Grow Where You are Planted

Filipino Community Abroad:
My flatmate and I moved to a new apartment when we got back from our holiday from the Philippines last month. (The move was due to housing regulations here in Jersey). We got friends who visited and invited themselves at our new place during lunch since ours is convenient to most of our work places. Earlier today, we also volunteer to host our choir practice for this Sunday's mass. We also took this time for the "house warming". I am glad that our new place became a venue to provide shelter and bless our friends.

In the middle of singing and catching up with my "new family" here since I started working abroad, I am grateful that the Filipino choir members became instruments for me to stay rooted in service for the Great Guy above.

Reflection: Show what gifts the Great Guy above has showered upon you and used these gifts to bless others, anywhere you maybe in the world. Grow where you are planted.

Work/Career:
I am given a new project at work involving non-audit related stuffs. I have done this for 3 years in a row now during my slack/non-audit season months, just like during this time. I remembered that I used to complain about this kind of projects because I feel being deprived of technical learnings which I could have learned if the company has given me other projects. But I realised that this became blessing in disguise - because I was able to enhance my network, build client rapports and able to "diversify" my learnings on other field of expertise.

Earlier today, I manage to submit the reports using the client's new system, eventhough I was only on this project for a week. The superior was happy with the work - and I am glad too that I have no overload work to think of for the weekend. Fresh start on Monday!

Reflection: Instead of complaining about working so hard, why not be thankful for the blessing of having a work and earning an income? Work is an oppprtunity for us to show our expertise/God-given talents to our colleagues and subordinates. Grow where you are planted.

Relationships:
I had a two-year old relationship when I went abroad and the long-distance relationship tore me apart because it was difficult to manage given the time difference, change in priorities and different environments that  surround us. The LDR continued for another 2 years and eventually, we both decided to put an end to it.

I was heart-broken. All my dreams and hopes for our almost 4-year old relationship came crashing down. At that time, all I ever wanted was to go back home to the Philippines to start anew and find for the "right Filipino guy" for me. During that time, I never ever ever eveeeer consider having a relationship with a different race/culture other than a Filipino. I was firm on this decision, and ready to pack my bags and go home for good... until "the honey" came. And he showed me that love accepts different culture/race - it is the decision of a couple to make the relationship work out despite the differences.

And since Day 1 until as of this writing, he continues to pursue and court me. Every single day, I feel so special. He has never missed a day of showing his love (may it be through a call, text, flowers, or sending me a cartoon image). I love cartoons!:) Nad he cooks! (Yahoooo!) He knew that my love language is quality time and affirmation - and he makes sure he achieves them no matter how busy he is at work (on a side note: we are thankful for the answered prayer for his promotion!). For the more than 365 days we have been together, I have learned that he is happy and feels more loved whenever we spend time talking and laughing together (I never thought that speaking English can be this spontaneous.) We are blessed to celebrate our anniversary just last month.

Reflection: Finding the Mr. Right takes awhile - you have to work on to being the Miss Right first.

Grow wherever you are planted.

Love Lots,
Lyn-Lyn \(",)/
03 Oct 2014

PS: The photo was taken during our house warming.

Simple Thoughtful Loving Words

It's the month of October - my birth month! I am bias to say that this is my favorite month of year. And this morning, I thought about an idea to jot down entries of gratitude for each single day of this joyful exciting month. (I am just more energetic and ecstatic during these days).

We had a company team building the other day - and I joined the go-karting where we had to race, just like F1 (Formula 1), but only a much simpler and easy race track. We then played mini-golf (where I learned more rules and strategies on playing golf) and then proceeded to a hotel in front of a beach for our lunch, drinks and merry session.

Due to the race I participated, I went home really tired and with sore muscles. I had a few exchanges of messages with the "honey" and promised to wait for his call after he finished dinner. However, just 5 minutes after I sent him that message, I dozed off to sleep! Zzzzzz....! So in the morning of the 1st of October, I woke up with a missed call and with his Viber message saying:

- - - - - - - - - - -
"You missed a call from your boyfriend at 9.45pm. To redial press 1, to call back press call and to kiss press x. End of messages."
- - - - - - - - - - -

Hahaha! His message made my day!

