Count it All Joy - Loved

April 9, 2019

Tuesday, 9:32 PM

Home

Disconnected

How are you self? I just realized today that I have not been connecting as much as I should with the Holy Spirit. I told Him about it. I told Him that I don't like it when I don't push myself on being mindful to stay connected to Him. He never condemned me despite of my weakness. Instead, I felt a gentle tap on my back telling me He's got me. I am loved after all. So loved. 

Blast from the Past

The girls' Spirit Week theme for the day is "Time Travel." E dressed up as the Doctor Who 11th Doctor and F is dressed in the rad 80s fashion look. It's funny how they owned their roles today. The teachers from their school were quite amused of F's look 😁 I told her that my favorite era for music is the 80s. It's the best of all time!

Dinosaur Shopping

I started shopping online for F's birthday. She wants a dinosaur birthday theme (of course). We thought of just doing it at home with few of F's friends from school and church. We used to hold birthday parties at home when they were little. It's exhausting but fun. I tend to overdo birthday theme decor. I guess if our house is bigger, I'd fill it with decoration 😂 I am glad I have the luxury of time to make decorations. We will for sure come up with games to play and maybe a dinosaur piñata. I got dino shaped balloons and a very cute set of dino cupcake wrappers. F is very excited about her birthday. As her mom, my heart's joy is to see her happy. She deserves all the happiness this world can give.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-5

Count it All Joy - Revival

April 7, 2019

Sunday, 11:11 PM

Home

Quite a busy weekend for my family! We had the HSK Junior Leadership Kick-off Party yesterday! 14 kids (4th & 5th graders) came and a few parents stayed to find out what the program is about. We had lunch, desserts, worship, games, prizes, and an inspirational talk from my husband who leads the program. It's amazing to see these kids wanting to become junior leaders and work alongside the kids' ministry leaders! I heard that there were two more who submitted their application this morning. We're growing!

Today, I trained two of our new junior leaders how to support running an early childhood room. I can't praise enough how the kids were on top of their game. I gave them directions on what to do and they were awesome. I talked to the parents of one of them and reported how their son was owning his new title. I love seeing their joyful faces so full of pride for their child!

My E was there to help me train them and she did just a great job. I told my husband that I want to train the kids at the most four weeks, and by that time, they will have the confidence and know on how to play their role as junior leaders.

Our weekend was a win-win! Praise be to God who supplies us everything!

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-5

Count it All Joy - Open Doors

April 5, 2019

Friday, 10:01 PM

Home

The girls are asleep on our bed. Ryan is at the monthly HSK Team Leader's Sloppy Friday. Here I am about to write the highlights of my day.

1. Ryan and I spent our breakfast with our HSK service leader K at First Watch. It's our monthly get-together, just the three of us. Every first of the month (depending on schedule changes), we find a place to share breakfast and mostly talk about where we are at HSK as servant leaders. Today, K talked to me about a new role that she wanted me to fill in. A role that allows me to step up from where I am right now as a leader of our Pre-K room. She sees potential in me that she believes other leaders will benefit and at the same time allows my God-given gifts to thrive and flourish. She asked if I would be fine with it.
   
   I told her before that I normally just want to support, not lead. When I took charge of the Pre-K room, it was new to me. I am leading, not supporting. My husband was with me the whole time I served the kids' ministry. I always let him lead. I was in the background to support. But it's a kind of support where I tell him 'do this, do that" (ha ha).
   
   Last Sunday, how I lead my room was tested. We doubled our number, and I had a new volunteer shadowing me. The new volunteer was there to learn from me and if I could not lead the room well, what is it that she can learn? Nothing. She'd probably get scared or discouraged. But God's.  grace was with me (and always is). I just have to ask for it and receive it in faith. All throughout, the Holy Spirit was there to guide me, teach me, and help me. I couldn't do it on my own effort. I need divine intervention.
   
   Because of how I lead that room, the feedback I got from the new volunteer opened a door for me and the ministry. K saw it and she wanted to utilize that potential.
   Am I ready? Honestly, there was no hesitation in my heart when she told me about it. I feel that confidence that I can do it. Not with my own effort, but because I know that God will equip me whatever I need for the glory of His name. I am excited! I am pump! This is a new season that my Abba, Father unfolds right before my eyes and the people He brought to my life at this time of sowing and reaping. All I can say is, His will be done. So help me, LORD.
   
2. Well, well, well. Felicia surprised us all today. Her tooth FINALLY fell out!!!! It's funny how a simple thing like this makes the family SO excited that you feel like you're in cloud 9!
   
   She told us that while biting into her pizza at lunchtime, she felt something weird. Yup! Because her tooth fell off! High fives and hallelujah to that!!!
   
