Lux Thinking Aloud Happy Thanksgiving And Things I'm Thankful For 5:24 PM Happy Thanksgiving And Things I'm Thankful For Happy Thanksgiving! We don't really celebrate Thanksgiving here, but I'm working for a US-based company so it's a holiday for me too. Since it is the time for shouting out words of gratitude, let me share my Thank Yous with you. Thank you: Faithful readers To you who willingly waste a few seconds of your time to read my brain farts. You reaffirm my purpose. You make me realize that what I do here matters. Your kind comments and love mails are enough to assure me that the platform I chose to help make the world a better place in my own little way so to speak, is perfect. via Google images Passionate bloggers of blogs I follow Your posts either motivate me, make me laugh, make me think, and make me want to share my own stories too. Your thoughts can change a life so don't stop sharing. I love browsing through your pages because it's worth the time. Keep on posting relevant and heartwarming stories. Keep on using the internet for the good. Keep on inspiring people. via Google images Friends old and new For sticking around and putting up with my mood swings, melancholic tendencies and crazy moments. For listening to my ideas whether it be trivial or profound. For sharing a portion of your lives with me. For the love irreplaceable and overwhelming. More travel and more fun! More stories and hugs! Thank you, friends! Family near and far As you grow older, you appreciate more the value of family. Them people put in your life by fate who whether they like it or not are stuck with you 'til the end of time because of the DNA you share. Haha! No matter where I am, my heart will always be with you. I will always find my way back home. We may not be perfect but we are all we've got---and thank God for that! Light of Jesus Family You have been my family outside my family. The flock I chose to grow my spiritual muscle with. I will always be proud to be one of you. It's not every day you find people with genuine love for God and hearts of service without the pretentious, all righteous, judgmental, hypocritical air in them. You love God and you love people without the hang ups of religiosity. That's all that really matters! via Google images Bashers, critics and all you vampires Your words may have wounded me, but it sure made me stronger and pushed me to do better. Thanks for teaching me to be more understanding and compassionate, for testing my patience and making me appreciate my life more. Thank you for being the chisel that has helped form me into the beautiful being that I am today. via Google images Teachers, mentors, and beautiful souls You are too many to mention, some of you may not even know I exist! But your passion is so strong I can feel it in the air. Your beautiful life stories, your never-say-die spirit, your example that's worth emulating are my inspiration to put a dent in the world too. Thank you for being brave enough to step out, step up and share your encouraging stories to the world. via Google images My Unbeatable Team My greatest and favorite intercessors. Our Holy Mother, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joseph, St. Padre Pio, St. Pope John Paul II and my Guardian Angel. Many may not believe in you but I thank God for sending you to help me always. I have learned that relationships are our greatest treasures and living our purpose is the most powerful driving force in life. I have learned that gratitude is the key to open the door to endless possibilities and blessings. So everyday I give my thanks to the universe for blessing me this much and for blessing me more in the future. Thank you especially God for loving me this much, for dying to give me life unworthy and flawed as I may be. I can never repay Your perfect love for me. Here I am, I am yours. Make do of my imperfect love. What are you most thankful for? Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email Photo credit: Google images
Lux Thinking Aloud Thank You For Being Here: Thanksgiving Message 3:38 PM Thank You For Being Here Thanksgiving Message It's been a while since I wrote something personal here. Not a life hack, love advice, or raving over my current book obsession. Not thinking about SEO or engagement. Just a raw, straight-from-the-heart message. Since it's time to express gratitude, let me give you my Thanksgiving message: thank you for being here. Especially if you've been around before I even took blogging seriously.To my OG readers, thank you for staying.I started writing because I'm too much of an introvert to talk about my feelings and thoughts. So, if you've been here since 2011, you've seen me pour my broken heart out over breakups, friendships that drifted apart, or generally over how messed up the world has become. But you didn't leave. As I evolved into a more mindful writer (yeah, I don't rant so much about life online anymore 😄), you stayed. My shift in interests and topics of choice might have given you a whiplash over the years, but you stayed. I'm eternally grateful for that. You're the real MVP. I consider you my friend, albeit online, so know that you're more than welcome to message me if you want to talk about life. To my new visitors, thank you for being here.You could've been doing something else with your time, but you chose to spend it reading my thoughts and sharing my experiences with me. Time is one of the most incredible things you could give someone, and I thank you for giving me a little bit of yours. I hope you stay!To my clients, thank you for your trust.Thank you for making this girl's dream come true: getting paid by doing