Love Thy Father (and Mother)

Today, my Dad saw my blog for the first time. Sat on his wheelchair (he rarely uses it now but he was really feeling tired tonight), with tears welling up in his eyes, he read the special post I made for him. His voice cracked as he said "it's beautiful.." I don't know if he was referring to the post or the blog site. But then in all of 42 years of my life, there was not one single negative word he said about anything I did. He was and is always there to encourage me.

After his stroke in 2007, we thought we would lose him. But being the epitome of strength and courage that he is, he fought his way out of misery and helped himself to stand up, walk and talk again. His unwavering faith is a continued source of inspiration for me and the rest of our family.

To celebrate Fathers' Day, here is a touching letter which embodies every parent's desire to be loved, understood and cared for by his child when he grows old. We will all grow old someday. Will our kids be there for us the way we were there for them when they were growing up?






Blessings to all,

I Will Always Be Daddy's Little Girl

Papa, I would not have made it through the storm without you.
When my sky was covered in darkness,
you were there as a glint of light
making sure that I found my way.
When I was too scared, you held my hand
and assured me everything would be alright.
From a distance, you proudly watched
as I slowly picked up the broken pieces of my life,
always careful not to interfere,
allowing me to have the space I needed.
You never stopped believing in me
even when I started doubting myself.
You carried me through it all.
And you proved once more
that you are truly my hero.

I guess, in your eyes,
I will always be your little girl
that's why you are always here for me.
Thank you for your unconditional love.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

You're My Hero
by Teresa James

I would ride on your shoulders
And look out on the world
Pretending I was big and tall like you
When you were there to hold me
I never was afraid
You made me feel there's nothing I can't do

If I'd spread my wings to fly
When I was very small
I knew that you'd be standing by
To catch me if I fall

You're my hero
Chasing the monsters from my room
Going on trips around the moon
The one who's always been there faithfully
You're my hero
And 'cause you're my Dad...
I'm twice as blessed and lucky to be me

As I kept on growing
We often disagreed
But you let me find myself in my own way
And it's funny, how just lately
I've come to recognize
How wise you are becoming every day
There's so much you've given me
I hope I've made you proud
You're everything a Dad should be
And it's time to tell you now

You're my hero
You didn't have to say a word
Your love was the message that I heard
Inspiring me to be all I can be
You're my hero
And 'cause you're my Dad...
I'm twice as blessed and lucky to be me

Sunshine In My Heart

Despite the little setbacks and heartaches here and there, I wake up each day feeling refreshed and happy knowing that there are more people out there who love me than those who show callous indifference.

Each morning, I wake up to the sound of my kids' busy banters as they prepare for another day in school. I don't even have to bother waking them up. They need no prodding to do what they have to do.

I have my parents who, despite their frail health and other serious concerns, never fail to check on me and my kids. I guess in their eyes I never stopped being their little girl.

I should not forget my bro ('tol) and sis (li'l sis) who, despite the distance between us, have remained close to me. Waking up to their messages in my inbox or cellphone saying "Sis, what do the kids need?" or "Sis, musta na?" ("how are you doing?") always warm my heart.

I have a job that people dream of (if only for the glamor of it) - in a workplace where each one is treated like family .

I have friends (the BFFs) who have stayed with me through thick and thin, rain or shine, come hell or high water. Isn't it amazing that, instead of drifting apart, we (including husbands and kids now) were able to create a much stronger bond through all those 20 years of friendship?

And yes, after a big storm in my life, the sun found its way back and is finally here to stay. Little did I know back then that sunshine would warm my soul again.

Counting my blessings helps me get through the day. And each time I start to worry, I close my eyes and claim HIS promise:

"Therefore I tell you,

do not worry about your life,

what you will eat or drink;

or about your body,

what you will wear.

Is not life more important than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air;

they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,

and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are you not much more valuable than they?

Who of you by worrying

can add a single hour to his life?"

Matthew 6:25-27

The bumps in the road just make the ride more fun. Always remember that what won't kill you will only make you stronger.

A pocketful of sunshine to everyone!

Blessings to all,

I Don't Want To Stay Angry

The truth is that, I DON'T WANT TO STAY ANGRY. I am done with hatred and bitterness in my life. The best way to deal with it is to confront what or who causes me pain. So that's exactly what I did a few minutes ago. It is indeed liberating to be able to release the burden of anger.

These quotes helped me cool down and stay objective. They reminded me of what forgiving is all about.

It always helps to confront one's anger and deal with it face to face. It also gives the other person or persons the chance to air his/her/their side. At the very least, I was able to convey the message that I won't take lightly any injustice- perceived or real- against my kids.

Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness. But in forgiving, one does not have to compromise his principles. He may not be able to change the past but he can do something about the future by taking a stand.

The door has been opened for a dialogue. I welcome that.

Blessings to all,

Time To Declutter My Room

When it comes to organizing my things, I am a big disappointment. Open my closet and you will enter a jungle. Not that it has always been like that. Of course when James was still around, things were a bit different. Now that I have no one to answer to if my room looks like a pigsty, I tend to put off plans of decluttering and cleaning up. . . until I learned that a messy closet can cause me aneurysm. Lol! Now that scared me!

What proved to be the biggest challenge is how to get started. You see, I'm too lazy now to even just fold or hang a blouse on a hanger and put it back into the closet after trying it on. It lies on my couch until I start looking for it again. This is frustrating for me too, you know. There is always a reason for me to rush out of my room (like "Oh no, I'm late for work!). Can you blame me if I don't want to stay long there?

Since I have long moved on, part of that should also involve fixing all the other areas of my life. Particularly my bedroom and my closet. Now is the time.

But I hardly have time to go around the local home maintenance shops for tips and ideas. So I resorted to the easiest and most convenient way - the internet.

It's a relief to know that I don't even need a major overhaul. There are a lot of closet organizers out there that are waiting to be discovered. If I want, I can go for an all-in-one system and still work within the budget or invest in a more elaborate organizer.

I can also pick small items like over-the-door shoe organizers or belt rings or vacuum seal storage bags for storing outdated clothes.

What's more? I also found pretty cool ideas for my bathroom which is my favorite space in the master's bedroom. Don't ask me why but the bathroom has always been my sanctuary since I was a little girl. I have a small one now so I need all the organizing accessories I could find like the bath accessories, stacking bins and boxes, and the simple store-all caddy.

Wow, all these ideas have fired me up. It's really time for change.

Blessings to all,