When God Says No

We are now on unprecedented times. With the continous threat of the Novel Coronavirus (Covid19), our country and several other nations have been on Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or lockdown.

The past month has brough us such a roller coaster of emotions. We’ve experienced tremendous joy and peace, but we have also experienced tears and heartaches.  With the uncertainties of this virus, and friends around us getting sick, all of us have been praying like we’ve never prayed before. And while there are countless moments when God answers our prayers in accordance to what we prayed for, there have also been moments when His answers are not exactly what we were actually hoping for.

So tonight, I am going to tell you a story.  A story of answered prayers and seemingly unanswered prayer.  Let me start this story at the very beginning. It was Wednesday of March 11 and Papa was scheduled to have a board meeting in Greenhills that night. During the day, there were already news of the Greenhills Shopping Centre closing early because some of the salespeople there tested positive for Covid19. Of course, we became a little concerned and tried to convince papa to move their meeting elsewhere. But you know, during that time, the news of this virus was still not as rampant as it is now. So the board decided to still push through with their meeting.

A day later, papa started having fever, then days later the fever went away but he started having cough. A week later, the cough persisted and papa started losing his appetite. And with that, he also started to become very weak. He was practically lying down and sleeping the whole day. We got concerned and mommy decided to bring him to the hospital for check-up. We found out that week that one of the other board member that papa was with on that Wednesday night had already tested positive for Covid19. We prayed that papa will not have pneumonia and that he will be Covid19-free. But as you've probably guessed, Papa had pneumonia and he was tested positive for Covid19. 

Now this is the point where the story starts to turn for the better. We prayed for a room in the hospital to be available since we were initially told all the rooms were full. And God answered our prayers and made a room in Chinese General Hospital available for papa. We prayed that papa will regain his energy soon. And more importantly, that his appetite will come back…and let me tell you, the morning when papa asked for pears and coffee, our family called each other to celebrate the good news! We praised God and celebrated little victories because we were so hungry for good news. And to cut the long story short, after 11 days in the hospital, papa was discharged and finally tested negative for Covid19.

Our family is overjoyed and are truly praising God every day. And you know, I can finish this story by telling you how grateful I am to the Lord for healing papa because I truly am. But there is also another side to this story that I want to share with all of you.

I want to tell you about the first night papa stayed in the hospital by himself. I know papa probably did not feel the gravity of what he was going through at that time. But for us, it was one of the most difficult nights of our lives. With the news constantly talking about the dangers of Covid19, especially for those over the age of 60, we were all very afraid, to say the least.  I was telling my family that I’ve never seen my husband, Dens, cry so much in my life. We could not eat without shedding a tear and we could not sleep through the night. We were just so scared with the knowledge that things can easily, and so suddenly, turn for the worse. 

The most difficult part was not being able to care for papa and just stay with him in the hospital. Knowing that papa was all by himself, fighting this virus, in the hospital room was heartbreaking for all of us. He was not even answering our messages because he felt so weak and just wanted to sleep all day.  So we had very little visibility and news about how he was doing. It was just a very difficult time for our family.

And while I wish I can tell you that all throughout papa’s journey with Covid19, I was steadfast in prayer and never lost hope, that was not really the case.  On that first night, I was filled with so much fear that I could not even open my Bible because I was afraid of what message I might read. I was so scared because that night brought me back to a very similar situation our family went through 14 years ago. 

It felt too familiar to me. That night, with papa in the hospital, reminded me of the time our first born, Tyler, also fought for his life back in 2006. Like papa, Tyler was confined in the hospital by himself and we could not be with him since he was in the Neonatal ICU. I remember dreading every phone call from the doctors and nurses because I was almost sure they were just going to give us more bad news. And while I want to say that this is also the part of the story when things started to turn for the better, that was not the case.

Even with so much prayer, Tyler continued to deteriorate.  They found a problem with his heart, and his brain suddenly stopped developing. He eventually started having breathing difficulty and had to be intubated. On the morning of December 7, after being in the NICU for two months, I remember getting a call form one of the nurses telling us that Tyler had accidentally pulled the tube out while he was playing and they cannot put it back in anymore. They asked us to rush to the hospital as he may only have a few hours to live. 

Now I will not share all the details on Tyler’s testimony as that will need more time. But I want to read an excerpt from a journal entry that I wrote in December 2006 which summarizes what we went through.