what I love. Writing for your brand gives me purpose and pleasure. Your business has supported my passion, allowing me to maintain this website...and buy as many books as my storage can hold. To my favorite authors, thank you for sharing your world with me.I've been to many places. And lived multiple exciting lives thanks to the beautiful books you've written. Your mind is a treasure trove. Thank you for introducing me to those unforgettable characters and allowing me to visit those charming places that could only exist in your imagination. They could've stayed in your brilliant minds, but you chose to share them with the world. Thank you for being so generous.To my naysayers, thank you for inspiring me.Thank you for telling me, "You're not a writer, and you'll never be one." Your comments surely have fueled me to learn more and be better at what I do. I am truly, sincerely, genuinely touched by the amount of time and energy you spend thinking and talking about me. You're one of the reasons I keep going. Thanks for keeping me grounded.To my amazing husband, thank you for being the best.I knew you were the one from when you told me you read my blog to get to know me more. 😅Marriage may be a roller coaster ride, but I'm beyond grateful you're the one I'm riding this crazy life with. I couldn't ask for a better partner. You never made me doubt or second-guess our marriage. I sleep better knowing that you always have my back. Thank you for showing me how to be unequivocally loved, accepted, appreciated, and celebrated by simply being myself.To myself, thank you for not giving up!Don't get weirded out if I address myself here. Because I give myself a pep talk and hype myself up all the time (studies show that it's actually healthy). So, allow me to write this Thanksgiving message:Dear Self,Oh, the battles we've been through the past few years! But look at you still standing. Still fighting. Still finding joy and beauty in your every day.Thank you for being strong and kind and for not losing your humor and sense of wonder. You are magnificent. You got this!Thanksgiving MessageMy life is not perfect, but my heart is filled with gratitude. Who or what are you thankful for the most this year?
Faith Waiting 12:32 AM If there's a level in the waiting game, I'd say I'm at Expert by now. I've waited for God's answers to my prayers for a long time. He's tested my patience, increased my faith and pruned me during that long waiting period. And now I find myself waiting again. Waiting I think we are always waiting for something at certain times. We wait for our water to boil so we can enjoy our tea or cereal. We wait for our flights. (Oh, traveling! I forgot how that feels. 😅) We wait for a client's reply if a project is a go or a no. We wait for a movie to premier after watching several trailers online. We wait for our food delivery to arrive and hope it comes before we turn into a hangry (hungry + angry) monster. We wait for this p andemic to be finally over. I don't know about you but sometimes I feel sick and tired of hearing about the news. Bad news after bad news after bad news. Every. Single. Day.2020 is really kicking all our asses. What have you been waiting for lately? Joyful are those who listen to me, watching for me daily at my gates, waiting for me outside my home! -Proverbs 8:34 The waiting period is not exactly a joyful phase. Especially when you're not sure if the answer you've been waiting for is what you're going to receive. Aristotle said: Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. When I was discerning if marriage was for me, I stayed single for a long time. I kissed dating goodbye. That's a title of a book I haven't read it. I heard it's good.[Click here if you want to order I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris.] I enjoyed every me-time I have. Oh, I had ample back then. Yes, I was happy. But there were long, lonely, cold nights too. Gfycat When I was waiting for my life after graduation to start, I was reviewing for the board exam. There were a lot of terms and formulas to memorize. I have no idea how I passed it. I'd say only by God's grace. 🤣 But the waiting period between after the exam until it was announced was filled with tension. It wasn't particularly joyful. This q uarantine period is fine. Because I'm working from home for years now, quarantine is not new to me. All these things going on around the world though are getting to me as the days go by. It's different knowing you're staying home because you want to and staying home because you're forced to. We humans love our freedom, don't we? Pinterest So this l ockdown has somehow messed up my mental health. There was a time when I had to disconnect from the world. As much as I wanted to be in the know of what's happening, I needed to step back.I had to take refuge in God's presence like never before. I had to desperately search for things to keep my mind off the crisis. I felt like a fish out of water hopelessly trying to breathe. Thankfully, distancing from the news and social media helped. See the simple therapies I found on my previous entries. Day 20: Unproductive Day 16: Lover Day 14: Self-growth Day 9: Hustle Day 7: Simple Life Day 6: Friends and Chosen Day 5: Disconnect Day 2: Gratitude List The whole world is waiting with bated breath for when we can all finally step out of the house, hug each other again and enjoy our freedom. When will that be? I don't know. It's not easy waiting alone. But knowing we're in this together makes it a little better. Your turn How long do you think this quarantine will last? What do you do while waiting for something? May contain affiliate link.
