Thank you for your support of TraffickJam2011

On Sunday I posted on Facebook and Twitter a request for support on my endeavor to help prevent child abuse in Asia. I was blessed to see many of my friends responding to this call. Here is the list of the kind people who are helping in this endeavor. In behalf of the children who will benefit from your help - thank you so much. Wishing you all abundant blessings through your kindness:

1. Gary Workman
2. Kathy Becklin - Buy Home In Maui
3. Dania Katz of Edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine
4. Christy Sweeney
5. June Donaghy
6. Mark Goldberg of MauiGuidebook
7. MauiGuidebook.com
8. Chris Norberg @Maui - Hawaii Web Group
9. Cassie Kepler
10. Jean McNulty
11. @lSPARKYl
12. @MrsMacchi
23. Kris Nelson of DailyMauiPhoto @DailyMauiPhoto

Help Prevent Child Abuse - Here's How - TraffickJam2011Maui

Dear Family and Friends,



Photo from TrafficJam2011 website

If there is one thing that truly breaks my heart, it is when I hear a child being abused. And so when I heard about the traffickjam, I decided to participate. I am thankful that I grew up in a loving and safe environment. I am thankful that my kids are also growing up in a safe and loving envinroment. But some kids are not, and I want to help them in my own little way. Would you join me?

Details of Traffick Jam 2011 are posted below. I need you support. Can I count you in? Here's the scoop (as posted in the TrafficJam2011 Facebook for Maui):

Traffick Jam is a nationwide fundraiser that the Hard Places Community is holding on May 7, 2011. We are planning a walk-a-thon that will include all fifty states, a huge undertaking. The slogan for the walk-a-thon is Traffick Jam 2011: In one day, we can help bring child sex trafficking to a grinding halt.


We know that the idea of a walk-a-thon is not unique or new; they are done all the time. However, we believe that the low-ke...y, low-stress way we are going to go about doing Traffick Jam 2011 will encourage many people to participate.


In a nutshell, here's what it looks like. We are asking people to sign up to walk ten miles, together, on May 7, 2011. Each participant in the walk asks ten friends to sponsor him/her. Each sponsor gives a donation of one dollar per mile. That's ten dollars per sponsor. Many people will not be able to give huge amounts of money in these trying financial times, but they WILL be able to give ten dollars to stop the rape of a child. Ten dollars per sponsor, times ten sponsors, is one hundred dollars. So, each participant brings in $100, and also pays the $15 registration fee to cover the cost of his/her t-shirt and shipping the t-shirts to all fifty states. If we have one hundred walkers in one state, then that is $10,000. You do the math! We could raise enough money to see our dreams of FREEDOM begin to come true in Cambodia and Thailand, stretching all across South East Asia as we grow and multiply.


TO THOSE WHO DONATE VIA PAYPAL,the DONATION BUTTON is HERE.

IF YOU WANT TO MAIL ME A CHECK, PLEASE MAIL IT TO OUR HOME.  If you do not know my address, contact me here and I will e-mail you: http://www.amauiblog.com/contact-a-maui-blog/


BONUS TIP: If you have a business and you donate to this cause, I will put a link from this post to your website.  That wil help you in your SEO :) - just a little thing to say thank you :)


FOR MORE INFO ON TRAFFICK JAM 2011, here are the links:
Facebook Official Traffick Jam MAUI Page:
Facebook Office Traffick Jam Page
Traffick Jam Website

Declutter, Simplify, Trust

The other day I donated 6 bags of stuff at the Salvation Army.  I had been hoarding those six garbage bags of "good stuff" meant for a garage sale. However, that planned garage never happen. We just could not find the right time - there is always something going on. In the meantime,  the clutter kept on accumulating, the stuff kept on filing up.  So, finally I said to myself - "that's it! forget about my desire to earn a few dollars by selling these stuff in a garage sale. donate them all to salvation army!" and so I did. It felt good. I felt good.  The room that those six bags of stuff were stored are now neater. My mind has more peace. Why did I wait several months to let go of those stuff?

Back To My Blogging Roots

It's 4:25 AM. I am not supposed to be blogging. I am right now taking 2 weeks off from all my social media gigs to focus on helping my son get through the last 2 weeks of school without a glitch. But Liza's Eyview is a "safe place" and a "venting place" for me so here I am.