“When we got to the hospital, Tyler had very labored breathing. I can see that my son was really fighting to survive. That day, after waiting for 2 months, I finally got to carry Tyler for the first time. I cried so much as I knew it may be the first and the last time I’d get to cuddle my baby in my arms. I savored each and every second of it.

There was a brief moment while mommy was carrying Tyler that he stopped breathing. We saw his heart rate and oxygen level go down fast. We prayed and I kept on calling Tyler’s name. And after a few seconds, he started breathing again and we were just so relieved.  Before we knew it, the minutes turned into hours and it was already morning of December 8.  We were so happy Tyler made it through the night.  

That day, Tyler became more stable. He didn’t seem as restless although his breathing was still labored. I wanted to just stay with Tyler the whole night but since we haven’t had any sleep the past 48 hours, papa and mommy advised that we should go home as we also needed to rest.  So we left the hospital very early in the morning of December 9.

At around 845am, we got a call from the nurse asking us to rush back to the hospital as Tyler’s oxygen level was going down really fast. The nurse called us up again after a few mins to check where we were. She was already crying and told me ‘sana maabutan nyo pa si baby’. Dens and I got to the hospital by 915am. We were already at the parking lot when the doctor called us up to say we were already too late. We ran to the nursery and the first time I saw Tyler, he looked like he was just sleeping. I kept on praying and asking God to give him back to us. I tried so hard to wake Tyler up. It was just so hard to accept. So on that December 9 morning, I carried Tyler once again in my arms. And this time I knew it was going to be the last time.”

Now the reason why I wanted to share this story is two-fold. I want to address two questions that I know a lot of us have had the past weeks.

(1) Why does God heal some people and not another?

The quick answer is - I really do not know. 

We have been celebrating and praising God for papa’s healing from Covid19. But you know, our family has also lost so many of our friends, some very very close to us, to this sickness the past weeks. It’s sometimes very easy for us to wonder why, after a lot of prayers, one person is healed and not another. 

And the reason why I shared our experience with Tyler is to let you know that as Christians - even if you are a pastor or a church leader - we are not exempted from trials.  But the big difference is that when you have God by your side, you are never going to walk through the darkness alone.

You know, all throughout the 2 months of Tyler’s life, I got a lot closer to God. I found myself excitedly reading the Bible and fervently praying to God.  So, when Tyler joined the Lord, I had so many questions.  There were so many people praying for Tyler’s complete healing.  Why didn’t the Lord answer? The day after God took Tyler home, I got to speak with one of our church leaders, Achi Mila, who shared with me that God had impressed upon her days before that Tyler will be healed on December 9.  And you know, that was the exact date that God took Tyler home.  Knowing that made me understand better. Now I know God did answer our prayers. Tyler is indeed completely healed in Heaven. Maybe not in the way we wanted, but God knows what is best for Tyler and our family. It is true that His ways are higher than ours.

I may not know why some are healed and others are not - and it’s definitely going to be one of the questions I will ask God when I finally see him face to face one day. But this I know for sure - I know that God does not make mistakes. I may not yet fully understand His purpose for taking Tyler so soon - and perhaps I never truly will.  But I will trust in God’s amazing and loving heart because I am confident that He knows what is best for me and my family.

While I wish I saw God’s miraculous healing upon Tyler – and I thought, oh that would have been such a wonderful testimony of God’s power.  But you know, what I witnessed instead was God’s miraculous provision of supernatural peace and strength upon dens and me to go on and live a joyful life. And I have been realizing every day, that our faith to God, despite of what happens in our lives, can be just a strong testimony of God's power and faithfulness to others.

Isaiah 40:31 “But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Now, the next reason I want to share my story is to answer this question. 

(2) How can we not let the disappointments of the past prevent us from trusting in God for the future? 

That first night when papa was in the hospital, I told Dens that I felt so scared. I told him that this felt too much like what we went through when Tyler was in the hospital. I was so afraid that this is going to be a repeat of what we went through.

