Been a while!: Life update

So i'll start off from April because things are already a little fuzzy from February. Since Summer started, i've been going out with my family like crazy! It's been super fun, and I just wanted to write about what I've seen and enjoyed.

The fam went to Banaue Rice Terraces. The place was amazing and breathtaking. We saw a couple of locals who came all decked out in their Igurot outfits for a photo op! They were sooo cute!

After a tiring drive and a stay overnight at Banaue, we headed far north into Sagada where the famous That Thing Called Tadhana was shot. It such a small town crowded with inns and tourists craving for a heart wrenching scream over at Echo Valley.

Meh, I had nothing to scream lol.

I didn't go far enough to get up close and personal with the hanging coffins. Aint nobody got time for that. Plus it was raining and I heard how dangerous it could get. So, I was quite okay looking at them from a distance. Plus I heard you had to sacrifice 20 pigs to please the gods or something if you accidentally touch one of the coffins!

That same night, we headed straight for our last stop: Baguio.

I had a gig with Chrissie at an office event, and it feels soo amazing getting back into singing. I missed it so much.

Me, Chloe, Chelsea, Jerica, & Jol

I also went to the beach with the most beautiful souls, and people. I had sooo much fun with these girls!!

This place is called Pueblo Por La Playa. It is a membership-type housing village with cute little Mexican inspired houses and a private beach down south at Pagbilao Quezon. It's sooo gorgeous there.

MAY 2015: 

This is fab pic of me holding a baby. 

I taught a little basic make-up class for 5 days at church. It was soo much fun!!

These are my girls!! I am so proud of them for getting their eyebrows on fleek!!! It was really such a blessing and it was so heartwarming to see the smiles on their faces. I love the idea of make-up as a tool to enhance beauty and to give a little boost of confidence for these women. There are no ugly women, only lazy women, as we say.

Mandatory Coffee photo.

I am loving my new lip-liner from BeYu. It's the shade 522. Its matte and I am obsessed with it!! 

Also went to the beach with my cousins and friends!

I actually just got back from Pico De Loro yesterday. And I'm already headed off to Bacolod tomorrow! Hopefully I can film a ton of stuff and vlog about it (If I can lol). But I will definitely take tons of pictures. I'm only staying for a week and I am having so much trouble packing because i'm not checking my luggage in. So, crossing my fingers that everything will fit and that I'll have enough outfits to choose from when I get there!!

Such an amazing month, April, I expect no less from May!! I'm sooo excited to see my friends in Bacolod!! I love going there at least once a year. This should be fun!!

xoxo Seed

Conversations with the Father

Some people don't understand when people say they have "relationships with God." How can you have a relationship with someone you can't see or talk to? 

And it's true, how does one build a relationship with someone when you can't see them? But this is where faith kicks in. It's also a general rule I guess, that to build a relationship with someone is to talk. To converse and get to know each other. Well I think you first have to rule out the idea that God isn't talking to you. He is. You're just not listening.

Personally, (and i'm not saying this will be the same for everyone) God speaks to me as a constant voice in my head. I identify it by checking if it's according to the Bible, and what that voice says isn't always easy, but is always right. I remember before that it was just a plain voice. And as I gradually tuned my heart and mind to that voice, it started to sound more personal. That voice had become very close to me, and ever present. His voice had become animated, and more loving as the days go by.

 There are many ways and forms of how God talks to me, (usually in the shower hah.) One of the ways is during devotion. I was having my quiet time today, and I was reading Psalm 103. And He would squeeze in little comments here and there as I read. Here's a sweet little conversation I had with the Father:



Psalm 103

Bless the LORD oh my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!

Salamat, Anak.

Bless the LORD oh my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

I feel Him smile at me.

who forgives you all you iniquity,

Oh, pinatawad na kita. Alam mo yun, di ba?

who heals your diseases,

Hindi mo na kailangan magkasakit. Pinagaling na kita eh.

who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.

