Tea Time with Wendi Capehart

I am one of the CM Mommas who did not miss the opportunity to meet Wendi Capehart in person during the Tea Time with Wendi organized by Gina of Our Living Learning.

 

Wendi Capehart currently is serving in the Philippines as a missionary with her husband Bill. Wendi began her homeschooling experience in 1988 when her oldest was in first grade. One of the first books she read about homeschooling was Susan Schaeffer Macaulay's book For the Children's Sake. Because of this book and Wendi's own background, which was rich in the liberal arts tradition, they have always incorporated living books, poetry, music, song, art, narration, and nature study in their homeschooling, but for several years of confusion over Mason's methods, Wendi incorporated those elements into unit studies. In 1997 she finally started reading the six volumes Miss Mason wrote and abandoned unit studies and relied exclusively on CM's methods. 

Excited by what she was seeing, she delved farther into Charlotte Mason research and soon found herself helping to develop the AO curriculum.

More about her here.

Gina, giving an introduction

It was not a formal talk, unlike the usual talk. So we were gathered sitting around with coffee, tea, and cakes served. Gina is in-charge of everything and I really appreciate her hard work in this event.

Aftermath!

We began by singing a hymn which most of us were not familiar. But as we go forward were able to sing along, the beauty of hymn as Wendi puts; it brings happy hormones, it's rejuvenating and a good way to start or even have a break.

Wendi shared that during her early years with homeschooling, she made CM into a Unit Study because of the confusion with the method. She, later on, realized that Miss Mason is against it after reading her 6 Volumes. Unit Studies entail forced connections and parent is the one making most of the work. Thus, the parent is the one who learns. Whoever does more work in homeschooling, he is actually the one learning. Our children should be the one learning, though we can also learn alongside with them. 

"Children need to participate not to be entertained (esp with gadgets)." ~ Wendi

In Charlotte Mason, the books are the curriculum. God designed us to respond to stories. When you read, you're making friends outside of your home. The beauty of own reading for our kids is that they see the proper writing and the punctuation. Then, they eventually pick up the style of writing and imitates it. The language becomes their own. They pick up vocabulary from context. The more they understand the more they know. No need for a vocabulary list.

Narration is the work of the mind, there's so much going on in the mind since you need to review what happened and organize the ideas. It can be in the form of oral, drawing, acting or skits (with a time limit of course)  or even a newspaper article. You can give a blank card and popsicle sticks for Shakespeare and they can draw the characters.

When they narrate, parents are not to interrupt. We can correct them after, once done. If there are simple details from the narration that is not correct but it doesn't change the entire story, correcting is not always necessary. Some questions we can ask after narration: Do.you have anything to add? or Is this reminds you of anything else?

For written narration, we can ask our kids 6 things they like from the story, make a composition, a summary or write about the character. We can write down names, difficult words on a whiteboard or index card to help our kids in the narration.

We had an immersion activity for narration where Wendi read a passage from the book Watership Down and we were to do a written narration. I thought she wasn't serious about it and honestly, in the middle of the story, my mind was wandering. The result? One sentence narration. Hahaha! It was hard really and I was like, my son can write a whole page narration while I can only make one sentence. Hahaha!

Another immersion activity we had is for Art Study. So she showed us a painting and ask us to narrate. Some questions we can ask our kids when doing picture study: What time of the day is the painting. They can also act out the picture but is best in done in Coop. The aim of Art Study is for the child to have art galleries in their own mind.

She said, we, Filipinos don't need to worry about Foreign Language because we are already using English as a secondary language. Miss Mason included foreign language to be able to connect and communicate with other people outside our country.

Wendi also shared that grades are not a good motivator. Afterall, our child is more than the job. They are to love knowledge and as parents, we need to provide a well-rounded education and give them the feast because you do not know what they can pick-up. 

Photo credit to Living Learning Children

She also shared several inspiring and success stories from her own homeschooling journey which really inspired us, especially a newbie like me.

These ladies have been very instrumental in our CM journey.
The one introduced me to CM while the other one, I consider one of my CM mentors.

Thank you, Gina, for putting up this successful event. Thanks also to Wendi, for sharing her wisdom and love for Charlotte Mason Education. Lastly, to all AO Advisories for making this curriculum FREE and available even for us here in the Philippines.

