Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014!

On New Years Eve, as with all the New Year's Eves we've spent in Iloilo as a family, my family and I prayed for the Lord's continued leading of our lives, of our daily decisions, and of everything in between. We prayed for his protection, his providence, and his promise to keep us, our loved ones like friends and
relatives. 

For the coming year, I've listed a lot of things I wanted to complete. Many are the usual requests like financial sustenance for food and school, but there is one in particular that I had asked the Lord repeatedly since the day we experienced Typhoon Frank... and that is to be able to build a second floor on the house we live in. God has provided for us to be able to build a proper gate and septic tank, so a second floor may not be too long to wait for. I just pray we have one already if and when there happens to be another Frank-like event to hit Iloilo.

Another one is to be able to sell the van we have been using for nearly 14 years. It's still good and does the job, but it's quite dated and a little too large for a family of five. When Mom and Dad were still alive, and Mimi and Kaka were still around, having a big ride was logical... now with just the five of us, a smaller vehicle would be more practical. I haven't made my mind up yet on what to get as a replacement. It would still depend on the availability of funds to get the van back to shape, to fetch a better price, and for how much we will be able to sell it. That's all in the future though, and God-willing, it will come to pass.

Planning is part of living. And as I share these plans with my kids, I hope and pray that they will see how our future would look like as it slowly takes shape when our plans and desires are realized one by one. I try to teach them that "Everything rests in trusting in God". For no matter how diligent and industrious one is, without God, things go south. But with God, everything is possible.

For now, let's just celebrate and thank God for giving us another year to serve, trust, and obey. Happy New Year everybody! God bless you all!