Learn Why International Travel Insurance is Necessary

Travelling is in everyone's blood. Most of us are already filling up planners with go-to places. We love to travel every now and then. It is the most rewarding thing we can think of after an exhausting day at work. We travel to discover new places or break from our usual routine of life. It is something that we should be able to do at least once in our lives.

When planning for travel arrangements it is also important to take into consideration getting an International Travel Insurance. Most of us underestimate this because it is usually implied as something not necessary for traveling. But the reality is, there are travel situations that might occur beyond our control where travel insurance is utterly necessary.

They say that insurance is as essential as a passport for international travel. You’ll never know what will happen while you are on travel and travel insurance can do so much more for you. 

Here are the reasons why international travel insurance is necessary:

PERSONAL ACCIDENT

Accidents, most of the time are unpredictable. Travel Master provides coverage for accidental death, dismemberment, or disablement and accidental burial benefit. Although we do not wish these things to happen while we are on travel, these may occur to anyone.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT

Illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical attention abroad can be very costly. When travelling, you often do not have immediate access to resources to pay for the appropriate treatment right away. Travel Master provides coverage for the medical treatment you might need. Coverage also extends to follow-up care, as well as the daily incidental expenses involved in hospital confinement.

PERSONAL LIABILITY

In the event, an accident occurs that results in bodily injury or property damage that you are held legally responsible for, Travel Master shoulders these risks so you can continue to enjoy your trip.

RECOVERY OF TRAVEL EXPENSES

Do you need to cancel a trip? The Emergency Trip Termination feature will get you covered. Emergency Trip Cancellation feature shall reimburse the non-refundable portion of travel and accommodation expense if the trip has been canceled within 30 days prior to the scheduled departure.

TRAVEL INCONVENIENCE BENEFITS

If you do not have the right insurance protection, traveling can be quite a fuss. Travel Master offers benefits for loss of travel documents, loss of baggage, baggage delay, loss of cash, damage to laptop and flight delay as a result of severe weather, mechanical trouble, strikes, and even skyjacking, to keep you smiling despite such unexpected events.

TRAVEL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS

Assist America, a world-class travel assistance provider is in partnership with Travel Master to provide you access to several emergency and medical travel assistance services such as:

• Medically supervised repatriation
• Emergency Evacuation
• Return of mortal remains
• Care for unattended minors
• Compassionate leave
• Hospital admission guarantee
• Critical care monitoring
• Prescription assistance
• Legal and interpreter referrals
• Emergency medical transmission

But wait, there's more! Travel Master also provides free insurance coverage for damage to rented cars, as well as medical treatment and assistance services for accidents resulting from sports activities. Travel Master isn’t just for flying, they also cover travel on ships, trains, and cars.

For worry-free travels, Travel Master by Malayan Insurance has everything you’d expect out of a solid international travel insurance policy. Cut back risks with sudden events throughout your travel, and have a peace of mind. No matter what your trip involves, you can feel confident that Travel Master will have you covered, #InsuretobeSure!

Insurance transactions can be done online via this link. Should you wish to speak to an agent or a broker for offline communication and transactions, you may go to your local Malayan Insurance Branch.

For more details, you may visit their website, www.malayan.com. Don't forget to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Learn Why International Travel Insurance is Necessary

Travelling is in everyone's blood. Most of us are already filling up planners with go-to places. We love to travel every now and then. It is the most rewarding thing we can think of after an exhausting day at work. We travel to discover new places or break from our usual routine of life. It is something that we should be able to do at least once in our lives.

When planning for travel arrangements it is also important to take into consideration getting an International Travel Insurance. Most of us underestimate this because it is usually implied as something not necessary for traveling. But the reality is, there are travel situations that might occur beyond our control where travel insurance is utterly necessary.

They say that insurance is as essential as a passport for international travel. You’ll never know what will happen while you are on travel and travel insurance can do so much more for you. 