Giveaway from Gina

We were tremendously blessed! I look forward to more CM talk!

Tea Time with Wendi Capehart

I am one of the CM Mommas who did not miss the opportunity to meet Wendi Capehart in person during the Tea Time with Wendi organized by Gina of Our Living Learning.

 

Tea Time with Wendi Capehart

I am one of the CM Mommas who did not miss the opportunity to meet Wendi Capehart in person during the Tea Time with Wendi organized by Gina of Our Living Learning.

 

Wendi Capehart currently is serving in the Philippines as a missionary with her husband Bill. Wendi began her homeschooling experience in 1988 when her oldest was in first grade. One of the first books she read about homeschooling was Susan Schaeffer Macaulay's book For the Children's Sake. Because of this book and Wendi's own background, which was rich in the liberal arts tradition, they have always incorporated living books, poetry, music, song, art, narration, and nature study in their homeschooling, but for several years of confusion over Mason's methods, Wendi incorporated those elements into unit studies. In 1997 she finally started reading the six volumes Miss Mason wrote and abandoned unit studies and relied exclusively on CM's methods. 

Excited by what she was seeing, she delved farther into Charlotte Mason research and soon found herself helping to develop the AO curriculum.

More about her here.

Gina, giving an introduction

It was not a formal talk, unlike the usual talk. So we were gathered sitting around with coffee, tea, and cakes served. Gina is in-charge of everything and I really appreciate her hard work in this event.

Aftermath!

We began by singing a hymn which most of us were not familiar. But as we go forward were able to sing along, the beauty of hymn as Wendi puts; it brings happy hormones, it's rejuvenating and a good way to start or even have a break.

Wendi shared that during her early years with homeschooling, she made CM into a Unit Study because of the confusion with the method. She, later on, realized that Miss Mason is against it after reading her 6 Volumes. Unit Studies entail forced connections and parent is the one making most of the work. Thus, the parent is the one who learns. Whoever does more work in homeschooling, he is actually the one learning. Our children should be the one learning, though we can also learn alongside with them. 

"Children need to participate not to be entertained (esp with gadgets)." ~ Wendi

In Charlotte Mason, the books are the curriculum. God designed us to respond to stories. When you read, you're making friends outside of your home. The beauty of own reading for our kids is that they see the proper writing and the punctuation. Then, they eventually pick up the style of writing and imitates it. The language becomes their own. They pick up vocabulary from context. The more they understand the more they know. No need for a vocabulary list.

Narration is the work of the mind, there's so much going on in the mind since you need to review what happened and organize the ideas. It can be in the form of oral, drawing, acting or skits (with a time limit of course)  or even a newspaper article. You can give a blank card and popsicle sticks for Shakespeare and they can draw the characters.

When they narrate, parents are not to interrupt. We can correct them after, once done. If there are simple details from the narration that is not correct but it doesn't change the entire story, correcting is not always necessary. Some questions we can ask after narration: Do.you have anything to add? or Is this reminds you of anything else?

For written narration, we can ask our kids 6 things they like from the story, make a composition, a summary or write about the character. We can write down names, difficult words on a whiteboard or index card to help our kids in the narration.

We had an immersion activity for narration where Wendi read a passage from the book Watership Down and we were to do a written narration. I thought she wasn't serious about it and honestly, in the middle of the story, my mind was wandering. The result? One sentence narration. Hahaha! It was hard really and I was like, my son can write a whole page narration while I can only make one sentence. Hahaha!

Another immersion activity we had is for Art Study. So she showed us a painting and ask us to narrate. Some questions we can ask our kids when doing picture study: What time of the day is the painting. They can also act out the picture but is best in done in Coop. The aim of Art Study is for the child to have art galleries in their own mind.

She said, we, Filipinos don't need to worry about Foreign Language because we are already using English as a secondary language. Miss Mason included foreign language to be able to connect and communicate with other people outside our country.

Wendi also shared that grades are not a good motivator. Afterall, our child is more than the job. They are to love knowledge and as parents, we need to provide a well-rounded education and give them the feast because you do not know what they can pick-up. 

Photo credit to Living Learning Children

She also shared several inspiring and success stories from her own homeschooling journey which really inspired us, especially a newbie like me.

