Happy Thanksgiving Day

Here in the United States, we often talk about provision in November, with Thanksgiving Day almost upon us and the year nearing its close. We like to recount the awesome things God has done-giving thanks for His kindness, patience, and generosity. Yet, even as we remember the ways He has taken care of us, it seems there’s always something more we’re waiting on God to provide. Truly, no matter what we lack, we have every reason to give thanks at all times. Thankfulness is an essential ingredient for joy. Joy is an inner sense of contentment, which flows from a deep assurance that all God’s purposes are good and He’s in complete control of every situation. With that kind of supernatural joy, it’s easy to be thankful. Expressing thanksgiving to the Lord is a way of honoring Him by acknowledging all that He has done. I am heading north to spend a wonderful day with my husband’s family. It will be a day filled with good food, good people and good fun. What more do I need to be thankful to God but for this day. It seems this time of the year that everyone gets caught up in the commercialism of the holiday season, but they forget to thank God for all of the wonderful things He has given to us. Many people do not have enough to eat, or even a place to live. If you are reading this post, you have the resources to do so. You should thank God for the bountiful life that you have been given, and maybe to pray for those who are not so fortunate. Let us pray to God that, through His goodness, all of his children may one day be able to thank Him for the type of fruitful life that He has blessed us all with. Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone.

Give Thanks in Everything

Give Thanks in Everything

Happy Mother's Day

Charles F. Stanley
God tells us to honor our mother. And He does not set any limits to His command. Because she's our mom, we are to treat her with respect and love.Mothers don't always live up to our expectations. Sometimes, they experience hardships and challenges that affect their ability to offer what we need or want. Or, they might have a personal weakness that negatively impacts us or our families. But we're to follow the example of our heavenly Father, who loved us even though we didn't have any qualities that deserved His favor. Romans 5:10 says He chose us to belong to Him through His Son Jesus, even while we were still His enemies.God loved us when we were unlovable. We can express our gratitude to Him by giving unconditional love to our mother. With the Holy Spirit's help, we can choose to do so genuinely and consistently.To love the significant women in our lives without any strings attached is an important part of showing them honor. No mother or wife should have to wonder if she's living up to what loved ones hope and expect from her. After a while, she'll feel trapped by the burden of unmet expectations, rather than accepted by those closest to her.Mothers have the same needs as all women: to be loved, listened to, and cared about. Take time to show the important women in your life how much you care for them. Be a willing, attentive listener, and demonstrate your love to them in meaningful ways.

I’m Thankful

Thanksgiving should last much longer than just one day. It needs to be a way of life for the children of God. So as you gather with family and friends this holiday be sure to express your gratitude to the One who has given you all that you have. Keep God in the center of your celebration, and may God continue to bless you as you seek and serve Him wholeheartedly.

A thankful heart begins with understanding what it cost God to forgive my sins and have a relationship with me. All our lives we have problems and things don’t always go the way we want them. But if we believe in God’s ability to help and guide us, there is nothing we cannot overcome.

We should always be thankful for what we have and not worry about the little things that may not be perfect. We wake each morning to another day of life. We are given a new day to make things better, not just for ourselves but for everyone around us. We have food, homes, and people around us to share this great bounty we have been given. No matter how bad you feel things might be, just remember there are probably many people who have it much worse. We should be thankful our life is not real bad, and should give prayer that the lives of others will be as good, all over the world.

So on this day of thanks, let us all be grateful for what we have, wish better for those who have not, and may we all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

Filipino Community

Every year we celebrate the Kalipay picnic where all the Filipino people gather together. The majority of the people, who attend, are from the Visayan islands originally. Now they live all over the United States. They attend the big picnic to mingle, eat all different kinds of food, play all different kinds of games, dance, sing karaoke, or just relax and talk. I love to attend the Filipino community events because they remind me of the Philippines. I am so grateful to see Filipino people, my kababayan (fellow Filipinos). Whenever we get together we always have many dishes to pass, especially letchon (whole roasted pig). My favorite things at the picnic are the letchon, the music, the games for kids and adults, everything that makes the day enjoyable. We call our party “Kalipay” meaning happiness.

