It wasn't a silly Thought After all

It was Thursday morning when we found a newborn kitten inside our apartment. Perhaps it was the mother cat that brought her there.

The next day we found another kitten meowing on our neighbor’s rooftop. We brought them home and were hoping that the mother cat would soon show up to attend to her little kittens. 

Unfortunately, mommy cat did not show up. There‘s no vet available in the area, not that we know of. Concerned for the kittens' well being my husband bought a feeding tube (the ones we use to feed babies vitamins). Since we have no means to buy milk, and we don't really know what milk to use, we fed them with chocolate drink.

Having no experience with newborn kittens we did some research on the internet. My husband and I took turns in taking care of them. We light candles and placed them around the kittens to keep them warm. But no matter what we do we could still sense that our efforts were not enough. They became weaker and weaker each passing hours.

Unfortunately, one of the kittens died after three days.  To save the remaining kitten we decided to put her on the rooftop, the only open space near our apartment, hoping that the mother cat would see her since we will be attending church and no one will be home to watch over her.

Upon returning home from church, we were saddened to have found that the kitten was still on the rooftop, soaking wet. So we decided to bring her inside again. I really wanted the kittens to stay alive and grow big.

The next day while I was nursing the little kitten a thought came to me. "Bring the kitten to the Rosete family". We've only been in this new place for about two months and the Rosete family was one of our new found friends. I learned from the past visit that Rosete children love cats and I also learned that Brother Rosete, the father, has an uncle that is a vet from another place. My mind was playing on the idea that perhaps they have cat that just have given births too and maybe I can have our kitten join them.

But still I resisted the idea just because I thought it was illogical and impossible. I was like thinking why on earth would I bring the kitten there when I know for myself that just like us, there’s nothing they can do to help the poor kitten. And besides, I was busy and it was raining too hard. I have many excuses not to act upon what I thought was a silly idea.

Sadly, two days after my "silly thought", the poor kitten died. We were sad :(

Today, a little over a week after we found the kittens, we visited the Rosete family and there was a cute kitten in their house. I asked them how old the kitten is and they said it’s a week old. It was like a jaw-dropping experience for me.  I regretted not having listened to the "silly thought" that came to me. The kittens could have been saved should I acted upon the idea. Now I know it wasn't just a silly thought. It was an inspiration given to me by a loving Father in Heaven who loves all His creations, and that include those little abandoned kittens.

Lessons I've Learned

1. Always give heed to the promptings - they may sound silly or illogical at first but soon enough you will see the reason behind it.
2. Heavenly Father knows our needs (even the poor kittens needs). - He uses other people to send the help needed. It will be very sad to know that we just missed an opportunity to answer someone's need just because we ignored the inspirations we received. In contrast, what a happy thing it is to be an instrument in God's hands in ministering to His children (and other creations), and to know that through you they felt God's love.
3. The little things you do, good or bad, will shape your character - the kind of being you are becoming. It was really sad that those kittens died but taking care of them, I believe, had helped me become a little more compassionate and a little kinder. I grew up in a fisherman’s home where cats and dogs are not welcome, they are even considered as enemies because they steal our fishes. But this whole experience has changed that perspective.

WHAT LIFE MEANS TO YOU

WHAT LIFE MEANS TO YOU

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/edwin.b.bellen/posts/550933874963021

Excerpts from a 1974 Letter from a Great Senator-Father, Sen. Jose W. Diokno (while he was in jail at Fort Bonifacio), to his Son, Jose Manuel, then 13 years old (Read by Atty. Jose Manuel Diokno during the Flag Raising Ceremony, Senate, Pasay City last May 15, 2006):

"Increasingly as you grow older, the values that you have learned from us, your parents, and from your Christian faith, will be called in question -- by you or others. Why be honest when it pays to be dishonest? Why be fair to others when they are unfair to you? Why fight for others when they won't fight for your -- or even for themselves? Why think for yourself when it is easier to let others think for you? Why lead when it is less troublesome to obey? Why have principles when others don't -- and they often get away with it? Why be good when it seems so much more pleasant to be bad?

'The answer, I think, is in what life means to you. If life means having a good time, money, fame power, security, then you don't need principles; all you need are techniques. In fact, it's better not to have principles; they would just get in your way. On the other hand, if life means more than those things, if happiness counts more than a good time, developing your talents more than developing wealth, respect more than fame, right more than power, and peace of soul more than security; if death doesn't end life but transforms it; then you must be true to yourself and to your God, and to love and truth, good and beauty, and justice and freedom, that are His other names and that He has made part of human nature.

'You will have to decide for yourself, which of those things life means to you. Neither I nor anyone else can decide this for you. But perhaps this will help you decide: that even those who know they do wrong feel compelled to convince others -- and eventually themselves -- that they are doing right. So the man of greed often gives generously to charity; the megalomaniac poses as a messiah; the coward hides his fears under the mask of being realistic; and the guilty wash away their guilt, like Pilate, by washing their hands with the excuse that "it isn't my choice" or "it isn't my job or "I can't do anything about it."

Simple things that made me smile

Just because my sweet husband love the Beatles and me very much. He has found a way to combine us both :)

 He said he was thinking me the whole time he was out so he bought me this shirt :)

He was a little guilty showing me this shirt, thinking  i might get mad at him coz he spent some money, buying me this shirt.

 luckily i didn't feel mad at him, i just though it's sweet hehe.



Oh how i love Him, and his gift too :)

If you and i know the struggles of an individual, would we treat them differently?

A gift from my sweet Bo :)

My sweet husband bought this shirt for me :) I loved it.  And i love him more for being so thoughtful.

Everyone has something to share about how their beautiful story begun... Here's mine

The beautiful story of my life started when I went to Cebu to attend the Academy for Creating Enterprise.  

Prior to my coming to Cebu I felt totally helpless and confused as to where to begin picking up my life. I was in the real testing ground to apply what I had been teaching to people for the past 18 months in my service as a full -time missionary.  To stay positive, faithful and optimistic even in the moments of great challenges and testing.

Rest in my shoulders (being an eldest daughter ) are big responsibilities - to help elevate the situation of my family financially, and they all look up to me to do that. I could feel the burden on my back feeling the desire and also the pressure of a need to act and satisfy immediate and basic needs for my family.  But how will I even start when I need a lift myself. I felt like a big fish in a small pond, wanting to move and do something but I just don't have the means, literally, to keep myself going, other than my faith. 

During those distressing time of my life my Heavenly Father never left me alone. He is faithful to His promise when he said he will prosper those who are faithful. 






As I was making plans trying to figure out where to go and how to start.  He has provided a better plan for me where I was led to the Academy for Creating Enterprise. 

Thankfully, my parents were very supportive to me, they made such a huge sacrifice, selling our only means of income," the  fishing boat" which my father use for fishing just to send me to Cebu where the Academy was located. 

It was on the 18th day of October 2009 when I finally arrived at the Academy a month after my missionary service had ended. It is a nonprofit organization founded by a couple Steve and Betty  Gibson with an aim to help elevate the lives, especially for Latter Day Saints (aka Mormons) who had served as missionaries for the Church, by teaching them business principles and strategies.  The training lasted for eight weeks. Everything has been provided for us from food to lodging. I will never forget the kindness of the Academy and all the people behind the program. I just could never thank them enough. 

MY LOVE JOURNEY BEGAN 

At the Academy I met wonderful people, both classmates and teachers, and one of  my classmates looks different to me that i can’t take my eyes off him, his name sounds weird too. Rambo

During the first day at the Academy we had this little activity of getting to know each other, we were tasked to at least ask three questions about each other, when his turn came to ask me, I was a little annoyed and intimidated at him.  He was asking me things that I don’t really know or care about. One of his questions was if I know Sailormoon, I don’t, well I have probably seen it once or twice.

The guy who has a weird name became my friend. We started to really get to know each other and enjoy each other's company, I misjudged him for I thought he was an annoying guy but he was quite the opposite. I started to noticed his wonderful qualities. He is a smart, cool and with a compassionate heart. 

I call him "Kuya" despite his objection.  I truly enjoyed his company, it was always fun. Never a dull moment and always a learning opportunity for me. 

He said he likes my friend and so I was helping him get close to her. I was their chaperon during their dates.  Their courtship never worked-out though. 

Sometimes people would think that Kuya Bo was courting me because of our close and unique friendship.

Rambo and I at the Academy

We just  never entertained the idea because we are both happy with our friendship and besides,  but we both like someone else. 

Like all stories, our stay at the Academy has an ending too. Our graduation brought us "new hope" for the future and at the same time a sad reality that our happy moments will soon be over. We will all go home with lots of wonderful learning and happy memories of the Academy and the friends that we've made plus a new determination to make a difference in our lives, in our family's and in the lives of others. 

Our batch as we held our last activity together.

My experienced at the Academy was something worth my time, energy, and my parents sacrifice. We were taught the importance of balance between spiritual and temporal things for they both complement each other. It lessen my fear of facing the reality of life, poverty. It gave me hope for the future. It also helped me realized what I am capable of doing.

As a parting gift, Kuya Bo gave me a cell phone. At first I was so hesitant to accept his gift because I know he bought it with his only money, but he insisted so I accepted it. A little guilty and a little happy too because I know we could still communicate. I think he just know how to invest well ;)  or I must say he did a clever move :)

I wrote him a "thank you" letter and I gave him a Hong Kong LDS Temple pin as a gift and told him to give it to his future wife someday. 

Thanks to the cell phone that he gave me, we were able to communicate and even update each other. He is the same cool and crazy friend I used to hang out with in Cebu; waking me up early in the morning serenading me with his guitar and over the phone. Even in the simpliest way he never ceased to exist in my world and he simply never ceased to make me happy and keep me company. 

Little did we know that the seed of friendship has blossom into something beautiful and more mature. 

I remember while yet in Cebu, Elder Cook one of the Latter Day Apostle came at the single adult fireside (a gathering of single Mormon youth) to speak. He spoke of finding an eternal companion. He and some of the speakers who were with him said that "you must know what qualities you want for a companion, then strive to be one yourself". I took this council to heart and followed it. The day after the fireside, I spent some quite time pondering about the counsel. I was able to make a list of qualities I want for an eternal companion.

Here are some of what I wrote on the list, I want an eternal companion that:

• loves the Lord more than me
• a man of integrity and 
• is responsible
• I can call friend and 
• motivates me to be better and the list goes on..

I later realized that something has been changing, I was getting more excited of hearing from Rambo and is always happy when we exchange text messages. But despite it, I tried to ignore the idea of him-and-me, I just thought it wasn't possible.  Things just got a little complicated, because before I meet him I thought I was in-love with someone else and was looking forward for something grandeur. 

But a thought or perhaps an impression came to me saying "why look somewhere else when the one I am searching for is actually not that far".  Then I began to open my eyes and things got clearer to me "yeah" I muttered to myself. It's true. I think I have already found him. Kuya Bo is everything on my list and it felt good being around him. 

On January 19, 2010 after a very careful pondering and consideration I received a very sweet and special confirmation. It was a feeling of peace and clarity, I acted on the impression I felt.

After gathering enough courage I broke the silence, and confessed to him my feelings. 
I learned that he has been feeling the same all this time around. He likes me since day one in the Academy, however because I called him "Kuya" (which for Manila guys is the other way of saying "let's just be friends") he withdrew his design and accepted the fact that we are just to be friends. Poor him :) But he was considering on telling me just waiting for the right timing, I guess he wasn't that fast :)

After the confessions we were ready to take our friendship to the next level.  Two weeks later, He flew from Manila to my place to see me and my family, to propose and asked my parents permission to marry me,. which I readily accepted :)

I admired him for his resourcefulness for getting things ready within a short span of time, despite his limited financial capabilities. Thanks too to his friends and local church leaders he came to my place with not only himself but with his plans on how we would want our marriage life to go. it sounds a good deal to me. 

However, my parents were really surprised with my decision to marry Rambo. I can't really blame them, things happened too quickly, but the feelings of peace I felt was undeniable. There was a little opposition on my mother's part but I know that she knows that I am doing the right thing and it has something to do with things of eternal value, so she finally gave her approval and so did my father.  

On a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, April 6, 2010 happened the most special event of my life. I was married for time and eternity to my best friend Rambo Ruiz. The feeling of joy was overwhelming. What added more to our joy was the presence of our loved ones and friends. It's so overwhelming to see how many people would be there to celebrate with us, our happiest day. On this day Rambo gave me the Hong Kong LDS Temple pin I gave him when we were yet in Cebu (the one I told him to give to his future wife) I just thought it's sweet :) 

OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER AS HUSBAND AND WIFE

Indeed the most exciting time of our lives has began. Knowing that our marriage received an approval from the Lord we felt that we were both ready to face the life together. I remember the day when we were married, after the ceremony we only have 220 pesos left on our wallet, not because we use our money for the wedding but because it's all we have.

We felt a deep sense of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for making our life together possible, and for sending assistance to us through our friends. Without His divine help things would be so hard for us especially to start with nothing.

Despite having only 220 pesos only when we started we were blessed to have stayed right after our wedding separate from our parents. We rented a small room (around a thousand steps from my in-laws) which became our first home. It was so bare. 

The new demands of a marred life stretched us both, and it brought us together in unity. We helped each other fulfill our roles and the things a husband and wife requires of us. Married life was far different from single life, we have to solely depend on our own for our financial obligations, there were a little fears but we felt greater excitement. Knowing that things would work out well, as long as we continue to do our part and to trust our Heavenly Father.

OUR FINANCIAL JOURNEY 

We started our first business venture as an industrial partner to our friend and mentor Ed and his wife in a food cart business - selling Fishballs and Siomai. It's our first time and we were excited to apply the things we've learned from the Academy. The food cart business had been a tool for us to learn many things, especially trusting the Lord. It has not been fruitful in terms of financial rewards but it served its purpose so we have no regret at all. (This part of the story was featured in a local newspaper in Utah click here for details)

Rambo was offered an article writing job by his American friend Matt, and I think it was such a blessing for us.  It wasn't a smooth sailing because my husband was not a writer nor had the experience of writing anything related to marketing, it was a big leap for him. 
The new job also required him a set of computer and an internet connection, the good thing is that my sister-in-law has an old computer sitting dull in her apartment so he borrowed it. He used to work with his desktop on the floor because we have no table nor chair. This  job opportunity opens a door for him in the online world. 

The first online job eventually became our business, because Rambo became good at what he does and was able to duplicate himself by hiring more people.  We felt we were so blessed really, we have enough to cover our needs, and was also able to send some assistance to our families and we are also able to provide jobs to our friends.

But during the first few days of our married life, there were times when we almost have nothing. We even got to a point that we have to skip a meal or two. Sometimes his mother would knock on our door and bring us food, I had no idea how she knew we needed food, I guess it's called a Mother's Instinct. Sometimes it was some forgotten coins in our bags and pockets that had saved us from hunger. Along with this experiences early on our married life were opportunities that made us grow closer to each other and to the Lord.

We have seen the hands of God in our lives, He never left us to go without when we do our part. He has his ways of surprising us with unexpected blessings. 

(Today aside from leading a team of Virtual Assistants my husband is designing websites and teaching others too to learn website design)

OUR ADJUSTMENTS

Since both of us came from two different backgrounds, our wedding ceremony doesn't guarantee that our transition will be that smooth. There were challenges here and there as many couples are normally going through. But we were able to surpass them one challenge at a time as we seek to incorporate gospel teaching in our lives. Family prayer, Family Home Evenings and scripture studies together has been great sources of strength for both us and means to understand each other better. One good thing about our relationship is that because we don't only treat each other as husband and wife but we also treat each other as best friends. We laugh and cry together. True and honest communication help us overcome our differences and made them our strengths. 

Some may say that romance is only present especially when love is still new. No, not in our relationship, because we understand that keeping our courtship alive very very important. We make sure that despite our busy and demanding schedules we go on dates, watch movies together, take vacations or just a walk in the neighborhood, we just both value our time together and are always looking forward to it.

I am glad i was married to this guy :)

My heart is overflowing with the love for the man i was married tree years ago. I am indeed so blessed having a good man beside me all the time whom i love very very much and loves me very very much too and who is always there for me every step of the way as i continue to progress in mortality.

How wonderful it is knowing that you have a companion who loves you very much and who never fails to understand you despite of your weaknesses and all the crazy stuff you do, who is constantly reminding you everyday of how beautiful and precious you are no matter how ugly and fat you may feel, who never hesitate to put down the keyboard and the mouse just to help you with the laundry, with the dishes and even with frying the fish even though you know how he hated the spray of hot oil from the pan, but still he is doing it so that you don't have to do it yourself.

How beautiful it is to feel when you know that even though how nonsense your jokes are, he will die laughing or act like he is, just so you wont feel ignored, Someone who would sacrificed his  precious sleep at the middle of the night because you were sweating so hard a and wanted to breath some air outside, and never hesitate to accompany you at the 24 hours store because you just wanted to eat a midnight snack.

Someone who would pretend to ignore your awful smell, even when you smell like a duck or would even think your fart noise like a music because he is used of  hearing it everyday anyway.  Someone who would still hug and kiss you even though you lost the cap of his iPad connector.  Someone who would accompany you anywhere just so you can do what you love doing, in my case it's my photography session. Some one who will never be tired of hearing your stories over and over again.

A husband that would accompany you at the ukay ukay store for five hours no matter how dizzy he may feel because of the Ukay Ukay Store ambiance, and would still smile at you even though you have already spent a thousand pesos.

And someone who is willing to sacrifice even his life just to make sure you are safe and protected. I just had this experienced today, We were having a church swimming activity, and as you know i will be the first person who will get excited about it, and sadly my husband is the last because he doesn't know how to swim. 

I encourage or rather insisted him to go in the deep, which he did, little for his pleasure and more for me, but as a result of his fear and lack of ability or i may say no ability in swimming at all, he almost drowned,  chasing his breath he immediately grab something to keep him up in the water, i was next to him so i was the one he grabbed, He then realized that i was down in the water and is drowning because of the weight he put on me.  He immediately lose me and in his mind he says " i must keep her safe even if i die", luckily he didn't die, and i wouldn't be happy losing him in a Six feet swimming pool ;) It happens in split seconds but this experienced deepened our love for each other and the hope that we will live a long life together so that we could still enjoy every precious moment together.



I just very grateful to know that a love like ours will have a possibility to be Eternal if we but do what is required, I am Glad the way was revealed to us and had already taken some steps, my prayer is that we will continue to do what was required of us so that the family that we are making now can be together forever. He is one of my biggest reason why i keep and strive to do what is right always so that when the time comes, i will be worthy to BE and LIVE with Him in eternity.

Things Happen For a Reason :)

Have you ever experienced that you want something very very much and you think if it will be given to you it will complete everything in your life?

Well I just felt the same way now. 

I had had received many blessings from God for which i am forever grateful for, for my family, my friends, for the knowledge of His love,  and especially for giving me such a very loving husband. 

I think everything in my life is perfect, except for one thing. I had long to be a mother, I really do. my husband and i had been married for about three years now, and every month we keep praying and waiting, to be given a very precious opportunity to welcome a baby in our home. He/she just never arrived.

Sometimes i feel so lonely and discourage Almost all of the people i know who were married recently had been pregnant already. I feel happy for them but i would be lying if ill say that I'm not sad for myself.

I remember at one instance when i think i was one week delayed and i cant wait to do a pregnancy test, During that time i never told my husband that i bought a pregnancy test kit , because i know he too would feel so sad it if turns out to be negative.

So i did the test and as usual it turns out to be negative, I felt so foolish and lonely and discouraged.What added more to my feelings was when i learned that my sister in law who is only one month bride is pregnant, she did the same test the day i did, but hers is positive.

Deep inside me was a very mixed emotion, i was so happy for her really, but i was so discouraged as well. I cant help but cry, my husband noticed it and tries his best to comfort me. That was the last time i cried like a child after a very very long time.

My greatest source strength and comfort comes from knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me, and that He knows me, every desire of my heart, and that  He is Anxious to bless me.  Knowing that He knows  whats best for me gives me power to overcome sadness. 

I am still hoping to be given an opportunity to experience what it is like to be a mother and to raise such precious soul, if not of my own maybe of others.

I know Heavenly Father Loves me, there may be things He sees that i cannot see, but i am praying to have the UNDERSTANDING needed to not complain and to JUST TRUST Him. 

Maybe He is still Preparing me for some calling he has in-store for me. What ever it is i will gladly receive when it comes.

For those of you out there who is experiencing the same thing, I feel for you. Just never lost hope. If you feel so lonely- try to go out and serve others, i do that too,and it really works, it helps me direct my attention to other things and other people. It helps me increase love for others and gain a better perspective of life and things.

                         

I just found this video, And i thought it's nice to put it in here ;

It's about accepting God's will for us, for He knows what's best for us. Some of Tribulation comes as a chastisement from a loving Heavenly Father for our wrong actions, Some of them are just simply there to cut us down, to help us become stronger the way God wants us to be.  We just have to understand that all things happens for certain reasons which reasons are known to Him. 

Pushing Against the Rock

Author Unknown

There was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had a work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. 

The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock pushing with all his might.



Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man's mind such as; "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it? etc." Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough." And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"


To this the Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mentioned to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock.

But your calling was to be obedient, to push and to exercise your faith and trust in my wisdom, this you have done. I, my friend, I will now move the rock."

I think all the challenges that we experienced and yet to experience is for our own good, they are there to stretched us, and to help us be a stronger individual. God doesn't asked us to do something so that we will suffer, He has no intention of doing that,  He asked us to do certain things because He knows that if we follow it will be for our good. 

He is always there to help us accomplish the task, He has even prepare a way for us to accomplish it.  He was just a prayer away, We have to trust Him and understand that he is in control of all things and just Trust His Wisdom. Because He does nothing but for the good of all his Children, and remember You are His child. 

Happiness Comes When We Put Our Own Wants Over The Needs Of Others.

Buying vintage items such as clothing and bag is one of my favorite thing to do, not only because it is so fun to see different fashions from vintage materials from different countries but because they are of great quality and inexpensive.

One particular day i planned to go check the nearest ukay ukay store ( the store that sells vintage items) in our area after attending the livelihood training service and buy some stuff for myself. It has been quite a while since the last time i visited an ukay ukay store.

So After the training i rushed myself from the crowd so that i could accomplish my purpose, however on my way out of the building i felt i must talk to a friend of mine who has also attended the same training i had. 

We had a small conversation and i learned what sacrifices she and her daughter made in order to attend the training, they expressed their desire to attend the next days training but aren't sure if they could come again due to their financial concerns. My heart was filled with compassion towards them.

But in my mind i was reasoning to myself that i must go to the ukay ukay store because that's what i planned for and i will be very happy if ill go there, rationalizing to myself that there's nothing i could do to help them in their  problem.

I ignore my feelings of sympathy and decided to go to the store. One my way i felt so terrible, how selfish i would be if i turn my backs over the needy.

I ran back to the building, finding myself following my heart and giving my money to them so that they can come the next day. I had never been happier. I leaned that true happiness comes from when we are unselfish and is constantly thinking of other peoples needs over our wants.