Here are the reasons why international travel insurance is necessary:

PERSONAL ACCIDENT

Accidents, most of the time are unpredictable. Travel Master provides coverage for accidental death, dismemberment, or disablement and accidental burial benefit. Although we do not wish these things to happen while we are on travel, these may occur to anyone.

EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT

Illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical attention abroad can be very costly. When travelling, you often do not have immediate access to resources to pay for the appropriate treatment right away. Travel Master provides coverage for the medical treatment you might need. Coverage also extends to follow-up care, as well as the daily incidental expenses involved in hospital confinement.

PERSONAL LIABILITY

In the event, an accident occurs that results in bodily injury or property damage that you are held legally responsible for, Travel Master shoulders these risks so you can continue to enjoy your trip.

RECOVERY OF TRAVEL EXPENSES

Do you need to cancel a trip? The Emergency Trip Termination feature will get you covered. Emergency Trip Cancellation feature shall reimburse the non-refundable portion of travel and accommodation expense if the trip has been canceled within 30 days prior to the scheduled departure.

TRAVEL INCONVENIENCE BENEFITS

If you do not have the right insurance protection, traveling can be quite a fuss. Travel Master offers benefits for loss of travel documents, loss of baggage, baggage delay, loss of cash, damage to laptop and flight delay as a result of severe weather, mechanical trouble, strikes, and even skyjacking, to keep you smiling despite such unexpected events.

TRAVEL ASSISTANCE BENEFITS

Assist America, a world-class travel assistance provider is in partnership with Travel Master to provide you access to several emergency and medical travel assistance services such as:

• Medically supervised repatriation
• Emergency Evacuation
• Return of mortal remains
• Care for unattended minors
• Compassionate leave
• Hospital admission guarantee
• Critical care monitoring
• Prescription assistance
• Legal and interpreter referrals
• Emergency medical transmission

But wait, there's more! Travel Master also provides free insurance coverage for damage to rented cars, as well as medical treatment and assistance services for accidents resulting from sports activities. Travel Master isn’t just for flying, they also cover travel on ships, trains, and cars.

For worry-free travels, Travel Master by Malayan Insurance has everything you’d expect out of a solid international travel insurance policy. Cut back risks with sudden events throughout your travel, and have a peace of mind. No matter what your trip involves, you can feel confident that Travel Master will have you covered, #InsuretobeSure!

Insurance transactions can be done online via this link. Should you wish to speak to an agent or a broker for offline communication and transactions, you may go to your local Malayan Insurance Branch.

For more details, you may visit their website, www.malayan.com. Don't forget to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Learn Why International Travel Insurance is Necessary

Travelling is in everyone's blood. Most of us are already filling up planners with go-to places. We love to travel every now and then. It is the most rewarding thing we can think of after an exhausting day at work. We travel to discover new places or break from our usual routine of life. It is something that we should be able to do at least once in our lives.

2017 Highlights

Welcome, 2018!

Year after year, the Lord never failed to reveal himself to us in a very special and personal way. He keeps on surprising us every now and then. For this post, I just want to look back on the previous year and how the Lord has been so faithful to our family in causing things to happen for our good.

2017 Highlights

Welcome, 2018!

Year after year, the Lord never failed to reveal himself to us in a very special and personal way. He keeps on surprising us every now and then. For this post, I just want to look back on the previous year and how the Lord has been so faithful to our family in causing things to happen for our good.

Blogging - Dot Com

Let me start with this blog. So, it went DotCom last year (more about it here) and although I'm not active in blogging events the past year, I was able to keep it active, by God's grace. This blog is our family's online journal of our different moments and many adventures. 

Every now and then, God open doors for collaboration from different brands which is an added bonus. I always confessed I am not a writer nor a pro at blogging, that is why  I always feel blessed every time I am being contacted to work on a certain brand. Though I cannot go on blogging events like I used to, I will content myself for now on doing reviews and sponsored posts at home because I I don't want to compromise my time with the kids.

