I have said in my posts many times that I've been looking forward to the weekends, but not really about why they have been a glorious gift from the Lord for weekly perseverance. For many months now, I have built a routine for my Saturdays - a slow-paced, people-filled day - one that has been, by God's grace, deeply nourishing for my soul.


Morning kape and pan-init with Chimpoom. 

My mornings, by God's grace, are spent in quiet time with the Lord. While Chimpoom is still asleep, I get to have a moment in the Word and some time to just be alone with my thoughts. 

When he gets up (or more like when I wake him up), he buys bread outside, and we'll have it paired with hot coffee. I thank the Lord that our new place has a bakery nearby. What a favor to have freshly baked bread in the morning! It feels a lot like being back in my childhood in the province, where hot pandesal is sold via bicycle. 


    After lunch, I head to the Pontevedras' where Yayang, Angel, and I usually meet for our Accountability Session. These photos were from last week. Yayang served us her homemade latté, and I brought over bread from the same bakery. Feels like merienda in the province except that no naps were involved. Haha

Yayang's homemade latté with brownie from Nanay Belen's


Played Spot It after Haha

    After our session, I usually join my husband for his badminton game with workmates, but on days that I feel lazy, I head back home to do other chores. When I get the extra time, I read a few pages or enjoy a movie til Im sleepy. 
    
    My next scheduled meet-up is with this circle. We used to meet on Thursdays, but because our work schedules conflict, we decided to move it to Saturday (for now). Our meet-ups are more flexible - we meet either for dinner or afterward. 

Ophyl, Jewel & Talin |📍Ice Castle Cafe

    After this, I get home and spend the rest of the night with Chimpoom. 

   I consider my weekends rest days not only because I'm off from a whole week's work, but also because the conversations I share with these people, especially revolving around the Scriptures, give my soul relief from the weariness of the five days of wrestling against my own depravity, meeting the demands of my daily responsibilities, and dealing with the time-to-time relational conflicts in between. These weekly meet-ups help reshift my perspective and ground my heart once again in the truth of the gospel, and prepare me for another week ahead.  

    Our reflection on the Sunday sermon text and the use of the application questions are my opportunities to be honest about the areas I failed to respond in Christlikeness - I get to put them out in the open: my insecurities, my hurts, my sins - and ultimately be reminded that in my failings, God's grace is sufficient. I get to be refueled to strive again and again and again. 

    Some weekends, I feel defeated. On others, I have victories to share. In both instances, my God has been merciful. Today is Saturday, and I thank the Lord for another opportunity to enjoy His many means of grace to me this weekend.