These ladies have been very instrumental in our CM journey.
The one introduced me to CM while the other one, I consider one of my CM mentors.

Thank you, Gina, for putting up this successful event. Thanks also to Wendi, for sharing her wisdom and love for Charlotte Mason Education. Lastly, to all AO Advisories for making this curriculum FREE and available even for us here in the Philippines.

Giveaway from Gina

We were tremendously blessed! I look forward to more CM talk!

Mga Kwento ni Nanay: A Storytelling Workshop by Adarna House

The Gateway Gallery, managed by the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF) - the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the Araneta Group, strongly believes in the importance of reading and literacy. In June 12 this year, the Gallery unveiled its “Liwanag Reading Corner”, a 7-piece mobile wooden sculpture inspired by the story of the Lamp and the Moth told by Teodora Alonzo to the young boy Jose Rizal. This one-of-a-kind art piece aims to promote our Filipino heritage and encourage reading by showcasing select books on Philippine history, culture, and arts for all ages.

GATEWAY GALLERY PROGRAM BRIEF

Reading has insurmountable benefits that cannot be neglected. It fosters individual growth that can spur national development. Encouragingly, the Philippines do not log behind on basic literacy. In 2013, 96.5 percent of 74 million Filipinos 10 years old and over was basically literate. Basic or simple literacy – is the ability of a person to read and write with understanding a simple message in any language or dialect. Furthermore, nine out of every ten Filipinos 10 to 64 years were functionally literate. Functional literacy includes not only reading and writing but also numeracy skills. The skills must be sufficiently advanced to enable the individual to participate fully and efficiently in activities commonly occurring in his life situation that require a reasonable capability of communicating by written language. A functional literate person is one who can at least read, write, compute and/or comprehend. Also, persons who graduated from high school or completed a higher level of education are classified as functionally literate.

Though the statistics look good, the number significantly drops when comprehension or higher level of literacy is considered. Only 5 out of 10 elementary graduates can read, write, compute and comprehend. While this number improves as the students reach high school, only about 60% of the population actually reaches high school thus, attaining this level of literacy. Employment/ looking for work (28.8%), Family income not sufficient to send child to school (15.7), and lack of personal interest (14.9) are top 3 reasons for not attending school/ dropping out.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

The Gateway Gallery Reading Program aims to foster literacy or love for reading and books among Filipino children. It supplements the current DepEd programs on improving the literacy rate in the country with an emphasis on promotion of Filipino history, arts, and culture.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

LIWANAG Reading Corner Unveiled during the Philippine Independence Day on June 12, 2017, the “Liwanag Reading Corner” is a 7-piece mobile wooden sculpture inspired by the story of the Lamp and the Moth told by Teodora Alonzo to the young boy Jose Rizal. The one of a kind art piece aims to promote our Filipino heritage and encourage reading by showcasing select books on Philippine history, culture, and arts for all ages in the gallery.

Kuwentuhang Adarna sa Gateway Gallery is a monthly storytelling session for community children. The activity aims to promote book enjoyment through animated storytelling and activities. The stories are told by storytellers from Adarna House using Adarna books. The session ends with distribution of snacks and educational gifts.

The Liwanag Reading Caravan is a storytelling – school campaign where celebrity storytellers visit nearby schools to promote the value and habit of reading. It also encourages the students to visit Gateway Gallery’s Liwanag Reading Corner for some “after-school reading”.

Mga Kwento ni Nanay is a one-day storytelling workshop designed to strengthen the reading campaign of the Gallery by enlisting parents, guardian, teachers, and volunteers in the community. Participants are briefed on the value of reading and helpful techniques to become effective storytellers. The activity not only

emphasizes the benefits of reading but espouses spending quality time with the children for their overall development.

In the last 5 months since they launched their reading program, they were able to reach 230 children, trained nearly 100 storytellers and distributed more than 150 books.

This November 24 & 25, as we celebrate the National Reading Month, the Gateway Gallery is holding its 2nd Mga Kwento ni Nanay: A Storytelling Workshop in partnership with Adarna House. The workshop is designed to strengthen the reading campaign of the Gallery by involving parents, guardian, teachers, and volunteers in the community. Participants are briefed on the value of reading and helpful techniques to become effective storytellers. The activity not only emphasizes the benefits of reading but espouses spending quality time with children for their overall development.