I did not sleep and kept on praying and praying and praying all night. I asked God for supernatural peace. I also bravely asked Him for a word.  And so he gave me one. The word that God whispered in my heart that night was “Surrender”. I was reminded of Mary, mother of Jesus’, response when she felt fearful after finding out she was pregnant with the Son of God, she said in Luke 1:38 “‘I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever God wants for my life”

So at that point - which was probably around 3 or 4 in the morning. I just decided to surrender everything to God. I remember praying “Lord, we cannot fight this virus. Even the doctors are puzzled at how to best treat this. Only you can stop this virus. And I know that as much as I love papa, you love Him even more. And I completely surrender papa into your hands.”  And surrendering to God does not mean giving up on prayer. It simply means not letting fear control my thoughts and putting my full trust on a powerful and loving God.

After that, I opened my devotion and God spoke to me again. It read:

“Sometimes, our past disappointments can easily make us expect the absolute worst for tomorrow. I’m challenging myself not to mentally run too far into an unknown future. I just have to make the most responsible decisions I can for today and place the rest in God’s hands. My job is to obey God. God’s job is everything else. Therefore, I can feel afraid, but I don't have to live afraid.”

But you know, just when peace is starting to fill your heart, the enemy can steal it and fill you with panic all over again. I started remembering how we lost Tyler and fear started to creep in. Then God reminded me to evaluate and look at my life now 14 years later.  I was suddenly overwhelmed with God’s love and faithfulness.  I realized that God’s presence has never left our family all those years and there is nothing to fear. That night, before I was finally able to sleep, I looked at my two sleeping children and thought ‘how can we not trust God to do what is best for us?’ He sent His son to die on the cross for our sins, what more can he not do for us? We may not always get what we’re praying for and perhaps we may not truly understand why. But He is a God who restores. He restores joy and He restores peace. And know this. What may seem like an unanswered prayer only means that God has a better answer for you.

We are now living in this world where concerns of pandemic and loss of precious lives have been a daily battle cry. When we feel such panic, pain and suffering, all of which are out of our control, it’s really very easy to let fear take over.

But let’s remember God’s message to us in Psalm 64:10 - and this is my favorite verse - it says “Be still and know that I am God”

And I will close with this statement from one of my favorite authors, Mark Batterson.   “I do not know what we are going to do, but I do know what we are NOT going to do. We are NOT going to be afraid. We are going to stand still. And we are going to see the deliverance of the Lord”

Note: This testimony was shared during an FB LIVE online prayer meeting on April 23, 2020. If you wish to see the video, you may click on this YouTube link. For the complete FB LIVE prayer time, please visit HCF Manila. You can also read back on Tyler's story in this blog. 

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Are You an Ideal Mom? #KalidadNaAlaga

My kids have a thing about asking “Who do you love more?” questions.  These can range from “Who do you love more…Papa or me?” to “Mom, ask me who I love more…my pillow or you!” Of course the answers would always be safe and honest like “both of you, of course!” or “I super love you more than my pillow, mom!” (dapat lang, anak!)

Some nights ago, my 9-year old son and I were lying in bed having our usual pillow talk when he said “Do you know why I can never choose who I love more among you, papa, and Dawnie?” Then he goes on to give a special reason for each person like “I love Papa because he always plays with me and loves sleeping with me”….”I love Dawnie because she is so cute and I enjoy playing with her” and then he said “And I love you because I think you’re the kindest in our family” (whuuutt???) This caught me by surprise since I know I am not the kindest person especially when I am with my kids. I get angry at them, sometimes more than they deserve, when I get home tired and stressed from work.  I sometimes get too lazy to play with them when all I want is to just lie down and read a book before bedtime.

But my son saw my character glass half full. 

He talked about the many times I laughed with him even while we were reviewing a difficult lesson.  He reminisced about the time we played Marco Polo inside our bedroom and I fell off the bed trying to chase them. He saw the kindness in between my outbursts and loves me for those and more. 

Yesterday, I saw this Mothers’ Day video that was producedby Fern-C Kidz (which is an excellent non-acidic vitamin c for kids, by the way!). It interviewed some moms and asked them about how they view themselves as mothers. As a surprising contrast, the second half of the video was an interview of their children, showing the moms how their children see them.

I am not an ideal mother. I try my best to be, as most moms do.  But I also know that most moms feel that we often fall short of what, to us, is ideal. I love how one of the moms in the video said that it was very relieving to know that to our children, we are enough.  And I think that is indeed the reward of motherhood. When we become the mothers our children need in their lives, then we have done more than enough.  We can read all the parenting books in the world, but I am realizing more and more that the ultimate driver of successful parenting is simply love.  And if love is the only foundation that we need to be an ideal mom, now isn’t that an easy feat?

