Entitled "Happy Family"
nathan’s painting
Tag Archives: Nathan
nathan’s water baptism
THE SECOND GREATEST COMMANDMENT
We were at the Every Nation building when Nathan came up to me to ask for P500 from his allowance. When I asked him why, he said he wanted to give it to a guy he just met this afternoon who was selling chocolates to raise money for his ticket to the Ignite Conference. It was no surprise to me that Nathan would give out of his own pocket because he’s always been a giver. But it never fails to warm my heart everytime he does it.
Moreover, Janina told me that she wrote a letter to one of her friends who has offended her in hopes of patching things up. Her friend ended up giving her a hug and now their relationship is back to normal.
My children rebuke me. I wish I was like Nathan who doesn’t think twice about answering someone’s need, even a person he just met. I wish I was like Janina who easily overlooks differences to restore a relationship.
After loving God with all of their hearts, mind and soul, the 2nd best thing I wanna teach my children is loving their neighbor as themselves. There are many ways to demonstrate love for our neighbors. It can be through giving, sharing, encouraging, forgiving, serving. It is not always easy. There are days our kids are so self-centered all they think of is “I, Me and Myself.” But I am thankful for these moments when I see that my kids are getting it.
Matthew 22:39 And the second (greatest commandment) is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
THE SECOND GREATEST COMMANDMENT
We were at the Every Nation building when Nathan came up to me to ask for P500 from his allowance. When I asked him why, he said he wanted to give it to a guy he just met this afternoon who was selling chocolates to raise money for his ticket to the Ignite Conference. It was no surprise to me that Nathan would give out of his own pocket because he’s always been a giver. But it never fails to warm my heart everytime he does it.
Moreover, Janina told me that she wrote a letter to one of her friends who has offended her in hopes of patching things up. Her friend ended up giving her a hug and now their relationship is back to normal.
My children rebuke me. I wish I was like Nathan who doesn’t think twice about answering someone’s need, even a person he just met. I wish I was like Janina who easily overlooks differences to restore a relationship.
After loving God with all of their hearts, mind and soul, the 2nd best thing I wanna teach my children is loving their neighbor as themselves. There are many ways to demonstrate love for our neighbors. It can be through giving, sharing, encouraging, forgiving, serving. It is not always easy. There are days our kids are so self-centered all they think of is “I, Me and Myself.” But I am thankful for these moments when I see that my kids are getting it.
Matthew 22:39 And the second (greatest commandment) is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
TO THE PROM
Nathan was invited by Kim Rubina to be her escort to her prom.
UNWIND
Unwind.
by Nate Punzalan on Tuesday, February 22, 2011 at 11:50am
Here’s a short poem I made, in proper form: rhyme and meter. Haven’t done this in a while, so it may not be too good. I’m proud of it, though. 
Unwind.
Arise! The glowing haze;
Their colors turn behind.
My heart is in a daze;
My thoughts, undone, unwind.
A grain of sand in rake;
The agony of pride
A joy I seek to take.
I hold it all inside.
The gentle breeze in call,
The havoc wrought deceased,
It echoes through the hall:
The day, at last, is seized!
The velvet, ever shy,
Ascends to take its place.
The darkness in the sky
Brings forth an ending race.
FAMILY BOND
Our kids are ages 15, 11, 7 and 2. Obviously, they are spaced quite far apart from each other. Some parents prefer their kids to be closer together in age so that they can grow up together and enjoy the same things together, which makes a great point. But we decided we wanted to devote ample time to enjoy each of our children in their toddler years, hence the age gaps of our children.
Though each of our kids have their own “barkada” or peer group, and they’re into different extra-curricular activities, and though they have moments of disagreements (sometimes more than i can handle), people are always surprised to see how close they are to each other. Once, we were out of town, our good friend Janelle watched the kids for us and told us how she was amazed at how the kids were affectionate to each other. But that didn’t come without any effort. Here are some of the things we have done and still do to keep the kids close:
1. Probably the most important of all, we don’t play favorites. We make sure we praise each kid for their individual deeds, gifts and talents.
2. We didn’t put TV’s in their bedroom. Because they share one TV in the den, they have to agree what to watch and they have to watch it together.
3. On weekends, we let the kids camp out in our bedroom, sleeping on futons on the floor, watching TV series together like Chuck, Monk, 24, White Collar, etc., over bowls and bowls of popcorn.
4. We invest in toys that are of common interest to all. One of the biggest and greatest investment we’ve made in toys is LEGO. Our kids, no matter what age, love to build and they can spend hours just playing together with their Lego pieces. We also play a lot of boardgames as a family. And recently, we’ve had to spend on beyblades.
5. We plan regular family trips out of town. Trips force the kids to depend on each other for companionship and entertainment.
6. Never underestimate the power of a group hug. 
It is such a great joy to see that our kids have bonded pretty well over the years. I pray that they will even be closer even after Paolo and I are long gone.
My sons' favorite game. I'm so happy our 15-year old still loves to play with our 7-year old!
CAST ON, CAST OFF
Thank God for fiberglass casts! They’re much lighter and cooler than the ones made with plaster of paris. The last 6 weeks for Nathan wasn’t such a torture.
Nathan fractured his right forearm while playing soccer.
MYTH OF THE HUMAN BODY
Last Monday, we accompanied Nathan to the Myth of the Human Body Exhibit at Neobabylon Bldg, Taguig. For an entrance fee P350, you get a crash course on the human anatomy while looking at real body parts. Yes, this exhibit displays actual human corpses that were preserved through a process called “plastination”. It can be eerie and disturbing to some, but more than anything, to me it was an interesting display of the complexities of God’s creation.
MYTH OF THE HUMAN BODY
Last Monday, we accompanied Nathan to the Myth of the Human Body Exhibit at Neobabylon Bldg, Taguig. For an entrance fee P350, you get a crash course on the human anatomy while looking at real body parts. Yes, this exhibit displays actual human corpses that were preserved through a process called “plastination”. It can be eerie and disturbing to some, but more than anything, to me it was an interesting display of the complexities of God’s creation.