Mga Kwento ni Nanay: A Storytelling Workshop by Adarna House

The Gateway Gallery, managed by the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF) - the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the Araneta Group, strongly believes in the importance of reading and literacy. In June 12 this year, the Gallery unveiled its “Liwanag Reading Corner”, a 7-piece mobile wooden sculpture inspired by the story of the Lamp and the Moth told by Teodora Alonzo to the young boy Jose Rizal. This one-of-a-kind art piece aims to promote our Filipino heritage and encourage reading by showcasing select books on Philippine history, culture, and arts for all ages.

GATEWAY GALLERY PROGRAM BRIEF

Reading has insurmountable benefits that cannot be neglected. It fosters individual growth that can spur national development. Encouragingly, the Philippines do not log behind on basic literacy. In 2013, 96.5 percent of 74 million Filipinos 10 years old and over was basically literate. Basic or simple literacy – is the ability of a person to read and write with understanding a simple message in any language or dialect. Furthermore, nine out of every ten Filipinos 10 to 64 years were functionally literate. Functional literacy includes not only reading and writing but also numeracy skills. The skills must be sufficiently advanced to enable the individual to participate fully and efficiently in activities commonly occurring in his life situation that require a reasonable capability of communicating by written language. A functional literate person is one who can at least read, write, compute and/or comprehend. Also, persons who graduated from high school or completed a higher level of education are classified as functionally literate.

Though the statistics look good, the number significantly drops when comprehension or higher level of literacy is considered. Only 5 out of 10 elementary graduates can read, write, compute and comprehend. While this number improves as the students reach high school, only about 60% of the population actually reaches high school thus, attaining this level of literacy. Employment/ looking for work (28.8%), Family income not sufficient to send child to school (15.7), and lack of personal interest (14.9) are top 3 reasons for not attending school/ dropping out.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

The Gateway Gallery Reading Program aims to foster literacy or love for reading and books among Filipino children. It supplements the current DepEd programs on improving the literacy rate in the country with an emphasis on promotion of Filipino history, arts, and culture.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

LIWANAG Reading Corner Unveiled during the Philippine Independence Day on June 12, 2017, the “Liwanag Reading Corner” is a 7-piece mobile wooden sculpture inspired by the story of the Lamp and the Moth told by Teodora Alonzo to the young boy Jose Rizal. The one of a kind art piece aims to promote our Filipino heritage and encourage reading by showcasing select books on Philippine history, culture, and arts for all ages in the gallery.

Kuwentuhang Adarna sa Gateway Gallery is a monthly storytelling session for community children. The activity aims to promote book enjoyment through animated storytelling and activities. The stories are told by storytellers from Adarna House using Adarna books. The session ends with distribution of snacks and educational gifts.

The Liwanag Reading Caravan is a storytelling – school campaign where celebrity storytellers visit nearby schools to promote the value and habit of reading. It also encourages the students to visit Gateway Gallery’s Liwanag Reading Corner for some “after-school reading”.

Mga Kwento ni Nanay is a one-day storytelling workshop designed to strengthen the reading campaign of the Gallery by enlisting parents, guardian, teachers, and volunteers in the community. Participants are briefed on the value of reading and helpful techniques to become effective storytellers. The activity not only

emphasizes the benefits of reading but espouses spending quality time with the children for their overall development.

In the last 5 months since they launched their reading program, they were able to reach 230 children, trained nearly 100 storytellers and distributed more than 150 books.

This November 24 & 25, as we celebrate the National Reading Month, the Gateway Gallery is holding its 2nd Mga Kwento ni Nanay: A Storytelling Workshop in partnership with Adarna House. The workshop is designed to strengthen the reading campaign of the Gallery by involving parents, guardian, teachers, and volunteers in the community. Participants are briefed on the value of reading and helpful techniques to become effective storytellers. The activity not only emphasizes the benefits of reading but espouses spending quality time with children for their overall development.

Mga Kwento ni Nanay: A Storytelling Workshop by Adarna House

The Gateway Gallery, managed by the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF) - the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of the Araneta Group, strongly believes in the importance of reading and literacy. In June 12 this year, the Gallery unveiled its “Liwanag Reading Corner”, a 7-piece mobile wooden sculpture inspired by the story of the Lamp and the Moth told by Teodora Alonzo to the young boy Jose Rizal. This one-of-a-kind art piece aims to promote our Filipino heritage and encourage reading by showcasing select books on Philippine history, culture, and arts for all ages.

