My Year-end Questions

Hi to my few and valuable reader(s)!

I am just too excited for the year end because it grasps me for more opportunities for new things, new ideas, new goals, new plans, new experience, new friends and new wisdom for the New Year.  I don’t know,,, but a brand new year always thrills me for everything about my life.  How about you, can you relate? Do you want some transformation for the coming year? How excited you are to face 2014? Be optimistic and act now!

New Resolutions (photo from Lifehack)

For the last part of 2013,  I made some different acts to improve myself by reading, increasing my financial literacy and finding a true happiness that I can barely share to everyone.  And I realized that assessment is quite important in pursuing my purpose in life.  With the help of Valorie Burton, she gave me an idea to five questions that will offer me an opportunity to grow and consider better possibilities in my life.

I am happy to share it to you.  Maybe it will help you also in discerning your goals and focus on the coming 2014.

You can start your journal(like what I'm going to do) by answering the following questions as a better start for your prosperous new year.  Now, prepare your journal book and copy these questions. 

1.      What is the biggest lesson God has offered me over the last year?

When we take time to learn the lessons that our trials and triumphs teach us, God is able to mold our character and use us in greater ways. When you ignore the lessons of life, you often find yourself repeating the same mistakes and enduring the same challenges time and time again.

2.      What is my "divine assignment" at this stage of my life? 

 Our purpose can transform over a lifetime. In order to remain in synch with God's timing and purposes, we must seek His "assignment" in the various seasons of our lives.

3.      This time next year, what would I like to see different in my life?

In other words, what's my vision?  You need a vision for where you are going in the coming year. No matter how insignificant you think your life is, God wants you to be deliberate about setting goals and moving forward. God's word tells us to "write the vision and make it plain" (Habakkuk 3:2). That means we should write it down and make it clear and specific. Don't overwhelm yourself with a lot of "New Year's resolutions." Instead, choose something meaningful, even if it is a seemingly small change, and take deliberate steps forward.

4.      What have I been procrastinating about? 

Putting off goals and things that God has laid on your heart to do is stressful. Fear is often the culprit and the New Year is a great time to ask yourself if it is time to get unstuck and pursue certain goals or drop them altogether, thus freeing yourself from the burden of an incomplete task hanging over your head.

5.      How could I make more of a positive difference in the lives of others in the next 12 months? 

Our lives really aren't about us. They are about the purpose for which we were created. What is it that you'd like to do by this time next year that will impact others in a meaningful and positive way?

 

Let’s be reflective and notice what we’ve learned and what we’ve accomplished this year that makes us happy and purposeful.

Celebrate our progress and keep moving forward!

Happy New Year to everyone!

#CertifiedPositive 2014 Planner

One of my long-term personal goal for the next years is to improve my reading habit especially the most important book of the world, The Bible.

I have several attempts of bible reading plans from the previous years but I was a"ningas kugon".  I can't make it a habit.  I need more prayers for that. 

For 2014,  I really want to start a spiritual goal where I can incorporate it to my journaling, goal setting, expense tracking and activities scheduling.  The reason why I keep my eye for the 2014 planner in the market as guide in fulfilling my ultimate goal.

I'm just happy to share that I found the planner perfect for me.  It has everything that I need.  And it might fit your needs too.

Journaling and keeping a planner are the two basic attitude of successful person.  I've been doing that for several years and it helped me a lot to manage my time, finances, goals, plans and daydreams.  I may not be a successful millionaire but I'm proud to say that I'm half successful in doing the duties assigned to me.  As a mom, a wife, an employee, an employer to my helper, tutor to my kids, a friend, a daughter, a sister and as a blogger.

Through the plugging of Bettina Carlos in Instagram, I learned about #CertifiedPositve 2014 Planner.  I ordered online and scheduled for meet up.  Dyaaaaaaraaannnnnn....... I got it!



2014 #CertifiedPositive Planner

This is the Certified Positive Story

"Today, we live in a busy and fast paced world.  It seems like 24 hours is not enough with so many things going on in our daily lives.  We experience exhaustion, stress, panic, anxiety, and even depression.  In the end, we sacrifice either rest, exercise, read a good book or time for GOD.

It all started with our founder's desire to serve the Lord.  After many prayers, God finally answered her and gave a vision to help people be reminded of God's love for them so that they can EHEM (Experience Him Each Moment).  This is how the 2014 Daily Interact Certified Positive Planner came to be.

The idea came in during a cold and rainy dinner with a good friend last December 2012.  The Lord prepared the team and the people to be involved and finally, we officially kick-started the project last August 23, 2013.  Though most people say it was too late to start, we still pushed to make this because whatever God started, we believe that He will finish, and finish on His perfect time.  In all the trials and start up birth pains, we put our hope in the Lord. 

