Chicken and Macaroni

Image c/o LatestRecipes.Net

We’ve had chicken macaroni soup yesterday. It’s nice that Mylene, our present household angel cooks very well. Mom likes it very much. She’s even wanting to have one again although she prefers Chicken Arroz Caldo to be next in the menu.

Mylene has suggested Pasta Macaroni ‘cause she’s good with pasta too. That brings back to mind Dad. He used to buy Pasta Macaroni at a nearby mall for our snack. He prefers macaroni instead of spaghetti noodles ‘cause he finds it difficult to chew spaghetti noodles since he has lost his front teeth. I can recall vividly in my mind how he eats at the dinner table and drinks juice from his small glass. Actually, he loves Cobra Energy Drink and its his beverage for his afternoon snacks.

How I wish we can travel in time! Hehe...

Image courtesy of:

http://www.latestrecipes.net/2009/09/30/macaroni-soup-sopas/

Missing Dad on my Birthday

We have failed to visit Dad on my birthday so we’ve paid him a visit this morning. I feel that no celebration would be complete without bringing his memory into it. It is kind of late but it is something that we can’t do without.

We’ve stayed there for around two hours. It has been very short but it has been meaningful for us, his family. It’s a way of keeping him with us although we know that he has gone forever.

I just wonder, will I recognize him when we get to see each other again in heaven? Will I still call him Diddy (Dad)? I wonder when will it be?

Turning 40!

It’s my birthday again, the 3rd after Dad’s passing. Our pastors, Pastor Orly and Pastor Rolly, has come to greet me together with Deaconess Roselle, Mommy Pag-asa, Ate Rose and Kuya Arthur. Although, we only have sweet “garbansos” beans and biscuits to partake actually Mommy Pag-asa has bought the biscuits. It has been a blessed day.

Actually, I had my birthday feast yesterday when my great friend Sonny and family threw a surprise birthday bash for me. He came with his mom Tita Mina, his cousin, and Zaldy’s mom, Tita Celia and my childhood yaya (nanny) Precy. They brought me a big circular basket of Pansit Malabon, two grilled chicken and bottles of Cola. I stuffed my belly real big! It had been years since we last saw each other.

I just turned 40. I look forward to another year ahead. It’s both scary and exciting but nothing will bring me down if I will look for strength from God.

Image above courtesy of:

http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/birthday2.shtml

The Chancel Choir Cantata and Christmas Party @ LUMC

I was so excited for the Choir Cantata we did yesterday. It was the first time that we incorporated it in the divine service. We usually do it in the evening in the past years. Anyways, after a long series of grueling practice sessions, finally we had sung the cantata. We prepared for it since last November if not mistaken. It was especially difficult for me because I had only a few sessions to practice with the choir because of mobility problems on my part. But the most important thing is that I had been a part of a great performance by the chancel choir. All glory belong to God!

After the cantata, we had our choir Christmas Party and church party later in the afternoon. It was a great day, a great celebration, great food and wonderful gifts. Praise God for Christmas!

All Saints’ Day in Focus

Photo by Rusty

We went to visit Dad’s burial place three days before All Saints’ Day. It was the second time after his death in December of 2008.  

We avoided the surge of people coming to cemeteries every November 1 so we decided to visit days before it. It was not a surprise that there were a number of people already inside the cemetery. Some were early visitors like us but most of them were there to clean up the tombs especially the marble markers.

When we arrived, there was an old woman sitting on the grass lawn near Dad’s place together with a young woman who seemed to be her daughter. After a while, she broke a conversation. She was complaining that the caretaker was not taking care of her husband’s burial place. She was obviously disappointed. I just didn’t know if she was paying the tomb caretaker.

All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are important days for Christian families especially in our country. According to Catholic Catechism, the Catholic faithful commemorate all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven on All Saints’ Day. The following day, All Souls' Day, they commemorate the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Catholics celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory (the 'church penitent') or are in heaven (the 'church triumphant'), and the 'church militant' who are the living (info Wikipedia).

They believe that these are days of remembrance, celebration and prayer. These are occasions to remember with respect, honor & affection all those beloved people, now at peace, whose lives are intertwined with ours, who have served to shape our lives and whose influences contributed to what we are and what we are becoming.

Non-Catholic Christians also observe the tradition but not for the same theological substance but to be with family members and together celebrate the memory of their beloved who have gone ahead to the eternal kingdom in heaven.


The photo above is from a blog article by Rusty
@ Philippines Experience Blog: "Haloween in the Philippines"
Follow the link below to read his article in full
Philippines Experience Blog: "Halloween in the Philippines"

Abandoned Grave

While we were at the cemetery, I noticed some adjacent plots that looked forlorn. One marble epitaph was broken into two, heavily soiled, and the etchings had faded and almost illegible. Apparently, the family of whoever had been buried in that particular grave plot had long ceased visiting.

I was wondering what could have happened, that the grave had been abandoned. Visiting memorial gardens had been an important tradition in Filipino culture. Some apply religious beliefs but for me, our family, we preserve the memory of my Dad; Dad’s life, which he had given to us, his family, for the most part of it. In our memory, we could feel him as if he’s still with us..

We asked the caretaker about what had happened to the abandoned grave plot we saw. He said, “The one visiting had stopped coming. The last thing I heard, he had died too”.

It made me think, when we too had left the earth, would the same happen to Dad’s burial place? Perhaps... As people die, memories die too. They will only continue to live on the earth, as long as those whom they had left living, continue to keep their memories living in their hearts. 

When people stop to remember, they will soon abandon graves and monuments. Culture and heritage will soon die too. The next generation will lose their identity and will live without a cultural backbone. If one does not know who he is, how can he know where he should be?

It's Dad's Birthday Today

We went to the cemetery this morning. The weather did not look good but we went anyway. We managed to get there before the rain fell. It was a bit embarrassing cause the tricycle driver needed to carry me from my wheel chair to the back seat and back to my wheel chair. I brought a pusher for easy carrying.

Since it had been raining the past three days, the soil was moist and muddy. Although, it was a lawn cemetery, there were grassless portions. Going to the plot took a little time. The epitaph was nice and clean this time. We were there for more than thirty minutes and we wanted to stay longer but the rain suddenly fell. We didn’t know if it would stop or continue for the next hours so we had to leave.

It was not a very long visit but at least we had another chance to remember Dad on his birthday.