A nice read that I would like to share...
One day I decided to quit...I quit my job, my relationship, my
spirituality. ... I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have
one last talk with God.
"God", I said. "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
His answer surprised me.
"Look around", He said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
"Yes", I replied.
"When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of
them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from
the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the
bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again,
nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would
not quit. The same in year four.
"Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth.
Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant.
But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.
It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong
and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations
a challenge it could not handle.
"Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling,
you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo.. I
will never quit on you.
"Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different
purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.
"Your time will come", God said to me. "You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?" I asked.
"How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
"As high as it can?" I questioned
"Yes." He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
I left the forest, realizing that God will never give up on me. And He
will never give up on you.
Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give you happiness; bad days give you experiences; both are
essential to life.
-- Author Unknown
These days everything has just gone to digital. From cellphones to camera to thermometers. And one thing that amazes me in the digital world - is the digital photo frame! I'm the person who loves photos and I just couldn't decide which one to frame (well, choosing from over a thousand of photos is really hard, right?). So Digital Framez just came right on time! They have lots of digital picture frames to choose from. How does it work anyway? Well, all you have to do is take photos from your digital camera, then transfer your memory card into your Digital Photo Frame, and that's it! You may now view your pictures through the digital frame and the best part is, you can use a remote control to choose your favorite slide show. It's so easy to use, no complex setup required. All digital frames are compatible with JPEG, MP4, DivX, AVI, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, MP3, WMA, and WAV. You can also view movie clips and even play music in the background. Interesting, right? Better visit Digital Framez website now!
When I was pregnant, I had GDM (Gestational Diabetes Mellitus). So, I had to control my weight in order to control the weight of my baby as well. So I needed to count every calorie of the food that I will be eating! It was really, really hard since I was working in a very stressful environment that I didn't have time to do it. But now, I just discovered that there is already a reliable calorie counter in the web! It's myFitnessPal the 100% free calorie counter that is fast and very easy to use. And what's great about it is that it will teach you the nutritional contents of what you are eating, and consequently, how you can make better food choices. If you are currently on a diet, don't worry, because myFitnessPal is flexible and would still work with your own diet! And yes, its free! No credit card required. All you need to do is sign-up. So, see you there!
After the SUPER HOT weather in Manila (and staying in the house for the whole day! - well for the whole summer), going up to Baguio was a reward for me. (*grin*) I've been looking forward to it for months (ok...weeks)! But, when we got there, I didn't expect that it would really get THAT cold. You know, cold as-in you need 2 thick blankets in the mornings. Ok, I'm exaggerating. :D
But, honestly, I can't tolerate cold that much. And I even posted here that one of the "weird" things about me is that I turned on the HEATER during SUMMER in MINNESOTA. LOL!
Anyways, I had fun in Baguio. We ate a lot too! The conference started Friday night at 8pm, we got there around 12nn, so we got to explore the city a bit in the afternoon (not that I haven't been to Baguio...). Of course, Baguio is known for it's fresh fruits and vegetables so we went straight to the Baguio Market after lunch. I had fun shopping for pasalubongs there. As usual, peanut brittle, strawberry jams, choco flakes, (but no choco krinkles this time). Mangoes were everywhere! Indian mango, apple mango, Cambodian Mango, all types of mango! LOL! I was tempted to buy strawberries but I don't think it would last until Sunday, we didn't have plans of going back to the market on Sunday.
Well, for the most awaited part - the places we've been to in Baguio!
Cafe by the Ruins - Ambiance is really nice, food is great too! The first time I've tasted "crispy tapa" which for me, looked like "adobo flakes". haha! Price is a bit expensive but worth it.
Baguio Country Club - We were lucky that our household head were members of this club. We had snacks and breakfast here and the HOT chocolate was really, really great! I was just drinking this the whole time when we were there (and realized it only when my tummy began to grumble...LOL). Breads and Pastries are also yummy here.
I know, ang laki ng eye bags ko!!!
Those pastries look so yummy!
Pizza Volante - as my brother-in-law describes it, the best Pizza place in Baguio. Yum, yum! Their Pizza's the best! This is along session road.
Burnham Park - of course, you won't miss it for boat ride and mais! :)
I used to love this boat ride when I was a kid...
Ukay-ukay along Session Road - although Hubby and I didn't get to "ukay" for clothes but we can see that there are a lot of stuff in there. I've done this a couple of years ago and I got branded office clothes for p100 each. A must-try!
Baguio Market - never miss this! Fresh veggies, goodies for pasalubongs, ground coffee, everything is just here!
Camp John Hay's Mile Hi - there's a lot of restaurants here that you can try. We had lunch at Carlos Pizza and it was good.
Palizata - This is my favorite. An italian restaurant near Baguio Cathedral. Although I'm not so sure if I got the right name. I wasn't feeling very well when we got here. Probably because I was so hungry!! LOL! But will definitely go back to this place when we visit Baguio again.
i love the steak here!
SM Baguio - yeah i know mall na naman. :D But SM Baguio is quite different. It's open air although a bit crowded but not your typical SM mall.
The view from SM!
Kinda blurry because of the fog...
Well, not much right? We actually spent most of our time in the conference. And it definitely made it a wonderful weekend. Although I was missing Alex the whole time. :( But it was a long break from my routine of "work, blog, and scrap" life. But of course, after staying in Baguio for almost 3 days, I was ready and excited to go back to my "real world". (*smile*)
For more info about Baguio, check out Go Baguio!
