Just Another Prompt

What was the best compliment you’ve received?

Not all of my friends knew that I underwent sigmoid surgery then six cycles of chemotherapy almost fourteen years ago but those who are close to me knew about what I went through back then. A friend who is a nun told me to keep the faith and she admired my bravery in facing this predicament. She had always told me before that I am a strong woman taking care of my two kids and at the same time keeping a job when the hubby went abroad to work.

Brave, strong and faithful to the Lord that He won’t abandon me. And the best compliment that I received? Despite everything that happened in my life, I am still standing tall.

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Hang In There

People see me as always positive in life. Even my kids believe that I could defeat (if that is the right word) all the hurdles in my path. Nissa always says that I’ve been through so much and here I am, still standing tall. Josef is confident that I won’t need another operation for me to get well.

I am blessed I have such supportive kids. I believe that we could always adjust to situations we find ourselves into. Hope and prayers will always be my guides. Sometimes though, I cry when I feel so much alone. Sometimes I need the physical presence of friends. Sometimes I find myself pretty weak too. Sure, I have lots of friends online including some of you here who make me feel blessed, more so with your inspiring comments, sharing lovely thoughts and praying for me. But there is a BUT there somewhere – hugs from friends I haven’t seen for so long, laughter shared and lots of stories too, affirmation that despite the years, I am still a lovable person. Would that be too much to ask? I hope not.

Life is beautiful, I agree but it is a great challenge too. When I could not sleep at night, I grasp my rosary and start praying. Sometimes, I can’t even finish the five decades and I fall asleep, finding bead marks on my face and arms too when I wake up. I always get to finish the glorious, joyful, sorrowful and mysteries of light while waiting for the doctor to see me. In every decade, I ask for petitions – health for me and the whole family, protection from harm for friends and family members, protection of our house and its suroundings, financial stability and world peace.

I know! I will always believe in a loving God who never get tired of accompanying me in my life’s journey. And I accept the saying that into each life, some rain must fall. Hang in there.

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An Image In The Mirror

Nissa told me that I’ve been through so much before and I am still here. Standing still used to be my favorite words for they connote being brave, not afraid of challenges, relying on a benevolent God to see me through all the problems and adversities in life. Standing still and facing life with all its angst and curve balls it throws my way.

In our main bedroom, we have this floor to ceiling cabinet and the sliding doors are made of mirror. It makes the room appear larger. Before I was so conscious of looking into it but over the years, it is as if it is another wall in the bedroom. Lately though I looked thorougly and what did I see? It was an image of a somehow harassed and afraid woman with white hair at the front of her head, some wrinkles finally appearing on her face and an image of a growing old woman who at 66 is finding life with so much challenge.

I ‘d like to think I could face all these challenges but sometimes I worry about what will happen. Yes, this is another test probably that I have to pass with flying colors. Endurance, faith, courage.

It’s January 15th,the Feast Day of our Señor Sto. Niño, we celebrate it every third Sunday of January as approved by the Holy See. It’s fiesta in Obet’s place and our town in Pangasinan.

Viva Pit Señor Sto. Niño. Ipanalangin mo kami.

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Not Good

Oh my, on top of my pending cataract operation because my glucose is not normal yet, here’s another news that I have to bear with faith and prayers.

I finally had an appointment with an audiologist yesterday and the verdict is not so good. Forty five minutes of testing. It seemed like I was playing with a joy stick when I underwent three kinds of tests. I was made to listen to different density of sounds – loud, normal, soft and faint which I could not almost hear. Every time the headphone🎧 sounds in my ears, I have to press the stick once. The audiologist discussed the result with me after testing. It seems that I am already classified under severe loss of hearing. The audiologist said I really need hearing aid now. It could no longer be corrected. He quoted a price, 60,000 for both ears and that is already discounted. So expensive. I’ve had already spent so much for my medications.

I’ve been told that it only takes six months before the density of hearing loss advances. I’ll come back to him once I’ve seen my ENT on Monday. Whatever she says, I have to abide by it. There is a need to measure my ears via a mold which will be used for the hearing aid. I am not yet done with other issues on my health and here comes another. I am grateful though that I reached this age despite undergoing hysterectomy, surgical sigmoid operation, chemotherapy and kidney bypass a few years ago.

