Advocacies. Passions. Personal Journeys.

How Baguio was before SM

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| Posted in , , , , | Posted on 4/12/2012

Before there was SM, Baguio City was flourishing with quaint boutique shops, home-grown stores, rustic restaurants, and specialty stores that would require word-of-mouth and an adventurous heart to find.

Instead of National Bookstore, there was Jet's — a small book and school supplies shop that surprisingly has everything that a student will need. Small grocery stores like 456 and 568 were owned by Chinese businessmen who grew up in the city. Toys were sold in family-owned novelty shops, artists' paints in a small hardware near Igorot Park, and music record bars, shoe shops, and bakeries are scattered in every corner.

Session Road - where all the main boutique, shops and restaurants were. Photo courtesy of http://www.baguio-city.net
In essence, none can be found in one place. But it was a joy and challenge to find all these things even though it would require a 30-minute walk from upper Session Road to its edge near the Maharlika Plaza and towards either direction—the Baguio City Market to the right and Burnham Park to the left. And who would mind? The cool Baguio breeze makes anyone inspired to take the long walk. 

I remember these so vividly because I studied in Baguio for four years, from 1997-2001. After my class, I will walk through a half kilometer road that traverse the Luneta Hill instead of taking a jeepney ride to Session Road. This quiet, breathtaking path is lined up with tall pine trees that sprung decades before I was born. It gives a view of the city, the Baguio Cathedral, and the Cordillera mountains from afar. 

This same hill is where SM Baguio is located now.The once tree-filled view is now replaced by the familiar SM structure. What used to be a traffic-jam free Governor Pack Road is now smoke-scented because of the private and public vehicles all edging their way to the mall. Many trees were cut.

Only 182 trees remain in Luneta Hill, 40 were already uprooted as of April 2012.
Photo courtesy of Green Peace
I remember how it was: when Baguio residents were contented with their great finds in the simplest stores; when family dinners were spent in home-grown restaurants; when students spend their breaks and gatherings in the park instead of an airconditioned mall; when small and medium-size businesses flourished because Baguio residents patronized them; when Baguio air was purer; when life was simpler.

SM is a symbol of progress, a haven of convenience and leisure. As a homemaker, I personally thank SM for the convenience it offers and for being true to its jingle "We've got it all for you." And it does make considerations to the environment.

But there also comes a time when an institution needs to rethink its plans, step back, and consider the culture and plea of the society it operates in.  

Baguio residents opened its arms to SM. Maybe SM should open its heart to the residents too.
After all, Baguio only wants to save what is left of the trees in Luneta Hill.


Baguio is not Baguio without its precious pine trees.

How to cook Ilocano bagnet and pinakbet

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| Posted in , , , , , , | Posted on 4/10/2012

I first got a taste of this delightful dish tandem 15 years ago when I was a young university student in Baguio City. In our school canteen, we will often be presented with traditional Cordillera and Ilocano food choices ranging from papaitan, igado, pinikpikan, and other northern dishes that are a mix of salty, bitter, sour, and sweet. Growing up in Bulacan, I am used to eating pinakbet with either fish or pork strips used to flavor the dish. The Ilocano version I believe, is a bit more special.

The Ilocano bagnet is crispy pork belly which resembles the traditional fatty Tagalog delight chicharon, except for it having lean meat sandwiched between the layers of fat. Sounds healthy? It does when it is paired with pinakbet—a mix of local vegetables sauteed in garlic, onion, ginger and shrimp paste or bagoong.

My version of Ilocano bagnet/pinakbet

So the next time you are planning to cook a veggie dish, consider cooking this humble northern dish that your family will surely love. Your kids may even say, "Look mommy, I'm eating vegetables!"

Recipe for Bagnet:

1 kilo of pork belly cut into desired size 
1 liter of water
500 ml to 1 liter of cooking oil
2 bay leaves
2 cloves of garlic
Salt to taste

In a big pot, boil the pork belly with salt, garlic and bay leaves for about an hour. Drain and let the pork dry. In the same pot, heat the cooking oil. Deep-fry the pork belly until golden brown. Set aside again to dry. After half an hour, reheat the oil. Sprinkle water on the pork belly and deep-fry again until the skin pops for about 5 minutes. Repeat the process for the last time to add more crunch.

