We're engaged baby!

This is a VERY old news. It’s been 2 months since I tried to blog about this, but for some reason it took me this long to finally finished what I started.

When the Fiancee, then boyfriend came back here in Manila, I already knew that he will propose. We’ve been praying and talking about it since we became a couple. Also, since we have family a friend who make perfect engagement and wedding rings, we decided to buy it here before he comes. Although I have no idea where and when he will propose to me, I’m expecting it already. Bottom line… its not a surprise anymore. HAHAHA.

The second night, a Sunday, of Angel’s vacation, we had dinner with the family. My dad, (who I think) is sooooo anxious to find out our plans, asked Angel, “So let’s get down to business. Why did you came back?” Although Angel’s plan is to spend more time with my parents first before asking for their blessings, he started to “explain himself”.

So I sat there for a whole 1 hour and a half listening to my dad and Angel talk. Dad even asked, ” Are you really sure you want her? She is sooo stubborn.” (And there is no hidden meaning to what he said but more of a warning. hahaha.)  In the end he looked at my mom and said, “We give you our blessings.” I was looking at Angel and I can see that he was holding back his tears. Then my parents prayed for us.

But then again, even if he, or rather we got the parents blessings that night he didn’t proposed to me yet.

It happend on a Tuesday, 2 nights after the “talk”. After going to TEAMs (a seminar spearheaded by our church specially for young proffessionals), we were at his hotel talking about the lessons learned for the night and discussing the activities for the next day. We casually talked about the future and the issues that we will face before and after we get married. During that conversation I have a strong feeling that he will proposed, so when he took my hand and asked, “Baby will you marry me.” I wasn’t surprised at all. I looked at him and he was trying to hold back his tears. I spend a few seconds, just savoring that sweet, sweet question. Then I finally nod and started crying. We held each other close and started to pray.

The ring was on his luggage, so while drying his tears, he got the box and handed it to me. I giggled and said, “You’re suppose to put that on my finger.” He replied. “Sorry, this is my first time.” We called his mom (now I call her mom too) and told her the news. She was soo excited and told me to “get married already!”

I always tell my friends, that if and when Angel proposed to me, it should be the proposal that I dreamt of…or else he will just have to repeat it. It WAS NOT the proposal that I imagined. There were no flowers, no music nor it was not during a romantic dinner. (Which later he told me that he was asking God during that time that we were talking, if it is really THE right time cause he was planning a dinner with the perks the next day.) It was not even a surprise.

But it was the right time and with the right man.  

It was perfect.

Exactly last week, we’re scheduled to have 2 food tasting. One was in the morning at MMLDC (Antipolo) and another one in the afternoon at Fernbrook. It was already raining the night before, but since it has been raining almost everyday for the whole month, I took it as another ordinary rainy day.

I got up, excited to go to work. I wore my ever relieable slippers since it was raining hard. Before going to the food tasting at MMLDC my brother asked me if he should go and take pictures. Since we have a theme for the food tasting (I was very excited about this cause our stylist and I worked hard for the concept.) I looked up to him and said yes, unknowingly the next time I’ll see him will be at 9 am the next day.

Ian, who took this picture, together with our Sales Team got stranded last Saturday. They left at the office at 9.30am, they arrived their respective homes 2am the next morning.

Then Ondoy happend and we all know, atleast some of, the stories of changed lives in just a blink of an eye.

As I write this I can’t help but be thankful for God’s amazing grace. I told my mom that one of her and my dad’s best decisions in life, aside from surrendering their lives to Christ and getting married was building a house on top of a valley. My mom smiled and said, “it is all from God. We didn’t know that this things (flood etc.) will happend but see God knew, and He spared us.” Just like Noah

I am thankful that God spared our family, extended families and loved ones from harm. Yes it is all from God. When God blessed you so much, you CAN”T return it by apathy. You have to give back. 

Listening to stories of my officemates, watching them softly cry, as they tell their stories,  (in our company 60 families were GREATLY affected by the typhoon) broke my heart.  While they were telling their stories, I silently plead to God to meet them in the midst of these.

It was a heartbreaking and moving experience for me.

Just like wearing a new pair of contact lenses, I got a better understanding that everything comes from God. EVERYTHING. This experience also made me remember that investing on earthly things should not be on top of my list of priorities. That people, relationships, compassion, love, faith, prayer, evangelism and life are far more valuable than non-living things that makes me happy for a short time.

Now this song has more meaning than ever:

Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed be Your name
in the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
blessed be Your name

and blessed be Your name
when I’m found in the desert place
though i walk through the wilderness
blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise
and when the darkness closes in Lord still i will say:

blessed be the name of the Lord
blessed be Your name
blessed be the name of the Lord
blessed be Your glorious name

and blessed be your name
when the sun’s shining down on me
when the world’s “all as it should be”
blessed be your name

and blessed be your name
on the road marked with suffering
though there’s pain in the offering
blessed be your name

every blesssing you pour out i’ll turn back to praise
when the darkness closes in Lord still i will say:

blessed be the name of the Lord
blessed be your name
bleseed be the name of the Lord
blessed be your glorious name

you give and take away
you give and take away
my heart wil chose to say:
blessed be your name (blessed be your name lord)