These Little Wonders

On October 11, I bought a pouch at National Bookstore, SM Aura, and when I paid for it, I received a 150ml sachet of Domex . The pamphlet states, "By receiving this Domex sample, you have contributed your pledge for clean toilets!" At the back, the following are printed:  "You are now one with us in the Domex 1M clean toilets campaign. P5 has been donated on your behalf towards support of the UNICEF sanitation program." Apparently, Unilever , through its brand Domex, has launched the One Million Clean Toilets Movement. The campaign came to be due to the rising cases of diarrhea, the fourth leading cause of deaths among children under  5 years old. According to their study, over 90% of households in the Philippines don't realize that there are still germs in their toilet that may lead to diseases like diarrhea.  Through the One Million Clean Toilets Movement, Domex aims to educate and help Filipinos develop the habit of proper toilet hygi...

Before going to the airport for my birthday journey , I first went to the biggest business-to-blogger event at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura. Since I had limited time, I already planned my "itinerary." The first thing I did when I arrive was to look for my friend, Mars. I found her and Ray at the Krispy Kreme booth. While I was waiting for them to finish designing their own doughnuts, a beautiful lady approached me and asked me if I could pose for Canon. I visited their booth, had my photo taken, had the camera registered, and got my own gift pack full of goodies. :)  Next booth we visited was Chooks To Go where Mars and I participated in their Kwelavan and won a bucket of chicken! :D  Then, Ray, Mars and I visited Ace Water Spa and Ace Hotel's booth where we also had our photos taken and got several goodies as well including a GC! :D  At that time, Mars and Ray had to leave so I was left to explore on my own. Here's a complete list...

Since RB Lodge is just near the cathedral, I had the chance to attend the Sunday mass before I traveled to Iloilo. I didn't know the schedule of the English mass so I watched the TV mass first. I arrived at the cathedral a little before 7am and the mass hasn't started yet, but the commentator was already reading the intentions for the mass... in English. :)  The Gospel at that time was about the wedding feast where many were invited but only a few responded. And among those who responded, still there came one who was not dressed appropriately for the feast. During the homily, the priest said that the Kingdom of God can be likened to the wedding feast. All of us are invited, a few accepts the invitation, but only the chosen ones, those who responded properly and those who came prepared, are worthy to stay.  After the mass, I decided to walk around the cathedral until I found the shrine of the Sto. Nino in Kalibo where the famous image of Ati-Atihan is enthroned. ...

A day before I left Manila for my week-long vacation, I called up RB Lodge in Kalibo to ask if they can still accommodate me. I searched for the cheapest place to stay in Kalibo and among the results listed, it has the best reviews.  The guy on the other line (sorry, I forgot his name) answered in his soft Visayan accent which I found very comforting. He said they still have a room and when I asked if they accept walk-ins, he said I'd better reserve the room just to be sure. He didn't require me to deposit any downpayment but he already reserved a fan room for me.  I inquired if they also offer service from the airport to their place. He said he could arrange for a tricycle that can pick me up from the airport. He just asked for my flight details. I gave him my schedule and told him I would just send a text message once I have boarded the plane. (I paid Php100, by the way, and that's already cheap considering the distance. I remember being charged Php100 in anothe...

God has prepared me well for the worst that could happen. On my way to Iloilo, He pampered me and filled my heart with so much joy and gratitude. He filled my love tank to the brim because He knew I would be needing all the love, joy, peace, and sense of gratitude for what was bound to happen on my 28th birthday.  Unlike in the previous years, I never had any cake this year, I wasn't surrounded by friends and there wasn't really a birthday feast. It was just an ordinary day in the province. I spent most of the day beside Lola Rosa, praying for and with her, singing songs of praise and worship, reading the Gospel, and some chapters of the book, The Fifth Mountain .  After lunch, I cooked spaghetti and went back beside Lola. She was struggling to stay alive. She was barely breathing. I knew she was already tired of fighting for every breath, but she seemed not ready to go yet. Mama and I spoke to her as we witness how her nails turn to violet. I whispered in her ear h...

