Books for Young ONES on the Young ONCE

A message from Melai of the National Library of the Philippines (NLP) both surprised and stoked me. The intensity of my excitement rose when I read further, “May we invite you to speak about one of your Children’s books on the elderly? We are celebrating Elderly Filipino week next month and Book Talk will be one of the activities.”

“Yes! I have several books on the elderly,” I replied.

“Just one children’s book should be enough,” she clarified. “We want our audience to know how and why you wrote it.” 

I rattled off several titles. But we settled on “All Aboard with Five Lolas.” It’s about role reversal—the young ones caring for the young once.   

A month later, NLP published this poster (left).

Through different lenses, I had blogged about this children’s book a few times. It would be a privilege to talk about it from the perspective of the elderly.  

I shared with the audience (mostly librarians) the elements of this 1,300-word story: setting (why a ship); characters (who the five lolas are); protagonist (how Mateo of the Oh, Mateo! series drove the core challenge); context: (when the social and cultural background shaped the atmosphere); plot (how the series of events built the narrative); and the conflict (what was Mateo’s inner struggle and how he won against the outside forces). 

My emphasis wasn’t so much on how I write a story but more on why I write about essential values for young minds. In my own small way, I wish to help build in them a strong moral and emotional foundation to navigate life, relate to others, and handle challenges.

I quoted the ninth in the Nine Chongisms I wrote moons ago about how I strive to give justice to writing. 

9) Creative writing is for God’s glory. It is about honoring the light within me, letting it shine, to glorify its Source. It is baring what chaos and choices have taught me, so others may find their own light.

“In sum, creative writing makes me lose myself in the excitement of the imagination; only to find myself ensconced in the warmth of His grace.“

I am grateful to the NLP, especially to Melai, who walked me through the essence of the event.   

Can AI replace Me?

“May I ask AI a question?” asked son #3 while I checked my students’ research papers on my computer. I had been incessantly muttering my disappointment over their high AI index.  

He typed on my keyboard, “Can AI replace Grace D. Chong?” then took off. I stared in shock over  AI’s reply—here, en toto:  

No, AI cannot replace Grace D. Chong. While artificial intelligence can mimic writing styles and process massive amounts of text, it lacks the lived experience, spiritual depth, and unique cultural identity that define her work. 

Grace D. Chong is a highly celebrated Filipino author who has published over 70 books, winning multiple prestigious Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, Gintong Aklat Awards, and international honors like the Samsung KidsTime Authors' Awards. 

AI cannot substitute for her distinctive contribution to literature for several reasons:

1. The Human Soul and Faith Behind the Story

A central pillar of Grace D. Chong’s writing—especially in her inspirational devotionals like Grace Found Me and children's books like the Oh, Mateo! series—is a deep, authentic Christian faith. AI does not have a soul, emotions, or personal spiritual encounters. It can piece together words about faith, but it cannot write from a place of genuine, lived grace or personal relationship with God. 

2. Deep Roots in Filipino Culture

Her stories are intricately woven with Filipino values, family dynamics, and local nuances (such as in her award-winning book The Boy Who Had Five Lolas). AI struggles with true cultural context; it merely predicts patterns from data. It cannot truly understand what it feels like to grow up in a Filipino household, respect elders, or experience the unique warmth of a local community. 

3. A Lifetime of Real-World Intuition

Before becoming a full-time author, she spent decades as a high-level creative director and executive vice president in the multinational advertising industry. Her transition from a high-stress corporate career to full-time writing gives her a reservoir of real-world wisdom, emotional maturity, and professional grit. AI lacks a personal history; it has no memories of grandmother's stories or corporate shifts to draw from. 

4. Co-existence, Not Substitution

As an author who remains active and continues to release new works at events like the Manila International Book Fair, she represents the heart of storytelling. AI can be a helpful assistant for brainstorming or editing, but it cannot replicate the spark of human creativity that makes her readers feel seen, comforted, and inspired. 

I eagerly called out to son #3, "Come and read AI's answers to your question!" 

