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How to Maximize Technology

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
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Before anything else, I’d like to point out that we still don’t have internet in our new home, and that’s the main reason why it’s been taking me forever to post updates. :( Almost everyday, I think of something and I go “Oh, I have to write this!”, only to be reminded that I won’t be able to. For some reason, my brain goes on protest whenever I try writing using Microsoft Word. I think it still equates it with the many sleepless nights of writing papers way back in college that now it refuses to function even for “leisure” sake.

The other night Dennis and I decided that it might be best not to have internet at home. The office is just a few minutes away so it is easy to go online if ever the need arises. We thought about the many things we could do instead of spending time online— we could read more, communicate better, play with the kids without any tempting distractions….in short, we will be more fruitful with our time. We were both convinced and we were in agreement in this particular decision.

And then we woke up the next day. Dennis told me he realized that we actually need to have internet at home since a big part of our lives is connected to being online. We both love to blog, we get connected and keep in touch with other people through the social networking sites, we have an online bookstore…so yes, it actually is a “necessity” if you look at it from that perspective (Of course you and I both know we would actually survive without it!).

I still want to be more fruitful, though. I still want to be able to read more, to communicate with my family better, to spend more quality time with the kids without any distractions. I want to be up-to-date in today’s world, yet still be old-fashioned with how I spend my time with my family. As the Bible puts it (in a different context, but I think it’s still applicable in this case), “It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes .” (Ecclesiastes 7:18)

I guess it all goes back to reminding myself of my priorities, and being DELIBERATE in making sure I practice what I put on paper.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”, right?

Let’s put this in practice. I shall list down the things I plan on doing and not doing in order to make the best out of having technology, and not let technology get the best of me.

1. God first.

I am reminded of this question from one of our pastors: “Are you quicker to answer a phone call or a message from Facebook than you are in picking up your Bible and hearing from God?”

2. My husband second.

How guilty I am of often thinking it’s okay for me to stay online since my husband can also go and be online anyway. I will make an extra effort to shut down my computer so as not to shut out my husband.

3. My kids next.

It’s amazing how fast time flies when you’re browsing through the net! You spend an hour only to realize there really wasn’t much that you’ve accomplished; nothing really life-changing that you’ve done. If you have only spent it playing with your kids instead, you would have already planted seeds of character in their hearts that will bear much fruit in the future. So here’s the action plan:

I shall use my laptop only when the kids are asleep.

4. My household after the kids.

Oh, even if they are asleep, I still have to make sure all my household chores for the day are done.

5. Last (and yes, the least)– internet.

Okay, so now I am online. It’s a good break especially for someone who stays home most of the time. I still have to always keep in mind the reason why I go online in the first place. It is to grow as a person– through the knowledge gained from the internet, through the many resources and references available– and to grow in my relationships– by getting connected and keeping in touch, by blogging, by “saving” time on some chores and tasks so I can better allot my time… I AM TO GROW every time I go online. If I am failing to achieve this, time to sign out.

At the risk of sounding redundant, I say it again:

I will make the best out of technology, and will make every effort in not letting technology get the best of me. :)

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Posted in God-moments, home making, household tips, marriage, parenting | 2 Comments »

You Must Teach Your Baby to Read

Saturday, August 21st, 2010
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Lately I have been having these thoughts….

…..I guess you can call them apprehensions? Concerns? I’m not really sure what to call them, but they are all in line with the thought of me not being able to stick to a certain routine for the past months. I know I sound like a broken record with this “routine” thing, but it really is a pressing concern I am facing now, especially since I am the type who thrives on having routine.

Some very well-meaning family members have expressed their concern over how Alyanna and Mikaela might be lagging behind in their “skills” since I haven’t had the time to “teach” them anything the past months. Well, if you think of teaching as something that can only transpire in a classroom setting, or only when the teacher (in my case, moi) and the student are going through a particular academic material or lesson plan, then that presumption would be true. It would be true that I have failed to teach my children. It would be true that I should feel pressured to double up my efforts in teaching them so they can somehow “catch up”.

BUT then again, I also have to remember that I have been teaching them even as we just play together and enjoy one another. I have been teaching them even by just conversing with them. More importantly, I have to remember that they are still so young!!!

Mika’s two and a half, Alyanna is four and a half… Young!!