Personal notes:
-  I will suggest smaller cuts for the pork, you don't want your cholesterol to shoot up.
-  When frying, use a large pot, not a wok or frying pan. This will prevent the bursting hot oil from reaching your skin. Be careful when frying.
-  Always check the color of the pork to prevent burning.

Recipe for Pinakbet:

3 cloves of garlic
1 red onion
1 small ginger
1 green chili (optional)
3 pieces tomato
2 medium size eggplant
2 pieces taro or gabi
1 medium size bittergrind or ampalaya
1 sheave of long beans or sitaw
5 pieces of okra
3 to 4 tablespoons of bagoong
2 cups of water

Cut the vegetables pinakbet style. Get about three teaspoons of oil used in frying the pork belly and pour this in a wok or frying pan. Saute garlic, onion and ginger. Then add tomato. After three minutes, mix in the bagoong and pour about two cups of water, then add the taro. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for about three minutes.

Pour in the rest of the ingredients then cover the pan. Shake the pan to let the mixture spread through the vegetables. Let it cook for another two minutes before mixing in the bagnet. Do not overcook the vegetables because it will lose its flavor and crunch. Shake well again and leave in the stove for another two minutes.  

Serve immediately with hot steamy white rice, fresh fruits, and extra-fiber rich pineapple juice. *wink* 

Mangan tayo!
(Let's eat!)

The Lorax and Love for Trees

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| Posted in , , , | Posted on 3/16/2012

Caught by the sight of orange fur color and the funny yellow beard, my daughter nagged me and my husband into watching The Lorax - an adaptation of Dr. Seuss' 1971 children's book of the same name.

The movie is about a young boy's search for a real living tree. At first he did this to impress a girl who wishes to plant a tree in her backyard. He sought the help of an outcast who met the Lorax - the guardian of trees. Eventually the boy found himself caring for the lost trees and after being given the last seed of a real "Truffala" tree and planting it, his world changed for the better.


What I most love about the movie is its eternal love for trees. The movie depicts them as candy-like trees with cottony swirly leaves - to stay true to Dr. Seuss' 1971 illustrations. Perhaps he wanted to draw more interest and for people to see the trees far beyond its natural state. And kids just love how it looks!

Candy-like or not, I am lover of this natural wonder! As a child I would play, climb, spend picnic under its shade. Even to this day, it amazes me at the way it sprawls up to the sky and forms a motherly canopy that is so welcoming and friendly. That is why the sight of uprooted trees and paved tree territories just make my heart sink.

And it did made my heart sink when the movie showed the last tree being cut. My child asked, her brows almost meeting in the middle, "Why did they cut all of the trees?"

Right on target

"The Lorax" is for everyone to watch - young and old. Entertainment-wise, it has all the elements to engage viewers - funny lines, interesting characters, Broadway-like song numbers, eye-candy imagery, and a thrilling car, rather motorcycle chase scene. And oh, you can also sense that the Despicable Me yellow minions are there in another form.

Its greatest achievement is perhaps not simply to communicate the importance of trees and of nature but also to demonstrate the process by which people get confused between progress and environmental destruction - and how at the end, people justify irresponsible logging as a means of building the economy, and suffer the consequences as a result.

The Lorax then leaves a call for everyone to care for trees and for the environment as a whole. "Unless" is the ubiquitous keyword that is shown in the movie. "Unless" people care, nothing will change. 

To environmentalists and nature-lovers, this movie is a big pat on the back. I can almost hear a resounding "Hurray!". To those who are involved in tree-cutting, the movie is a subtle reality check and wake up call to strike a balance between profit and environmental degradation. To the general public - it is an inspirational movie that moves us to care a little more.




In the Philippines, proceeds of the movie ticket sale will go to an Adopt-a-Tree program that aims to plant 2,012 trees in celebration of Earth Day on April 22, 2012.

Hurray for The Lorax! Hurray for Trees!

A [Funny TextMates] Love Story

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| Posted in , , | Posted on 3/09/2012

Before Facebook and Angry Birds were born, there was text. SMS or cellphone short messaging system was the norm for coordination, socializing, quotes sharing, and even dating. Of all weird and romantic precursors to a love story, mine was... well, texting.

After a break up, I set out on a journey of my own, single and free. About the same time, a complete stranger to me was going through the same process. And when an office friend swapped our cellphone numbers with the intention of match-making, our worlds were instantly connected through text.

