My Valentine's Day Reminder for Girls

Pictures of ladies posing with the flowers and chocolates they received are everywhere -- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Even the streets are full of couples and vendors selling flowers and balloons. Indeed, it's inevitable for anyone to feel the Valentine's day.

Every princess has her own prince. As teenagers, it's quite irresistible for us to long for someone who'll give us stuff like what couples give to each other on Valentine's day. Moreover, we long for someone who will love us for who we are not for what we do or how we look -- someone who will love us unconditionally.

My previous February 14s are no different from this year. I always anticipate this season, waiting for something(someone) that(who) would surprise me. But then, I realized that it is really possible for us to miss the Person who loves us just because we choose to ignore and focus on what we want. We may say, "Yeah, I know that God loves me and all, but it's different when it comes from my crush." Familiarity, it is.

God gave his one and only son for us to be given that chance to live with Him eternally. Sending His Son down on earth for him to receive the punishment we deserve. Jesus shed his blood on the cross for us. He could have said no, but he chose to say yes. That's when you know that you are valuable. You are so valuable that you just don't give yourself to anyone. Jesus hanging on the cross is indeed the best public display of affection. No man could ever outdo that act of selfless and unconditional love. Through Jesus, you are loved, forgiven, cleansed, and accepted. In Him you have Identity -- you are the princesses of the Almighty King.

There's nothing we should be in hurry of. Whatever season you are in right now, just enjoy and learn from it. Every season serves as a preparation for the next. As for students, enjoy the student life. Build relationships, study hard and prepare for your future. There'd be a lot of time for that relationship after you graduate.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:" (Ecclesiastess 3:1)

With that, I leave you a very short mix which is composed of my favorite Christian songs. Enjoy!!

Jesus, my Valentine ♡ from awsmbeans on 8tracks Radio.

xxx

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It has been a great pause

After being quiet for almost 4 months, HELLO EVERYONE!!! I apologize for being away for a long time. It's just I have been busy in school. Exams and deadlines are everywhere. Last October was our semester break, and I was planning to (finally) write, but then laziness came over. Well, not really. I just thought I need a break from everything, and instead dove on the books listed on my to-read list. Guess what, I was able to read 5 books: Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, Eleanor and Park, Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant; all of which I will be making a review.

During the break, my mom, sister, and I went out of town. Got some sort of girl bonding. It was fun, really. We visited my parent's college, strolled in unfamiliar parks, and thrift-shopped. Being away from the city and seeing more of nature made me really thought of how cool and awesome God is as a Creator. I mean, how could anyone think of such creative and intelligent design and make anything great out of rubble? Our get-away was also a good time to be reflective. Aside from the all-girls trip, we got to visit our relatives in our province. It was such a nice season to be reunited with my cousins since we all have been busy in our academic life.

All-girls get-away :-p

(L-R) Diane, Ate Angelica, Me, Kate, Nikka: when we jogged early in the morning to visit our grandparents' deathbeds

Having a break in between stressful tasks helps in a way we'll never know. We shouldn't push ourselves too much in accomplishing things all at once, or right after the end of the other. Skipping breaks might cost some lessons in life that are only learned in me-times.

xxx

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Serendipity

After a week full of exams, finally I was able to unwind! Well, sort of. I still have piles of things to do, but I thought I must see a movie first. There has been a lot of good talk about Serendipity in our classroom so I thought I need to give this movie a try.

If you wanna know Serendipity's plot, click here. I'm not gonna put the plot of this movie in this entry Now, let's start with good thoughts. As it is said in its poster, "Destiny with a sense of humor," Serendipity is indeed funny. Though it's a bit cliche and I kinda predicted the ending, it's not boring at all. In fact, I think it's cute and funny. Oops, did I already mention that it's funny? Oh, right. With those being said, I gave this movie 4.5 stars :)

Also, I made a mix in 8tracks named Serendipity. It's made up of 9 songs from the movie itself, so check it out. :)

Serendipity from iamincloud9 on 8tracks Radio.

The Distance // Evan and Jaron
Never A Day // Wood
When You Know // Shawn Colvin
Sara Smile // Hall & Oates
Moonlight Kiss // Bap Kennedy
Northern Sky // Nick Drake
83 // John Mayer
Wait in Vain // Bob Marley
January Rain // David Gray

Enjoy! :)

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La Ville Lumière

As what I've said in my previous entry, I had been addicted to French stuffever since I finished reading Anna and the French Kiss. I had been studying French language for quite a while and learned to spell and pronounce a few words. *cheers* I had been productive during the suspended class days... only with things not related to school. Lol. At least, I didn't let a day pass without knowing something new. Haha.

In line with this addiction, I made a mix composed of 16 french songs. Gosh, it took me 3 hours just to find those songs. Anyway, here's the mix.