   "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-5

Count it All Joy - Sad Sophie

April 4, 2019

Thursday, 10:31 PM

Home

1. Spent most of my day making Pokemon theme goody bags. I had to make 60 of them with 60 matching tags. I am so happy that I do not have to worry about fulfilling them later as I am done for now. Tomorrow is a new day. Another set of things to do.
2. I just got a forwarded email from my FIL about a happy customer. It's a joy to hear customers happy with the service rendered to them. All because of His grace.
3. My F drew a very sad looking cat. It's a cat with teary eyes and tears all over the floor. I told my Ry about it. He said that F drew what she was feeling tonight. She was feeling alone because she was all by herself doing her homework while E and I were watching Oak Island, and Dada was finishing work. F wanted the family to spend time together. But since everyone was doing their own thing, it made her sad. She later told me about her drawing, and how she expressed her feelings through it. I told her that what she did is actually one of the great ways to let her feelings out. F is actually good in expressing her feelings. She is honest about it and lets us know how she feels. That is what I want for her. Whatever she feels, positive or negative, I want her to tell us about it whether in verbal, writing, drawing, singing, or any other healthy means.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-5

Count it All Joy - He Hates God

April 3, 2019

Wednesday, 11:21 PM

Home

While getting ready for school this morning, F mentioned to me about a friend at school who told her that her friend at church said he hates God. I don't know what made him say that, but I told F that some kids don't really know what they're talking about or even mean it from their heart.

I explained that having a personal relationship with God is what makes us fall in love with God. The more we know Him, receive His love fully, experience His goodness and presence, spend time talking to Him are the ways that teach our hearts to love Him. I added that Mommy and Daddy or church can share things (information) about God, but those are all just knowledge based. It's all in the head. But when we experience Him in a deep, personal way, that's when our love for Him develops.

Growing up in a religious family, I was never taught about having a personal relationship with my Abba, Father. So I grew up having this thought of God so far away, up in heaven, sitting on the clouds, so high, I cannot reach. There was so much distance between me and Him.

May I teach my girls the truth about who God really is, that they will develop a deep, intimate relationship with Him as they grow up.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-5

Count it All Joy - Big Heart

April 2, 2019

Tuesday, 9:57 PM

Home

My daughter E showed deep concern about one of her classmates at school. She said he was crying after being in the watch of one of the school staff while taking his AZMerit testing. He's one of the kids who need help in their academics. She's not happy as she described the staff's attitude towards students. She thinks she's a little too strict. She didn't know what happened with her classmate and the reason why he came back to class crying. I told her that maybe next time, he can talk to him. He probably needs someone to talk to.
E has a big heart. Issues such as this bother her and make her upset. She gets too concerned with other people that she takes it like she's involved in it. Sometimes she'd cry about it. She is very empathetic to people's plight. 

I pray that she will continue to show empathy to people and that she will always be willing to help those around her.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-5

Count it All Joy - Full Sink

April 1, 2019

Monday, 9:42 PM

Home

One of my pet peeves is sink full of dirty dishes. I don't like it. I hate it. I have been training my girls to rinse their plate and put it away on the drying tray after they ate. Sometimes they remember, sometimes they don't. My job is to remind them each time they forget.

My husband knows I don't like our sink full of dirty dishes. I want them rinsed (if not washed) and set them aside on the sink counter, the drying tray, the stove top, as long as not in the middle of the sink. I don't know why this makes my mind crazy, but it does.

My husband is in charge of the dishes on weekends but didn't wash them on Sunday night. So, they were piling up. Got home today and most of the dishes were washed. Several of them were still on the sides and in the sink (as usual). I was fine for a few hours. But later before dinner, it started to annoy me. I didn't eat with them. Instead, I started washing dishes. My husband told me to eat but I said I was not hungry. But he knew what's going on. I am so glad that he didn't make my not eating an issue, otherwise, there will be an argument. Rather, he ate with the girls (who were almost done when he got to the table). When he was done, he got up and washed the rest of the dishes.

I appreciate him. There may still be unwashed dishes, but the fact that he knew what I was into and he did something to alleviate it, made me feel loved. I can get nasty and irritable sometimes. But it's something I do not enjoy doing. It's something that tears me inside. When I give someone an "attitude," a big part of me is shattered. I don't enjoy it, yet, there are times I listen to the cravings of my flesh.

But thanks be to God, I am forgiven. I no longer drown myself in condemnation as I used to. Rather, I thank my Father God that despite the mistakes I made, He forgives me and always loves me even if a sink full of dirty dishes turns my smile into a frown.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." - James 1:2-5