On Loving ...

You love someone;
You open yourself up to suffering, that’s the sad truth.
Maybe they’ll break your heart.
Maybe you’ll break their heart and never be able to look at yourself in the same way. Those are the risks.
That’s the burden.


Like wings, they have weight;
We feel that weight on our backs.
But they are burden that lifts us.
Burdens which allows us to fly.

~Temperance Brenan, Bones, Last Episode, Season 4~

Leadership by Example in the Eyes of a Child

Iam (read as Ai-yam) is just five years old. The second and youngest son of our dear friends Joel and Charisse, this young boy continues to amaze us with his charming and sweet ways. Every time he sees me and my husband, he would always shout my name – “Mommy Tina”, and he would run towards us to take our hands for the Filipino tradition of “mano po”, a gesture showing respect to the elders. This he would do anytime, anywhere, with practically anybody.

A story was shared by Iam’s Mom about a particular event that made me appreciate gospel teaching by example and the faith of a young child.

One day, Iam’s uncle Paul got sick. Paul asked Joel, Iam’s Dad, for a priesthood blessing. Joel got his vial containing the oil and asked Paul to sit in one of the low chairs in the living room. During this time, Charisse and her two sons Ghy and Iam were also in the living room. Paul sat himself and waited for Joel. Normally, Iam would sit on Paul’s lap and start a chat with him. On this occasion however, knowing that Paul was not feeling well, Iam sat quietly and watched as his Dad went about preparing himself to administer the requested priesthood blessing. It was unusually silent for all of them.

Ready to give the priesthood blessing, Joel glanced at his family and smiled. Together, they all closed their eyes for the prayer.

Joel administered the oil on Paul’s head. With his hand on Paul’s head and his eyes closed, Joel started to say his prayer. Suddenly, he felt something warm in his hand. Slowly, two tiny little hands were laid on top of his’. He smiled and continued with the prayer.

With the priesthood blessing administered and the prayer ended, Joel opened his eyes to meet Iam’s innocent smile. The little boy felt proud and happy. Iam, in his excited voice explained how he wanted to help. Then, in his sweet voice he said: “you needed someone to help you Dad, so I did.

Teaching by example, teaching it at home, is still the best way to teach gospel principles. Iam and his Kuya Ghy saw their Dad exercise his priesthood authority in their home. They were recipients of priesthood blessings when they were sick or when they needed comforting or a father’s blessing. They saw their Dad give priesthood blessings to their Mom. They were taught during Family Home Evenings about the gift of healing by the laying on of hands.

I’m sure that as long as Iam will stay close to the church, and with the constant care and guidance of two wonderful goodly parents, this sweet little boy will one day grow up to be a great man - a responsible priesthood holder, one who will not only bless the lives of his immediate family, but will definitely bless those who will have the opportunity to know him and be associated with him.

Ike William is the 2nd and youngest son of Joel and Charisse Marcaida. He is named after his maternal grandfather, Daddy Ike.

His parents are Joel Fabre Marcaida and Charisse Porpor Marcaida and his eldest brother is Ghy.

Joel currently serves as the 1st Counselor in the Cagayan de Oro Philippines Stake Presidency while Charisse served as a Counselor in the Stake Primary Presidency. 

Iam is the grandson of Patriarch and Sister Julieta Marcaida and Rodulfo Broñola (Ike) and Fe Porpor. 

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things You’re Looking Forward in 2010

1.Cebu Temple Opening
2.Attending classes in the Graduate School
3.A slimmer me
4.Construction of the new CIT Buildings in the new campus
5.A hundred engagements or more for MCIC Consulting
6.a new car for Romel
7.Romelson’s transfer to the Young Men Organization
8.a new business for me
9.JS Prom for my April and Sarah
10.Our 25th Wedding Anniversary

Thoughts On Christmas

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...

~Norman Wesley Brooks~ 

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. 

~Norman Vincent Peale~

Christmas Gift Suggestions

To your enemy, forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity.
To every child, a good example.
To yourself, respect.

Written in Early Spring

Written in Early Spring

I heard a thousand blended notes

While in a grove I sat reclined,

In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts

Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link

The human soul that through me ran;

And much it grieved my heart to think

What Man has made of Man.

Through primrose tufts, in that sweet bower,

The periwinkle trail'd its wreaths;

And 'tis my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopp'd and play'd,

Their thoughts I cannot measure,—

But the least motion which they made

It seem'd a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan

To catch the breezy air;

And I must think, do all I can,

That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,

If such be Nature's holy plan,

Have I not reason to lament

What Man has made of Man?

~William Wordsworth~

In Sickness and In Health

See how faith and love can remain strong through the challenges and the changing seasons of our lives. 

(Please click the link below or copy and paste in your browser to watch a very beautiful video about true love in action ...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_yOAHISi8I

What Really is Christmas?

A young girl with true Christmas spirit quietly teaches her preoccupied family the true meaning of Christmas.

President Thomas S. Monson, Prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ, shares his testimony of how to put Christ back into Christmas.