It was also my first day of lunch training sessions for digital business seminar which is ongoing for the next 3 weeks! It involved information technology through the use of web designing and html codes. The subject excites me and triggers my yearning for web code knowledge, which I had been interested in since I was in high school. I am looking forward to share this here at the end of our course. We are also required to submit an idea of a webpage using all the tools we learned from the course. (I still have not finalised my concept for the website that I plan to do.) Still, I am excited for this learning!

I am also given a new project at work (secondment), where I learn about real estate fund industry and met new people.

I am excited for the coming days ahead.

Love lots,
Lyn _(",)/
01 Oct '14

When Actions Speak Louder than Words

For the last couple of months, I kept on chasing dreams that are so elusive. For one, I would like to jumpstart my career in other field, but there are always circumstances (i.e. my need for a work visa) that hinder me to get job offers. There was one wherein I had already my pen ready to sign the employment agreement, but when I checked again to confirm if the new employer will give me a visa, they declined. (That was close for me to render my resignation on my current job, which may end up for me being kicked out of UK coz my "new employer" will not provide me a visa!) I was still blessed that I did not reach that point. I was also offered an opportunity to work in a project which I believe would provide me the necessary career exposures I need, but jurisdictions and immigration rules have again set the boundaries - and I feel that these dreams/goals are slowly taken away from my grasps. There were moments I felt frustrated, almost can't plan out due to anticipation, got hopeful, confident, then excited, insecured and back to hoping again. Beyond all these, I would like to choose to keep my faith. Someday, soon, that which is meant for me will come and I will welcome it with arms wide open.

James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy when you fall into various trials, cause your faith and perseverance are being tested."

I would like to specially mention "the honey" who has always been there for me and witness the moments I laughed, I cried, I sat quietly looking at nowhere, felt frustrated (I guess I have shown all bits of my characters in front of him!). The "honey" who patiently listens to my indecisiveness and my scattered thoughts coz I could not come up with final decisions.  He often says "I am here and I will look after you", but it feels more better when those words became actions whenever he wraps me inside his arms to assure me that things will be alright and when he makes efforts to see me back smiling and laughing and back to my happy self again.

Everyday I am filled with his "I love yous" - he has never missed out a single day yet! :)
During moments like this I feel that those I had been dreaming/aiming for are so far away, it helps so much to choose to take away my thoughts on them and instead, focus more on what I do have now and be grateful for them. The greatest blessing I have (next to family) is "the honey" - and with that, I feel so abundant and prosperous in my life with his overflowing love. (Thank you, Jesus!)

During one of those times I felt melo-dramatic (blame the hormones caused by the monthly red visitor), I poured out my emotional baggage to him, and felt just so blessed with his response. (I just have to blurry his name.)

Such priceless gift. :)

Love lots,
L

Because I miss him…

So, I looked and listened to our first anniversary video collage:

1st Anniversary Tribute_10 August 2010

 Result?

I end up missing him more…

Day 11: Who can’t you live without?

It’s pretty obvious.  I can’t live without…who?!?! :p

It sums up with relationships, really.

• Relationship with family – my parents, brothers, and extended families
• Relationship with my friends (bf, barkadas, gurlfriends)
• Relationship with my church mates
• Relationship with my work colleagues (though I can live without it, hahaha!)
• Relationship with my community

Day 1: A photo that makes you happy

Following my 30-Day Blog Challenge, this is my Day 1:

In Everything, Always Look for the Gold

The other day, I read about a reflection on Didache, a Catholic daily bible reflection published by Shepherd's Voice Publication's Inc., featuring Andrew Carnegie who emphasizes the importance of relationship.

Who is Andrew Carnegie?  He is the richest man in the world.  If you translate his wealth using today's value, he is more than two times wealthier than Bill Gates and Warren Buffet combined. - from Didache Feb 1, 2012 reflection.