Light and Grace: The Jesus Biography

I almost titled this post, "The Book I Was Almost Scared to Read". Philip Yancey, the author, of The Jesus I Never Knew, said in the book, "No one who ever meets Jesus ever stays the same." and a part of me knew that even before I started to begin reading. 

Light & Grace + Free Stuff: Belief Busting Affirmation Cards

Yesterday, I had the chance to carve time and finish my Digging Deep journey (which I HIGHLY recommend if you wish to overcome a barrier in your life and if you are ready to move on to bigger things) and I had come to realize the power of affirmation and the different ways to declare it. I am aware of affirmation concept before but only yesterday did I got convinced of the truth and science behind its ability to turn around negative beliefs in our system. They are SO many ways to declare affirmations and one of them is the visual way. I'm guessing that it is the most effective way for me so I'm starting with that. I tend to rewrite my affirmations and I come up with different ones regularly so I thought of making an editable template for my wonderful declarations.

Of course, you get to join me, too, if you wish! Download my freshly-made printable 'Post-It' size affirmation cards on the button below. Each card has a typable field that can contain 4 rows of text (please make sure you have Century Gothic font when you use this) and a gold glitter motif. The sparkly look makes me smile by just looking at it! Tack it (I love using old earrings, check out the image above.), tape it, leave it everywhere it can regularly be visible to you. It would be awesome to use your own handwriting for your affirmations, too. 

Important Affirmation Writing Tips!

Digging Deep suggests that affirmations should be on the present tense (hence the words "I AM" on the cards), should contain positive words (no "don'ts" or "can'ts"), should feel real and believable and should be specific.  

If you wish to dig more in this entire powerful process, join us in the tribe here!

Aha's & Musings: How I Got Rid of Envy

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." -Hebrews 13:5

One day, I became aware I that I was feeling that icky emotion of envy again, when suddenly, something occurred to me that paved the way to quiet envy for good in my mind. I allowed myself to imagine I was already the person I was envious of. I visualized it because that is how we had programmed our minds to be -- that if we could be like that person or that person or better than that person, we'll be fine. And so there I was, in my mind, already that person I was envious of, and I came to that conclusion that -- it is not true. I was still envious -- now with that person's friends, with different people from that person's circle.

Envy stays because I allow envy to stay. Its residency on me is not dependent on how good or pretty or smart I am but on my permission to see my lack instead of the God's grace in me.

These things helped me kick envy out of my system:

Recognition of God's providential power & choice that lead to every detail of the "self" that I am and constant gratitude towards Him in faith that all that I am is a creation perfected by Him. 

Foodie Roundup: Fried Empanada Take Two!

Sometimes we wake up to difficult mornings and we just want to stay in bed all day. But I guess there's so much power in getting up and declaring that no matter how low I feel today, I'm going to rock this day and make it the most awesome day in every way I can.

So this morning, I found myself making fried (bless our broken oven) Chicken Empanada. Kneading the soft dough is therapeutic and creating something that I know will nourish my body and will make the people at our house happy lifted my spirit. It turned out really good, even my baby loved it. The crust had a flaky texture even it's not baked. Knowing I made an improved version of my Hotcake Empanada (I thought the recipe said 6 cups of water instead of 6 tablespoons, hence the name.) made me feel the chance to make things better is in my hands.

I blessed the food, shared it, and enjoyed it. I tasted grace & felt life's beauty again.

Light and Grace: Listening to A Former Atheist

He used to be an unbeliever. He seeked answers and found them. Clive Staples Lewis or more popularly known as C.S. Lewis did not just write popular classics like The Chronicles of Narnia but also important legacy books on Christianity. It got me very interested how this intellectual giant found his way to enlightenment.

Mere Christianity is a book originally based on his compiled speeches on wartime radio broadcast on Christian faith at BBC aired on 1940's. I imagined myself living on that time, turning on the radio and listening to this brave man talking about humane behavior, hope, faith & other virtues as news of death and war are aired side by side his program. It must have been so strange then to hear his speeches but really, it is not much different from our time now. We still need to know these things. We need to hear voices like him.

Aha's & Musings: On Growing Up

It's so quiet here right now. Jam's sleeping. There's a light patter of rain and a muted sound of faraway thunder. The only thing I hear clearly is our AC's white noise. So... I'm feeling kinda nostalgic, hence these musings on growing up.

• I don't remember my last play as a kid. Do you? I don't remember my last patintero, my last piko. How was a kid to know that it'll be her last? How do you tell a child that next summer, she'll be too old to play? My sister, Nel and I strangely love this topic. It's like a spark that ignites one childhood story after another.

Light and Grace: Click & Give

I wish to conclude my posts on tithing with a suggestion on how to do it right at your own home. The article that I mentioned before, answered the question where to send tithes.

Answer: "Give to the spiritual family that feeds you spiritually..."

Light & Grace: On Tithing Time & Why Scriptures+Mornings Go Together

Just when I thought I already got the whole idea of tithing, I discovered a new (to me) concept called "tithing time". Me and a friend were on the topic of Liturgy reading when a question about what time of day are we able to fit in this habit came up. I told her that whenever I wake up earlier than my baby, I'm able to read the Bible in the morning. Then we shared an embarrassing laugh on the reality of the enemy force being so strong in terms of distraction (Wait, another interesting Youtube video!) that this simple act is pushed till night time, or worse till we forget about it.

Light & Grace: How I Finally Understood Tithing

I learned about tithing on my first job. A part of the office's profit is alloted for our company tithe. I remember hearing mass with my officemates and my boss and putting our hard-earned (the firm was small and struggling at that time) money envelope in the contribution bag. But really... I didn't get the concept of tithing. Why 10% Why give? Why my earnings? I didn't understand it enough for me to continue the act after I left that group.