Once Upon a Kingdom

A week of Bible truths with loads of fun...

...some out of the location fun

Day 2: The Zone Bowling 

Day 3: Confederation Park

Day 4: Crashin' Crawly

Day 5: Queen's Park

* Confederation Park Water Fun

* Kenzo decided to strip himself and join in the fun

* No Shame!

* Great Teachers

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ONCE UPON A KINGDOM

Willingdon Church

July 08- 12, 2013

Thriving Family Summer 2013

I love Thriving Family and has been a subscriber for quite a while. I heard about them through my daily podcast of Focus on the Family and has been reading their magazine to help me with paenting my two munchkins.

It is a great read for parents on how to raise kids in faith and I am so happy to see that for the latest edition, Kenzo's picture was included in one of the inserts in coloured print...

* My Little Boy  in print :)

The website also has his picture as an icon :)

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THRIVING FAMILY

Summer 2013

Once upon a Kingdom...

Finally started on finding summer activities for the kids.

For Kimi, I decided to register a week in a daycamp that will hopefully result in a deeper understanding of God's word and His Love for us...

Interested? Click Here

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ONCE UPON A KINGDOM

Summer Daycamp 2013

July 8-12; July 15-19; July 22-26, 2013

The Grotto

We decided to spend our Easter on a long journey to visit The Grotto in Portland, Oregon.

We attended the Good Friday liturgy. It was an experience and you would have thought that you were in the Philippines with all the Filipinos from British Columbia that attended that particular mass. It was a standing room for us even if we were a good 20 minutes early entering the church.

I especially loved the lifelike sculpture near the church's gift shop. It was eerie how real it looks despite the glass enclosure.

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HAPPY EASTER

and cheers to new beginnings

Discovering Prayer

It was so refreshing to start the year by joining Discover Prayers.

I admit that praying doesn't come natural to me even if I just do it with my kids so I am so glad I was able to face one of my fear (struggles) this early 2013...

I'm so glad that there are friends who are continuously praying together with us and for us...

   

I love Don Moen's new song "Somebody's praying for you"

...a line that really touch my heart

 “I’ve been spared by so many prayers,

      How many times I could not say.

      What a difference a prayer can make,

      When it’s offered up in faith.

      God has always made a way,

      When I didn’t know what to do.

      Just when I needed a miracle,

      That’s when your prayers broke through!”

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WILLINGDON CHURCH

Burnaby, B.C.

Learning Kits

A little note from our church's bulletin was asking for donation of school supplies for the less fortunate in the 3rd world country. The mommies decided to do 50 packs of the 400 packs they were targeting and enlisted the help of the kids to pack. It was a joint effort and within less than a week, we got all the supplies needed to make 50 packs of school kits. Each kit includes the following as specified:

* School Kit Pack

4 Spiral Notebooks 8.5 x 10- 70 sheets

4 pencil unsharpened

1 12" ruler with cm and inches

1pack 12 coloured pencil in package

1 eraser

We also decided on putting them individually in envelopes and label them to make it more special for the kids 

* Dark background for the guys and the light ones for the girls

We all cramped up in our small house on Saturday to do the mass production...

in time for Sunday

* A little bit of help goes a long way...

They are still accepting more school kits and for those who want to help, you can drop them off at the Info Desk on weekend service at Willingdon Church.

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WOMEN's MISSION CIRCLE

Willingdon Church

Burnaby, B.C.

RBP's Bug Zone

We passed by the park near our house the week we had no summer classes and we saw tents set up with lots of butterflies and lots of kids. We decided to inquire and found out that it was a week long free program of Bible, Crafts, Games, Singing and with loads of prizes. I figured that it was a great way to get Kimi occupied first part of the day and Kenzo playing outside while waiting.

* Bug Zone Theme for this year's Vacation Bible School

* Stories, Crafts and Singing for Day 01

Day 02 was raining so we opted to stay at home...

* Day 03, grandpa took Kimi to the park 

I saw her  volunteering to hold the cheat card for the singing time.

* Day 04 was the last day

It was nice that the kids got a photo of themselves in the bug poster to put in the frame they are going to color. Kimi got herself a balloon butterfly from being such a well-behaved and model student for the day.

* * * * *

Don't let anyone look down on you

because you are young,

but set an example

for the believers in speech,

in life, in love,

in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

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RBP's Bug Zone

Transformed by our BIG God!

August 7 - 10, 2012

Burnaby, B.C.

A Candle for you...

One of my bestfriends in college sent me this photo...

"I lit a candle for you in prayer at church today."

It was nice to be remembered, it was nicer to be included in someone's prayers.

It means that I am in their hearts, as well as their mind.

Aaaaaw. Mega Touched.

Thanks Hannah :)

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Expect to have hope rekindled. 

Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways.

The dry season in life does not last. 

The spring rains will come.

- Sarah Ban Breathnach

Be Still... Give Thanks

Source: ... and Spiritually Speaking

Quote by: Marianne Johnson Hodson

...and as for praying

I am trying to teach Kimi to pray every night to give thanks

I am just amused at some of her prayers

Kimi: Dear Jesus, Thank you for my home... (okay, mommy nodding)

Thank you for the window, the door, the bed, the night table.... (uhmm, interior designer in the making?)

* * *

Kimi: Dear Jesus, Bless Papa, Mama, Kimi, Kenzo, Nana, Kong Kong...

Jesus, pls make Tai Ma (Great Grandmother) well....

Mommy: Kimi? Why are you praying for Tai Ma to get well? She is not sick

Kimi: Mommy, she's old.... (uhmm, that is not a sickness...)

* * *

Be Thankful in all circumstances, 

for this is God's will 

for you who belong to Christ Jesus

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Discovering the Church Family and Getting Baptized

I didn't realize that joining the Discovery group would be a turning point in my faith.

