Giving birth to our Babydudes

October 3, 2015, I had my pre-natal check up. I was accompanied by my good friend Gwen.  It was past 2pm when my obgyn was done checking me up.  Before letting me go, she told me to have another ultrasound.  But since it was almost 3pm and we had not eaten our lunch yet, Gwen and I decided to grab a munch from a nearby KFC restaurant.  While eating, I sent a message to the ultrasound clinic to ask for their clinic hours and was told that they will just be until 2:30pm but since they are still attending 2 patients I might as well catch up.  Apparently, I was told by my obgyn's secretary to come back on Monday instead.  But there was really an impetus for me to have my ultrasound that same day.  I had to thank St Gerard Majella for the guidance as I had been praying for a safe delivery.

Fast forward, I gave birth to a healthy 3.45kg at 50cm baby boy at 9:48am on October 4, 2015 via Caesarean section. It was a Sunday and also the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.  

Looking back I just can't help but thank God for the grace and for the overflowing love of my family, relatives, and friends who visited me with the flowers and thoughtfulness.

Watch videos and Earn

An fb post intrigued me... It was posted by my former supervisor from the biggest call center in the Philippines. It says watch videos and earn up to $25 per hour! As I am a sahm(stay at home mom) watching videos is no brainer since I do it while my son is asleep. How much more if you get to earn!

Introducing Thwglobal. It is on its pre-launching phase. Registration is FREE thus you have nothing to lose.

If you are interested to join, please click on the link...

http://theresembv.thwglobal.com/

I will let you know more and update you too by July 4, 2016.

Cheers!

7 Things on living a long distance relationship

I have this 7 things list on my mind the past days...

 

1. Know that the space and miles in between should come to an end sooner or maybe later. Do not allow yourself to get used to being away from each other for quite too long a time.

 

2. If at your present moment being together at once is an impossibility (like JT and I waiting to follow suit Joe in Cnd), always have the courage and hope for your dream to realize one day- family being and living together.

 

3. There are times when you see complete families going to church, eating out, or travelling...and you smile and sigh at the same time wishing similar sight...Just hold on and enjoy what you are seeing. Then at your quiet time before you sleep, open your mobile fon or get your photo album to reminisce. A simple photo of us going out on a lakwatsa gives me the immediate boost.

 

4. Communicate. Cliche this may sound but there is indeed a big grain of truth. Skype, Viber, Zoom, postal services, telegram, etc... These are just few means to keep in touch. We are lucky enough that with the advent of internet or wifi or data plan communication becomes economical and immediate. Imagine 20 yrs ago one has to go to PT&T to call or wait for 2-3 weeks before you get hold of the mail sent to you!

 

5. Arguments or altercations are inevitable esp in this kind of scenario. Always strive to listen first and emphatize. The distance or longing for each other sometimes become the rootcause---unconsciously. Keep your cool and as much as possible iron things out. Then start and begin a new and learn.

 

6. Men sometimes may want to resolve things on their own (remember Popoy?) and us women and our nosy nose want to know every single detail. Well, we can just give them encouraging words and give them assurance instead of nagging.

 

7. Pray. Above everything else. Always ask God for the grace and fortitude. Let the joy and excitement of being together again be your impetus. In the meantime strive to live each moment well.

Cheer up! You are never alone.

7 Things on Being a Stay at Home Mother

Not having the luxury of time to write a real write up, I get back to my 7 things-on-something.

Writing this helps me get a hold of my sanity. Pardon me English readers as this is just a re-post from my fb account.  My mother tongue says and expresses these thoughts better though.

1. Mokaon using the kutsara or tinidor in one hand while naka-latch ang baby.
2. Maligo in 3minutes, bale usa ka kanta. Magkiningkoy kay ang bata mohilak ug makabantay na wala ka.
3. Makamemorize na lang sa mga kanta sa Disney Junior shows. "Once upon a story in a forest faraway....Hi5, Jake and the Neverland Pirates" ug uban pa. Yohoho!
4. Dili lang ang kanta sa Disney Junior kundi ang timeslots sa shows!
5. Kailangan maging patient kay ang bata everyday naay discovery na idiscover pud nimo. In other words, maging patient ug undrstanding to meet his needs.
6. Mangita paagi na palipayon ang baby. Storyahon cya daw dako na makasabot na.
7. Magkalingaw ug picture2 for documentation. Hahaha! Milestones pa more!
‪#‎happymotherhappyson‬

Gospel Reading for December 15, 2015 (Tuesday)

Mt 21:28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people, "What is your opinion?  A man had two sons.  He went and said to the first, 'My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.'  He answered, 'I will not go,' but afterwards thought better of it and went.  The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, 'Certainly, sir,' but did not go.  Which of the two sons did the father's will?"  "The first," they said.  Jesus said to them,  "I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.  For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him.  And yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did.  Even after seeing that, you refused to thing better of it and believe in him."

The Word in other words

Many parents, teachers and other guides of the young probably will smile of nod in recognition as they listen to this parable.  How often does a son/daugther or a pupil say "yes" to a request, and then go away and forget all about it!  Or, having initially said "no", then have a change of heart and finally obey.  This can be exasperating at times but it can also be amusing as Jesus turns it into a parable.  It seems he understands our frustrations as parents.