By the way, this is how my cellphone looked liked before - a green
and black screen Nokia 3310. Hey I love the snake games here
and how you need to erase messages when you reach the 
maximum limit, right?

I still remember when we started sending SMS: Hi, what do u do? :) Hi. How's ur day? :)Are you at home na? U

Yes, we did asked that last question and always ended with a smiley face. The weird thing about having a textmate without knowing their faces is worrying that he or she can be anyone around you - a seatmate in the bus, someone you stand at an MRT line, or maybe the guy seating just right in front of you at a food court. My friend showed me his picture but that was when they were still eight years old!

And then after our texts evolved from inquiry to sweet-nothings, he asked me to meet him. What's the term called? "Eyeball!" I still don't get that word though.

I thought twice, I didn't want to go. Not that I play hard-to-get but who wouldn't get anxious? Anyway, we still met: January 30, 2003 at a mall. My office friend accompanied me of course, after all, he's the culprit. 

Nine Years Later

After a month-long courtship and almost three years of relationship, the textmates got married. Woot! Looking back, there are lessons to this story, after all.
  • It is easier to send an SMS than speak in front of the person. When texting a stranger, be in doubt.
  • Girls, don't fall for SMS sweet-nothings.
  • Guys, say things only when you mean it.
  • 2nd and 3rd bullet apply to the opposite sexes too.
  • Texting used to be costly. Good thing there are unli-texts these days. Go for unli!
  • Texting can cause insomnia.
  • Text can start something, but it is better to know the person on a normal set-up - that is talking in person, seeing him in all his highs and lows, sharing experiences and memories. It applies in social media too.  
  • When texting, always use a happy face at the ending unless you are dead serious.
Every love story has a funny, weird or romantic start.

And why am I writing this? Do some people still start relationships through text?
I guess many still do. :)


HIV and the Workplace: Handle with Care

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| Posted in , , , , | Posted on 1/21/2012

In 2011, Renaud Meyer of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) described the HIV/AIDS situation in the country as “hidden and alarming” and that “all the main ingredients of an epidemic are now present" in the Philippines. Each day, 7 out of 10 Filipinos are tested positive with the virus. And that's only for reported cases. 

What if the person we have meetings with or even those closest to us are HIV positive? What do we do? 

In a recent focus group discussion that I attended with a select group of participating companies, they admitted that they "do not exactly know how to handle HIV cases." Most HR practitioners said they "rely on their HMO providers" to help them handle HIV/AIDS related incidents.

In this video, the International Labour Organization (ILO) outlines the existing policies and programs that will promote HIV/AIDS related education, prevention, treatment and care in the workplace.

Please do share this as many will benefit from knowing the basic steps in handling HIV/AIDS cases in the workplace and preventing stigma and discrimination among those who are tested positive. 





Changing New Year's Resolutions to New Year's Projects

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| Posted in , , , , | Posted on 12/29/2011

A day after New Year's day, we will start renovation on our new home - though I am not sure if I can call it "renovation" since we haven't moved in yet. In three months, we will finally leave our sweet and small abode, the apartment which served us for six years. What a fitting way to start 2012. 

Perhaps even if not at the start, wouldn't it be nice for each year to be marked by a milestone, a big or small step from one point to another, towards something our hearts always desire?

And then there are new year's resolutions. I will be honest, I started listing down my resolutions every 31st of December since I was 12. On an estimate, only 2% of my total goals were achieved - thus my last list was in 2002.

MY 2012 IN PROJECT NAMES
A 2007 research by Quirkology.Com found that in a random population of 3000 people who listed their new year's resolutions, only 52% of them were confident that they will achieve their goals. As it turns out, only 12% were fulfilled their resolutions.

I guess I belong to the majority. It can be the term itself, New Year's Resolution is now a familiar but dubious expression -- fleeting promises that last only a month or even shorter. It has become like Christmas, an occasion that has lost its wonderful significance in the frantic barrage of gift-buying, shopping, parties, and holiday vacations.

So instead of chronic resolutions, I'm aiming at projects. Projects that will define my 2012. After all, the word project sounds more measurable and attainable doesn't it?

According to the book The Definitive Guide to Project Management, "Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals and objectives while honoring the preconceived constraints."