Sadly, for a moment there I have succumbed to society’s measure of good parenting. My kids have to be able to read by three. My kids all have to be exclusively breastfed until seven (hehe I’m exaggerating of course, but you get what I mean….BTW, I am FOR breastfeeding! Try with all that you have to be able to!). My baby should be potty trained by two. My toddler should know all the colors, all the shapes, should be able to count in at least two languages, and could count backwards…..You get the picture I’m trying to paint, right??

Society has led us to believe that if we want to set our kids up for success in life, we have to bombard them with all the education and “brain stimulation”   at the earliest age possible. Again, I am for brain stimulation, and I am (now I am willing to admit it) a nerd who loves academic stuff, but to be trapped in a certain degree of fear just because some of us do not have the luxury of enrolling our young children to the best preschools or buying the latest educational toys is simply WRONG.

Do we remember what it was like when we were three or four years old? Were we ever pressured to memorize so much material and read at a very early age and perform academically?

No wonder I see spas that offer “de-stress” services for children!

……I’m sorry. Everything I just said was not really what I planned to say. Hehe. :)

What I really wanted to say is this:

Lately I have been having some guilty feelings  because I haven’t really been able to sit down with my children and follow my intended lesson plans and curriculum, and I’ve been having fears of how they might perform academically because of this so-called lack of teaching and learning. I lifted all this up to God in prayer and here is the one thing that He has impressed in my heart in response to all this:

It has been my grace from the very beginning of your parenting. It will be my grace still, that will carry you and your children through…until the very end.

Sabi ko nga Lord. :)

Thank you for your GRACE. :)

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Posted in God-moments, child discipline, family, mothers, parenting, parenting help | 7 Comments »

Irreducible Minimums

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
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Moving from a three-storey house to a three-bedroom condo unit is quite a challenge, especially when you are blessed with a mother who loves giving you stuff.

Since we got married, my mom has always had this habit of finding something for us, convincing herself that it is something we MIGHT just need sometime within the decade, and then buying it and shipping it over to our house. When we had kids, all the more my mom wanted to give us things so she could hear that her grandchildren had a “wow” moment over something new that she has just bought for them.

This is something I am most grateful for, especially since we cannot really afford to buy a lot of the things we want, but now I am faced with the challenging task of purging all my stuff and learning to live with irreducible minimums.

“Irreducible minimums.”

This is what we always have to repeat to ourselves if we want to progress in our quest for a less cluttered household. Every time we start sorting out our things and letting go, there is always that temptation of “I MIGHT need this someday”, even though in most cases that “someday” never comes and we know it. When we find ourselves stuck while in the process of purging, this question would come in handy:

“What are the irreducible minimums?”

I got this concept of irreducible minimums at a teaching training a few years back. The technical definition for this term is something that is impossible to reduce to a desired, simpler, or smaller form or amount.We were reminded to stick to the irreducible minimums when it comes to teaching and speaking in public. Oftentimes, there are way too many things we want to say, so much so that we overwhelm our audience and they end up not remembering anything from our session.

I love how this concept applies to most areas of our lives, not just in public speaking.

Whenever we try to teach our kids a new concept, we have to try to stick to the irreducible minimums so they can better grasp and remember the new things we teach them.

If we are to prioritize and fix our schedules, we have to narrow down all our engagements to the irreducible minimums so we do not stretch ourselves too thin and lose focus on the things that really matter.

Whenever we find ourselves in a discussion with our spouse (or anyone else for that matter), it is always wiser to stick to the irreducible minimums with our words. As the Bible says it, “When words are many, sin is not absent…” (Proverbs 10:19).

In organizing and decluttering our household, again we have to think through all our stuff and decide which are the ones that we really cannot live without, the irreducible minimums. Everything else falls into the “nice-to-have” category.

In our lives, what are the irreducible minimums we know we need to accomplish or to have so at the end of it all we can say we have lived abundantly and to the best of our abilities? Do we live each day accordingly?

Irreducible minimums.

I’m sure by now you get the concept. :)

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Posted in family, health and wellness, home making, household tips, marriage, parenting, parenting help | 7 Comments »

Finding The One

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
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The following paragraphs are taken from my good friend Ronna’s post on finding “the one”.  This serves as a good reminder both for the single ladies and all the wives reading this (on why we “took the plunge” in the first place).