Bagay na bagay sa'yo yun, Anak.

who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.

The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.

Wag ka mag alala, nandito ako.

He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

Always, in love.

He will not always chide,
nor will He keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

You are blameless.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward
those who fear him.

Mas grabe pa diyan.

as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us

That's the best that the english language could explain. But it's more than that.

As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.

No better comparison.

For He knows our frame.

I know you.

He remembers that we are dust.

I made you.

As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the LORD is from
everlasting to everlasting on those
who fear Him.

Sa'kin, may forever. 

And His righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.

The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and His kingdom rules over all.

Bless the LORD, O you His angels,
you mighty ones who do His word,
obeying the voice of his word!

Bless the LORD all His hosts!
His ministers, who do His will!

Bless the LORD, all his works,
in all the places of his dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

Salamat, Anak.


- END -



There are a few laughs and expressions that are attached to some of those words. I can't fully explain how His voice sounds to me, and how He presents himself to me. I just know that He's very present and is constantly talking to me. And I'm sad to say that I don't always listen. But even when I don't, He is still constantly talking to me telling me what I need to hear at that very time and moment. At times His words are hard to hear because we tend to avoid the truth. But at times His words are the only comfort you need to end a world of pain.

A couple of things you need to consider when you feel that you can't fully hear His voice:

Really take the time to listen. Shut everything off, lock the room, and push every other thought away. In Matt 6:6 it says:

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

You really need the room to yourself at times. Focus on Him. Sometimes you might think its just you talking to yourself. But really listen to what that voice is saying, see if it is according to the Word. Always, always check if it's according to the Bible. Thinking of something, and assuming it's God's voice is something that DOES happen. So be conscious of that. Especially if there is a decision that the voice you heard is accountable for. Take the time and the prayer to really have confirmation on what that voice said. And later on you'll easily know and will be able to define His voice among the ocean of voices in your head. Get to know the Father, you just need to heed His words.


Have a conversation with the Father today.
xx Seed

The Truth About Romance

During 2014, I have learned a generous amount of truths. A couple of which are:

Being infatuated, felt amazing.
Being in love, felt amazing.
Being in love with the right person, felt amazing.
Being in love with the right person at the wrong time, not so amazing.

Romance is dead -- is what I thought when I got my heart broken. The statement Ariana Grande promptly sang, 'I've cried enough tears to see my own reflection in them' was probably an understatement. I cried for months. I cried in the shower, on my bed, in a cab, watching sappy movies, watching action movies, walking to the fridge. I just cried. I needed to let out all of the crap I felt within me. And I was bitter. I was bitter like a slow drip cold brew from your local artisanal coffee shop where all your good little hipsters take their double tapped photos. No sugar, of course. I dwelled in the feeling. I savoured it. I denied it and walked around like a champ. For a time, I lived off of it. Yeah, it was bad.

I used to love Rom-coms. I was the girl who thought romance was probably one of the best things God gave us. I would dream of travelling the world, meeting a sharp young man and go off traveling the world together. Then we'd get married and have a family. Picket fences? Uh, yes. Lawns filled with toys of our children and a yellow slide? Definitely. Oh and don't forget the dogs. We've got big ones and an exception of one tiny french bulldog. Crack open my heart and you'd see this scenario, and the perfectness of it all just me and my family serving God and living.

But this bitterness seeped deep down into my heart and created murky waters that drowned the idea and swallowed it up. And I somehow got it in my mind to think: Hah. Romance is not real. I would stare at couples, watch movies, listen to music and start despising what I saw and heard. I thought it was all stupid. I would generally just hate the idea of romance. And it gets worse.

I was praying one day, and I said "God, how can I love someone, if i'm supposed to be consumed and be so in love with You? Parang I can't handle both. I can only handle being consumed by one thing and I think I'd rather it be You." I was crying buckets. Because I was trying to contemplate how to balance things out. Because I wanted to love someone without compromising my love for God. I was throwing in the towel for my dream. I cried myself to sleep that night.

