Andrew, the apostle

The name Andrew is a Greek name which means “manly” or “of valor.” 
 Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter and son of Jonah.  He was born in Bethsaida in the province of Galilee and was a fisherman like his brother Peter. 
Before he met Jesus, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist.However, when John pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God he realized that Jesus was greater and immediately left John, found his brother Peter and became a disciple of Jesus (John 1:25-42). After this Andrew and Peter continued to be fishermen and lived at home until being called permanently by Jesus to be “fishers of men.” (Mt. 4:18f).  Most of what we know about Andrew comes from the Gospel of John.
 

John reveals Andrew as one who was constantly bringing people to Jesus. He began by bringing his brother Peter to Jesus.

 Later Jesus is teaching the multitudes on the mountainside and he asks Philip where they could find food to feed the crowd and Philip says “Eight months wages could not buy enough bread” to feed them.It was Andrew who brought the boy with five barley loaves and two fish to Jesus which Jesus miraculously multiplies into enough food to feed everyone. 
And it was Andrew who during the Passover Feast brought a group of Greeks (Gentiles) to meet Jesus which prompts Jesus to remark “when I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all men to myself.” 

Andrew knew that Jesus came not only to save Israel but everyone on the earth.

The last time Andrew is mentioned in the Bible is in Acts chapter one where he is listed as one of the witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection and His ascension into Heave

Help me become a better servant.

Dear Lord,

I see now that your people calls for you every minute and every second of the day.

We are weak and only in you are we made new and strong.

Give me all the weight of the world on a platter. Let me progress in this manner.

Thank you for opening up my eyes. I will continue to follow you blindingly because with You as my eyes, I 

have nothing to fear.

THE JOYS OF TEACHING

 From square one, this idea was a means to an end.  I never aspired to be a teacher nor did I believe I would ever truly enjoy doing it.  But, I wanted to travel and to live in foreign countries.  I shocked myself when I found that I actually enjoyed it more than I ever expected.

I would describe teaching as rewarding, challenging, frustrating, and disappointing.  If you’re a teacher, you probably have this smug look on your face, smiling, because you know already exactly why I’ve chosen these four adjectives.  If you’re not a teacher, let me explain.

 I never taught and was given no time to work things out on my own.  At the time, I felt like I was drowning. Now I realize it was a blessing that my two students were as new and as fresh as me.

Teaching is rewarding when each week, during my lesson, I able to see what my students have learned in the small amount of time i’ve spent with them.

My Japanese student Adrian (Japanese Student) came into my class not knowing anything.  Literally.  The first week(s) I taught him how to say “Hello, how are you?”, “My name is….”, “I’m ten years old”.  Over one exhausting months I taught him these basic phrases, numbers, colors, and animals.  This wasn’t enough time to have my students throwing temper tantrums in English, but it was enough for him to go to the zoo and tell him the names of the animals and whether or not those animals can run, jump, swim, or fly.

The moments when my student stops asking for my help to spell “elephant” or he finally ask to go to the bathroom in English, with correct grammar, rather than grunting and pointing is an indescribably rewarding moment.  

This moment is very personal, and can’t really be shared with anyone, except for maybe the teacher in the classroom next door trying to accomplish the same thing. My students are too young to realize they couldn’t say these simple things only a few months prior, but I see it, and it makes me proud.

With my youngest students, everything he say, spell, do, read, and know is from me. I’m so proud of my students and the ideas he can express when I consider he could barely tell me how old he is.  Teaching is the most rewarding work experience I’ve encountered.

Being a teacher is challenging each and every day because students don’t give you anything.

They’re not there to help you.  They sit, and wait, for you to give them something meaningful. It’s up to you to provide something worthwhile.  Beginning a lesson with a set of new vocabulary or with complicated grammar rules generally send back some lost, confused, mouth gaping, empty expressions.

The quick realization that it is now my responsibility to not only describe and explain the new concepts, but that I also have to bring them to a deep enough understanding that they are then able to independently use this new information in the future is enough to make my head spin just planning the lesson.  Being a teacher is rewarding when i realize the successes at the end of a long day, but to bring my students to this point of success is the most difficult task I’ve ever faced.

When i was standing in front of them, i see a lot of things.  My studenyante ako na lazy magsulat at magbasa sabihin nya pagod na sya, hungry, or distracted, and bihira lang mg-eager and willing na mag-aral . Minsan they learn by doing, sometimes by listening, sometimes by speaking aloud and learning from their mistakes, and still they want to learn most through writing.  Working with two different nationality of students in one environment is often frustrating more than anything.  It’s impossible to meet everyone’s needs as you feel you should.

