Happy 2nd Birthday, Caleiya!

Happy blessed 2nd birthday, our lil princess Caleiya <3

Love One Another

[John 13:34-35] “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Allergic Reactions and EpiPen

It's nice to know how EpiPen works but we pray we would never need to use it on Caleiya.

How Does Epinephrine Turn Off an Allergic Reaction?

Q. How does epinephrine turn off an anaphylactic reaction? This seems rather amazing, since anaphylaxis affects so many body systems.

Dr. Sharma:  The ability of epinephrine to treat the many signs of anaphylaxis is rather amazing.

It acts on a number of receptors in the body to exert its effects. First, it causes constriction, or tightening, of the blood vessels, which decreases swelling and also helps to increase blood pressure.

It also increases the heart’s contraction and heart rate, which can help to prevent or reverse cardiovascular collapse. Epinephrine relaxes the muscles around the airways in the lungs, helping the airways to open up.

Finally, it prevents the release of additional allergic chemicals, which aids in stopping further progression of the reaction. No other medicine acts on so many body systems, which is why epinephrine is the drug of choice for anaphylaxis.

Dr. Sharma is an allergist, clinical researcher and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. He is Associate Chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C. and Director of the Food Allergy Program. He co-authors “The Food Allergy Experts” column in the American Edition of Allergic Living magazine. Questions submitted below will be considered for answer in the magazine.

Faithful One

♪♫ Faithful One,
so unchanging
Ageless one,
You're my rock of peace
Lord of all,
I depend on You
I call out to You,
again and again
I call out to You,
again and again

You are my rock in times of trouble
You lift me up when I fall down
All through the storm
Your love is, the anchor
My hope is in You alone ♪♫

-"Faithful One" by Brian Doersken
music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HROSwkRwpPI

We choose joyful celebration

♪♫ We're choosing celebration
Breaking into freedom
You're the song
You're the song
Of our hearts

We cast aside our shadows
Trust You with our sorrows
You're the song
You're the song
Of our hearts

We're dancing to the rhythm of Your heart
We're rising from the ashes to the stars

You're the joy joy joy lighting my soul
The joy joy joy making me whole
Though I'm broken, I am running
Into Your arms of love

The pain will not define us
Joy will reignite us
You're the song
You're the song
Of our hearts

The dark is just a canvas
For Your grace and brightness
You're the song
You're the song
Of our hearts

We're dancing to the rhythm of Your heart
We're rising from the ashes to the stars

You're the joy joy joy lighting my soul
The joy joy joy making me whole
Though I'm broken, I am running
Into Your arms of love

You're the joy
The song in my heart
The hope of my soul

In the shadows
In the sorrows
In the desert
When the pain hits
You are constant
Ever-present
You're the song of my heart

You're the joy joy joy lighting my soul
The joy joy joy making me whole
Though I'm broken, I am running
Into Your arms of love
Into Your arms ♪♫

-"Joy" by Rend Collective
music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDiETOLBvxA

Thank You, Lord!

It has been quite a busy few days here at Port Douglas due to the influx of tourists and visitors on their Christmas holiday. The streets and shops are buzzing with people and the town is full of life!

I now work in the food retail business and find myself rostered to work on some Sundays. It is quite an unfamiliar scenario for me always having had Sundays off for as long as I’ve been employed. I pray to the Lord for His favour and grace at work and continue to do my best as I labour as unto the Lord.

In an unexpected turn of events (and such a remarkable surprise), I received a message from my boss yesterday saying that I can take the Sunday off.

Oh, I praise the wonderful Lord! My cup overflows as I am able to praise, worship and fellowship with my family and fellow-believers today!

[Psalm 103:1-2] 

Praise the Lord, my soul;

    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits.

[Psalm 100:4-6]

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

There is a gospel song I recall that is spilling over my spirit with the following lyrics:

♪♫ This is the day that the Lord has made... I will rejoice and be glad in it

Oh, this is the day that the Lord has made... I will rejoice and be glad in it

Rejoice in the Lord, Rejoice in the Lord

Celebrate the presence of the Lord... For He is worthy to be praised

Celebrate the presence of the Lord... For He is worthy to be praised

Rejoice in the Lord, Rejoice in the Lord, Rejoice! ♪♫

Here's a cover version of Rick Shelton's gospel song titled 'This Is The Day'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B9Vb1LGXVc

Christmas in our Hearts

Christmastime is always an exciting season for me. It brings into remembrance wonderful memories from my childhood and creates that warm fuzzy feeling from within.

In our homeland Philippines, the Christmas season or “Pasko” begins as early as September and lasting until around the 2^nd week of January, earning the country the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season. 

Philippine "parol"

Homes, buildings, and every corner get a major facelift with lights, lanterns or “parol” and every Christmas décor imaginable. Christmas music and carols can then be heard playing on every radio station, supermarket, establishment, or sung by children carollers with makeshift instruments going from house to house eager and expectant to receive their “aguinaldo”.

I remember when I was little that our family would go to church on the eve of Christmas to give thanks to the Lord for all His blessings and celebrate the birth of our Messiah, Jesus.  After church, we’d buy some native delicacies offered by vendors just outside the church such as “bibingka” (rice flour and egg-based cake, cooked using coal burners above and under) or “putò bumbóng” (a purple, sticky rice delicacy steamed in bamboo tubes, buttered then sprinkled with brown sugar and shredded dried coconut meat). We’d then go home and our parents would put us to bed early that night. They’d then wake us up just before midnight for the traditional “Noche Buena” dinner. In our household, this dinner usually comprise of “hamon” (Christmas ham drizzling with sweet pineapple sauce), “queso de bola” (ball of cheese or Edam cheese), “pan de sal” (a popular slightly sweet bread invented in 16th Century Spanish-Era Philippines) or sliced white bread, macaroni salad, spaghetti, fruit salad, cathedral jello.

Noche Buena feast

After stuffing ourselves with all those blessings on the table, we then get to the most exciting part of exchanging gifts and cards, kisses and hugs. We as children anticipate Papa and Mama’s reaction as we hand them our hand-made greeting cards with our heartfelt messages.

"pagmamano"

Christmas morning just started and there’s more to happen. We stay home and wait (with great expectancy!) for the arrival of our extended family members and friends to visit and celebrate with us. We pay respect to our elders through “pagmamano” (enacted when a young one bridges to their forehead the hand of an elderly person, and then the elder often responds by reciting a blessing or simply acknowledging the gesture).  There is a great deal of merry-making, chitchat, and eating. We as children stage a mini Christmas show for all to see and hear such as playing an instrument, singing, dancing, and reciting a poem. After that, we are then free to run around, play and enjoy ourselves.

As time went by and we grow older, both in physique and spirit, we gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Christmas and it’s pure meaning—the celebration of the birth of the Messiah, JESUS...and the promise of REDEMPTION.

[Luke 2:10-11] “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

[Isaiah 9:6] “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

[1John3:5] “You know that he became a man so that he could take away our sins, and that there is no sin in him, no missing of God’s will at any time in any way.”