I just wanted to get more involved in church and get to know some people. 

Maybe start the kids early in the right path...

Turns out that I got more what I bargained for.

Much more. I gained a mentor and a group 

that will guide me through this journey of the spirit.

I am so grateful that God has knocked upon my heart and I actually listened!

I was new in church and I decided to join Discovery the Church Family led by Alison Pauls, with a friend, Glenda.

It was a journey that both of us embarked together and I am so happy that she was with me every step of the way.

After 7 or was it 8 weeks? I lost track of how many times we had to go through to finish the course but we did and the last part was... getting baptized.

February 19th, we had to do a video record of our testimony as a way to share our journey with others.

I am scared of being onstage and I took comfort that it was recorded, despite the fact that the church was full of monitors and hundreds or maybe it was even thousands of people will be tuning in on that day of our baptismal with my voice echoing throughout the church... (goosebumps!)

I did it because I wanted to, and it is with great joy that I wanted to publicly share my testimony and hopefully touch a life. One life touched will be well worth all this nervousness.

* Thank you to Derek Lee for this collage

This was taken the date of the interview with the elders and video recording of our testimony

My Testimony

"I grew up with Catholic parents, Buddhist grandparents, and studied at a Christian school. I was surrounded with different types of religion and had regular chapel service in school every week. I knew about God’s word from the time I was still young, but being able to hear His words regularly didn't strengthen my faith; instead I unintentionally took it for granted. I grew up, got married, and moved to Canada. Following this, I became busy and faith was moved to the backseat as I focused on being a mom and a wife. Amidst all this, I woke up one day, feeling empty, and realized that I needed to go back to church. I wanted to set an example for my kids and let them grow up with the word of God instilled in them. I was still new in church, adjusting, when another test early this year, came to rattle my faith. I decided that maybe God was telling me that something was coming and that I needed to hold on more to Him rather than turn my back once again. In the end, I realized that I needed Jesus in my life to pay for my sins and shortcomings for it is through Him alone that I may be saved.  A favorite verse from when I was younger came to mind, Proverbs 3:5. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean unto your own understanding. It is easier said than done, I, for one, have questioned why some things happened, but God knows everything, He sees the whole picture. I just have to trust in His plan that all will be well and for the best in the end."

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The Baptismal

March 4th, 2012. I got the whole family ready to go with me to church. Kimi and Kenzo was not going to the  church preschool as we did regularly but they are coming with hubby at the church proper to watch everything. We managed to get our friends (Mommies and family, Twinny and Stone) to come and cheer on us for our baptismal. It was a celebration and we got 2 tables reserved for lunch after the event ;)

I was right on the dot and we were given corsage and our certificate

then, we were ushered into the music room and was introduced to the one who was baptizing us, Sergiy Chernits. He led us into prayers and got to know us. He was really nice and I wouldn't know that it was his first time to baptized someone had he not told us.

We were told to change and we watched from the back as we awaited our turn.

It was nerve-wracking but we were full of excitement. Some songs, communion and an introduction to baptism, we saw Angie's testimony then she went into the large see through pool and some questions were asked, she answered then she was baptized with a camera zooming the exchange in real time.This is it... 

...and it was done just as fast :)

We are officially a member of Willingdon Church

* * * * *

We went to listen to the sermon with our family.

Kenzo was so happy to see me he kept on kissing me and doing his little language and kissing me again.

I feel so blessed.

then, Kimi went to me and whispered

"That was good mommy", my heart burst with pride that my daughter came and offered assurance as soon as I sat down.

then she said that "Mommy, I saw you in the ipad (monitor) haha!" 

Kids are just heart-melters

then right before she slept that night, "Mommy, you did good, I saw you dive into the water then you came up and fix your hair...and you didn't get scared!"

I just love how this little mind works, but most important of all. I was so glad that she got to see the act and hopefully that image will stick into her mind as she grow older and as we guide her through her path to faith.

One vote a day will help me in a way :)

I entered a wee bit late so i am not expecting.

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Words of Kindness, Source of Healing

I found something to past the time at work. Something fruitful.

I've found Focus on the Family. Months passed and numerous podcasts later. I have favorites that I listen to over and over. One of those is entitled "Words of Kindness, Source of Healing", a podcast that focuses on spoken words and how each word may uplift or put down someone. 

The speaker, Florence Littauer was really inspiring and I found myself moved time and again every time I listen to it.

It helped me get much more conscious with the words that comes out of my mouth for the anger may past, but the hurtful words, when said, will stay in the heart of the receiver.

Silver Boxes
By: Michael Bright

My words were harsh and hasty
And they came without a thought.
Then I saw the pain and anguish
That my bitter words had brought.

Bitter words that i had spoken
Made me think back through the past;
Of how many times I'd uttered
Biting words whose pain would last.

Then I wondered of the people
I had hurt by things I'd said;
All the ones I had discouraged
When I didn't use my head.

Then I thought about my own life,
Of painful words I've heard;
And of the times I'd been discouraged
By a sharp and cruel word.

And now clearly I remember
All the things I might have done;
But, by a word I was discouraged
And they never were begun.


Lord, help my words be silver boxes,
Neatly wrapped up with a bow;
That I give to all so freely
As through each day I gladly go.


Silver Boxes full of treasure,
Precious gifts from God above;
That all the people I encounter
Might have a box of God's own live.

Date Added: 5/08/00

Great Christian Reminder Stories

http://www.christianstories.com

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Words of Kindness, Source of Healing

Listen to the podcast
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"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, 

but that which is good to the use of edifying, 

that it may minister grace onto the hearers."

Ephesians 4:29

One vote a day will help me in a way :)

I entered a wee bit late so i am not expecting.

CLICK TO VOTE