Today, Certified Positive continuously aims to create a positive community to give hope, encouragement, and love in Christ.  We share with you our story as this planner stands as a living testimony of the power of faith and God's unconditional love amazing grace for all of us.

Be Blessed! Be Certified Positive"

What's unique inside?

A positive act guide to experience HIM every moment and do the pay-it-forward-act-of-kindness every day.

Daily guide in reading the Bible.  This is what I like most.

Stickers and cards for positive thoughts and goals.

Bills Payment Tracker is made easy for me.

I have special space for my Personal and Spiritual Goals

Monthly budgeting will be easy as 1 2 3.

My daily expenses has its own page and take note I can categorize it as WANT or NEED.  It will be a great guide in monitoring my expenditures. 

And stickers to keep me reminded of the positivity and inspirations.

It has monthly testimonials from ordinary people who are experiencing GOD and sharing positivity.

You can order at here

Be a goal-oriented! Be inspired! Be positive! Be spiritually guided!

Cheers for 2014!

Effort Sarap

Whew!  I love morning rush!  An eight-to-fiver working mom without a helper, how's that???? Quite challenging, isn't?  Well, this is really the dare for a homemaker.  Buti na lang malapit lang ang office ko, I can manage.  I have no travel time so I can do more household chores without being so late in the office.

But....where is she, my helper?  Mmmmm..... after the holiday she advised me that she will come back on Sunday.  Fine!!!! Oh my goodness ,anong petsa na???? Wala pa rin sya today.  She's not feeling well daw.  Sick leave lang ang peg.  I am a considerate employer and I value the health of my employee so I allow her to have a good rest.  And these are the consequences.  Always in a hurry! I have to do every single detail in the house.  In all the chores, managing kitchen is my priority.

Preparing breakfast and baon for my grade-schoolers should be enjoyable and easy messy.  I dropped by to the nearest wet market and shop for my cooking needs. Here are my picks!

Calamansi

Garlic and Onion

Tamarind

Green Gulay

Gulay pa din

Fresh Maya-maya

Fresh Shrimp

Fresh Squid

 I love fresh foods.  Most of my buy this week are sea foods.  Shall I say, "Meatless Week" for my kiddos.  As much as possible I avoid using umami when cooking.  We can cook delicious servings without using MSG.  An effort can replace the pleasant savory taste of mono sodium glutamate can add to our food.  And the following are my efforts as replacement for umami.

1.  I used clay pot when boiling the tamarind fruit to extract the sour taste for perfect sinigang.  I added a pinch of salt while boiling to mix the salty and soury taste.  It's better to cook sinigang at clay pot to avoid the chemical reaction.  Clay pot is so cheap.
2. Onion and garlic are must-have in my kitchen.  The more onion and garlic in the recipe the more it became tasty.
3.  When marinating, I used calamansi.  It's cheaper than lemon.  But it brings different taste enhancer to cooking.  That's why it is also a must-have.
4. Veggies are the best!  When I'm cooking sinigang, the more the veggies the more savory taste.
5.  Chili, ginger, tomato and pepper can be added too for other menu.  Spice up your life!

My Family's Favorite: sinigang na Maya-maya

My boys joined me in my cooking at our little kitchen.  While preparing the ingredient, M and R are throwing jokes and knock knocks.  It became our another bonding moment.  The big boy also assisted me in cooking.  He did the paghahalo-halo and tikim tikim portion.  Haha!  While the little boys are preparing the tables for a perfect dine-in at home.

I have to cook a recipe for a day because I have limited time.  Init-init na lang.  My son M keep asking me if I added "magic sarap" to my sinigang.  I said "No son, I added "effort sarap".  He enjoyed the vegetables.  He ate everything, even the onions.  And telling me, "Mom, masarap pala talaga ang "effort sarap".  Woooowww! a heart-melting comment.  M is my number two fan.  He never fail to appreciate all my endeavors.  I am exerting my best for R to be influenced in eating veggies.  He's a typical boy who likes fried :-( .  But I taught them to eat what is on the table.  Kids are really different!

I also prepared pang-baon for school, for frying.  It's one of my kid's favorite.

Marinated Boneless Bangus, ready for frying!

Adobo sa Gata-Pusit

Pancit Canton

Fried Small Lapu-lapu

 
On the other hand,  I enjoyed doing all the household chores however it lessen my "me-time".  I can't do my exercise.  Waaahhh! This is bad, I'm missing my "tight abs goal".  My abs are getting fluffy again.  I can't focus on my diet scheme because of foods in front of me all the time.  Napapakain ako ng mga luto ko. Hihi!  I hope my helper is feeling better now.  A pile of laundry is waiting for her.

Oh, I love this career!  I thank God for the strength.I'm looking forward and excited for my next cooking.

It's my pleasure to be domesticated!