Steel Magnolias

Have you ever seen the movie “Steel Magnolias?” It was a chick flick with an ensemble cast that delivered a strong message:  Even the daintiest person can possess quiet strength and display magnanimous resilience in the face of the most brutal struggle. It is one of my favorite movies.

A few years ago,  I finally saw a magnolia up-close. It was as big as a plate, sitting on a shelf at the library, a good 15 steps away from me. But at that distance, I could smell its fragrance. Not overwhelming. Sweet. Fresh. Refreshing. I asked the librarian if I could come near and touch it (I’ve seen these flowers up on trees, never knew what they were but I thought they were huge and beautiful) and she said, “Sure, honey!” with Southern drawl.

The petals were not frail. It seemed rubbery to me. But the fragrance, oh, the fragrance! I’ve always asked my husband NOT to buy me flowers because #1, it’s too darn expensive; and #2) I am not a big subscriber of consumerism. So on every special occasion (or eve on regular days!) since we got married, he has scoured for 1 single flower from any visible plant , bush or tree. It doesn’t take much to please me. I’m elated even with a bouquet of wildflowers growing by the roadside. Maybe, next time, I’ll have him look for sweet-smelling, pristine magnolias. It would be a lovely reminder of …

… how God has given me a new heart, in place of the wounded one …(Ezekiel 36:26) “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

… how blessed I am to have been gifted with a man who knows how to bring out my “fragrance” …

… that every morning, day, or season, I am given a chance to be a sweet aroma before God and men …. (Ephesians 5:2) “Live in love as Christ also loved us. He gave his life for us as an offering and sacrifice, a soothing aroma to God.”

… that winter will pass …. and spring will bring forth new life … like these captivating flora.

Steel Magnolias. Stunning. Sweet. Strong. I like that.

(Here’s a link on Youtube if you haven’t seen the movie.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDOVq08v1rQ)

Project Drab to Fab #1

A couple years ago, an abstract mass-produced art from Ikea (similar to the top photo) was hanging on our wall the color of a half-finished frapuccino with the whipped cream all melted and left to sit in 90 degree weather for days. It was just … BLAH. The colors were dismal, disgruntling and disappointing. It was awfully sad to behold. Every single time I saw it, I wanted to take it down.

It practically screamed, “RE-DO ME … PUH-LEEEAAASSEEEEE!!!!”

What to do? Roll my sleeves, put on my apron and get to work.

First, I took it off the black frame.  I then primed the canvas with white paint (the kind that you paint walls with), leftover from a painting project at home.  Put on some music and proceeded to work.

What a difference paint and some creativity make, don’t you think? Still learning how to paint beautiful pictures but, seriously, this is a piece that would cheer me up every time. 😉

Tea in bed on Sundays. DIY

I have this tray. Maybe I should try this … Thanks, Charlene Chic for the idea!

Salted Egg Salad

Ingredients:
4 pcs. Sweet Peppers
2 Roma Tomatoes
2 Salted Duck Eggs

Optional:
A dash of pepper
A dash of sesame oil or balsamic vinegar
1 Cucumber

Procedure:
1) Mince Veggies
2) Cut eggs in half and scoop out OR you can mince, like the veggies
3) Mix together.
4) You can serve chilled or at room temp immediately after prep.
5) Serves 2.

I didn’t add any of the optional ingredients to mine. The mix of flavors on this one is just right. Salty cravings satisfied. (Hits the spot better than chips, promise!)  ENJOY! 🙂

The Finisher

Hello, dear reader.  The Tick Tock has stopped for our dear friend, John Jacob.  Days are grey and tears abound. Yet, in the midst of the dark days ahead, we have an assurance that our Ironman, the Finisher, is enjoying Heaven, post-race.  I want to thank everyone who encouraged, rallied, cheered and cheerfully gave their resources to his family.  May God”s blessings pour upon you a thousandfold for your generosity!

 As a tribute to John, I am sharing this piece written by Binoy Sadia in 2010.  It was originally published in an anniversary issue publication of Lighthouse Christian Community.

