Tag Archives: friends

Get married or baby sit!

September 12, 2016 Princess Pepay Leave a comment

Just today, one of the kids in our church asked me if I was a student. So, I told her that I am already working. Then, she asked me if I am already married. (No escape even from kids!) So, I told her that I’m not yet married. Her follow up question led me to a chuckle. She asked that if I’m not yet married then how come I already have a job. Don’t we love the honest remarks of kids? 🙂 (No sarcasm here. I really do love those kids!)

If you really analyze the question, it’s kinda like – you have a job, it means you are already old, it means you should be married! It makes sense right? (Smart kids! )

As much as a lot of women in my age are already married and have growing family, the other half or probably more in my circle are also still single. I must say it’s great to be surrounded by both!

I love spending time with my married/mommy friends as I learn so much from them – about marriage, motherhood, parenting, etc. Good stuff! It’s like going to a free seminar with so much freebies that you can take home. And my favorite perk, you get to spend time with their kiddos and enjoy those funny, innocent remarks. To be honest, as I spend time with kids including when I teach during Sunday School, I felt like my patience has increased so much. Being with kids has taught me to be more patient with adults also. 😉 It’s also an honor to be asked by parents to baby sit their kids. I think it’s a privilege to be able to impact even for a little the lives of these little ones.

Being with my single friends is one of my comfort zones. Of course, I belong! 😀 The conversations are different. It’s not about breastfeeding, potty training, Paw Patrol or My Little Pony. It’s about love life, career goals, involvements and weekend plans. Being with my single friends has helped me become more driven as a person. Seriously, we don’t talk about guys all the time. As we share some common struggles, we get strength and encouragement from one another. It also reminds me that being single is truly a blessing. As I see other single women being able to accomplish so much – not for themselves but for other people, I get reminded that if these women are married, then who will be able to accomplish these things? Until our days of being single is over, we will just have to keep going.

If all or most of your friends are already married, don’t isolate yourself from them. You are one privileged single woman to be able to learn from them! Also, seek new single friends if you don’t have one anymore (though I doubt this is possible *wink*). It’s just great to have someone to share a common journey with and to have someone who also hopes the same for you as she hopes for herself – to be married. Indeed, iron sharpens iron.

To all my married and single friends, you are all great blessings in my life! Thank you!

friendship-is-unnecessary-like-philosophy-like-art-it-has-no-survival-value-rather-it-is-one-of-those-things-that-give-value-to-survival

Not Alone

August 22, 2016 Princess Pepay 2 Comments

Do you feel that you are ALONE all the time? I believe no one wants to live alone. God has designed all of us to be with someone. Most of the time with our families. If not, with our friends or in a certain community we are part of.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)

However, not all of us are blessed with good relationships. Some of us experienced being abandoned or being left by the people whom we thought would never give up on us. Or, some are just too busy that they could not make time anymore.

If you are one of those who feels like no one cares for you or no one loves you, I hope that today you will be assured that there is the GREATEST LOVE that is always available for you. EVEN BEFORE GOD CREATED YOU, HE ALREADY LOVED YOU. And that never changed. God will also bring you to relationships that are good for you if you are willing to trust Him on that. So, take heart!!! God’s love never runs out on you! ❤ ❤ ❤

tape edges

Insights

You got time?

May 28, 2016 Princess Pepay Leave a comment

Hi My Single Friend,

For sure, just like me, you have those days that you just get reminded of how “so single” you are. You know, those days that you need to do a week of grocery and ended up buying just for two days because you realize no one is going to help you carry your stuff. Or that day when you want to just go out and have a nice, relaxing dinner and all your friends just could not go out with you. Or probably that day when you can’t stay late night at a friend’s party because you don’t feel safe to walk by yourself when you go home. These are the kind of days that you wish you have that constant person who will always be there for you. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Being single, it’s normal to desire to be with someone.

However, you don’t have to sulk about it. As for me, those are just my passing moments. Those moments are great reminders as we are so used to being on our own and being independent that at times we forget we need other people.

As those are passing moments, we have better days to enjoy the life of being single. I believe one of the precious things that we single should really be grateful of is that we have all the TIME in the world. The BIG QUESTION is, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME?