KEEPING THE FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD.

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He Is Home

Thank God for your prayers. Josef came home last Wednesday night. Jovy fetched him from the hospital. He is on sick leave until Monday. Now, I am so careful when I go out in the garden, have to put OFF lotion first before going out. It is rainy season here and mosquitoes are everywhere especially at night.

Nissa had rashes two days ago. She also had fever because of tonsillo-pharyngitis. After two hospital visits, the rashes have subsided and she could eat properly now. She told me early this morning that she and Obet have their annual executive check-up today. It is a privilege provided by the bank for managers and up.

I always get nervous now every time there is someone sick in the family. It started with Alden when he was ill due to cancer. If there is one thing I pray everyday for, it is good health for all family members, relatives and friends. There is nothing better than being in God’s grace and mercy.

A big thank you for reaching thirteen years now of being cancer-free. It is a big blessing but I am always grateful for everyday blessings.

Have a happy week ahead.

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It’s Election Day

A very important event that most democratic-loving Filipinos waited with bated breath. The previous six years made being one not proud of his/her birthplace – extra-judicial killings, grave corruptìon, economy sinking fast, a strongman for a leader, lies, broken promises, curses and swearing and what have you. And most of all allegiance to china.

Now we’ve found the most-qualified candidate for the presidency in the person of VP LENI ROBREDO.

The polling precincts opened at 6 am. I was there before 6 am and I was number 4 in line at our own precinct. It is an advantage for us subdivision owners that Election is held at our multi-purpose hall exclusive to us. I was done at 6:30 am. It was literally peaceful so far.

Let VP LENI, SEN. KIKO and their slate win.

Let freedom-loving Filipinos win. Let us WIN THIS TIME LORD🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏

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Happy 9th Sacerdotal Anniversary

I texted Fr. Lovell early this morning to greet him on his 9th priestly anniversary ordination. Wow, we haven’t seen each other since I attended his first Thanksgiving mass after his ordination. That was nine years ago too. He is just too busy juggling between his masteral studies, office work and his priestly ministry. Yeah, he said that we haven’t seen each other for a long time. Every time he presides over special masses, I always get a text that he is offering his mass for the family too. So glad to have a prayer warrior.

It is hard to be a priest. They are humans like us. There is that big responsibility they carry on their shoulders. Much as we need prayers, they need them more.

I found this picture of us together during his ordination nine years ago.

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World Day For Grandparents And Elderly

I guess most of us belong in this category. Some excellent bloggers that I follow and befriended are older than I am. I am a grandparent too so I belong here.

Today, July 25, 2021, the Church observes for the first time the “World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly. It was instituted by Pope Francis early this year to be observed annually on the fourth Sunday of July, close to the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary which every July 26. – ( from the Dominican Province of the Philippines).

The Church invites us to care for our grandparents and elderly by setting aside this special day. There is a prayer issued by the Holy See in observance of this day.

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Blessed Carlo Acutis

Culled from the net

This was the photo they selected during his beatification.

I am sure some of you have heard of Carlo Acutis. 

“Blessed Carlo Acutis (3 May 1991 – 12 October 2006) was an Italian Catholic computer programmer. He was best known for documenting Eucharistic miracles around the world and cataloguing them all onto a website that he created in the months before his death from leukemia. He was noted for his cheerfulness and his computer skills as well as for his deep devotion to the Eucharist which became a core theme of his life.“- from Wikipedia

I only heard of him a  day after his scheduled beatification. Last night on live feed, I witnessed his beatification at 10:30 am (Italy time but was last night here in our country). He was beatified at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, Italy.  Even though the mass was in Italian, I cried while watching it.  He is the first millennial declared as blessed.  He  was born in London on May 3, 1991  and died  last October 12, 2008. He contracted leukemia and offered his pain both for St. Benedict XVI and for the Universal Church. 

Here’s two of his lovely and meaningful quotes:

“I offer all the suffering I will have to suffer for the Lord, for the Pope, and the Church”. 

“the more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven”.

