August 24, 2017

I do not normally make how-to articles. I remembered that the last time I made some for my Grade 2 students a year and a half ago. During that school year, I was also inspired by a story of the Navajo weaver who made a blanket out of a sheep's wool using an enormous native loom. I also recalled visiting Binatuan Creations in Puerto Princesa Palawan. Last summer, I started researching about how to make my own loom. I made two DIY looms, one made out of cardboard, and the other one made of an old picture frame. However, I was looking for something to use for a long term.

I have been eyeing some shops online that sells looms. However, they were all from abroad. Lazada also sells some for children but it is over-priced. I am also worried that it might break while being shipped to me. So, last weekend, I consulted my Dad on how to make a wooden loom. he showed me that he already bought the materials and asked me for the measurements that I wanted. We started making my loom right after dinner. Whew! Dad was determined to help me.

Materials Needed:

• long plies of wood (measurements depend on how big your loom is; mine is 13" x 8")
• small, round barbecue sticks (you can also use nails or wooden pegs)
• small saw/cutter
• ruler/measuring tape
• cutting mat
• transparent glue
• pencil and eraser
• hammer
• drill

The goal was to make my loom look natural. Simple but functional.

First, we measured the plywood that fit my desired size, a 13" x 8" lap loom. I didn't want it to be too small or too big. I aim to make various lengths and sizes. I wouldn't be making blankets soon, anyway. Hehehe.


Second, Dad cut the two vertical plies and two horizontal plies of wood.


Third, I cut the barbecue sticks into tiny pegs. Each peg measured 2 cm. Dad demonstrated how to do this with a cutter. It was a little bit hard because some sides of the sticks broke. When that occurred, I didn't include it because it would not stick properly to the wood.



Fourth, Dad measured the distance between the tiny pegs on the two horizontal plies of wood.He marked 0.6 mm in between each peg hole. I opted for this measurement because I can always use every other nail if I want a larger woven space. It still gives me an option whether to make finer or bigger weavings.

My Dad also marked a line across the peg holes to keep them aligned. Then, he drilled the small peg holes one by one. By this time, I was still cutting pegs. I made 40 pegs on each horizontal plywood. 80 pegs in total.


Fifth, Dad put transparent glue in every hole and then inserted a peg in it. Then he pounded on the peg until it fits perfectly in each hole. The problem was the alignment of one part of the peg holes in both sides. Hahaha! Dad discovered that he made a mistake when he turned the loom over. He drilled on the wrong line. But it was alright because the only thing that would be affected while weaving was the consistency of the thread's length. I could easily adjust to this problem because I do not always need to weave up to the end of the threads.






Putting the plywood pairs to make a frame was the last step. Dad glued them together and let them air dry. He also attached a paper clipper to keep the plies of wood together. After 30 minutes, it dried up!


The loom was done after three hours which was a little longer than we thought. The truth was we didn't work continuously. Lol! Dad watched his favorite drama, Ang Probinsiyano, for an hour while I worked on the pegs. I also wrote my research paper and ate a Japanese version of Barquiron while he was in front of the television. So, it could have been two hours or less if we worked non-stop. My cat Rui who was overly curious as usual even accompanied us.



This was my Dad and I's first project together after several years. *big grin* I remember creating my Science project with him back in high school and grade school (I even won first place award for this! Sorry for bragging but I'm just too proud of him!). Making this with him became more meaningful. I had been dying to use it ever since we finished it. But there are no excuses now that my MA journey is ending. Finally, I have more time to weave!!!

Here are some references that helped me decide the design and size of my loom. I found the appropriate size that suited my needs. Check them out!

References:

1) The Weaving Loom - This is my favorite site that I subscribed to a few months ago. They are very helpful because there are plenty of references for beginners. Love it!

2) Dream A Little Bigger - I stumbled upon this site when I was looking for the perfect size of my loom. I didn't use nails like the blogger here. But her step-by-step was useful too. Aside from that, her cats caught my eye. :3

3) A Pretty Fix - The pictures are so nice! I couldn't document mine well enough because I was pretty messed up that night. But this blog helped me decide regarding the distance of one peg to another. This also inspired me to create a cleaner / minimalist version of a loom.

