First Sunday of Lent

"It also says, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'"

Luke 4:12

Ash Wednesday

In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter (Sundays are not included in the count).
Lent is a time when many Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. During some Ash Wednesday services, the minister will lightly rub the sign of the cross with ashes onto the foreheads of worshipers.
Not all Christian churches observe Ash Wednesday or Lent. They are mostly observed by the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and Anglican denominations, and also by Roman Catholics. Eastern Orthodox churches observe Lent or Great Lent, during the 6 weeks or 40 days preceding Palm Sunday with fasting continuing during the Holy Week of Easter. Lent for Eastern Orthodox churches begins on Monday and Ash Wednesday is not observed.
The Bible does not mention Ash Wednesday or the custom of Lent, however, the practice of repentance and mourning in ashes is found in 2 Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3; and Matthew 11:21.

Happy Valentines Day !

Early Summer

This is a part of my home garden, for weeks has been basking in hot sun. I make my plants survive by twice a day watering.

One good thing about hot weather, orchids love it ! I've been harvesting all colors and sizes of this flower weekly.

Summer arrived early this year and we cool off by enjoying the late evening breeze at our balcony.

Quotes to Live By

"Glory in life is not never failing, But rising each time we fail.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

If God answers your prayers, He is increasing your Faith.

If He delays, He is increasing your Patience.

If He doesn't answer, He knows you can handle it.

Author Unknown

Raising My Eleven Year Old

My 11 year old son is growing up fast, he is taller than me now, and his habits and interests are changing. Two years from now, we'll have a teenager at home. I've been searching the internet about articles on raising pre-teenage kids and I found the following interesting and useful:

Sleep pattern changes 'common in 11-year-olds'

Parenting and Behaviour in 9-11 Year Olds

Teenage Growth and Development : 11-14 Years

I'm looking forward to years ahead of raising my 11 year old.

The Presentation of the Lord

"Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of many peoples. a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel."

Nunc Dimittis

Mona Lisa, A Man ?

For years scientists postulated that Leonardo da Vinci was painting a self portrait when he created the Mona Lisa. Like most theories, there was no proof to back it up. Recently, a group of scientists are seeking permission to dig up his remains to conduct DNA and carbon testing. Read the article here.

Pretty But Unusual

I found this unusual looking tree in a park one Sunday morning. The trunk was huge and it didn't have branches like other trees do. Instead, its trunk was surrounded by long, spikey vines that grew from the trunk itself. That was the first time I've seen a tree like this.

The tree had no leaves, but abundant buds and flowers grew from the vines. The flowers looked like a cross between apple and magnolia blossoms and, they were so pretty but unusual.

For Our Children

O Lord, omnipotent Father, we give you thanks for having given us children. They are our joy, and we accept with serenity the worries, fears and labors which bring us pain. Help us to love them sincerely. Through us you gave life to them; from eternity you knew them and loved them. Give us the wisdom to guide them, patience to teach them, vigilance to accustom them to the good through our example.

Support our love so that we may receive them back when they have strayed and make them good. It is often so difficult to understand them, to be as they would want us to be, to help them go on their way. Grant that they may always see our home as a haven in their time of need. Teach us and help us, O good Father, through the merits of Jesus, your Son and our Lord.

Amen.

Portuguese Community

Today, we went to this Portuguese community to buy some Portuguese cakes. We ended up looking at Sta. Cruz church first and as went around the community, we noticed really old houses and narrow alleys leading to the residence of families of Portuguese descent who still bake the cakes as a business. Few does so at present, because many have left this occupation to be employed or do other kind of businesses. Photos of how this Potuguese community looks like now are shown below.

Sta. Cruz church viewed from the back.

A view of the Chao Phraya river from the pier.

The pier at the front of the church.

JM at the waiting area of the pier.

The gate of the residence of one of the Portuguese settlers in this community.

An old house, one of the many old houses that can be found in this Portuguese community.

The Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes

Garlands hung on the fence surrounding the grotto.

Monks making their way back to the temple after the morning's work of collecting food.

Solar Eclipse

Boy Scout Camp 2010

The Feast of the Epiphany

The Feast of the Epiphany (epiphany means "manifestation" or "revelation") is still celebrated on the 6th of January by eastern Christian churches. The feast probably began in those churches in the Middle East strongly influenced by the Gospel of John, who proclaimed of Jesus Christ :

And the word became flesh

and made his dwelling among us,

and we saw his glory,

the Father's only Son,

full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

Sunday's Photos

We went to a floating restaurant for an after mass brunch this morning. The boat was shaky due to the waves created by passing boats, but we went just fine.

JM and dad candidly posed for a souvenir photo aboard the floating restaurant.

This is one of the big boats (tourist ferry) that created the huge waves that made us feel sick. It was a filling meal and we all went home happy !

Mary Mother of God

“The Blessed Virgin was eternally predestined, in conjunction with the incarnation of the divine Word, to be the Mother of God. By decree of divine Providence, she served on earth as the loving mother of the divine Redeemer, an associate of unique nobility, and the Lord’s humble handmaid. She conceived, brought forth, and nourished Christ”.

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 61

World Day of Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love
where there is injury, pardon
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

Good Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to unserstand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen

Happy New Year 2010 !

A New Year’s Prayer

May God make your year a happy one!

Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,

But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;

Not by making your path easy,

But by making you sturdy to travel any path;

Not by taking hardships from you,

But by taking fear from your heart;

Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,

But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;

Not by making your life always pleasant,

But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,

and by making you anxious to be there to help.

God’s love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.