51st and 27th

Today is a special day and I thank the Lord for His faithfulness. Another year has passed filled with blessings from the Almighty God. Looking back, I've seen how He has guided me through the past 365 days. How am I? Definitely, I'm a better person than I used to be. He has challenged me to give my best. To explore talents that I could use in the ministry He has called me to serve. To live a life that will continue to make a difference. To be His channel of blessings to others.

Life is full of surprises, too. I woke up to find a bouquet of red roses.  It was unexpected. I'm not used to receiving flowers on special occasions. There's always a first time they say. I'm truly blessed to have a husband who I've come to love more each day.

Looking forward, I will continue to claim God's promise that He will not leave me nor forsake me. I believe He has a lot in store for me and my lifetime partner. May our lives be always pleasing before Him. Thank you, Lord!

Day 3: Surigao City to Gingoog City

This is the shortest leg of our journey so we were not in a hurry to leave early. Bobby and I sat by the shore as we waited for the breaking of dawn. We thought of having a quick dip but the beach was not too inviting. Perhaps we were just excited to reach our final destination.

After our breakfast in the city, we started hitting the road at 8 a.m. We could have reached Gingoog City by noon but we decided to have lunch in an eatery by the beach approximately 20 km from the city. The homecooked dishes were gone in a few minutes and the driver got to lie on a hammock as we breathed in the sea breeze and admired the view of Camiguin island on the horizon.

At 12:38 p.m., we reached our destination. We're very happy to see our loved ones in Gingoog City. This is going to be our first Christmas with them.

By the way, the odometer registered 1,237.9 km. Hurray to the best ever driver in the whole wide world and thank you, Lord, for your traveling mercies.

Day 2: Allen, Northern Samar to Surigao City

It was a restful night and we were all recharged to start the second day of our journey to Mindanao. At a quarter to 6 a.m.,  we left the lodge and proceeded to Calbayog City for breakfast. Along the way, we saw houses, crops, and roads that were damaged by Typhoon Nona. At 11:06 a.m., we were already crossing San Juanico Bridge, the longest bridge in the country. The next stop was the memorial of the shipwreck caused by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) then more photo ops at MacArthur Park in Palo, Leyte.

After lunch, we headed to Liloan Port in Southern Leyte. We were advised to try the San Ricardo Port 41 km down south for a better chance of getting a slot in the roro vehicle. We arrived at 4:30 p.m. and there was a long queue of trucks and other private vehicles waiting for boarding. We were only accommodated on the third ship which started sailing at 11 p.m. After an hour, the ship docked in Lipata Port, Surigao City. We checked in at a beach resort to get the much-needed rest from our long journey.

Day 1: Indang, Cavite to Allen, Northern Samar

According to Google, the total distance from Indang, Cavite to Matnog, Sorsogon is 563 km. We drove 593 km and it took us almost 15 hours. That's the first leg of our journey to Mindanao and we only have one super driver. Bravo!

We were supposed to leave yesterday but the weather forecast was not good because of three weather systems over the country. Today it was still overcast and raining in some parts of our route. We left Indang at past 2 a.m. The first stopover was for breakfast in Gumaca, Quezon. Lunch was at Camalig, Albay where we had the famous pinangat, Bicol express, and a chicken dish. The third stopover was in a gas station in Sorsogon City and finally, we reached Matnog port at 3 p.m. Our roro ticket was for 4 p.m. departure to Allen port but the boat left at 8 p.m. so we decided to spend the night in Allen, Northern Samar. The town had no power and phone signal since Typhoon Nona hit the area making it difficult to look for accommodation but we were able to find one with water and standby power. We were just in time before the closing of a small restaurant which is a walking distance from our lodging house and we had a hearty dinner to cap the day.

Great Is Your Faithfulness

Thank you, Lord, for answering our prayers. Cyd passed the Electronics Engineer and Electronics Technician Licensure Examinations given on 24-26 October 2015 by the Professional Regulation Commission.

Long before, I already claimed that the Lord would grant our heart's desire. We prayed individually, as a family, and also the brethren. I believe it is all part of God's plans, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Thank you, Lord! To You be the glory.

Bacuit Bay of El Nido, Palawan

I'm back to enjoy the beauty of El Nido and this time I'm sharing it with my family. In August 2010, I promised to return and explore more of its islands and beaches with my loved ones.

This time, we're staying in a family-owned and managed inn in Barangay Corong Corong about 3 km from the town proper. The area is quiet and private, and most of all, we get to enjoy the panoramic sunset views of Bacuit Bay even from the balcony of our family room. The morning stroll is relaxing as you can walk far from the shore because of the low tide.

Yoki's Farm

Classes were suspended because of inclement weather due to the enhanced southwest monsoon and Typhoon Ineng but it didn't stop us from visiting Yoki's Farm in Mendez, Cavite.

It was the first time to see the place for most of us. It rained hard while we were touring the greenhouses where lettuce, vegetables, herbs, and spices are hydroponically grown. The next stop was the mini aviary and the museum which houses a big collection of Chinese artifacts mostly made of brass. My nieces had a great time with their selfies.

Puzzle Mansion

Life is a puzzle. It's up to us to discover how each of the pieces fits together to form a whole.

The owner of Puzzle Mansion was a globetrotter and she was able to collect, solve and put up a world record-breaking collection of jigsaw puzzles of various sizes, formats (2D, 3D, and 4D), and themes (religious, arts, nature, people, animals, destinations, and a lot more).

From a simple hobby, it turned out to be an interesting tourist destination. Getting to the museum from the main road is quite a challenge itself because of the steep service road from the entrance gate but it's worth the trip.

A Mother's Heart

Today we celebrate Mother's Day and I can't help but remember my Nanay and the other moms who have significantly influenced me as a mother. Indeed, I'm blessed to be a mother of two God-fearing individuals. I'm not a perfect mom but I have a great God who is the source of my strength and wisdom. He has given me a supportive lifetime partner who keeps me grounded. Thank you, Lord.

Let me share the message of the choir's song this morning:

Before the light of dawn she will awaken,

And quietly begin her day in prayer.

And with these precious moments that she’s taken,

She intercedes for loved ones in her care.

With all her heart she longs to see her children

Walking in the Spirit of the Lord.

With gentleness and patience she will guide them,

Teaching them to trust His holy Word.

Her love extends beyond all time and measure,

Yet what we see is only just a part.

For children there can be no greater treasure

Than the tender love of a mother’s heart.

Clothed in strength and dignity,

She walks in righteousness.

She gives herself unselfishly,

Her children call her blessed.

Her love extends beyond all time and measure,

Yet what we see is only just a part.

For children there can be no greater treasure,

Than the tender love of a mother’s heart,

Than the tender love of a mother’s heart.

Happy Mother's Day!