Author: Nicole Obligacion

Way Better than Pizza

A few minutes before I left the office today, I looked at my phone and saw the time. It was 5:55 pm. For some reason, every time I see 5:55 pm, I sing the song Greenwich used in one of their commercials. “5-55-55…” When I sang this line out loud a while ago, my officemate sang with me and said: “…Greenwich delivery!” It was so random. Haha. We ended up laughing with and at each other.

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I then told my officemate how much I missed the free goodies from Greenwich. To give you a short background, I, along with three other ladies, won a pizza-eating contest when Greenwich sponsored an event in our office last October 2012. We were competing against a group of guys who were as hungry and eager as we were. All we needed to do was to finish a whole pizza (8 thick and huge slices) within 5-7 minutes. When you think about it, it seems pretty easy. But, when you’re standing in front of the whole company and you’re trying to chew and swallow slices of pizza without drinking water in less than a few minutes, it’s really tough!

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But, by God’s grace, we won the contest and received two prizes each! Yay!

1)      Free Ultimate Green Card – Whenever we would order a box of Greenwich pizza before, we would use this card to get an additional box of pizza for free.

2)      One year supply of pizza! – Greenwich gave each of us one free pizza per month for a whole year.

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Out of the 12 free boxes of pizza, I was only able to avail five boxes within the promo period. Sadly, I guess it just wasn’t my priority. I would have enjoyed and shared more pizza to others if I had only set aside time to get it every month last year. However, what’s done is done and I know that God allowed it to happen so that I could learn from it.

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Through this experience, He has reminded me of the value of time and the importance of what we do with this limited resource. Last week, I blogged about being a good steward of God’s resources by doing my best to save and handle money wisely, and I know that the same principle applies to making good use of our time too.

Ptr. Peter Tan-Chi once said: “Life is about competing priorities. What you give time to shows what you think is important.”

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I have this habit at night. When I go to bed, I usually think about what happened during the day and I tell God about it. Most of the time, I tell him how interesting it is to know that there will never be another ‘today’ in the future. There will never be another January 27, 2014. And whenever we have this moment together, I am humbled and encouraged to prioritize and spend time with Him more.

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I may have missed out on enjoying more boxes of free pizza last year, but as long as there is today, I know that I still have the privilege of enjoying something way better than pizza – quality time spent with the Lord. :)

 

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

 

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

Simple Sunday Snack: Shrimp Kebabs

I wasn’t feeling well when I woke up this morning because of my feverish body and sore throat. Even though it was more convenient for me to stay at home, rest, and listen to the message online, God still encouraged me to get out of my bed and go with my siblings to church. On our way out after the service, we bumped into friends and spent time talking with them. It was interesting because after spending time with them, we walked to another area (on our way to the car) and bumped into another group of friends. And this happened again and again and again. At that time, I honestly felt like I was going to faint, but by God’s grace, He gave me the strength to walk, talk, and even go home with my siblings.

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Despite my condition, I praise God for allowing me to go to church today. It was encouraging to be reminded of acknowledging God’s presence in our lives even in the way we handle our money and it was nice catching up with our friends too! I sincerely thank You, Lord!

When we got home, I started preparing Shrimp Kebabs for our additional late lunch/snack. For this simple snack, I wanted to include some of the red, cherry tomatoes growing in our veranda. And because there were more than 15 ripe cherry tomatoes in the plant, I asked my siblings and mom if they wanted to help pick fruits with me. Surprisingly, they all agreed to help!

Photo c/o my sister, Camille. :)
Photo c/o my sister, Camille. :)

I then washed the tomatoes, cleaned the shrimps, prepared the spices/marinade and grilled the juicy kebabs!

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While I was grilling the shrimps, God reminded me of my situation earlier today; of how I was so weak (and sick) at church while I was spending time with my siblings and our friends. Usually after each service, we would go straight home. But today, I noticed that God gave me opportunities to be intentional in spending time with my siblings and our friends while I had a weak and feverish body.

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Also, He allowed my siblings to help others in need (e.g. My brother did his best to assist a few guys who were having trouble starting their car in the parking lot; my eldest sister helping a new friend with her passion for education and ministry). Even at home, God encouraged me to bond with my brother, sisters, and mom (who were at home at that time) by simply picking fruits at our veranda!