Full-Time Mom

It was March of 2017 when I rendered my last day after working at home for 8 months. It wasn't easy being a single income household but hey, God sustained us up to date! There were times when I will ask my husband if he needs me to look for work to help with our finances, but I'm glad he didn't let me and just trust the Lord to provide for us.

This decision helped us to adjust our lifestyle and live within our means. We learned to depend on the Lord more when it comes to our daily needs, living one day at a time and resting on God's promise of provision. We learned to surrender our house to the Lord where the biggest chunk of hubby's salary is going. There were instances we were behind our payment, but God never failed to make a way. We also learned to prioritize "needs" over "wants". We just kept on reminding ourselves that we are to invest in things with eternal value.

Family Bonding at Palaya Natural Farm

I am happy that I can manage our home, I am busy inside our home and not outside of it. My Mondays thru Fridays are for husband and the kids, weekends are for church ministries. I need to guard my time because I can easily be caught up in the busy sweep of life.

Now that I am fulltime at home, I appreciate my husband all the more. His hard work in providing for the family and for doing errands at home. He loves making DIYs and in fact, he is currently working on our bookshelf.

Moreover, it is also a blessing to be with my kids to teach them and minister to them. I want to be available when they need me. when they are afraid or when they struggle. I love the fact that they can talk to me about anything, their feelings or their concerns. My son said he gets "Mom Sick" when I am not around.

Transfer to Cavite

We transferred to Cavite during the Holy Week to take advantage of Dadieh's off. We prayed for God to make the move smooth and easy - and it was, praise God! We didn't spend a lot during the transfer and although it was difficult to adjust at first, God comforted us in this new milestone.

We are thankful because we are enjoying the comfort of the house God has given us. This is way bigger than where we used to live. Notwithstanding the lack of material things, we learned to make use of what we have and what we can afford.

House Dedication

Our transfer to Cavite prevented me from attending different blog events since the frequent venues for events were no longer accessible to me. But I know God wants me to focus first on why I quit my work, that is to be with my kids. I realized, If I will be out of the house most of the time, it will defeat the purpose of me leaving work. It will limit my precious time with the kids and it will not make any difference to working.

Small Group Members

It was also this year when our first small group member was endorsed to us, they were products of an annual Marriage Enrichment Retreat.

As of writing, God entrusted us with 3 couples. We meet every Sunday for fellowship and bible study and we are so blessed to have them as our spiritual family. They are our prayer partners and encouragers. It is just amazing how God brought us together. We couldn't wait to see what God has in store for each of them.

La Mesa Eco Park

My Husband also ministered a Baby Dedication for the first time from our small group last December.

Independent Homeschooling 

We went indie homeschooling because we couldn't afford to pay the tuition fee of our previous Homeschool Provider. Although we prayed for God's provision, we prepared our hearts that if He will not provide, then we will go this route.

If you were to ask me, (if budget permits) I would prefer to be enrolled for peace of mind when it comes to record keeping. Sometimes, it is not easy being indie especially if you previously belonged to a Coop. Due to exclusivity, you are no longer allowed to join their activities. Thus, you need to find a different coop where you can participate. But I'd rather dwell on the positive things indie homeschooling brought to us: you are free to choose your curriculum and method, no need to pay for tuition fee (which allows you to invest on good books), no portfolio reviews, and no busy work.

Flower Press

We know this path is against the tide, but we will go where the Lord is leading us. We entrust the future of our homeschooling to the One who calls us and enables us to perform this very important task in the lives of our kids.

Opportunities to Serve

We are called to join in God's activity for Him to accomplish His goal through us. The Lord opened opportunities for us to serve others in a different capacity this year. We've been involved in different retreats and ministry events such as Unconditional Marriage Retreat, Radical Wives Retreat, Chosen - A Mother's Retreat, Life to the Max and CCF Mass Wedding.

It was a heartwarming experience to hear testimonies of a transformed life through these events. We are so privileged to witness and see it with our very own eyes. Truly, our labor in the Lord is not in vain.

