Delight in the Day

Bill and I worked to do the yard. here we are! we both working and our own yard yesterday afternoon. After working on the yard, i decided to transfer all my orchids in a different placed. I have a nice flower of Orchids and so i was really in-love again with my Orchids. I promise to take good care of my own plants from now on. I really miss do gardening again. It's rainy season so, i will start growing some plants.

DARE TO DREAM

Dreams make the difference between living a life and really living a life. But some of us, caught up in the busyness of life, have forgotten how to dream. Here are some suggestions:
Identify where you want to grow and then start dreaming about possibilities for getting there. My comment, " We must dream, because we are made in the image of him who sees things that are not and wills them to be." Find a quit spot. Sit back and let your thoughts roam. What has God already done in your life? What might he still do? Consider, just for a moment, What isn't but could be. Dream beyond where you are.

Dreams begins with asking such questions as, " if you could do anything you wanted with an extra hour today, what would it be?" Sometimes dreams have their roots in the past. " When you think back over your childhood, what did you do with your spare time? Dreams also peer around the corners of our lives and right into the places where we live, [giving us] clues as to how we can grow. Identify where you want to grow. Then start dreaming a dream for your life and make a plan.

RECALL

I think that "Welcome" is one of the most Christlike words we can speak to each other. And yet, how rarely this happens. This word is shriveling because of disuse. How rarely do people stop in their busyness to greet one another, to chat on the block, to have a cup of coffee and talk about their day. How infrequently we inquire as to strangers' names, ask questions that indicate interest in their lives and families. How wonderfully rare it is when someone whispers, "I haven't seen you for so long, I miss you." We must learn to give to one another the words of welcome.

A REALISTIC HOPE

We said we'd never grow up and we'd never grow old; we'd never trust anyone. And now (some) of us have long since passed that tender age and are in the mids of giving each other black fifthy birthday parties. Who knows? We may yet grow old.
For this generation, more than any other in the twentieth century, the twenty-five years between youth and middle-age have been marked by unmet expectations. We found many of our dreams unreachable. Growing up has been less about realizing our dreams and more about making our dreams subject to reality.
In one since, when we tied our faith to our cultural expectations, we succembed to the illusion that we could experience heaven in the here and now, It is true that one day our dreams and longing, will be fulfilled beyond our wildest imaginations. life will happen the way it's supposed to, the way we always wanted it to-someday-but not now! Now we plow throughtime, groping, learning, hurting, struggling, failing and sometimes succeeding. God can help us and strengthen us, but he never promised to keep us from pain. " our father refreshes us with some pleasant inns on the journey, but (he) will not encourage us to mistake them for home", No matter what the song says, HEAVEN IS NOT A PLACE ON EARTH.
Perhaps disappointed dreams are our best opportunities to transfer hope to its rightful place. Heaven is where our biggest dreams belong. Realizing that can help us make it through the here and now without placing a burden on the present that it was serve to carry us through the rest of the journey.

BEING OUR BEST

For most of life, i think we fight God. We keep trying to show him what we were made for. We keep giving him better ideas. We keep working for something bigger & greater than anything he seems to have in mind. For many of us, by the time we are in mid-life, we feel we somehow have missed out on some of the great things we were born for. We fight with God most of everything. God made me not to impress everyone. Not to be on book covers. Not to be an authority. Not to be perfect or a genius. God made me with special ideas in mind. God made me to be real. To be honest. To be open. To never compare myself to anyone, but to strive to become my own best person. To have character & dignity.

Betty is on the plane

Betty first trip to the Philippines: I wonder what she's thinking?

Manoag City,

Julne 14, 2007
This Picture was taken in front of the Church Manaoag City one of the famous Church in the Philippines.

My two doughtiers, Niece, and Nephew

Philippines :They had so much fun!

My Cousin Rosale and I

Tondaligan Beach, Dagupan City, Philippines

This picture of us was taken during our vacation last June 2007 in the Philippines. My cousin Rosale is the youngest girl of the family Castillo and i am the second to the youngest. I will post more pictures taken from our Trip to the Philippines.

Picture of myself and my two doughtiers, Ciaralyn and Betty

HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY CIARALYN
This picture of us was taken during our stop over to Nagoya Japan last June 12, 2007. Ciaralyn is my older Doughtier. She is turning 9 years old tomorrow and she wish to go swimming for her birthday. I think she deserve something better, but her wish is so really simple. So we will all go for swimming tomorrow @ the beach. It's family day for us tomorrow!

Kobler Ville

This picture was taken at Kobler Ville on June 29, 2007 together with Rep. Jacinta Kaipat, Angelo Villagomez, myself, and Jun Flores (FMI BOD Member).

Betty and Me

It's me & my youngest doughier Betty. This picture of us was taken last Sunday July 8, 2007

Betty @ the beach

Betty Aquino Matson
My youngest doughter Betty is having fun @ the beach.

Betty at the Lighthouse

This picture was taken by my good friend, Angelo Villagomez. This is my daughter Betty. She is the youngest volunteer for Beautify CNMI and FMI. She helps us pick up garbage every week.

Malou & I

This picture was taken during our Induction last Sunday July 1, 2007
With me is Malou Bansil FMI Auditor

The FMI/BC ladie's

With me in this picture is Our beloved Honorable Rep. Jacinta Kaipat from left is Mely, next from the left is Nitz, Zeny, Precy (both next to Rep. Kaipat), & Beth.