(Please click the link below to watch the video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXXwtFWpAI8 

May the Spirit of Jesus Christ dwell in our hearts and homes this Christmas season!

How Do You Keep the Music Playing?

How do you keep the music playing?

How do you make it last?

How do you keep the song from fading too fast?

How do you lose yourself to someone?

And never lose your ways

How do you not run out of new things to say?

And since we know we’re always changing

How can it be the same?

And tell me how year after year

You’re sure your heart will fall apart

Each time you hear his name.

I know the way I feel for you

It’s now or never

The more I love the more that I’m afraid

That in your eyes I may not see forever..

Forever…

If we can be the best of lovers

Yet be the best of friends,

If we can try with everyday to make it better as it grows

With any luck, then I suppose

The music never ends.

I know the way I feel for you

It’s now or never!

(How do you keep the music playing?)

The more I love the more that I’m afraid

(How do you make it last)

That in your eyes I may not see forever

Forever…

(How do you keep the song from fading, keep the song from fading too fast)

If we can be the best of lovers

Yet be the best of friends

If we can try with everyday to make it better as it grows

With any luck, then I suppose

The music never ends.

Beautiful In My Eyes ...

You’re my peace of mind in this crazy world.

You’re everything I’ve tried to find, your love is a pearl.

You’re my Mona Lisa, you’re my rainbow skies,

and my only prayer is that you realize

you’ll always be beautiful in my eyes.

The world will turn and the seasons will change,

and all the lessons we will learn will be beautiful and strange.

We’ll have our fill of tears, our share of sighs.

My only prayer is that you realize

you’ll always be beautiful in my eyes.

You will always be beautiful in my eyes.

And the passing years will show

that you will always grow ever more beautiful in my eyes.

When there are lines upon my face from a lifetime of smiles,

and when the time comes to embrace for one long last while,

we can laugh about how time really flies.

We won’t say goodbye ’cause true love never dies.

You’ll always be beautiful in my eyes.

You will always be beautiful in my eyes.

And the passing years will show

that you will always grow ever more beautiful in my eyes.

The passing years will show that you will always grow

ever more beautiful in my eyes.

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Great Things About the Holidays!

1. Remembering and celebrating the reason for the season – the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ!

2. There’s peace and harmony between family members and friends … even in the office. People tend to be more patient and understanding towards others.

3. In the spirit of gift-giving, giving is more important than receiving ...

4. Food!

5. Vacation!

6. Meeting old friends during reunions and gatherings

7. Making new friends

8. Seeing family members from afar

9. Bonus!

10. Shopping!

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things I Want, But Would Not Buy For Myself!

This is really interesting! … because I know I want these ten things, it’s just that I want someone else to buy them for me ha ha ha!

Paging Santa Claus! It’s almost Christmas =)

Here goes my list:

1. A Diamond Ring – I want my hubby to buy me one, and give it to me on our 25th Wedding Anniversary … That’s November of next year ha ha ha!

2. A nice new Car (preferably a black Honda CRV =>) I can drive when I go to work or when I do errands …

3. 10 Louis Vuitton Bags - I think more than the fact that I can’t afford it, even if I have the money, I wouldn’t …

4. A gun. Or better yet, guns! Like a sniper rifle and a 9 mm he he he ...

5. An iPhone

6. A Mac

7. Expensive jewelries

8. A Water Bed

9. An original Gucci Watch

10. A liposuction ha ha ha!

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things I’m Thankful For!

1. My Savior
2. My Husband Romel
3. My children Myco, Ella, April, Sarah, and Romelson
4. My parents Alex and Cora
5. My Sisters Charry and Carla
6. Mama Meling and Merolyn
7. my church
8. my friends
9. my talents and skills
10. the blessing of good health for me and my whole family

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things You Wish You Knew How To Do …

1. Play the piano

2. Tap dance

3. Yoga

4. Mental Math

5. Sew dresses

6. Gymnastics

7. Figure Skate (HA HA HA!)

8. Taekwondo

9. Fencing

10. Swim like a pro!

I have a choice today.

The past few days had been hard on me.

For no particular reason at all, there persists this dampened feeling ... sort of like a lonely emptiness ...

Day in and day out, the same feeling ...

Have you ever experienced hearing a song and crying while listening to it? That feeling!

I knew I had to do something.

So I decided to read again my self-help books on depression.

There was a time more or less three years ago when I felt the need to read about depression. I just lost a cousin during that time, and I never expected that I would be affected as I was.

It happened again when my sister lost her youngest son almost Christmas day two years ago ...

Those were my saddest days ...

As I opened one book, I noticed a folded piece of green colored paper that was neatly pressed in between two pages. I opened it and there, written in black ink, was the answer I have been longing for.

It was a talk my daughter Ella gave during Sacrament Meeting years ago while she was still in the Young Women Organization. I am not sure where she got it, but I have this insistent feeling, a want to share this to as many, in the hope that this will help them (and you) the way it helped me get over the "sinking" feeling.