GATEWAY GALLERY PROGRAM BRIEF

Reading has insurmountable benefits that cannot be neglected. It fosters individual growth that can spur national development. Encouragingly, the Philippines do not log behind on basic literacy. In 2013, 96.5 percent of 74 million Filipinos 10 years old and over was basically literate. Basic or simple literacy – is the ability of a person to read and write with understanding a simple message in any language or dialect. Furthermore, nine out of every ten Filipinos 10 to 64 years were functionally literate. Functional literacy includes not only reading and writing but also numeracy skills. The skills must be sufficiently advanced to enable the individual to participate fully and efficiently in activities commonly occurring in his life situation that require a reasonable capability of communicating by written language. A functional literate person is one who can at least read, write, compute and/or comprehend. Also, persons who graduated from high school or completed a higher level of education are classified as functionally literate.

Though the statistics look good, the number significantly drops when comprehension or higher level of literacy is considered. Only 5 out of 10 elementary graduates can read, write, compute and comprehend. While this number improves as the students reach high school, only about 60% of the population actually reaches high school thus, attaining this level of literacy. Employment/ looking for work (28.8%), Family income not sufficient to send child to school (15.7), and lack of personal interest (14.9) are top 3 reasons for not attending school/ dropping out.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVE

The Gateway Gallery Reading Program aims to foster literacy or love for reading and books among Filipino children. It supplements the current DepEd programs on improving the literacy rate in the country with an emphasis on promotion of Filipino history, arts, and culture.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

LIWANAG Reading Corner Unveiled during the Philippine Independence Day on June 12, 2017, the “Liwanag Reading Corner” is a 7-piece mobile wooden sculpture inspired by the story of the Lamp and the Moth told by Teodora Alonzo to the young boy Jose Rizal. The one of a kind art piece aims to promote our Filipino heritage and encourage reading by showcasing select books on Philippine history, culture, and arts for all ages in the gallery.

Kuwentuhang Adarna sa Gateway Gallery is a monthly storytelling session for community children. The activity aims to promote book enjoyment through animated storytelling and activities. The stories are told by storytellers from Adarna House using Adarna books. The session ends with distribution of snacks and educational gifts.

The Liwanag Reading Caravan is a storytelling – school campaign where celebrity storytellers visit nearby schools to promote the value and habit of reading. It also encourages the students to visit Gateway Gallery’s Liwanag Reading Corner for some “after-school reading”.

Mga Kwento ni Nanay is a one-day storytelling workshop designed to strengthen the reading campaign of the Gallery by enlisting parents, guardian, teachers, and volunteers in the community. Participants are briefed on the value of reading and helpful techniques to become effective storytellers. The activity not only

emphasizes the benefits of reading but espouses spending quality time with the children for their overall development.

In the last 5 months since they launched their reading program, they were able to reach 230 children, trained nearly 100 storytellers and distributed more than 150 books.

This November 24 & 25, as we celebrate the National Reading Month, the Gateway Gallery is holding its 2nd Mga Kwento ni Nanay: A Storytelling Workshop in partnership with Adarna House. The workshop is designed to strengthen the reading campaign of the Gallery by involving parents, guardian, teachers, and volunteers in the community. Participants are briefed on the value of reading and helpful techniques to become effective storytellers. The activity not only emphasizes the benefits of reading but espouses spending quality time with children for their overall development.

9 Lessons from 9 Years of Marriage

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." 

~ Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Human love is really flawed, conditional and selfish, but God's love is unconditional. I learned a great deal from our nine years of marriage, from my past mistakes and wrong choices in life. I cannot say that I am an expert, I still make mistakes and I am still a work in progress. Our love story is not yet over and God has been teaching us a lot of things. I am grateful that He has been so gracious in our marriage and very patient with us. 

9 Lessons from 9 Years of Marriage

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." 

~ Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Human love is really flawed, conditional and selfish, but God's love is unconditional. I learned a great deal from our nine years of marriage, from my past mistakes and wrong choices in life. I cannot say that I am an expert, I still make mistakes and I am still a work in progress. Our love story is not yet over and God has been teaching us a lot of things. I am grateful that He has been so gracious in our marriage and very patient with us. 

