The Grandeur of Cambodia

February 2016, another adventure was happily taken by me and my good friends. Since Thailand is known for its innumerable holidays, this year we decided to take a short trip in one of Thailand's neighboring Southeast Asian countries, Cambodia. It was short but definitely was worth the while. It's hard to describe The Angkor Wat for its grandeur. The intricate designs of the walls and Buddha statues were mind-blowing! Let me share some of the photos I took and probably you can do the judging. :) 

moments when you just choose to ignore the summer heat and bask in this marvelous-genius work of art!
what a dazzling welcome!!! 

looking through the main entrance... and the journey begins! 

this view right here looks spectacular in sunsets as well 

according to myths, this used to be the bathing area of one of the lords in the old days of Cambodia...
no wonder it looked like a swimming pool 


I remembered it felt like I was brought in the distant past while inside this temple

monks were said to be spending their time here meditating

awww.... stairway to heaven? :)

someday, in a not so distant future, we'll see the world, side by side, hand in hand... haha!

I always believe that traveling does something profound to you. Every place, every journey, every set of experiences is unique and memorable. I thank God always for the opportunity to travel, to take days off from work, for the financial provision, for blessing me with a set of amazing travel companions, who with their distinct personalities make the trip unforgettable, for keeping us all safe on the road, and for God's way of enriching my life through experiences and memories I make all throughout the journey. 

Thank you Lord for this awesome trip! Until next time! :) 

Every going home comes with it an immeasurable feeling of gratitude. I thank God for His unique way of enriching my life through traveling. All these memorable experiences would not be possible without the orchestration of God's hand. Thank you Lord. I am so blessed. I am loved. 

Heavenly Hua Hin Part 2 (Santorini and The Venezia)

So this is basically the second installment of my Hua Hin travel series. In the heart of Hua Hin, Thai people I would say truly maximized their creative juices and skills as they put up their very "own" version of Santorini. Well, it was truly quite close to the real Santorini in Greece. And oh! did I mention Venetian as well? Yes, they have it too in Hua Hin. 

   

           

   

                                              

                                               

                                                          EMILY----- my ka birth month. and travel buddy slash food buddy..


THE VENEZIA

 

        

 

friends for life!! :) 

Heavenly Hua Hin Part 1 (Hua Hin Beach and The Market Village)

Finally!!! Whooo!! I can't believe I am so back in this blogging grind after ages of hiatus. I MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY dear blogspot!! Heehee Well, it feels so great to be finally sitting in front of this 1 week old laptop (yup! my asus netbook finally gave up, walked out of my life after 3 years of intimate togetherness---spell H-E-A-R-T-B-R-O-K-E-N). So for my first comeback entry, I feel like kinda reminiscing my chill and feel good beach tripping at Hua Hin. After my adventure filled island hopping in Phuket, last 2013, I was so thrilled of the thought that once again I will get to see also one of Thailand's most visited tourist destinations. Hua Hin is situated in the southern area of Thailand, specifically in the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. The place is super laid back and humble, yet it has all the reasons and charm any one will keep coming back to. Hua Hin beach is an ideal place for relaxation, especially for busy people living and working in the metro. So, my trip to Hua Hin is a perfect sweet escape from the daily grind of teaching. Thanks to my friends who made this trip all the more memorable and fun. 

At this point, I will let the pictures help me recollect some of the details as far as my brain can remember. My head may not be able to recall the exact details of this trip but my heart will always remember how God made me feel that He is faithful,  how grandiose His creations are, and that I can only stand in awe and admiration to the Persona of God and realize that this same God who made all things I see beautiful beyond words, loves me and has great plans for me!! Isn't that amazing? :) 

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting to you (drum roll) the ever gorgeous Hua Hin Beach...
so worth the long hour drive, promise!!!

I love the beach so much!!!

I fell in love with DVaree Express Hotel :) This is where we stayed for 2 nights.

I loved it that there were not much people checked in that day. I felt like I own the entire place! How I wish I could bring home this pool for my own future house. Well, libre ang mangarap! hahaha

such a rare moment I find myself in this scenario... I wish I could do this more often! thanks to my friend Shaye for taking the snap! :)

this is one of the reasons why I love DVareee Express-- they have the BEST fried rice in town!!! I had the heaviest breakfast in my whole life because of their award winning fried rice!!!

and these are my great travel buddies!!! they made this trip incredibly memorable! can't wait for the next!!!

and just like that... I was left speechless at the sight of this marvelous sunrise... Thank you Lord!

The Market Village

seafood galore!!!

our tummies had a blast!!! ;-) 

the aftermath 

coconut ice cream after the seafood coma! LOL

So this basically ends Part 1 of my Hua Hin trip narration. After each trip, I love it that I always go home feeling so blessed and assured that Someone loves me so much. I can't begin to imagine how miserable my life could be like without God's constant guidance, forgiveness, and love. Leaving a new place I just learned to love will always be a bittersweet experience. I will never get good at saying goodbyes be it with people or place. There are no permanent goodbyes. For as long as memories of people, places, and experiences are cherished, you never truly said goodbye. 

He is Risen!

"Resurrection is the proof that Jesus is the Son of God. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, forget about Christianity. Jesus' resurrection is foundational." Pastor Peter Tan-chi

Jesus Christ's resurrection marks a very special day in the Christian calendar. This is a very special day for it is a celebration of God's love for humanity and love's victory over death! Truth be told, Jesus' death on the cross is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise of salvation. I believe salvation is God's greatest act of love for His people. What makes His love so great is that "But God demonstrates His love toward us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8. 

Then I am reminded by the reality that we all have difficult people in our lives. God blessed us with people who we find difficult to deal with. Undoubtedly, it is easy to love the lovable; particularly, those who we can get along well. But how about the challenging ones? How about those whose personalities bring contradiction to ours? Can we love them too? As shown by the example of God's love  to His people, through the sacrificial death of Jesus, we are called to love the unlovable and are challenged to love the way he does, that which is sacrificial and unconditional. When I begin to think about this challenge, I don't think I can. Considering my pride and selfishness? I don't think so. This is hard. But God said we are not to do it by ourselves with our very limited strength.Which is why loving the unlovable is the most humbling experience we can ever take in sincerely following the path of Jesus. We have to acknowledge the reality of our inadequacies and limitations as well as acceptance of our total reliance to God that through Him, we can! Who said true Christianity is easy? We need to carry our cross daily, that which is to die to our selfishness and pride, if we want to seriously pursue Christ-likeness. 

As we respond to God's call of loving the unlovable, we need His love and forgiveness, always. We will fall short and disappoint God from time to time, but we know and we are confident, that He loves us no matter what, and if we pursue the things that please Him, He is surely glorified. 

As we reflect upon the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, may we all realize how much God loves us that He wants to spend eternity with us through the death of His Son, Jesus. May we also realize how we can trust Him about everything that concerns us with life because the truth is, Jesus is the Son of God. As the Son of God, He already brought salvation to humanity. He already paid the price of our sins. It is finished. Jesus answered, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6" Jesus is the perfect example of obedience to the Father. May we all see Jesus not just as our Savior but also as an inspiration. We may be inspired to live just like Jesus and love others with all that we are. And now that Jesus is risen, let us live for Him! Hallelujah! Happy Easter! Have a Blessed Resurrection Sunday! 

Be Steadfast in Faith

 "...through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:2-4

I cannot begin to imagine how life would be like without the loving, ever-present, and faithful God. 

One thing that makes me choose to stay optimistic in the midst of pressing challenges is the fact that I know God sees everything- my feelings, thoughts, and intentions. There are really times when life seems too hard to bear. There are times when I get to ask myself, "what are these challenges for? I don't think these are necessary, Lord." Considering my very limited view of the "bigger picture"- that which is God's purpose of allowing certain situations to happen, I easily get carried away. Every time I feel like no one seems to care and that everyone seems to be insensitive, I feel very resentful. Most of the time, instead of looking at the situation objectively, my emotions get in the way crowding my head with negativity, and so I end up taking things against other people. More often than not, I terribly feel like a victim. Such an ugly truth that is actually only brought about by my own selfishness.

As I strive to grow in my intimate walk with the Lord, I realized how my own thoughts, if unguarded, can be very destructive both to myself and my relationships. These "ungodly" thoughts have the power to steal the peace and joy that God desires for me to experience every waking moment of my life.  I call them "ungodly" thoughts because in my heart, I know they are not from God. When God gave up His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, He did not promise life to be a bed of roses. In fact, life is going to be even more harder, but harder in a sense that we become better persons in the process, molding us into becoming the person God wants us to be. It helps so much when you make a deliberate effort to spend quite time with the Lord. In my experience, it is where I feel God's overwhelming grace. It is where I am humbled by my shortcomings and lifted up by His love at the same time, no matter how many times I fail him every day. I just can't trade this intimate soul-enriching moments with the Lord with anything. Clearly, without God and His presence in my life, I will be a complete mess. It is my prayer that God will continue to recalibrate my heart for His glory. I pray to be steadfast when challenges come my way, and be faithful when disappointment willfully present itself. And most importantly, I pray that God Himself will help me to love others more, in spite of these realities.

So now, instead of focusing on what cannot be controlled, I better shift the focus on God's goodness and sovereignty. Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." So no matter how ugly I feel inside, I can rest in the assurance that God allows things to happen for a reason. Not to hurt or discourage me, but to make me be the best version of myself, because He loves me! Instead of focusing on the uncontrollable circumstances, I better focus controlling myself. The truth is, I don't have the power to control other people's thoughts and actions. I can only control my own thoughts and actions. I learned that If I really want to please God, I must do my very best to live peacefully with others. And to do that, I should learn to die to myself to my selfishness and love others as best as I can because that is what I am commanded to do by my Father who reigns in Heaven, the place where I will happily be, when my life here on earth ends.

To love others is easier said than done. But be steadfast in faith for the reward is eternal life in heaven. I am still a work in progress. With God's amazing grace and inspiration every day, I can do this! Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through God who gives me strength."
Be blessed!  All glory to God! 