♥♥♥

“Finisher”
Testimony of John Jacob
By: Binoy Sadia

     The sun was high as the competitors were all geared up at the starting line and John was there with the other 750 Ironman aspirants, waiting for the “bang” of the race gun that would signal the start of the race. And as the race progresses, John would still be in touch with his Coach. John’s exposure to sports dates back in high school as a varsity swimmer in Don Bosco and represented De La Salle University in college. But even if he was considered as a cherished campus asset, John felt insignificant and thought that he was not getting much attention. This made things dim for him when he directed his gaze to which is considered to be unthinkable, fatal and blinding- drugs would seem to be the key to hit the spotlight’s switch, grab everybody’s attention and would probably make him prove his worth. “I took drugs to boost my self-confidence, to stand-out, to be accepted and to tell others that taking drugs is something that not everyone can do” John admits. However, this did not meet his expectations. He never finished college at De La Salle University. At work, he ended up being a big time lip service artisan where his bosses would finish the job he is supposed to accomplish. People began to question his work ethic and value as an individual not to mention emotional displays of uncontrolled anger, rage and mood swings. It got worse when his wife wanted to leave him because of failure to carry out his duties as a husband and father to two children. “I used the money that I earn to buy drugs. If I ran out of resources, I would sell whatever item in the house.” John excluded.

     As one would say, there is always a dreadful end for someone who carries a stubborn head. John’s wife expressed her intentions of leaving him since she cannot bear the husband’s life-crushing addiction. Their marriage started to get shaky and was on the verge of a total collapse and Chinkie doesn’t want to get buried in the rubble. Afraid of losing his family, John made up his mind. He left the job that was once a haven for his drug-snuffling sessions, and made a decision that will once and for all change his life. That decision made its mark in 1998 in a church that meets on a Sunday inside a cinema house in Alabang Town Center. It graced the pages of John’s personal history book and would eventually be coined as the year of the great leap- a crossover from lurking and wandering in the wasteland of drugs to resting in the lush paradise of hope and newness. “The Lord just released me from drug addiction the moment I asked for His Holy Spirit to empower me to hate drugs.” John exclaimed. This distinct kind of high catapulted him to a place that not even a breeze of a single gram of shabu could reach. It is a higher ground that the God he once ignored had built just for him, and as he became free of any trace of drug dependence, his new found strength enabled him to stay away from smacked-out peers. John’s steady flight continues when he embarked on a challenge that will test his capability of finishing something significant.

     As he waited for August 22, 2010, John made serious preparations for his stint in the most grueling and toughest triathlon event in the country- Ironman 70.3, which is composed of 1.1 kilometer swim, 90 kilometers of cycling and ending it with a 21 kilometer run. A participant cannot be labeled as such without conquering all events. For John this is something big and a special one for him. “I want to prove that I can finish,” John mentioned with utmost fervor. And even in this journey as an athlete, faith played a vital role as it became his most prized possession. This would mean unsolicited nuggets of advice and wisdom from whom John considers as his strength and condition coach- Jesus Christ. John would soon overcome what every participant in the event would encounter as he began to be dependent on his unseen personal Trainer. “When I started trusting God, nervousness was no longer an issue for me. “ John recalls. The passage Psalm 47 in the holy book became John’s code of sports conduct. The training preparation was intense. After dropping his children to school, John had regular running routines at Daang Hari. After the sprint, he would start stroking in the swimming pool of San Beda Alabang and the the following day will be allotted for cycling. The stage is set and John graced Ironman 70.3. “During the swimming leg, I heard the Lord saying ‘John, stop…’ Then when I pulled my head out of the water, I saw a post that could possibly injure my head. The post serves as a ramp for wake boarding” John heeds the advice of his invisible Coach otherwise he could have end up floating in the lake and not finishing the race. The beauty of nature did not escape the eyes of John during the cycling race and as he was enjoying the creation of his Coach, the sapping fatigue would turn to praise. “Seeing Mt. Isarog made me realize that there are issues in my heart that you can’t seem to move but by faith I can move mountains. My strength comes from him.” After six hours and 40 minutes, John finally pressed stop in his watch to imply his completion of the triathlon. Out of the 63 participants under the 44-49 year old age group, only 44 competitors finished and John came in 17th. Out of the total 750 individuals that participated, John took the 300th spot.

For John, the Ironman experience was no different from his fight with drug addiction because like triathlon, everyone is in a race called life. It’s either you quit while others continue without minding the distant location of the finish line. The common principle for success between the race of life and a triathlon is how one sticks to the training program that makes him determined to finish. It is common knowledge that without discipline there will be no victory. As John puts it in the perspective of a tri athlete, “God is the lifter of my head. If you don’t start your day reading the Word of God, you won’t finish the race of life. If the Lord says stop, I stop”. Slowing down and stopping for a while in a race could guarantee a sure finish.