As we celebrate our nine years of marriage, let me share with you 9 lessons I've learned from this momentary gift.

1. I am not the leader.

During the early years of our marriage, it wasn't clear to me my role as a wife. My default is to control and manipulate my husband. Every time he makes a wrong move, I will take over. Gusto ko, ako masusunod. I came to realized that God's design is this: the husband is the leader and I am the helper. Whatever our husband's decision, it is final. You can make an appeal and give your opinions and suggestions but the final say should always be from him. You just have to trust him and support whatever the outcome of it. If there are times when I feel like the husband is lacking wisdom, I always bring the matter to our Heavenly Father. I learned this prayer from Joy of teachwithjoy, "Lord if my heart is not right, change me. But if my husband is not right, convict him." This is a very powerful prayer that really works for me as a wife. True enough, there are times when he will make a last minute change of mind just to follow my advice without me nagging or insisting on it.

2. I need to submit.

Since my husband is the God-ordained leader, I need to submit to the authority God placed before me. This doesn't mean I am inferior to him nor who is good in decision making, rather it is about roles and responsibilities. Just like in the office or in an organization, everyone has his own distinct function and hierarchy. Our failure to recognize these order was one of the big causes of difficulty during the early years of our marriage.

3. Forgiveness is a choice.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice or a decision. Most importantly, it is a command from the Lord regardless of how you feel towards the offender. True love is forgiving and apart from God, it is never easy. I learned to forgive my husband because of the cross. When you look at the cross and realized what Jesus has done for you so we can have the forgiveness of our sins, how can you not forgive? Just like my husband, I too am a selfish, fallen creature in need of a Savior. If you choose to forgive, God will take care of the healing process.

4. Decrease expectations.

I used to expect a lot from my husband. I used to tell him, you need to be like this, and this and so on. But if he doesn't meet up to my expectations, It will end up in frustration for both our part. Don't expect too much from your spouse and you'll be the happiest if he does things you never expect him to do. Di ba mas sweet un? Less stress for us also.

Scrapbook and letters from our Discipleship Group Members

5. Increase appreciation.

This is usually tag along number 4. Instead of expecting too much, I learned to increase appreciation. Appreciate him for what he is doing and what he will be doing. My husband's primary love language is words of affirmation. Being the opposite, I learned to adjust so we can meet halfway. Outside our home, they already got a lot of criticisms, why not pamper them and boost them by encouraging words and verbal compliments? They need to hear it especially from us.

6. Nike slogan, just do it.

I learned this from Deonna Tan-Chi. This slogan is applicable when it comes to sex. I was one of the many couples who had a distorted concept of how this will fit into the pattern of our lives. Sex is a gift from God that should be enjoyed and satisfied within the context of marriage. "It is the deepest expression of love in the lives of married couples." So, just like the Nike slogan, just do it, no excuses!

7. Live within or below your means.

Since we are now on a single income, I learned to live within our means, not wanting more than what the hubby can provide. I really want to help him with the finances and I know I have a big part on that. God has been faithful in meeting our financial needs

When it comes to money matters, hubby has the final decision. I can make requests to him but if he refused, it's ok with me. I learned not to have a lot of material things and still learning to be content with what we have. Nowadays, I usually shop for used books for our homeschooling. It is just so hard to control yourself especially if you know that it's a rare book and has one copy left. I am blessed that my husband has been very supportive and if budget permits, he allows me to buy. But I still need to restrain myself and be reminded to invest in eternal riches. 

8. I am not the Holy Spirit. 

I am my husband's helper, meaning to provide what is lacking. But sometimes I play the part of the Holy Spirit and I am not very proud of it. I came to know that It is NOT my role to convict him. If I do that, I am actually hindering the Holy Spirit to really work within him. Every now and then, I do accountability check but I don't impose on doing his Bible reading and devotion. I lift those matters to the Lord.

9. Depend only on God.

Anything and anyone else will fail, even our husbands, even our own selves. Never have confidence in yourself but depend on God in everything. Being a wife and a mother is not an easy task. If I am operating with my own self, I will fail all the time. I am learning to depend on God for everything. I learned to let go of my worries and trust in His plan for us.