Lux Thinking Aloud My Big Day Is Coming! 5:12 PM My big day is coming! Every time I turn a year older, I look back and thank the Lord for a year of blessings and think about the lessons I've learned. That's the advantage of being a December celebrant. You get to celebrate your birthday and review the year that was since another year is about to start. I'll be posting about them birthday lessons and gratitude list in my next posts. My big day is coming and although that means I'm getting older (!), my heart is bursting with joy. What's your birthday wish for me? :) photo credit Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Lux Thinking Aloud Celebrating My Fantastic 36th Year On Earth 11:29 AM The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes. -Frank Lloyd Wright Just finished celebrating my fantastic 36th year on earth. It’s my last birthday as a single woman. Time flies when you’re having fun. Wasn’t it only yesterday I was reveling in my single journey, embracing the ups and downs, feeling the joy and pain of being “set apart” in a world cruel to someone choosing to walk alone? A bit dramatic, isn’t it? But that’s based on my experience. I’ve loved my single life. Every part of it---the good, the bad, and the ugly. I love the me-time, the quiet, the independence, and the freedom, even when I feel empty sometimes. Because that’s when I felt God’s presence the most. That’s when I’m most desperate for Him. Fantastic 36th Year on Earth Eating kindly This year I’ve decided to take baby steps towards eating kindly. However, I’m not a vegan yet. I'm a pescovegetarian. The reason being where I currently am, food choices for vegans are minimal. But I started because every time I eat meat, I can’t help thinking that what I am eating used to be alive and, if given a choice, I would not want to die just so I can eat. He’d instead be playing on the grass, eating, sleeping, and enjoying life. Not to be confined in a dirty, uncomfortable cage with little room for moving, enduring heat, getting tortured, and eventually killed in who knows what way. In the words of Jessica Chastain: “I don’t want to torture anything. … it’s about trying to live a life where I’m not contributing to the cruelty in the world. … While on this planet, I want everyone I meet to know that I am grateful they are here.” Nutritional and environmental reasons also pushed me to change my food choices---and lifestyle in general. I’m on my way to eating purely plant-based. I’ll get there someday soon. This year, I decided to eat kindly, which is fantastic! More travels I discovered my love for traveling when I was still single. It’s one of the things I wanted to do for myself: to find joy and be in awe as often as possible. To discover new places and experience new things. This year, that didn’t change. I am thankful for a fiance who loves traveling and seeing nature. And who stays in control, takes care of everything from planning to packing, and oversees everything that’s needed. That’s something you must strive to find, my dear single friends. Someone who lets you be independent but whom you can also always depend on. I’ve traveled both for leisure and business this year. Both I’ve enjoyed and am thankful for. Gift of romantic relationship I was single for six years before I met my fiance. Six years of no dating, no flirting, no emotional involvement. Six years of pruning, healing, spending time with friends, serving, working, and traveling. Most of all, it’s been a long journey of making peace with myself. It wasn’t easy. It was so loud outside. People judge and laugh at my choices. Well-meaning friends pressured me to settle with apparently just anyone they thought was “okay” for me. Thankfully, there is calmness inside me. Despite my doubts and fears, everything will work out in the end. I was so tired of kissing frogs that I was willing to forego dating for as long as the next one I kiss is the actual prince. I couldn’t help but marvel at God’s greatness. Although we are not perfect, He finds someone who is perfectly imperfect for us. And no matter how different we are, we fit just right like puzzle pieces to create a beautiful picture. When I was still single, I would take note of the things I wanted and did not want for my future husband. Sometimes I’ll be watching a movie, and when I love the spouse in the film, I’d whisper a prayer to God and say, “Please give me a husband like that, Lord.” Sometimes it happens when reading a book or even in real life. I’m very observant. If I see someone acting like a jerk, I’d say, “I’d rather stay single for life than be with someone like that.” This was when I decided that if I could not get married someday, I’d be okay with it. I’ll just keep traveling and enjoying life as it is. Somehow in my heart, I knew I was leading in this direction. Knowing that you’ll be happy to stay single and ready should there be a shift in the universe is such a wonderful feeling. 😉 God has plans for us far better than we have imagined. His generosity is boundless. I will forever be grateful to Him for finally giving me the gift of a romantic relationship. All worth the wait and the heartaches. “Adulting” at its finest One of the many Save-the-date templates I tested I’ve never felt more “adult” in my life than I have this year. What could be more mature, serious, and adult than planning for a wedding and paying bills? I can’t (and don’t want to) delve into details. But so far, this year has been the most stressful, busiest, challenging, and overwhelming time in my adult life. By the way, I’m selling my property. So if you’re interested, just shoot me a message. 