My Mother's Day Story

It was mother's day again. I wasn't expecting anything. I knew it would be just an ordinary day.
I woke up when my alarm rang at around 5 A.M. But I get back to sleep knowing that my kids would be waking up late also. It was the sound of our opening gate that woke me again passed 7 A.M. It was Rey who just arrived home after working in a late night shift.
He walked in with a cake and a bouquet of roses. "Well, it would not be a very ordinary day after all.", so I told myself. He told me that we would be dinning out with the kids. It was not really exciting because going out with kids means preparing them and their things, and it would be stressful. Yet, a mother would always love to see her kids excited to go out and enjoying each other's company.
What's unexpected is when Allen, who had always been a hard-headed little man told me these words. "Mommy, buti na lang ikaw ang naging Mommy ko. Iyong Mama ng kalaro ko nagmumura, iyong iba nag-susugal o kaya umiinom ng alak. Ikaw hindi ka nagmumura, minsan lang pag sobrang salbahe na kami at minsan ka rin lang uminom ng alak, noong bithday mo lang." ("Mommy, It's good that you are my Mommy. My playmate's mother is always saying bad words,the other's mom is always gambling or drinking liquor. You, you barely say bad words, only when we get so bad, and you drunk liquor only once when it was your birthday.") I was really surprised to hear it from Allen, the one always giving me head ache with his bad attitude. Yet , I answered him saying, " Because I'm always thinking of you and your wellfare, that's why I cannot be bad."
Sometimes, we think that the people around us do not appreciate the things we do for them. We really get surprised to know that they do…

Prayer for Election

O God, our Loving Father

We thank You for the opportunity that this election year
puts before us,
To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,
But to influence countless others to vote,
And to vote correctly.

Lord, we pray that may we be awakened.
Let us realize that while politics is not our
salvation,
Our response to You requires that we be politically
active.

Today, we elect those who will serve in our government:
the voices that call us to go this way or that way are confusing,
the signs of these times that we must discern are tragic and unjust,

Awaken us that we do not cease to be Christians
When we enter the voting booth.

Awaken Your people to a commitment to justice,
To the sanctity of marriage and the family,
To the dignity of each individual human life,
And to the truth that human rights begin when Human Lives
Begin,
And not one moment later.

May all who are elected this day:

do justice,

love goodness,

and walk humbly before You and all people.

Lord, we rejoice today
That we are citizens of Your kingdom.

May that make us all the more committed
To being faithful citizens on earth.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

My own Jabbawokeez

Maybe, because of my age, I was not aware of who the Jabowakeez was. I were hearing their name from my kids. Then, when Allen told me that he was going to have a dance number in school and is needing a Jabowakeez costume then I got interested. Wow, now I know that they are half-blooded Filipinos that are well-known in dancing.

And as to my son's school dance, as a mother, I am very proud of my son's performance. Actually, it was a group performance but my eyes and my camera are stuck on my son.


Mothers should really be interested on what's fascinating to their kids. It is also a bridge of communications between the parents and the kids.

My Thoughts About Fasting

Lent is the forty days preparation for the Easter. It starts from Ash Wednesday and ends on the celebration of the Last Supper. During this season, we, Catholics believe that fasting is required to prepare ourselves. I always hear from some people that fasting is required or meat is forbidden during this time.

Fasting is part of religious life all over the world. In a fast, the believer chooses, for a time, to do without something that is hard to do without. This is done so it does not come between the believer and God, so it cannot act as a God over that relationship and over our lives.

Usually, fasting is to do without food. Food is one great blessing of God in our lives, a true pleasure and a true necessity. But humans tend to be gluttons; we want to eat more. Our hunger can compel us, force our hand, occupy our thoughts. When we have anything in our lives that we don't or can't say "no" to, then it is lording over us. God is in control. If something else takes up God's place in our lives, it is an idol, and we are living in something akin to idolatry. Fasting helps us bring back enough control.

You can fast from some foods, and not others. You can fast from watching television or having sex.You can fast from hobbies you crave, things you are unhealthily drawn to such as music, books, news, and movies. You might even find it necessary to be fasting from use of the Internet.

You don't need to fast to be saved.Fasting can be helpful, but is not at all required.

Sufferings caused by fasts are not an excuse for being grouchy, stingy, or rude. Fasting can make your mind get weak and unable to focus, which may lead to angry or delusional reactions. When it does, stop fasting, because you're starting to harm yourself and you're bearing a bad witness to God's love.

Jesus speaks of the hypocrites who fast so that other people are impressed. Fasting is not for getting others to say, "wow, this is one holy dude". Fasts are between yourself and God.

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

MY VALENTINE GIFTS

VALENTINE SHOULD BE REALLY FUN FOR ME. MY FAMILY MANAGES TO GIVE ME GIFTS.
ADI AND ALYZZA GAVE ME THEIR VERY OWN HAND MADE GREETING CARDS. REY GAVE ME THREE ROSES. ANGELINE TEXTED ME. RENZ, MY LITTLE ONE, WHEN HE SAW THAT EVERYBODY IS GREETING ME, AS IF IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY, TOOK ALL THEIR GIFTS AND GAVE THEM ALL TO ME, TOGETHER WITH LOTS OF KISS.
BUT I WAS STILL UPSET. WHY? AFTER GIVING ME THEIR GIFTS, THEY ALL GO TO THEIR PERSONAL ACTIVITIES, LEAVING ME ALONE IN THE HOUSE. THEY DID'NT EVEN BOTHER TO EAT A MEAL WITH ME. I THINK THAT'S WHAT VALENTINE'S DAY IS ALL ABOUT NOWADAYS. SAD!!!

The Feast of Sto. Niño

During the month of January . The feast of Sto. Niño is celebrated in almost all places in the Philippines. The feast of the Sto. Niño brings us back to the birth of Christianity in the Philippines. The feast is an occasion for recalling with thanksgiving how the precious gift of Christianity came to us.


The story ,as we very well know, is part of the story of conquistadors like Ferdinand Magellan. Magellan had in his company Antonio Pigafetta who chronicled his travels. Pigafetta’s diary tells it all.

Magellan was met by King Humabon and his family, his courtiers and his followers. Filled with missionary zeal, Magellan preached to them about accepting Christianity. In their simplicity they responded and many of the natives were baptized together with the royal family.

On this occasion, as was the practice of conquistadors, Magellan left gifts behind. It is almost certain that one gift he offered was an image of the Sto. Niño.

Why do we celebrate the feast of the Sto Niño? The reason we have for celebrating it is not exactly the same as the reason we have for celebrating Christmas. In Christmas we celebrate the gift of salvation and the powerful lesson that greatness does not depend on a show of power but on a demonstration of humility. Now the feast is mainly a thanksgiving feast for the gift of Christianity.

More than that, however, it is also a reminder that the destiny of this nation depends very much on the restoration and the strengthening of the values which Christianity first planted in the Philippines.