Moving, Merging, Consolidating...Simplifying

Please pardon the dust during this simplification process as I move to a new home, {Inspired Simplicity} I am merging my two sites, My Life and My Soul, for after all they are one and the same. In efforts to live up to my new blog title and to live my passion in simplicity, I hope you find this new site much simpler and improved as I try to consolidate and, well, keep things simple. In moving forward, I hope to incorporate tips and resources that not only inspire me but that I find to be very useful in my quest for a simple, authentic and balanced life. May {Inspired Simplicity} bring out the simple pleasures and treasures of the simple life. Please update your links to my new address and visit soon.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 10/10/2008 0 comments  

{On Thoughts}

"You are today where your thoughts have brought you;
you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you."
- James Allen

"Change your thoughts,
and you change your world."
-Norman Vincent Peale

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 10/02/2008 0 comments  

{On Peace}

Peace is not the absence of conflict
but the handling of conflict without loss of balance
-Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro

No Jesus, No Peace;
Know Jesus, Know Peace.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/18/2008 0 comments  

{On Prayer}

Prayer is not a way to draw God's attention to our needs.
It is a way to draw our attention to how much we need God.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!
-Joseph Scriven-

Upload prayer, download peace.

a fave verse from Philippians 4: 6-7
Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything, by prayer and petition,with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/18/2008 0 comments  

Living Life to the fullest

From the book 100 Most Important Bible Verses


John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.


The kind of abundance that Jesus promised is a measure of the quality of life, not the quantity of possessions. You can't measure this abundance in square footage or bottom lines. Jesus promised to provide a surplus of what makes life worth living - things like love, grace, guidance, forgiveness, and joy. These are Jesus' gifts to you, a life that is overflowing with riches of the heart that no one can ever take away.


Matthew 6:19-20

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy".

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/18/2008 0 comments  

"Oneness"

The world is a global village, an interconnected whole, where one part affects every other part.
-Neal Donald Walch-

my thought:
the realization of the "oneness" we all share is our path to the discovery of our authentic self, thus the key to inner joy and peace.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/14/2008 0 comments  

Happiness Is.....

....when your concerns about things that are out of your control lose their grip in your heart.
....when your dependence on material provisions is transformed into a deep dependence on God.
....when you continually choose to live your life in a way that reflects the law of nature.
....when you discover that whatever God provides is enough.
....LOVE

"As You Sow, So Shall You Reap" (Divine Math)

{On Happiness and Contentment}

Key to Happiness

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/07/2008 1 comments  

De-Cluttering the Soul 101

Spiritual Do's and Dont's

  • Don't think of how far we have to go....Do think of how far we've come.
  • Don't wait until everything is perfect before you decide to enjoy your life everyday....Do enjoy where you are on the way to where you're going
  • Don't compare and judge yourself and others....Do realize we all have strengths and weaknesses and therefore need one another
  • Don't take on cares....Do cast off your cares on HIM.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/07/2008 0 comments  

Differences and Similarities

My husband and I are very different.
He's a night owl and I'm a morning person.
My top choices of fave movies would be his least and vise versa.
I love to go out and I don't mind crowds. He'd rather stay home especially if there's a big crowd.
The list can go on and on.
But over the years we learned to respect our differences and focus on our similarities and what binds us together.

words from the wedding song:
For whenever two or more of you are gathered in his name.... There is love.

The love that binds us together is more than enough... for God IS Love.... and God is most certainly more than enough.

One thing my husband and I have in common is that our first names start with an "I". So do the names of our 4 children. Even our dog "Indy" named after one of our common fave movie, Indiana Jones. In the third Indiana Jones movie, The Last Crusade, we were made aware that Jehovah's name starts with an "I".

I recall a conversation with an angel friend who shares the same initials with our Savior, Christ Jesus. She did not realise it at the time when I pointed it out to her. Her response after a moment of quietness: "How humbling it is for even just a shadow of similarity that I would hope for with the Lord."

I pray that we will come to know Him more and strive for similarity in His ways.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/07/2008 0 comments  

Putting our house in order

The hardest step in tackling a dreaded task is taking the first step. But once you get started it gives you this sense of accomplishment turning the dreaded task into an exciting project.

I am {Simply} Grateful for my Labor Day Weekend Nesting

Cleaning and organizing a closet is so much like cleaning and organizing the mind.

A de-cluttered closet enables us to see our clothes and accessories more clearly making it easier to find needed things and more fun preparing/getting ready whenever we need to.

A clean and organized mind allows for clearer thoughts making it easier to 'find' whatever it is we need to understand.

I may be a ways to an organized home but I am simply grateful for the progress I am making in clearing my soul.

De-cluttering the soul of worries and anxieties allows for a quiet heart making it easier to 'find' the peace and joy amidst the clutter in a not so clean world.

This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order. - Isaiah 38:1

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 9/07/2008 0 comments  

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{Simply Grateful}

for great ending to a wonderful summer vacation.

  • a visit from "inspired" guests

  • finished kitchen. Yehey! finally done! I am also simply grateful for having been blessed with a second home we can retire to anytime we need to (specially during a renovation:)

  • van maintenance in time for back-to-school. (oil change, tires, and air filter that Phil and I learned to replace)


  • Successful and fun show for Isabella at Pier 39


  • for the love and support of BFF's (thank you ate Cecile for driving from a company picnic in San Jose to San Francisco to watch and photograph Isabella's performance at Pier 39. Then making a disk for us until almost midnight. I am so very grateful for the time, energy, support and love you showered us....it will forever be remembered and cherished.