😏 The gift of uncertainty Just because I’m thirty-six now doesn’t mean I have figured out everything about life. My future is still uncertain. I have plans and goals, but obviously, in my past, God has proven that His will is stronger and far more beautiful. Yes, there are still times when I doubt and worry. There are still times when the enemy seems to be winning in discouraging me. I want to always know what’s next. But I guess that’s the beauty of the future. You can create it today. I don’t know where I’ll be in the next year. I’m not sure how I will spend 2019, to be honest. All I can do is work on the things I can control and let go of the things I cannot. Allow God to do the impossible, as that’s His expertise. I can only hold on to His promises, remember the times He’s been faithful to me even when I wasn’t, and keep praying. I’m thankful that in all these uncertainties, there are two specific things in my life: That God will be there is already there, preparing everything I need, and that I have an excellent partner holding my hand as we’re facing the unknown together. That’s why my 36th is fantastic! How about you? How’s life been so far? Other birthday posts: Post-birthday Reflections Another Year Older And Hopefully Wiser My Birthday Gratitude List Life So Far This 2016 My Big Day Is Coming! Birthday Life Lessons
Dating 5 Common Worries Of A Single Woman & What To Do About Them 2:35 AM 5 Common Worries Of A Single Woman & What To Do About Them Is being single worth losing sleep over? It’s 2 AM. The world is quiet and sleeping. But here you are. Lying awake in bed wondering if you’d ever find The One. You wish you could fast forward and skip to the good part.But you can’t.You’re single AF. Uncertainties start to overwhelm you. Self-doubt begins to dampen your spirit.The future looks scary...mainly because you feel alone.You try to shake off that negative feeling and ask, “How do I stop worrying about being single?”Don’t fret. For every anxiety, there is a remedy.What do single women worry about the most?Here are five common worries of a single woman and what to do about them. Worry #1: All my friends are getting married or pregnant!When you see your peers celebrating milestones and feel like you’re stuck, it’s easy to feel insecure.You start questioning what’s next for you.When am I going to meet my spouse? Will I ever be able to start my own family?You don’t want to feel left behind.People will be pressuring you to settle down.Some of them are well-meaning. But it does feel intrusive and disrespectful sometimes.So what to do when you start to worry about your friends moving forward and ahead of you? Remedy:It pays to be patient. There’s nothing wrong with taking your time. How you spend your lifetime is at stake here, so don’t jump into hasty decisions and settle for just anyone.Don’t sabotage your future just because you’re lonely at present.Strip away envy.Be genuinely happy for your friends’ achievements and breakthroughs.Celebrate your victories too. You may not have found The One yet, but the freedom of being single is priceless. Seize every moment. Unlike you, your friends may enjoy their time with their new baby but cannot sleep as much as they want. You can go to bed and wake up at any time.You have everything in your hands to experience life as you please.No commitments. No hassles.Embrace your alone time.Because one day, when you least expect it, it will all be over.Gratitude is the best antidote for envy. Be thankful for what you have and for where you are. Remember when you used to pray for those things? And you have no idea how many people wish they could trade places with you. Giphy Worry #2: My biological clock is ticking! Age affects the fertility of men and women.Studies show that as women age, the chances of conceiving drop.Women are born with all the eggs they will ever have, and as they get older, the eggs get fewer.A woman’s fertility starts to reduce in her early 30s. By age 40, only 1 in 10 women will get pregnant per menstrual cycle. Remedy:Freeze your eggs.Believe in miracles.Consider adoption.If you really want to be a biological mother, your age may be another source of worry if you’re still single.Thanks to modern technology, though, there are ways to increase your chances of having a baby and a healthy one even when you’re 35 and up. Some women opt for other fertility options like IVF or donor eggs.If you can afford it, you can freeze your eggs until you’re ready to have a baby.Remember the stories of Sara and Elizabeth in the Bible? Some people don’t believe in miracles or God, but that’s their call. If God can make Sara a mother at the age of 90 and Elizabeth was 88 when he gave birth to John...Don’t you think you also have the chance to get pregnant even when you’re beyond the ideal age? Hopefully, not as old as these legendary women in the Bible, of course.Nothing’s impossible with a God who can turn water into wine and raise the dead.Believe that you are just as highly favored as the people in the Bible.Or maybe the child for you is already out there, from another