Yes, we had full of hope this weekend! Hubby and I joined the CFC's Hope Weekend in Baguio. Boy, it was cold there! I didn't know that Baguio would still be cold during summer. Hubby loved the weather, of course. As for me, it was ok. We ate to several nice restos during our break (because the conference was from Friday night to Sunday lunch). We didn't have much time to go around.
Anyway, it was such a nice conference. Hubby and I really had a great time and learned a lot too. From then on, I just feel so hopeful and thankful all at the same time.
Although I got sick on our last day there. I'm probably not really for "cold" weathers I guess (even if I grew up in a cold weather!).
And now, still not that feeling good but has to go back to work!
Will be back with pictures and places that you should see when you're in Baguio. Oh, one thing that I really, really love - HOT CHOCOLATE! :)
I've been surfing the internet for years now and one thing that has really caught my attention is the online shopping cart. It amazes me how it made our lives easier. And of course if it is for our business, we must choose the best shopping cart software right? I would recommend Ashop Commerce - the leading provider of hosted shopping cart software. It offers a complete solution for merchants to sell online. Very easy to use and the best part is, you can use it in 10 days for FREE and no credit card needed! Isn't that amazing? That's not it, Ashop Commerce offers pricing packages that would suit your budget and requirements for an e-commerce software. They also offer online technical support once you purchase it. And would readily be available anytime if you need help. So, why wait now? Check them out as soon as you can and see for yourself.
I've been tagged by Joy here.
Instruction: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
So, here are the 7 random facts about me:
- I'm the ultimate worrier!
- I'm now a big fan of Patrick Demsey and Grey's Anatomy!
- But I still love One Tree Hill and currently saving up to buy the season 4 DVDs (tamad ako mag-download).
- I've been a programmer for 7 years (and counting)!
- I cried at commercials when I was pregnant
- I love GOD above all
- I'm a shoe-bag-wallet addict!
I'm tagging Ercs, Dangkin,Faye,Era,Selle,Nyree, and Pacs
There's not much update about my life these days except for the "big leap" that I will be taking for my job this week.
I got an email from my boss last Friday and said that I might be handling ... (drum rolls) ... SALES activities!
Actually, for some reason, I've been thinking what if I was in sales and not doing programming. Would I be happier? Would I still be stressed-out?
Well, God must have really love me for letting me try it for a week!
Then, we will see from there.
So, wish me luck my friends! ;)
Here's my LO for the month of April. Click on the image for full view and credits.
Have a great week everyone!
It's the end of the month once again! Whew! The month of April went by so fast! Next thing I know, it would be Christmas. :)
Here's my monthly round-up for April:
What books and/or magazines did I read this month?
- Path of Glory by Tita Baby Dirige
- First Time (fiction) - I love this book! And I miss reading pocket books
What movies and/or tv shows did I watch this month?
- Started watching Grey's Anatomy (and I'm loving it!)
- Nickelodeon (for Alex' cartoons)
What special days did I celebrate and how?
- Holy Week in Bicol
- Mage's bridal shower :) (dinner and coffee with friends)
- Leighanna's Baptism
- Tita Baby's book launching
- My sister-in-law's birthday
What gifts did I give and/or receive?
- Dress and shoes for Leighanna
- "Sexy" lotion for Mage
- Candle for my sis-in-law
What illnesses or health concerns did I have?
- Headache and Backache (same as last month)
What fun things did I do with my friends and/or family?
- I tried wakeboarding at CamSur with Hubby, Yang, and Kuya Mike (boy, it was fun!)
- We also went to Donsol to watch Butandings! And I get to touch it (ssshhhh...bawal daw yun!)
- Our CFC household went out for coffee after the Chapter Assembly and we were there until 1 am
- Summer outing with my family in Laguna
- Chikahan with Hubby,Farrah and Ercs until 1am
What new foods, recipes or restaurants did I try this month?
- Unfortunately, None. (nagtitipid kme kaya Hubby and I would just to Chowking for Black Gulaman and NaiCha - Yum!)
What special or unusual purchases did I make?
- We bought Alex' car seat! (thanks to LoloDad!)
What were this month's disappointments?
- I can't remember anything.
What were my accomplishments this month?
- Our project (version 1.2) went live at the last week of the month.
Who among you are working today!? (*sigh*)
When the company that I'm working for declared a holiday last week I got so excited! But, my boss said to take the day off this week instead because of the deadlines that we needed to meet. With that, I got even more excited because I knew it was Labor day which means Hubby has no work too! Unfortunately, last night, emails came which means that we have more tasks to finish and we have to work today. (*sigh*)
But, for some reason, I felt at peace. I didn't know why. I just felt that I have to do what I have to do and it's my responsibility to finish it.
Hmmm, RESPONSIBILITY. I guess that's what has been bugging me lately. While I see Alex grow everyday, I just feel like being overwhelmed with the responsibility that I have on her.
I knew when I was younger (and single and unattached and doesn't care about anything!) that having a kid is the biggest responsibility you'll ever handle in your whole life! Just imagine that she is a person and her life completely depends on you. Her values, her attitude, her personality, on what she eats, on what she wears, where she goes to school, and most especially her relationship with the Lord. It's not something that I could just take for granted.
But, I was also thinking that because of this "ultimately overwhelming" responsibility that I don't get to enjoy being a parent anymore. I guess I have to lighten up a bit and take one step at a time. Maybe with that, I will realize that being a parent is tough but can also be fun too! (and of course not to mention the fun that Hubby and I will be having as partners!)
Oh, by the way, about my work, I realized that I'm still blessed because even if I'm working, I'd still get to spend my time with my family at home. (*smile*)