I couldn't think of anything else to say but THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU, TOO, LORD ! ♥  He prepared everything for me and made sure this journey would be as smooth and as comfortable as possible. :)  Let's start with Friday or rather Saturday. :D I got out of the office a little past 12 midnight, after finishing all my deliverable for the day. I made sure everything is properly endorsed as I won't be around for the whole work-week next week.  When I got home, I was already too tired to fix the things that I would be bringing to Iloilo. I woke up early on Saturday to pack and prepare. I figured I would need a sako  bag so I went to the nearby market with Php100 thinking that it wouldn't cost me more than Php50. When I finally saw one, I was surprised to know that it actually costs Php120, and that's already the cheapest. I asked the vendor if he sells any other quality at Php100 because that's all I had. He told me he doesn't but he was kind eno...

Hooray for tomorrow! :)  It will be my second time to attend Blogapalooza , the biggest business-to-blogger event organized by Our Awesome Planet and When In Manila . Last year was a great "first-time" experience for me. I so loved it I didn't want to miss this year's edition. That's why I really thank the Lord that it did not push through last September 20. Otherwise, I won't be able to make it because we were still waiting for the flood waters to subside at that time.  And so it will happen tomorrow, October 11! Below is the schedule and the list of reminders for the registered bloggers. (Originally posted on the event page .)  Anton Diaz also came up with his tips on how to maximize your Blogapalooza experience . Read on and prepare for Blogapalooza 2014! ♥  Schedule 11:00 am       -           Musical Performance by Climax 12:00 nn        -           Break 1:...

How are you going to live it up this 2015? Start living it up by going to the 6th BDJ Fair on October 19 at SM Mall of Asia, Music Hall ! Live it up and dance your way through life by making new goals, planning ahead and supporting a new advocacy! Head to the BDJ Fair 2014 at the SM Mall of Asia, Music Hall on Sunday, October 19, from 10AM-10PM and dance to the beat of your dreams by attending inspiring talks, trying out different booths, activities and workshops from the BDJ Team.  This year, the BDJ Fair is entitled: #Live It Up! Dance to the Beat of Your Dreams! The BDJ Fair is a fun-filled event where they will launch their 9th edition of the BDJ Power Planner and raise funds for the advocacies they support. This year, they will support the students of Sulong Kabataang Romblomanon, Inc. (Romblon scholars), and MoveMNL . It's also where BDJ Girls all come together to learn, experience and have fun through our various talks, booth, activities and workshops....

My heavenly Father, as I enter this work place, I bring Your presence with me.  I speak Your peace, Your grace, Your mercy and Your perfect order into my work.  I acknowledge Your power over all that will be done, spoken, thought and decided within these walls. Lord, I thank You for the gifts You have blessed me with.  I commit to use them responsibly in Your honor.  Give me a fresh supply of strength to do my job.  Anoint my projects, ideas, and energy, so that even my smallest accomplishment may bring You glory.  Lord, when I am confused, guide me.  W hen I am weary, energize me.  When I am burned out, infuse me with the light of the Holy Spirit.  May the work that I do and the way I do it bring faith, joy and a smile to all that I come in contact with today.  And oh Lord, when I leave this place, give me traveling mercy.  Bless my family and home to be in order as I left it.  Lord, I thank You for ...

