Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Beyond December, He Is Forever

Peace on earth will come to stay, When we live Christmas every day.
- Helen Steiner Rice -


Aside from our birth months, December has always been one of the most awaited month. They say it is special because Christmas happens during the month. I say CHRISTmas happens everyday. CHRISTmas is celebrated because of the birth of the savior. However, should we only rejoice just once a year? No... Because if one remembers everyday that Jesus came to save him, then everyday is CHRISTmas day. He is the reason not just of the season. A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight. I believe God is beyond the alterations in the weather, ecology, and hours of daylight. He is beyond December. He is forever.

Jesus is the reason. And yes, it ends there.

Happy 30th Anniversary ACTS!

With ACTS Gospel Sound. Guess who's back...

Congratulations Tita Lina!

My boyfriend's mom has successfully completed a 12-week
program in a Culinary school.

Who says we cannot hit the beach in December?

Christmas/No sleep party: Prudence Original!

I was so happy!


I love you all! High School never ended.

Merry CHRISTmas Leoncio: December 25, 2010

Tita Patrizia with KC and Issey. December = Exhausted wallets :P

Some of my cousins. :}


Some of the Leoncios. Most of the members of the family are now based in the US. :|

STAR CITY DAY!


Lining for the Surf Dance. CRAZY and WILD! :}

Thank you, Jesus for saving me. :}




Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I'm In Love With A Stripper


If you ask a girl about her standards regarding men, she will probably answer like this:

“Kahit ‘di ganon kagwapo basta mabait. Mature. Respectful. Blah blah blah.”

Personally, I admit that looks give extra credit. Tell me it does not matter and I will tell straight in your face that you are lying. Come on, everybody wants to have cute and adorable kids!

However, as for me, it does not end there.

There was this guy whom I met 4 years ago. I knew him by name. He was good-looking, mature, and respectful – This was how I defined him. These were the words in the air as I exclaimed, “CRUSH KO SIYA!”

But when I got to know him… I mean, when I really got to know him, all changed. And since then, I knew I would fall in love with him over and over. Forever.

Love is a very common and uncommon thing. People deal with love – common. But sometimes, love deal with people – uncommon.

Love dealt with me when it taught me how to really see him. See the totality of who he is and who he is not. And now, this is how I see him: A Man of God who dreams and appreciates. Superficial? Maybe to you. But for me, I have seen the deepest part of his being that most of you have not.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

You are a Man of God, and that is what I love the most about you. Few people know that it is your desire to become a musician who roams the world as a missionary. A missionary who reaches out to different churches to share the message of God’s love through the melody of your instrument – this is you. When you sing, sometimes I tease you about the RNB-flip-at-the-end-of-the-line-of-the-song. But truly, I love your voice. I love its coldness and simplicity. I love how you worked hard for it. I love that you are using it for God’s glory. And every time you meet with God in the silence of your day, it makes me proud of you.

You lighten up my spirit when you share His message to you.

You are a dreamer. You dream to define music. A dream that someday, with the words of your songs, with the sound of your instruments, and with the heart to play, the world of MUSIC will give your band a shot to define it… that when one hears one of your songs, he will say, “Ah, Castro ‘to!” – this is you. And I believe, sooner, you will define music, the Castro Music.

It must have been hard for you. People say that you will not get a ‘life’ in music. But who cares? It is not all about money. We all have our own inclinations; it just so happens that you are one of those who have the guts to stand up for it, to pursue it, because you love it.

It is unfair that they only get to hear one side of the story. They do not know how much you excel at work. Well maybe it is just that I am that blessed to see what they do not see, or perhaps, refuse to see. When you play your bass, I see you. I see you because that is who you really are. I see how thrilled you are. I see joy, not just happiness.

You were born to create music. Take it away and you are not you anymore.