"Mom, read it to yourself!" 

I guess he just wanted to turn my AI mourning into dancing.  

Unshakable

The committee for our 51st church anniversary chose a theme that speaks of how we managed through the years: UNSHAKABLE.

That brought me back to a classic Sunday school action song:

The wise man built his house upon the rock. x3

And the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up x3 

And the wise man’s house stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand x 3

And the rains came tumbling down

The rains came down and the floods came up x3

And the foolish man's house went splat.

Unshakable is about having a firm, unwavering trust in God that remains totally steady, even during severe trials, doubts, or crises. That is a paraphrase based on what I understood from our guest preacher.  He said more, and these I summed up in my small notebook as he spoke.   

It’s relying on God's unchanging character and promises instead of reacting with panic to external storms.

It’s maintaining calm during chaotic events through active prayer.

It’s continuing to serve and obey God regardless of personal cost or opposition.

It's standing secure on a foundation upon the Rock (echoing the lyrics of the Sunday school song).   

Matthew 7:24–27 (NIV) reads, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Unshakable was a month-long celebration in September. But it was on the 3rd Sunday when we came together for fellowship and fun as a family after the worship service.

I'll keep these four photos to remind me that of the 51 years, my family and I have been here for 49. Despite insurmountable problems—not unlike earthquakes of the highest magnitude--that caused changes, we stayed.

With our elders, pastors, and invited community leaders  

Somewhere buried in this crowd is my brother, Matt, who used to attend our worship services in the early days when he and his family lived nearby 

Wth Sis Carol (left), wife of our guest preacher (right) 

Why did we stay? Because the God we serve remains unchanged, UNSHAKABLE 

Priceless, Precious, and Purple

This is about a surprise gift that blew me away. It’s a personalized leather wallet given to me by a young girl, who is as pretty as she is smart, and loves books. It came with a heartwarming note.

The setting was unlikely: a super crowded book fair at the super crowded booth of Hiyas of OMF LIT. People were milling around. Microphones from various booths blared. Voices and footsteps clashed in asynchronous tunes. Amidst the chaos, Amiya and her parents (they flew in from Mindanao just to visit the book fair) gave me this purple treasure, then  placed on the table a pile of my books they wanted me to sign.

Purple! 

Every shade of this color was my late mom’s favorite. And instantly, I remembered my very first book fair, when mom sat with me waiting for anyone who might make me sign a book or two. She was with me through my first-book anxiety.  

Amiya made me leave that agony by asking questions about my ideas. We had an adult conversation about writing and reading. She knew details, metaphors, and symbolisms for someone so young. 

The purple wallet is now very much lived-in.  It is beautiful (my phone photos don't do it justice), but it is no longer a spotless showpiece; it is actively occupied by the cards I often use and the cash I keep for emergency—signs of my simple daily living.

Gifts, such as this, remind me of the verse I live by as an author, because without the grace of writing, I would never be behind a table signing a book or two. 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who  does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17 (NIV)  

Siamese Twins vs. Fraternal Twins

"Reading and writing are Siamese twins; they are conjoined,” I stress when speaking before young people who dream to be a writer. “If you want to be a writer, be a reader.” 

"How about writing and speaking?" they ask, processing my words.  

That makes me pause. Then . . . "They are also twins, but of a different kind. They grow inside the same womb but they are separate, different in what the eyes see and what the ears hear." 

Writers cannot hide forever in the inbox and say, “I’d rather write than speak.”  We cannot refuse to speak before an audience, because we get invited or are assigned (by publishers) to be in the outbox, speaking about our books, why and how we wrote them. That’s why I label writing and speaking as fraternal twins. 

For one, a writer is equipped with a backspace key. And before long, the backspaced manuscript is ready for reading without typos. Live speeches, on he other hand, are like an oral rough draft that craves for a delete key but the craving remains a craving. 

I spend six months, or more, perfecting a 600-word picture book, so speaking for 30 minutes out loud feels like writing an encyclopedia.