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Winners of our 2017 Belo Baby Contest

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Belo Baby Contest. We have picked three winners through Rafflecopter today.

Congratulations, Arselyn de Guzman-Intoy, Annie Castillo and Melanie Pacer!

We shall contact you separately for the delivery of your prize.

 

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Kicking Off 2017 with a Contest!

I cannot believe we're ending the first quarter of 2017 already and I have not written a single blog post. What can I say? Life got in the way.

Given that this is my first post for 2017, I want to talk about goals. Year after year, I'd write my goals and realized that they revolve around four basic categories. Whether it's devoting more quiet time with the Lord or achieving killer abs at the best budget possible. They generally fall under  Faith, Family, Health, & Finances.

A few weeks ago, I found out that Belo Baby will be celebrating its first birthday soon. I did not realize it has been a year since our family was first introduced to this natural local brand.  This lead me to look back to an old blog post about Belo Baby's product launch.  True enough, it has indeed been a year! I further realized, as I was reading my review from last year, that Belo Baby products actually support 3 out of my 4 general goals.

Family - while the product is intended to be used for Baby's delicate skin, my husband and I are also fans of their products, particularly the Belo Baby lotion. It's non-greasy and not heavily scented. Perfect to use before bedtime for the whole family.

Health - with the absence of harmful ingredients such as Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates, and Tetrasodium EDTA, you can be sure that your skin is only absorbing ingredients that are good for your body, inside and out. Belo Baby uses 100% certified all natural ingredients which allows us moms to rest assured that we are not harming our family with the use of these products.

Finances - low price points for the win! Gone are the days when natural products are only available at high price points abroad. While I continue to purchase from a number of intentional brands, I also love that we now have a lot of options locally.  I particularly love supporting local brands with global standards at local, economic prices.

Now for the good news! Since Belo Baby is celebrating its first birthday, they have partnered with Breakfast with Tiffany to host a contest for our readers. We are keeping the contest mechanics really simple so that all of you can celebrate Belo Baby's birthday with us. With only two simple tasks, three of you can take home a pack of Belo Baby products (1 soap, 1 wash, 1 lotion).

1.  Like Belo Baby on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/belobabylove/) 
2.  Like Breakfast With Tiffany on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/densandfan/)

Confirm via Rafflecopter once you've liked both Facebook fan pages and you're all set! The contest will run from March 17 until the 23rd and we shall be announcing the winners on the 24th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Do not forgot to check out their website and other social media accounts as well:

• www.belobaby.ph
• FB: belobabylove
• Twitter: @belobabylove
• IG: @belobabylove

Happy 1st Birthday, #BeloBaby

"Crafted with care for the most delicate skin, for the most meticulous moms."

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Our Best Holiday Interruption

Imagine this.  

You are frantically finishing your work as the year-end deadline approaches, you still have a number of Christmas gifts sitting unwrapped in your living room, you barely have time to attend your next get together with friends.  Then just as you have finalized your hectic schedule, your perfect plan gets interrupted. 

About two weeks ago, I was re-introduced to a parable that I have heard a hundred times in Sunday School. It was the parable of the good Samaritan.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 
³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’  
³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 
³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” 
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

In Christine Caine's book, Undaunted, she tells of how God spoke to her through this parable by emphasizing the phrase found in verse 34. "He went to him" 

Four simple words.  But that was all it took to set the Samaritan apart from the priest and the Levite.   Christine shared how the Lord impressed a message upon her when she read this verse (I have rephrased it a bit but the message remains the same):

“The only difference between the Samaritan and the religious people was that the Samaritan crossed the street.  The Samaritan was willing to have his plans interrupted.  He did not only stop but stooped down to help the broken man.  Stopping and Stooping are two very different things.  Because compassion is only an emotion until you cross the street. Then it becomes an action.” 

The priest and the Levite were not necessarily evil people. They were just busy people who refused to be interrupted.   

We do not always welcome interruptions. Unfortunately, through the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the last thing that we allow ourselves to be interrupted with are the unspoken (or sometimes spoken) requests of our children to stop and spend more time with them.  When you go home tired with a thousand and one things on your to-do list, playing football for an hour or redecorating your daughter's dollhouse for the nth time do not rank high on the priority list. Often times, our children get whatever is left of our time and, more often than not, have to contend with a stressed out parent.