Jesus is a mater storyteller who uses colorful language to capture the hearer's attention.  However, I'm sure he does not wish merely to entertain us.  There is a deep lesson and challenge for us here.  If the man in the story is the heavenly Father, then all of us are his children.  If the scribes and Pharisees thought of themselves as being the obedient ones, then we- the churchgoers, members of parish organizations and prayer groups- may consider ourselves to be in that category now.  Yes, even those of us who are priests and religious could be caught in the same trap.  Of course, there is nothing wrong with being virtuous.  The problem is that it so often leads us to making harsh judgments against so-called "unvirtuous" or "disobedient".  Rather than rejoice at their conversion we can at times discover resentment within us that they are being so easily and joyfully accepted by the loving Father.  Or, without in any way justifying the wretched way of life of many of the "disobedient", we can find ourselves very distant from them and lacking in compassion as they cry to God in their desperation.  This is, in fact, our disobedience: to be satisfied with our own virtue and not do what God really wants of us.

The truth is that both sons in the parable are far from doing the father's will.  We all need to be lowly and humble in order to enter the Kingdom of God.  "Create for us a clean heart, Lord, that at your Son's coming this Christmas we may be found among the humble and lowly people who are worthy to become his sisters and brothers. (Columba Breen, OSB)

- Fr. John O'Mahony, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)

Gospel for December 14, 2015 (Monday) Feast day of St. John of the Cross

Mk 21:23-27

When he had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things?  And who gave you this authority?"  Jesus said to them in reply, " I shal ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things.  Where was John's baptism from?  Was it heavenly or human origin?"  They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say, 'Of heavenly origin' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.  " So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do no know." He himself said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things."

In other Words

We cannot please everybody.  Indeed, no matter how much we do our best and no matter how good our intentions are, we still find people who cannot even express a simple appreciation for what we are doing.

In the Gospel for today, Jesus encountered another challenge to his authority from his  "favorite" dialogue partners - the Jewish leaders.  We have to understand that during the time of Jesus the culture of honor and shame was very strong.  Honor was a highly sought-after good.  This was one reason why the Jewish leaders didn't enjoy Jesus being around.  As Jesus gained reputation, they themselves were losing it. As a line of defense to uphold their own reputation, they had to question Jesus' identity and challenge his authority in public.

Jesus was very much aware of this.  In fact, he used the same weapon against his adversaries.  Knowing the intention of the Jewish leaders, he posed a challenging question that put them into a dilemma.  He turned the table on the Jewish leaders.  The burden of securing honor was now on their shoulder.  Since they could not afford to be humiliated in front of the crowd, they had to choose whether to be truthful or to take the safer course and lie; they chose the latter.  Their ego led them to compromise what was true on this pretext, "We do not know."

Often in our lives we are faced with a similar dilemma, and then we compromise the truth.  In our desire to always look good, envious of what others have done, greedy for power, wanting to get praise and honor, we end up guarding ourselves at the expense of others.  Worse, we compromise what is true and settle with the safer course of self-preference.

Jesus, in this season of Advent, is challenging us, first, to stay grounded and humble, and recognize the goodness of each other.  Goodness is not to be monopolized; rather, it is to be acknowledged and shared.  Then, as Christians, we are to stay truthful no matter what.  Truth is not to b compromised but to be lived and proclaimed in daily life.

- Fr. Mark Angelo M. Ramos, SVD (DWS-Tagaytay)

Gospel for October 2, 2015 (Friday) Feast of the Guardian Angels

Lk 10:13-16

Jesus said, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven?  You will go down to the netherworld.'  Whoever listens to you listens to me.  Whoever rejects you rejects me.  And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

The Word in other words

Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you Bethsaida!

In this Scripture text, St. Luke presents the troublesome event of Jesus rebuking the people for not recognizing him, not accepting him and not listening to his message.  He makes it quite clear to them that by no means, can they be exalted in heaven if they do not repent and turn back to God.

This must have been a very frightening and discouraging experience for Jesus' missionaries, his disciples, as they were preparing for their first mission journey.  What they witnessed there was the people's radical and willful rejection of Jesus and his authority.  The disciples knew their Master's own teaching?  Jesus had earlier demanded of him to forgive seventy times seven times.  Was this new experience of an enraged Jesus not contrary to the Master's own teaching?  But just like the disciples who needed to discern in order to understand the words and actions of the Lord, we also need a discerning heart to repent for our sins, accept our ever-new personal invitation and call, and turn back to God, who unconditionally loves and keeps on communing with us in many different ways.

"Whoever listens to you, listens to me, and whoever rejects you, rejects me, and whoever rejects me, rejects the one who sent me."

While reflecting on the Gospel, I realized that at times we might not be better than those of Chorazin and Bethsaida.  Do we not also sometimes stubbornly close our hearts and minds and seal ourselves off from experiencing the Lord's pardon and forgiveness, risking to be cursed by Jesus also?  Do we need to be punished first in order to learn wisdom?  God does not reject a humble, repentant sinner.  Nor does he find pleasure in condemning the work of his hands.  Each of us known to God and important to him.  Our names are written on the palm of his hand.  In the silence of our hearts may we be able to hear the gentle voice of God's presence within us.

How wonderful it is to realize and know that our names are witness in heaven and that someday we are expected to be there.  May we ask the Spirit's grace to be open to what God is asking of us here and now.  Lord Jesus, Son of God, mercy on us sinners.

- Sr. Marty Meyer, SSpS (Convent of the Holy Spirit, QC)