "I want you to be my wife - I want you to marry me". He opened it and there was the most gorgeous ring inside. I burst into tears I just couldn’t believe it. Without hesitation I say YES! I will marry you. It was a complete surprise, my hubby to be had planned it perfectly. He asked me to marry him because we love each other. I get all emotional thinking about it, and could talk about it all day! Suffice to say, I went back to my room with my niece and I was extremely giddy for the rest of the evening with a gorgeous ring on my finger and the most amazing man in the world as my FIANCE! Wooooo!

Check this website from one of my friend name Madz
Unique Ideas For Your Beach Wedding - Planning Your Own

Now, I am tagging all my lovely friends: Madz, Amy, Analee, Umma, Ate Cecile, Rose, Lisa, Niko, Clarissa, Cookie, Grace, Enchie, Evan's Mom, Beth, Dhemz, Eden, Jane, Liza, Malou, pehpot, sparky, Kristie,kreez, Iceah. Shared your proposal story including the date, place and pictures and how romantic your fiance or your husband to be during proposal.

Six Powerful Words

2009-02-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

Talk about Valentines day. Now, you may think that the powerful words I am referring to is “I Love You.” Well, they are powerful because we should never take our love for each other for granted. But I want to have you think about six different words this week because I have learned through our 5 years of marriage that these words carry a lot of power too. And if we want our marriages to thrive we have to be willing to say them when necessary. The first three are the words, “I was wrong.” It breaks down barriers between people. It brings estranged people together. And it creates a climate where intimacy and love may flourish.

Naturally, it is a risk. But to admit when you’re wrong is not to confess that you’re a “bad” person —simply an honest one. Whole and happy lives are built by people who have learned the power of intimacy, in part, through the use of the words “I was wrong.”

The other three words that carry so much power in our marriages that we want you to consider this week are “I forgive you.” These are linked so closely to “I was wrong” that when they are combined they are probably the six most powerful words we will ever use in our marriage.

Now those six words, “I was wrong” and “I forgive you” when combined in our marriages are six of the most powerful words.

The most important skill in maintaining unity as a couple is forgiveness. You’ll undoubtedly make mistakes, disappoint one another, and make some poor decisions. No one can deny that these things happen. The only way to keep the relationship growing in the midst of our humanity is to forgive.

Fun Google Tag

2008-12-17T10:12:00.001-08:00

I was tagged by Jhari. I actually seen this tag before but I was feel nervous to be tagged. lol! People is going to know more about me and my personal life. You know, I am very mysterious, secretive woman. I have limits when it comes online. And that is the reason why I didn’t posted a lot of picture here in my blog. Well, I am glad that Jhari tag me. You got me girl.

The rules will start by using Google Images to search for your answers to the questions below. You must choose pictures from the first page from the results and post it as your answer.

1. Age Of My Next Birthday- Just count the uncut sheet of $1.00 bills

2. Place/places I Would Like To Travel: The pools below Havasu Falls, one of three main waterfalls in Havasu Canyon in Supai, Ariz., a pocket of the Grand Canyon.
Beautiful Places In The World: The Iguazu Waterfalls, Argentina - Brazil

3. My Favorite Place: The whole Island of Hawaii

4. A Favorite Thing: I love Homemade, Natural and Organic Food, Beauty and Health.

5. My Favorite Food: Lasagna with Cesar Salad & Adobo w/ rice

6. My Favorite Color/s: Red, Green and blue---God Favorite colors
7. The City I Reside Now: City of Chicago----the windy City

8. The City I Was Born: Gen. Santos City--The Capital tuna of The Philippines. I miss this place.

9. My College Major
10. Name of Your First Lover: Initials JFS

11. A Bad Habit: Procrastination

12. A Hobby/Hobbies: I love to sing and dance. I don’t know if I still have the voice.

Swimming/ Sports minded

13. My Wish List (max of 3)

Good Health

Happy Family

Live longer
Now I'm tagging my friends and some new friends I met online.
Grace, whiteshadow, pie, Angelmist, Maus, sparky, Evans Mom,
Faye, Carnation, jacky, Scott'y princess, Sunny, Youngest

Pregnancy Loss

2008-12-12T09:42:00.001-08:00

It takes 3 weeks for me to decide to post this in my blog. I can't even finish typing this thinking of my loss. But I finally published it today.