The key word is discipline - it all starts there. Project Management, if applied on a personal level, will involve five critical processes:
  1. Design and Plan - Write the goals and objectives and put the required tasks on a timeline.
  2. Execute - Start, initiate, commence. Tomorrow? Why not today?
  3. Monitor - Ensure that goals are not flashes in the pan by checking their status and making the necessary interventions to avoid delays.
  4. Measure Success - It's not all about the money. If the goal is to overcome impatience, check yourself if you'll pass the next boiling-point test and those that are to come.
  5. Be Creative in Project Names! This is my personal addition. Let go of self-imposed criticisms and let your mind go on a journey of creative discovery. Name your project with a name that resonates with you, that is totally your own. :)
This 2012, I (will fervently, fervently strive) to let go of glimpses of promises, flashes of wishful hopes, and a plethora of pledges. Defined target, structure and objectives are the rules of the game.

And so here are my 2012 Projects, details of some will be kept confidential :)

1. Project Victory 
  • Description: Big word! At 31 I think it's about time for me to get over some immature and callow attitudes that I still have. Plus I need to focus on my favorite 3Ps - patience, productivity and persistence. I also have spiritual goals that need to be revisited and practiced. My primary house, my soul and spirit, needs renovation too!
  • Timeline: January - December 2012
2. Project Spark!
  • Description: A project en route to my objects of imagination - to write a book manuscript, to illustrate for a book author, and to join two art contests. 
  • Timeline:  Book Illustration; January 2012, Manuscript - March 2012; Art Contest - TBA
3. Project Elmo 
  • Description: Make a second baby - a boy, an Elmer Junior. :D Need I say more? This project is especially focused on me becoming a better mother to hopefully, two kids soon!
  • Timeline: 2nd Quarter of 2012
4. Project Overflow
  • Description: Not necessarily spilling, but why not? As a full-time mom with home-based work, I aim to increase my earnings so I can help augment the household cash flow and still enjoy the liberty and perks of managing my own time.
  • Timeline: January - December 2012
5. Project Go!
  • Description: Time to get on a bike! I must admit full-time motherhood has confined my physical activities to the kitchen, living room, and grocery store. Now I must work out and start eating healthier. In 4th quarter of 2011, I stopped drinking coffee and has since then enjoyed drinking tea. Good start for 2012!
  • Timeline: January - December 2012
Richard Wisemen from the University of Bristol, in his study on New Year's Resolutions, found that 78% of people who set resolutions fail. "Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting and make measurable goals, while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends."


Which is exactly why I am sharing this with you.

May gratitude fill our hearts not just every end of year but every day.
May 2012 see the best ever in all of us.
May we all be blessed and fruitful.
May we all see and seek God in all things, because all things work together for the good.
May we all prosper and have the best year ever!

P.S.
They say the world will end on December 21, 2012. I am pretty sure that 10 days after, I will go online to check this article again. I need to know if I do belong in the 10% women success rate category. :) Hope you'll check this too. Until next December 31 then!

The Anatomy of a Broken Heart

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| Posted in , , | Posted on 9/28/2011

Whenever I hear stories of female married friends, family, or relatives who go through separation or divorce, a part of my heart is pinched. I may not fully understand the turmoil and the pounding hurt they feel deep inside but somehow I can relate to their feelings and emotions -- perhaps because I am a woman who experienced this wonderful feeling called "love."


One of my friends is going through an ordeal - her husband of more than a decade is leaving her for the "adventure of his lifetime" and of course, another woman he barely even knew. And since I'm constantly updated of what is happening to her, I can't help but cry. As actors would put it, they embody the character they are playing. In a similar manner, my friend's despair rubs on me. 


"Love" comes and sweeps us off our feet. Then for some unfathomable but all too familiar reasons like the "Tao lang ako" (I am only human) or the classic "It's not you, it's me", the person who gave 200% devotion finds him or herself confused, with a gaping hole in the chest.


Life's lessons are indeed best taught by experience. These realities only become visible and real when a person gets inside a contract called marriage. To the one in love, he or she overlooks the partner's faults and capabilities to become a worthy spouse - maturity, fidelity, trustworthiness. The one in love is fearless to face "forever." And then at the height of marital challenges, the one in love wallows in an epiphany of regret, of the "I should have knowns". But it is too late.

The Beginning - A Fairy Tale Come True


Boy and girl experience the "spark."
Boy and girl fall in love.
Boy and girl feel forever is not enough.
Boy and girl think the world is theirs to conquer.
Boy and girl become husband and wife.
Boy and girl starts a family.


