Author: 4jcalone

Fibromyalgia does not own or identify me. I'm an active, loving, social-bug wife and mother. Getting a second chance to live a healthy, balanced, abundant life because of Christ who lives in me! ;)
Halo Halo

We finally have a cart!

Our on-line store is totally old school.  And it has worked for a couple of years.  But it is getting difficult to manage.

So, thank goodness for our new store through Square you can now place your order on your own.  It’s really easy and simple to use!

Just simply go to our Store/Buy Online page and shop away!  A simple explanation on pre-orders is also on our Store   🙂

Any questions?  Please leave your message on the Contact Us page and we will get back to you the next business day which is January 12, 2016.  As our Customer Service is closed during the holidays.  And we are preparing for a better and stronger 2016!

Much Aloha!  ❤

Halo Halo

Reflecting on Thanksgiving!

I have soooo much to be thankful for!  My husband who has been so supportive and loving all these years and for celebrating 25 years with him, my children who all continue to give me so much love and give me true satisfaction being a mom, my family, friends, provisions, a church home we love, women from our church I have the opportunity to mentor and a small home business I didn’t even know I would end up having.   And the list just goes on and on!

Though my Dad passed away early this year, I can be thankful of how God is truly healing the pain.  It still hurts to not have him around anymore. And my nephew who also passed away just several months ago.   So losing two loved ones in one year has been really difficult.  But time really heals and I am so thankful for all the great memories and I will always have them in my heart  ❤ 🙂

And each Thanksgiving has become a marker for me since 2008 as how my life is returning one year at a time.  I’m reminded to be thankful despite the condition and to not waste the opportunity to live!  Fibromyalgia really took over my life and I was honestly ready to die or came to a point of accepting my life was just always going to be spent very sick in bed.  But God is so good to give me my life back again.  Even if I have to wait one year at a time.

Lastly, I am most thankful for God who has shown me the meaning of true love as He sent His one and only son to die on the cross so that we can have a personal relationship with Him–what sacrificial love!  I am also thankful that in hardship, I have personally experienced mercy and grace. And seen Christ heal and provide firsthand.

Enjoy your day today with loved ones as you reflect on thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Day!  ❤

Christian, Family, Family Stuff

Happy Birthday to my Dad!

Today, I remember my Dad.  As he would’ve turned 85 years old!

Time really heals all wounds.  But I am finding that there will still be times when it hurts really bad because I miss him so much! It hasn’t been a year so it’s still fresh but God’s abundant grace and mercy have been truly my anchor.  Jesus Christ is my rock and my redeemer.  And continues to give me peace and comfort because He is in control.

“In whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” Job 12.10

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it abundantly.”  John 10.10

I continue to look to Christ as I miss my Dad.  And know He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Halo Halo, Island Raw Granola

New Things to Come!

Aloha!

As you’ve noticed, I haven’t been able to blog lately.  As I’ve been busy with other aspects of our small business.  A lot has happened since I last blogged. Our small batch business is growing!  And continually moving forward in my healing journey 🙂

We are also in the process of improving our website.  Including our on-line store so that ordering process will be easier!  So, look out for our new website soon as we unveil it in the near future 🙂

Mahalo Nui’loa for your continued support!  ❤

Halo Halo

My Father

I’m speechless.  I was ready to blog about my Dad for Father’s Day.  But all I can say is I miss him.  It’s only been about 5 months since we said goodbye to the most loving, thoughtful, caring, strong, giving, talented, handsome father with the biggest heart  ❤

He will always be alive in my heart ❤

Celebrating you on Father’s Day, Dad!  🙂

Halo Halo

Father’s Day

I’m speechless.  I was ready to blog about my Dad for Father’s Day.  But all I can say is I miss him.  It’s only been about 5 months since we said goodbye to the most loving, thoughtful, caring, strong, giving, talented, handsome father with the biggest heart  ❤

He will always be alive in my heart ❤

Celebrating you on Father’s Day, Dad!  🙂

Halo Halo

Celebrating My Mother!