If you already made a loom, let me know how you did it. If you made some mistakes, tell me how you fixed it. Or if you're about to make one, let me know how you plan to make yours.

Aside from writing about my relationship with God, travels, and special life events, it feels really good to write about things that I create or the things I make with people around me.

Weaving things together,

K

Christmas 2010

An individual goes through a lot of heartbreaks. One of the most painful is losing a beloved pet that was treated like a person, a friend, and a sister. If you have lost one, you might have felt exactly what I am feeling right now.

I believe dogs go to Heaven. 

I thank God because you lived a full life. 




In those 10 years, 6 months, and 3 days, you have always been so cheerful and loving to our family. To me, you inherited our last name. 

January 2008

Christmas 2014

June 2016

Among all the dogs we had, you were the most quiet but the kindest and most patient. You barked at particular people that we did not trust or you disliked.



Even though you were not able to conceive a puppy in your lifetime, you were like a mother to all our pets. And you even acquired a lot of suitors in our neighborhood too.

Yuki and Zeke

Yuki and Sachi

Yuki and Chizu

Forever Love <3

Yuki and Jiji

Every time we meet, you usually wag your tail followed by a head and nose bump. Our dog walks, though not as plenty as Dad's, Paul's, or Luke's, are unforgettable. After your bathroom time, you always try to beat me in racing toward our house gate. Bringing you out for a walk seems like a chore at first but it is actually the only time you could bond with us. Part of my regret is not being able to bring you out for a walk as often as I could. 

Man and her Best Friend

However, thanks to my part-time status and my long leave from work for the past three years, we were able to bond with each other more frequently than before. 



Letting you live inside the house was one of the best choices we made concerning you. You became really close to us. Whenever you were inside the house and the rain poured and the thunder roared or the firecrackers burst, you came to find me wherever I was without a whimper or a whine. Despite being blind, you found me all the time.






Unfortunately, your urination problem got worse so you were relocated outside. You freely gave way for Satchi who have been tied outside since the day he came. In spite of that, you remained faithful.

Though the past few years were difficult, you tried to conceal your condition; didn't even cry or bark for help. I admire you for being so strong and loving us unconditionally despite our busy schedules. That makes you a true hero like every precious dog that we lost. 

February 2017

I hope you felt the love every time I came home in the past few years, tenderly calling you by your name and saying "I love you." I want you to know that I meant every word and endearment I have shown you.



Honestly, I was quite frightened you would leave anytime soon. I just didn't expect it would be today. 

Though your outer body didn't show any severe kind of suffering through the years, we know you felt pain deep inside you. We honor you for fighting that long. 

Lying down in your most favorite position as if you were sleeping was an indication of a peaceful goodbye. You were beautiful even on your last day on earth.


I miss you so much, Yuki. You will always be my favorite canine sister. Reunite with God now. 🐾




At the beginning of 2017, I asked for more encounters with the Lord. But there came more reasons to cry. Like Yuki, I might be just putting temporary plasters to conceal the pain. But the Lord is good and omnipresent. Despite the heartbreaks, I feel secured. This does not result to doubt or hate but to completely surrender every emotion, relationship, and time to the Lord. 

I remember what C. S. Lewis wrote in the last few lines of his book A Grief Observed, 

"How wicked it would be, if we could, to call the dead back! She said not to me but to the chaplain, 'I am at peace with God.' She smiled, but not at me. Poi si torno all' eterna fontana (Then unto the eternal fountain she turned)."


This blog is actually a sequel to my previous blog two years ago entitled, "SepAnx: When Pets Are Left Behind."

When I lost my Macbook that contained all my thesis files, work files, and what could best sum up my current life, I discovered more about God. It was not because I do not know anything about Him, but I needed to know Him more and come closer to Him during this season.

