judas

who are the "Judases" in your life?
is there one? are there many? is it a friend, a family members or yourself? a co-worker, a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a fiance?



to have some one break bread with you...entertain you...make you feel as if you are family. but really, what are their intentions? to look you square in the eye and say, "i love you," when there is a hidden agenda...something brewing on the back burner that in the end is to burn and scold your very core. what makes it more interesting is that its they are so OK with their ill intentions that they BELIEVE that its OK...not until your hurt in the end...they realize that what they thought was OK was defiling, even to the point of death...killing the very core of your existence...all that you believed that was good in them...shattered to the point where you don't know how to piece your heart together...then its only AFTER the fact...AFTER you express your hurt, discontention and disbelief that their tune changes...they feel guilty and try to make like that wasn't their intention or you have it wrong or the get caught out there and try to weasel their way out.

a a result of that betrayal...you wish for it to just pass...to just happen...to just be over with it. you beg our Father in heaven to let this cup of bitterness pass...to pray for those who curse you and bless them as they persecute you and EVEN DEFEND THEM and say they betrayed you because of their brokenness....you even try to rationalize and justify their actions before the Lord and LOVE them regardless...

its as if you weren't their son, daughter, brother, sister, friend...its as if in that moment of betrayal...you were nothing more that a business transaction...someone that you cross paths with on occasion...an acquaintance.


what IS that? what is that! what is that.

Its ugly...its sad...and its real.

If you a are Judas in my life, I use the words of my Lord and Saviour Jesus in John 13:27, "What you are going to do, do quickly."

the power of affirmation...

I'm amazed how a simple "I thought of you today" or well wishes can strike a person. To see how my boys (including my husband) and how they react when I tell them I'm proud of them, or how well they did or wonderful they are to me...and the same for the opposite.

Today, I received this email that just filled me with such joy...because I felt like the Lord communicated through her that He is answering my prayers and the good work that He began in me is making moves!


Hi Ate Tess –

Good morning to you! I wanted to e-mail you and let you know I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately; I’m not sure why, but I just felt the need to tell you that you are loved. =) I came across a verse that made me immediately think of you.

"Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth." 2 Timothy 2:23-25

I feel like this is describing you.. “the Lord’s servant… an apt teacher.. forbearing, correcting .. w. gentleness” You have an awesome way of reaching out to others and touching them with the words you speak. I know we’re involved with an imperfect community.. and whenever you encounter that imperfection and it hurts, you’re firm in your correction but at the same time, very gentle. Does this make sense?! Haha, I pray (for myself) that one day I’ll be able to correct with the same convicting, firm loving nature that you have. Anyway, thanks for being you, and you’re just fantastic. =) I’m overwhelmed by YOU.

God is good...He's soooo good. I'm a lil mad at myself for taking sooooo long to "let go and let God," but again...its HIS will, its HIS timing...I've tried uper duper super hard to fervently pray and get to know Him... I'm still a work in progress...but I tell you...I praise the Lord for where I am today =) I know its ALL HIM. Its all SOOOO not me =) EEK, even the old me...but its ALL HIM THROUGHT ME...So my 11 year hissy fit/temper tantrum is *somewhat* over...looking forward to what else HE has in store for my and my loved ones.

Thank you Lord for blessings such as emails, your inspirational words through the book of life the Bible and the gift of prayer. YOU truly never cease to amaze me.


*I LUV YOU HUNNY

i wanna hug YOU

Almighty Ever Living God...

Thank YOU for setting me FREE. Thank YOU for bringing me out of the darkness and calling me to the LIGHT. Thank YOU for loving lil ole me.

Dude, I totally wanna go to adoration and HUG the MONSTRANCE and Jesus in it =) but I won't. The adorers will look at me like I'm nuts!!! Instead, I'll just hug everyone because Jesus is in everyone I encounter, for some particular people, I may not see HIM in them, but He's there, way deep, deep, deep there...


I haven't felt this light in a long time and I'm savoring it.

Please pray for Cookie and I tonight, we meet with our shepherds, tito Noel and tita Letty Trillana and I can't wait =)

LORD, YOU ROCK MY SOCKS!!!

an early Easter...

I'm extremely exhausted but overflowing with grace, love and so much more. This weekend, I was blessed with the opportunity to serve on team with Rachel's Vineyard, a retreat for men and women that have experienced abortion. To be afforded the opportunity to watch a miracle of healing unravel before my eyes in men and women...I am left speechless and breathless. My heart is in love with BLD and all the beautiful things they do...but this particular weekend holds a very near and dear place in my heart.

"My name is Tess and I am post-abortive. I've had 2 abortions in high school and I made my Rachel's Vineyard retreat weekend March 2001." That was me this weekend, a big part of me that I've kept secret for a very long time.

To my family, I'm Hunny or Babyko to Cookie, to my boys, Mama, to my parents, Maritess, to my brother, Ate...to my friends, I'm Tess, ate Tess and to my enemies, well you can fill in the rest... Free to live and be me- loving me, the good, the bad and the ugly.

Praise God for a place such as Rachel's Vineyard. It has most certainly been a challenge to work through what I experienced...but this weekend...to feel first hand what it's like for a deep wound to be healed who I can empathize with. I've known all along that I've gotten better and have grown from my experiences...my goal with the Lord's guidance and help is to let others know that although they've gone through what they have, there is hope, EVEN in the Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul II addressed post-abortive women in Evangelium Vitae paragraph 99:

I would now like to say a special word to women who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly. If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You will come to understand that nothing is definitively lost and you will also be able to ask forgiveness from your child, who is now living in the Lord. With the friendly and expert help and advice of other people, and as a result of your own painful experience, you can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone's right to life. Through your commitment to life, whether by accepting the birth of other children or by welcoming and caring for those most in need of someone to be close to them, you will become promoters of a new way of looking at human life.

I thank the Lord for holding me in the palm of His hand and not closing it to crush me. He led me to where I am today. To be able to share in His love, to witness His work at hand through BLD and Rachel's Vineyard...I am called to spread His Holy name to the four corners in the earth. In 2 Cor 5:17-18 it reads, “So whoever is in Christ is a new creation. The old things have passed away, new things have come.” I am a new creation. Like Lazarus, Jesus called me from the dead and brought me back to life. With that, my 2 children have a new life in heaven with Daddy Jesus.

Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14. My darling Angelina Marie and my precious Joshua Eric, watch over us and pray to Daddy Jesus for us.

For those who may find this post rather controversial and your Pro-Choice, God Bless you and may you become educated on the repercussions of Abortion. "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

Easter came 3 weeks earlier for me and a lot of other people. In 3 days, we experienced Christ's passion, death and ressurection.

Glory be to God

Out of the mouth of Babes



So the other night, we go through our ritual with the boys...brush teeth, read 3-4 books, get 'em into their beds and shut the lights off...




All of sudden you hear:




"Mama, I wanna praaaay."




Heeehee...otay =) I love my life. I'm so blessed.