I love watching happy people; I also love taking pictures of my kababayan. Everyone was relaxed and enjoying the good weather. The kids were playing in the surrounding park, or participating in the games. There was so much food that everyone was full and content. No matter how busy our lifestyles are, we always have time to get together and have some fun. I saw all my friends from fifteen years ago and they still look young, happy and of course beautiful. They all were happy to see me again and we spent many hours reminiscing about the good times. I love Kalipay parties. We will do it again each year for as long as we live.

Traveling meditation

Sometimes, even with careful planning, life can become hectic or stressful. Traffic delays, unexpected calls, and unforeseen events can all play havoc with our daily lives. Problems may arise and may seem insurmountable. At times like these, when all you can do is watch your peace of mind go out the window, try these quick meditations. This meditation is particularly good for relieving stress when you are running late. It can be performed anywhere: on a train, on a bus, in a traffic gridlock; but for safety’s sake make sure you are not driving while you do it. Let the whole of your body go loose, relaxing any areas of tension, and take a couple of deep breaths. Accept that you have now done all you can to make up the lost time. There is nothing more you can do to help get you there any faster. Focus on your breathing, and visualize the anxiety or worry simply floating away with each exhalation. Don’t follow it, just let it go. Each time the anxiety tries to come back, gently silence it and bring your mind back to its inner calm and peace.

Mindfulness meditation

Meditation is much more than simply relaxation. During relaxation the mind wanders uncontrollably, whereas during meditation the mind stays alert and focused. By using meditation to restrain the wanderings of the mind, we can bring ourselves back to full awareness and experience things as they really are. Meditation is for everyone, whatever their lifestyle. We owe our advances to the power of the mind, but we need to learn how to control it. There are all kinds of ways you can meditate and even a few minutes can make a difference to the way you feel. I love mindfulness meditation. This meditation is excellent for cultivating mindfulness. I try to do it whenever I can. First, pull your mind away from wherever it is, and concentrate on what you are doing at that moment. It doesn’t matter whether you are standing up, walking home, eating, having a shower- start doing it with all your senses. Smell the fragrance of the air around you, taste every mouthful of food you are eating, feel the sensation of water against your skin as you shower. Ask yourself what you are doing, and what you are experiencing and feeling. After a short while, you will probably find your mind trying to distract you. Notice the thoughts that arise, but don’t follow them. Let them go, and bring your mind gently back to the present moment. Mindfulness meditation helps you to see the beauty in everything from the tiniest flower to the people closest to you. Mindfullness helps us to reclaim each moment, to live in the present so that nothing passes us by.

How I Maintain My Weight

The best gift I can give to my family is to maintain my good health. One key to good health is to have a healthy weight level. There are many ways to maintain a good weight, but here is what works for me.

The first key to keeping my weight down is to eat a healthy diet. This is accomplished by eating mostly healthy foods, such as whole grains, fresh leafy vegetables, fruits and lean meats, preferably fish. I try to minimize my intake of fatty foods and also my intake of red meat. I also can eat beans as a source of protein instead of meat. I eat many of my meals with whole grain rice. This all helps give me energy while not giving me too many calories. It is also important to me that I eat breakfast everyday. This is the most important meal as it gives you your energy for the day and you also have the whole day in which to burn off the calories.

The second key is to keep moving! Exercise of any kind will burn off more calories than if you are just sitting around. I like to keep active. I often go with my husband to the gym, where I do treadmill exercise for cardio and also lift weights for strength training. But this is not the only way I get exercise. I also do many household chores that require me to make numerous trips up and down our stairs. This added movement also helps burn calories. During warm weather, I spend a lot of time in my garden, and this exercise also helps to maintain my weight. I often walk with my friends in the morning when the weather is good, or we can walk around indoors during bad weather. The point is to keep moving!

Through healthy eating and good exercise I am able to keep my weight at a healthy living. These things are the type of things anyone can do, so I hope others will have success as I have.