My initial reaction was to believe in God despite the impossibility of getting my laptop back. Knowing myself, the child in me would cry and panic in times like this. Surprisingly, my panic attack lasted for a brief moment as if suppressed. Instead, I stayed calm and collected, knowing that He is good and He has a greater plan behind this. His peace that transcends all understanding uplifted me. But He also wanted me to move, to do the basics of retrieving something that was lost.

In order to investigate the case, I acted like my favorite detective, Nancy Drew, sleuthing for clues. The game went on for a week. The barangay and the police helped me by giving endorsements or permission to acquire CCTV footages, coordinate with the people involved, and all that. It was tiring because I did more of the investigation within the area and discovered the suspects. Being an INFJ, talking to people was the hardest for me. But this situation brought me out of my comfort zone. Without hesitation, I became direct and purposeful while talking to different kinds of people--crews, managers, administration staff, security personnel, barangay officials, police, and ITs. I am grateful that none of these people bullied me or ignored my calls for help.

However, as I went through the process of finding out what happened, I ignored something very important. I was also human. On my way to a ‘supposed-to-be-exciting' appointment with friends on a Sunday afternoon, God pushed me aside and asked, ''My daughter, how are you feeling? Isn’t it time to focus on yourself?’’ I wondered why I forced myself to go even though I was going through a tough time. When I was about to meet my friends, a motherly counsellor and churchmate talked to me and helped me process. She reminded me very clearly, “It’s okay not to be okay.” I cried buckets of tears that day. God showered His steadfast love to me during worship in church and in our Quiet Time before I went to bed. I started to step out of the problem, examine it from a distance, and focus on Him.

God is so good. The laptop might have been taken away from me due to my weaknesses and evil schemes of people but He restored all the files that I needed to finish my thesis and graduate. The actions of manually dropping my files in Google Drive, external hard drive, iCloud, and USB every time I added something to my work were God's preemptive measures. On the Friday night before my laptop was lost, He impressed upon me to copy and sync my files. I was not able to save what I did during the weekend after that. But if I didn’t listen to his precaution, I would have lost more files and I would have been more devastated.

Moreover, on that deadly Monday, I was on my way to a very important interview that was in line with my greatest dreams. I almost did not make it due to the worsening rain and traffic. I could not have used my laptop for my presentation to the panel if my laptop got lost a few hours earlier. But still, I made it to the interview five minutes early and I was able to experience a great opportunity. It was also a week after when I finally resolved my emotions with the help of my coaching group leader. I decided to finally end the search and trust God with the process. When I did, I received good news about another open door of opportunity. I could have ignored the email longer and delayed the reason to celebrate. Other than that, I was able to borrow another laptop and finish my thesis drafts to be reviewed by my adviser. God allowed these! He is sovereign over all.

What was God's plan? Three weeks have already passed and I still do not know. All I know is He is doing something in me and through me because of this situation. I want to share it to anyone who is reading and who wants to witness more of God and His character.


God meant everything for good.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” 
-Romans 8:28

As God's son or daughter, it is harder to comprehend why such horrible things happen. It’s easier to accept hardship and pain when we are living in sin than when we are living a life of love and servitude for God. But we must remember that He is accomplishing good through it. I remembered Joseph’s story when he was taken into captivity and evil was upon him. In spite of it all, he believed that God was doing something good in him and through him. No matter how painful and difficult it is, it is all part of God’s good plan for us. He is always good.


God is just and merciful to His children.

"You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” 
-Genesis 50:20

Justice will prevail because God is after uprightness. This affliction or grief surely does not prevail. I may not know what is happening or what will happen to the people who hurt me. But I fear for them because the consequences of their actions are not forgotten by God. Being more inclined to act as a good Samaritan, I wanted to see the goodness in them. So instead of instilling hatred in my heart towards them, I prayed that God uses this situation for them to know Him. I prayed that they would stop choosing evil over good.

