Rock for a Cause

Our friend Richard is suffering from the last (and critical) stages of chronic renal failure. He has to undergo kidney_transplant and of course, would have to endure the expensive post-operation medicines.

I admire people who, despite their difficult situations, still manage to smile and keep their faith in God. Apple, Richard's wife, is also pregnant. She is one heck of a woman, if you ask me. It's not easy dealing with pregnancy and stress. Richard and Apple are very special people because of this, and they deserve special people like you to help them pull through!

We have assembled a benefit concert for Richard. On July 20, 7pm, at the People's Village at Tiendesitas. It's not a simple affair mind you! If you dare rock for a cause, contact me for details on how to get a ticket. Ticket denominations are PhP150, but if you are more generous, PhP500 and PhP1000 tickets are also being sold to sponsors and patrons. We are also being supported by NU 107, the country's premiere and only rock radio station.

Now, you might be asking why do I want to go to this concert? Heck, if you are a fan of Mojofly, Imago, Stonefree, Chubibo, Join da Club, Unknown, and many more, then you're in for a rockin' evening. This benefit concert is dubbed "Bato Bato Pik".

It's a BOY!!!

Yep! It's official. We are having a baby boy. I had my latest ultrasound with my OB and she confirmed that we have a baby boy! He was such a nice little baby, he did not hide his gender at all, he was like "I'm a boy Daddy, Mommy, look!"

From the start we've been hoping and praying for a baby boy. But of course, boy or girl, what is most important is that our baby is healthy. And we still continue to pray for that. God just gave us something extra in our baby being a boy.

Our choice of a name manifests how much we believe that God has great plans for our child and our family. He has a name this early on - Johann. Kewl. Johann Paz Nuguid. Johann is another variation of John, which means God is gracious. Oh how so true! God indeed, can never be out given. We are jumping and giddy like high schoolers since we can now call my tummy Johann and not just baby...

And of course, there's the family. My papa is so thrilled that he can finally have a boy, something that me and my sister cannot fill in, LOL. And of course Lola Alud will be so thrilled because Johann is the first among many titles, LOL. You see, Noel and I are the first to get married, thus, the first grandchild, nephew, baby in our generation.

But of course, baby Johann can be anything he wants to be. Even inside my womb, God knows him inside and out. God has a magnificent plan for him. Noel and I are just so thrilled that we are getting this great responsibility from God.

God is with me

God is with me.

In every trial, every change, every sorrow, every joy in my life - God is with me. Today, I have been re-affirmed that in all the things I have gone through, I am going through, and will go through, God was with me, God is with me, God will be with me.

God has that perfect plan for me. He laid it all out. From the time He formed me in my mother's womb, He knows me. For every step I took as a child, as a teenager, as a woman, as wife, and soon to be as a mother, He has a grand plan for me to bless the world for His glory. I believe the same for the baby in my womb right now. God has a perfect plan for my child.

There are times when I am down and forget that God is with me, but God never fails to remind me that He doesn't forget. I may be down and low, but God lifts me up.

When are you due?

Isn't it a wonder why doctors tell you that your due date is on this day, but yet give disclaimers that it can come as early or as delayed by 2 weeks? So as expectant parents, we prepare ourselves for the joy that is to come. We paint our walls, we buy diapers, we select a crib, we choose godparents. But we are really preparing blindly. We do not know when the baby will come, we just know that he or she will come. We prepare in the hope that we get everything ready. Mothers eat healthy so the baby will be healthy. Fathers read a lot on parenting to help ease the transition of just being husband and wife to being parents.

This scenario is actually not just for pregnant women. It is for all of us. In the course of our lifetime, we prepare for everything - our wedding, then our children, then our retirement, even our death. We dwell on a lot of things to get us ready or at least we won't be caught off guard. Same as with when Jesus will come again. We need to prepare ourselves so as not to be caught off guard. It may be frustrating at times. We feel so drained and yet we see no fruit.

But God knows better. Just as He lets the baby come in the most special circumstances, God knows the best time for everything. He alone knows the reason. All we know is that it is for our good. All these preparations are not a waste after all. God allows us to change ourselves so that we are most ready when the time comes. As in everything, God has the perfect timing.

People Skills for Life

I just posted a while ago that I'm currently reading "People Skills for Life" by Allan and Barbara Pease but here I am - all done and ready to blog about it! I'm no speed reader (but my husband is) but this book is so engaging and easy to read that it took me just an hour or two to finish.

"People Skills for Life" is for everyone who wonders how Sanguines do what they do best - be a people person. I am a natural Melancholic, shy and reserved, and I find it hard to relate to people, much more talk to them. But reality hits us hard that we are interdependent on one another, we can't really close ourselves to society. "People Skills for Life" gives you a blow by blow on practical techniques to develop that habit of going out of your shell.

A combination of common day-to-day examples and psychology will give you an overview of why we are what we are - and what we can do about it. It's not necessarily hypnotizing ourselves to be a different person, but in fact, teaches us on how to cope with the need to communicate and build rapport with others - a much needed trait for all of us working in the corporate world, or raising a family, or dealing with clients.

Allan and Barbara Pease gives simple and practical steps that are useful in achieving good people skills that will last for life.

My dream is God's dream

We course through our lives sometimes not knowing what we really ought to do. We feel lost, we feel weak, we feel incomplete. I have been journeying through my life trying to find what I really want, that I failed to see that what I was looking for was right inside of me.

God has created us from His own image. He implanted desires in our hearts. He knows us inside and out. God has equipped us with all that we need, to do the things we were made to do. I still find this a little complicated, but I get that feeling in my gut that I already know the answers to my questions.

God will not allow the desires in your heart to flourish if it were meant not to flourish. God is wise and we are not. I pray for the wisdom to know how to act on those desires, and the courage to take the first step.