A Heartful of Gratitude

Thanksgiving or el día de acción de gracias is a beautiful tradition where Americans come together to give thanks and express gratitude for life's blessings. It's a time for family, food, and reflection. While this annual celebration is meaningful, we should strive to carry this spirit of gratitude throughout the year. By acknowledging the countless blessings we receive daily, we can cultivate a deeper sense of peace and joy.

I'm humbled by the overwhelming love and grace that God pours into my life each day. As I reflect on His countless blessings, my heart overflows with gratitude.

I'm truly blessed to have such an understanding and amazing wife. She completes me, and together we've learned valuable lessons about love, patience, and forgiveness. She's my rock, my best friend, the yin to my yang, and the love of my life. Our relationship, though not without its challenges, has taught me the true meaning of faithfulness and compromise. I'm grateful for every year we spend together, and I cherish her role as a loving mother to our children.

I'm incredibly grateful for the gift of fatherhood. My children, Kayla and Keiron are the greatest gifts in my life. They are my two precious gems. Their love and affection bring me immense joy. Their morning hugs and kisses are the perfect start to my day, and their warm welcome home fills me with happiness. I know that these moments won't last forever, time will come when they no longer hugs or kisses me, so I'm determined to savour every second of these beautiful memories forever.

I'm blessed with a wonderful family. My mom, Ate Leng, and Maui have been my constant source of love and support. Though distance keeps me from my father and Ate Zening, I cherish the bond we share. Distance may separate us, but love knows no bounds.

I’m so grateful for my friends. They are friends who laugh with me and bring joy into my life. People I can count on to and I can depend on. They taught me about how to live a life in a community and that no man is an island. They give me support in my tough times. They are my other family.

Lastly, I’m so very thankful for having God in my life, a God that loves me unconditionally. I don’t know where would I be if I’m not with Him. I was lost, broken and torn apart and He saved me, fixed me and brought me back into the light. Through my faith in Him, I’ve known that He has a plan for me and that plan is good. With Jesus Christ in my life, my heart is filled with happiness and love, my problems are easier to bear and my trials are less trying.

I just want to thank you for reading this blog. I know you too have so many things to be thankful for. Now is your time to say thank you. It’s not too late! You have all the time in the world to express your gratitude or appreciation to someone who makes your life special.

If you have a prayer request, just post it or leave a comment. I will be grateful to pray for you. I just hope you’ll pray for me too! God bless and happy thanksgiving!   

1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

To Blog or Not To Blog?

It feels like forever since my last post. Life has been a whirlwind lately. I've been juggling two wedding projects, dedicating my free time to album design and photo editing. Weekends are packed with coaching a women's basketball team and organizing group activities. And, of course, there's my day job and family time. I can't even remember the last time I had a moment to myself, let alone a date night with my wife.

I'm a firm believer in single-tasking. While I can multitask, I've found it's more effective to focus on one thing at a time. However, with a long list of responsibilities, it's often challenging to dedicate undivided attention to each task.

Photography is a passion of mine. I could easily spend hours each night editing photos, even after a long day of work. My mind and body may protest, but I'm driven by my love for the craft. I believe it's essential to find joy in our work, otherwise, we're simply wasting our precious time. It's important to pursue activities that we're passionate about and that bring us fulfilment.

I'm deeply passionate about my community, CFC Couples For Christ. I love spending weekends coordinating events, preparing activities, leading the CLPs or Christian Life Programs, and participating in retreats and gatherings. I feel called to serve God in this way. I've even dreamed of stepping outside my comfort zone and doing full-time missionary work abroad.

While I enjoy writing, it's not my top priority. I could easily sacrifice it to focus on other things. However, photo blogging allows me to combine two of my interests: sharing my photography and my thoughts. Ultimately, the most important thing is that I'm having fun with it all.

I'm reminded of the physics principle of using a magnifying glass to ignite a paper. By focusing the sunlight on a single point, the intense heat can cause the paper to combust. Conversely, moving the lens around disperses the energy, preventing any significant heat build up.

Similarly, multitasking can dilute our focus. While it may seem efficient to juggle multiple tasks, we often end up being mediocre at all of them. We are becoming Jack of all trades, master of none.

So, should I continue blogging, which is currently low on my priority list? Or should I focus on writing detailed descriptions for my photography? The question remains: to blog or not to blog?