La Ville Lumière. from iamincloud9 on 8tracks Radio.

Ça ira  - Joyce Jonathan
Sacred Heart - The Civil Wars
Je ne sais pas - Joyce Jonathan
J'ai Laissé - Christophe Maé
Au-dela Des Mots - Axel Tony ft. Dry
Vous - Merwan Rim
Aude - Reves d'Enfants
Le Festin  - Camille
Je t'aime - Axel Tony
Elle Me Dit - Mika
On S'attache - Christophe Maé
C'était salement romantique  - Coeur de Pirate
L'amour Dans le Mauvais Temps  - Mika

Comme Des Enfants - Coeur de Pirate
Fondu Au Noir - Coer de Pirate
On Trace La Route - Christophe Maé

Enjoy :)

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First encounter with dextrose

The pain was indescribable.

It was on Monday when I felt it -- the abdominal pain. At first, it was tolerable. Around 4-5pm, the pain began to be unbearable. I was thinking if I should cut my last subject which was until 6pm and go home because I badly want to discharge something in the comfort room. I didn't cut my last subject, though. By God's grace, I made it til the end of my class. When I got home, I ran to the comfort room as fast as I can and released the thing I had been holding for so long. After doing so, my stomach felt relief, but the pain was still there. I had my dinner, thinking maybe lack of food is the cause of it. My mom gave me medicine hoping it would ease the pain. Minutes passed, it's still there. It's so painful, so I told my mom to bring to my school's hospital because it's the nearest.

When we were in the emergency room, the pain didn't stop. An hour or so passed, I finally vomited. Twice. If I could be honest, as much as I hate vomiting, I loved that I vomited that very moment because as long as I hold it inside, the longer and stronger I'll feel the pain. Relief came, thank God. The doctor was about to discharge us when I suddenly vomited again and again. For we all know, vomiting is worse than pooping. It's like three times of pooping; that's why when we vomit a lot, there'd be higher tendency you'll be dehydrated. And if things get from worse to worst, you might die. It was midnight (1am, I think) when the doctor told my parents that I should be admitted to the hospital so my needs would be supplied.

I wasn't able to sleep that night/midnight at all. One minute, I think I was able sleep, then there goes another minute when my stomach tells me Sleep? Ain't nobody got time for that *insert Sweet Brown meme* I vomited several times when we were already in my hospital room. I was diagnosed with Acute Gastroenteritis. You don't know that? Don't ask me. I have no idea, too. Lol. Of course I have an idea. I think I messed up with my stomach lining or something alike?

The next day, I felt A LOT  better, THANK GOD!!! I could finally smile and laugh. Lol. Lunch time came, my mom asked me what I want to eat. I don't know why in the world I suddenly craved for cereals, so I said I want Cerealicious. We were having fun eating the stuff and all, then I went back to sleep. It was pass 5 in the afternoon when I woke up again feeling a different kind of pain I had never experienced before. It was different from the pain the other night. This time, it had me nuts. The pain does not only happen in my stomach, but it went up my chest. It's like crumpling and burning my internal organs. I worried that time because my classmates and friends were suppose to be there anytime soon; of course, I won't be able to treat them with hospitality or laugh around with  them feeling sick at the same time. My two special friends came first. Sadly, I wasn't able to attend to them already because I started vomiting again. Minutes passed, my classmates came. When I saw them, there was like a second when I forgot about the pain. I don't know. Their smiling faces just gave me comfort even just for a second. They bought me a slice of cake, and baked macaroni.

 My two special friends + my sister

 See their faces? How could you now forget pain with those? :P

It's really sweet of them to buy me food.

When they left, the pain became worse again. I kept on vomiting and all. I didn't sleep that night at all. Nap, maybe. 

The next day, the pain lessened. Thank God! Really! It was a big relief not feeling it much anymore. For the other day, the pain was 8/10. The next day, it became 4/10. I finally was able to say I'm feeling pretty much better and quite ready to go home already. A few friends visited me til my last day in the hospital. I'm a bit overwhelmed by my friends' and relatives' concern, though. I didn't quite expect to receive such affection. Lol. 

Anyway, I'm just really thankful to God for not leaving me when I'm in pain. The thing is, whether or not we are in pain, He is always with is. God will never leave us nor forsake us. The day before I got sick, I was doing my quiet time in Exodus. When I was laying the hospital bed, suffering and agonizing every second, God reminded me of what I've read:

He said, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do when is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you." (Exodus 15:26)

God is faithful. Not one of his good promises did He not fulfill. So when hard situations and challenges come, do not waver. Just keep up the faith and hold on to God's Word.

xxx

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8tracks

I had been using 8tracks for 4 months now. I love 8tracks because anytime I'm in the mood for a specific genre of music, with just one mix, it's all there. Recently, I just had the time of my whole existence in 8tracks. I made a mix entitled piano +violin out of boredom; and I didn't expect for it to boom like it did. I'm so happy. It's like I had achieved something kind of cool in my life. Lol. 

