Pinky Promise.

I'll go straight to the point. I don't like promises--promises that are shallow and empty. Why even bother to say your promise when promises are meant to be broken??

This may not apply to you at all. But for me, it does (that's why I'm writing this blog).

"Above all, my brothers, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned." (James 5:12)

This verse is telling us that you don't have to make a promise, an oath or to swear. You just have to commit to what you have said! Do as you say. Let your yes be yes, and no be no. Easy as that! What are words for when you don't even mean it when you say it?!

And then this verse:

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."(Proverbs 13:12)

It's true that when you have put your hopes high and get disappointed, your heart gets sick--it sinks. But when a promise is fulfilled, it brings life and hope!

So whenever you make a promise, be sure to fulfil them. Don't get people's hope high! PROMISE WITHOUT FORGETTING.

I personally don't like promises because I'm such a gullible to the point that whatever favor you say you'll give or do for me, I certainly remembers it. I put my hopes high and totally expects about it. Always thinking that you will do as you say. Always thinking like this even when you have failed me several times already.

Then I was just reminded of Someone who gives all the promises in the world and yet not one has been forgotten. Not even one promise failed.

“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed." (Joshua 23:14)

Now where would I put all my hopes? Of course, to the hope of all hearts. Only God can make promises that won't be for nothing. All of His promises are certainly fulfilled---in His time and day. And who wouldn't want Someone like that?

More than Blessed.

It was my first time to ever be in an out reach. I was so glad and eager to finally join my friends on their second time to be there, which is in Cogeo. I heard there were lots of kids who are so eager to know about God, and so I, too, was eager to be the one sharing and teaching them about God. Besides, I get to praise dance with them. =))

I have a heart for kids. I just love them.

Right now, I'm a teacher in Victory U-belt's Kid Church. We only get to serve once a month and I get to serve every 3rd Sunday. This kids here has all the privilege to attend the service and to learn more about God. It's like it's already given to them. They don't need to make an effort. But the kids I got to see in Cogeo are not at all the same with the kids in Victory. These kids here are lucky enough to have someone teach them about God. This teacher has given all she has and all the effort just to help these kids. She has sacrificed a lot from her life just to be able to attend to the spiritual needs of these kids. God bless this woman.

Before we got to the place, a long walk would be necessary. The scourging heat of the sun makes us all a lot sweaty, sticky and uncomfortable. But when we finally got to the place, I felt the warm welcome from the kids. Something you would want to feel when you are visiting somewhere. Something that took away all our exhaustion. The long walk under the scourging heat has paid off. The smile on the kids faces tells me they are happy to see us.

Immediately, we started the material we are going to teach them. All the kids were just so enthusiastic about what today has to offer, especially because they have visitors like us. And as we are teaching them, they were all participating actively and very interactive to us-- answering our questions, listening attentively and participating in our praise dance. As we continue sharing about God, I was shocked about how well they know about Him. They would answer things you wouldn't expect from a kid. Moreover, the best thing was they were asking when are we coming back. Wow! We aren't leaving and yet they want us back already. It makes me glad to hear all those things from little kids. Gives me hope for the next generations to come.

Then I realize, I want to continue this kind of serving to God. I want to serve God's children. I want  to worship Him through this little kids. I pray that I would be able to continue this and not just a one-time thing. I want to give a portion of my time to devote to this little kids. I'd be delighted to serve them and to be able to please God. And I pray for these kids to keep their faith, never lose hope and just trust God with everything there is. I know God is good. He will finish what He has started to this kids.

Thank You so much Lord for this kind of experience. More than I have been a blessing to them, they have been such blessing to them. 

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."Matthew 19:14

Special thanks to these people for inviting me join them in this out reach :)

Act of Worship.

I was reading my Bible and I was just inspired by this verse.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:34-40)

After reading this, something just came into my mind-- those kids and adults in the streets who begs for alms. It pains me everytime I see those kinds of people, and the least thing I can do for them is to give them alms. But instead of giving spare change, why not just give them food to eat.

So from now on, this will be my pledge for myself and for the Lord. It will be my act of Worship for all the blessings God has given me. It will be just something I want to share to them.

Every time I would go out the house, I should bring food to bless it to the needy ones.

And for you, I encourage you to do the same. It will be a lot of help for them. What's a small snack compared to your three-times-a-day meal right? :)


Father God, I pray that You will bless me more to be able to bless others as well. What I will do Lord, I will do it for You. All for the Glory and Honor of Your Name. In Jesus' Name.

It always gets lonelier.

I love eating! I guess everybody knows that. Who doesn't, right? It's always fun to eat and pig out. But do you know what's the worst part?

EATING ALONE!

I just hate it when I have to eat alone. And that my friend, is a normal scenario in our home. We barely eat dinner or whatever together. And I pity myself for that. I just don't like eating alone. I just don't. Who even wants to experience that??

But then I thought, I don't have to be sad if I have to eat alone. I can eat alone and still be happy! :) How? I just have to do it as if I was doing it for the Lord, and not for men-- not even for myself. How's that right?

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," (Colossians 3:23)

Family Tradition.

HAPPY 79th BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAREST NANAY!

Last sunday, we got to celebrate our Nanay's birthday. This year, we celebrated it in our house for a swimming party in the club house.