We are greatly blessed to be with people who are very passionate in sharing Jesus to others and who untiringly dedicate their time, talent and treasure in the works of the Lord.

Glorious Hope Recovery Program

We were able to finish the GH Recovery Program and we were so honored by the opportunity to share God's story in our lives. To be His stewards in carrying the message of hope is one of the greatest callings.

GH Thanksgiving

We shared our life before and after our encounter with Christ and how the program helped us gained valuable lessons for God's glory. We made a lot of mistakes in the past and faced painful experiences which brought us to God through Jesus Christ. It is not a good testimony but we hoped it brought comfort to others who are also struggling.

Piano and Piano Lesson 

One of my son's prayer request was a piano. Thankfully, God allowed us to buy one at Lazada from the money he got during Christmas and from his earnings.

Answered Prayer!

We also prayed for provision for a piano lesson. Fortunately, we discovered Hoffman Academy which offers a free class. A dear friend was used by God so we can have the premium subscription. I don't monitor his piano lessons because I saw his dedication so I allowed him to do it on his own. We were amazed how he greatly improved. He is a great student and a quick learner.

Now we are praying for opportunities for him to showcase his skills and that he will be able to use it in the future for God's glory.

So there you go, thank you for going through with me as I looked back on my 2017 highlights.

You can also read my 2016 Highlights here.

2017 Highlights

Welcome, 2018!

Year after year, the Lord never failed to reveal himself to us in a very special and personal way. He keeps on surprising us every now and then. For this post, I just want to look back on the previous year and how the Lord has been so faithful to our family in causing things to happen for our good.

Blogging - Dot Com

Let me start with this blog. So, it went DotCom last year (more about it here) and although I'm not active in blogging events the past year, I was able to keep it active, by God's grace. This blog is our family's online journal of our different moments and many adventures. 

Every now and then, God open doors for collaboration from different brands which is an added bonus. I always confessed I am not a writer nor a pro at blogging, that is why  I always feel blessed every time I am being contacted to work on a certain brand. Though I cannot go on blogging events like I used to, I will content myself for now on doing reviews and sponsored posts at home because I I don't want to compromise my time with the kids.

Full-Time Mom

It was March of 2017 when I rendered my last day after working at home for 8 months. It wasn't easy being a single income household but hey, God sustained us up to date! There were times when I will ask my husband if he needs me to look for work to help with our finances, but I'm glad he didn't let me and just trust the Lord to provide for us.

This decision helped us to adjust our lifestyle and live within our means. We learned to depend on the Lord more when it comes to our daily needs, living one day at a time and resting on God's promise of provision. We learned to surrender our house to the Lord where the biggest chunk of hubby's salary is going. There were instances we were behind our payment, but God never failed to make a way. We also learned to prioritize "needs" over "wants". We just kept on reminding ourselves that we are to invest in things with eternal value.

Family Bonding at Palaya Natural Farm

I am happy that I can manage our home, I am busy inside our home and not outside of it. My Mondays thru Fridays are for husband and the kids, weekends are for church ministries. I need to guard my time because I can easily be caught up in the busy sweep of life.

Now that I am fulltime at home, I appreciate my husband all the more. His hard work in providing for the family and for doing errands at home. He loves making DIYs and in fact, he is currently working on our bookshelf.

Moreover, it is also a blessing to be with my kids to teach them and minister to them. I want to be available when they need me. when they are afraid or when they struggle. I love the fact that they can talk to me about anything, their feelings or their concerns. My son said he gets "Mom Sick" when I am not around.

Transfer to Cavite

We transferred to Cavite during the Holy Week to take advantage of Dadieh's off. We prayed for God to make the move smooth and easy - and it was, praise God! We didn't spend a lot during the transfer and although it was difficult to adjust at first, God comforted us in this new milestone.

We are thankful because we are enjoying the comfort of the house God has given us. This is way bigger than where we used to live. Notwithstanding the lack of material things, we learned to make use of what we have and what we can afford.

