Supplier Review: Bridal Makeup

There are reviews worth a thousand words but this is NOT that kind of review. In this case, I'll let the picture do the talking. Meet Cheryl, my churchmate and my ever-fabulous makeup artist. She's one of my suppliers that's truly God-sent. ;)

BRIDAL MAKEUP: Cheryl Cabanos
GRADE: 9/10

The grade? Pretty obvious why, I guess. I love, love, love the "no makeup look" and Cheryl perfected it. It's also my first (and I guess, last) time to try airbrush makeup and I liked the fact that Cheryl prides herself in doing a complete airbrush makeup, from foundation to eye shadow to lipstick minus the finishing touches of course.

To say that makeup is Cheryl's passion is, I guess, an understatement. Cheryl loves being a makeup artist. She has CCMA, Cheryl Cabanos Makeup Academy, and does cinema makeup effects as well.

Do You Love Me?

Have you ever thought what would have happened to the church of God if Peter or Thomas or Paul lived today in our times? Do you think it would have greatly advanced like before if they lived now? Sometimes, I feel, maybe not.

Peter was a denier, Thomas was a doubter and Paul was an executioner and in these times where the Christians pronounce judgment left and right to believers and non-believers alike, I’m thinking that we could have greatly discouraged them. Truly, the greatest critic of the body of Christ is not the world but themselves.

 

As our walk in Christ deepens, we deepen in the knowledge of how to be a better person for Him. We strive to apply this knowledge, strive being the operative word. But, sometimes, I feel, we greatly misuse this knowledge in that we end up using it as a measure for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The knowledge He reveals to us does not give us the license to judge others but empowers us to share His word.

We are still imperfect beings even though we have come to know God. But, our imperfections and others’ imperfections is not the one that determines who gets to go for God and who does not. It is our heart. Jesus emphasized this on John 21:15-19. It is in loving Him that we are propelled to serve Him not our character or our tenure or our maturity or our trainings or anything in between.

Saving Grace

I think one can never call one’s self a Christian if that person has never experienced God’s saving grace. A Christian’s turning point is when he realizes that God, through all his imperfections, loved him and decided to extend to him the gift of salvation that he will NEVER deserve. And with this realization, God ultimately changes how we lead our lives. If previously we see our principles as absolute, logical and correct, now we only see God and His infinite goodness producing in us a resolve to live our lives in thanksgiving to Him. THIS is how we start to be a dispenser of grace.

To be honest, being a Christian is not a walk in the park. It is not easy to conquer evil by doing good (Rom. 12:21b). How can we when all we can see from others is how they took advantage of us, how they look down upon us, how they disrespect us, etc. A part of us will always want to seek the justice we think we deserve that we end up serving it ourselves. But, see, we were not called to judge, we were called to extend grace.

Grace is understanding (and acting on that understanding) that everyone has their good side no matter how worse their committed sins are. It is realizing that other people’s action for a moment does not define who they really are and thus, gives us no right to nullify their lives. Grace is seeing that you and them (no matter how good you think of yourself and how bad others actually are) is one and the same: all supposedly hopeless but all redeemed.

I do not claim to be an expert of grace. If anything, I have only begun to see the tip of it. And I desire to know more of it because it is the starting point of my life in Christ: God's saving grace.

Supplier Review: Bridal Wear

So I decided to continue my reviews even if its been months since our wedding. We're now into our 8th  month and a lot has happened and a lot is still happening. :) After someone commented on my first supplier review, I'm suddenly encouraged to continue on with this, no matter how late this maybe. After all, this post could still be of use to other bride-to-be's out there, especially those that doesn't want to sacrifice the quality because of the budget-constraints.