No goodbyes, John. Just goodnight.

What the Crap?

What the crap? And I’m not using that as a cuss word. I mean, it’s dog refuse. For real.

One  fine sunny morning, on a walk with my dog, he did every homeowner’s nightmare: he pooped on someone else’s yard.  The accident wouldn’t have been horrendous if I had a bag and if the yard was unkempt.  The yard was pristine and  evenly cut, bordered by beautiful flower bushes all around.  It didn’t help that in my struggle to keep him from littering on that one spot, I had given a gentle tug on the leash, okay maybe five, and now there was a big spot with 4 small trails of dog poop on the sidewalk, too. Aaargh. There were a couple “I should haves” in my mind that morning:  “I should’ve left him at home,” and “I should’ve brought a doodoo bag!!!!”  But, why would I have?  Earlier that morning, he has done his business in my backyard. I thought he was done!!!!!

On our way towards said house with the well-manicured lawn, I came across a middle-aged lady on her morning walk on the round about. Polite smiles were exchanged. After the 5-spot poop-fest, I continued walking on the other side of the road and came across the same lady.

Crap. Oh, crap.  Now she’s gonna know my crime because there was no one else walking with a dog at that time!!!!!   But I kept on walking, all the while thinking: “Aaargh. Now am I one of those dog-owners I disdain for letting their canine do their business on the streets without picking them up. No! No! Noooooo!!!!!!!”

You know how sometimes, in the grocery store you pick up an item and then decide near the register that you don’t want to make that purchase and then leave it on the aisle at whatever spot you’re in?  Well, I don’t do that. Often. I would usually circle the store 360 degrees just to return an item to its proper shelf. But I am not perfect, There have been times when, in a rush,  I leave non-perishable merchandise wherever it’s convenient because my cousin once said, it reeks of “job security” for the employees of said establishment.  If they have something to do, they don’t lose their jobs. But for the most part, I don’t.

But this was not a trail of non-perishable items I was leaving behind. It was poop. It has germs and bacterias for other pets who would walk that trail. But still  I walked. I walked some more, feeling more frustrated by the minute. And then I prayed. I said, “Lord, please let someone be outside their house so I could ask for a bag.”

Two houses over, I received an answered prayer as I turned left on a curb.   I spotted a bespectacled man about to open his car! I’ve never been so happy to see a stranger in my whole life! I approached him with a smile and asked, “Sir, would you mind if I asked you for a grocery bag? My dog did his business much earlier today and now he went again and I didn’t bring a bag.”  He must have  thought me strange, this woman clad all in black, wearing a pink baseball cap towards him with giant strides.  Mr. Nice Guy went back in the house without locking his car and came out with a single brown bag. The most beautiful grocery bag in the world to me at the moment.  I walked like a crazed woman half-walking, half-dragging, all-the-time-almost-dancing my dog to the scene of the “crime.”  I was so happy I almost cried!

After the clean-up, I felt better. But I was too tired to continue another mile. I walked back towards my house, hoping to encounter the same lady and flash her my “not guilty” smile but I guess she had had enough of the morning sun.

What lessons did I learn that day?

1) Don’t let your dog defecate on someone else’s yard;
2) But if he does, always have a bag ready;
3) Don’t beat yourself up for a mistake, especially if it’s not your own;
4) Sometimes, strangers can be a blessing; and
5)  God answers prayers, no matter how silly or mundane.

Happy walking!

Photo Credit: http://www.chuyspetmagnets.com/Poop-Happens-Just-not-here-please-Lawn-Sign-LAWN-0996.htm

On Birds and A Borrowed Tomb

I found the poor thing on my front lawn yesterday, the very day LIFE is celebrated.   It was beautiful, with patterned wings, vivid yellow patches and tiny pockets of eyes, now lifeless. I looked up at the sky, blue as the sea, just when a soft breeze touched my skin. Wind. Something its wings will never need again.

It was a glorious Easter morning and I had just come from church. The minister spoke about the empty tomb and how its cold, hollow core enables us to live today as we hold on to  Jesus’ victory over the shameful Cross.

A lifeless bird.
An empty tomb.

