A New Year...A Fresh Start | Moms Magazine by Asia Pacific Media PH

Volume 17 / Issue 64 / 2020

EDITORIAL

To Start a Relationship with Jesus Christ Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Believe that Jesus is the only Savior. “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 Confess and leave your sin behind. Stop doing and thinking things that displease our Heavenly Father. “If we confess our sins ….” 1 John 1:9 Invite Jesus to be your Savior and the Lord of your life. “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 To continue growing in your relationship with Christ, have fellowship with other believers, read the Bible and pray.

L-R: Patrick, Delsey, Johnson, and Evelyn

MOMS EDITORIAL STAFF Editor: Evelyn Damian Assistant Editor: Delsey Garner Distribution: Johnson Li Cover & Layout: Patrick Tan

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MOMS MAGAZINE

LAST ISSUE

From My Heart Dear Readers, Every New Year, I get this feeling that I am closing a chapter of my life and starting a new one. The past year had not been bad at all for me and yet I still look at the New Year as a fresh start…to change some things as well as to learn new things. To some of us who are going through a difficult situation, there is Someone who is able and willing to help at all times. Read the story of Tania Cuison who blamed a God she didn’t believe in for all her sufferings, but later found Him as the Father she didn’t have. There are also articles about moms who found ways to recharge and be stronger and a reminder for us women to take better care of our health. Enjoy reading and Happy New Year! God bless you.

Table of Contents EDITORIAL

From My Heart 3 CHIKA-CHIKA

New Strength

WISE CHOICES

“Me” Time Excites Me! 6 MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Evelyn Damian, Editor

A Love Letter to Tania 8 FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING

Doctor Says...

Peppered Chicken Thigh Fillet Wrap

ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

I make decisions for my family instead of my husband... 14 3

CHIKA-CHIKA

New Strength

by Dr. Lorna Carmela Avelino Protasio

s a wife, a mother and a doctor during my younger years, I could easily become swamped with daily chores. Normally, it took one hour to get to the government clinic where I worked. I saw around 40-60 patients each day, attended meetings and consultative conferences. By 6pm, I would be home to fulfill my wife and mom duties. Finding time to have a personal time with God was challenging. To fit it in, I had to make some choices. I chose to wake up early, while my family’s asleep to read my Bible and pray. Because I get up early, I also had to choose to go to bed a little earlier. At first, these choices were difficult. I had to limit the time I spent chatting

“…those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” 4

or reading before bedtime. I avoided distractions like TV and phone calls. It forced me to be more organized and schedule family activities and time for my hobby which is gardening. But, after a while, these choices developed into a habit. This personal time helped my faith to grow. I could confidently bring my concerns to God and trust that He could work in every situation. Instead of worrying, I had peace and assurance that His promises were true and reliable. His Word gave me strength to face the day’s challenges. The Bible says in Isaiah 40:31, “…those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” (NLT) Make a choice to have a personal time with God. If you can’t wake up early, set aside some time after the kids go to school, while you eat lunch, or during the time that your children are doing their homework. Get ready to run and not grow weary!

Real Beauty by Baby B. Padasas

any women today put their confidence in their physical appearance and as they age, they tend to become more insecure. Some even resort to aesthetic and cosmetic surgery, which in the truest sense is temporary. One of the hottest issues in the past has been the honest revelation of insecurity by a 26-year old top model of the world, Cameron Russell, who said that models are the most physically insecure women on the whole planet. If this is the case, even for super models, how then is real beauty defined and achieved? Real beauty transcends sensory perception and is from the inside. Helen Keller, a deaf and blind poetess, credited this quotation to her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who distinctly described what beauty was by saying, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched – they must be felt with the heart.” This brings us to Proverbs 31:30 which re-inforces the truth of a real beauty being intangible. It says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” (NIV) (This article was first published in Moms, building the best families, Volume 11/Issue 40/2014)

WISE CHOICES

“Me” Time Excites Me! by Reah B. Padla

ll moms get busy. Every mom does a lot for the family, home, work, or church. Many are overworked so they need a break from time to time to avoid getting stressed. When I’m stressed, it shows in how I deal with my family and sadly, it causes more problems. Those grey hairs? Twitching eyes? Upset stomach? Insomnia? Those are signs of stress, Mom! We need a day off! This may seem unimportant but think of it this way. A mobile phone cannot function continuously without recharging the battery from time to time. We, too, need to recharge to do what we ought to do better. This will help us become a better wife and mother. When our energy and love tank is refilled, we have more to give out and the immediate receiver, our family becomes happier and healthier. It’s up to you how you want to spend your “alone” time. It’s good to start simple and see how it goes. If you can afford it, you can travel for a few days for enrichment. Many also see to it they spend at least an hour for themselves every day. It may be extra sleep, prayer time, an episode of a favorite soap, or a few moments of peace and quiet sipping a cup of coffee while reading a book. Those few minutes help to keep one sane. Personally, I take a 20-minute power nap when I’m already feeling drained. There are times when I know I really need to sleep to shut down and reset my system. Just like any computer that needs rebooting, I need those quick naps to renew my mind.