I really appreciate all the heartwarming and encouraging comments the listeners posted there. I just can't reply to you guys one by one, so I'm saying it once and for all. :) As promised, I will post here the list of songs included in my piano + violin mix.

piano + violin from kaenava on 8tracks Radio.

The Piano Guys:

A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

Home - Philip Phillips

What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction

Bring Him Home - from Les Miserables

Paradise - Coldplay

Begin Again - Taylor Swift

Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Daniel Jang:

Fix You - Coldplay

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

The Scientist - Coldplay

Vitamin String Quartet

Dare You To Move - Switchfoot

Hey There, Delilah - Plain White T's

Nick Kwas

Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People

Someone Like You - Adele

Tanner Townsend & Brighan Dastrup

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz

More mixes to come! If you want to suggest any group/type/mood/genre, just post it here and I will do my best to make one for it :)

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ENGAGE 2020

ENGAGE 2020 is conference that focuses more on evangelism; with its developer and speaker, who is an author, a doctor and the senior pastor of a church in Nashville, Dr. Rice Broocks. He developed Engage 2020 as a strategy for equipping and empowering local churches for growth through evangelism.





Just yesterday, I attended this seminar in Victory Pioneer. And with the fee we paid, it was worth it. We got free snacks and freebies, not to mention his new book God's Not Dead -- yes, for free!!! Well, that's beyond my point. LOL. With all seriousness, this seminar taught and reminded me of many things. There are three things that I want to highlight in this entry.


The Gospel

There was a part in Dr. Rice's talk wherein he asked us What will you tell someone if he asked you what the gospel is all about? and he let us write our answers at the back of our manual. After a few people shared what they wrote, he told us the simplest way to tell someone about the gospel. I quote from our manual, 

"The gospel is the good news that God became man in Jesus Christ. He lived the life we should have lived, and died the death we should have died...in our place. Three days later, He rose from the dead, proving He is the Son of God and offering the gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins to anyone who repents and believes the gospel."

I can say that, with comparison with the answer I wrote, this was way simpler and more understandable for someone, especially those who doesn't have a background about our faith. I realized that sometimes, we are the ones who make the concept of salvation complex; thus, making non believers abandon the thought of it. With this much simpler way of explaining what the gospel is all about, I think more people will be able to grasp the simplicity of the gospel.

Explaining further, Dr. Rice made an illustration of the salvation that struck me the most. I made an effort to put it all in a GIF. I apology, though, for the cut texts.

You don't expect God just sitting on His throne and waiting for you to come back to Him. No. God initiated to come to us and give us the chance to be reconciled back to Him. He went down from His throne and went down to earth through Jesus Christ and be human like us. Jesus, who is perfect, is the only one qualified to save us from the death we deserve. He has to be perfect for the rest of his life here on earth, or else, with one mistake, the salvation thing would be over. Now, imagine the pressure-of-being-perfect Jesus had gone through in his 33 years of stay here on earth, with all the persecutions, mocks, and physical pain he received from the ones he is saving just to save us! Even while he's hanging on the cross, he still thought about us (Luke 23:34). Turn to God. He is just one prayer away.

Authenticity of the Bible

Someone from the audience brought up the issue of non believers saying that the Bible is man-made. However, Dr. Rice gave us 5 points that proves the authenticity of the Bible (which he mentioned in his book as well).

• The Bible may have been translated to other languages and versions, it's still the same.
• It is archaeologically verified. The events in the Bible didn't happen anywhere else out of this universe.
• Historically accurate
• Contains fulfilled prophesies
• Made extraordinary impact

Sharing the gospel

Dr. Rice shared his testimony about the conversation he had with his brother before his brother got saved.

Soon after Rice Broocks became a Christian as a third year university student, he discussed his faith with his borther Ben, an atheist, who was athird year law student. Though Rice was young in faith, his simple answers to his brother's questions led to Ben's acceptance of Christ, and he baptized Ben later that day. [x]

His affirmation made me thought of Esther. In her situation full of uncertainties, she chose to obey because she knows she has a purpose. In evangelism, we may not know by ourselves who to reach, but with the Holy Spirit, we would feel it. Just like Esther, we'll never know the magnitude of impact our obedience will make. We are where we are today in such a time as this [x]. God can use our situation, where we are right now, to advance His kingdom and for His glory. You just have to make yourself available.

Yes, we don't have the power to save people; but through Jesus, we had the power to lead people to Him

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