As many of you who are friends of Liza's Eyeview know, my son is uniquely gifted. He is what they call "gifted dyslexic" or "twice exceptional". He has a high IQ, yet it does not transfer into his performance in school because of his dyslexia, unless he is given various accommodations. He needs close monitoring to be able to finish is school work without him getting frustrated and giving up. He also needs help in getting focused. I have spent many many hours on the internet and reading books researching how to best help him succeed in school and in life because it's really hard being a gifted dyslexic. The good news is there are tons of information and resources out there that helps a parents help their gifted dyslexic child. The bad news is it requires a lot of time and energy and attention - and most parents nowadays do not have the luxury of "lots of time".... at least not I.

Back to my blogging roots. Yes, I came back here to my original blog to vent, to reflect, to contemplate, to seek support. In this blog I am at home. This is my online journal where I can pour out my emotions without any concerns ... here I can ramble and not worry about what advertisers would say or how it would affect my overall niche.

Did I already tell you I am taking a 2 week off my social media gigs? Did I also tell you that I took an emergency 2 week off from my current day job which made my husband very worried. He was worried of how my bosses would react because that's a very irresponsible thing to do - just e-mail that day (yesterday) to tell them I am taking a 2 weeks off, and it starts right now. Ahhh, that is so unlike me. And yet I had to do that. I had to do that after I logged in into my son's "powerschool" (the website where we check their grades and performance) and saw that his grades are in the danger zone. I must intervene. I must give him an undivided attention. Not that I would do the work for him, but I must be there when he does his work to keep him focused. To keep me focused. This is what I am called to do. To make my family life a priority....

There is such too much to sort out in my life right now. Aside from the clutter in my house, there are also clutter in my mind. There are complicated decisions to make. Decisions that cannot be decided upon just by what I believe is my calling - but it had to be in line with what my husband think is best for the family. Afterall, he is the head of our family.

Ahhh... its feel so good to ramble here. That's how I started blogging. And that's what meant about blogging roots....

Have I already told you that love being a mom? How about the fact that I also love being a wife, a daughter, a sister and a friend? Why is life nowadays seems so complicated? We have all these gadgets to save time and yet the more time we save on these gadgets, the more stressful it seems.

Life is meant to be simple, and yet we make it hard.

Yesterday I was at Borders and I saw this Yoga DVD for $7.99. I bought it. I will do yoga for 30 minutes a day to get rid of the stiffness in my body caused by all these stress. I need to do this while I am on my "emergency mental health and undivided attention to help G mission" vacation.

Ahhh... it's 10 minutes till 5AM. I better stop blogging and get back on checking all of the homework G accomplished last night. He worked hard last night. He even missed the Church Youth Group (which he absolutely loves attending), to focus on school project.

May this day be another productive one. Lord, help us.

Thank You Brave Soldiers, Thank You Veterans

Blog Action Day: Blog Poverty

Today 9,000+ bloggers are blogging about poverty to raise awareness, initiate action and to shake the web!

I do not like putting a video of the Philippines that depicts only the poverty, because aside from the poverty there are a lot of good things, great people and nice places in the Philippines. However, since Blog Action Day today focuses on Poverty, I pulled this video out for many to see. (warning: the maker of the video included some footages from the 911 which I think shouldn't have been added here.. but it's there. I apologize if you think that that part is out of context here)

Ironically, the Tagalog word "Paraiso" when translated in English means "Paradise" ...


Return to a land called Paraiso,
a place where a dying river ends.
No birds there fly over Paraiso,
no space allows them to endure.
The smoke that screens the air,
the grass that's never there.

And if I could see a single bird, what a joy.
I try to write some words and create
a simple song to be heard
by the rest of the world.

I live in this land called Paraiso,
in a house made of cardboard floors and walls.
I learned to be free in Paraiso,
free to claim anything I see.
Matching rags for my clothes,
plastic bags for the cold.

And if empty cans were all I have, what a joy.
I never fight to take someone
else's coins and live with fear
like the rest of the boys.

Paraiso, help me make a stand.
Paraiso, take me by the hand
Paraiso, make the world understand
that if I could see a single bird, what a joy.
This tired and hungry land could expect
some truth and hope and respect
from the rest of the world



***


For a related post on poverty, click HERE.