With that realization, Dens and I made a conscious decision this year to spend more fun, un-stressed, and un-interrupted time with the kids.  Regardless of the season, they do not deserve our spare time. This does not mean we will skip Christmas dinners with friends. It simply means we aim to arrange our schedule wisely so that there is still sufficient time spent with the children.

This holiday season, let us build beautiful Christmas memories for our Children.  Let them not remember Christmas as a time when their parents are most stressed out.  Spend more time with them. They are the interruptions that matter the most.

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Losing Tyler

It was a Saturday morning, exactly 10 years ago, when I picked up that dreadful phone call.

 
For those of you whom my husband and I have only met recently, you may not know that we once had a baby boy named Tyler.  We lost him when he was only two months old due to a congenital problem that affected his heart and brain development.

To say that the months following Tyler's death was difficult would be an understatement.  He was our first child, the first nephew of my sisters, and the first grandchild of my parents.  While losing Tyler meant grieving the loss of our son, to me it also meant losing my chance to finally call myself a mother. 
 

Immediately after losing Tyler, we went to see the doctor to check if I was healthy enough for another pregnancy. After some tests, we were told that it may be difficult for me to conceive naturally due to my polycystic ovaries.  But I knew that my God is greater than any medical limitation.  So we trusted in Him and waited for his perfect time.

Throughout the months after God took Tyler home, I found solace in God’s word. I read it like I’ve never read the Bible before. I was reminded of verses that I have read over and over as a child. They suddenly became anchors for me to be still at a time when my heart felt very confused.  Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future” – this verse was not new to me but it was a promise that I held on and claimed repeatedly as I prayed to the Lord.

I decided to surround myself with God's word.

Literally! 

I would write down countless verses that spoke to me on yellow post-it notes and stick them on the wall above our bed. Verses such as Philippians 4:6-7 which reminds me not to be anxious about anything.  But by prayer with thanksgiving, I just had to present my requests that God. And He promised to give me peace that transcends all  understanding.  I would read each of them before I slept and then again as soon as I woke up.  They were a constant reminder that regardless of the season we were in, our Savior is a good good father.

God’s word powered me through life and his promises unfolded one by one.  On that beautiful morning in March of 2008, I once again held a tiny baby boy in my arms. This time, a very healthy and normal baby. We named him Troy.  The Lord fulfilled Jeremiah 29:11 that day.  I saw hope and the beautiful future he had planned out for us in the eyes of our child.

And contrary to expectations, I was not afraid all throughout the pregnancy. It was supernatural how I was not anxious. It was supernatural how I was not worried that our baby would have the same condition as Tyler. I was overjoyed with His blessing. And I was at peace. It was the kind of peace described through Philippians 4:7. It indeed transcended all understanding. Again, another promise unfolded.

God's word is always true. He may not have healed Tyler physically, but He healed our hearts.  I have shared this before and I want to share it again. My mom would constantly remind me of God's promise through Psalm 30:5 after Tyler's passing. "Weeping may last for a night, but His joy comes in the morning".  And indeed, another joy came to us one early morning in 2011. We named her Dawn.

It has been almost 10 years since I was told that motherhood seemed loss for me. But God’s promises prevailed. Every morning I wake up and I see two little miracles sleeping beside me.  They will always be a reminder of how much God loves me. They are a testament of God’s power and love. His word is always true. His promises will always be fulfilled.

Whatever season you are in right now, I encourage you to go to His word.  Find the peace that only He can give.  Claim His promises. And watch your beautiful future unfold.

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A21: Walk for Freedom this Saturday!

I have seen too many movies on human trafficking and heard countless stories. I have felt empathy for the women and children who have been abused and turned to sex slaves. But while I felt sad hearing these stories, they were just that to me. Stories. 

 

Then I was told of how Christine Caine, founder of the A21 organization, talk about rescuing many children who have been on the "Missing Children" list of the police for so long. Then it became more real to me. Those children were probably stolen under their parents' watch. In the malls, in theme parks, while they were on vacation. Those children could have been your children. Those children could have been mine.

 

Children who grew up in the human trafficking environment are not even called by their names anymore. Even the children forget and identify themselves by a  number. It hurts me to think of my own children forgetting they have a name and an indentity. They are not a number. These children are someone's child. Their parents probably thought long and hard before deciding on their name. They are not just a number.