"I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." :) Today's Psalm is both affirming and uplifting. Thank God for His message of love and His messengers through whom I receive it.  This song by Rebecca St. James captures everything that I feel inside this grace-filled Tuesday: You search me You know me You see my every move There's nothing I could ever do To hide myself from You You know my thoughts My fears and hurts My weaknesses and my pride You know what I am going through And how I feel inside But even though You know You will always love me Even though You know You'll never let me go I don't deserve Your love But You give it freely You will always love me Even though You know  Thank God for His unconditional love. Thank God for His L oyal O utstanding V ictorious E ternal love. :) 

I can't remember which movie it was but I do remember this line: "I am in a relationship with my job." That's pretty much true for me. I was looking for an image that would depict it but what I found was equally amusing:  Tama nga naman.   Sabi nga ni Tito Roland, "do not shop if you're not going to buy." :)  Anyway, today I thank God for these two things: workplace transformation , and my job .  Fr. Melvin Castro shared yesterday during the CFC Mission Core Assembly that our name is our mission . My name is UNAIZA, which literally means "unique"/"one and only". If you translate it in Filipino, it means "first one." I guess I was really born to be uniquely special and to always take the initiative to set things right or to make them better.  Today is a Philippine holiday, thanks to our Muslim brethren, but I chose to go to work to compensate for my week-long leave next week. ( I will be going home to ...

The theme of Couples for Christ for 2015 is LOVE MORE! As Tito JT exhorted during last Monday's teaching, those are not just two words, those are the very words that we ought to live out. And so as early as now, we are already being prepared for the very beautiful, but at the same time very challenging theme.  Tonight, I saw this announcement on our Employee Portal:  You have been tagged by Couples for Christ! As CFC missionaries, how can we love God more? Spending time at the Blessed Sacrament can be one expression of loving God more. How about you? What other ways can you think of and do to express loving God more? Post your #LoveMore expressions in your social media networks. Every post counts... every post will surely inspire others to post their own thoughts. Also, tag your social media friends so they can do the same. Go on, spread the love! #LoveMore #Day15 And so, here's my take. :) The more I love, the more I live. Because life without l...

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." -Matthew 6:33 Put God first because He is enough. :) Here's a song I learned from Kuya Romy which really says a lot about my relationship with my One True Love: My Treasure I don't need to follow any rainbow Search the world to find my dream come true I don't need a lucky star to guide me I found my treasure in You. I don't need to climb another mountain Set my sail across the seven seas The paradise that I was always longing for Was found when You love me And now my greatest joy is loving You The hope I lost was found and made anew Now my lonely days are finally through I have found my life in loving You I don't need to pray a prayer unanswered Make a wish that will never, never come true For I have found my every answer My every wish is You. And now my greatest joy is loving You The hope I los...

I will never let you fall I'll stand up with you forever I'll be there for you through it all Even if saving you sends me to heaven Even before The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus came up with this beautiful song, our guardian angels have already been singing the same lines to us, except that they don't need to be sent back to heaven because they actually dwell there. :)  Today, we honor the Holy Guardian Angels whom God has sent to  enlighten, guard, govern, and guide us . Angels are divine spirits with no human form. God has put them in charge of us to guide us in all our ways.  The readings for today speak about them and I'd like to quote the verses which I find most affirming: First Reading:  "See, I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on the way and bring you to the place I have prepared.  Be attentive to him and heed his voice." (Exodus 23:20-21) Responsorial Psalm:  No evil shall befall you,  nor shall afflicti...

If I were to be baptized again and would be given the opportunity to change my name, I would choose the name Teresa or Therese . I was born on October 15, the feast day of St. Teresa of Avila . And today, the 1st of October, we remember the sainthood of another "Teresa", St. Therese of the Child Jesus , who is also a Carmelite. No wonder I love the Carmelites. :) What's amazing about these two saints is that they're both Virgins and Doctors of the Church. Their lives, while they seemed ordinary, are beautiful examples of holiness. They had their own share of spiritual dryness and difficulties, but they persevered, because of love, all for love. ♥ St. Therese's purpose of living is to love God and make Him loved. In relation to the Gospel for today (Luke 9:57-62), here are verses 1, 6-8 of "Jesus, my beloved, remember!" , a beautiful poem written by St. Therese of the Child Jesus:  Remember the Father's glory,  Remember the divine ...