The question of life

Life an enigma

Tiny fragments shattered in space

The question is:

What is the wholeness of this?

Life is a mystery

Full of doubts and uncertainties

The question is:

Will there be solution to this?

Life is a journey

So many directions to take

The question is:

Where will it lead?

Life is a beginning

To whatever is ahead

The question is:

When will it end?

(sometimes we wonder about the cycle of life, our lives, where we going, what direction to take, or just are we just gonna go with the flow?..thats hat this poem is all about..my questions of  life)

pope francis

 

our new Pope. he is now leading the prayer!!

His full speech

"Good evening.

As you know, the duty of the conclave was to appoint a bishop of Rome, and it seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen who is from far away. Here I am.

I would like to thank you for your embrace, also to the Roman Catholic Church and the bishops, thank you very much. And first and foremost, I would like to pray for our bishop emeritus, Benedict XVI

Let us pray together for him so that he is blessed by the Lord...

Let us begin this journey together... this journey for the Roman Catholic Church. It is a journey of friendship, of love, of trust, and faith. Let us pray always for one another. Let us pray for the whole world. Let us have a big brotherhood.

I wish that this journey for the Church, which we will start today... will bear fruits for the evangelizing of this beautiful city.

I would like to offer you my blessing. But I would like to ask a favor first. I would like to pray to the Lord so that the prayer of the people blesses also the new pontiff. Let us pray in silence your prayer for me."

A SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Last March 9, 2013 my sister, Nadine and brother in law, Brett together with my cousins surprised me with  a birthday party in banapple, Timog.

with my sister, nadin

I usually celebrate my birthday with a simple get together mostly with my immediate family and or with friends.  So since March  7 fall on weekday this year and since my sister and I have to bake, I just decided to bring food to their place and have a simple dinner with the family. We agreed tho to dine out that weekend, an intimate dinner with the family.
That was my thought..

So went to the place, banapple in terraza, Timog.  Nadine insisted this place (I found out the reason later) I prefer another resto in Katipunan.  So anyway when I got there the place was full packed.  I was looking out for my sister and then Brett my bro in law, came and led me to a room.  My thought was, they rented the room just for us???!!  However the biggest surprise when I entered the room, bunch of cousins were there.  I was in awe.. my cousins were all there, even Ate Roselyn s family who came all the way from Pasay was there.  I couldn't contain my happiness, It was special.. thinking these busy people made time to celebrate with me..

the giveaways-box of brownies

                                                                                           

giveaways-banana and corn muffins

the bouquet of flowers

cousins

                                                                        

the food

I was presented with a bouquet of flowers from Kuya Ed and Ate Lisa.  Then everyone started to greet me.  It was a joy to see them all present.  The party was more of catching up since it is seldom that we gather.

nephews and nieces

                                                                                                                                                            I blew the cake brought by Ate Roselyn and family.  Nadine made box of brownies for giveaways, muffins and there were candies too..
The food, everyone can order from the menu of banapple.

40th bday

So I found out that the surprise birthday party was planned ahead of time.. No wonder why Nadine keep on insisting of her choice of venue. I will forever be thankful to Brett and Nadine and the rest of the family who were part of this surprise party.  You made my birthday this year more special..Well it was still simple and intimate ..but more special because of the presence of everyone who came.

MY BIRTHDAY

My birthday this year fall on Thursday.  I had to go to my sisters place to bake cupcakes for orders.  So I decided to just bring cake and chicken as a birthday treat for the folks in katarungan.  They actually cooked pansit for me too.  So the day of my birthday even if I was busy baking cupcakes, we still had a simple dinner celebration shared with my sisters family.

 At 20 years of age the will reigns; at 30 the wit; at 40 the judgement.
Benjamin Franklin

The best years of a woman's life - the ten years between 39 and 40.
Author Unknown

CHRISTMAS 2012

It was just us sisters who had Christmas Lunch in Lagro.  Brett had to report to the office, Barnard was in Sulat that time.  Pa and Ma and kuya Byans family are in US. Kuya Yons family was in Sulat.  But it didn't stop us from our traditional Christmas celebration which is the family Lunch in Lagro.

 Whats in our table

Baked macaroni for our pasta dish. Nadine brought some lechon, there wa sisig too in the table and  chicken adobo..Fo our  dessert, I made a no bake mango cheesecake, Nadine brought some brownies, macaroons and a chocolate cake.

 Gift giving time.... 
While we were still in the table, Aaron kept telling us to open the gifts already.  He anticipates this activity, the opening of gifts with excitement.

When I gave him my present and found that it was a shirt, he was kinda disappointed.  He never requested anything this year.  He tried to cheer up for me and his mama when we were opening our presents. He was the one telling us to hurry and open the gift.

When it was over, I told Aaron that there is still a surprise gift for him.  That was when he started to perked up again.  Just because he loves books, it was another set of books for Arron this year.  He appreciated it more than the shirt.

Another Christmas celebration is over.

Bohol Trip

The Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines.^[1] It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills of about the same size, spread over an area of more than 50 kilometers². They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name.

The Philippine tarsier, (Tarsius syrichta) is very peculiar small animal. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than a adult men's hand. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines.

The Bohol Forest is a man-made mahogany forest stretching in a two-kilometer stretch of densely planted Mahogany trees located in the border of Loboc and Bilar towns. Before and after this man-made forest are the naturally grown forests of Loboc and Bilar which are thick with a kaleidoscope of green foliage, different species of trees and giant ferns lining the road.