 

A21 is a non-profit, non-government organization that work to stop individuals from becoming victims of human trafficking by educating families.  They rescue and provide a safe environment for the survivors by running restoration programs in their aftercare facilities.  Watch videos of their stories here .

 

This Saturday, October 15, 2016, you can help this cause by joining us in celebrating the freedom of the survivors. From 9am to 12nn, we will be walking in BGC to raise awareness of human trafficking and wake people's hearts to these cruelties happening around the world. Walk with us. Celebrate their freedom and raise awareness to stop human trafficking.

 

There are four ways you can  help:

 

(1) Walk for Freedom.  If you would like to participate, you may register online HERE. The event is free but you need to register in order to join. Wear a black shirt for the walk.

 

(2) You may purchase A21 shirts and caps by contacting walkforfreedomph@gmail.com or dropping by the merchandise booths during the event on Saturday.

 

(3) If you would like to help further through sponsorship or donations, you may also do so by sending an email to walkforfreedomph@gmail.com

 

(4) Finally, you can pray. Pray for the victims who have yet to be rescued and pray for those who are currently going through rehabilitation,.  Pray for A21 that God will continue to use them and provide for their needs. And pray for protection for all of our family members.

 

So you see, these stories are no longer just stories to us. They are real and we need to do something about it.

 

Join us as we #WalkForFreedom this Saturday.

 

 

 

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WOW 02: A Hotel Room with No Walls

Following last Tuesday's post about going barefoot in New Zealand, here's another interesting travel post from Switzerland. I think this may be the start of a new blog series called WOW: What in the World! where I will feature fun facts about places all over the world. Yes, why don't we do that? (I have just added 'WOW 02' on my post title.  WOW 01 being the post on "Barefoot in New Zealand").

 

So there's a hotel in Switzerland that has re-opened last July 2016 called  Null Stern Hotel. To fully experience the beauty of the Swiss Alps, designers Frank and Patrik Riklin, together with hospitality professional Daniel Charbonnier came up with a hotel that allows you to sleep in rooms with no walls. That's right, no walls!

photo source

Sleeping with no walls means you get an unobstructed view of the swiss alps during the day and you get to sleep under a canopy of stars during the night. The room just comes with a bed, night tables and lamps. You have a butler on hand who can serve you breakfast in bed and address your other requests. However, the nearest toilet and bathroom is about 10 minutes away.

photo source

Staying at the Null Stern Hotel costs 250 Swiss Francs per night and they only accept guests during spring and autumn seasons for obvious reasons. They also allow for last minute cancellations due to bad weather.

Interested to experience sleeping in the wild? Check out their site here.



#WOW Series: What in the World!

 

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WOW 01: Barefoot in New Zealand

I have not been to New Zealand.  It has been on my travel list for quite some time now but the dream has not come to pass. When I think of New Zealand, I think of beautiful views, sheep sheering activities, and a lot of cows and nature. It sounds like an ideal place to have a vacation.  Beautiful and relaxing.

 

Last week I learned something that made New Zealand a tad more interesting for me. A lot of locals (kiwi) leave the house on barefoot. It does not matter whether it's a trip to the mall or you're heading to school, it's okay to go shoe-less.

all photos from Pinterest

Now isn't that another reason to visit New Zealand? I want to see how they do it, why they do it and, if I am brave enough, dare myself to try it. There's seems to be so much to learn about their culture.

 

Cheers to New Zealand!  You are definitely climbing the charts on my travel list.

#WOW Series: What in the World!

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Stop Your World From Spinning!

So I had Vertigo a few years ago. When they say that Vertigo makes you feel like the room is spinning, I never thought they meant it as quite so literal. When I had my first Vertigo attack, it was the strangest thing.  The room was really spinning!  I did not know how to make it stop and felt even worse when I closed my eyes. It was like I was in a ride that never ends.

I went to see the doctor and learned that Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem.  I have always had congested nose which often translates to congested ears. The feeling is akin to getting your ears closed when an airplane is landing.

 

Vertigo is often triggered by a change in the position of your head. This explains why I can no longer tumble like I used to without getting dizzy (why I still try to tumble at this age will remain a phenomenon).  Furthermore, this means that I will  have to carefully select the rides that I take at theme parks to avoid spoiling my day. Now this becomes an issue for me because I love enjoying roller coasters and amusement rides with my children.