It has always been a tradition for our family to celebrate Nanay's birthday as a swimming party as it suits the summer season. Way before when I was still a kid, we used to go out-of-towns for some beaches. And those times where the days when the whole Oropeza clan is still complete. By that I mean no family has still migrated to another country.

But now, a lot of my relatives are migrating already and only a few of us are left here to stay. That means, less people to mingle around the party. I hate the fact that they have to leave. But that's one thing I can't control.

It's just sad to see that the tradition is slowly fading away. I think some of them forgets the importance of this occasion. If it weren't for the kids, maybe there wouldn't be a swimming party at all and it will be just plain lunch.

I'm not complaining though that the plain lunch would be a boring idea. But I just want this tradition to be alive, to continue on until the next generations. This is a time for our family to be together. And it is a time for us to cherish it!

I love my family and I love the realationship we have. We're a bunch of crazy people! And I love them for that.

Especially for you.

I just want to take some time to thank someone who has been a truly blessing to me after all. More than all the struggles we've been through, he has thought me a lot of things. So here goes whatever.

Thank you for being such a blessing to me. More than all the milk teas and ice creams you have bought me for free, thank you because you have always been someone who never fails to encourage me when things are getting rough. You are always the one who just manages to cheer me up, always knows what to say. Thank you because you have thought me how to be patient in everything. For someone like me who is a lot always impatient, thank you for letting me experience waiting for the perfect time God has prepared for all of us. Thank you for always leading me to God and not to you. Thank you for your strong passion to God that has made me want to worship Him more. Thank you because you have brought me closer to my girly best friends. You have made me more accountable to them, telling them everything that has happened to me. Thank you for all the fun memories we have shared. All of those will always be treasured, safely placed in my heart. I pray that in the near future, a lot more new memories will be made. Thank you for just being you when I am around. Thank you.

I thank my God every time I remember you. -Philippians 1:3

What If.

Then a thought suddenly came into me.

What if Facebook suddenly crashed? What would happen to all my Facebook photos? What would happen to all those still-pictures-memories?

I was browsing Facebook photos through my friend's page who is responsible for all the photos we had :D I realized how sooo vain we we're, or rather we are. We totally had a LOT of albums already and a LOT of pictures per album. HAHA. We totally are not camera-shy!

Almost everyday was a picture-moment day. Looking at all those pictures is nostalgic, makes me miss my life back then. It makes me want to redo all those stuff that we did. But still not forgetting what I have now. Then I thought, what would happen if all those pictures suddenly would disappear? What would happen to all the memories those pictures bring? There's just a lot of photos to lose. And I can't bare to lose all of it in a snap.

I hope my friend had all those picture backed up so I won't have to worry about it. Haha :))

Everything will be alright.

There would come a time where in everything that's happening to you is not exactly the way you planned it. Well that's life! Not everything would go the way you wanted it to be, the way you thought it would be. Cause if that would be the case, then I think life would be dead boring. No challenges and efforts. But there is a promise we can hold on to.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:" -Ecclesiastes 3:1

This Bible verse is saying that everything has been planned already. No need to rush for things to take place. Everything is under control by our Heavenly Father and we just need to be patient. Patient enough to trust God that everything will be alright. The best is prepared for us to enjoy. No worries! Just keep trusting.

One More Chance.

This is my family! :'>

And this is our latest photo as one complete family.

Brandares Family (From left to right: Benet, Bea, Mama Zeny,
Beanne, Papa Philip and Brian) 

This photo was actually taken during my eldest sister Beanne's wedding on August 29, 2010. And that was the last time since we were all together in one place. My sister Beanne is now living in New Jersey with her husband and my other sister Benet is living in Bangkok while I'm living with my parents here in the Philippines with my brother.

Since my sister Beanne has worked as a Flight Attendant, we hardly got the chance to be all together. There was also this time, I think 2 or 3 years ago, when it was my kuya Brian who's in abroad and I was left with my sister Benet and my parents.

That has always been the case. One will return home, but then someone would have to go somewhere. I never really show my emotions regarding this things in our house, but this is a serious matter to me.

2 years now, and I'm still praying to God that one day, someday, there would come a day or weeks or months where we can all be together again in one place. Just the thought of us having dinner together means a lot to me already. All I wanted is to be with them again. Even though we are not really close to each other as a family, I still love their company.

But I AM TRUSTING GOD with this. I TRUST HIS TIMING. I know when that day comes, it will be perfect. It will be God's perfect timing. Right now, I know He is preparing me for that day to come. He is busy preparing everything for us cause that day will be a day where He will show His love and compassion for us. A day that His favor and blessings will be upon us. I will wait for that day Lord. I will wait patiently. And I will wait while worshiping.

I choose to trust my God cause I know He never fails. He is a God who gives generously to those who puts their faith in Him. He is the One who gives me hope when I had none.

There's always a first time.

Here goes nothing.

So I've decided to have my own personal blog where I can write all the things my brain would ever think of :) But here's the catch, Laziness gets the nerve out of me. There would be time when I would want to blog but this laziness would just kill the want.

I hope I can keep up with this blog thing. I hope I can update this as always as possible. Besides, I can use my iTouch to do this. Hooray for me! :))

CAUTION: Beware of so random and unorganized thoughts. HAHA.