All I kept asking was why, why did this have to happen to me? I had my first miscarriage. I remember how lonely and grief stricken I felt. I believe I have a tiny angel in Heaven that I will meet some day. I was 7 weeks pregnant when I lost the baby, no explanation for it.

For many years women were told not to talk about it and to move on as though nothing happened. The most used cliché` was that "this happens, and there's nothing you can do about it." The problem, though, has been carried deep within the hearts of millions of women. What makes miscarriage such a difficult grief? Probably the most outstanding thing about miscarriage is that this type of loss is very easy for others to dismiss because there is often no physical evidence of the loss. A person can't grieve something that never came into being is the thinking of many people concerning miscarriage. To the pregnant woman, a miscarriage was a very real loss.

Along with the physical changes, there are strong emotional responses to a pregnancy, especially when the child was longed and planned. A woman's emotions usually run wild for a while immediately after finding out she is pregnant. She daydreams for hours every day. What will be like to feel a baby kicking inside me? When will the baby be born? Is this a little girl or a little boy? What color hair will the baby have? A woman forms almost immediate bond with the baby developing inside of her. She has now been blessed enough to experience one of life's miracles, and her emotions are wild with joyful anticipation for the days ahead.

When a miscarriage takes place, a woman's world is immediately turned upside down. She is now thrown into a fast reversal of thinking, and the impact of the sudden loss is devastating. So much happiness is snatched away so quickly making it difficult to keep balanced in daily living.

Another reminder that her body is no longer preparing to accommodate a precious baby. Daydreams turn into bad dreams, sleepless nights, and endless tears. Often depression is in the heart where there was once joy. The future now seems bleak and the days seem to stand still. During this time of adjustment over loss, it is extremely important to have others yet, grief validation becomes an added grief issue. Only when family members and friends view the miscarriage as "real" can a mother begin the long and difficult journey of healing from such a lonely, misunderstood loss.

21 Suggestions For Success

2008-12-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

We can fight any situation, if we believe that we will succeed. We must work
with the belief that we are capable of facing everything and overcoming in
every adversity. This help us succeed.

Marry the right person. This one decision will determine 90% of your happiness or misery.
Work at something you enjoy and that's worthy of your time and talent.
Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
Be forgiving of yourself and others.
Be generous.
Have a grateful heart.
Persistence, persistence, persistence.
Discipline yourself to save money on even the most modest salary.
Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
Commit yourself to constant improvement.
Commit yourself to quality.
Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
Be loyal.
Be honest.
Be a self-starter.
Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong.
Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life.
Be bold and courageous. When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
Take good care of those you love.
Don't do anything that wouldn't make your Mom proud.

Today is My Husband's Birthday

2008-11-24T09:10:00.001-08:00

My husband loves when I cook for him. He likes it better than when we go to a restaurant. Today is his birthday, so I am going to cook him chicken pozole his favorite mexican soup w/ chips and avocado. Let me know if you want the recipe I will be glad to share.

I am going to cook all this from scratch. Normally for his birthday I also cook him a cake and decorate it really nice.

We're in the process of moving and I already packed my cake pans. . . But still; I will make him a cake that you don’t need to used the oven and cooking pan. So, I am going to make him a peanut butter-chocolate cookie Ice cream cake. Hope He likes it.

A Birthday Message for my husband With Love

It is my wonderful husband's birthday today - he is 37 and I love him more than anything in the world - we have been married 4 years this year. And Here's my message to Him with love.