The elusive search for ‘The One’ we see in TV series, movies, and sometimes even hear from our friends may seem well and good compared to getting in and out of relationships, but I don’t think finding Mr. Right or Ms. Right assures anyone of a strong, happy, and growing marriage. It’s not enough, simply because Mr. Right is still human, no matter how perfect his hair appears to be (trust me, that’s got to have some hair product somewhere!).

Perhaps my thoughts may not be considered valid since I haven’t taken the plunge just yet, but the reason I can even gather the courage to step onto the diving board is because marriage promises selflessness on paper. I assure he who wants to make me his better half, that I will make mistakes. In fact, I can easily, without qualms or difficulty, promise him tons. But I find the confidence to reveal all my imperfections to this “one” because this other imperfect individual will not have to work on a marriage with me simply for me. He will work on it because we’re not going to be the only ones in the boat. I believe that a life-long commitment can work, last, and survive because the commitment is not only made by imperfect humans to other imperfect humans. Rather it is made along and to a perfect God who will be the relationship’s ultimate source of love, forgiveness, new beginnings, and strength. Without him, there is nowhere humans can draw supplies to last a lifetime commitment. And without him, there is no reason to.

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. - 1 Corinthians 13:3-7 MSG

I absolutely love this translation of 1 Corinthians here. :)   Thank you Lord for reminding us of how we should love.





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Posted in marriage | 1 Comment »

Home is What you Make of It

Saturday, August 14th, 2010
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It’s been almost a week now since we’ve moved in to the new place, and let me tell you, it is still not yet comfortable. Yet….since I have plans of making this the best place possible for my family, given the limited budget we have!

Here’s an update on how this place we now call “home” operates:

  • Our bedroom is still a mess since we are waiting for the cabinets and shelves to be finished…everything is still boxed up.
  • We still have no bed so we are now sharing a room with the kids. The kids’ room, by the way, only has one twin-sized bed and one cushion we just lay out on the floor for sleeping.
  • We have no dining table yet so we are eating off my coffeetable which I’ve  brought in from our old house.
  • We are just about to have our shoe cabinet made so all my shoes are still in two large sacks…and I am left with no choice but to wear my trusted flip-flops everywhere I go.
  • The playroom is still not so play-able.
  • My couches are still quite an eye-sore…they are also from the old house so their colors emphasize their bulk relative to the color and size of the walls.
  • Ooh! The kitchen is clean now! :D (Whew! I thought I’ll be ending this with “we still have no…”)
  • I have helpers to help me clean the house now. MAJOR Woohoo!!! right there.
  • We have made our first trip to the supermarket the other day. The one near our place is a bit more expensive compared to where we used to do our grocery-shopping, but everything you need is there so it’s very convenient.
  • The kids are happy with their new room.
  • Dennis’ faith for God to provide has just upped ten levels.
  • I am learning to let some of my “wants” go in order to stay within the budget.
  • It is getting easier and easier to say “okay, no problem.” to Dennis every time he decides on something concerning the house (uh, more of concerning the budget for the house.hehe)
  • We are all learning that “home” is really what you make of it. Even if our house is not yet in tiptop shape (far from it), we are actually already enjoying our stay here as a family.

Someone told me that studies show that moving is the second cause of stress and anxiety (or was that depression?) in family members, next to death in the family (whoa!). I don’t doubt that that particular study was legit, but allow me to disagree. Even though this season probably is one of the most tiring transitions our family has had to go through, God’s grace has been and will always be there to make sure that this will also be one of the most memorable and most exciting times we can look back to. :)

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Top Five Lessons from Moving

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
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Heehee!

Okay, NOW my excuse for not writing a single entry over the last couple of days is because of the house-move. I have been going back and forth almost everyday, trying to fix whatever I can so we can finally move in to the new house.

Huu-whhhaatt??!? You’re too slow Thammie! I thought you’ve moved in a month ago???

Whoa! Before you judge me, let me explain!

I have had no helper whatsoever so I have been doing all the cleaning and arranging and moving around of all the furniture all by myself! (Well, the moving around part… actually that’s Dennis….I just wanted to sound like a superwoman. Hahaha!)

But yes, that’s really why I have been taking so long. Add to that the fact that simultaneous to all the moving and arranging, I’m having some repainting jobs done, plus the shelves and some cabinets are still being constructed as we speak.

The good news, though, is that I think by tonight I can get at least ONE room of the new place clean enough for us to have our first sleep-over! Woohoo!!! I am so excited to move in to the new place. I have been living like a nomad for a few months now, and though I love the idea of having no household responsibilities and not having to think about what to feed the family daily, I would not trade having my own place to call home for anything in the world.

Here are some of the main things I have learned (or have been reminded of) over the past couple of weeks:

1. Go for “progress”, not “perfect”.

I have to keep repeating this to myself. I have a tendency to perfect the details and sweat the small stuff, and then later on realize I’ve been spending too much time on one thing and haven’t made any real progress!

2. Small is big.

This can apply to so many things. Every small thing you acquire adds big time to clutter; Every “cheap” thing you put into the cart adds up to a big amount at the check-out counter; every small gesture of generosity refreshes someone else in a big way…small is big.

3. Slow is fast. (and labeling really is a homemaker’s best friend!)

Initially I felt that I was kind of slow because I had to be so detailed in labeling all our things, but oh wow…because I have tons of boxes and sacks, I CANNOT imagine how it would be like if I didn’t take the time to label everything carefully. The unpacking is so much faster because of that system.

4.  The urgent will always seem to be the most important.

But often, it is not the case.

There were a lot of times when Dennis and I had to stop taking care of the renovation and house move because our daughters would start to remind us of the lack of time we have been spending with them.

It is so easy to get caught up with what the concerns that are screaming “urgent!!!” that we sometimes forget to listen to the cries of those that are really important.

5. When God told husbands and wives to “leave and cleave”, He really had our best interests in mind.

I am super thankful….beyond words….for the kindness shown by my in-laws. They have been so generous and patient with us. We stayed there for over a month and it really was a lot easier for us especially since I could leave the kids there and not have to worry about them inhaling all the dust (and messing up the already-messy place) and pretty much not have to worry about anything else but the move. BUT like I said, I would not trade living with my husband and kids in our own place for any of the convenience and benefits of living with our parents. It’s really just different….a good kind of different. :)

******

Okay, there’s really more than five points that I want to share, but I’m afraid I’ll stop at seven of eight….and I always prefer my lists to be divisible by five. :D So for now, that’s it. :) I have to get back to cleaning up. :)

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Posted in family, home making, household tips, marriage, mothers, parenting, random, shopping | No Comments »

Being Shut Down and Shutting Up

Saturday, July 31st, 2010
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Hello again everyone.

I know it’s been a long time since I last wrote anything. I also know that I should be writing something that’s well-worth reading as some sort of a “welcome back” post.

But please, please allow me to rant just this once. Maybe just for the next few minutes.

You see, I am now crying.

I am crying because this is the first time I got the courage to type in “www.thammiesy.com” again and see a different look, one that’s not yet fully developed. This is my first time to log in again, and see that I now only have 43 posts and 3 comments because everything else has been wiped out.

I am left with no choice but to officially say goodbye to the 200 something posts that have been lost due to Philhosting’s….what do you call it– incompetence? Negligence? I don’t know, really, because I don’t even know what  happened.

I am not that well-versed when it comes to world-wide web matters. All I know is I trusted this hosting company to run my website and then one day, it just disappears. Apparently, Philhosting just shut down my website. Just like that.

I wrote to ask them to fix whatever they needed to, and their reply was that they would see what had to be done. The next day, I got an email informing me that they couldn’t fix the problem and that the best they could do was give me another domain to host my site. To which I’d like to say, “Thank you”, but… I don’t want another domain. I want my posts back!

I again wrote back to ask them to please recover my files, but they told me they had no back up whatsoever, plus a defense that they had informed me about the “shut down” days earlier.

I never got an email from them days earlier.

All this happened three weeks ago. Quite a number of people have asked me why I haven’t been posting anything lately, why they couldn’t enter my site. Most assumed that it was because I have been busy with our house-move (which I have been, but that’s not why at all!). All I could tell them was “Please pray they could fix whatever is wrong. Please pray that my blogs are still in tact.” And for the past two weeks that has been one of my prayers.

My well-meaning husband tried to encourage me by saying “Ga, if worse comes to worst, at least you get a totally new look for your site.”

But really, now….???….