God woke me up the next morning with the sweetest whisper. "You can, because I first loved you." Here come the tears. I bawled my eyes out. I was in shock. I knew that verse from the bottom of my heart. 1 John 4:19. It was right under my nose.  But bitterness blinded me from what I already knew. I could only give something that I had. And God gave it to me. God gave me love. And He gave me so much love that I am more than blessed to give it back not only to Him but to others too.

But love is not romance. Nope ladies. Do not be confused by the two. Romance is the flowery, Kilig, big gesture etc. etc. that can be the product of love. Love is the choice that can produce romance. I still had that problem. I still thought, I can love.. Sure.. But I can't be romantic about it. It all seems so stupid, Lord. Is what I said.

I remember reading Song of Solomon for the first time. I thought, "Lord? Parang... di yata pang bata to? It seems very... intimate... And... kind of weird to be in the Bible, don't you think?" And hey, this was really what I thought. I just thought this book is SO out of place, what in the world is it doing in the Bible? I thought, maybe Solomon was just emotional or PMS'ing or something. And I guess the world has tainted the idea of intimacy being something sexual too. I'm just being honest here. But I knew God didn't just put that in by mistake. There was something about this book.

My Mom preached a long time ago about How God felt towards us. She once asked God how He felt about us, His children. Now, if you knew my mom, she loved being married to my father. And I remember her saying that the feeling of kilig, security, passion, comfort, and assurance that she got from my father. All of the things that was produced by Love was how God felt towards us too. He loves us with an intimate Love, a love that you can only get a glimpse of within a marriage. That's how He feels towards us. And recently God lead my Mom to preach about the Song of Solomon to the church that answered my question: Is romance dead?

And it was an eye opener. If you read Song of Solomon there are 3 basic characters. You have the a guy, a bride, and the daughters of Jerusalem. And say, that God was the guy, you were the bride, and the daughters of Jerusalem was the world. Now try reading it again. In this book, God shows an intimate kind of love with you, His beloved. He finds you perfect, and beautiful. Now all this is very Romantic. I guess what God was trying to tell me was... Romance is not dead. The proper, and Godly Romance is not dead. I was just looking in the wrong place. I don't know if I'm explaining any of this properly because the truth of this is so real and alive in me. To me, romance is not defined by one single lover or crushes or a feeling anymore.

We have been looking at romance and intimacy in an altered way where it is between a man and a woman only. It can be with God too. And I know I'm starting to sound like one of those girls who say "Jesus is my boyfriend" which I personally find weird (and yes I did say that when I was 13, don't judge.) But look at what the world has brainwashed us into thinking? Romance isn't only for you and for that guy you like. Romance can be with God produced by Agape love. Intimacy can be with God produced by Agape love. Assurance, and Kilig, and comfort, all that Romance can behold can be with God, produced by Agape love.

Even the dictionary doesn't limit Romance to just a man and a woman.

ro·mance

rōˈmans,ˈrōˌmans/

noun

1. 1.

   a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.

We can feel excited by the mystery and wonder of God. Of His love for us. Wondering what He has in store for us. That being said,

Truths I have learned this past year:

Being infatuated, felt amazing.
Being in love, felt amazing.
Being in love with God, is amazing.
Knowing that God is Romantically and Intimately in love with you, feels spectacular.

Now, doesn't that make you feel incredibly loved?

I am ending this year with a realization that God is a God of Love. And He loves you to be able to Love. You are on this earth to Love. It's one big Love story from the beginning. So this 2015, I challenge you to Love. Love God, Love man, Love your dog, Love your neighbours, Love the people around you, Love life, Love, just Love. Redefine romance. Just because you don't have a man in your life, doesn't mean you can't have Romance. And Romance is in the air, and it's coming from God. Romance with boys, can wait.


Happy New Year xx
Seed