Honestly, I was so disappointed how deceitful human hearts are. The default states of our hearts are solely focused on ourselves. The little boy who was told or asked to carry my laptop was the most heartbreaking of all. As a teacher, my heart broke because I could not imagine a child could do such an evil thing and not be aware of it. He must have followed out of obedience to get something that was not theirs. Like Jesus, I wanted to say, “Father forgive him for the boy does not know what he is doing.” I am hoping that salvation will come to them someday. We need God more than ever in this life. He always saves those He loves and those who love Him.

God is loving especially in our times of grief.

“For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.” 
-Lamentations 3:31-33

God's love is enough to help us go through our grief. His mercy and compassion do not fail. Because of His love, we can be free from our anger, fear, and pain. We are not consumed by our problems. His compassion is new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23-24)! He always loves without fail.


God is first in everything.

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; He hears their cry and saves them.” 
-Psalm 145:17-18

God is more powerful and greater than our problems. Instead of seeking help from people or resolving our problems on our own, calling on Him and meeting Him first is the best decision. No matter how holy or skilled a person that we are seeking help from is, God wants us to put everything aside and decide with Him first (Galatians 1:16). He must come before anyone or anything else. He must be placed before everything. He is first. Always.


God is intentional with us.

“Forget the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” 
-Isaiah 43:18-19

God knows the beginning and the end. He has a good, pleasing, and perfect plan in mind for each of us. Everything, the good and the bad, is necessary to happen for a reason that is beyond our understanding. It may be a learning experience. It may be a time to pause and reflect. Maybe it is a time to learn how to think less of ourselves and more of God and His plans for His people. Or simply, it is a time of preparation for the great and new things! God hones us so that we will become resilient, capable of handling the events that are about to come. Instead of trusting in chariots and in horses, we can trust in His Name (Psalm 20:7). He always has our lives under control.

God wills everything for our joy.

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” 
-Job 1:20-21

The enemy expects us to curse God when our blessings and parts of ourselves are taken away from us. Like Job, we may cry, get angry, and breakdown. Then, the choice whether to continue chasing after the wind or start rising up from our problems to praise and worship comes. We can choose to leave our material possessions and lose ourselves in the process. It is an act of minimizing ourselves and magnifying God. Choosing the latter does not happen overnight. But turning to God is always the right way to finding everlasting joy and peace. God’s promise comes after we grieve. Our grief will turn into joy (John 16:20).

This deeper knowledge about who God is led me to new perspectives on how to cope with loss. It was painful to lose something that I worked hard to acquire, sweat and blood, and invested so much work in. However, God made me realize that even without it, He could fulfill His plans for me. There is no need to worry because I can trust that His provision overflows. He wants my whole attention during this season; to be attached to Him rather than to anyone or anything else. And He commands me to expect greater things; things that are of quality instead of quantity and eternal instead of temporary things.

All that has happened are geared toward a greater revelation that is about to unfold in its appointed time. It can be what I hoped and prayed for or it can be beyond my hopes and imagination. Regardless of the outcome, God will be proven good, loving, and faithful not only to me but to His witnesses.

I may have had a huge part of me broken. But I did not lose God. I found more of Him. And this life has become more meaningful and precious to live.

© Bong Mortero

“When you face stormy seas I will be there with you with endurance and calm; you will not be engulfed in raging rivers. If it seems like you’re walking through fire with flames licking at your limbs, keep going; you won’t be burned.” 
-Isaiah 43:2

"If we cut off their tongues and forbid the Christians speech, they love with their hands, with their feet, and with their eyes, they love always and everywhere until their last respiration."

This is my love life. This is how I want to love my Maker, my Husband (Isaiah 54). I am in love with none other than Jesus, my Lord and Saviour.

2016 was not the year when I started falling in love with God. But I became more intentional with Him this year. I wanted to know Him more than to merely see His promises come to pass. It was all about Him and His steadfast love and faithfulness for me. I have always known that He could love me that much. But I never knew that that kind of love could be enough for me.