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On weekends, I go to the mall for an hour or two to do the grocery (I enjoy it!), get a manicure and pedicure or maybe a full body spa or facial, shop a little, or sometimes, watch a movie. A good meal at a new restaurant is also enjoyable for me. If time and budget permits, I go to a museum, a park, weekend market, or any new attraction. What not to do… Don’t feel guilty to have your “alone” time. Make sure you enjoy the hours. Don’t check your phone or Facebook account. Don’t worry about the children. They will be fine with their father.

“When our energy and love tank is refilled, we have more to give out and the immediate receiver, our family becomes happier and healthier.”

Conclusion You can even be a better mom if you believe you are one. It all starts in having a renewed mind (read the Word) and spirit so go ahead, take care of yourself in whatever ways that work well for you. This self-care thing isn’t just about scented candles and bubble baths. It’s about you knowing yourself more and preparing your body for greater challenges ahead. You are a mom in this season for a reason. Embrace it but never abuse your body and soul. Believe me, a mommy day-off will refresh and calm you. It works every time!

Tania, tell us about your growing up years.

as told to Yen Sayson and Evelyn Damian

Tania Cuison is a smart, cheerful and pretty marketing professional in the Real Estate Industry. Although she never married, she has three grown up children. Looking at her now, you’d never guess she grew up being rebellious and hating God. But how has this changed? Let’s read her story.

started rebelling against my mom at the age of 12. She was a single mom. When my stepdad came into the picture, he changed a lot of things in our house. There were rules and I felt alienated from my mom. I hated him. Later, I found out through the driver that my stepdad was a drug addict. I was molested by our trusted family driver when I was 6. At the age of 8, my mom’s ex-boyfriend sexually assaulted me. I was so shocked and felt dirty and ashamed. When I was 12 years old, my new stepdad and his younger brother made me uncomfortable with their unwelcome and unusual attention. Walang nangyari dahil alam ko na at medyo may isip na ako. But I felt so unsafe in the house.

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I became curious about sex, kapag may mga shows na may kissing scene, sumisilip ako. My cousins and I would watch porn in the hotel room when we traveled abroad. So andoon na ang distorted view of sexuality. I also became self-destructive. I used drugs, took alcohol. I had several abortions because I didn’t want to get pregnant. In my mind, I would rather they die kaysa dalhin ko sila sa mundong ito. I would hide in my room and listen to angry music, cry myself to sleep, cut myself sa part ng body na hindi nakikita tapos hinahayaan ko lang dumugo. It felt good to feel the pain. It was like my escape from reality. I was blinded by selfhate. Almost every day, I wished I would die. It is funny that I didn’t believe in God but I blamed Him all the time. How did your childhood experiences impact your adult life? I had kids, lahat out of wedlock. Prior to my son’s conception, I wanted to have an abortion. But God’s plan was different. Hindi natuloy. Dun ko na-feel ‘yung happiness when I gave birth to my son. I fell in love with him. It was harder with the twins. Again, I was not ready to be pregnant. I even cried in the hospital. I didn’t know na twins sila kasi hindi ako nagpapa-check-up. They came out on my 7th month. Hinang-hina ako. I was so depressed and I wanted to die. It’s not that I hated the twins, pero ano’ng ibibigay ko sa kanila? Ako nga miserable. Naaawa ako sa life nila. My children’s dad was a physically abusive alcoholic. Walang direction ang buhay namin. It wasn’t love. He was just

“Halos lahat ng angkan ko ay sira ang marriage, anak sa labas, parang may vicious cycle. Then my neighbor taught me how to pray. That was when I started seeking. I prayed for God to spare my children.” an escape. Still, ‘yung love na na-feel ko ay para sa mga kids ko lang. Kahit maliit pa sila, I would teach them not to allow anyone to touch them kasi ayaw ko silang ma-molest ng kahit sino. Having kids changed my life. Eventually, their dad and I separated. What was your turning point? Medyo napagod na ako. I had a boyfriend na prayerful and matino but still we committed fornication. Parang unti-unti, I realized na mas maganda kung maayos ang buhay, kasi I was seeing the pattern, the curse in our family. Halos lahat ng angkan ko ay sira ang marriage, anak sa labas, parang may vicious cycle. Then my neighbor taught me how to pray. That was when I started seeking. I prayed for God to spare my children. Continued to next page