  • for a genuine mutual admiration among BFF's at such a young age

for the good timing of a bad thing


for Isabella's academic recognition/achievement as an entering 4th grader and for her love of learning and love for everything she gets to do.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 8/28/2008 0 comments  

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This is the day....

Every single day is a gift
See it gratefully
Every single day is filled with potential
Enter it expectantly
Every single day is a golden opportunity
Use it wisely.
Psalm 5:2-3
Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 8/22/2008 0 comments  

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{Simply Grateful}


  • for a wonderful summer

    • starting with a fabulous vacation with great friends

    • followed by fun and successful home projects and dance shows

    • great visit to Union City

        • Isabella's BFF, Krystn's, sleepover fun
        • Isabella's swimming fun with brothers
        • Immanuel's demo with Choi's Martial Arts at Fremont Arts Festival
        • taekwondo practice
        • meeting missed friends, ate Cecile and Belle V., even for a brief moment
        • visit from my ever so caring ate Janette and husband, Kuya Lando (always fun and uplifting)

  • for helpful and considerate children

    • Phil who thought of and chose to bring his bike to school to save on parking fees
    • Phil who installed new toilets
    • Isabella who made painting the bathroom fun
    • Immanuel who took on revamping the old Supra for brother Ian
    • Phil and Immanuel with friend, Jonick who worked on the fence

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 8/10/2008 0 comments  

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Laminin, con't

follow-up on my laminin post

the cell adhesion molecule that holds our cells together is in the shape of a cross!

Psalm 139:13-14
For You created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them;male and female he created them.

In Your image,
You made me.
How humbling,
How empowering.
How amazing.
Help me to see
In loving myself,
Imperfections and all,
I'm loving you as well.


Isabella's wisdom:

"Mom did you know, Pheewee (term of endearment to her kuya Phil) told me, that there are 4 people who die and 2 people are born EVERY SECOND!?"

Mom: "hmmm really?!"

Isabella continues: "Yes, so isn't that amazing? God is really working hard. He makes 4 people every second and then He has to turn the ones who die into angels. And He does that on top of watching over all of us"

Mom: "WOW!" (I was speechless after that)

Isabella: "And I am so glad when God made me He put me in your stomach and gave me to you."

Mom: Now even more speechless....more like stunned!

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 7/27/2008 1 comments  

A Noble Duty

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task,
but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks
as if they were great and noble."
- Helen Keller


"Whoever can be trusted with very little
can also be trusted with much,
and whoever is dishonest with very little
will also be dishonest with much.
So if you have not been trustworthy
in handling worldly wealth,
who will trust you with true riches?"
-Luke 16:10 (Parable of the Shrewd Manager)


" 'Well done, my good servant!' his master replied.
'Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter,
take charge of ten cities.' "
Luke 19:17 (Parable of the Ten Minas)

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!
You have been faithful with a few things;
I will put you in charge of many things.
Come and share your master's happiness!' "
Matthew: 25:21 (Parable of the Talents)
Miracle in a Normal Day

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 7/25/2008 0 comments  

Powerful Women

I just had to post this very witty email I received from my dear ate Cecile.

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning,
Satan shudders and says...
'Oh shit ...she's awake!!!'

My Thoughts:
what would make the enemy shudder?
  • "the joy of the Lord is your strength" - Nehemiah 8:10
  • "When you rejoice in the midst of your difficulties, you're giving the enemy a black eye" - Joel Osteen
  • Begin each day with a grateful heart
  • "This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." - Psalm 118:24
  • Love overcomes evil; live your day with God's love in you

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 7/24/2008 1 comments  

Light from within

People are like stained-glass windows.
They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
but when the darkness sets in,
their true beauty is revealed
only if there is a light from within.
- Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness",
made His light shine in our hearts
to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay
to show that this all-surpassing power is from God
and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4: 6-7

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 7/02/2008 0 comments  

Laminin

cell adhesion molecule. It holds one cell of our body to the next cell. The "glue" that holds our cells together. Without it, we would fall apart...literally. Wikipedia states: Laminin is vital to making sure overall body structures hold together.

Colossians 1:15-17 The Supremacy of Christ
17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

I was blessed to see this video at church today about how great is our God...it blew me away!!!...gave me goosebumps!!!...awesome!!!...you gotta see it because I can't explain it any better....truly amazing!!!



Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 6/22/2008 0 comments  

Many Hands, One Heart

New series at New Life Church.
New Life's Missional Opportunities #1

The Opportunites of A Lifetime

  1. To Live By The Grace of God
  2. To Live With the People of God
  3. To Live for The Glory of God

To Live By the Grace of God

2 Cor. 12:9
But He said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

1 Peter 5:5b-7
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

"God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble"

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.


To Live With the People of God

Romans 12:10-13
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

To Live for The Glory of God

2 Cor. 5:15
And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.

1 Cor. 10:31b
Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Carpe Diem...Sieze the Day!


Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 6/09/2008 0 comments  

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Barefoot Sunday

Isabella and I walked out of the church happily barefoot for 'Soles for Souls'....it tickles... the soul.

Posted byImelda@Inspired Simplicity at 6/03/2008 0 comments  

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