Celebrating our anniversary at Yakimix

So there, I look forward to more years with my husband. I know I will learn more in this marriage. As the Lord reveals himself more and more to us, may we be also transformed into Christlikeness. May our marriage be a reflection of God's love and forgiveness.

"When God writes love stories, they are truly amazing!"

9 Lessons from 9 Years of Marriage

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." 

~ Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV)

Human love is really flawed, conditional and selfish, but God's love is unconditional. I learned a great deal from our nine years of marriage, from my past mistakes and wrong choices in life. I cannot say that I am an expert, I still make mistakes and I am still a work in progress. Our love story is not yet over and God has been teaching us a lot of things. I am grateful that He has been so gracious in our marriage and very patient with us. 

As we celebrate our nine years of marriage, let me share with you 9 lessons I've learned from this momentary gift.

1. I am not the leader.

During the early years of our marriage, it wasn't clear to me my role as a wife. My default is to control and manipulate my husband. Every time he makes a wrong move, I will take over. Gusto ko, ako masusunod. I came to realized that God's design is this: the husband is the leader and I am the helper. Whatever our husband's decision, it is final. You can make an appeal and give your opinions and suggestions but the final say should always be from him. You just have to trust him and support whatever the outcome of it. If there are times when I feel like the husband is lacking wisdom, I always bring the matter to our Heavenly Father. I learned this prayer from Joy of teachwithjoy, "Lord if my heart is not right, change me. But if my husband is not right, convict him." This is a very powerful prayer that really works for me as a wife. True enough, there are times when he will make a last minute change of mind just to follow my advice without me nagging or insisting on it.

2. I need to submit.

Since my husband is the God-ordained leader, I need to submit to the authority God placed before me. This doesn't mean I am inferior to him nor who is good in decision making, rather it is about roles and responsibilities. Just like in the office or in an organization, everyone has his own distinct function and hierarchy. Our failure to recognize these order was one of the big causes of difficulty during the early years of our marriage.

3. Forgiveness is a choice.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice or a decision. Most importantly, it is a command from the Lord regardless of how you feel towards the offender. True love is forgiving and apart from God, it is never easy. I learned to forgive my husband because of the cross. When you look at the cross and realized what Jesus has done for you so we can have the forgiveness of our sins, how can you not forgive? Just like my husband, I too am a selfish, fallen creature in need of a Savior. If you choose to forgive, God will take care of the healing process.

4. Decrease expectations.

I used to expect a lot from my husband. I used to tell him, you need to be like this, and this and so on. But if he doesn't meet up to my expectations, It will end up in frustration for both our part. Don't expect too much from your spouse and you'll be the happiest if he does things you never expect him to do. Di ba mas sweet un? Less stress for us also.

Scrapbook and letters from our Discipleship Group Members

5. Increase appreciation.

This is usually tag along number 4. Instead of expecting too much, I learned to increase appreciation. Appreciate him for what he is doing and what he will be doing. My husband's primary love language is words of affirmation. Being the opposite, I learned to adjust so we can meet halfway. Outside our home, they already got a lot of criticisms, why not pamper them and boost them by encouraging words and verbal compliments? They need to hear it especially from us.

6. Nike slogan, just do it.

I learned this from Deonna Tan-Chi. This slogan is applicable when it comes to sex. I was one of the many couples who had a distorted concept of how this will fit into the pattern of our lives. Sex is a gift from God that should be enjoyed and satisfied within the context of marriage. "It is the deepest expression of love in the lives of married couples." So, just like the Nike slogan, just do it, no excuses!

7. Live within or below your means.

Since we are now on a single income, I learned to live within our means, not wanting more than what the hubby can provide. I really want to help him with the finances and I know I have a big part on that. God has been faithful in meeting our financial needs

When it comes to money matters, hubby has the final decision. I can make requests to him but if he refused, it's ok with me. I learned not to have a lot of material things and still learning to be content with what we have. Nowadays, I usually shop for used books for our homeschooling. It is just so hard to control yourself especially if you know that it's a rare book and has one copy left. I am blessed that my husband has been very supportive and if budget permits, he allows me to buy. But I still need to restrain myself and be reminded to invest in eternal riches. 