BRIDAL WEAR: Couture House
GRADE: 8/10

First of, I really believe that what a bride wears on her wedding day is her personality... gown-ified (if ever such a word exists...) What I mean is whatever the bride wears is a reflection of who she really is. Yes, the supplier is the one who actually creates but the final output is really more of the bride's concept. That is why it is very important that more than anything, a bride should get a couture that understands her: taste, budget-constraints, concerns, etc. With that said, here is a picture of my gown:

We got Couture House for a number of reasons: accessibility, friendliness of the staff (Ms. Leni the store manager) and willingness to work with my budget and design. I'm giving Couture House an 8 because I never expected the service I got for the budget I have. Seeing the finished gown, I can see that they did not skimped out on the material. Add to that the fact that they adorned it with more rhinestones than I expected just to give the gown the right sparkle to highlight me as the bride. They also provided me with on-the-day services that other suppliers don't provide when they're working on a very tight budget (a budget way below the usual amount they work on...) The add-ons such as bridal pouch and veil were also of quality.

The 2 points I took off the perfect score was for the fit of the gown. My gown was not snugly fit to me. I admit that part of it was my fault since by my 3rd fitting, scheduled a month before the wedding, I gained weight so the Couture House staff advised me to go on a diet while also promising that they would make some adjustments to the gown. No more fitting followed and on the day itself, the gown was a bit loose on the waist area, but not so loose that it would actually show in the pictures.

Overall, I was satisfied in getting the services of Couture House. They understood me and exerted a more than satisfactory effort on my gown.

The Misadventures of O and J : Prenup

We approached our prenup shoot differently, O and I. Having nothing but an idea, a makeup artist and a photographer, I was nervous in anticipation of the day while O viewed it excitedly as an adventure. You see, we both agreed that we wanted our shoot to be something that displays who we really are so we wanted it to show (as much as possible) our daily routine as a couple. The problem is our daily routine involves a lot of MRT rides and walks in Makati.

For people who has planned any kind of photoshoot, they'll most likely agree that Metro Manila is not the friendliest place for photographers. To be able to capture something with your DSLRs you have to have permits and permits costs you money, sometimes, A LOT of money. With our "practical sides" kicking in, we went ahead with the shoot with no permits whatsoever, just a vaguely cooked plan :P 

We started D-day at about 9am. After I got made up and O got powdered up, we made our way to our first pitstop/location. After seeing Gail, O's talented brother and our photographer from Foreveryday Photography, O said a quick prayer for the day's events. We then started the shoot. 

The day brought us a lot of nice and quirky revelations. O and I both learned that we are capable of smiling at the camera while on the look out for people who might tell us off. We also learned we are all capable of acting, especially if it will prevent you from being caught. I realized that passersby are the coolest background for a "dramatic" shot. O sensed I get stressed out by strangers looking at us while the shoot goes on while I pointed out to O that he gets a bit conscious when he knows the cameras are snapping away. The greatest find however is seeing that O and I still manage to bring out the nicest smiles and sweetest looks even with the things that surround us JUST because we're with each other. 

More of our one-of-a-kind adventure/prenup here :)

The Misadventures of O and J: MRT Street-Preachers

J (with matching kalabit) : Kuya, medyo kulang kasi… baka kelangan mo idagdag ung Romans 6:23…

O : Hindi parang ung sa showtime na lang… Hmmm… Nakita ko naman ung passion kaso parang nakulangan ako sa message. Kulang ung Romans 6:23. At dahil dyan, ito ang score mo (with matching pindot sa invisible score board)

THIS is O and I’s conversation during a supposedly mundane, sleep-fulfilling MRT turn back ride became a preach-filled ride from Taft all the way to Boni (or was it Shaw?).

On our way home yesterday, O and I encountered street preachers in the train. No, they’re not the ones that would give an envelope in the end just to ask for money. These street preachers are the hard core, hard after GodHISHSdgs, shame-shattering ones that just strike anywhere in the hope that people will listen and think and ask and finally, come. With their loud voices filling the coach, naturally, they got my attention so much so that O and I ended up having a discussion about what they actually preached and how we think they could improve our teaching. (Oo… critic ang peg namin :P)

At one point in our discussion, we actually dared each other to tell one of the preachers about our feedback. I thought of giving the preacher a letter or discreetly telling him about what we think but, as we were both shy, we opted not to. And thus, my entry here... I decided, I would tell them in a letter that I would write here:

Dear MRT Street-preachers,

First off, allow me to say I was blessed by your presence yesterday while I was going home. It’s my first time to encounter people sharing God in a public place with no money involved. It somehow reveals to me a level of purity in your heart.