You Raise Me Up and Awake by Josh Groban (A Tribute To Parents)

A beautiful and blinding morning
The world outside begins to breathe
See clouds arriving without warning
I need you here to shelter me

And I know that only time will tell us how
To carry on without each other

So keep me awake to memorize you
Give me more time to feel this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today

If I could make these moments endless
If I could stop the winds of change
If we just keep our eyes wide open
Then everything would stay the same

And I know that only time will tell me how
We'll carry on without each other

So keep me awake for every moment
Give us more time to be this way
We can't stay like this forever
But I can have you next to me today

We'll let tomorrow wait, you're here, right now, with me
All my fears just fall away, when you are all I see

We can't stay like this forever
But I have you here today

And I will remember
Oh I will remember
Remember all the love we shared today

On My Knees sung by Jaci Velasquez

Jaci Velasquez
Heavenly Place (1996)
On My Knees

There are days when I feel
The best of me is ready to begin.
Then there're days when I feel
I'm letting go and soaring on the wind.
'Cause I've learned in laughter or in pain
How to survive.

I get on my knees, I get on my knees;
There I am before the love that changes me.
See I don't know how, but there's pow'r
When I'm on my knees.

I can be in a crowd
Or by myself, in almost anywhere
When I feel there's a need
To talk with God; He is Emmanuel.
When I close my eyes no darkness there,
There's only light.

I get on my knees, I get on my knees;
There I am before the love that changes me.
See I don't know how, but there's pow'r
In the blue skies, in the midnight
When I'm on my knees.

I get on my knees, I get on my knees;
There I am before the love that changes me.
See I don't know how, but there's pow'r
When I'm on my oh, when I'm on my,
When I'm on my knees.


Written by David Mullen, Nicole Coleman-Mullen, Michael Ochs

Please pray for Chance today, and also, go to the blog we've set up for him and leave a comment to his family, let them you you prayed. Go there now, click here. Thank you.

You Raise Me Up - by Selah

I love this song "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban, and this rendition of SELAH on this video just brings tears to my eyes! If first saw this video on Angie's blog, Bring The Rain. Go there for more information on the Laban Ministries.

I woke up at 2:10 AM today and couldn't go back to sleep. And what does a blogger do when she's awake at 2 Am and cannot sleep? Blog of course! :)

I blogged at Emily's today. Lots of answered prayers - makes me happy :)

Now I'd go back to sleep smiling :)

* This is my entry for "Then Sings My Soul Saturday" this week. To sing more songs, visit "Miracles, Signs and Wonders" and see what others are sharing.

September 11 - We Will Never Forget

7 years ago ...

I still remember that day. I was at work. We heard the news that Twin Towers were hit by a plane. The terrorists did it. We were shocked. We were horrified. We were sad. We were confused. We were angered. We were sad. We prayed ... and prayed ... and prayed. Today I will once again pray as I remember ...

Mike Guglielmucci Lied and Faked His Cancer Does Not Mean God Cannot Heal

Michael Guglielmucci lied. He did not have cancer. He faked it. The Christian community is hurt by this sad news.

Mike Leonard, our church member didn't. His blog records his battle with cancer and now he's healed. Our church is rejoicing.

I am saddened by that news about Micheal G. faking cancer, thus tainting the song "Healer". Nevertheless, my eyes are focused on God and not Michael.

CECWorship discussed it here, here and here.

Praying for Daniel

This post will be regularly updated. This is a prayer log for Daniel. All the prayer requests and updates that I will get from Hope Chapel about Daniel will be posted here so that many of us can pray. The new update will be added in the bottom. Please join us in prayers. Thank you.

(posts deleted. they can be found in Daniel's blog - link below)

****
Lisa at Hope Chapel created a blog for Daniel updates. Instead of updating here, please go there:

http://danielmauck.blogspot.com/

Arnel Pineda's Journey Inspires Me - Then Sings My Soul

Yes, I finally bought the CD Album of Journey - at Walmart! It's a great deal - the package comes with 2 CDs and 1 DVD for $11.99. My kids are now hooked to it - I mean the songs in it. My son said he can't get the song "Don't Stop Believin'" out of his mind - he keeps on singing it :) (yes son, that's the plan - I want you to know that whatever happens, you shouldn't stop believen')