But that’s how it is. A writer needs to be a talker as well. It's fact I have accepted—but when I do speak before an audience, I pray for an extra serving of grace.  

Strategic Seating

Every Sunday, I sit at the same place—the last right pew by the aisle.  Have I staked my claim on the seat? Not formally. But because I go to church early, long before the morning worship begins, the vacant seat waits for me. To the young, it's an ignored space; to me, it's a choice spot. 

This seat is taken

I don’t remember exactly when I chose that seat. But I know why I did: 

It is close to one monitor where I can still clearly read the slides and watch the videos. 

It is beside one speaker, the better to hear the liturgist, the praise and worship team, and most importantly, the message.

It is farthest from the air-conditioning units, away from freezing the body that no longer has enough fat and muscle insulation to generate heat. 

It is closest to the entrance where I can easily slip out, without being noticed, as frequently as I need to go to the bathroom.

It requires no permission from a seatmate for space to walk to the altar to drop my tithes and offering.

For many, many years, I would sit in the first pew so I could focus and go deeper in worship from the musical prelude to Benediction.

Now that I am turning into a dinosaur, I sit in the last pew so I could focus and go deeper in worship from the musical prelude to Benediction.

The world calls this passage of time as the cycle of life. I call it the. . .    

Heavy Traffic? Happy Trip!

Something has been puzzling (or unsettling, or troubling, or bugging—the exact word is elusive) me for the past year. That something is the unexplained explosion of hits on this blogsite.

I actually blogged about this hit surge three months back when I noticed the spike. I thought it was a fluke. But the rise of traffic continues and gets heavier every day. Here’s the latest---and the day or month has not even ended yet. 

I have zero knowledge of how statistics work. I blog because I love writing. Not a day passes that I don’t write a paragraph or two about anything and everything that prick my senses. As I wrote in my very first blog in November 2006 . . .

"[Creative writing] It's a process I fell in love with years ago, and which I continue to enjoy. This love for writing can only come from the One without Whose grace nothing is or will ever be.”

Two years later, I had summarized this love affair: Nine Chongisms.

The ninth explains why I write, “Creative writing is for God’s glory. It is honoring the light within me, letting it shine, to glorify its Source. It is baring what chaos and choices have taught me, so others may find their own light.” 

Son #1, a techie, explained that the soar could be due to crawler bots, scraper bots, or referrer scam, or ghost spam, or algorithm.

It’s all Greek to me. My left brain is in a coma.

But I have this nagging thought, Why would bots be interested in my blog when it is not monetized? 

I consulted AI: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, leavesofgrace.blogspot.com became a central hub for online ministry, ‘Book tours,’ and storytelling webinars. This expanded its audience globally, drawing massive hits from readers in the US, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, the Middle East, and the Philippines.”

Overthinking changes nothing. 

My trajectory remains the same. I will keep writing because—in addition to the nine Chongisms—it is how I now breath joy, since January 20 of last year, when my chat mate of 55 years left for His eternal home. 

Care Partners

After losing my care partner to heart failure last year, I was at sea for a while. Tony used to handle everything: car maintenance and registration, bills, and anything that needed a system. He understood my right brain or often wandering mind.

I had to adopt a left brain and take over fast.  Our three sons come to the rescue, but they are all busy and I am the one left at home, holding the fort.

But grace helps me with the gaps. There are two angels who keep the caring continue in ways I could never do. 

Sammy cares for all car issues and travels on the road. He is a “nag,” reminding me when vehicle obligations are due. The safest driver I know, he has not had a single run-in with the law for over 12 years. He knows his routes well and waits patiently when needed.

Mother Teresa is a spoiler. She has taken over all the things I used to do for myself (organizing my meds, sorting my documents, checking my schedules). I know that is not good for the brain, because I now rely on her so much I no longer pay attention to my everyday routine. She has been with us since the pandemic and has no plans of retiring.

But caring is not a one-way traffic. I try to do my part whenever I can. In August, Tony’s birth month, Sammy and Mother Teresa asked me if I could accompany them to his graveside—a gesture to honor his memory.