The Castle Begins to Crumble


Reality then sets in - moving in together, seeing each other's faults and each other at their worst, raising the kids, raising enough money, feeling the romance die, feeling the differences give birth to conflicts, getting irritated for what the other spouse does and what the other does not do. Reality sets in and slowly overshadows the very reasons of the two of them being together.


Such realities open the doors for one partner to seek refuge or temporary satisfaction in another form - a person, a vice, an addiction or worst all three of them. The vice and addiction however are forgivable things and do little to damage the heart. The other person, call it a "third party", is the reason that can make all things go into a black hole.


The Heartbreak 


In all heartbreaks, someone does the hammering. The one whose heart is broken into pieces falls at the mercy of the one who errs. As my favorite author Neil Gaiman says, " [Love]... makes you so vulnerable. It opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up."


True - the heartbroken is not only in pieces but all messed up. Literally, the pain can be compared to  pressing an anvil to the heart while knives are inserted on all open sides. Science puts it as stress-induced cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome, a condition that follows when the heart is weakened due to extreme emotional stress such as break-up, divorce or the death of a loved one.


Everyday, the broken-hearted struggles to find a ray of light to live. She diverts attention to other things like work. She lives like a jaded zombie until the wonderful healer called time comes to pick up and paste the shattered pieces of her broken heart. 


Every now and then the memory of yesteryears floods her, like arrows piercing her inner flesh. The warmth of her lover's hug, the kiss, and the horrible image of him with another woman is too much of a pain to handle - like a dagger jammed and jammed again, breaking into the core of her soul. 


The Hope of Healing


A physical heart transplant is always easier than healing the broken heart. It is the soul of the heartbroken that needs healing, the memories that need a daily check up of tucking away, the spontaneous hemorrhagic vengeful conviction that needs to be controlled. 


Yes, there is hope. There always is. One can choose to forgive, accept and move on. Some married couples, in the condition where the one at fault finds remorse and is willing to change, swim like champions to the finish line, getting over the hurt, working to achieve healing and restoration and inspiring other couples to do the same. The pain of forgiving is traded for the promise of a better future, a stronger love, a love that has weathered the storms. As always, "mercy is greater than revenge, compassion greater than anger."


Some just stay above the water for convenience' sake - for the children's sake. In worst cases, they live in a facade of togetherness, but internally they are in two separate worlds called "Open Relationship" or "It's Complicated."


Some drown in anger and revenge, caught in a vicious cycle of emotional battles up against each other. As a way to forget the pain and dilute the hate, they seek solace in another partner. 


In the case where an erring spouse leaves voluntarily, the one who is left alone has no choice but to move on and heal solitarily. On this solo journey he or she finds what was once the wonderful self --- again, albeit the enormous pain.


To All Married Couples And Those Who Will Be


Occasionally jaded and idealistic as I am, I still believe that love is not a feeling, but a decision. Love is love when one strives to overlook an offense rather than be engulfed in it. Love is love when one remains true to a vow that once was made - through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer. Easier said than done, but true.

Love is love when one overcomes the temporary pleasures and trade it for what is real, what is true, what is right, what is for the long term. When marriage becomes a place of friendship, of loyalty, of cherishing each other, accepting each other's faults, and supporting each other through, love can flourish without being forced.

Here's a precious piece of advice from the best selling book "Have a Little Faith" by New York Times Bestselling author Mitch Albom. This advice came from the words of his minister, Rabbi Albert Lewis, a few months before his death.
"I think people expect too much from marriage today,'' he said.  
"They expect perfection. Every moment should be bliss. That's TV or movies. But that is not the human experience. . . Twenty good minutes here, forty good minutes there, it adds up to something beautiful. The trick is when things aren't so great, you don't junk the whole thing." 
"It's okay to have an argument. It's okay that the other one nudges you a little, bothers you a little. It's part of being close to someone." 
"But the joy you get from that same closeness--when you watch your children, when you wake up and smile at each other--that . . . is a blessing. People forget that." 

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In the Land that Chases the Sun: My Canadian Chronicles

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| Posted in , , | Posted on 7/14/2011

I should have written an entry since my arrival here. But then again, I just indulged my senses with and savoured the sights, sounds, and all the sensations of the land that loves and chases the sun, Canada.

With four seasons in one year, three of which are spent mostly indoors, who wouldn't go crazy when the sun comes out and put on a welcome sign that says: 

"No jackets just wear flipflops, shorts, skirts, short skirt, spaghetti straps, and no layers please!" 