House Dedication

Our transfer to Cavite prevented me from attending different blog events since the frequent venues for events were no longer accessible to me. But I know God wants me to focus first on why I quit my work, that is to be with my kids. I realized, If I will be out of the house most of the time, it will defeat the purpose of me leaving work. It will limit my precious time with the kids and it will not make any difference to working.

Small Group Members

It was also this year when our first small group member was endorsed to us, they were products of an annual Marriage Enrichment Retreat.

As of writing, God entrusted us with 3 couples. We meet every Sunday for fellowship and bible study and we are so blessed to have them as our spiritual family. They are our prayer partners and encouragers. It is just amazing how God brought us together. We couldn't wait to see what God has in store for each of them.

La Mesa Eco Park

My Husband also ministered a Baby Dedication for the first time from our small group last December.

Independent Homeschooling 

We went indie homeschooling because we couldn't afford to pay the tuition fee of our previous Homeschool Provider. Although we prayed for God's provision, we prepared our hearts that if He will not provide, then we will go this route.

If you were to ask me, (if budget permits) I would prefer to be enrolled for peace of mind when it comes to record keeping. Sometimes, it is not easy being indie especially if you previously belonged to a Coop. Due to exclusivity, you are no longer allowed to join their activities. Thus, you need to find a different coop where you can participate. But I'd rather dwell on the positive things indie homeschooling brought to us: you are free to choose your curriculum and method, no need to pay for tuition fee (which allows you to invest on good books), no portfolio reviews, and no busy work.

Flower Press

We know this path is against the tide, but we will go where the Lord is leading us. We entrust the future of our homeschooling to the One who calls us and enables us to perform this very important task in the lives of our kids.

Opportunities to Serve

We are called to join in God's activity for Him to accomplish His goal through us. The Lord opened opportunities for us to serve others in a different capacity this year. We've been involved in different retreats and ministry events such as Unconditional Marriage Retreat, Radical Wives Retreat, Chosen - A Mother's Retreat, Life to the Max and CCF Mass Wedding.

It was a heartwarming experience to hear testimonies of a transformed life through these events. We are so privileged to witness and see it with our very own eyes. Truly, our labor in the Lord is not in vain.

We are greatly blessed to be with people who are very passionate in sharing Jesus to others and who untiringly dedicate their time, talent and treasure in the works of the Lord.

Glorious Hope Recovery Program

We were able to finish the GH Recovery Program and we were so honored by the opportunity to share God's story in our lives. To be His stewards in carrying the message of hope is one of the greatest callings.

GH Thanksgiving

We shared our life before and after our encounter with Christ and how the program helped us gained valuable lessons for God's glory. We made a lot of mistakes in the past and faced painful experiences which brought us to God through Jesus Christ. It is not a good testimony but we hoped it brought comfort to others who are also struggling.

Piano and Piano Lesson 

One of my son's prayer request was a piano. Thankfully, God allowed us to buy one at Lazada from the money he got during Christmas and from his earnings.

Answered Prayer!

We also prayed for provision for a piano lesson. Fortunately, we discovered Hoffman Academy which offers a free class. A dear friend was used by God so we can have the premium subscription. I don't monitor his piano lessons because I saw his dedication so I allowed him to do it on his own. We were amazed how he greatly improved. He is a great student and a quick learner.

Now we are praying for opportunities for him to showcase his skills and that he will be able to use it in the future for God's glory.

So there you go, thank you for going through with me as I looked back on my 2017 highlights.

You can also read my 2016 Highlights here.

2018 Reading List

Since it's already new year, I really want to force myself to read more. I have a couple of books I got which I never got the chance to read. This year, I want to really carve out time for my own personal reading (outside of our school books), for my own intellectual growth and joy.

2018 Reading List

Since it's already new year, I really want to force myself to read more. I have a couple of books I got which I never got the chance to read. This year, I want to really carve out time for my own personal reading (outside of our school books), for my own intellectual growth and joy.

Aside from my yearly goal of reading the entire Bible, I have listed five books I am lining up to read this year. This is a very conservative number because I want to be kind to myself. Haha. But I am hoping it will increase year after year.

For the Children's Sake

As a Charlotte Mason Homeschooler, this is one of the recommended books to help you grasp Miss Mason's method of education. I decided to start with this and then go with CM's 6 Volume Books.

For the Children's Sake is a book about what education can be--for your child, in your home, and in your school. It is based first on a Christian understanding of what it means to be human--to be a child, a parent, a teacher--and on the Christian meaning of life. At the same time, it is deeply practical. Many of the central ideas have been tried and proven true over a century in almost every kind of educational situation. The ideas are in fact so true that they can be applied equally at home, in different schools, in Africa, in the inner city, and in your own community. But they are also ideas which Susan and her husband Ranald Macaulay have tried and proven in their own family and school experience.

For the Children's Sake is a book which can help every parent and teacher awaken the young minds of their children and give them a new richness, stability, and joy for living. (GoodreadsDotcom)

Motivate: 8 Secrets of Successful Parenting

I've heard several parenting experiences of Pastor Peter and his family and I can say that they are a true model of Biblical Parenting. One of my Sisters-in-Christ gave this to me as a gift.

A book on Biblical Parenting arranged using the acronym “MOTIVATE!”, the Tan-Chis set out their approach to parenting drawing from and relying on EIGHT biblical principles. 

The Tan-Chi’s teaching is enriched with anecdotes drawn from many sources including their experience as parents, and the book contains personal stories contributed by their children. 

Chapters include:

MODELLING the Christian lifestyle,
OPEN Communication,
the importance of TIME,
consciously building INTIMACY with your children
VISION (that gives Direction and Purpose),
AFFIRMATION,
TEACHING and TRAINING biblical principles to your children (Obedience and Intentionality), and
ENTRUSTING them to God (GoodreadsDotcom).

This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence

I got this book as a prize in our first Unconditional Retreat, that was like 2015 and I started reading few pages last December only. Huhu.

Even in the days when people commonly stayed married "'til death do us part," there has never been a generation whose view of marriage was high enough, says Pastor John Piper. That is all the more true in our casual times.

Though personal selfishness and cultural bondage obstruct the wonder of God's purpose, it is found in God's Word, where his design can awaken a glorious vision capable of freeing every person from small, Christ-ignoring, romance-intoxicated views. As Piper explains in reflecting on forty years of matrimony: "Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God. It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does. Marriage, therefore, is not mainly about being in love. It's mainly about telling the truth with our lives. And staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ's covenant-keeping love on display."

This Momentary Marriage unpacks the biblical vision, its unexpected contours, and its weighty implications for married, single, divorced, and remarried alike. (GoodreadsDotcom)

Regret No More

I got this book from a book launch and ever since I've been wanting to read this.

In Regret No More, Nelson T. Dy walks with you as you entrust the wounds of your “What Ifs” to the One who holds your days. Find forgiveness and healing from God, who truly knows you. It’s more than a process of forgiving yourself and moving on. It’s about finding a wonderful Person who sees our worst and loves us anyway.

Living a life without regret is possible. You can hope and be happy again (GoodreadsDotcom).

Created to be His Help Meet

This book was lent to me by my Small Group Leader when we had marital issues. I already read 3/4 of this but never really finished. So, I want to start this reread this from cover to cover.

Somewhere over the passing years and changing culture, women have lost their way.  This book is written to lead them back home.  Regardless of how you began your marriage or how dark and lonely the path that has brought you to where you are now, I want you to know that it is possible today to have a marriage so good and so fulfilling that it can only be explained as a miracle.

Follow Debi Pearl as she takes the wisdom and experience of her own marriage and confirms it with the wisdom of scripture and learn how to be the “help meet” that God created you to be.   You will learn to appreciate God’s gift of a husband with a thankful heart that produces joy and wisdom in you and your home.  Gain a better understanding of who your husband is and how your response to him can make or break your marriage.  See the Bible’s perspective of obedience and authority and understand how you are joint heirs to the promises of God.

The miracle of a wonderful marriage is like the miracle of birth, God allows you to be an essential contributor to the miracle.  Read, enjoy and be blessed as over 330,000 other women already have (GoodreadsDotcom).

This year, I am also starting my commonplace notebook and as I read through these books, I would want to record ideas and favorite quotes. I don't want to hurry reading this time except to enjoy and of course, to give room to ponder.

"If mothers would learn to do for themselves what they do for their children when they're over-stimulated, households would all be happier. Let the mother go out to play! She should have the courage to let everything go when life becomes too stressful, and just take a day, or even a half day, alone, to go out into the fields, or enjoy a favorite book, or go to the art gallery and gaze long and intensely at just two or three pictures, or relax in bed, without the children. Life would go on more smoothly for both parents and children." [from Charlotte Mason's Vol. 3 pg 34]

How about you? What are you reading this year?

2018 Reading List

Since it's already new year, I really want to force myself to read more. I have a couple of books I got which I never got the chance to read. This year, I want to really carve out time for my own personal reading (outside of our school books), for my own intellectual growth and joy.

Aside from my yearly goal of reading the entire Bible, I have listed five books I am lining up to read this year. This is a very conservative number because I want to be kind to myself. Haha. But I am hoping it will increase year after year.

For the Children's Sake

As a Charlotte Mason Homeschooler, this is one of the recommended books to help you grasp Miss Mason's method of education. I decided to start with this and then go with CM's 6 Volume Books.

For the Children's Sake is a book about what education can be--for your child, in your home, and in your school. It is based first on a Christian understanding of what it means to be human--to be a child, a parent, a teacher--and on the Christian meaning of life. At the same time, it is deeply practical. Many of the central ideas have been tried and proven true over a century in almost every kind of educational situation. The ideas are in fact so true that they can be applied equally at home, in different schools, in Africa, in the inner city, and in your own community. But they are also ideas which Susan and her husband Ranald Macaulay have tried and proven in their own family and school experience.

For the Children's Sake is a book which can help every parent and teacher awaken the young minds of their children and give them a new richness, stability, and joy for living. (GoodreadsDotcom)

Motivate: 8 Secrets of Successful Parenting

I've heard several parenting experiences of Pastor Peter and his family and I can say that they are a true model of Biblical Parenting. One of my Sisters-in-Christ gave this to me as a gift.

A book on Biblical Parenting arranged using the acronym “MOTIVATE!”, the Tan-Chis set out their approach to parenting drawing from and relying on EIGHT biblical principles. 

The Tan-Chi’s teaching is enriched with anecdotes drawn from many sources including their experience as parents, and the book contains personal stories contributed by their children. 

Chapters include:

MODELLING the Christian lifestyle,
OPEN Communication,
the importance of TIME,
consciously building INTIMACY with your children
VISION (that gives Direction and Purpose),
AFFIRMATION,
TEACHING and TRAINING biblical principles to your children (Obedience and Intentionality), and
ENTRUSTING them to God (GoodreadsDotcom).

This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence

I got this book as a prize in our first Unconditional Retreat, that was like 2015 and I started reading few pages last December only. Huhu.

Even in the days when people commonly stayed married "'til death do us part," there has never been a generation whose view of marriage was high enough, says Pastor John Piper. That is all the more true in our casual times.

Though personal selfishness and cultural bondage obstruct the wonder of God's purpose, it is found in God's Word, where his design can awaken a glorious vision capable of freeing every person from small, Christ-ignoring, romance-intoxicated views. As Piper explains in reflecting on forty years of matrimony: "Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God. It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does. Marriage, therefore, is not mainly about being in love. It's mainly about telling the truth with our lives. And staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ's covenant-keeping love on display."

This Momentary Marriage unpacks the biblical vision, its unexpected contours, and its weighty implications for married, single, divorced, and remarried alike. (GoodreadsDotcom)

Regret No More

I got this book from a book launch and ever since I've been wanting to read this.

In Regret No More, Nelson T. Dy walks with you as you entrust the wounds of your “What Ifs” to the One who holds your days. Find forgiveness and healing from God, who truly knows you. It’s more than a process of forgiving yourself and moving on. It’s about finding a wonderful Person who sees our worst and loves us anyway.

Living a life without regret is possible. You can hope and be happy again (GoodreadsDotcom).

Created to be His Help Meet

This book was lent to me by my Small Group Leader when we had marital issues. I already read 3/4 of this but never really finished. So, I want to start this reread this from cover to cover.

Somewhere over the passing years and changing culture, women have lost their way.  This book is written to lead them back home.  Regardless of how you began your marriage or how dark and lonely the path that has brought you to where you are now, I want you to know that it is possible today to have a marriage so good and so fulfilling that it can only be explained as a miracle.

Follow Debi Pearl as she takes the wisdom and experience of her own marriage and confirms it with the wisdom of scripture and learn how to be the “help meet” that God created you to be.   You will learn to appreciate God’s gift of a husband with a thankful heart that produces joy and wisdom in you and your home.  Gain a better understanding of who your husband is and how your response to him can make or break your marriage.  See the Bible’s perspective of obedience and authority and understand how you are joint heirs to the promises of God.

The miracle of a wonderful marriage is like the miracle of birth, God allows you to be an essential contributor to the miracle.  Read, enjoy and be blessed as over 330,000 other women already have (GoodreadsDotcom).

This year, I am also starting my commonplace notebook and as I read through these books, I would want to record ideas and favorite quotes. I don't want to hurry reading this time except to enjoy and of course, to give room to ponder.

"If mothers would learn to do for themselves what they do for their children when they're over-stimulated, households would all be happier. Let the mother go out to play! She should have the courage to let everything go when life becomes too stressful, and just take a day, or even a half day, alone, to go out into the fields, or enjoy a favorite book, or go to the art gallery and gaze long and intensely at just two or three pictures, or relax in bed, without the children. Life would go on more smoothly for both parents and children." [from Charlotte Mason's Vol. 3 pg 34]

How about you? What are you reading this year?

Handicraft # 2: Paper Sloyd - Year One

Handicraft is one of the elements in a Charlotte Mason Education because of its many advantages. One, in particular, is Paper Sloyd. It is also known as a Living Math since it is incorporated in many geometric concepts.

I chose this for our Year 3 Term 1 because my son loves Origami (which is another handicraft), so this is an instant click to him. On the other hand, my husband loves woodworking and the principles in Sloyd can also be used in woods.

The goal here is to make an accurate measurement unlike in Origami. Perfect execution is the key. From a simple square, he can make different items such as a basket, picture frame, pin-wheel, etc. and it gets difficult as it progressed.

Here is our completed output for Term 1.

We finished the First Year Models and we are planning to continue next year. We will be doing another handicraft for the meantime and I am yet to decide on which. :)

Handicraft # 2: Paper Sloyd - Year One

Handicraft is one of the elements in a Charlotte Mason Education because of its many advantages. One, in particular, is Paper Sloyd. It is also known as a Living Math since it is incorporated in many geometric concepts.

Handicraft # 2: Paper Sloyd - Year One

Handicraft is one of the elements in a Charlotte Mason Education because of its many advantages. One, in particular, is Paper Sloyd. It is also known as a Living Math since it is incorporated in many geometric concepts.

I chose this for our Year 3 Term 1 because my son loves Origami (which is another handicraft), so this is an instant click to him. On the other hand, my husband loves woodworking and the principles in Sloyd can also be used in woods.

The goal here is to make an accurate measurement unlike in Origami. Perfect execution is the key. From a simple square, he can make different items such as a basket, picture frame, pin-wheel, etc. and it gets difficult as it progressed.

Here is our completed output for Term 1.

We finished the First Year Models and we are planning to continue next year. We will be doing another handicraft for the meantime and I am yet to decide on which. :)