 

I did some research and here is a list of foods and beverages that we need to avoid to help ease our Vertigo symptoms:

• Foods and beverages that are high in salt or sugar.
• Caffeine. This includes coffee, caffeinated tea, and chocolates.
• Alcohol
• Aged cheese and meats such as salami, pepperoni, liverwurst, Swiss cheese, brie, cheddar and ricotta cheese
• Bananas
• Nuts and seeds

It's not easy. I still drink tea, eat bananas, nuts and cheese almost every day.  But I will consciously try to avoid them when we're about to visit theme parks with the kids. I think that's more manageable for now.

You may learn more about Vergito here.

 

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Don't Live in Hindsight

photo source

The alarm clock sets off and you realize it's Monday morning. You start wishing and counting the days before it is Friday again.

 

Then there's the perennial need to have a vacation after a vacation. You come home from a vacation immediately hoping and anticipating for the next one.

 

We all love to do this, don't we? While it is not wrong to look forward to events, we must also not dread the 'in between'.

 

Life happens whether we like it or not.  If we remain passive about it, we are simply wasting our lives away.

 

I love what writer Jennifer Lee says. "Let's not wait until we come across an old photo, only to realize we walked right past the happy that was in front of us all along". It's so true, isn't it? We rush the days ahead yet we look back with longing hoping to turn back the time. The irony of our lives.

 

Don't waste your life wishing for a better tomorrow and regretting yesterday's mistakes.

 

Hindsight is a painful teacher.

 

So whether you are reading this post on a Friday or a Monday, I pray that you enjoy Today.



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It's Showtime!

I almost wanted to call this post "The Day I Guested in Showtime"...but that would be too deceiving. Because the truth is, the day I visited Showtime - I was one of the Madlang People!!!

 

One thing that many people may not know about me (okay, fine, maybe a lot of you do know) is that I love seeing movie stars in person.  It fascinates me to see how they look and act beyond the magic of the camera lenses.  I rarely watch television these days and am not updated with the new movie stars. But I know the ones that have been on screen for a while now and stalk follow some them on Instagram.

So when my sister got us VIP tickets to watch the popular noontime show, It's Showtime, I happily joined her.  Amidst my excitement, I was still hoping to conceal my chaka-ness and wished oh-so-hard that we will not appear on television. Well, the wish was not granted and we got our 30 seconds of fame.

photo taken by my friend, Cathy

Let me take you back to the morning of the taping. About an hour before the show, we were ushered to the holding area for all VIPs. We did not enter through the same entrance as the rest of the Madlang People.  

While waiting to enter the studio, we walked around and saw these signs on some of the doors. Dressing rooms!  Of course we did not attempt to go in. Baka mahuli pa kami ng guards (and besides, wala si Anne Curtis!)

After about 30 minutes or so, we were asked to enter the studio. The studio was a lot smaller than I imagined it to be.  My mind was panicking thinking that the chances of us being seen on television were pretty high.

We tried our best to sit somewhere inconspicuous only be asked to transfer to the seat near the aisle on the second row.  Oh well...

 

Then they started prepping us for the show. They told us how to cheer, raise our score cards, dance, and sing the Showtime song. Chaka overload. They threatened to move us to the back if we did not participate.  Much as I would not mind to be placed at the back (i.e. less chances of camera face time), I also did not want the embarrassment of being asked to go to the back (a.k.a. walk of shame).



And as we were looking around the crowd, we spotted the guys from the You Tube sensation Hey Joe Show! If you have not seen them, you need to visit their channel. They do really funny interpretations of the Filipino traditions and speak bisaya fluently! So without hesitation, Tammy and I went and had a photo taken with them.

And then the show started. And while we were singing and dancing the Showtime theme song, the Duterte look-a-like stood beside me. I had to stop dancing and get my phone for a quick selfie.

Amidst our kakahiyang television exposure, watching It's Showtime was really fun. More than the show, I particularly enjoyed the commercial breaks (and, of course spending time with my sister! hello suan!). That was when you get to see the stars in their natural element.

So that was our Showtime experience. I'm happy to have enjoyed that day with my sister.    It was a memorable day and definitely one for the books.

 

 

 

 

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