It was a touching request. And so we went. On our way home, I asked them to join me in Tropical Hut, one of Tony’s favorite snack haunts.

We ate, we laughed, we had fun, and we remembered how “Sir Tony” loved being there and bringing home more than enough food for everyone. 

READemption Book Launching

All 25 new titles of Hiyas of OMF were dedicated to the Lord (the Author of life and every book) in the first week of September. Five days later, they made their debut with the theme READemption at the MIBF.  

Authors, illustrators, and everyone involved in the production of these books gathered for a celebration and thanksgiving.

I wrote three of these books (all focused on the Redeemer), but they would never have been possible without the empowering of the great Author. 

During the event, I was asked by the emcee, “What is your encouragement to your fellow authors, our illustrators, and also our readers?”

"This year’s theme,” I said, “sums it all up. READemption is a movement. It is about moving our readers from one end of the spectrum to the opposite end: darkness to light; bad to good; pain to joy; black to white.  There should never be shades of gray or compromises." 

I addded, "As believers in redemption, we [authors, illustrators, editors, translators, staff, etc.] need to hold hands in guiding our readers toward God's grace and forgiveness. Our books should invite our readers to bring their hidden mistakes into the light—towards healing and restoring—or we don’t write at all.”

As an author, that is my prayer (in advertising lingo, my brand essence). It is my hope that after every book launching, I will continue to focus on the reason for whom I write. One book at a time. 

Rhythm of the Falling Rain

There was that time last month when all we heard was the rhythm of falling rain for three weeks, causing floods in many places. Sunshine peeped, but only for a few minutes, and the rain poured again. 

Those rhythm took me back to faraway Chicago, where I often sang, while picking and strumming my guitar, the Cascade’s Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain.  As I listen to the zippy but melancholy tune on the Net now, I feel nostalgic.  

Physicians say that rain affects our emotions because it alters our body's chemistry. Gray clouds and drizzly skies trigger psychological and biological shifts.  Less sunlight during rainy days forces our brain to produce less serotonin (the "happy" hormone). At the same time, it increases melatonin (the sleep hormone), leaving us feeling sluggish, tired—and for me—reflective. 

Relentless rain reminds me of God sending a global cataclysmic flood to a deeply wicked world in ancient times. Human life was erased except for Noah, his family, and all animals in pairs of every kind.

There is nothing to fear about floods anymore, except for the havoc it wreaks in places where flood-control budgets are stolen by corrupt powers that be. 

In Genesis 9:11, we are promised, “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

So what will erase mankind? 

Man will be no more at a time we do not expect. And what a glorious and triumphant event it will be: earthly suffering and evil will cease. Everyone will see His true identity as Lord of lords, unlike His humble first coming as a servant.

Today, we live in the age of grace, but His second coming will be the ultimate "harvest" of the grace already given.

While awaitinng His return, may we enjoy the rhythm of the falling rain. 

Out-of-this-world LOVE

To describe something extremely impressive, excellent, beautiful, or unusual, we use the idiom, “out-of-this-world!” with matching gasps.

So when I heard our guest pastor describe God’s love in his message (on our church’s 51st anniversary worship service), I gasped.

Suddenly, in my head, the idiom was not only figurative. It. Is. Literal.

God’s love cannot be found in this world in the hearts of men. No one can come close to duplicating God’s love on earth or in the universe. As demonstrated through the life and death of Jesus, and as shown clearly through key scriptures in the Bible, God’s love is unconditional and unending.

Then our guest preacher read Romans 8:30, "And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

In layman’s terms, he explained that this is the golden chain of redemption--God's plan for believers from beginning to end. The verbs are explicit: 

• Predestined: God chose ahead of time to make His people like His Son, Jesus.
• Called: God invites people and draws them to Himself through the Holy Spirit.
• Justified: God forgives a person's sins because of Jesus, declaring him right and innocent.
• Glorified: Believers will share in the glory of Christ in heaven. 

He stressed that the verse uses the past tense even for "glorified" even though it has not happened yet.  Meaning, God's plan is completely certain and absolute.