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I then remembered what Ptr. Peter Tan-Chi said in one of his sermons: “Love is to seek others’ highest good, which often times require our sacrifice.” Once again, I’m learning that life isn’t about me and my comfort. It’s about loving God with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength… even when I’m sick and weak; even when I don’t feel like loving; even when it means that I should love others too. I shouldn’t let anything hinder me from loving Him sacrificially because He deserves every beat of my heart and every drop of love within me. He deserves the best love I can ever give!

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Luke 10:27 says: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

—

RECIPE: Shrimp Kebabs (with Cherry Tomatoes)

Ingredients

Shrimps

Cherry Tomatoes

Spices (salt, pepper, cumin)

Butter/Olive oil

Fresh Basil leaves

*Other vegetables/spices you can add: Onions, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, rosemary

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Steps:

SHRIMPS

  1. Rinse. Remove the head (set aside) and the shell of the body.
  2. De-vein the shrimps and place in a small bowl.
  3. In the small bowl, add a tablespoon (or two) of melted butter or olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add diced fresh basil leaves.
  4. In another small bowl, squeeze the juice out of the shrimps heads and mix in a pinch of cumin.
  5. Combine the spiced shrimps and the mixture of shrimp juice/flavor and cumin.

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TOMATOES

  1. Rinse the cherry tomatoes.
  2. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on the tomatoes. Mix

Push sticks through a cherry tomato and shrimp alternately. Grill for 1-2 minutes on each side. Serve with basmati rice or toasted, sliced baguettes.

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Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

THURSDAY TUNE #20: Get Back Up

My sister (Camille) and I, along with our two dogs, got locked out of the house last night after going for a walk. It was crazy! Hahaha. But, it was also my fault. Before we left the house, I told our mom that I would bring the key with me. At that time, I thought she knew that I was referring to the gate’s key. However, after walking the dogs, we went back to the house and we found out that mom and I had a misunderstanding. By then, our parents had already left the house and locked both the main door and the gate.

“No way. No way!!” This was our initial reaction. Haha. Of course! We were locked out of the house; our other family members were still outside; we didn’t have our phones; we didn’t have money; we only had the key to the gate; and we (including our fluffy dogs) were very thirsty.

Copper & Clue
Copper & Clue

But, despite the trouble, God gave us peace and this encouraged us to find joy in Him while experiencing the crazy and funny situation. After a few minutes, we then resolved to walk to our uncle’s house (where our grandmother and niece live) which was almost a kilometer away from our place, with the two dogs.

I remember telling my sister how interesting the experience was. For some reason, I wanted to watch a movie that night, but God had better plans for me; for us. Because we got locked out of the house, we were able to experience these blessings last night:

  • Sibling bonding by walking in the village with our two dogs, Copper and Clue.
  • Enjoyed our stay at our uncle’s house with our Lola, niece (Marielle), and cousin (kuya OB), while waiting for our house keys.
  • Free dinner and dessert c/o Lola!
  • Brisk walking at night! (2 kilometers, baby! Plus, occasional weight lifting. Hahaha. Clue was pretty heavy.)
  • Enjoyed the awesome, cool weather.
  • Protection while walking around.
  • Privilege of trusting and hoping in God.

Thankfully, our lola had a duplicate set of house keys, so we borrowed hers and went home by 10 pm. Woohoo! And of course, because it was such a memorable evening, my sister and I documented it by taking photos of the door/gate’s lock and of ourselves with the furballs!

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While I was taking photos of the gate’s lock, I noticed that the word “Faultless” was engraved on it. Somehow, God used it to encourage me because I remembered how it was my fault that my mom and I had a misunderstanding, which led to us being locked out of the house. But, instead of focusing on my past mistake and regretting about it, He encouraged me to learn from it, get back up again, and focus on His goodness and purpose for it.

“”My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength
of my heart and my portion forever.” [Psalm 73:26]

Before the day ends, I’d like to share this tune with you. It’s one of TobyMac’s songs called “Get Back Up”. I really get encouraged by this song, especially after experiencing failures/mistakes, because it reminds me of the hope that I have in Christ — the One who never fails.  :)

God bless you!


Encourage yourself one tune at a time! :)

Day 365: A Year without Shopping

“Aaagghh! I don’t have anything to wear! I REALLY NEED to buy more clothes.”

It’s funny how I’ve said this statement a hundred times before while looking at my closet filled with clothes. Unfortunately, since I graduated, I’ve spent a lot of money buying clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories that I didn’t really need. It even became worse when I started working, because I had “an excuse” to dress up everyday. But, God is gracious. 365 days ago, He spoke to me about managing my finances wisely and by His grace, I accepted the challenge of not shopping for at least two months.