They don’t feel frustrated, but you sure do trying to be exactly what each student needs at the time they need it.

After teaching the same students for an extended period of time, I started to grow emotionally attached to some of them.  I looked forward to seeing them each week and I thoroughly enjoyed teaching them as they often made my job easy.  Then it was time for me to leave.  Do adults engrain their relationships a little deeper than young children, or is this a personal trait?  When it was time to say goodbye, I didn’t know what to say or how to handle myself.

It was difficult for me to let go, but the students didn’t seem to have any qualms about it. 

They wrote me adorable little notes saying thank you and that I was “the best English teacher they’ve ever had”, napakasarap pakinggan mula sa aking studyante.

Teaching is rewarding.  It’s challenging.  Frustrating is often an understatement.  Letting go is especially difficult on the few days i've faced with it.  Whether it’s an room or classroom, it doesn’t matter, the job i have as a teacher is anything but easy.  But, in reality, none of this matters.  I’ve barely begun my life in the work force and I can tell you now, teaching may be one of the most influential, life altering positions I could have ever accepted.

My Japanese Student

My Korean Student

My Crazy Side!

Street Dance at Ayala Triangle (Paseo De Roxas, Makati Ave.)

 Rumble sa dalawang hot dog pillow ko.

I want to be kid forever!

30 minutes Baby Crawl sa Mt. Banahaw

wearing my FAVORITE T-SHIRT!

Sun Dance

Kids on the block

Monkey Bar

I never thought...

ARE YOU THE PERSON WHOSE ASPIRATION AS A KID BECAME A REALITY?  As for me, NO because I never thought that I would be in the profession in teaching.  Destiny perhaps brought me here. he....he...

When I was a kid, I never dreamed of becoming a teacher, doctor, soldier or any white-collared job.  When I was in grade school, I want to become a nun however, my aunt who was also my guardian advised me that I have to make sure whether I really wanted to become one or just fascinated by the nuns I see in church. One important question she asked me was "Who will inherit your "batasan" nga pagkacrazy ?" so it made me think many times. ha..ha...ha... 

In high school, i was disappointed to see my classmates not studying their lessons especially when they presented their reports and they were not able to answer correctly so I said to myself "I don't to become a teacher.

After graduation in high school, I went to Manila to look for work at the same time to study.  Unexpectedly, I took the exams for Marketing and Advertising  and so out of the blue, after a series of examinations, I was lucky to be a scholar ng Bayan in Polytechnic University of the Philippines.  After a year of studying, I was then assigned to work in Nestle ice cream.  I never thought that once you are a Marketing  especially Advertising you will be a teacher also.  My negative thoughts of choosing the profession in teaching was then twisted 360 degrees when I was deployed in the field as Marketing.  I taught Marketing basta na lang magbenta at mag-alok ka lang ng produkto mo ay okay na yun pala kailangan mo rin magturo sa mga (STD) sipag,tiyaga at diskarte sa mga client at costumer mo.  After more than a year so my teaching skills was further honed. After taking up my Marketing and Advertising course I was reassigned in Aurora Cubao to serve as Quality Assurance. As a QA, one of my duties was to train my operator to become proficient in production.  Again also the school invites us to give lectures to their students both sports in "Milo Best" and wellness and ako na naman ang madalas isalang lalo na pag walang wala na talaga na mahugot.Thanks to the many references lalo na kay Mr. Ben Bumatay of PUP professor,Sir Fuk "Henry" Loo, Maam Yeng Neng of Nestle Philippines. I also gathered from previous seminars and trainings at least I have earned some credits.  

Despite of the twists in my life, I am still blessed because God has this plans for me.  So I offer all my accomplishments to him and pray that He will continue to give me the wisdom I need in my work.  

Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, it's back to work I go

After a 1-year , I am reentering the work world.

For so many reasons, this was perfect timing. My baby Banana is 70 days old. 

Those of you whose baby are also in same age, this was complete folly. I filled my time with full-time house wife like a tsunami would fill a swimming pool. do my laundry and cooking in the morning ,feed the baby and gave her a bath, play with her  run an errand, exercised dancing with her. What?? It's already 3:30pm? But I just barely took a shower!

And yet, despite my constant busyness — when husband were home and when he were at work — the lurking feeling of not contributing plagued me. Somehow I didn't put laundry, cleaning, cooking and running a household on the same level as working. I don't know how to explain it, but it was always a struggle for me to feel productive at home. It wasn't enough for me.