Here’ s the miracle attributed to Carlo Acutis’ prayers:  (from the catholictelegraph.com)

The beatification of Carlo Acutis took place Oct. 10 after a miracle attributed to his prayers and the grace of God. In Brazil, a boy named Mattheus was healed from a serious birth defect called an annular pancreas after he and his mother asked Acutis to pray for his healing.

Mattheus was born in 2009 with a serious condition that caused him difficulty eating and serious abdominal pain. He was unable to keep any food in his stomach, and vomited constantly.

By the time Mattheus was nearly four years old, he weighed only 20 pounds, and lived on a vitamin and protein shake, one of the few things his body could tolerate. He was not expected to live long.

His mother, Luciana Vianna, had spent years praying for his healing.

At the same time, a priest friend of the family, Fr. Marcelo Tenorio, learned online about the life of Carlo Acutis, and began praying for his beatification. In 2013 he obtained a relic from Carlo’s mother, and he invited Catholics to a Mass and prayer service in his parish, encouraging them to ask Acutis’ intercession for whatever healing they might need.

Mattheus’ mother heard about the prayer service. She decided she would ask Acutis to intercede for her son. In fact, in the days before the prayer service, Vianna made a novena for Acutis’ intercession, and explained to her son that they could ask Acutis to pray for his healing.

On the day of the prayer service, she took Mattheus and other family members to the parish.

Fr. Nicola Gori, the priest responsible for promoting Acutis’ sainthood cause, told Italian media what happened next:

“On October 12, 2013, seven years after Carlo’s death, a child, affected by a congenital malformation (annular pancreas), when it was his turn to touch the picture of the future blessed, expressed a singular wish, like a prayer: ‘I wish I could stop vomiting so much.’ Healing began immediately, to the point that the physiology of the organ in question changed,” Fr. Gori said.

On the way home from the Mass, Mattheus told his mother that he was already cured. At home, he asked for French fries, rice, beans, and steak – the favorite foods of his brothers.

He ate everything on his plate. He didn’t vomit. He ate normally the next day, and the next. Vianna took Mattheus to physicians, who were mystified by Mattheus’ healing.

Mattheus’ mother told Brazilian media she sees in the miracle an opportunity to evangelize.

“Before, I didn’t even use my cell phone, I was averse to technology. Carlo changed my way of thinking, he was known for talking about Jesus on the Internet, and I realized that my testimony would be a way to evangelize and give hope to other families. Today I understand that everything new can be good, if we use it for good, ” she told reporters.

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They’re Just Stories

Be a wheat among the weeds. Seeds grown in good grounds produce a good harvest.

One time, I attended an early morning mass in our Parish. It was a Sunday and the church was full. Besides me was a child  maybe about five years old.  When it came to the part of the mass  that we had to greet each other “Peace be with you”, she shyly turned to me, smiled, bowed her head and  said  “peace be with you”.  I was so touched with her gestures. Not all children who attend Sunday masses are attentive enough to follow the sequence of the mass.  Hallelujah!

When Nissa had her thyroid operation last September, I was  with her for four days at the hospital and before we went to sleep, we shared these stories about life and the daily happenings in our lives. I remember her telling me about Nate. Every after the end of the mass, the priest usually gives blessings to the parishioners especially little children. When Nate approached the priest he asked him to bless and to please say a prayer for his mom for her successful operation the following week. That started their friendship. Nate made it a point to see Fr. Regie since then.  The latter is the present Rector of the Manila Cathedral.  I attend his masses online almost everyday with Fr. Kali. They have inspiring  and lovely homilies. So many lessons learned in the process.

Last February,  the last time Nate came with  Obet and Nissa to spend the day with us, we invited our good friend Fr. Aly to have lunch with us here at home. He has been our friend since we had our house blessing twenty five years ago.  He even officiated Nissa and Obet’s wedding back in 2011. Nate was not shy in front of religious people. Seemed as if he had also known Fr. Aly for a long time but it was only the first time they met each other.

Nate is not shy among strangers because he talks a lot. This is one of his photos taken at the Manila Cathedral last December.

Have a blessed Sunday everyone.  May the coming week be a happy one for us. Amidst this pandemic, let us not lose  our faith and let us always hope for the best.

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