It’s His 15th Year

Yes, we lost dad on this same day fifteen years ago and I try to write about him every year on his birthday and death anniversary. Memories kept, memories treasured.

We were still in grade school in the province when dad took his yearly Christmas break and he would join us for our simple Noche Buena and Media Noche. There used to be a cooperative inside the university where he worked and every December, the administration give the employees’ share of the earnings of the coop. Coupons were exchanged for groceries and other necessities that the employees could buy. We’ll always look forward to Dad’s Christmas vacation armed with various groceries – canned goods, quezo de bola, Granny Smith apples and sometimes school supplies. Us kids were not used to eating quezo de bola so it usually stays in the basket for a month. Mom’s cousin, our teacher in grade school liked it a lot. Before, hams come in tins unlike now where they cook it fresh.

Every year, there was this fund drive by students of UST High School department where they gather used clothing and give them to the employees when December comes. Dad would bring home a big box of assorted clothes and Mom would distribute them to our neighbors and some relatives. Mom would choose around five then she would alter them for me. She was good at sewing. We had an old Singer machine which is still in the province. Some of my classmates in grade school thought we bought a lot of dresses every December for me but they were just overhauled second hand clothes that Dad used to bring home.

Dad was fond of having his white hair removed, 5 cents for each. I had a piggy bank where I would keep my earnings back then.

Those days that made life wonderful and happy. I miss him…stiĺl. Maybe he is looking down on us with that smiling face. Praying for you dad🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️😘🥰😍

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The Gift

I want to share with you this lovely and touching story. Sometimes all we want are material things. Sometimes all we think is the value of the gift. Sometimes we are just disappointed when we don’t get what we want.  True or not, this gives us lessons. Regrets come later when you could no longer undo the past.

This is from an anonymous author. Whoever you are, thank you so much for this nice read.  It made me pause to reflect somehow.

A married lady was expecting a birthday gift from her husband. For

many months she had admired a beautiful diamond ring in a showroom

and, knowing her husband could afford it, she told him that was all

she wanted.

As her birthday approached, she waited for signs that her husband had

purchased the diamond ring.

Finally, on the morning of her birthday, her husband called her into

his study. He told her how proud he was to have such a good wife, and

told her how much he loved her. He handed her a beautifully wrapped

gift box.

Curious, the wife opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound

Bible, with her name embossed in gold. Angrily, she raised her voice

to her husband and said, ‘With all your money, you give me a Bible?’

And she stormed out of the house, leaving her husband.

Many years passed and the lady became very successful in business. She

managed to acquire a more beautiful house and had a wonderful family.

But then. she realized her ex-husband must be very old, and thought

perhaps she should visit him. She had not seen him for many years.

Before she could make arrangements, she received a telegram telling

her that her ex-husband had passed away, and willed all of his

possessions to her. She needed to come back immediately and take care

of things.

When she arrived at her ex-husband’s house, sudden sadness and regret

filled her heart. She began to search through her ex-husband’s

important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as she had left it

years before.

With tears, she opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. Her

ex-husband had carefully underlined a verse, Matt 7:11, ‘And if you,

being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much

more shall your Heavenly Father, who is in heaven, give what is good

to those who ask Him?’

As she read those words, a tiny package dropped from the back of the

Bible. It had a diamond ring, with her name engraved on it — the same

diamond ring which she had seen at the showroom. On the tag was the

date of her birth, and the words, ‘LUV U ALWAYS’.

 

How many times do we miss God’s blessings, because they are not

packaged as we expected?

 

Do not spoil what you have, by desiring what you have not; but

remember that what you now have was once among the things you only

hoped for.

 

IF YOUR GIFT IS NOT PACKAGED THE WAY YOU WANT IT,

IT’S BECAUSE IT IS BETTER PACKAGED THE WAY IT IS.

 

ALWAYS APPRECIATE LITTLE THINGS;

THEY USUALLY LEAD YOU TO BIGGER & BETTER THINGS.

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A Little Thought About Christmas

I briefly went out to unlock the gate and a cold wind brushed my cheeks. Cold nights and cold mornings are finally here. In our corner of the world, that means Christmas is near.  I haven’t done my Christmas shopping yet but my list has narrowed down a  bit. It’s mostly for family now. Years ago, I dreamed of just baking some goodies  for our neighbors and a few close friends I still get in touch with. I guess, I know enough now to make it happen.  As you grow older, the Christmas list is a little shorter because what matters is not the material gifts but more on what you share from the heart. There was a time in the distant past (when I was still working) that I used to buy all my gifts for family and friends even at the start of the year and by September, everything is ready.  I love  it to be a little personalized keeping in mind the particular person I want to give the gift to. I used to wrap them up and lovingly embellish the boxes with ribbons. That’s when Nissa’s craft supplies come in handy. The crimping scissors, glue sticks, wrappers, ribbons and all the accoutrements we have collected over the years. I recently visited my photo albums at Photobucket and found these. I don’t have any picture on my Zoom browser application except for the latest shots of my Mokara orchids.

the fun of crafting…

I love using local materials which are cheaper and fun to do. I have a stash of greeting cards for all occasions and I still use them now and then. One thing that I miss nowadays is receiving  hand-written cards  and letters from friends. I am reviving it this Christmas.  I will buy greeting cards and write. There was a time in our small group of online friends at Multiply before when we exchanged letters and postcards and it was fun. Every day, I would check if there is one in the mail.

and the joy of wrapping gifts…

I am excited. It’s 48 days to go before Christmas. Since Josef is on leave, we will visit Nissa later at her office to have lunch together.  They have scheduled a trip next week to celebrate their wedding anniversary and Nate’s second birthday and they have chosen Siquijor and Dumaguete City in their itinerary. Siquijor is a lovely island province in Central Visayas. Like Boracay, it boasts of white sands and lovely beaches. Lucky Nate to have a wide and big playground for a few days.

 

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