Spring Notebook

A princess waiting for her prince..

2011-01-06T22:50:00.000+08:00

You may think me weird but I still believe in fairy tales... of happy endings and happily ever after...
Maybe many of us still dream that our prince would suddenly arrive and sweep us off our feet.
He would fight off all dragons and evil witches that would come between..

But life is not like that... Our prince is not dressed in shining armor with a crown and he may not be as courageous or as good looking.. haha... We may not easily spot him in the crowd by rose colored heart-shaped tints... In fact he may be just an ordinary guy...

Also, we may be just an ordinary girl for him. He might ignore our presence or simply busy doing other things. Or he might not be ready to tell his feelings yet and he could be one of our friends nearby. Or he has not met us. He could be everywhere!

Our fairy tale would not even involve any magic spells, white horses, midnight chimes or any romantic things but still it would have a story... A story worth waiting for....

A story that would bring magic in our life... Sparkle in our eyes... Bloom in our cheeks... and we will live happily ever after...

(Sigh...)
To my prince.... "I'll be right here... waiting... "

Welcome 2011

2011-01-03T22:50:00.002+08:00

Goodbye 2010... Welcome 2011...

Last year lots have happened...
I was reading through my journals
Looking at photographs new and faded...
I would like to thank everyone that has touched my life
Thank you for the laughter, the secrets we've shared
Thanks for the tears, the long talks
For the love you gave me, I will forever be indebted.

I am looking forward to what 2011 will bring
May God bless us all..

The Society of Childlike Person

2010-12-07T10:12:00.002+08:00

I have read this certificate in a book and I'd like to share it because being young at heart keeps us happy and relieves stress. Hope you enjoy it!

By this certificate know ye that Kate Lin is a lifetime member in good standing in The Society of Childlike Persons and is hereby and forever entitled to: walk in the rain, jump in mud puddles, collect rainbows, smell flowers, blow bubbles, stop along the way, build sand castles, watch the moon and stars come out, say hello to everyone, go barefoot, go on adventures, sing in the shower, have a merry heart, read children’s books, act silly, take bubble baths, get new sneakers, hold hands and hug and kiss, dance, fly kites, laugh and cry for the health of it, wander around, feel scared, feel sad, feel mad, feel happy, give up worry and guilt and shame, stay innocent, say yes, say no, say the magic words, ask lots of questions, ride bicycles, draw and paint, see things differently, fall and get up again, talk with animals, look at the sky, trust the universe, stay up late, climb trees, take naps, do nothing, daydream, play with toys, play under the covers, have pillow fights, learn new stuff, get excited about everything, be a clown, enjoy having a body, listen to music, find out how things work, make up new rules, tell stories, save the world, make friends with other kids on the block, and do anything else that brings more happiness, celebration, relaxation, communication, health, love, joy, creativity, pleasure, abundance, grace, self-esteem, courage, balance, spontaneity, passion, beauty, peace and life energy, to the above named member and to other humans and beings on this planet. Further, the above named is hereby officially authorized to frequent amusement parks, beaches, meadows, mountaintops, swimming pools, forests, playgrounds, picnic areas, summer camps, birthday parties, circuses, cookie shops, ice cream parlors, theaters, aquariums, zoos, museums, planetariums, toy stores, festivals, and other places where children of all ages come to play, and is encouraged to always remember the motto of The Society of Childlike Person: It’s never too late to have a happy childhood!

Confections of a Certified Chocoholic

2010-12-02T13:49:00.001+08:00

Yummmm… I really just can’t resist eating chocolate… As you can see from the picture we baked a super luscious, mouth-watering, irresistible, finger-licking, appetizing chocolate cake!

I hope you can also smell and taste it, but it is so delicious that I forgot my name! hahaha…

Apart from the reason chocolate satisfies our taste buds, it has many benefits and here are some that would inspire you to be a certified chocoholic:

Boosts energy. Sipping hot chocolate in the morning not only wakes us up but also energizes us for the day
Stimulates the brain.Why not grab a choco bar and munch it while studying for an exam?
Prevents fat clogging in arteries. This applies for dark chocolates since they contain higher cocoa content. So it is really good for the heart... Now we can say I "heart" chocolate!
Contains nutrients, vitamins and proteins. Isn't it nice to eat something tasty and healthy?
Generates feelings of attraction. It's no wonder people give them on valentine's day!

But of course, eat chocolates in moderation!

(Special thanks to Ate Shirley of Iriga, she shared to us her amazing recipe… she’s the one in the blue shirt, lower left)

Bloom where God plants you

2010-11-30T11:05:00.002+08:00

Spring! Don’t you feel so happy when spring is here and plants bloom? It makes me want to sing out loud and sleep on the grass and gaze on the clouds…

While I was on vacation, my mom suggested to me to start gardening. I thought it would be boring but as days passed while I was gardening, I realized that plants can be likened to our life. These are some principles I have learned:

The plants need constant care. Air, Water, Sunlight those are the basic things plants need to live. For us we need physical and spiritual nourishment. We need to take care of our bodies by eating healthy foods, regular exercise and proper rest. We also have to pray unceasingly, study the scriptures, and live righteously.

Good ground gives nutrients. My mom told me that loam soil is ideal for gardening. This soil retains nutrients and water than other type of soil.

Environment also affects us. School, work, church or other group of friends has a defining factor in our lives. We need to choose our friends on whom we spend most of our time. Their habits and manner of speaking or actions might rub off on us.

Fences protect the plants. I remember my first plot of seeds, I was just starting out so I wasn’t quite sure what else I was supposed to do. Fortunately it grew and I was really excited when it sprouted little green leaves! But my happiness was so short, because the next day it was trampled and crushed by children playing tag. After that incident, I fenced my little garden.

In life, these fences are the commandments of God. They are not there to keep us out, but to protect us from harmful things outside. We should be grateful that God gave us commandments for our happiness. He loves us so much that they are written in the scriptures. But it is also up to us whether we would put up the fence and be obedient to His commandments.

The garden needs weeding and pruning. As the plants are growing, I noticed that some weeds also started growing and my plants are getting thinner. It seems to me like the weeds are overcrowding the plants and are getting more nutrients. After I plucked them out the plants looked healthier.

Like us, we are not perfect persons and we commit mistakes. God knew that so He gave His only Begotten Son to atone for our sins so we can repent and be forgiven. We need to evaluate ourselves and ask what needs to be improved in our attitude. God wants us to be our best selves.

Plants follow the Sunlight. As we notice, plants generally grow in an upward direction towards the sun. Even the interior plants, because my mom has one and she puts them out regularly to get vitamins from the sun. All plants need sunlight.

As we all do, we also need God as our light in this world. We need His guidance and His words. He is constantly giving light to us. We just need to reach up and bask in His love for us. He has given all the protection and nourishment we need and we have to do our part so we can be worthy to come back to His presence.

Every day may not always promise us a good weather, clouds may dampen our spirits, storms of trial may come our way, but as one song said, “there’s a rainbow always after the rain.” Some tribulations are there for us to learn from it and make us stronger. When we continually improve and do what God expects of us, He is there and waiting for us to bloom radiantly.

We can really learn from simple things we see everyday...