I think an update is in order.

It’s been quite a while since I last posted. Here’s a summary, of what has happened since my last post:

• Annual Porras Clan Thanksgiving : Held at the Lacabas’ home in Cerritos. As usual, food was a-plenty. We had the usual Thanksgiving fare like turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and corn. But then of course, there’s my Auntie Emily’s famous pot roast in mushroom au jus, and this year she pulled out all the stops with the au jus and added seafood in it! Yum-o! After dinner, we all sat down and watched April and Jeremy’s wedding video, and reminisced. Tears flowed once again, thanks to Christine! LOL She started the cry-fest! And thanks to Dorothy as well for singing “Always Be My Home” during the candle ceremony, which made us all teary-eyed! Sheesh!
• New Kids on the Block concert: April and I went to the NKOTB reunion concert at the Nokia Theater LA Live! in Downtown L.A. (by the Staples Center) and had a blast, singing along to their classics like, “The Right Stuff”, “Please Don’t Go Girl”, “If You Go Away” (my personal fave), “I’ll Be Loving You Forever”, “Hangin’ Tough” and much more. What a trip down memory lane! I had such so much fun at the concert despite the fact that my ears were ringing from 30-year-old women screaming in my ear! LOL They are all still HOT, but I’m partial to the “Dark Knights” – Jordan and Jonathan! Those 2 have always been my favourites, with Joe a close third. I can’t wait for a summer tour! Oh, and their new CD, with all new songs, is pretty good.
• “A Night of Thanksgiving” Fundraising concert: In Harmony participated in a fundraising concert sponsored by Crossroads Christian Fellowship to benefit their summer mission work (and church-plant) in Coron, Palawan, Philippines. A lady named Stephanie Reese, who starred as the lead Kim in Miss Saigon in Germany, headlined the concert, along with Sal Malaki, a tenor from the Los Angeles Opera, and the sole Filipino member, as well as Edward Granadosin, a tenor, formerly of the University of the Philippines’ Madrigal Singers and a Christian contemporary group, Back on Track.
• Towards the end of November, I was offered the position as Music Director of Olive Christian Church, the church I’m currently a part of, which I accepted whole-heartedly and gratefully. It’s a bit overwhelming, but I consider it a blessing and a privilege. I have to admit, when I had shared it to some people, I receive some reactions that I didn’t quite expect. And I’ll just leave it at that. All I know is that, the Lord has called me for a reason, and I’m doing His work, not mine. God will do what He said He will do, I’m just a vessel that He’s using. And I say, “use me, Lord”. It’s unfortunate that some people see it either as a job, a menial task, or some extra-curricular activity at church. On the surface, that may be true. However, it’s so much deeper than that, and I take it very seriously. It’s a long road ahead, and there may be some bumps along the way, but God will accomplish what He’s set out to do with the Music ministry at Olive. I’d appreciate everyone’s prayers and support.

Christmas is almost here! But somehow it hasn’t hit me yet. I guess it will start to hit me when I finally get myself to the stores to go shopping for gifts. However, I’m looking forward to our holiday break and just being with family and friends. I’m grateful for family and friends and it’s always a blessing and a joy to spend this season with them.