The "new" Journey Band, which is actually the original Journey with a new lead singer has a soft spot in my heart. I know you already guessed why - because Arnel Pineda, the new Journey lead singer, is from the Philippines. But more than that, I think what really touches me about him is his life story - how he lived the song "Don't Stop Believin'". The Sunday Morning interview at CBS News was quite touching in the end when he talked about his mom (who passed away when he was a teenager). Yes, I was teary eyed watching it when he talked about his mom's influence in his life. Here, watch it too. Make sure you watch until the end (thank you Flipland for posting about this):




Now if you enjoyed that video, you'd be interested to read this post HERE about the actual interview at the American Embassy. For non-Filipinos who are watching the show, they probably were wondering why the heck he was asked to sing by the consul or interviewer. But for those who's been in the Philippines or are from the Philippines, they know that getting a "tourist visa" from the Philippines to the US is so difficult - close to impossible. The interviewer had to ask him to sing to cover his "ukole". If you have not read it yet, I suggest go there at Flipland (yes, click here) and read it.

Here's a photo of the article at People Magazine (click the photo to make it larger):


I love it that people are talking about this. Vicky Courtney from Virtue Alert posted about Arnel and Journey and there you will also find the Youtube video on the Interview at Ellen D.

For a list of my previous posts on Arnel, click here.

And here's the finale - the video and lyrics of DON'T STOP BELIEVING (dedicated to my son G):



Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere

A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night

Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

(chorus)

Dont stop believin
Hold on to the feelin
Streetlight people

This post is my week's entry on Then Sings My Soul. Go to Amy's Blog for more. Happy weekend everyone!

A Welcome Like Heaven

I shared about the home coming of our pastor Kit on this post. Kit was diagnosed with leukemia several months ago and after two unsuccessful chemo treatments on Honolulu, the doctors did not recommend another one. We are not giving up hope. Our trust is in God.

So from Honolulu, they came home to Maui on Sunday afternoon. One of our church members put together and excellent slide show which I'd like to share with you HERE....

Before you go there, I also would like to mention that I am blogging at the Johnsons' Ohana Blog. The "coming home" was mentioned there several times as an illustration of how our friend Joey will be welcoming us in heaven someday. When you get a chance, I encourage you to leave a comment for my friends Karen and Joe whose grief is beyond words at this time.

And so this Thusday, I am thankful for:
1) Eternal Life
2) Family
3) Church and Friends
4) Healing
5) Blogging
6) Rest and Peace In Christ

For more Thankful Thursday sharing, go to Sting My Heart.

And This Is One Of The Many Reasons Why I Love Hope Chapel

One of our pastors, Kit, came home from the hospital today. A lot of us gathered to give him a warm welcome, to show our love and support. It's a very warm welcome I'd say ....

Welcome Home Kit!

UPDATE: Kit just posted about this on his blog. Check it out!

Do You Know The Muffin Top?

We all know the nursery rhyme, right? let's sing it:

Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man
Do you know the muffin man who lives on d(something) lane
(sorry, i forgot what lane :)

Now, let's modify it. Sing with me:

Do you know the muffin top, the muffin top, the muffin top
Do you know the muffin top who lives on belly lane ...

I want a flat abs, not like the above.

Yes, I am thankful that after 2 kids (C-section deliveries),
there are no visible stretch marks.
What you see there are garter top marks
from the granny panty I used the night before ;)

May 31, 2008, I weigh 108.4 lbs. I am 5 feet tall.

Carlos at Raggamuffin Soul is doing a challenge.
And am joining, people.
I'm going to flatten this muffin top in 18 weeks!
Go there to snoop at others who are also doing the challenge.

UPDATE: GOAL: 105 lbs.
at least 30 minutes a day running on treadmill
Run another 5K with lesser time than what I last did
(I will post the last time when i get it)
Thanks!
Back to Ragamuffin Soul.

***

SUNDAY SCRIBBLING'S PROMT IS "CURVE"
and I am doing my scribbles here too, titled:

It's Not Just About The Curves

Really, it's not about the curves. I decided to participate on the Ragamuffin Challenge because I need the motivation to exercise. It's all about health, and marriage, and family.