Dear Love,

And, for all these things & much, much more, I love you.
I'm so, so happy that I get to share your birthdays with you.
I hope that I make your birthdays as special as you make mine.
The day I saw you I knew in my heart you were the one for me.
You are my brightest light, the one who makes my life
full of beautiful things each day. The footprints of an angel are love,
and where there is love, miraculous things can happen.
Our little angel was in heaven right now; he is our little piece of heaven.
I thank the Lord for sending you to my life,
you are the biggest blessing.
Tu eres y siempre seras el gran amor de mi vida.
" You are and always will be the great love of my life".

Happy 37th Birthday, Honeybunch!!!

All my love,
Your wife

New Elected President of America

2008-11-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

Obama: "Change has come to America." 'Yes, we can'

I honestly got goose bumps watching Barack Obama's speech acceptance in TV last night. And today is a day that we will all remember, a day for our children and a day for the future of our country.

Hoping that this great man, this powerful speaker, can help lead the most powerful nation in the world toward a better tomorrow. He was honest about the fact that it will be difficult to accomplish his goals in one term, and said it would be an uphill battle. He also said that we can do it together, as a nation, and as hardworking people who care about our future and our children future. For those who did not support his candidacy, he said he hears you and he hopes to work with you on behalf of America and our shared interests.

It is uplifting, emotional, and so heartening to be here at this place in history. There is a lot of work ahead for Obama, for his chosen Cabinet, for Congress, and for all of us. But with this election we have shown that we care deeply about the future of our Nation and the world, and that we will do our best to ensure that it is led in a direction that is best for all of us. Thank you Obama, thank you volunteers and thank you to everyone that voted and cared. We have to forget what is red or blue or white or black, but to remember that we are a great country that is made up with great people. I see hope and change for our country; God bless America and everyone.

I also post in my other blog the full text of his speech and some of my views regarding politics and religion. Just click the picture above.

Second Baby

2008-10-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

As fate would have it. We will be expecting our second baby. We just found out last week. Nothing can be sweeter than knowing that God is blessing us with another child. Coincidentally I came across this photograph a few weeks ago. It is a very stunning image showing the baby foot pressed against the wall of the mother's stomach. Life, babies are a miracle!

Stretch Marks - Citrus solution of sorts

2008-10-17T07:50:00.001-07:00

I know that most women are scared of being pregnant because of the stretch marks. But that is part of the creation of God. I know all the moms hate that even I don’t like it. But a good way to prevent or minimize stretch marks during or after pregnancy is to use orange blossom essential oil as a soothing massage. When you add a few drops of orange blossom oil to a pint of sunflower oil, you’ve made a handy massage oil that can be spread gently directly onto the belly. It should help keep your skin supple and firm.

However, if you have stretch marks already, there isn’t much you could have done---until now. But I’ve read that anecdotal evidence suggests that vitamin A derivative Retin-A (an anti-wrinkle and anti acne prescription product) may able to remove stretch marks. But do not use if you are pregnant.

Time For Breakfast

2008-10-02T08:01:00.001-07:00

I can't live without breakfast! I usually just have fruit, bowl of cereal, skim milk. It takes all of fifteen minutes. But I try to cook some different that my daughter's love. She loves egg, bacon and pancake. But I don’t feed her too much pancake since there’s no vitamins on it. I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it gets your metabolism going.

The secret to perfect eggs is to always cook them on a low temp. Otherwise they will get brown, or burn. I hate browned eggs so I learned at a young age to cook them perfect (thanks mom) fluffy and yellow and dry! If omelets are too involved, I sometimes do a big scramble and sprinkle the cheese over the whole thing (it's a deconstructed omelets).

Personally the oatmeal is the best. Two minutes in the microwave and you're good to go!

Coming to America--Step 1 "Putting God First"

2008-08-11T22:03:00.001-07:00

My now husband and I can attest that before we found each other, we first had to find God, through Jesus Christ. I was a returning missionary who has just starting work in Davao. My husband had finally received an epiphany about his true faith. Prior to this none of our other relationships worked. My husband recently told me that many of his dates never worked out as planned because something always strange happened to him. A few years before God put us in our respective paths, for example, on one occasion he got lost in a city he was very familiar with, and another time the water pump of his car exploded and he could no longer drive to the place of his date destination. So many frustrations for both of us. We did not know it then but God had a bigger plan for us. Our nearby plans did not work. There were always obstacles. And then when we met. Two worlds apart over 5,000 miles away, came together. Without a hitch. Amazing. It was only due to the providence of God. So if your plan is to find a foreigner, wishing upon a star will not work. The Bible says "Seek God first and everything else will be given to you." Stay tuned for the next part. Things are about to get more interesting, I hope.

Tampo- Sulking Filipina Attitude

2008-06-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

Tampo refers to a range of Philippine cultural behavior in which one may withdraw affection or cheerfulness from a person who has hurt one's feelings.

Because the behavior is rooted in Philippine culture, the term has no precise equivalent in English, though "sulking" or "to sulk" is often considered the closest translation.

Tampo usually is manifested in the withdrawal of affectionate or cheerful behavior, and its expression is almost entirely nonverbal. These manifestations may include:

resisting expressions of affection
not talking to the person concerned, or to people in general
being unusually quiet
locking oneself in his or her own room
refusing to eat
not joining friends in group activities
withdrawing from the group
simply keeping to oneself.

These are usually efforts to get the offending party to make amends, and if these behaviors do not work, one might choose to escalate them, perhaps to foot-stamping, door-slamming, or muttering.

While these external manifestations may indeed sound like "sulking" in the western sense, the underlying cultural reason for them is what sets tampo apart. While sulking has strong negative connotations in western countries, tampo is quite acceptable among Filipinos. In fact, tampo has positive connotations for the Filipino, quite aside from the obvious negatives ones.

As a cultural behavior, tampo springs from the nonconfrontational nature of Philippine social interaction. Tampo offers an acceptable means of expressing hurt feelings in a society in which direct expression of anger or resentment is discouraged. The withdrawal behaviors of tampo are indirect ways of expressing hostility. Tampo may also be seen as a means by which Filipinos "save face," as direct confrontation is usually a threat to the "smooth interpersonal relationships" (SIR) deeply valued in Philippine society.

How We "Met"

2008-06-13T15:22:00.000-07:00

The First Time She Was Here

2008-06-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to have my wife come to live with me in Chicago for the very first time. It was May of 2004, I can still remember going through customs at O'Hare Airport, waiting for her to be cleared. Meeting her and finally bringing her to the U.S.A was quite an adventure for a person that had never traveled abroad. (Going to a foreign land like the Philippines thousands of miles away.) I felt like James Bond. No one could have written a better story. There were lots of moments of anticipation, intrigue and possible danger. This will be our story, from beginning to end.

Juan

Chicago View

2008-05-27T19:49:00.001-07:00

The name "Chicago" is the French rendering of the Miami-Illinois name shikaakwa, meaning “wild leek”.[4][5][6] Etymologically, the sound /shikaakwa/ in Miami-Illinois literally means 'striped skunk', and was a reference to wild leek, or the smell of onions.[5] The name was initially applied to the river, but later came to denote what is presently the site of city.

The sound Chicago is said[who?] to be the result of a French mis-transcription of the original sound by Louis Hennepin, a Catholic priest, missionary and explorer, who in 1683 first placed the place name 'Chicago' on a map.

Chicago- is the largest city in the state of Illinois, the largest in the Midwest, and, with a population of nearly 3 million people located almost entirely in Cook County (a portion of the city's O'Hare International Airport overlaps into DuPage County), is the third-most populous city in the United States. The Chicago metropolitan area (commonly referred to as Chicagoland) has a population of over 9.7 million people in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, making it also the third largest metropolitan area in the U.S.[2] Adjacent to Lake Michigan, it is the largest city located on the Great Lakes and among the world's twenty-five largest urban areas by population. One of the world's tallest buildings (Sears Tower, Aon Center, and Hancock Center) and some of the tallest skyscrapers under construction (Chicago Spire and Trump International Hotel and Tower). The University of Chicago is a leader in many fields and has contributed its own Chicago schools such as Chicago school economics.