It did not miraculously remove the mist of darkness, but it did give me the right perspective, that I have a choice. I can either wallow in sadness and loneliness for reasons I can not explain, or I can choose to put all my efforts towards getting past the negative feeling, and face the day with a better resolve to focus on the good things, like "counting my blessings ..." and being grateful for what I have. I know for a fact that our mind can only accommodate one thought at a time. And I prefer good, positive, happy thoughts.

So here it goes ...

I have a choice today.

I woke up early today, excited over all I get to do before the clock strikes midnight.

I have responsibilities to fulfill today and I am important.

My job is to choose what kind of day I am going to have.

Today I can complain because the weather is rainy, or I can be thankful that the grass is being watered for free.

Today I can feel sad that I do not have more money, or I can be glad that my finances encourage me to plan my purchases wisely and guide me away from waste.

Today I can grumble about my health,

or I can rejoice that I am alive.

Today I can lament over all that my parents did not give me when I was growing up, or I can feel grateful that they allowed me to be born.

Today I can cry because roses have thorns, or I can celebrate that thorns have roses.

Today I can mourn my lack of friends, or I can excitedly embark upon a quest to discover new relationships.

Today I can whine because I have to go to work, or I can shout for joy because I have a job to do.

Today I can complain because I have to go to school,or eagerly open my mind and fill it with rich new tidbits of knowledge.

Today I can murmur dejectedly because I have to do housework, or I can appreciate that I have a place to call home.

Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.

And here I am the sculptor who gets to do that shaping.

What today will be like is up to me.

I get to choose what kind of day I will have!

Every day we have a choice to live fully.

Attitude, after all, is everything!


And by the way, regarding the depression ...

Maybe time is telling me something ...

That I am getting there he he he ... old age is just around the corner =)

Estrogen levels going nuts ... that sort of thing!

Well, I am thankful still ...

I don't really look that old yet ...

I hope =)

To my dear daughter Ella, thank you ♥

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Favorite Movie Moments

I used to watch a movie once a week with my husband. That was before we got hooked with House, Numbers, Psych, Myth Busters, and CSI.

I tried hard to remember my 10 Favorite Movies, and here they are:

1. A Walk to Remember (2002; Mandy Moore and Shane West)

2. Sweet November (2001; Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron)

3. Message in a Bottle (1999; Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn and Paul Newman)

4. Sleepless in Seattle (1993; Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan)

5. Shall We Dance (2004; Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Jennifer Lopez)

6. 50 First Dates (2004; Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler)

7. Nights in Rodanthe (2008; Diane Lane and Richard Gere)

8. Ice Castles (1978; Robby Benson and Lynn-Holly Johnson)

9. The Bodyguard (1992; Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston)

10. Serendipity (2001, John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale)

Re the moments, to write them down here would be tantamount to writing every story of every movie. Suffice it to say these are my all-time favorites … these movies tugged on my heartstrings, and made me cry a bucketful.

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Guilty Pleasures

1. A pedicure every week
2. A Facial every two weeks
3. Siesta every day after lunch
4. Foot massage before bedtime
5. Blogging
6. Photography
7. Coke Float
8. Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti …
9. Shopping
10. Leche Flan

Ten on Tuesday: 10 Things That Make You Feel Old

1. Tiny cute blouses in boutiques! They all look like they’ve been designed for teenagers … as if they have the purchasing power!

2. Rubber shoes! I like them especially if it’s white. But I don’t feel comfy in them. It feels like PE way back in high school and college.

3. The latest dance steps (like “Nobody, Nobody”). In my mind I can do the moves … but in reality, it actually feels like watching YouTube and it’s buffering … buffering … loading …. Loading … t o o s l o w ha ha ha!

4. Painting my fingernails with 5 colors! I did already, many times. But honestly, I feel too old for them.

5. Argggggghhhhh! Seriously, can’t think of anything else! Besides, I am really not that old, too! Maybe we should wait 15 more years, and then I can complete the 10!

CdO 1st Ward Community Service Project

"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are in the service of God."

(Myerna, Mikmik, and Connie)

Smile!

(Glory, Mikmik, and Connie)

(Jeffrey cleaning the pathway)

(The Stake President and Our Bishop)

(Glory, Mikmik, Pearl, Connie, and Oniel)

(Glory, Oniel, Pearl, and JB)

 

( with Louie)

 

 (changing the CR's roof .. Bishop, Rey, Carl, and the PTA President)

 

 

(Repainting the wall)

 

 (Mel showing the others how it should be done ...)

 

 (in action)

 

 (putting up the ladder so they can climb the roof)

 

(on his way up ... Mel)

(Rey, Carl, Bishop Sacay with a parent)

(almost done ... books arranged neatly)

(DONE!)


Cagayan de Oro First Ward

Community Service Project
South City Central School
Grade 2 Classroom
October 17, 2009


photos by: MommyTins ^-^

One Saturday Afternoon @ the Chavez MeetingHouse...

(Beyond the Spire ... white clouds and blue sky...)

 

(Kids)

 

(Lavender Flowerettes)

 

 (The Spire)

 

(Basketball - Favorite Sports of the Filipino Youth, despite the height disadvantage)

 

(Beauty in its perfect form)