My Mother continues to be an inspiration to me as she has showed me for so many years what it looks like to sacrificially give of myself to my children.   I think of her often when I feel inadequate as a mother and I am reminded of her strength, determination, focus, hard working and caring ways to us as she happily cared for all of us and nurtured us growing up.

Happy Mother’s Day my dear mother!  Your children loves you soooo much!  I love you!  ❤

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And a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there…enjoy!  😀

Christian, Family, Family Stuff

65 Years Strong

Today my parents have been married for 65 years.

Though my Dad passed away 3 months ago, their marriage continues to be alive in our hearts. There is not a day I don’t think of my parents as an example of showing unconditional love to each other.

Their marriage was far from perfect yet filled with so much hope and love which they truly exemplified in their lives.

Marriage is a commitment which pictures God’s grace and mercy.  And they believe in that truth and lived it out.  Thankful to have personally witnessed it in their lives.  Because they followed the original design of marriage, they have been blessed above and beyond!  And their children continue to benefit from their blessings as we personally see it being passed down from generation to generation.

Through good times and bad times, in sickness and in health, till death do us part.  My parents truly showed me and my siblings how our marriage vows should be lived out.

So thankful and blessed to have them in our lives.  Happy 65 years together Mom and Dad!  ❤

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Christian, Family Stuff, Halo Halo, Strength In Difficulties

Unconditional Love

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy, love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things; believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.”  1 Corinthians 13.4-8

This beautiful couple showed me and my siblings how it looks like to love one another.  Unconditionally.

Today, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day, and knowing what it’s all about, I can’t help but think of my parents who were more than just attracted to each other.  As they grew in their marriage, they learned to go beyond feelings and took the next step of loving each other unconditionally.  They learned how to think of each other and serve one another.  There is no such thing as a perfect marriage as we all get selfish.

But year after year, I witnessed their marriage beautifully blossom.  Especially, sometime after my Dad had a severe stroke. Whereas Dad had always been the provider and leader of the home, now he needed my mom to care for him in every way (big and small).  Man, did my mom step it up.  It was then I personally saw the diamond of God’s love shining in their marriage from a whole new angle.  As they both learned to continue to show unconditional love to each other.

Their new “norm” could’ve broken their marriage.  Instead, it made their marriage stronger and continued to grow for 64 years!  Despite the difficulty of my Dad having to recover from his stroke, my Mom and Dad were a picture of unconditional love between a husband and a wife.   What a beautiful display of God’s love and common grace to all men and women!

In sickness and in health, till death do us part.  They truly lived it.  My hope and prayer is to emulate their example in my marriage.  So blessed and thankful for my parents as I have lived to see what  true romantic Valentines really look like!

 

 

Family Stuff, Halo Halo

Dahil Sa Iyo

My Dad loved to sing.  And I mean he really loooooved to sing!  He would sing to my Mom when he came home from work, he would sing at home, he would sing in the kitchen, in the living room, in our bedrooms, and even outside.  He would even make up a song that didn’t make any sense, but these songs had my dad’s love and warmth written all over them.  And he didn’t care if people would hear and notice him.  He was more concerned that we heard him.

A song I remember that my Dad always sang to my Mom is “Dahil Sa Iyo” translated to English “Because of You.”  A Filipino love song very recognized by most Filipinos.  I still clearly remember growing up that my Dad always cared for my Mom.  One way I remember this is that we would get in so much trouble when we gave my Mom a hard time.  That show “Wait Till Your Father Gets Home” comes to mind  ;-D

And other ways he would show it was by always singing to my Mom, showing affection by hugging her and kissing her, even in front of us!  I remember getting all yucked out about it back then, but loving it so much when I got older.

So, I dedicate this song to my Dad as I know he most likely was ready to sing this song to my Mom this Saturday on Valentine’s Day if he were still alive.  And he would sing it even if it was not Valentine’s Day.  Regardless, we continue to hear him sing this song as we will forever hear and feel it in our hearts.

We love you and miss you so much Dad!  ❤