I can’t imagine just how much you must overcome to talk about God to a coach full of commuters who may or may not give a damn. I respect you for doing what you do given that it’s actually hard for me to randomly share it even to the closest people I know. We’re opposites you and I but your boldness has given me both a challenge and an inspiration. But no, I still can’t do what you do.

Anyway, I actually wanted to write because I wanted to be of help (if this is any help at all… ). I don’t know how to break this in any manner so I guess I’ll just tell it to you straight. I think you have missed out the most important verse of all. Romans 6:23 will help you greatly. It’s the verse to note for evangelistic purposes.

It was a great speech, the one you gave yesterday. But, I think, you have missed out the greatest thing of all: salvation. Yes, you talked about the greatness of God’s love and yes, you talked about the days to come. But, you forgot to talk about WHY Jesus is the way and WHY people need Him. My husband and I believe you should have started with Romans 6:23 and from there branched out to your speech.

I hope you don’t get offended by this. We really, really just want to help. After all, it’s the lost we’re all after.

I hope you continue on what you do. And we will send a prayer your way.

May God bless you in your ministry.

Regards,

J

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For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord – Romans 6:23   

Of Dreaming and Making Them Come True

When a dream…

 

 

 

becomes a reality…

 

 

I can’t help but be amazed at the ONE who truly made it all come true.

 

Yes, O and I are now living in our very own house. But it is not the fact that we are living in our own house that amazes me but how He has turned everything into reality. Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined that at this point in time, O and I will be owners of something that we actually can’t afford (basing on the state of our finances) but then again, His thoughts are higher than my thoughts so perhaps, His dreams (for us) are wilder than my dreams… :)

 

If you ask me right now how we were able to find and afford such a house, I actually wouldn’t know how. But God made it possible so maybe you should ask Him… in other words… pray ;) One thing I’m sure of, it worked for us.

 

On Loving

I guess it will always be a point of misunderstanding for a lot of people but this is what I know: I, as a Christian, was called to love. I was called to love with an active kind of love. Jesus did not die for me that I might lounge around everyday seeking every comfort life has to offer. NO. I was blessed with so much love and grace and mercy that I might stand up and do the same to others.

The truth is loving, with a Christian perspective, is tricky and at times, hurtful. Why? Because God did not call me to love with a passive acceptance of people for who they are and what they believe in. God challenges me (and everyday for that matter) to love actively, beckoning people to the truth, one that would set them free and enable them to live life to the full. God calls me to love people with the same kind of love that He gave me: the transforming kind of love.

Perfect Kind of Love

“But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” – Romans 5:8

I thank God that He loved me with so much love that while I was still this wretched human being undeserving of anyone’s love, He already died for me. As a selfish being by nature, I admit it is hard for me to understand why He would choose to do such a thing. But this much I can grasp, it is not for me to try and understand every bit of God’s love, rather it is for me to follow it.

This is what I know: God, in all his holiness and mightiness, gambled His life for me in the hopes that one day I will come to hear of what He did and ultimately, change me from the inside out. He walked on this earth sharing His teachings to everyone who would listen but did not force it on anyone’s throat. He loved everyone alike: he loved the fishermen and tax collector enough to call them as His disciples; he loved the prostitute enough not to condemn her; he loved the criminals on the cross enough to forgive one and accept the decision of the other to mock Him; he even loved the Pharisees enough to answer their questions [even if answering them is futile].

Love according to God’s actions is complicated and hard but it is the perfect example of love. His love is a love that is based not on the character of the beloved but rather on the character of the lover. God’s love emanates from Him because He is hopeful that the people He chose to die for will turn back to Him and lead a victorious life. His actions are not based on their current situations but on His dreams for them, on what He sees they can possibly be. And, this kind of love is the love that produced a lasting change in me.

