Christmas 2012 and the New Year of 2013 - Creating Our Family "Belen"

Celebrating the year 2012 Christmas and the new year of 2013 has been so different.  It was like a dream come true or shall I say a prayer that has been said for a long time and has become fulfilled and answered.  Looking at a family Christmas and New Year photos moved me deeply realizing that God has been faithful to His promise.  

Christmas 2012

New Year 2013

Really I have been single for a long time.  I never even thought that I would get married after having recurring fear of commitment and the "unknown".  Taking that big leap was like a suicide.  Knowing my personality that has become accustomed to doing the usuals of my life and my own "comfort zone" would take Divine intervention to be able to shift that mentality.

I could only assign it to a mentality level since I knew my heart at certain points in my single life journey was already certain yet I still allowed myself to be consumed several times.  God just needed to send someone to give me that hard push from the mountaintop down to that rocky, dark hill down.  Thanks be to God for that.  He may have declared in the heavens with His big bang voice "ENOUGH"...   hahah perhaps with that every angel in the heavens marched down on earth to secure that path for me so that God's plan would be realized.

And that's it, I got married last year from where I could still recall telling my husband immediately after the wedding (after hearing that big shout from a toddler in the neighborhood) "I hope and pray we will have our baby next Christmas...:-)"  Hmmmmm God waited for that statement and ...the heavens opened...angels marched with their might swords bringing that good news ..."

Thank you dear God...our little Belen has been formed through our little Maria Mikaela that joined us last July and now our "Jesus" last Christmas bringing that joy and hope for the coming years...

PRAISE THE LORD:-)  HALLELUIA:-)

IN THE GUISE OF BEING NEUTRAL

http://withoutwalls-fandc.blogspot.com/2012/01/temperature-of-spit.html

 

One very smart public school principal in one of my classes in the graduate school mentioned the latest program that is now being implemented in the public school that sort of again shocked me.  The new program says the school has to maintain being neutral such that students should AVOID MENTIONING GOD.  Praying is no longer encouraged so as no to put any bias to any religion.  Since he is a principal I do understand that regardless of his belief, he is submitting to the mandate as instructed to them - the leaders of the school in one of those school principal's conferences. 

That statement produced flooded comments from our classmates.  One of those that captured my attention was from a priest that says "we are putting ourselves on a dangerous ground acting and doing what US has instructed its own public schools.  The Philippines has slowly become  an image of the western culture".

What would become of us?  In the guise of neutrality, we are fooling ourselves to catch the dictate of a group of lawmakers from outside of our country that are themselves not believer in our God.  So they feel that it is so easy for them to make us swallow some of their laws that they are implementing in their own country.  Again in the guise of being neutral, they want God to be out of the picture.  

I mentioned in class that perhaps we have missed to understand what being neutral really meant.  As a teacher myself I do understand that being neutral could mean facilitating.  Facilitating could mean allowing each student to speak up and let out their hearts including what they believe in.  I even mentioned that in one of my religion classes that I taught years back, I asked one Muslim student to lead a prayer while I asked all the other students to join in the prayer thinking of their own God. 

A teacher in its effort to be neutral should facilitate but never impose or suppress including for example religion or the exercise of one's faith.  As a country also, we do believe in the deepest recesses of our hearts that we cannot stop mentioning God nor deny the existence of a God.  Children in school come from families that believe in a God.  There is a strong history and tradition of faith that our country has gone through in the past.  And even if we try to impose on our teachers not to mention God still we know in our hearts that there is a God.

I don't want to meddle further with what the United States system of education has.  Let alone the US reflect on that.  But even the rootedness of the values that we want our children to emulate through the Values Education subject that we integrate in our program HAS ITS SOURCE in the GOD that the new public school program would want to AVOID MENTIONING...:-( 

I do hope and pray that there will be a re-view on this....God save the Philippines

Maria Mikaela's Beautiful Surprises

Let me start my December blog with a sharing about my favorite daughter (hehehe don’t get me wrong I only have one child…a baby girl…and that’s how I jokingly call her lately).  You see she thrills, excites and surprises me in so many ways.

1.     Weight and height

Being premature was something that I did not expect of her.  But then she really soared so much in height, shape and weight making her level of with those that are exactly of her age (4.5 months…she is supposed to be 3 month old if she was born full term).  I can see that she is taller than a baby neighbour that is 5 month old.

 

2.     Focus

I was so amazed at how much she could focus with anything.  The moment I observed almost 2 months ago that she could see already,  I saw her  growing curiosity with anything including her undivided eye contact once she gets to be captured by any house guest’s eyes including mine and my husband’s. I learned though that babies get to be captured with black, white and red colors so I try to give her the opportunities of having those  in her midst.