8. I am not the Holy Spirit. 

I am my husband's helper, meaning to provide what is lacking. But sometimes I play the part of the Holy Spirit and I am not very proud of it. I came to know that It is NOT my role to convict him. If I do that, I am actually hindering the Holy Spirit to really work within him. Every now and then, I do accountability check but I don't impose on doing his Bible reading and devotion. I lift those matters to the Lord.

9. Depend only on God.

Anything and anyone else will fail, even our husbands, even our own selves. Never have confidence in yourself but depend on God in everything. Being a wife and a mother is not an easy task. If I am operating with my own self, I will fail all the time. I am learning to depend on God for everything. I learned to let go of my worries and trust in His plan for us.

Celebrating our anniversary at Yakimix

So there, I look forward to more years with my husband. I know I will learn more in this marriage. As the Lord reveals himself more and more to us, may we be also transformed into Christlikeness. May our marriage be a reflection of God's love and forgiveness.

"When God writes love stories, they are truly amazing!"

Give More and Save More with Lazada Philippines’ Online Revolution

Who wants an "out of this world sale" with discounts of up to 95%! Yes, 95% off on items exclusive only at lazada.com.ph! No Sign-ups needed, read on: *|MC_PREVIEW_TEXT|*

Give More and Save More with Lazada Philippines’ Online Revolution MANILA CITY, PHILIPPINES – Southeast Asia’s biggest online shopping event, the Online Revolution Sale, brings to the spotlight over 28 million local and international products from its most trusted brands and sellers. Customers can expect jaw-dropping offers, flash sales and exclusive launches up to 95% off. Now on its sixth year, Lazada.com.ph expects over 150 million visits combined during the sale period, which begins November 9 in the Philippines. The combination of millions of sellers and buyers makes this year’s theme: “Shop the Universe” a perfect fit. Shoppers looking for more will get more choices as items on sale during Alibaba’s single’s day (11.11) will be available through the Taobao Collection. Digital goods such as prepaid load, mobile data and restaurant & lifestyle vouchers are also available at 5% off. Christmas gift-seekers will be treated with more options at even better prices. Top deals include the Cherry Mobile OnRev smartphone for only Php 999, the Olay Night Ritual at Php 999 and the Casio G-Shock watch for only Php 2,995. Bargain hunters will also love to the 11 Peso deals and flash sales every two hours. Some flash sale items include a Matrix microwave oven for Php 1,999, an A7 Sports camera for Php 439 and Mamypoko Extra Dry Skin Tape Diapers (30 pcs) for only Php 322. Christmas shopping wouldn’t; be complete without raffle promos. Lazada has that too! Avent is giving away a cash prize of Php 1,000,000 to one lucky customer buying any Avent product. Lazada is also giving away free trips from Philippine Airlines and Star Cruises, as well as one Isuzu SUV to lucky shoppers. Each transaction entitles shoppers to an electronic raffle coupon. Through a collaboration with Freenet, the free internet platform of Voyager Innovations, customers using the Lazada mobile app can browse and shop without being charged for data consumption. To get additional discounts, sign-up for a PayMaya account and enjoy additional 20% off (max. discount of P400) with the code PYMYNOV upon checkout for the whole month of November. “With this year’s Online Revolution Sale, the best of the world is truly at everyone's fingertips. Lazada has been working closely with the top brands and sellers in the country and across the globe to offer the best products at the most affordable prices. We believe that campaigns such as Online Revolution will someday set the Philippines to be the online shopping capital of not only Southeast Asia but also the world” said Lazada Co-Founder and CEO, Inanc Balci. Christmas can’t get better than this! Visit www.lazada.com.ph/online-revolution/ and make your Christmas shopping merry and bright. The biggest sale of the year, Online Revolution, will be from November 9 to December 12, 2017. Watch out for the mega days on November 9 to 11 and December 7 to 12. About Lazada Group Lazada is the number one online shopping & selling destination in Southeast Asia – present in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Lazada helps more than 135,000 local and international sellers as well as 3,000 brands serve the 560 million consumers in the region through its marketplace platform, supported by a wide range of tailored marketing, data, and service solutions. Lazada offers an excellent customer experience through a wide network of logistics partners and its own first- and last-mile delivery arm.   PRESS CONTACT: CHRISTINA MILA Z. JIMENEZ Offline Marketing Head Lazada Philippines (E) c.jimenez@lazada.com.ph (M) +639178969703