You dream to provide for your family with good days. I hope, one day, they will know how much you long for them to have the good life. I hope, one day, they will hear how you tell me how much you want to make them travel the world, or buy the things they want and need. I hope, one day, they will see how much you want to take all of your cousins to the US for a vacation. I hope, one day, they will learn how much you want to succeed so that your father will not have to spend months on a ship to provide for the family, but instead, stay in your dwelling and enjoy the rest of his life with all of you.

Even if they doubt your abilities or you as a person…Well, as long as I am here, someone believes without a stain of doubt that you will make all these dreams come true.

Thanks for stripping away the façade; I see how capable you are.

You appreciate. If someone does simple things for you, it makes you happy and gives you a feeling that you are indebted to that person forever – this is you. You are a very generous person in the context of appreciation. Why? Well, mainly because you do not hold back to let those persons see how much you appreciate them – no matter how big or small the act is. And I wish everyone can see how delightful you are when you talk about those persons. You did not know, but I learned from you how to say “I Love You” and “I miss you” to my parents always. I believe, one of the things you want to have in return is appreciation too. But bear in mind, I appreciate you so much.

Thanks for stripping away the harsh side; I see how gentle you are.

You are a kid. Out of nowhere, you do this belly dance which makes me adore you. Not everyone sees that dance of yours but, I am more blessed than the others for having the privilege to see how you pull off a strange move to give me a laugh. You do not care how crazy and silly you look or sound, because the thing is, it makes me laugh – this is you. You are such a kid and I find it cute.

Lastly, you are fragile. You cry when you get pissed off. You cry over a cartoon. You cry over a thing. You cry over a food. You cry when people say harsh words to you. You cry when I leave you. And when you cry like a kid, it makes my heart melt. I see a fragile heart right inside of you. You are a big person and you also have a big heart – a big target that is hard too hard to miss. I wish people will learn how to handle you with extra care.

Thanks for sometimes stripping away the strong character; I see how breakable you are.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

So this is how love deals with me. It lets me see him. Despite the weaknesses and flaws, despite the days when we are on a fight, despite the days when one or both of us want to leave, despite the insanities, and despite the past, love makes me fall in love with him over and over. Forever.

I say I am in love with a stripper because you stripped away everything on the outside so that I can meet what is on the inside


PS: I will miss you. In fact, I miss you.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Dear Serena,

My world is falling apart. My father left my mother for a thirty-one year old model. A *male* model. I feel like screaming because I have no one to talk to. You're gone. My dad is gone. Nate's acting weird.

Where are you?
Why won't you call?
Why did you leave without saying goodbye?

You're supposed to be my best friend. I miss you so much.

Love,
Blair

Monday, December 6, 2010

Just For Today...

Just for today, be reminded that SMILING gives people hope.
SO NEVER QUIT SMILING

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Once Upon A Time She Made You Smile.

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart”

Have you noticed? When you and I are being asked about our best friends, generally, the first thing we offer to the one asking is a SMILE.

My theory on this is that we smile because the word best friend automatically pulls in a name. Those are the names of certain persons whom we personally believe define it. We smile because, no matter how terrible they are sometimes, what our minds recall are just happy, funny, and crazy times spent with them.

I wonder if my theory is the reason why it is just plain hard to squeeze them out of your mind when things have gone wrong, when things have changed. But I also think that my theory is superficial. And that I believe, if I scrutinize it, I will find something more profound...like maybe...God really intends to let them occupy a space in our hearts and minds. So that one day, if again we will be asked about our best friends, even if things in between are no longer the same we will still be bound to remember the same things - happy, funny, and crazy times. Not to sadden us, but to remind us that once upon a time...

There were two girls who always did things together.

They ate together. They laughed together. They cried together. They held hands...

Thus, they were best friends.


In a few words, we smile because they are wonderful. So wonderful! :}

I hope and pray that time will come, each soul will find a best friend. The one who will last forever.


Models: Yshie, Eastern Jewel, and Cherrybelle.