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The first person who shared the gospel with me was my friend from college. Inaway ko siya. Sabi ko “Don’t talk to me about Savior and Jesus. You and your perfect life.” I condemned her. For me, perfect yung life niya kasi loving and close sila ng mommy niya at wala siyang stepdad. I hated her and she cried. The second was a pastor. Nag-garage sale kami ‘nun. He just approached me. Sabi niya “Do you know that Jesus loves you?” Tapos, I started crying like a baby sa harap nung pastor. Sabi niya, “You better believe it, Jesus loves you. I want you to know that.” After that ay tinaguan ko siya. The third person was my brother who made a 180-degree turn from his old life. Before he was like me, drinking, maraming babae, premarital sex, etc. Ang daming naging changes sa life niya. Sabi niya, “Paano mo matitiyak na mase-save ka from hell?” Tapos sabi niya, “Faith + nothing = salvation. Faith in Jesus alone kasi hindi mo kaya.” Nagkaroon ng impact sa akin iyong sinabi nya. Siyempre gusto ko ‘yun for my kids. So I prayed, “Lord, kung totoo ito, show me.” Kay Jesus lang ako nagpre-pray noon. In 2015, on my brother’s birthday, he asked us to go to church with him. Hindi kami makatanggi but since then, I never stopped going there. Lahat ng messages ng pastor spoke to me and I practiced what was preached. Kapag sinabing forgive, I forgave. Iyong kapitbahay na inaway ko, kinausap ko. Then one day, as I was driving home, I was listening to the radio, FM 98.7, and the DJ said, “You say you love 10

Tania tells His story.

Jesus but you won’t read His love letter to you. Read His Word.” Hindi ko maintindihan pero I cried uncontrollably. Sabi ko “Lord, I will read Your Word.” And from then on, I never stopped reading the Bible. Nag-start kami ng mga anak kong mag-Bible study. We started with the book of John. That was how we grew in the Lord, paunti-unti. How did you rebuild your family? Through reading and meditating on His Word. This renews the mind. I seek answers from God alone. Kung dati ay godless ang decision, ngayon, I consult Him, “Lord, ito ba ang gusto Mo?” Siya na ang Father ko, my Partner with my kids, with myself. That is the biggest change. I pray before I talk to people. I ask Him to lead me because I don’t want to operate on my own mind and strength. The year 2016 was the most challenging year for us. Nakita ko ‘yung fruits ng lahat ng rebellion ko and lahat ng maling seed na nai-plant ko sa kids ko, unforgiveness for their dad kasi tinuturuan ko sila while growing up na demonyo ang father nila. Bukang-bibig

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Another thing that I want to tell other moms is not to look for magic or instant solution. It’s really having a relationship with Jesus... ko ‘yun. So nag-sorry ako sa tatay nila sa harap ng mga anak ko. I knew there was healing and my son forgave his dad. The twins wrote him a letter telling him how much they hated him then they said that they forgave him. They also shared the gospel with him. What is your message to people who are also in the same situation? First is to accept or admit your situation. Then you have to decide, if you want a better life not only for yourself, but for your loved ones. Kasi lahat naranasan ko, parang lahat na ng kadiliman ay pinasok ko. Kung hindi ako ini-spare ni Lord baka prostitute ako ngayon or patay na. I accepted what I did and confessed all my sins to the Lord and I asked for His forgiveness. Accept His cleansing as well. Unti-unti, nawala ang desire ko sa alcohol. When I was tempted to drink, I would pray to God to help me and to take away my desire for alcohol, ang tagal din, inabot ng mga months. ‘Yung sexual images in my mind, mga lustful thoughts na ipinapaalala ng enemy, I

rebuked those thoughts in the name of Jesus. It probably took a year before I could master not to think about those things, not to dwell sa ganoong thoughts. Natuto akong mag-depend kay God. I recognized ‘yung pagkilos Niya sa buhay ko, all the more when I was going through tough times, doon ko nakita at nakilala kung sino Siya. Sometimes I blame myself when my children suffer the consequences of my wrong doings but I remember that God wants me to forgive myself because He loves me. Si Lord ang mag-aayos ng buhay namin. Another thing that I want to tell other moms is not to look for magic or instant solution. It’s really having a relationship with Jesus, otherwise, you won’t know who He is, you won’t learn to trust Him and trust the process, even the painful ones. You won’t see the breakthrough. You won’t feel His hand in your life. You have to give Him a chance lalo na kung feeling mo ay sinira mo na ang buhay mo. Give Jesus a chance. Just try it. 11