I thank God that He loved me with so much love that while I was still this wretched human being undeserving of anyone’s love, He already died for me. I thank Him because He did not give up on me then and is not giving up on me now. I may be far from who God wants me to be but I know, His love will sustain me until I meet the person God sees in me. I thank God that His love is the hopeful, optimistic kind that doesn’t stop on who I am right now [physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally] and I believe, this same kind of love is the love that can change anything: a person, a situation or even, a nation.

And in His love, I will remain hopeful…  

A Modern Psalm

I am giddy. I am restless.

Unable to keep myself still

Thoughts of You consume me

Your revelation truly astounds

 

More than the physical things

Mere thoughts of You weaken me

Thank You for Your heart

That loves me just because

 

For all things past

You took me to a higher ground

I am in love with You

And I long to be all the more

 

You are the God who knows my heart

And I will sing Your songs of praise

You deserve no other thing

But a heart that desires You

 

Thank You my Lord for Your love

Your ways draw me closer

I am amazed by how You bless

I want to live my life for You

J-E-S-U-S

My last entry here was one joyful moment for O and I. And since then, a major thing happened that didn’t exactly shook my faith but somehow reminded me of my ever growing dependence on God. Isang MALAKING PASASALAMAT talaga kay Lord and how He changed my forever nega attitude. Siguro kung nangyari ito sa akin ng hindi pa ako Christian, mukmok to the highest level ang drama ko at mega-iyak sa tabi thinking na AKO NA ang pinagkaitan ng langit at lupa. To which I say to my old self, “O sige… ikaw na!”

I’m sure everyone had his/her fair share of nega moments. And, might I say, those moments are really just the worst. We live the moment THINKING of all the ‘bad’ things that happened, FORMING this belief that the world is out to get you, CHOOSING to be sad because (of your so-called truth that…) the world is indeed out to get you and BELIEVING that you’ll only be happy when the world undoes what it has done to you. Eventually, yes, you will get better but by that time you have missed so much that it feels like you’re starting point involves a lot more things to do than you originally expected which sets you back a time or two.

THIS, friends, is the long road to recovery and you know what, I know of a shortcut. It’s spelled… J-E-S-U-S.

The fact is we all need time to recover. It’s not called a process for nothing, you know. The only difference with all of us, however, is the length of time it takes to be okay and the actions we choose to do while we are not okay. This is where Jesus changed me. He gave me a renewed point of view on things.

Bad stuff happens but the world is not out to get me so there is NEVER a reason to despair. I may cry for a while but there is no reason for me to frown the succeeding days. My story does not end on my failures. Because God never promised that He will leave me to fail. God’s promise (as my life verse states…) is:

“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” – Jeremiah 29:11

So how can I allow myself to spend time in such a tragic season of self-pity and negativity? If this is God’s promise, then I want to be there. THERE where prosperity, hope and my future awaits. THERE where He will turn my mourning into dancing and my sadness into joy. THERE where the purpose of everything will be revealed. THERE where His glory is proclaimed.

With all this revealed, I cannot imagine how to live life apart from Him? Jesus is the complete therapy. He is my strength during the times I’m not okay. He brings me hope while I am still down. He brings me joy, confident that His plans for me will prevail and are the best. ;)   

Changes

Times really are a-changing.

It used to be that I rarely get up to fix my own breakfast and now, I'm making it for the both of us.

It used to be that I hated the heat from the stove and now, it's been my sign I'm serving someone I really love.

It used to be that I never iron my own clothes and now, I'm making time to iron ours.

It used to be that I only cared for how clean and orderly my room is and now, my mind is full of mental notes about our house.

It used to be that I could cross the street by looking left then looking right but now, I need his hand as well.

It used to be my responsibilities were all about me but now, it's about his welfare, too.

Times are indeed a-changing and it's changing evermore.

Now, we're learning how it is to live together and soon, we'll know how to be a family.

Now, we're discovering so much about each other and soon, we'll be getting used to it.

Now, we're trying out different routines and soon, we'll be deciding which routine is best.