If you look back to the time that you started working up to now, how can you describe the quality of your life? Has it been better? Or, you feel like nothing has changed at all? It doesn’t matter how many years ago that was. Two years, five years, or ten years. Question is, did it change a bit? Did it get better a bit? Realistically, a year can pass by so fast and you felt like nothing has really happened in your life. Or, so many things happened in your life that it went by so fast.

As you think about your life today, you might want to ask yourself how much you valued the time that you have? Do you realize how blessed you are that you don’t need to ask permission from anyone on how you can use your time? If you feel like you haven’t really used your time so well for the past years, it’s never too late. Start setting goals for yourself on how you could improve in using your precious time.

Start with what do you want to do with your week. Of course, you go to work in your regular office hours. And you have to make sure you are finding ways to grow at your workplace. Learn new things each day. Always give your best regardless of circumstance. It’s the attitude, my friend.

After work, how do you want to spend the rest of the day? Have a good rest? Probably do exercise – go to the gym or go for a run or play a sport? Or, meet a friend you haven’t seen for a while? Or, read a good book. Do online classes. Or, cooking lessons. Do volunteer work.

How about your weekends? How does it look like? I hope you don’t spend the whole day just watching t.v. series or doing movie marathon. It’s okay to do it sometimes especially after a very tiring week but just don’t do it every weekend. Just imagine how many weekends you’ve wasted in your one year. Do something productive on your weekend that helps you grow as a person. Be involved in a church or community. Travel with friends and enjoy culture. Pursue a hobby that you can be passionate about – gardening, photography or anything that could also inspire other people.

Don’t waste time, my friend. Appreciate the time that you have right now. Imagine how much you can accomplish. And don’t be greedy with your time as well. Make time for people especially if there is a need. Remember, it’s not about how many things you have done with your time or how many places you have traveled or how many classes you have taken or how many people you have met, it is how much you have grown and improved as a person and how much you have blessed other people. Those are the defining moments of a time well-spent.

Be a good steward of your time. Remember, when you’re done being single, your time is not your own anymore.

y your thanksgiving be filled withlove, happiness, and full tummies!

Hobby

Making the Most in Boracay

January 8, 2014 Princess Pepay 1 Comment

After December holidays, the next season that people look forward to is summer.

Beach, beach and beach!

There are a lot of nice places in the Philippines where you can find really beautiful beach – clear water and white sand. You just have to take your pick as to what fits your budget.

If you pick Boracay, I suggest you really start saving to make the most of your stay. I know that when we go to the beach, we just really want to relax and enjoy the ocean. However, you can do those things in a beach near your city. So when you go to Boracay, might as well enjoy all the fun stuff. Save and go with a group!

Here are the things which I really enjoyed during my stay.

Parasailing – The best experience!! It was a bit pricey but if you really love being up in the air, you should really try this. Just make sure that the weather is nice and not too windy.

Island Hopping – This will let you see different parts of Boracay, do some snorkeling and swimming. This will also take you to parts of the island with really very clear water and white sand. And of course, a buffet meal is included for this.

Flying fish – If you are bored with banana boats, then try this one. This is more fun! You just have to hold on tightly. 🙂

Other things that I tried which you may or may not…

Jetski – This was fun but a bit pricey, so you can skip this one.

ATV Ride – This is a different experience and it is on land. You might enjoy this if you do the longer trail.

Others enjoyed which I didn’t try…

Helmet Diving – If you don’t have problem with underwater (unlike me), then you should try this. You get a cd of pictures and video of your underwater experience.

Sunset Sailing – You get on a sail boat and enjoy the sunset.

There are so many other activities that you can enjoy in Boracay. You can start making a list of what you want to do that’s within your budget.

It’s fun in Boracay! 🙂

Diary of a Princess, Reflections

Made for Relationships

April 26, 2013 Princess Pepay Leave a comment

When I moved to Manila to work, I didn’t have any immediate family with me nor friends that I can live with. I was basically on my own at the start. It wasn’t an easy move and I can still clearly remember that I wanted to go home to Bacolod during my first week of stay. I got so homesick as it was my first time to really be away from family.

Eventually, I made a lot of friends from my work, from where I used to stay and from church. As months went by, I realized how important to have people who would continue to guide you and even become accountable for you. That’s when I decided to join in a small group. And being part of it really helped me in my continuous stay here in Manila.

