Floral Offering in the Month of Mary

The scent of fresh Jasmin flowers filled our home office. With no fresh Jasmin flowers in sight, I searched everywhere, in every corner of our home and found none. The scent reminded me of the daily floral offering of children to the Blessed Mother in every church and chapel in the Philippines this month. My son has never exprienced this tradition and I thought SHE could be reminding me of what this special month means. I decided to buy four Jasmine garlands and asked my son to offer these on our family altar. We will continue with this beautiful tradition during the remaining days of May.

Quotes to Live By

Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all life really means.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace.

~Victor Hugo

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

~Theodore Roosevelt

When you start treating people like people, they become people.

~Paul Vitale

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.

~Swedish Proverb

Altar Server's Recognition day

Missing Mom

Today, Mother's Day, we remember our mother Esperanza who passed away nearly two years ago. Sadly missed, lovingly remembered.

A Mother's Song

Happy Mother's Day !

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

Washington Irvin

Mother's Day Song

To All Mom's on Mother's Day

Late Bedtime

This is how it's been during the summer school break, late bedtime all the time. Too many things occupy his time before sleeping : reading books, surfing the net, talking to dad and more. And he enjoys these with gusto !

Pretending to have fallen asleep while reading . . . . with a BIG SMILE !

And enjoying every page of his How to Swim Book. Not so long from now, schools will open and early bedtime is going to be a MUST !

JM, Here and There

Schools are still closed and he has all the time to move around with us everywhere we go. Three Sundays ago, we went to a mall to buy him a new swimwear and while doing so, we ended up looking around the mall's amusement center.

This photo was taken at the sports complex where he practices swimming daily. Summer has officially ended last week, but for JM, summer is forever.

Monday this week, I went shopping for science books at dk, Royal City Avenue. He got bored browsing and the now tanned JM finally obliged to pose for a photo so he can go back home to play computer games. Schools will open in two weeks, so I let him enjoy the remaining days of his summer school break.

May is the Month of Mary

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal."

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Father and Doctor of the Church

Happy Birthday Dad !

Dad with my youngest sister Belle and grandson Michael during a family outing in Tagaytay.

We Celebrate Your Life

Of all the men in the whole wide world,

Whose praises are sung out loud,

There is no man whom I respect more,

Or of whom I am more proud.

Throughout the years, you’ve worked so hard

To provide us a happy life;

You’ve been there to help and give advice,

And you did it all without strife.

That is why on this day each year,

I pray all your wishes come true;

Today we celebrate your life,

So Dad, Happy Birthday to you !

By Karl and Joanna Fuchs

Frozen Moments

You were three years old.

Balls were bouncing in the gym.

Children were running, shooting baskets.

Among all the chaos

I saw you grinning at me

wanting me to watch you.

You waved at me - I waved at you.

You showed me how you could dribble.

The moment froze in my memory.

You were three years old.

I picked you up from day care.

You were excited about learning to swing high that day.

Driving home you told me all about it.

You were so excited

Then you got quiet and said,"I love you - Daddy"

The moment froze in my memory.

You were three years old.

I was making supper.

You were watching TV.

As I walked by your room

I heard you singing by yourself

with the songs on Sesame Street.

I stopped and listened.

The moment froze in my memory.

As you continue to grow

-frozen moments continue to fill my heart.

While they may seem insignificant to you

they are golden to me.

Frozen moments are memories

that make the soul rich.

A rich soul makes life complete.

- Tom Krause

To My Dearest Brother

May all your dreams and wishes come true!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

In photo are my brother Felix and kids, Gabrielle and Michael.

Summer Fun

JM enjoying his daily summer swimming lessons.

To Love and to Hold Forever

O Lord, omnipotent and eternal God, we give you thanks and we bless your holy name. You created man and woman in your image and blessed their union, so that each would be for the other a help and support. Remember us today. Protect us and grant that our love may be in the image of the devotion and love of Christ for his Church. Grant us a long and fruitful life together, in joy and in peace, so that, through your Son and in the Holy Spirit, our hearts may always rise to you in praise and goods works. Amen.

* This 11th day of April, Nick and I celebrate our wedding anniversary. *

Feast of the Divine Mercy

A procession in honor of the Divine Mercy was held in the grounds of Chair of Saint Peter Church.

The Most Holy Image of the Divine Mercy.

This statue of Saint Peter is found in the grounds of Chair of Saint Peter Church.

Photos From Here and There

A park ? Definitely not. This photo was taken in sprawling church compound of Chair of Saint Peter in Bangkok. JM explored the church grounds after morning mass.

Woops ! Attempting to do a high jump ! Not high enough boy !

We had lunch on top of this bamboo bench , not so comfortable though. The eating place is located in a floating market.

JM posed in this photo with the bell tower (not so common in new church building architecture) as a background. This is the first time he has seen a bell tower.

A boat peddling spicy fried fish balls in a floating market.

Easter's Altar Servers

Led by the cross bearer, John Michael.

The Resurrection

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place.Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

John 20:1-9

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL !