Witnessing

This was what I just posted on my FB status:

"Blessing, after blessing, after blessing. It has been 3 weeks now since Alvin and I responded to the challenge of our Parish Priest to pray the rosary, DAILY, as a family. It was hard for both me and Alvin because admittedly, we are both LAZY when it comes to praying the rosary. But true enough, like what Fr. Ruben said, the week doesn't end without us receiving a blessing. I'm not talking about the small stuff here, but the big stuff. And today, we received the biggest answer to a petition we have been asking for more than 4 years already! Thank you, Lord! Bringing back all the glory to You. P.S. Thank you Mama Mary for the BIG help."

I already mentioned in my previous blog that we started praying the rosary every Sunday after we made it as one of our action plans during our Marriage Enrichment Retreat. But now, we have managed to pray it everyday! I'm just thankful that Sammie and Liam are both cooperative and are trying their very best to be quiet every time we have the prayer at night. I am actually proud of Liam because he is the one reminding us about family prayer time every night and he is willing to skip some shows or parts of his favorite shows for us to be able to pray.

Blessings? accreditation matters (big developments!), more work for me (which are scheduled ahead of time...I've actually turned down a couple of calls in the morning because it will be impossible for me to make it on time...and I just can't wake up the kids from their sleep), approved 3 year multiple entry visa for my in-laws and the means to finance their travel, a big opportunity opened for Alvin at work to shift his field from Manufacturing to planning (office-based) and now.....drum roll....a permanent job for Alvin! hurrah! :)

Just thankful and grateful. :)

De-stressing

I have been under a lot of stress lately and this is why I am writing.

As you very well know, this is my avenue to de-stress :)

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When Alvin and I attended our Marriage Enrichment Retreat last March, one part was to make an action plan for our family. Since the two of us are admittedly lazy when it comes to praying the rosary, we set a goal of having a family rosary every Sunday night.

We were faithful to it until last Sunday, when Liam was getting unreasonable again (his way of telling us he's tired and sleepy) I told him that he can lead our Rosary. And what do you know, it made him excited and happy! Yes, he already knows his Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be since turned four and I won't deny that I'm happy with it. So last Sunday, he led our family rosary, me helping him out with the Apostles' Creed and the Fatima prayer. Teaching him as well how to use the rosary. I think he enjoyed his role too much because come Monday night, he was the one who initiated our family rosary! Uh-oh hahaha So kaming 2 matanda, na tamad, tinanong pa ulit kung gusto talaga niyang mag  rosary, OO, ang sabi. To make the long story short, we have been praying the rosary since Sunday night, all because of the enthusiasm of this little boy :)

***

Last Friday, during our usual HHPM, one of our brothers shared something inspiring and made me realize about how we are raising our kids.We have been praying that both our kids grow up to be loving, respectful, responsible, God fearing and God-loving individuals, among others, but never mentioned about being resilient.

Alvin and I realized that indeed the two of them are more privileged compared to us, when we were growing up. They are given a lot of comfort and they are not exposed to the hardships me and their Papa experienced while growing up. Let's admit it, living a very comfortable life has its disadvantages.

Aside from including them growing up to be resilient now in our prayers, we are also forming their young minds to realize, that if they are faced with problems or the people around them who they thought they can depend on, have failed them or disappointed them, there will always be that PERSON, who will be with them, no matter what the circumstances are. That they can always RELY on HIM. Hopefully, we can lay down a strong foundation so that when the time comes when they feel alone or really hopeless, SA KANYA lang sila LALAPIT, that their FAITH will pull them through the rough seas...and not to resort to bad and sad ideas (e.g. suicide).

***

I was able to finally finish fixing the "name" problem I had, which was accidentally discovered when I was about to sit for my Citizenship Exam. I'll have my exam this week and hopefully, everything, including my documents, will be cleared! Happy I'm done with it. I can now focus my energy in my accreditation with the NSW IT. For the meantime, I'm off to my me-time which I have long delayed! I'm off to pamper myself and recharge so I can continue working (with a sane mind) with my accreditation requirements!

Praying the Rosary

I am the first to admit that praying the Holy Rosary everyday is not my thing.

Don't get me wrong. My family prays it, especially when we have long trips. When I was younger, I'd write my frustrations and problems to a paper and leave it at the altar, under The Lady's image, thinking that she can solve all my worries and problems. My family always prayed the Rosary every night, I went to Catholic schools and my Mama, even up to now has always reminded me never to forget praying the Rosary and I have to teach my kids as well. Yes, I will try but after sometime, I'd stop. Ningas Kugon.

Maybe, just maybe, the reason why I associated praying the Rosary as a "waste of time" or of less importance in the daily to-dos is because of the fact that when we were kids, if it's time for the family Rosary, my Mama will "force" us to stop whatever we were doing -- school work and much worse, watching TV, so we can already pray. I remember pretending sometimes to fall asleep in the middle of the Rosary (Oooops! Sorry Ma! Hehehe)for me not to recite the prayers anymore. I felt that 15 minutes saying it could have been spent in a better way. Oh well.

Even up to now, I still don't have that eagerness to pray the Rosary, but in my heart I know that I have to and yes, I want to. I just don't have the will to do it. I need a BIG PUSH! I would love my kids to learn it, but can I expect them to love and practice it if they do not see that in me?

Last weekend, my sister invited us to their house because the image of the Lady will be staying with them for a week. After a week, they will pass the image to another family. As soon as we finished with the welcoming prayers, I immediately asked my sister if we can be the next family to receive the image. I felt it was the time.

And so, to make the long story short, we received the image of the Blessed Mother last Sunday from my sister and has been doing our family rosary for two nights now. We still have 5 more nights to go until we turn it over. But looking at it now, if I was to spare 15 minutes in one week, why not spare 15 minutes everyday? And I think I just had the BIG PUSH that I needed. I will be doing it with my family. I admit, I'm not that strong to do it religiously all by myself. I cannot do it alone. If Alvin and Liam and Sam will be with me,they will be my support group. Maybe, I can get the hang of it and hopefully be able to do it everyday, without a heavy heart.

I hope and pray that is not another case of Ningas Kugon.

Keeping my fingers crossed.