And oh you would be amazed at her listening ability ( I tell you not to underestimate babies capacity to do that).  One time when I and my husband was into some heavy discussion over something in front of our daughter, we both stopped  when we realized that  her two tiny eyes has traveled between me and my husband listening as if she understood what we were talking about.  From then on, we decided to hold our heavy discussions out from our daughter’s sight (oh sorry for that Mikaela:-))

3.     Giggles and laughter

From both her waking moments and sleep I could say that she is a happy baby(displays random smiles and giggles). Despite some brief tantrums when there is a strong bout between hunger and sleepiness, generally she has a very happy disposition.  She giggles when you tickle her, laughs a lot and is so easy to entertain.  Oh I love so much to hear her doing that over and over again.

4.     Started to talk through her baby “language”

I like so much talking to Mikaela since she joined us last August 25 from her almost one month of incubation period in the hospital.  It’s like…whatever I touch  in front of her, I tell her about it.  I did not mind at all if she did not understand them. I just wanted to tell her.  And it has become like that since then. 

And  when she started to see, I had so much fun since I could see how she reacted to what I was telling her  even sometimes with some blank look in her eyes.  And just three nights ago, she surprised me with her rather “long discussions” using her baby  language called “mumbling” something as if explaining to me whatever she had in mind. 

And oh I just acted as if I understood what she meant by responding “oh really…that is so beautiful mikaela… you can tell mommy more about it…I am listening”…and she continued to discuss things.  There were those random short moments of mumbling.  But that one was the longest and with that little drama in my heart, I was moved to tears.

5.     Patience

One day I just placed Mikaela on the couch on top of a U-shaped pillow while I fixed some mess on our dining table.  It took me almost 30 minutes to finish what I did including the washing of plates and some sweeping of the floor.  I was checking her of course from time to time from where I saw she was just observing what I did  together with her flashes of cute smiles. 

That was not all.  One time I knew that she was already hungry and she was observing me preparing for her milk while she just placed both hands on her tummy looking at me waiting patiently.  Truly I was so moved by that.  But I was more touched and moved when some relatives – in laws came to have dinner in our home and was joining us later at the bedroom.  Our daughter was just there on bed observing everyone with flashes of her giggles.  I then left her for awhile while I tried to bid goodbye to our guests.  When I came back she was all eyes at the door giving me that “I am waiting mommy” look. 

I was so moved again by that which really prompted me to hurry in preparing  myself so that I could stay beside her for the most awaited breastfeeding moment where she dozed off to sleep like a snap of my fingers.  I then told and asked my husband how MIkaela our daughter has gotten so much of that patience to generally wait for her “turn”.  That is something so beautiful for a baby. 

Hehe please don’t get me wrong.  She has her episodes of crying, too.  Like when wakes up too hungry and realize …perhaps ( per observation) that she is still too sleepy.  Her tantrums though comes in sometimes and when she is being hugged or cuddled she dozes off in my arms (Oh so beautiful tiny creature in my arms). 

Really and truly she puts me to lots of tears as she surprises me in a lot of ways and I thought and wonder why I married late ( hahahha which I shared to my husband).  Having lots of children can be very challenging and yet so beautiful and so rewarding.  That’s why I envy so much one photoshoot we had with Mikaela’s cousins made me and my husband think that having many children is truly a blessing and God’s beautiful gift to a family.  

 Well, we are now a family even with just our one favourite daughter ( only child hahaha).  Any additional child is God’s beautiful gift to us …a small …growing family:=). 

And this first Christmas together as a family…God just gave us in advance His truest promise of a new life through our daughter…God’s greatest and beautiful surprise gift this season of Advent...

Advance Merry Christmas everyone …Let us continue to be Joyfully Hopeful in this wonderful season of the year…J Amen…

Valuing Values Formation

http://mccgd.org/adult-formation-class-practical-steps-to-grow-spiritually/

Last week in my graduate school class I learned from my other classmates who are teaching in the Public schools that the Values Education subject’s time is lowered to 30 minutes to give way to major subjects such as Science and Mathematics.  That one really bothered me.  Though it was sort of redeemed by one of our classmates that Values Education topics are being integrated in all subjects still it did not affect a bit with my high regard and concern at the formation of students studying in the public schools.

When I shared this one to my husband he jokingly stated “we are forming future ‘criminals’ …”.  He added later saying “I am sorry…"criminal" is so strong and harsh for that…but that is possible”.  

Without values formation of our learners, knowledge in sciences and other subjects may lead them astray.  Our students may become adept with all these subjects but without finding the good and how it could better and positively affect the lives of others would be self-serving.  Students have to learn to reflect and put to good use their knowledge.  

Without bringing this to the heart level would produce politicians, doctors, teachers, engineers, nurses etc.  that could not empathize with the feelings or struggles and sufferings of others.  In that manner we loose the very essence and purpose of acquiring them. 