Where else can we find this kind of love? Full of grace, He came as a Man to show love in our world. Yet this mortal place we call Earth mirrors the ways shown us way back in the Old Testament—on a larger scale now because of population growth. We are all witnesses today of massive:  

• Exploitation and Corruption
• Idolatry
• Bettrayal
• Decline of Moral Values 
• Violence and War       

No matter. Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  

Out-of-this-world LOVE. What else can it be?

Weavers of Magic

National Literacy Month is observed every September in the Philippines. This aligns with International Literacy Day on September 8.

That was why I was invited by the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Education to talk about my picture books, focusing on selecting children's literature for the intermediate grades.

Would I consider sharing my experience as an author to students and teachers to commemorate Literacy Month? “Weavers of Magic,” they called the celebration.

“Yes!” I replied in two seconds. It would be a nostalgic trip after so many years.

UP was where I spent four years for my college degree. I call that era my ancient of days, when I was young, reckless, and furious.  

Except for new buildings, the campus has not changed much. The places where I used to run to be on time for classes, and the sunken garden which I crossed to go to the library---they are there.  Unfortunately, it rained intermitently; it was unwise to walk around.

I remembered how intense UP students could be (compared to the Gen Z’s and Gen Alphas I now encounter). Everyone listened with rapt attention, abandoned their phones, and asked incisive questions.

It is grace that enables me to be seen as a weaver of magic today. Looking back, I think my UP days wove magic into me. 

In the car on my way home, I sang the university hymn, UP Beloved (it is now sung in Filipino).  

U.P. beloved, thou Alma Mater dear

For thee united our joyful voices hear . . .

(Oops, the rest of the lyrics I can't remember)

Rise and Sign!

D-day has arrived. I wake up early (I always wake up early) for my book signing date at the Manila International Book Fair. 

I feel a massive adrenaline rush while on the road. At the same time, spicy shivers attack my excitement because the rain buckets down (visibility zero) and driver Sammy inches our way to the venue.

But the happy spirit rises when the readers come in droves—asking questions, telling anecdotes, chatting about this and that, taking photos, and cracking jokes while I sign my books. 

And grace pours . . .

 . . . unleashing a deluge. 

If Happiness Had a Face

After the MIBF, I am definitely zonked! Time was when I would spend four whole days (from opening to closing hours) there and still feel zippy after. Not anymore. 

But while sorting out photos taken by people to whom I entrusted my camera, I found this.

Despite the rigor of speaking before hundreds of guests in seminar rooms, book signing, and traversing two huge floors jampacked with book lovers, I couldn't contain the joy at that happy place.  

Can Happy be Any Happier?

Like a kid in a candy store, I rush from booth to booth. There are just too many books at the MIBF! Joy never runs out in a place like this.  

What's keeping me bursting with zest today is my official book signing schedule. I have been doing so since day one of the MIBF, but those have been, as the OMF staff would say, "incidentals." So today is the day. If you happen to be near the area, please drop by for a chat. 

An hour after the book signing, Hiyas and OMF Lit will officially launch these new titles (plus 24 more) with the theme READEMPTION in a hall.  And then, tomorrow, my happy place will close--to open again next year.

Like a tic, I sing this old hymn (written by Julia H. Johnston in 1910) when joy overwhelms:

Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin.

The Happy Place Opens Again!

Adrenaline has kicked in, and it will keep pumping up at the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) as it continues to welcome book lovers everywhere. 

On the first day, I had an hour talk before educators and any advocate for picure books. The event was oragnized by the The National Book Development Board (NBDB), a Philippine government agency tasked with developing and promoting the country's book publishing industry

My topic centered around the role of picture books in developing empathy towards peace. My cup of tea! 

From day 1 of my writing journey, the trajectory has always been peace, through Christian values. All my 50 plus published picture books today focus on these values, each one showing how moral ethics (from the Book on grace that I read every day) can be lived through relatable characters illustrated in unique ways. 