The christian counselor back story to this includes my lack of confidence in my parenting ability, my compulsive need to achieve. I love using my brain and practicing a skill. Being home with baby and being asked to pretend I was the mommy duck, reminding my husband  to his weekly schedule and our day to day sharing word of God after day didn't test my brain so much as my patience. Being the mom is hard, hard work. HARD WORK!

I don't think I was ever Nanay  of the Year, but I wouldn't have done it differently. Given the option, I still would choose to be home. My College friend  who worked always told me, "Oh, you're so lucky to be able to stay home." I was often tempted to offer to trade lives with them for a few days. The funny thing is, had I worked, I know I would have wished I could be home. Now I'll have a little of both.

Abigail, a Woman of Integrity

The story of Abigail in the Bible (1 Samuel 25) is a story of one of the most faithful and honorable women mentioned in God’s Word – definitely a woman of integrity!
Abigail’s Foolish Husband Nabal
After the death of the prophet Samuel (vs. 1), David and his men moved into the wilderness of Paran just a few miles from the city of Carmel (1 Samuel 25:1-2). While in this region, David became acquainted with a man named Nabal whose name means “Fool” (marginal reading – 1 Samuel 25:25). The word signifies one who is “foolish, base, or villainous.” It is also interesting to note that “he was of the house of Caleb.” The name, “Caleb” signifies “a dog” or a man of a “churlish” (stingy or mean) disposition (1 Samuel 25:3). It is unfortunate that Abigail was married to such a man. David (through his servants) asked Nabal to provide some necessary sustenance (vs. 8) for him and his men but Nabal refused (1 Samuel 25:10-11). We can plainly see the bloated ego of this man in 1 Samuel 25:11 where the personal pronoun “I” or “my” is used seven times!
Abigail’s Character Illustrated
Fortunately, one of David’s servants told Nabal’s wife concerning the insults that had been hurled at his fellow servants by Nabal (1 Samuel 25:14) even though David’s men had protected Nabal’s men and sheep from outside forces (1 Samuel 25:15-16). As soon as Abigail heard of her husband’s insulting behavior toward David, she began to make preparations to make up for his foolish actions. Without telling her husband of her plan (1 Samuel 25:19), she and her servants prepared a large amount of food and drink and traveled to where David and his men were camped (1 Samuel 25:18-20). Abigail prevented certain disaster regarding herself and her family by humbling herself before David (1 Samuel 25:23-31). Abigail did an extraordinary thing when she took the blame for the sin of her husband (1 Samuel 25:28). She humbled herself and interceded for her people before David. Desiring to intercede on behalf of one’s family requires a character of humility, sacrifice and personal cost. The result of Abigail’s actions was that David’s heart was softened and he was kept from bloodshed that day. He accepted her offering and granted her request (1 Samuel 25:35). Abigail was godly in that:
1) She was a wise woman – She recognized the need to humble herself and intercede for her people before David and was willing to do so (1 Samuel 25:28).
2) She was a courageous woman – Abigail risked her life, firstly by not telling her husband of her plans. In those times women were their husband’s property. Nabal was a wealthy man (vs. 2) – she could have lost everything – even her life, for taking matters into her own hands. Secondly, going to meet David was very risky – can you imagine riding into that mountain ravine on a donkey (1 Samuel 25:20) and coming towards you are 400 men with swords and an angry leader at their head? (1 Samuel 25:13). But Abigail was a courageous woman and her motive was to plead for the lives of others – she didn’t think of herself – she was prepared to die.
Note: We may not be called to risk our lives, but we too can be bold and courageous. We can speak out against injustice and intercede for the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17 – ESV).
3) She was a prophetic woman – Abigail spoke prophetic words to David. David realized this and as a result much bloodshed was averted that day (1 Samuel 25:33).
4) She Was a faithful woman – She believed in God and spoke forth His message to David (1 Samuel 25:26). Abigail was rewarded for her faithfulness – she became wife to David, the future King (1 Samuel 25:42).
Conclusion
Abigail was certainly a woman of integrity and destiny along with many other women we read about in the Bible who God used in extraordinary ways – Esther, Deborah, Hannah, Mary, to name just a few. These women did remarkable things in their day and generation. God wants us to do remarkable things for Him in our day and generation! (Matthew 28:19-20).
The question we need to ask ourselves is, “are we willing to display the integrity and courage in our lives that Abigail displayed in hers in carrying out the Lord’s will?” (Matthew 7:21).