The small group became my spiritual family. It is composed of people who show genuine love and concern towards each other. In the group, we share our victories and trials to one another to be able to encourage each other. We pray for each other and help each other in our walk with the Lord. There is nothing so extraordinary in a small group except the common factor why we meet together – Jesus Christ.

I’m glad that I made that decision to be part of a small group. It’s not just about meeting together, talking about our lives, doing fun stuff together, a small group is more than that. It’s a privilege to be a blessing to different people. It’s a privilege of knowing God through other people who share the same passion for the Lord.

Indeed, we are all created for relationships. We are not meant to be alone. If right now, you feel like you don’t have friends, or you’re too far away from your family or you just really feel alone, and you’ve been invited to be part of something like this, give it a chance. It’s more than an invitation, it’s a privilege.

In small groups, we don’t just gain friends, we grow with friends.

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

These are the different small groups I’ve been with and still with. It’s just amazing growing old with such beautiful women, some have gotten married already, one had kid, some had left the city, some had returned, some still stayed single :), but despite of the changes, the journey of encouraging, praying for each other and lifting up one another never changes.

Truth is, our lives together go beyond the small circle of group. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Diary of a Princess

Bacolod is Home

February 16, 2013 Princess Pepay Leave a comment

There’s more to home-cooked meals, yummy delicacies, unbeatable chicken inasal and laid-back life every time I go home to Bacolod.

Just a few days ago (time is really fast!), I went home together with my best friend, Kyat and her two kids who just arrived from Canada. We had a little reunion together with our other highschool girlfriends, some I haven’t seen for more than 5 years. It was really a blessed time just to hang out and catch up.

Looking back, it made me realize that no matter what, at some point in our lives, we would always find ourselves wanting to go home, not really to stay but to be with people who makes the place home.

Last year was record breaking for me, I went home 4 times than the usual once or twice year. I must have missed home so much. 🙂

For now, Bacolod is home because my family is there. Who knows, it will be somewhere else someday. 😉

Diary of a Princess, Insights, Reflections

AMITY

September 15, 2012 Princess Pepay 2 Comments

As defined by the free online dictionary,

amity [ˈæmɪtɪ]
friendship; cordiality
[from Old French amité, from Medieval Latin amīcitās friendship, from Latin amīcus friend]

I asked my dad before why my sister was named as Amity, and he said, he looked it up from the dictionary. Our parents like to give us unique names (well – except for my brother which is a different story and thus, explains the unique spelling of my name).

In my quiet time this morning, I thought of Amity. She is my second eldest sister. For those who don’t know, my sister passed away just a month after her 25th birthday. It’s been 6 years already. My very last clear memory of her was her big laughter in a video that she also took with everyone in the family. I wasn’t there in that video and that’s why she recorded that for me. If you know my sister or met her, you would know how she laughed so hard. An all out laugh!

I really don’t know how Amity has touched the lives of people around her (but I’d love to know!). But my sister was one of those who really pushed me to be at my best all the time. When I started working, she would tell me to dress up properly, fix my hair, be presentable in going to work. You know how she was when it comes to dressing up. She was always at her best. She wasn’t a mediocre. She was very driven in what she does. She had passion for her work. She was a dreamer. She was very hard working. She always wanted the best for us, her family. If she is still here, for sure, she would have accomplished greater things than she already did. We would be travelling together. 🙂

My sister taught me – Family. She was very protective of us. She would fight for us, even die for us. Yes, she was a fighter. She was very driven not because of her own dreams. But because she thought of us. Everything she did, we were a part of it. She inspired me. She taught me not just to dream for myself, but also for my family.

I miss Amity every day. I would sometimes imagine what if she is still with us now. Would be a lot of fun and laughter! My sister made a graceful exit from this world. She was at her very best when she left. She was top 5 (if i’m correct) for having the highest sales nationwide in her company. She was suppose to do an oath-taking for passing the teacher’s license exam. Yes, she was suppose to be a teacher for special children. We thought, she could have done more. But God’s purpose for her had been completed already.

One day, when the time comes, we will meet again. This time, in a perfect place with our Maker. 🙂

My only wish is that her friends and everyone who knows Amity will never forget her. That when they see the name Amity or hear the name Amity, they will thought of her and how she had made an impact in their lives.