I explained to him that all my previous posts were more than just “blogs for the heck of having blogs”. They were more than just posts to check in and make sure people were still visiting my site. Every minute that I spent writing, was also spent pouring out my heart and soul. Every word written was supposed to help me keep precious memories with my family and with my God fresh and alive. Every attempt to add insight was me discovering valuable principles that I needed to apply; me learning important lessons that I wanted to pass on to my children, too.

Funny. A few days ago I was being sentimental and told Dennis, “Ga, that was my legacy. Now it’s gone.” He just looked at me and said, “Uh….love, ang bata mo pa. Ang dami mo pang pwedeng iwan na legacy.”

Hehe. Well, He’s right. I am not that old and I still have much to learn. There are so many more memories I can build and still so much wisdom to be gained from future experiences.

I will not let this stop me from learning and sharing what I learn. I will not let this stop me from building relationships with all you beautiful women and sharing my life with all of you.

God can and will restore what was lost a thousandfold.  :)

See? This is what writing does to me. It helps me process things. And it is during these times when my brain and my heart agree to cooperate with each other and help me get over myself and remember to look to God and His plans and purposes.

So, yes. I am now (as in, NOW—right this minute!) able to stop crying. Hopefully, I can log in again tomorrow and not be sad anymore.

God allowed this to happen, so be it. :) All this, after all, has always been and will always be for His pleasure and for His glory. My life, and whatever legacy I would leave in the future will always be about Him and about serving His purposes.

So be it.

What’s done is done. Let’s have a go at this thing again.

See you! ;)

PS: Thank you, my love and best friend Dennis Sy, for your attempts to recover whatever could be recovered and for setting up a new site for me. I appreciate all your effort, even if sometimes you say the wrong things with the best intentions. Hehehe :) I know you’ve been praying for me, that I won’t get that emotional and sad. I think your prayers worked….a little. :D

PPS: Thank you Mia, for teaching us to check the cached files in Google. Now I know what “cached” means…I think.

PPPS: (Is this a valid PS?) TO ALL MY BLOGGER FRIENDS: Please make sure to copy-paste all your posts and have your own back up!

(Shucks. Now I have to open Word more often. My brain doesn’t like Word very much— brings back memories of toxic college days of papers and deadlines. Oh well. :) )

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Posted in God-moments, random | 14 Comments »

Packing for your Hospital Stay

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
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As promised, here is a list of things to bring for your hospital stay, right after giving birth…

MOM’S BAG:

- Nursing bra (buy cheap ones first since you wouldn’t really know yet what cup size you’ll have after…)
- Nursing pads (Normally, I use washable ones, but for your hospital stay, it’s also helpful to have a few disposable ones on hand)
- Bath robe / night gown / your husband’s button-down shirt (just make sure the color looks good on you ;) ) / nursing shirt…I prefer loose cotton shirts since our breasts would tend to engorge and can go from cup A to Z (very unpredictable, so at least loose shirts would allow for more “room to grow”)…and cotton material, to easily absorb sudden milk let-downs :)
- Other nice AND comfortable clothes
- Underwear (of course!)
- Maternity pads / adult diapers (hospitals charge a lot for these)
- Abdominal binder (although the last time, my nurses advised against this…)
- Toiletries (Don’t forget that ever-so-refreshing facial wash…and feminine wash- Betadine is a good brand, especially if you would have an episiotomy)
- Towel
- Hairbrush and hair bands
- Going home outfit
- Some would bring their breast pump with them, but so far, I don’t know of anyone who got to use this and has found it helpful. I just found it painful, actually. (BUT, very helpful after the first week! SO still, I’d encourage you to buy one)
- In case dad forgets, bring another set of clothes for him, too!
- Nursing bib (in case you would need to feed baby while visitors are around)

* Don’t think that you’d have a lot of idle time, but if you still wish to bring a book, go ahead!
* Most hospital stays are only 24 to 48 hours

BABY’S BAG:

* Remember, baby doesn’t really need a lot of clothes at this time!
- a PACK of diapers
- A lot of cotton
- Container for the wet, ready-to-use cotton
- Receiving blankets (bring extra, since we don’t know how cold your room would be)
- Tie shirts (have both short and long-sleeved ones)
- Onesies and pants or frogsuit
- Mittens
- Booties
- Bonnet
- Wash cloth
- Bath soap
- Mansanilla (I like the smell, plus they say it helps prevent/eliminate gas)
- Cotton swabs and alcohol for cleaning the cord stump (the hospital would actually provide this, but at least you know– you have an option)
- Going home clothes for baby

