That kiss!

Just stumbled on this LonelyPlanet article on the top 10 places to steal a kiss. Brought to mind the first few moments after our flight on the Emirates A380 finally landed at Singapore’s Changi airport.

The hobbit and I are based in Dubai – where public displays of affection are either strongly discouraged or not allowed at all – so his first words caught me by surprise:

“Is kissing in public allowed in Singapore?”

I paused to think. On the verge of going “ummm”, there was a burst of movement and it was split-second later that I realised he had kissed my cheek! 

Fighting in vain against the blush crawling across my face, I gave him the omg-tell-me-you-did-not-just-do-that look and he looked back at me with the cheekiest of adorable grins. And in my heart I hoped to remember that moment forever.

To this day, the memory makes me smile.

All smiles at Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa Island.

Simply splendid!

Am suddenly struck by what a weirdo I can be, involuntarily squeezing a chuckle out of the darnedest things! Just stumbled on this Ragan article about alternatives for the word “cool”.

Reminds me of the unintended beginnings of my love affair with a thesaurus. Me being a very ordinary-looking, uncomely young thing during my high school years, the least I wanted to be was dull & stupid – ergo I shunned words commonly used by my peers, including “cool” and “WTF”. It started as a conscious effort to be creative in expression then became a force of habit. Eventually, it evolved into instinct and became as natural as breathing to me.

I’m grateful to have friends who, despite moments of not completely understanding what I mean to the point of risking their dignity in asking me for translations, were encouraging – proud, even, calling me their “walking dictionary”. Same goes for my family of course. But I was blessed nonetheless, so it became very much a part of who I am & wanted to remain being.

Then I got into internal comms – a branch of corporate communications that compels us to write not just to inform but to inspire. Now people will hardly be inspired when you make them feel stupid, so I had to change my way of writing completely. To make it simple but classy. Once again, it started as a conscious effort and is now a force of habit verging on instinctive.

Now it makes it hard for me to revert to my old way of writing. You’d know what I mean if you’ve seen my older blogs! Hahah… But, true to the call to internal communicators, it’s not in the style but in the substance + brevity + effectiveness/understandability that we are judged.

&that, people, is the epitome of ‘cool’!

This is our song.

"Say you love me and put it in a song."

...A long, long time ago, I verbalised this desire in a Facebook status update. Thought it went unheeded; God made me wait. But, as always, His plans for us far exceed our desires & imagination.

This song -- among my favourites within the Singles For Christ (SFC) community -- echoes how my pursuit of renewed intimacy with God led me to a friendship that blossomed into love in accordance with His will. Hardly a week passes without me singing this, or humming its tune, at least once.

As kuya Erick 'Chief' Abad said during last year's SFC Middle East Regional Conference (M.E. ReCon) in Bahrain: "He might not be your type, pero 'yun ang type ni God for you -- 'yun ang best na inilaan Niya for you!"

 

I.
Bless my life, take away the shame
Allow me to experience Your most amazing grace
Fill my heart, it's empty and frail
Make me whole again, Lord
Mend my broken soul

Refrain:
I offer my life to You, Lord
With all my strength, I worship You

Chorus:
And I give my all (take me as I am)
And I'm Yours, oh God (lead me to your arms)
And I give you praise (I rejoice in you)
'Til the end of my days I give my all

II.
You gave Your all, unworthy as I am
You have died for me, Lord, and now I am free
You're the only reason, why my heart leaps for joy
I give You back the glory, 
Lord, mold me and use me.

(Refrain then Chorus)

Coda:
'Til the end of my days I give my all (3x)...

...to You.

It's such a beautiful song. Truth be told, I secretly wish for this to be the song played when I walk down the aisle one day.

Here's the chords to learning & playing the song yourself.  And for sharing, of course!