SIMBA

"faster, faster we're late again..." while approaching the church entrance I can almost hear the priest with his homily. " huh, so we're really late again." Hearing mass is a process. Sa misa ay pagdadaanan mo pagpupuri, pagsisisi, pag aalay at pagtanggap. Kaya nga paglabas mo ng simbahan ay mararamdaman mo ang kaligayahan, kalinisan at busilak na puso, pagmamahal at katahimikan ng isip.  But this one is kakaiba... nahihiya ba ako kay Lord? Naiinis ba ako sa sarili ko because we're late again, bakit ganito ang pakiramdam? Please, please, please... kalma...  focus... nagmimisa... huwag maiinis... "Hay...success!" "Peace be with you" "Ama Namin" "Panginoon, hindi ako karapat dapat na magpatuloy sa Iyo, ngunit sa isang salita mo lamang ay gagaling na ako" And yes, gagaling ako... because the moment I declared these words... I WAS HEALED! So on my way to the altar to receive Him...I am already at peace..." Body of Christ" and I said "AMEN"

"ALL BY MYSELF?"

"Mama, punta tayo All About Baking, may mga bibilhin po ako." My daughter Niki is into her own home-baking business. May mga order siya so she has to buy ingredients na kulang pa. When we arrived at All About Baking, my husband was already there. As you know, his Papa and I are all out support to her baking business. Maybe that's what parents are... more often than not, we are more excited than Niki when she has orders. Kami ang makulit, kami ang laging nagpapaalala, si husband laging binibisita ang oven... nakakatuwa pero to be honest kami talaga ni husband ang kabado. But of course every bake na gawa niya is sooooo delicious!!! Ayan na, tapos na siya mamili... she is now approaching the cashier. Ooops, I have to go to the restroom ... I have to pee...  so off I go... When I returned she is already carrying all her pinamili... "mama, why did you leave me when I am about to pay my items? I can't even find Papa to ask for help... wahhh why did you do that?" Ako kasi ang taga bayad niya sa mga binibili nya for she was just starting. "What happenned then?"  "P2,500.00 lahat ang napamili ko... tumaas yata ang blood pressure ko... sumakit ulo ko... parang lalagnatin yata ako. "hahaha" I've been longing to do this... to let her do it by herself... I keep telling her that she must learn how to budget her money. When I do the paying, tendency is she just keeps on getting whatever she wants. She overlooks to consider on what item she can save more. Now she learned her lesson. Before going to All About Baking, she makes a list of what she needs and the good thing is she tries to canvass and compare prices now. Thank God, my trip to the restroom had taught her an important lesson needed for her baking business. Now she can do buying her needs all by herself... (you can visit her site at www.pastriesbynikita.tk)

ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD

It's raining non-stop since Sunday (Aug. 5) ...I remembered last night my family and I prayed the rosary and we prayed fervently that Our Gracious God will protect all of us ...At 2am we were awakened by flood waters rushing inside our house. " This is it, we have to move out..." my husband told us.
As Nikon and Niki gathered their personal things...I am down on my knees...my body trembled...I am frightened...I can't move...Then my husband asked me to go first. Thank God we rented an apartment on a higher place but also within the same area in anticipation of the Rainy Season because our place is prone to flooding. We moved some of our things there but not our appliances and other things that were heavy to carry. As I left I told myself "let go and let God" this is one thing we cannot control. We can only ask God to protect us all throughout this ordeal. And so we stayed in the rented apartment until the flood subsided.

Since the rented apartment was so small, we have to sleep side by side with each other, thank God for by sleeping together we were able to pray the rosary everyday. We were able to share stories till the wee hours of the morning. We ate together with what was left...canned goods...pandesal, anything that can satisfy our hunger will do. We had a great bonding! By these I felt so blessed for we were together...Rolly, Nikon, Niki and I. Thank you so much, Lord!

The saddest part is when we went back a week later. Nikon and Niki can't believe what they saw...Our refrigerator was half submerged . Our television turned upside down, also with our  Washing machine and gas range, stereo component, even Niki's Hair Dryer wasn't spared." We're back to zero now!"

That night we prayed the rosary again. We thanked God we are Alive and together. Yes, our household appliances are gone but we have each other. Yes, My husband and I were in pain for we invested for those things for a very long time but we were thankful we have realized that material things doesn't matter as long as you have Our Gracious God...trust in Him...all things are possible with God!

LORD, ARE YOU THERE?

Have you ever been frightened?  Cold feeling… nausea… sweaty palms… fast heartbeats… this is how I am feeling right now.  I woke up at three in the morning feeling my heart rushing… I can’t help on thinking “Is this it?” “Will you take me now LORD?”  I’ve been taking care of myself ever since I learned I have this ASD (atrial septal defect/or butas sa puso) I want to live more and spend the rest of my happy life with my better half, Rolly and my children Nikon and Niki.  Inhale, exhale, pray…pray…pray harder… pray for everybody… pray for my Mom who is far away from us.  Pray for my brothers and sister and their families, pray for other people… pray for the sick and the dying… pray for those who have nothing to eat and no home to sleep in… pray for those who have problems… pray for those who are isolated… pray for those who are in their darkest moment… pray for those who have forgotten that there is an ever loving GOD who is always available for us 24/7…my heart beat now is so , so serene… it seems like dancing… it seems so in love… so in love with GOD, our Father. I started to thank HIM… thank you for this moment…

Thank you for giving me a chance to commune with you LORD… I can feel you here beside me… the fear was gone now… my heart is so excited to thank you LORD.  My heart beat is rushing to glorify you LORD.

My tears are falling… no words can express how grateful I am that you are taking care of me LORD. All my needs, all my worries, all my burdens… all my fears… YOU are not only leading me to right path… YOU are really carrying me.  All the days of my life, you never leave me. Now I will sleep again…no more fears!!! I can now slumber for I know YOU ARE HERE!!!

MY SISTER'S GOOD NEWS!

I can't believe what I heard,  "My husband got promoted !"  said my sister excitedly.  "nag call in ako just so that when my husband gets home, I will be there to congrats him and embrace him."  What a couple !  My sister and her husband is maybe on the 17th year of their married life. Truly , there have been ups and downs, thick and thin, plus and minus, joy and sorrow...name it, they've been there.They have weathered every bits and pieces of a married life .  No,  I believed GOD is not yet done with them.  They are still GOD'S creation on process.  Yes, there have been changes...Godly changes.  Because now, their three sons are constant A-1 students.  the eldest will be a future scholar in college next year. My brother in law is an A-1 employee and husband...an A-1 son, and an A-1 brother.  My sister is also a supervisor in a company where she is employed.  They do help their other siblings and help other people in times of need.  I am so happy with the good news...but the real good news is that GOD ANSWERS ALL OUR PRAYERS IN HIS OWN PERFECT TIME!!!