Deeper in Love

Photo taken at Doi Pui, Chiangmai, Thailand

Let me share this one beautiful Christian song written and sang by Don Moen.  I believe only God's love can ultimately fulfill our innermost longings. Only God's love can fill the void of our restless hearts. Have a blessed Sunday! 

There is a longing
Only You can fill
A raging tempest
Only You can still
My soul is thirsty Lord
To know You as I'm known
Drink from the river
That flows before Your throne

[Chorus:]
Take me deeper
Deeper in love with You
Jesus hold me close in Your embrace
Take me deeper
Deeper than I've ever been before
I just want to love You more and more
How I long to be deeper in love

Sunrise to sunrise
I will seek Your face
Drawn by the Spirit
To the promise of Your grace
My heart has found in You
A hope that will abide
Here in Your presence
Forever satisfied

[Chorus x2:]
Take me deeper
Deeper in love with You
Jesus hold me close in Your embrace
Take me deeper
Deeper than I've ever been before
I just want to love You more and more
How I long to be deeper in love

How I long to be deeper in love

One With Nature

It's been a looooooong hiatus of not writing. So much to write about, so little time. I've been through a series of fun and exciting trips lately. I've been to places I only wished to see before. To finally break this hiatus, let me begin with my trip in Lampang. Here it is...

Last quarter of 2015, I and my co-teachers/travel buddies/food buddies/housemates went on a hiking in the outskirts of Lampang province. Lampang is one the most visited provinces in Thailand. Our goal was to see the Wat Chalermprakiat. It is a Buddhist temple situated atop the hill. So we were like hiking a mountain so to speak because the trail leading up to the top was too high and too steep.  I couldn't count the times I stopped for a few minutes just to catch a breath and gain proper composure in order to continue. There were moments when I thought I couldn't make it anymore and wanted not to continue. But I also thought if I stop, I would entirely miss the whole thing. Why did I travel this far to be here in the first place? Most especially, I would miss the sight of the spectacular overlooking view of Lampang, as "described" by my friend. So those thoughts motivated me to keep on despite personal struggle, physically. I kept on and on until I finally reached the peak. What I felt was totally indescribable considering it was my first time to climb a mountain. In other words, it was a huge accomplishment in my part. It felt so wonderful inside. In an instant, I forgot the hardship I endured along the way because the beauty that laid before my very eyes was surreal. It was so worth it. I owe to the Lord my strength. Here are some of the photos I took along the way and up to the top.

This was me before commotion. HAHA! The fully alive, alert, enthusiastic ME. 100% fully charged. 

I just had to hold the rail so to keep from fainting. Haha! Yes, I'm barely breathing. Haha!

My friends were waaaaaaaaay ahead of me. I felt soooooo weeeeeaaaaaak. I am sooooo weak! Hahahaha!

To continue or not... that is the question! HAHAHA

Yeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss! I made it to the top!!! Thank you Lord!!!! 

What an amazing Creator we have in Heaven. <3 td="">

Hello, Lampang!!! What a breathtaking sight to gaze upon!

GORGEOUS!!! My friend was right indeed!

One with nature...

Friends for keeps!! 

I kept on because I was motivated by the strength of these amazing women! Thank you Lord for great adventure buddies!

The hikers!!! Good job guys!! We went home all tired and sore yet happy and fulfilled!! 

I learned valuable insights in this whole adventure. Let me recount each of them.
First, physically I saw so much weaknesses in me. I need to really exercise often. After the trip, almost all of my body parts were sore. I need to sweat often so that I'll be physically fit. Also, there should me more fruits and vegetables and less meat in my meal to balance everything. I want to be healthy so that I can continue to be a blessing to my loved ones and to take care of God's precious gift, that which is my body, the temple of God. Lord, please help me
Second, the hiking experience thought me in a much concrete way that at times in life when we encounter difficulties- those we could hardly bear, the easiest option is always to give up. It is easier to give up in the midst of hardship, inconvenience, and discomfort. However, if we don't go back to our goal and fix our eyes on it, we lose track. If we allow our emotions and weaknesses get in the way of our path, we will surely lose track and end up achieving nothing. Yes, there are hardships along the way, it is a natural phenomenon. But if we value strongly enough the purpose of our goal, if we are clear in our purpose of why we want to achieve this specific goal, then I believe nothing can keep us from pressing on even in the midst of storm.
Third, life is fleeting and you don't want regrets to have any space in your life. Time and time again, we confront situations in our lives that demand making choices-more often than not, difficult choices. To quit a job or not. To take another workplace or stay. To go back home for good, or move farther away from home. These are some big time situations that demand life-altering decisions. Which path do we choose? Do we take the easier course or the challenging one? Our values, those we hold dear and true in our lives, make a great factor in choosing which path we will gladly take. So if we look at it, we go back again to our values. What are our values? What are our non-negotiables? To put it simply, what do we value most in life? I pray, we all desire to seek God's wisdom in discerning which are truly valuable and which are shallow and thus, meaningless.
Fourth, whatever goals or plans we conceive in our minds, in the end, it is always God's plan that ultimately prevails. Proverbs 16:9 says, "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." May we dream God's dreams for us. May we desire God's desires for us. All for the best.