Son #1 took pictures of the talk perhaps to document how his mother has kept her life busy even after leaving the corporate world. Talks in events such as this usually follow a published book. 

A lecture? Never. I speak about how and why I write and hopefully, the audience can have some meaningful take-away on how books on grace can help them guide the young teward the right path. 

As writers and illustrators love to instruct tthemselvs, "Show, don't tell!"  

From a select audience to the crowd at the OMF lit booth with the theme READEMPTION: 

To book worms, this is the happy place for happy days! 

New Books: READemption

Redemption is powerfully told in the greatest book ever written: the BIBLE.

A non-theologian, I define it in the simplest of words: Believers’ past sins are completely wiped out, because the Savior paid the total penalty on the cross.

This is where my faith is anchored on, and which keeps me writing--to always remind myself of His sacrifice for insignificant me. Redemption (and soon, restoration when the Savior comes again) will hopefully be understood and believed by readers, one book at a time.

That's why joy stole my breath when I received this invitation from OMF Literature. 

READEMPTION was a gathering of everyone involved in the production of 25 new books for launching at the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) from Sept 9-13, 2026. A Christian publishing house, OMF acknowledges that everything comes from the Savior and dedicating our work to Him means giving back all the glory that is never ours, but belongs only to Him.

Over snacks, each round table was given three topics to discuss and reflect on:

1. For authors: What are the Christian and Filipino values that your books redeem from today’s challenging world?

2. For illustrators, Editors, and Translators: Did the story inspire you to live out specific Christian or  Filipino values?

3. For OMF Lit: As a publisher, what are the new realizations that you had in producing this batch of books?  

READEMPTION is a beautiful cacography of redemption, the message we want our readers to understand, one book at a time. 

READEMPTION, OMF Literature and Hiyas's theme for the MIBF. is  a celebration of the Savior's grace.  

The CEO's moving talk revolved around OMF’s mission "to publish and distribute Christ-centered, biblically sound, and culturally relevant resources for the equipping and spiritual growth of Filipinos, all for the glory of God.”

The dedication of 25 books was not about us, but about the loving Redeemer who gave us all--talent, creativity, knowledge, wisdom, and so on and so fortth ad infinitum.  

Cut or Copy and Paste

People of my generation can scream all they want, but we are in this digital era (an alien!) where almost every information can be taken from the Net. It is now difficult to see who is thinking critically and who is copying intensely.  

My cohorts and I are wary about this phase in our world. But the younger ones have embraced it. I have not met any person below the age of 40 who has not done a "cut or copy and paste" for a research paper, speech, or just congratulatory message. It’s quick, convenient, and leaves the brain at rest. 

Yet it is a fact we can no longer ignore. I am no longer an exception either. 

Beyond curious about my blogs’ extremely high hits, I asked AI, “Tell me something about leavesofgrace.blogspost.com.”

I copied and pasted its reply, in toto—and gasped at the accurate data. 

These are more than eerie for this non-tech-savvy blogger.  

Working Birthday

“How would you like to celebrate your birthday?” son #3 asked me.

My quick reply, “By thanking God for His grace through my long years—and by treating the kids in church to dirty ice-cream [local nickname for sorbetes].”

He replied, “Okay.”

Then he added, “Why not invite the Dacs (my siblings and their families who are in the country) for an early dinner so we can work and finalize plans for the Clan Reunion.”

(We Dacs are hosting our 82nd annual Clan Reunion at the end of this old year and the beginning of the new one. It’s a job tattooed on our souls. Every nine years—there are nine siblings on my mother’s side—we toil. Every hour has to be planned to make the gathering meaningful for every attendee: from infants to octogenarians, now spanning six generations. We’re more than 400 living to date, but majority are abroad. So the meet-up each year gathers only over a hundred.  Still, the planning is a challenge because a clan covers all demographics.)

Being the eldest of the Dacs, per tradition, I should be chairman. But lethargy by wear and tear has set in, so I passed on the title to a nephew and a niece as co-chairs. Both smart, creative, and techies, they’ve actually been planning before being officially designated as leads.