One of the main attractions of Bohol in the Philippines is the Loboc River and its Floating Restaurants. Loboc River is also known as Loay River, situated in Poblacion Ondol, Loboc, Bohol and is 15-20 minutes away from the Blood Compact Site. The long Loboc River is a host to many small bancas and floating restaurants. Visitors, both locals and foreigners are treated with utmost care and foods being served are mainly Filipino cuisine and local delicacies. - See more at: http://www.markmaranga.com/cruising-at-loboc-river-bohol/#sthash.O2BCFg93.dpuf

One of the main attractions of Bohol in the Philippines is the Loboc River and its Floating Restaurants. Loboc River is also known as Loay River, situated in Poblacion Ondol, Loboc, Bohol and is 15-20 minutes away from the Blood Compact Site. The long Loboc River is a host to many small bancas and floating restaurants. Visitors, both locals and foreigners are treated with utmost care and foods being served are mainly Filipino cuisine - See more at: http://www.markmaranga.com/cruising-at-loboc-river-bohol/#sthash.U98hVZxO.dpuf

One of the main attractions of Bohol in the Philippines is the Loboc River and its Floating Restaurants. Loboc River is also known as Loay River, situated in Poblacion Ondol, Loboc, Bohol and is 15-20 minutes away from the Blood Compact Site. The long Loboc River is a host to many small bancas and floating restaurants. Visitors, both locals and foreigners are treated with utmost care and foods being served are mainly Filipino cuisine and - See more at: http://www.markmaranga.com/cruising-at-loboc-river-bohol/#sthash.O2BCFg93.dpuf

One of the main attractions of Bohol in the Philippines is the Loboc River and its Floating Restaurants. Loboc River is also known as Loay River, situated in Poblacion Ondol, Loboc, Bohol and is 15-20 minutes away from the Blood Compact Site. The long Loboc River is a host to many small bancas and floating restaurants. Visitors, both locals and foreigners are treated with utmost care and foods being served are mainly Filipino cuisine - See more at: http://www.markmaranga.com/cruising-at-loboc-river-bohol/#sthash.O2BCFg93.dpuf

One of the main attractions of Bohol in the Philippines is the Loboc River and its Floating Restaurants. Loboc River is also known as Loay River, situated in Poblacion Ondol, Loboc, Bohol and is 15-20 minutes away from the Blood Compact Site. The long Loboc River is a host to many small bancas and floating restaurants. Visitors, both locals and foreigners are treated with utmost care and foods being served are mainly Filipino cuisine

One of the main attractions of Bohol in the Philippines is the Loboc River and its Floating Restaurants. Loboc River is also known as Loay River, situated in Poblacion Ondol, Loboc, Bohol and is 15-20 minutes away from the Blood Compact Site. The long Loboc River is a host to many small bancas and floating restaurants. Visitors, both locals and foreigners are treated with utmost care and foods being served are mainly Filipino cuisine - See more at: http://www.markmaranga.com/cruising-at-loboc-river-bohol/#sthash.U98hVZxO.dpuf

 Baclayon Church, just six kilometers away from Tagbilaran City, Bohol, is the second oldest stone church in the Philippines (the oldest is San Agustin Church, in Real Street, Intramuros, Manila, built in 1571). Constructed in 1595 by the Jesuit priests, it is still intact and houses important relics and images reminiscent of the historic Roman Catholic religion in the country. Among those displayed in the church museum are: crystal chandelier, silver tabernacle, altar with carvings inlaid with gold, life-size statues and more.

Cebu trip

Basilica of the Holy Child (Spanish: Basílica Menor del Santo Niño; Italian: Basilica Minore del Santo Bambino) is a minor basilica in Cebu City in the Philippines that was founded in the 16th century. It is the oldest Roman Catholic church established in the country, purportedly built on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño de Cebú, a statue depicting the Holy Child Jesus was found in 1565 by Spanish explorers led by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The image is the same statue given by Ferdinand Magellan to the wife of Rajah Humabon as a gift over forty years before after Humabon's baptism to Christianity on April 14, 1521. It was found by a soldier preserved in a burnt wooden box after Legazpi razed the village of hostile natives.^[1]
The present building, which was completed from 1739-1740, has been the sanctuary of the oldest religious image in the country ever since

 Magellan's Cross is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese, and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu

Built in 1972, the Cebu Taoist Temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City, Philippines. The temple was built by Cebu's substantial^[1] Chinese community. With an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, the temple is a towering, multi-tiered, multi-hued attraction accessible by three separate winding routes.

Unlike the neighboring Phu Sian Temple,^[2] the Taoist temple is open to the worshipers and non-worshipers alike. A ritual among devotees is where one prays to the gods to grant one's wish. The ritual includes washing of hands, going inside the chapel barefoot and dropping two blocks of wood. If the blocks of wood are both face up then one could make a wish. If not then it is not yet the time for one's wish to be granted and one has to come to the temple some other time.
The temple is the center of worship for Taoism, the religion which follows the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Zi. Another ritual among Taoist devotees, which is done during Wednesdays and Sundays,^[3] is the climbing of its 81 steps (representing the 81 chapters of Taoism scriptures) to light joss sticks and have their fortune read by the monks.
Some guide books and travel agencies offer trips to the temple or as a side-trip in a tour around Cebu City. But it is more popular with grade school students. No student who grew up in Cebu City or the neighboring Mandaue City has not gone to the temple in any one of their field trips.
The entrance to the temple is a replica of the Great Wall of China. The temple includes a chapel, a library, a souvenir shop and a wishing well. The spacious balconies offer a scenic view of the downtown Cebu.