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING

Doctor Says… by Dr. Sol Sernal

e all want to enjoy a happy, healthy life! We may know what we need to do but it’s just too hard to begin. Having healthy, holiday habits don’t just happen. You have to start somewhere, practice everyday and persist! Nowadays, there are so many things we enjoy that we want to spend on. There is nothing wrong with that but let’s not forgot the more important things we need to do. Women should be conscious of their health, even while they are young. Avoiding vices such as smoking cigarettes, regularly drinking alcoholic beverages and using prohibited drugs would be wise. Having their first sexual contact at a young age or having multiple sexual partners can make them a high risk for cervical cancer. Women should have at least annual check-ups and work-ups as recommended by their attending physician. They should remember to keep record of the

first day of their menses. This is important when they are family planning and when they consult their Ob-Gyne. Once a woman becomes sexually active, she is encouraged to have annual Pap smear, and transvaginal ultrasound which are evaluated after their menstrual period. It will show if there are infections or problems in the uterus and ovaries. Doing so would mean early diagnosis and treatment. They should also perform self-breast examination which is usually done the week after their menstrual cycle. As women mature and age, they should be aware of any diseases that run in their family such as diabetes and hypertension. Knowing this history should make them aware if they need to refrain from eating certain foods or change practices that will precipitate the early occurrence of the disease. They should include work-ups for these diseases as well. It is also good for them to have immunization, like Flu vaccine annually. As one reaches 40 years of age, it is recommended that they have mammography at least once if the initial is unremarkable but maybe done more often when mass and tumor are noted. Women prior to their menopausal age should start storing calcium since during menopause, osteoporosis is likely to happen. For people having family history of cancer, they should also have early and regular screening, for prevention and early diagnosis and treatment.

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Peppered Chicken Thigh Fillet Wrap By APMM Staff

Ingredients • Lettuce • Mustard Leaves • Cucumber, partly peeled, deseeded and cut into 2” long and sliced thinly • Coriander Leaves • Sweet Basil Leaves • Mint Leaves • Chicken Thigh Fillet • Freshly ground pepper • Paprika • Salt For the dip • Red Wine Vinegar • Fish Sauce • A little sugar • Water • A teaspoon of grated Carrots • Chopped green onion Procedure Prepare the leaves. I wash them then soak them in tap water with a drop of Chlorox for a couple of minutes, then soak the leaves in cold drinking water to make them crispy, then use a salad spinner to drain the water off the veggies or dry with paper towel. Arrange the leaves and herbs in a serving platter. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Rub the chicken fillet in salt, removing the slimy parts and some fats but keep the skin. Rinse and drain. Rub salt and freshly ground pepper. Let stand for a few minutes. Heat a non-stick pan over medium high heat. Brush the pan

with Canola or olive oil. Put chicken fillet, skin side down to the pan and cover. Uncover and turn when you hear the fat searing. Cooking both sides shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes if you want it succulent. Put the chicken on a rack and let sit for a few minutes before chopping into finger-sized strips. Arrange in a platter. Dipping Sauce You can prepare this ahead of time so that the flavors blend well. Put in a jar with cover, 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, freshly ground pepper, a little sugar. Cover and shake until well-blended. Add water and adjust to your desired sweet and sour taste. You may add chopped labuyo if you want it spicy. Add 1 teaspoon chopped green onion before you serve. To serve, put the veggies and herbs platters on the table alongside chicken pieces and dipping sauce. Wrap chicken pieces in lettuce or mustard leaves with herbs and cucumber. Eat with the dipping sauce. It is also good to wrap lumpiang Shanghai and fried spring rolls. 13

ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS

Just Asking with Peter Banzon

I’m a mom to 2 kids, been married for 8 years now. I know that my husband should be the head of our family pero mali ang mga decisions niya at kami ang nagsa-suffer kaya ako na lang ang nagde-decide sa aming pamilya. What can I do to boost his self esteem?

hen God created man, the Bible says “male and female He created them…” (Genesis 1:27)

You and your husband were created by God to complement each other. Married life is a continuous learning process. If your husband has difficulty making correct decisions then you must make an effort to help him make good ones. This means involving him by consulting him, asking suggestions or offering ones yourself. Even if you are better at decision making, you empower your husband by intentionally arriving at decisions together. This may mean decision making will take longer but by working together you make him feel needed and important. Your husband’s being head of the home does not mean he must do everything by himself. It means blessing and benefitting the family by working together, by combining skills, talents, and abilities of each other. This will also model for the children how a family should do things together.