I didn't get crazy. I spent my entire life in the Philippines using umbrellas, sun block, and anything that will cover me from the heat of le soleil. But because I am a tourist, I spread my arms wide open and let the sun burn my skin and leave age spots in exchange for great views, sightseeing trips, and spontaneous tours.

So instead of writing my whole experience which will take me a week to finish, I wrote this poem
which says it all:

In the Land that Chases the Sun


In the land that chases the sun
I am a child again
and I play with my daughter
my happy star, Nicole


No schedules, no office to go
Just basking in the sun
Smelling the flowers
Smiling at strangers


In the land that chases the sun
I spend hours looking at the sky
No sticky feeling, no sweat
I just always bring food and jacket


My cellphone hibernates
Because the library, the parks
The gardens, the lakes
They all wait for me like a long lost friend


In the land that chases the sun
I wonder and wander
Maps guide me to places
My feet is restless


Snow slopes, age-old tall trees
Butterflies, bears, squirrels
Lavender, roses, poppies and magnolias
We all exchange Hi's and How are yah?



In the land that chases the sun
I am a child living a mother's dream
Touring, trekking, trip-bound, thanking
Telling my Father, "Thanks for taking me here."





A Spark Plug for the Soul

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| Posted in , , | Posted on 6/16/2011

Children were born like fireworks - full of energy and sheer idealism, with smiles and excitement beaming wide like the afternoon sun. But as they grow up into adulthood, life's harshness cause many to end up like burned out candles. Oh yes, and I've had my fair share too.

May this poem ignite the inner fire in all of us.

Our Deepest Fear 
by Marianne Williamson
 
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.


***


IGNITE, FIRE UP and SHINE ON!
Special thanks to Jerome Castaneda for sharing this on Facebook.

From being an atheist to a believer

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| Posted in , , | Posted on 4/21/2011

My faith is like a roller-coaster trip that travelled to the moon and back.

I was baptized as a baby, spent my childhood summer in vacation bible schools, became an atheist during college. My philosophy professor was so convincing that I spent six months of believing nothing and questioning everything. I persecuted my college Christian friends, tried astrology, backed out, until one day I got tired of finding answers to the simplest of all questions, "If there is no God, who created the bright blue sky?"

I then became an un-orthodoxed believer, became a born-again Christian in 2001 and from then on went through highs and lows on my beliefs. 

Faith, they say, is a personal walk with God, not defined by religion or denomination, but by knowing the truth.



What is the truth? I searched for it and asked so many questions in my heart, wandered confused, along the  way and deep inside, I believe I knew all along. It was in the book, the Bible, that I left dusted for years, that I read occasionally as a child and then tucked away again.

Salvation and truth, all heavy words right? They were definitely for me. It was like a pill that is hard to swallow. The truth was in Jesus Christ, a name I heard like an old broken record. Growing up in a country that puts Him on wood and a litany of prayers made him an all too familiar but strange person to me.

My heart was closed, opened, closed, and opened again. 

What worked in my case, was when I opened my heart and "questioning-rational-all-knowing" mind to a search for real answers, and ultimately, humble acceptance. It's time to let go of the old self-righteous, subjective, and know-it-all reasoning. I refreshed my relationship with Jesus Christ, the God in person who walked on this earth, and made an impact 2000 years after his death and resurrection - a lasting impact to change the lives of others. 

Even though I have been a Christian for a decade, I decided to attend a spiritual retreat called "Victory Weekend" a two-day seminar that outlines spiritual foundations as written in the bible. I admitted to myself that in those 10 years, my faith was all head knowledge and little application.

A retreat is not a magical journey, nor a supersize "zap!-zap!-zing!-zing!" encounter.

It signals the start of a renewed walk grounded in the message that Christ left us. My goal now is to embark on an everyday learning, acceptance, and of renewal of my mind - consistently turning away from poor choices and negative thoughts, and seeking wisdom from God. In practical terms, always asking the question "Is this the right and pleasing choice to God, or is not?" It is growing in a real relationship with Christ by reading His word, seeking Him daily, and allowing Him in every area of my life.

To grow each day and develop a character like His, that is what my renewed faith journey is about.

Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? 
Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed." John 20:29 

Sharing with you my favorite passage:

Jesus said, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 "The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have LIFE, and live it to the full." John 10:9 


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