Consul General Wilfredo Maximo & Angelo Villagomez

This is our beloved special advisor mr. Angelo O. Villagomez recieving his Certificate of Appreciation from us (FMI), together with Consul General Honorable Wilfredo DL. Maximo.
We thank you very much Angelo! You have been so kind and insperation to us. From all of us (FMI) say, We love you Angelo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our Beloved Honorables Rep. Kaipat and Consul Gen. Maximo

To our beloved honorable Rep. Jacinta Kaipat and our Consul General Honorable Wilfredo DL. Maximo. Maraming-maraming salamat po sainyong pagpapaunlak sa aming invitation na makasama namin kayo sa araw nang aming panunumpa sa aming mga tungkulin, isa po itong mahalagang araw para sa aming lahat sa FMI. Sa lahat na aming mga magagandang layunin sa aming samahan madam/sir kayo po ang aming naging insperasyon, kaya gagawen namin po ang lahat nang aming makakaya para kayo ay maging proud pa lalo sa amin. Maraming salamat po! It's a great honor Madam & Sir to have you both on this special day for all of us (FMI), we thank you very much madam, & sir for your presences and for giving us your moral support. It's really mean a lot to all of us madam and sir. You both have been our Insperations for every good things that we have done and we will do our best to give everything we can, so that you both can be proud of us.

Induction Day Picture

Our group picture together with, Rep. Jacinta Kaipat, Katie Busenkell,
and our Vice President Mr. Diomedes Duculan.

Induction Day @ Aqua Resort Club,"Rey Lounge".

With me is no other than Ms. Beverly Cabanatan our Secretary/PRO.
Thank you very much Bev.

Many Thanks to all who have supported us!

" A Group Picture"

Many thanks to Mr. Lawie Adams, our Spiritual Advisor Mrs. Rose Adams and most specially to our beloved Consul General Wilfredo DL. Maximo, also to our guest speaker Mr. Angelo O. Villagomez, thanks to Ms. Katie Busenkell, and to our beloved brother Gus Kaipat. On behalf of FMI, we thank you all very much.

Maraming salamat sa lahat !

We would like to thank Aqua Resort Club, specially to F&B Manager Mr. Manny Barcial for their major support to the FMI.

Ang kaunaunahang Induction nang FMI !

This picture was taken during our Induction Ceremony together with our Inducting Officer no other than Honorable Representative Jacinta M. Kaipat. On behalf of FMI madam, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you very much. It's such a great honor madam to have you as a part of us. You have touch our hearts and became a part of our of life. we will always love you madam!


INDUCTION CEREMONY SPEECH
BY THE PRESIDENT/CHAIRWOMAN
MARITES AQUINO CASTILLO

JULY 1, 2007

I would like to welcome all of you to the first annual Induction ceremony for Officers/Board of Directors of the Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI). A special welcome to you Representative Honorable Jacinta Kaipat as you have been a Friend to the "Friends" before we were even the Friends. Welcome to our beloved Consul General Honorable Wilfredo DL. Maximo, welcome our Special Guest Ms. Katie Busenkell, Mr. Gus Kaipat, and also to Mr. Angelo Villagomez.

This is truly a historic day as our group of hardcore environmental cleanup and beautification experts. We have involved from a part of a larger group who had concerns other than just the environment to a select group that have dedicated theme selves strictly to the environment. Of equal importance is that we have evolved from a group representing only one nationality to a group that accepts all those who are concerned about the environment, regardless of national original or citizenship, We believe that anyone from anywhere can come to Saipan and care about our environment. As a result of our beliefs we have welcomed anyone to our group who demonstrates a concern for the environment.

Last year, as a sub part of a larger group, our efforts lead to that group being recognized even at a US-WIDE level as a leading group of environmentally concerned individuals who dedicated an extraordinary number of hours to cleanup activities in our community. We thought of those accomplishments and wanted to develop an organization that reflected the concerns of those who had proven to be so dedicated that they brought recognition to the entire CNMI from the national level. Surely we thought that even more could be done if we developed a formal organization for those high environmental achievers.

Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI) was started last year as a reflection of a need to have a group focus on the environment and particularly on the cleanup of our Island. As our team developed an expertise in how best to undertake cleanup efforts we realized that we could become an important component of the Beautify CNMI concept. As the President for the Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI) I decided to take the imitative to contact the organizers of the Beautify CNMI to see if we could link our efforts with theirs. We were pleased that just a the FMI accepts all people who are dedicated to helping cleanup our Island, that Beautify CNMI also accepts help from all those who wish to improve the environment of our Island. While Beautify CNMI has diverse projects from under the sea cleanups to Tree Planting , which also a part of Restoration projects of RC&D, we have boths partnered with theme in many of their efforts and also expanded upon their environmental projects with those of our own. We were proud to accomplish in record time our first funded cleanup project on Saipan just this last month and we Thank MOBIL for their financial support which made the Drainage cleanup at MSGR Martinez Street and MSGR Guerrero Street possible.

Though Friends of the Mariana Islands (FMI) was formed and projects have already been undertaken, such an organization can not operate without some of its members accepting even greater burdens than others. I am now speaking about those who are being inducted today. FMI is a non-profit organization and no one is compensated for the hours we all volunteer. This is also true for these Officers who volunteer even more of their time to make sure the Organization is ready when the time comes for all of us to volunteer at different projects. It takes that extra volunteer time to have everything ready for our volunteer time to have everything ready for our volunteers and these Officers are the ones that make it possible for our volunteers to have the support they need when they begin a project. Volunteers need to know where and when to show up, what they can do, that the tools they need will be there and even that health and safety concerns have been met such as having drinking water etc available. None of that happens automatically, it takes our officers to make that happen. Today we honor you Officers who have accepted the burden, with no privilege associated with it, of making the FMI work.

CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK OFFICERS!