family. Waiting for a parent who can give them a better life. GfycatWorry #3: When is Prince Charming going to rescue me? The problem here is all in the head.Maybe because Disney conditioned us to believe that Prince Charming is the only way to get us to the life we want.So when it takes too long for your knight in shining armor to come and get you, you wonder if he’ll arrive.Or if there’s something wrong with you because why wouldn’t anyone want to rescue a fair lady like yourself?Remedy:Get rid of your Cinderella complex. You’ll get disappointed if you depend on others to give you what you need. Waiting for The One will be easier if your love tank is full. Then, it will be an exciting adventure.Remember: You’re not a damsel in distress who needs saving. You’re capable enough to take care of yourself. Stop waiting for love, marriage, and Prince Charming to come along and rescue you, and start designing a life you don’t wish to be rescued from. - Mandy Hale Gfycat Worry #4: I’m not desirable enough. Am I not pretty?Am I too short? Or too tall?Am I not smart enough?Don’t I have the right personality?Am I not dating, girlfriend, or wife material?What is wrong with me? Remedy: Carry yourself with grace.Work on finding your self-worth.Believe that you are enough. Because you really are.Be careful how you talk to yourself because you listen (Lisa M Hayes).God doesn’t create rejects. Just because the glossy pages of beauty magazines tell you you’re not the standard of beauty doesn’t mean they’re right. Who are they to say? They’re just as imperfect as you are.Those women are loaded with heavy makeup and are Photoshopped.Remember that you are beautiful and worthy just the way you are.Nothing is more beautiful and irresistible than confidence. GiphyWorry #5: I’ll end up alone and miserable!Maybe you’ve met old single women who are grumpy and hateful.Maybe you’ve been watching too many movies where they portray women beyond their marrying age as desperate and hostile characters.Or maybe you’ve been putting your happiness in other people’s hands.That’s why you’re worried that you’ll never find joy if you don’t find a partner.Remedy:Choose to be happy! You are as happy and as lonely as you decide to be. Happiness cannot and will never be found in another person or from an outside source. Find the pros of being alone. Being alone is not tantamount to being miserable. You can be in a relationship and still be discontented and lonely. Two happy individuals make a happy relationship. If you’re unhappy in your own company, don’t expect others to be. Giphy Summary: Common Worries and Remedies for Single WomenThe next time worries about being single rear their ugly heads, you know what to do.Kick envy with gratitude.Believe you are favored.Design a life you don’t need rescuing from.Know your worth.Choose to be happy. Never ever compare your story with others, especially those in the movies. Your story is unique. Don’t insult your Maker. It’s not hard to be single. There are many perks to being alone.You’re free. You have a blank canvas.It’s actually exciting if you think about it.Knowing you have many options is like walking at a buffet table.Don’t listen to those making you feel like an outcast because you’re not in a relationship.You’re not!And they don’t hold your future. Stop overthinking and start believing.Stop betting against yourself and start being your own cheerleader.You’re exactly where you should be. But no, you won’t be stuck there forever. Unless you want to. Are you single? What worries you, and what do you do about them?
Dating Guide To Flowers And Their Meanings 12:00 AM Isn't it more fun when you receive flowers, and you know there's a meaning behind them? How intriguing that each flower represents different things. It's thoughtful and will undoubtedly help you score points with your partner and spice up your relationship. Here's a flower meanings list for your guide the next time you buy your partner some blooms. Flowers And Their Meanings 1. Carnations Light red carnations - admiration Dark red carnations - more profound sentiments of love and affection White carnations - purity and luck Pink carnations - gratitude 2. Daisies Daisies - innocence, purity, beauty 3. Iris Yellow iris - passion 4. Orchids Orchids - wealth, love, rare and delicate beauty 5. Lilies Peruvian lilies/Alstroemeria - friendship and devotion 6. Roses Red roses - love and romance Pink roses - elegance, expression of admiration and appreciation White roses - innocence, purity, honor, reverence Orange roses - desire, enthusiasm, fashion, excitement, fervent romance Lavender roses - enchantment, love at first sight 7. Stargazers Pink stargazers - prosperity and abundance White stargazer - purity and sympathy 8. Sunflowers Sunflowers - adoration, longevity, loyalty, cheerfulness 9. Tulips Tulips - generally mean perfect love Red tulips - true love Purple tulips - royalty Yellow tulips - hopeless love, cheerfulness, sunshine Variegated tulips - beautiful eyes 10. Calla lily Calla lily - magnificent beauty, chastity, virtue, purity It doesn't hurt to be extra sweet and thoughtful. It's good to go the extra mile to strengthen your relationship or make someone feel special. No need to wait for a special occasion. Say it with flowers. What flowers are you planning to give? Do you know the meaning behind them? Source: proflowers
