Goodbye 2008, Welcome 2009

"As 2008 comes to an end, let's write all our hurts and pains in the sand so that the water of forgiveness can wash them away. As 2009 begins, let's carve all our blessings in stone as we daily say our thanksgiving for all that has been and all that will be." (Photo from www.5cense.com.)

20 Years and Going

Christmas is in the Air

Christmas... The merriest time of the year and the longest celebration in the Philippines. As early as September, one could hear carols being played in the radio. Christmas trimmings here and there. I still go for the green, red and gold colors of the season. Christmas means different things to different people. Christmas bonus, parties, new toys and clothes, reunions, exchange gifts, caroling, noche buena, etc. Whatever it means, it always brings cheer to everyone, young and old. 

This year, I shared a Christmas message in our church during our simbang gabi hosted by the Church Women's Association. It's all about Christmas as a time of giving. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Let me share with you an article from Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado: "If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior." Have a blessed Christmas. (Image by www.photofunia.com.)

First Blooms

Who wouldn't be happy to see the first fruits of his labor? These are the first blooms of my organically grown cattleyas. I remember last year while we were in Tanauan to visit my niece, we had to go to the city proper to look for an internet shop because my sister was waiting to chat with me. Afterwhich, there was this sidewalk vendor with all his orchids. Bobby took all the cattleya plantlets at a bargain price. I think there was a dozen of them. All I did was to pot and place them together with my dendrobiums and dancing ladies and water the orchids whenever I had the time. And that's it! Two of the cattleyas started to show their violet blooms. Except for the yellow flowers of the dancing ladies, the rest had different shades of violet blooms. :)

All We Like Sheep

... have gone astray, each of us turning our own separate way, we have all sinned and fallen short of Your glory... UCCP-Indang Evangelical Choir sings God With Us by Don Moen on December 7, 2008 at the University House of Worship, Cavite State University, Indang, Cavite.

Meet Babsy

Her name is Babsy. Why Babsy? After more than ten years since we had our first pet puppy (one day he left the house and never came back), we finally decided to have a pet dog and we wanted a male one. The puppy was delivered to our house in April this year. It was semi-askal and it took us several days to learn that the puppy was a "she" so I coined the name Babsy to mean Babae sya pala! Babsy is just less than a year old but she has grown bigger and heavier. She never fails to welcome us each time we go home from work and school. It will be her first Christmas and New Year with us. We're just a bit worried about the firecracker noise that will surely scare her. Poor Babsy!