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My closet. :)

INSPIRATION / MOTIVATION

It all started last January 20, 2013, when Ptr. Bong Saquing spoke at our church and shared about God being “The God of the How Much More”. Two of his main points struck me the most:

–   Work hard towards contentment. “Contentment is wanting what you already have and not wanting to have everything.”

–   Exercise Faith-Giving. “The way we handle our money and time might be the truest indicator of the condition of our hearts.”

When I got home that day, I spent time with God and I told Him that I wasn’t being a good steward of the money He has given me. I also confessed that my savings (in my bank account) dropped big time that year because I was buying new clothes almost every week. And the clothes I bought weren’t really cheap/affordable.

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THE CHALLENGE

 As a result, God challenged me not to shop unnecessarily for at least two months. This meant not buying new clothes (except underwear), sandals/heels/closed shoes, necklaces, bracelets, accessories, and many more unnecessary items.

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RESULTS/LESSONS LEARNED

By God’s grace, He allowed me to fast from shopping for a year! I still can’t believe it! I listed down some of the results and the lessons I’ve learned along the way:

  • Loss of Appetite for shopping, specifically, unnecessary/excessive shopping. After a few weeks of not shopping, I noticed how I didn’t crave for it anymore, even after walking around malls/shops.
  • Good practice of Self-control. I remember seeing my sisters and mom buy clothes and shoes numerous times (they even went to Divisoria four times last year!! Haha). But being able to say “no” every time definitely helped me practice self-control.
  • Savings in my bank account increased by 850%. Yes, by His grace, I have 850% more savings now! Woohoo!!  (This excludes the money I used to buy my dream KitchenAid mixer last December 2013. All things are possible with God!)
  • Dependence on God even in choosing my daily attire. I remember praying for wisdom and provision, especially when I needed certain outfits for different occasions.
  • Encouraged me not to have debt (e.g. using credit card, spending more than what I have.)
  • Found my security in Christ and not in my clothes. Every time I got tempted to compare myself or the things I had with others and what they had, God encouraged my heart to be grateful and to see my true worth in Christ.

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James 1:5 says “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Looking back, I really don’t regret not shopping for a year. By His grace, I might even extend it. But, today, I just want to celebrate God’s goodness and faithfulness in teaching me how to handle money more carefully/wisely.

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If ever you want to do this too in the near future, I’d like to share some tips that helped me survive the past year:

TIPS

  • Spend time with God. Pray. Read the Bible. Open up your heart to Him. He knows your heart’s desires and struggles and He knows how to lead it.
  • Get creative! Be resourceful! Learn how to mix and match what you have. Learn how to sew and put rugby/mighty bond on your shoes! (haha. It worked for me.)
  • If you have siblings/parents, try borrowing some of their clothes too. Thank God for my sisters, mom, and even lola who willingly allowed me to borrow some of their tops. Just make sure to return them in good condition.
  • Ask yourself if you really need it before buying it. If you don’t trust your judgment yet, try asking your sibling/close friend/parent for a second opinion.
  • If you can still use it or repair it, don’t buy a replacement. As much as possible.
  • During your first few days/weeks of not shopping, try not to linger in the stores, especially when there is a sale. Do other activities! Read a book! Chat with a friend over coffee!
  • Document your progress to encourage you and/or keep yourself accountable to another person. I documented mine by posting on Facebook and Twitter. (e.g. “Day 101”, “Day 143”). It encouraged me somehow.
  • Clean your closet! Declutter! By the end of the year, you’ll know which clothes/shoes/bags you can sell or give away. If you didn’t use them within that year, try selling them or giving them to others.

 

day 15

day 143

day 300

with my sisters and dad
with my sisters and dad

One of the verses that inspired me is Psalm 24:1. It says “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…”. It reminded me of being a good steward of God’s resources.

Once we realize that the money we have is not ours but God’s, we think twice or thrice before spending it. Just like what Ptr. Bong said, “The way we handle our money and time might be the truest indicator of the condition of our hearts.”

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Encourage yourself one treat at a time!

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About Me

My name is Nicole Obligacion and I started this blog because I was inspired by Hebrews 10:24 and Hebrews 3:13. I love to eat, cook, bake, read the Bible, and encourage. :)

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