Nicole Obligacion

Simple Sunday Snack: Pineapple Ice Cream

My Sunday afternoons are usually spent at home with my siblings and our two dogs. Most of the time, we would hang out in the living room, eat, and watch movies together. Of course, to make the experience more pleasant, our Sunday routine always included using the air conditioner for an hour or two. However, since the start of summer, turning it on for an hour wasn’t enough anymore. We would eventually use it for four or five hours straight just to keep us cool in this extremely hot weather.

Besides enjoying the air conditioners, another thing that I like about summer is that we get to appreciate cool and refreshing drinks and desserts more during this season. I usually am satisfied with a glass of cold water or homemade fruit shakes. But today, I decided to use my eldest sister’s anniversary gift for our parents: Say hello to the lovely YONANAS machine.

I froze pineapples yesterday and my younger brother helped me prepare the ice cream using the Yonanas machine. It was amazing!! The pineapples from Tagaytay were also affordable (Php 7.00 each) and were naturally very sweet, so the dessert was really delightful!

I find this kitchen tool very interesting because it turns frozen fruit into ‘ice cream’ instantly! We don’t need to add milk, sugar, or any artificial flavors and colors to it — just pure, awesome fruits made by God.

It reminded me of how God’s pure and perfect love is more than enough for us. In the same way, there’s no need for us to mix it up with other temporary pleasures and treasures just to try to satisfy the cravings of our hearts. God already gave us the best kind of love through His son, Jesus, when he died on the cross and rose again so we could spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

“Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You.” –Psalm 63:3

It’s really refreshing to be reminded of God’s love on a hot summer day while enjoying a bowl of pineapple ice cream. Thank You, Lord, for this simple treat! :)

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

Good Friends are like Stars

…You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there. [Christy Evans]

Photo taken five years ago... I think. :) — Photo taken five years ago… I think. :)

After more than three years, we were finally complete! Aina, Angel, Maiel and I first got together at a college retreat last 2008. We enjoyed each other’s company so much that after the retreat, we regularly spent time together, before and after classes, and in our college ministry.

Balboa's pretty menu design. — Balboa’s pretty menu design.

However, because we eventually had different priorities and responsibilities, we weren’t able to continue spending time together in college. This went on even after our graduation. But, in God’s perfect time, He made us all available a few days ago and it was really an encouraging night for us to once again share a meal and have hearty conversations with each other.

We took turns updating each other with our lives for the past three years. It was an interesting moment for us because we were able to talk about our past, the lessons we’ve learned from our experiences, our deepest secrets, and even our dreams for the future.

By God’s grace, He continues to faithfully work in our hearts and help us grow into the women that He desires us to be. One of the valuable lessons we’ve learned that night is the importance of staying connected to God and being accountable to others regularly. This helps us guard our hearts, minds, and bodies for His glory.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” –Colossians 3:16

I pray that we will still continue to encourage each other to grow in our walk with God even if we don’t get to see each other regularly.

Thank You, Lord, for the privilege of growing with these ladies. May You bless their hearts more and more as they know You and grow with You each day.

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

By the way, Balboa served us excellent food that night. It’s a must-try! I also loved how well they designed the restaurant!

BALBOA

4F East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong city

(0932) 878-3984

Be a Blessing in the Workplace

Every morning, my dad and mom would listen to the radio and tune in to 702 DZAS. This radio station has been a great source of encouragement and inspiration to our family. One of their segments, “Pro Tips”, which is hosted by Maloi Malibiran Salumbides, talks about action steps and biblical principles on being a blessing in the workplace.

Photo taken from her Facebook account. :)

Last February 18, 2014, I passed by the kitchen (where the radio was) and I heard the host talk about the Pro Tips for the day. I don’t remember her exact words, but I remembered some of the principles she said:

1. Be content with your work, but don’t be lazy. She encouraged the listeners to find contentment in God as we work for Him and not compare our work, tasks, and situations to others. Also, she emphasized that being content is different from being lazy. We must also learn how to strive and excel continuously at work because it is God’s blessing to us.

2. Continue to aspire and dream big. She also talked about how our God is able to do so much more than we can ever imagine or think of and because of this, we can hope and desire for bigger things in the workplace. (Eph. 3:20)

3. Be open to the things that God wants us to do. There would be times when God would speak to us about certain decisions at work (e.g. moving to a different department, looking for another job, starting our own business, training others, etc.) and it’s important that we open our hearts to these and obey Him when He tells us to do something. God can definitely use these faith steps and new opportunities to develop our character and skills. Most importantly, it’ll help us grow in our relationship with Him as we choose to honor Him in our career.

These are just some of the Pro Tips shared on the radio station and by God’s grace, they will continue to encourage us with more. :)

Surprise encouragement from my officemate who dropped by my area. :P

Sometimes, our work can get toxic and discouraging. But, whenever we focus on who God is, thank Him for the blessing of work, and choose to be a blessing to others in the workplace, He changes the way we view our work. And as a result, it positively affects our behavior and our influence to the people around us.

Surprise gift from my seatmate at work! She (Iza) made this, by the way. :)

“Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ.” -Colossians 3:23-24

Encouraging time with my officemate (Shermaine) after work. :) — Encouraging time at Hanako with my officemate (Shermaine) after work. :)

Looking forward to a great week ahead! Thank You, Lord, for the workplace. :)

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

Made In Candy: Candy Chefs and Sugar Art

As mentioned in my previous post, here are some photos of the customized candies sold at Made In Candy, SM Megamall. It’s really amazing how the candy chefs were able to come up with these unique and sweet treats!