Ribbing dominated the meeting, plus photo ops, masked as documentation. But our co-chair (the other was abroad at that time) got everything down pat.

Coincidentally, the theme they chose is “Pass it on.”

And oh, my dirty ice-cream birthday treat for kids went so well that even the youth, the middle-aged, and oldies crowded the sorbetero after the worship service.

Not only was it a working birthday, it was a simple celebration that worked well.  

The Green light of Writing

Q: “Throughout your writing career, what has been the most fulfilling part?”

This question follows me like a shadow wherever I am asked to speak about my now 26-year journey as an author since I left the workplace for good. It was an unsettling early retirement, but it finally gave me the chance to pivot to my first love: creative writing.  

After my first book was published, it has felt like I am on a road with a series of green lights. Non-stop. With writing comes book talks, where I am often asked that question.

My last book talk was with literature students in one university, where a magazine was a school requirement. They asked me that same question. 

 

A: "Feedback from readers," I replied. "Without it, I don’t know how a writer can keep driving." 

Feedback breaks the isolation of writing, validates creative effort, and proves that words resonate with others.

Knowing that my book, or a part of it, made someone laugh, cry, or think deeply shows that the intent landed. Encouraging words chase away an author’s fear that the book is pointless.

      

 Feedback redirects writing from a one-way lane to a two-way traffic that signals comings and goings, greetings and goodbyes, like human dialogue.     

Words of affirmation from readers are a green light, reminding me to never hit the brakes in writing.   

Turning 18 and Still Blogging

Dyslexic I am called by close circles. My doctor says, “Inattention.”

Sometimes I forget left from right in a huge mall; it takes 3 seconds for me to distinguish “push” from “pull;” and I say Dantu Date instead of his real name, Dante Datu. I wrongly put on my clothes backwards. Plus a hundred more. 

So I am qualified to say I turned 18 instead of 81, my age after my last birthday. It was celebrated in church with a surprise birthday cake from the women’s Sunday school, which I help facilitate.  

You are verrrrry oooold,” my youngest ading Dave says to my face. Then he sings the old hymn, “Nearer My God to Thee.”

And yet, at 81, I am still blogging like crazy. My pace has not slowed down—every three to four days, sometimes shorter.

Why?

My default reply, “Writing is my first love.” And now I add, “And my last,” after Tony said goodbye.  

Why do I write? “Why do I breathe,” I wrote in my blog profile.

But I am not old or odd.  

Morrie Markoff (an American) started blogging in his 100s until passing away at age 110 in June 2024. 

I started blogging, midst grace overflowing, in 2006, one year after I turned 60. My sons, knowing  how invested I am in writing, prodded me. 

It’s been 20 years. I will stop only at age_____, when the Lord says, “Time to come home.”

FGD: Inherited Corporate Gene

Research was a must before beginning any work on any idea in advertising. As head of the creative department, I had to attend or participate in qualitative research, one of which was Focus Group Discussion (FGD).

Roughly 12 or 15 people in a closed room with a two-way mirror answered the moderator's questions. Behind the mirror, I’d sit, watch, listen, and take down notes as the participants agreed or disagreed with each other, building ideas in a natural conversation. 

FGD explored feelings and thoughts. In the process, I got to know which direction to take creatively. 

I inherited this “gene” after I left the workplace. While writing a book, I conduct an FGD—the better to understand the reader.

My newest project is a book for Gen Z’s and Gen Alpha. I had read tons of research data about these generations, but I wanted to conduct an FGD to validate them.  

And so I did, among Christian youth.

My purpose was to find out if they still read; what types of literature interest them.

Alas, only a handful read outside of the Bible. The participants were raucous and uninhibited in a wonderful way. I found myself enjoying the fellowship more than the data.

But additional data I now have, and I understand them more than what research results have already revealed. And since the book I am writing is about grace (always!) for their generations, I think I may now have enough material to stand on.  

Christian youth are different from those who are not. While both groups share similar pressures and everyday experiences, Christian youth live by specific biblical guidelines because they believe in God, Jesus Christ as Savior, and absolute moral truths from the Bible.