Do you ever wonder why we produce professionals who practice their professions without the heart?  What do I mean by that?  I have seen lots of professionals including leaders in their respective fields practicing their professions with big egos.  Who cry out for respect but don’t even know what respect means.  Who wanted to be called by the prestige of their titles but don’t even acknowledge the dignity of the professions lower than them.  Who always wanted to first in everything ..”as if there is something wrong with being second, third, etc”.  Who would go as far as destroying others reputation at work in order to stay on top of the ladder.  Who would go the worst of killing in order to get more from others.

From what I described above, I am not going to use the word  "afraid" instead "fright".  It really frightened me for the next generations.  Every generation in the past seems to bring in new issues that are being carried by the next generations.  Problems and concerns have become bigger to handle and that schools with its sublime mission of forming and training young minds have failed in this manner. 

I would like thus, to defend that Values formation has to be given utmost importance such that the heart of everything that we do in school particularly in all the academic subjects should lead each student to see better from the heart relating them to how they could positively affect the lives of others. 

The heart to training our students should be the love  and making these same students feel that love so that they would bring the same wherever they would be  after graduation.  If teachers fail to deliver this, then the school fails as an institution.  Instead of forming young minds, we bring more problems to the world.  We produce intellectuals that produce “bombs” in all sorts wherever they are.

Now, Am I stating here too much?  I hope not…

PS.  Hey I know a lot of teachers that are so passionate with their work…my greeting of congratulations to them:-)

Laws of the Heart Vs. the Laws Written by Man

I was actually browsing my notes a while ago and ran across one of the articles that our professor Dr. Lourdes Tolod gave us in class entitled AFGHANISTAN'S RAGE AT YOUNG LOVERS.  Actually we were asked to choose from among those articles to critique on and as I read further I was led to hop unto my keyboard and wrote the following...In the end...I felt sort of confused...hahahha.  Anyway ...here goes... (I wrote them without really any touch or initiative to do editing..if i would do that...i would be more confused hahahah...crazy ha).  Suggestion...please search the web for you to understand the story:-)  ....thanks for the help:-)

http://muslimmatters.org/2011/01/25/picking-up-the-pieces-how-to-deal-with-lost-love/

Laws of the Heart Vs. the Laws Written by Man...this is what my reaction / critique paper would focus on.  It is just so disheartening for me as I ran through the story of the adolescent couple.  They both came from an Afghanistan culture that believes in arranged marriage.  By the term arranged marriage is already a violation to the human heart. 

We all know that the human heart works in so very mysterious ways.  It has its own dictate and moves and it feels accordingly.  When one says “follow your heart”.  It means that you submit to its movements.  It moves you to certain direction.  Loving someone for example is part of its dictate.  Sometimes beyond reason we feel for someone and a lot of those around us may not agree to it but still we submit and continue loving. 

But then the heavier burden and weight is placed with someone that loves but is against the written law of man.  Each society or culture has but itself written guide or laws to live by.  Some of these laws existed through time handed down from generations to generations.  Through time, it has toughened and people strongly adhere and believe in it despite the pain and struggles that they bring to man. 

But even and despite the existing laws, there are those gifted with bravery and courage to stand up for what they believe is right and just.  These individuals do not just rely with the written laws of man.  They feel in their hearts that beyond the written law, there is that movement in their hearts that bring and lead them to restlessness.  This restlessness propels them to do something beyond human reason and written laws combined.  That’s why you see people “going against” some practices of culture because by themselves they feel something is wrong and unjust. 

Love by itself is a gift to each man.  We feel and do beautiful things and even commit to certain beautiful causes when we are in love.  This is beyond the written laws of any culture.  That’s why the young lovers fought so hard for their love even unto facing death for they know in their hearts loving someone cannot be dictated by anyone or existing laws or culture.  Loving actually is the most natural thing that we humans can do.  Anyone that violates the movement of the human heart violates nature and thus, violates or disobeys the God that puts it in the heart of every man or woman alive on earth.

At this juncture, I am bothered at how one culture has arrived at such move at killing two individuals because of violating a culture or tradition.  I remember Jesus in one of the stories of the Gospel stated “the Sabbath is made for the good of man …not man for the Sabbath”.  What he meant by that was that laws should serve as man’s guide and for any reason any part of the law hurts, brings injustice or is oppressive then the heart of the law is itself violated. 

In fact, by itself the law has a “heart”.  Thus, I believe that the heart of the law springs from those people that made it into such.  How come a group of individuals create a law or a culture that is oppressive and has “no heart”.  Does it follow then that these individuals writing those laws did not really listen to their own hearts so as to come up with those laws that should reflect equality and justice for all living individuals? 

A  lot of things do surface due to man not being able to listen from their hearts.   A lot of questionable, selfish, unjust decisions can be made when we do not listen to our  --- human heart.   Thus what would become of those young Afghanistan lovers would ultimately question man’s heart.  This should be an awakening to Afghanistan’s people…I am deeply praying and hoping that one day these people would be freer to express themselves in love at the dictate of their own hearts and not by anyone else or culture.

Again…Love is a gift….thus, it is so free and available for everyone…