One, a picture of despair.
The other, of hope.

Both images meant to speak lessons in our here and now.

How many times have we been like that poor yellow spotted warbler?  Tired of routine day in and day out. Up early in the morning chirping praise, it was but tiny part of an ongoing concert played on the branches of every single tree in our neighborhoods. Aren’t we oftentimes like that bird? Chirp. Chow. Repose. Repeat.

Doesn’t that pretty much echo our lives?

Wake. Work. Want. Wish. Wait. Repeat.

We try to make sense of this warped series of events that is our existence, hoping against hope that the next day will be better? Our life, on an infinite holding pattern?

Were we designed to live mediocre lives, days wasting away,  while we salivate over the greener grass on the other side?

Vanity, all is vanity, the wisest man said so.

We love and we lose.
We fight. We fall.
We believe. We break.

Futile, really. And yet, in that darkest of places, there where air is stale can come the freshest breath of air.

The TOMB.

Growing up, I used to think Jesus got it all figured out, you know?  John 3:16. He was sacrificed by His Father as the The Last Lamb, to die, once and for all, FOR OUR SINS. So His death can spell our LIFE.  This is the scenario in my head: God, the Father said, “Jesus, I’m sending you to earth, live among my people, tell them about Me, tell them how much I love them, and when it’s time, You have to die and rescue them from the clutches of Satan because this dude wants to take them all to his party in the Lake of Fire at the End Zone.”  God, the Son replied, “You bet, Abba. That’s a piece of cake. Die you, said? I got this. Am I not God, too?”  God, the Holy Spirit, quietly watching was thinking, “You can do this, Son.  When it gets hard, I will swoop down and sprinkle you with vast amounts of grace to make your passing easier.  And then after 3 days, my mighty resurrection power’s gonna zap you alive!”

Well, it didn’t seem like He had  it all figured out back in that garden, yes?  His sweat turned to blood from excess fright! “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44)

Jesus, The Son of God, The Son of Man.

 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

So, yeah.  100% complete human, like you and me, except for the sinning part.

He lived a life of PURITY.
He lived a life of PASSION.
He lived a life of PURPOSE.

SHORT. SIGNIFICANT.

A life lived in service of others,

He didn’t even find the sense in procuring His own tomb.

A BORROWED TOMB.

AN EMPTY TOMB.

A Claim, proven. A Promise, fulfilled. A Truth, validated. A VICTORY PROCLAIMED.

What blessed assurance!

That bird on my grass? He knew about that, too. No bird falls without His knowledge (Matthew 10:29).

Today, the day after Easter, when all the chocolate eggs and bunnies are spent, wrappers trashed, the EMPTY TOMB is still present.  A quiet testimony for all to see.

He is risen! He lives! Hades is defeated!

Come to the TOMB, dear one, come and see!

Spread your wings, be free!

Pink Lullabies

When the sun kiss the ground
where we lie
is it night?

The music tapering
to quietness
and darkness
engulfs the sky
I stare … blankly at the ceiling
while the movie in my mind
proceeds to play
memories of days gone by

A blur they pass
quickly, like a fierce wind
slivers of motion and then some

Most are green
some red
others the color of a mellow sun
at summer’s rest.

Carefully, I choose snapshots of pink hue
and store them someplace safe
pink lullabies
sweet, lovely memories of you I keep
to slumbering, peaceful sleep.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

1 box Angel Food Mix
1 20 oz can Crushed Pineapple
Mix in a bowl and see the magic happen
Pour in 9×13 greased pan
Pop in oven for 30 -40 minutes at 350 degrees F. (Must come out light golden brown)
Take out of oven, cool down on it’s side.
Cut and serve.

You’re welcome. 🙂

P.S.  Cutting and serving can become sticky so I suggest you cut into pieces before serving. The next time I bake this, I will try use cupcake liners for single serves. Enjoy! Let me know how yours comes out.

Photo of the Day 4.2.15

What brings you joy? A simple token. A special person. A sincere gift. A smile. Who says bouquets need to be fancy? Definitely not me.

This was my significant other’s spur-of-the-moment pick while walking the hairy furball after a long night’s work. That he would remember to collect a tiny bloom despite the lack of sleep makes this gift extremely sweet.

Today, please take time to smell the roses … or whatever bloom it is you fancy.

Photo Credits: Baguettes and Soul Rich