Now, we seem to be two innocent kids living an adult's life and soon, we'll be taking on all the responsibilities.

Now, we're weaving our dreams together and soon, we're going to make them come true.

Now, we're learning how to be husband and wife and soon... very soon... we'll be learning how to be a daddy and a mommy.

:)

Supplier Review: Venue/Caterer

It's been 53 days since our wedding and until now, we're still in the process of establishing routines. Now, I'm getting acquainted with a lot of things especially the wifey side of me that it's been a busy time ever since. Initially, it was really my plan to write reviews about our suppliers days after the wedding but everything else took over.

Now, I finally decided to put some reviews up thinking that maybe I could give out help to whoever might need it. I'll be using a 10-point grading system with 10 as the highest and will be dividing my reviews in a per supplier basis. So, here we go ;)

VENUE/CATERER: Bella Ibarra/Ibarra's Catering
GRADE: 9/10

When we started to look for venues we never initially considered Ibarra's party venues. Looking back, I really don't know why but maybe it's partly because the venue is tied with a caterer and somehow, we wanted freedom. When we decided to book Bella Ibarra, it was after we realized we wanted to prioritize the food more than the venue. Ibarra the caterer has been around for years and judging from the way their business grew, you could say they were doing something great to have grown that way.

The deal with Ibarra was really more of a hassle-free package. When you get them, you get catering, place setup, bridal car, cake, photobooth, LCD projector, mobile and other such details. O and I decided to book them because they're sulit. For people who are too critical about details, they'd probably advise you to avoid hassle-free packages for weddings as you would end up sacrificing the quality. Ibarra's hassle-free package is no such thing except for one outsourced supplier thus, the grade of 9.

We had the ceremony at the rooftop of Bella Ibarra while the reception was held at the 2nd floor function hall. On the day itself (and looking at the pictures after), the place was elegantly setup that you could actually say that weddings are really their business. But maybe, for these, I think pictures could articulate it more.

Ceremony Setup

Reception Setup

The food was without a doubt, masarap. All our guests craved about it even weeks after the wedding. O and I liked this fact very much as we were very particular about this. As wedding guests before, it's really the food that you would remember (good or bad) and hearing the good feedback was a breather. This made the sulit package of Ibarra more sulit.  

Some of the food during the reception

The Misadventures of O and J : Surigao

We just came from our supposed-honeymoon from Surigao. Supposed, because it never pushed through right after the wedding due to bagyong Pablo. As a background, we elected Surigao as our supposed-honeymoon destination because of this deal. We wanted to experience the over-the-water bungalows ala El Nido but didn't want to splurge thus, Surigao. 

The trip to Surigao was a pleasant surprise. We ended up exploring Sohoton, which is actually, a national park. In truth, we didn't know what to expect from the place until about a week or two before we got there. The experience was all about eco-tourism and admittedly, it was quite new for both O and I. While it would be nice to share every experience we had, this is not really why I wanted to write. 

The trip to Sohoton is composed of a 2 hour van ride from Surigao Airport to Hayanggabon Port and a 40-minute boat ride from Hayanggabon Port. The site going to Sohoton was very much a disappointment as opposed to when you are actually in Sohoton. About 2 or 3 kilometers from the Hayanggabon port, you'll start encountering muddy roads with the coastline surrounded by brown waters. The rivers you'll be passing by are also brown in color. The mountain was stripped bare of trees that you'll actually mistake it for a rather large heap of reddish brown soil. O and I were curious about the sight but innocently enough, I thought the sight was simply because of the rain.

On Hayanggabon port, we boarded our boat to Sohoton and our tour guide satisfied our curiosity. He told us (without our asking) that the waters and the land is as what we see because of mining. I'm not much of an environmentalist but hearing what our tour guide said, I could not help but think about what's the government actually doing and if the government knows this large of a damage. It was really a bothersome sight that on our way home, I wanted to write about this before anything else. Hoping that in this way, I could do my share (no matter how little).

  

The so-called Red "Mountain"

The water in Hayanggabon Port