Nap Time Rocks!

I am thankful for… [LP]

1..

2..

(better viewed in widescreen; click to view larger version)

3..

patawad dahil naipost ko na dati yung last 2 photos. pero yan lang kasi ang feel kong perfect pictures ng gusto kong ipagpasalamat sa taong nagdaan.

salamat, Lord.

–

Eastwood QC / Dimakya Is. Palawan | 2009 | Canon EOS 400D | postprocessed using Photoscape

World peace, bow [LP]

ang regalo na gusto kong matanggap mula kay God ay simple lang. mas magandang kinabukasan at buhay para kay Mia. as for all the children in the world who cannot have it on their own.

ikaw anong regalo gusto mo matanggap bukas?

happy holidays, everyone!

—

Litratong Pinoy theme this week: Regalo (gift)

EDSA Shangri-la | 121409 | Canon EOS 400d | F1.8 50mm 1/15sec | photo by my Dad | postprocessed by yours truly | creative shot directed by Mia herself =)

Twinkle twinkle, big tree [LP]

paskong pinoy para sa akin: lights, trees, sparkles, among so many other things. na hindi mawawala sa mga dekorasyon sa bahay. yun nga lang, paunti ng paunti ang naglalagay ng mga ganyan ngayon.

–

natuwa ako sa mga effects ng Photoscape, kaya ayan. =) (post edit: aging effect lang ang naidagdag sa photo na ito).

EDSA Shangri-la Hotel | 121409 | Canon EOS 400D | F2.5 50mm 1/80sec

what’s different this year

If you’re going to ask me, I’d rather not greet you a Merry Christmas.

I’d rather wish for you to have a meaningful one. We’ve all heard about how the holiday merriment is just a plot of some evil and twisted fiend to make people forget about the true meaning of Christmas. It’s not just about that.

For the last 2 Sunday sermons, I realized why Happy Christmas and Grumpy Advent (celebrated during Holy Week) seem to have conspired to switch their personalities for Dopey Tradition’s sake. Well at least, this is in the Christian’s point of view.

Christmas is supposed to be the celebration of the birth of the world’s savior from eternal damnation because of sin. But we forget that Jesus was actually born to die.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son,” (John 3:16) and He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28)
“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness” (1Peter 2:24).

So come to think of it His birth was just the beginning of everything. including the many sufferings He endured for being a ‘radical’ of His time*. It was a difficult life that Jesus lead and to celebrate that is kind of suicide, don’t you think?

And when Jesus finally declared victory on the cross**, we are supposed to be in a state of unfathomable sorrow?

Some of our traditions do not always make sense to me. but at least this year it made a difference to me which is why I’m sharing it with you now.

I hope you have a meaningful one then!

—–

I noticed too that this year people are becoming smarter in giving gifts. The number of mugs i got this year: 2, down from 4 last year. Picture frames: 1, down from several in the last 3 years. Towels: 0.

And I’m actually happy to report that out of all the gifts Mia and I got this year, only 2 were relegated to the closet for “safe keeping” . But that’s only because they’re for Mia when she turns 3 next year.

It helps too when you just have a wish list

—-

*Isaiah 53:1-12
**1Peter 2:24, John 3:16

It’s that time of the year again

And I come back with a wishlist post. Yep Claire, we do have dry spells. We just wish somewhere in the middle of it that it goes away.

Fow now, let’s say I’m on my way there. I can’t write about it here though; too sensitive. But hey, the season is getting to me and that’s a much brighter and sunnier topic to write about.

Now this is the part of the year that I love the most. Rehashing Christmas wishlists! Last year, I wished for an iPhone, bibingka, and a shopping spree at Fully Booked. The year before that, I wanted a Pilot G-Tech pen, Gaiman’s graphic novel books, and a pair of Nike Shox. I may have not gotten all of my wishes, but the fun is in listing them down. So how about you list yours too and let’s do a linkathon?

1. A nice set of headphones or earphones to use when working in the office so nobody can disturb me
2. Nike slippers to replace the one I broke (I loved that one pa naman)
3. This Journal Will Actually Change Your Life in 2009 from Fully Booked
4. Technomarine watch
5. 1 year free web hosting plan
6. Starbucks thermal mug because my old Santa one is also broken
7. An educational plan for Mia! Which I am planning to get starting next year…
8. an iBook. nuff said.
9. and rehashing items #12 and #13 in my 2005 list…

So what are on your wish lists this year, Mee, Vannie, Kcee, Anne, Jayme, ate Pao, Tin, and Nell? And please consider this my “welcome back” hello.