First let talk about health. I read that good health lessens the chance of Alzheimer when I get old. I need to find that article and link it here so that you'll understand better what I am talking about. It talks about those with heart problems are more prone with Alzheimer and you know both heart disease and Alzheimer are common in my mom's family. I need to start an early prevention plan while I am young. My mom was skinny like me when we were younger but at age 45, she started gaining weight and her belly grew. I am 42 now. I know that my body metabolism is not the same as before. i used to eat anything and everything and I am not worried about gain weight. Now I eat less but I don't burn them easily.

Second, about marriage. My husband likes me "skinny", or at least in good shape. I was 98 lbs when we got married. It's important to him. To some men, shape is not important. But I am not married to other men. I am married to my husband who likes for me to be in shape, and so I would like to honor that. I'll try to keep in shape as best I can.

Third, about my family. I want to live a long life, to be able to see my kids go into adulthood, and maybe somedya see my grandkids. I know our lives is in God's hands, but it's also glorifying to God to take care of my body, and ask him to give me a longer life for me to see my grandkids.

If you're a friend of mine who is curvier than I am, and has big curves, don't fret. Some are due to medical and genetic reasons, and we understand. It's a personal thing and there's no point of comparison. Curves? God made is all different. It's up to us to discover what curve that is. As for me, I am going to try to flatten this belly through healthy eating and exercise. That's why I am taking this Raggamuffin Challenge. Want to join?

P.S. Jamie from Blondemomblog talked about muffin top too :). Go there and check it out.

Don't forget to visit Sunday Scribblings for other scribblings on CURVES

Memorial Day 2008 - A Tribute

Prayer For The Chapmans and A Tribute To Maria

Maria Sue Chapman (2003-2008)

Maria Sue Chapman, adopted and youngest daughter to Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, was killed Wednesday night in a tragic accident in the family driveway on Wednesday evening. She was LifeFlighted to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital but for only reasons God can explain she went home to Him... not to Franklin as we all so desperately wanted.

Your prayers are needed for all in the Chapman family. This is a family who has so generously loved and given to so many. Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman's completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. These words are unthinkable to type. - Jim Houser (Manager) (taken from this blog, in memory of Maria)

***

For some details or background, visit Shannon's blog here.

UPDATED: (A tribute):

Because We Love Kit

A bunch of us ran the Na Holo Wahine 2008 5K Run. Since Kit (our pastor who is battling Lukemia at this time) is an athlete himself (he's actually an excellent athlete who did the Iron Man), we decided to dedicate this run for him. We are praying that the result of the bone marrow test on May 13 would be well - that there won't be any cancer cells left, so that he can start the bone marrow transplant ASAP. We believe.

And this is what's in that shirt we are wearing
(yes, that's Kit, the IronMan):

And while I was running, I also prayed for Mike, Stef and Heather. I am also praying for Kate. We're beating cancer prayer by prayer, through love, through faith. Keep fighting - we're praying.

Arnel Pineda and Journey Update

Journey Concert schedule is found HERE. Here's what's new from Journey's website:

JOURNEY SET TO RELEASE ‘REVELATION’
JUNE 3 EXCLUSIVELY AT WAL-MART

A new chapter in the legendary career of multi-Platinum rockers JOURNEY--Neal Schon (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Ross Valory (bass), Deen Castronovo (drums) and Arnel Pineda (vocals)—will begin on June 3 with the highly anticipated release of REVELATION, a three-disc CD and DVD package to be sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores in North America.

The first disc will consist of 11 re-recorded classics, the second is filled with 11 new songs, and the third is a live, in-concert DVD. All of the music on REVELATION was produced by Kevin Shirley (who previously worked with JOURNEY on their Platinum-certified TRIAL BY FIRE album).

JOURNEY will take REVELATION on the U.S. concert trail later this July, with details to be announced in the coming weeks.

Arnel is doing great with Journey. More about Arnel Update. In the meantime, enjoy this video of Arnel singing Open Arms:



Lying beside you, here in the dark
Feeling your heart beat with mind
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere
How could our live be so blind
We sailed on together
We drifted apart
And here you are by my side

So now I come to you, with open arms
Nothing to hide, believe what I say
So here I am with open arms
Hoping youll see what your love means to me
Open arms

Living without you, living alone
This empty house seems so cold
Wanting to hold you, wanting you near
How much I wanted you home

But now that youve come back
Turned night into day
I need you to stay.