In the previous year, God started building my faith into a whole new level. I had greater faith in Him. When I entered 2016,  I declared that He is Emmanuel (God with us). Throughout the year, I did not doubt Him when things get shaky or out of control. Instead of complaining and worrying, He taught me to focus on Him. He taught me how to listen, obey, and be still. He revealed more of His character and how much He loves me. This is the ultimate reason why this year was better than the previous years and why I am looking forward to the best years ahead. God is not yet finished with those He loves. He is going to do more and more amazing things for us. Why? Just because He loves us. Supernaturally.

This supernatural love could only be learned from God. While I was reading Luke chapters 23 and 24, I was crying. It was the time when the authorities insisted on Jesus' death even though He did not commit anything wrong. He was just and sinless in their eyes. But He was crucified. On our behalf, He asked God to forgive us for our sins because we did not know what we were doing. To be loved like that and to be taught how to love like that is a gift. Nobody deserved it. But Jesus did it anyway because of His love for us. That is His selfless, supernatural, unconditional love.

Before 2016 comes to an end, I want to write about how God showed His love to me as an act of gratitude to Him. It might be different from how God expressed it to you this year. But I'm sure there is one thing in common. It showed the depth and magnitude of His love.

"His unconditional love is limitless."

I felt God's limitless love when I started being a full-time student in April. I was jobless, broke, and delayed in the thesis calendar and life goals I have set for myself. I asked Him about the reasons for the sufferings repeatedly. I did not lose my faith. But I was crying out to Him and begging Him for quick solutions.

For each time, He did not turn His back on me. He faced me, assured me of His promises, and loved me. Despite my imperfections, His love did not cease. His love never ran out. He chose to continue loving. He provided solutions, both quick and lengthy, through financial support, new doors, encouraging and generous people, and countless little miracles. All I needed to do was be still and trust Him.

"His selfless love is shared."

Everyday, I asked God what He wanted me to do or learn from Him. It seemed that every place was a classroom. He was the teacher. Once, I felt the urge to buy something from a store in a mall. I ended up having a lengthy conversation with a saleslady. She told me that she was an inactive Christian who could not go to church anymore due to her work. She also has a baby girl. She was worried about so many things. In short, she was in a total mess. Before I left the store, I asked her if I could pray for her and she agreed happily. She was so grateful after that. As for me, I was in awe about how God used me to show compassion and love to a stranger. One visit to a store turned out to be a divine meeting.

From that day on, I asked God to use me to encourage and spread His love to others. If we have God in ours heart, then we must be overflowing. Other people need Him too. Even though we're tired, we're not being loved, or we're facing problems, we can still be a channel of His love to others. It may be difficult at times. But are we willing to die to ourselves in order to share God's love to His people? It is how God loves. He loves even though there is a need for sacrifice, even though there is not so much to gain from it.

"His supernatural love is satisfying."

Like most women, I have always dreamt of a man who would sweep me off my feet one day. I have always prayed about him. I entered this year with a brand new and restored heart. But in the middle of the year, I started to look for ways to meet new people. In this day and age, I considered the Internet as a possible venue. But a few days after, I laid on the floor, closed my eyes, and conversed with God in the middle of a Worship and Prayer Night at church. God asked me two questions. His first question was, "How do you feel about it?" I told Him that I felt so bad. I could not imagine telling my future husband about talking to numerous men before him, scanning each one, in order to select someone that matches me. There is nothing wrong with meeting people in the Internet just as long as it is God's will for your love life. Moving away from it was a decision based on my own conviction. I could not handle it like other people could. In short, it was not God's will for me. The second question was, "Don't you trust my divine algorithms or match-making?" He reminded me about my dream as a young girl. I dreamt of meeting the one in a bookstore or in a very movie-like face-to-face interaction. He asked me, "Would you settle for something less when you could have the best 'cute meet'? I could do it. I am your matchmaker." So I surrendered it to Him and let Him write our love story the way He planned it.

Everything started to change. God changed my heart into a heart that yearns for Him alone. It was not fixed on finding my life partner. It was focused on knowing Him and experiencing His steadfast love and faithfulness. To the world, my relationship status would be described as lonely, boring, and loveless at my late 20s. But to me, this season was joyful, exciting, and full of love. I am in a relationship with my Father, the Great Lover Himself. I do not need to worry about anything for His love lasts and satisfies. It is all I could ever need in this season.