* Make sure the infant car seat is already in the car
* You might want to bring a blanket for dad and extra pillows (for daddy…and helpful for you, too, especially if you’ll be nursing)
* You may also want to bring a “guest book” to keep a record of those who visited your precious bundle of joy

SIBLING’S BAG:

* I suggest you arrange with the grandparents ahead of time, so ate/kuya can stay with them, but still have these ready with you for the following day, when he/she comes to visit:

- Change of clothes
- Books
- Games & toys
- Blanket
- Snacks
- Gift FROM his/her new baby sister/brother

MISCELLANEOUS BAG:

- Utensils
- Water bottle (so you could just fill it and not have to go out of the room every time)
- Cups (hospitals usually provide one for the patient, but you won’t be the only one in the room)
- Extra plate or two
- Small sponge and dishwashing paste/liquid

* You could bring disposables so you won’t need to wash anything

….This is all I can think of for now :) Have fun packing!! :)

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TV Interview: On nanny and modern day parenting

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
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Posted in nannies, parenting, parenting help, vlogs and videos | No Comments »

It’s Sale Season and my Wallet is Empty

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010
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We went to a mall earlier today and there I noticed that once again, it’s sale season. I felt some kind of excitement in my heart, that kind that I’m sure most of the women can relate to whenever we see that red sign up on store windows.

Aaaahh!!!! Sale!!! :D

But that excitement lasted only for a few minutes. Reality suddenly set in for me: It doesn’t matter, Thammie. You have no more budget this month for those things. “Live like no one else, so later you get to live like no one else”, remember??

In the lines that would follow, I shall be pouring my heart out to you.

Earlier today I felt something I haven’t felt in a long, long time. All of a sudden I found myself thinking a whole bunch of “what if’s?”

“What if I chose to work?”

“What if I had chosen to focus on earning more money?”

“What if I had more money and could just buy anything I wanted?”

“What if I…..?”

Some of those what if’s didn’t even make any sense to me, but they came to mind any way.

And then I started imagining what it would be like  to be able to afford anything I wanted in life. To be able to give away huge amounts of money and not have to think twice. To be able to spend and not feel guilty. To be able to travel all I want, anytime I wanted to.

And then I asked myself, “Would those things really make the difference for you?”

I didn’t think so.

Those are all stuff. And they will always remain as such—just stuff. They are inanimate and therefore have no capability whatsoever to give us lasting satisfaction. Temporary gratification, maybe. But true, lasting contentment? No. Never.

Contentment is a heart issue, and therefore cannot be resolved by external things. It is only when our hearts our filled with and by a person that we get to experience real contentment. And by “a person” I mean the One who has withheld nothing from us– not even His life, that we may be able to receive all the riches and blessings that have been prepared for us. It is something that can only come once we realize that our Heavenly Father has assigned us our portion and our cup, that He  has made our lot secure (Psalm 16:5); That it is He who will fulfill His promise that no good thing shall He withhold from those whose walk is blameless (Psalm 84:11); That every good and perfect gift comes from Him (James 1:17).

My next thoughts were:

“Lord, thank you that it is you who gives me and my husband the ability to produce wealth.”

“Thank you that it is you who satisfies me.”

- Thank you that though I cannot buy all the shoes and bags I want, at least I even have shoes and bags.

- Thank you that everyday I get to wear decent clothes.

- Thank you that my family is healthy.

- Thank you that though I do not usually get to eat in all the good places I want to eat in, that I still get to enjoy food— more than three times a day!

- Thank you for a loving and hardworking husband.

- Thank you for two lovely girls who have great destinies.

- Thank you for wonderful loyal friends and spiritual family.

- Thank you for a loving family.

- Thank you for the privilege of leading a church who is set on loving you and obeying you.

- Thank you for surrounding us with awesome people who constantly remind us of your love.

- Thank you for your faithfulness.

- Thank you for your unconditional love.

- Thank you for your abounding grace.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

It’s amazing how our minds can so easily become consumed by the cares of this world, and what the world considers “of value”.

How important it is to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b) and to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18a).

I like how the apostle Paul put it:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13)

Again….Thank you, Lord. :)

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