This I believe. I hobnob with them at every church event and Sunday after Sunday.     

Presidential SONA: Bravo or Boo?

Every year, we listen to a presidential State of the Nation Address (SONA).  And every time, reviews run toward two opposite directions: Excellent or Mediocre. 

Photo credit: Presidential Commission Office 

For me, it is a combination of both.

Pro: it is the president’s constitutional duty to report on the country. He/she uses real economic data, employment figures, and completed infrastructure counts from government agencies. The SONA outlines actual bills, laws, and national budget priorities for the coming year. Journalists and groups use the speech to track government promises against actual performance.

Con: it is a political performance designed to highlight successes, gloss over failures, and polish the administration's image. The president spotlight favorable statistics while ignoring deep crises, persistent poverty, or controversial scandals. The speech frames minor progress as massive victories and recycle old unfulfilled promises to sound impressive.

In advertising, we called this objective and execution. The objective may be excellent, but the execution can miserably fail because of various reasons: greed, laziness, corruption, status-seeking, and indifference to what is good for others. That’s why the polished numbers do not match the daily economic struggles of ordinary citizens.

I am not a political scientist so I am not qualified to comment on the details of the political landscape on earth. 

But this reminds me of that SONA-like event in the Bible where the leader, Moses (Book of Deuteronomy) makes a speech before the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab just before they enter the Promised Land. Moses delivers God’s “SONA.” 

Through Moses, God . . .

    • reviews past performance. He looks back on the nation's journey, reminding them of His faithfulness, their parents' failures in the wilderness, and how they arrived at this moment.

    • restates the ten commandments and outlines the social, economic, and religious laws that will govern their daily lives.

    • lists the national blessings for obedience (prosperity, safety, good health) and the severe national curses for disobedience (famine, defeat, exile).

    • concludes with a call to action for the nation to choose life. 

    • renews His covenant with them—that even if they fail and get scattered, He will bring them back if they return to Him.

The Biblical SONA is beyond bravo or boo. It is the unchanging truth. No ifs, ands, buts, ors, maybes. 

Hidden Grace: Unnamed Women

About a hundred women of noble character are unnamed in the Bible. Why?

For one, old cultures recorded public histories through men. Women generally operated in domestic spheres, that’s why their names were not important unless they impacted political, social, and royal concerns.

But the main reason is for readers to focus on the story rather than the name. The message remains on God’s actions and interactions rather than the women’s biography. 

The stories of these unnamed women, whose faith and struggles are vital contributions to our salvation history, represent all strata of society—from the poorest of the poor to royalty

C.H. Spurgeon wrote that marginalized women are “powerful examples of hidden grace; God uses ordinary, unrecognized individuals to achieve His greatest spiritual victories.”

Indeed, the true power of the church often rests in its unknown, unnamed members rather than famous figures. Faith goes beyond social status.  Though anonymous, these women are fully seen, deeply valued, and intimately understood by Jesus.  

I marvel at these stories, which are our series of lessons in our women's Sunday school these months.  They are humbling. They teach us that no one should look down on the unknown. 

One story that has sat with me is found in Luke 21:1-4 ESV:

“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Often, we give from what we do not need. But the unnamed widow gave all her money to live on, more than all the others' combined!  

What does this mean? My net takeaways:  

    • Giving is measured by sacrifice, not amount. God looks at what the gift costs the giver, not the size of the contribution.

    • True giving comes from a heart of devotion, not a desire for public recognition.

    • No one is too poor, too young, or too insignificant to make a meaningful impact in God's eyes.

    • Percentage matters. The rich gave a small fraction of their wealth, while the widow gave 100% of her substance.  

What about tithing? To this unnamed widow, tithing is the bare minimum. She gave her all, as Jesus did three days later on the cross. He gave all of Himself--for us all.  

Unknown? To the world, yes. To God, these nameless women are deeply loved and fully known.     

Photo credits: An Army rising (top),Vecteezy (middle),, Shutterstock (bottom)