If you find yourself looking for a love that is limitless, overflowing, and satisfying, enter a love life with God first. It is the best love story one could ever have. The love story that we are yearning for with another person begins with Him. In order for us to fully love another person, we must learn to love like God. He is going to prepare us for that journey but we must die to ourselves and love Him first. In return of our love for Him, His peace that transcends all understanding will fill us (John 14:27; Philippians 4:7). We do not need to worry about our identity or our worth. God's love consumes us.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." -Lamentations 3:22-23

This is the steadfast love that I found in 2016. I hope and pray that those who haven't experienced God's love seek it and find it with all their hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). May His love in us continue to overflow.


"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." 
-Matthew 22:37

Cheers to your best year yet! (:

K

A million times in our lives, I'm sure we have heard God's voice telling us to "Go." He wanted us to do something, usually something that we did not think highly of. But before we obey Him, we usually ask Him a question, "Okay, God. But when?" This response might be due to fear from the unknown or lack of trust in Him. But no matter how hard we resist to follow His command, He will never stop bugging us until we act on it.

Through the years, God has kept on reminding me to believe and trust Him through this verse: "For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." -Habakkuk 2:3

While waiting, God does not want us to believe and just be idle. He wants us to continue living our lives while entrusting Him our dreams and desires. Sometimes, the delays come just because we do not believe. We could not wait. So we move based on what we want; ignoring God in the process. Or sometimes we just sit still doing nothing. How do we really respond?

This year, I asked God some questions and the Bible Verses He gave to each one that satisfied my yearnings for answers.

1. What is God's plan for my life?



We have asked this question a million times. He is the only one who could tell us the things that He desires for us. He might use people around us, strangers, friends, or family. But we could only make sure that it is from Him when it confirms what He has already told us. It comes through His Word, prayers, visions, and prophecies. God reveals it to YOU and ME.

2. When is the appointed time?



Good things take time. God makes waiting part of receiving the beautiful plans He has for you and me. He does not only want us to enjoy receiving them but to enjoy the process of waiting upon them. He has already gone before us and He will guard us when that appointed time comes.

3. How do I wait for it?


4. What do I do when it comes?


Simply be thankful. Let God's steadfast love and faithfulness be known to mankind. Spread the Word about how good, pleasing, and perfect God is. We are expected to receive what we have been given. But we must have a grateful heart to God who has given us all things.

In this season, I have heard God's voice telling me to go and do things. Sure, I have asked him a lot of questions aside from the ones I listed here. The key is to just keep on seeking Him. When you get answers, obey Him.

Through the process of waiting upon Him, I realized that listening to other people clouds God's messages. You must listen to God only. Many times, people kept on saying to do this or to do that. Then, when I started to commune with Him, everything became clear. God wanted me to keep on taking chances until the right time for me to step into the open doors come. It was not for others to do. It was between me and God.

God wanted me to do my part by exercising my faith in Him. It was not easy to just go and do things while others are doubting you or advising you to do something else. But doing the things God has asked you to do, without knowing the outcomes, acting out of pure faith, honours Him. I believe that He will outdo every pain, suffering, and hardship that I have experienced in order to get there.

So when God says go, don't say no. Just go.

I do not like being angry. It is the feeling that I hate most in the world. I feel bad after showing my anger at someone. Most people would say that it is normal to be angry and that it is healthy to be angry sometimes. Being an introvert does not necessarily mean that there will be less chances of showing anger. Actually, it is dangerous an introverted person to be angry because he/she does not let out his/her feelings as often as an extroverted person does. But when the times comes, an outburst happens.

I always pray to God about anger. The Bible has several verses about it that I have held on to all these years. These verses guide me in how to manage my anger. It helps me respond to someone or something in an appropriate or respectful manner, one that leads me away from hurting another person or even myself.

1. Anger leads to sin.