first time auntie, that's me!

I have been happy since the day we learned my younger sister was pregnant. I was hoping for a baby girl but then it didnt matter.My heart sang for joy when I saw the helpless baby sleeping soundly not minding our whispers and our laughs.How cute is our angel. It was a great feeling. I wish I could have a baby of my own but that will have to go through a very long process, a very complicated process. But i wish I could have twins, a boy and a girl, hope theyll not going to be the cry babies that would get the worst of me, but thats under my prayer list yet, to be listed on my action list after my wedding.

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A new Look

I have changed my template again. Again! Yes, again, and this is for the nth time. It was kinda boring and I never had that much motivation to blog anymore so I guess a little tweak could inspire to blog. well, my next posts could prove how blog stimulating this new template could be. But, so far, I guess a new look could inspire me to blog more and more. I was a bit busy the previous days and had no enough motivation to post new ideas and new things, nothing came to mind, there were lots of things that came along that I just let it slip through my fingers and never talked about it here. Somehow, I have chosen to be silent and kept just a memory in my heart and mind and soon forget them to oblivion. Im just a trying hard blogger, a second rate trying hard copycat but I enjoy doing this, im not also a writer, im just a second rate trying hard feeling writer, wahehehehehe, I wish I am, I envy those who have the skill but I can just stare and watch in silence.

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Tuesday morning

Yes, Christ alone is the water that revives our parched spirit.He alone is that bread that nourishes our hungry heart. He alone is the truth that answers our mind's deepest questionings. Real soul satisfaction is found only in Christ.

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Matthew 21:22

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Im so happy!
Thank you Lord!

That's what the Lord promised me this morning during my quiet time. Just the right motivation God gave me to continue and press on with all my endeavors. There were may times I felt hopeless with some situations in life     (work related stresses, problems at home interpersonal problems, financial problems and etc.) but today God gave me the perfect reason on not giving up praying for everything. Im so happy,very happy.
 He also said in His word in Numbers 23:19
God is not human, that he should lie,
   not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
   Does he promise and not fulfill?

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My Leche Flan Flop

I wish my leche flan looked like this one.....

I bought a can of condensed milk and saw a leche flan recipe. It sounded so simple I decided to buy 8 eggs, a can of condensed milk, 1/4 kilo white sugar, and 3 pcs of  small llaneras to complete the whole puzzle of making the master piece.
I felt excitement, I was so thrilled I hurried home to make THE LECHEN FLAN.

I started making the caramel without water and the white sugar and left it on the pan, and did my egg yolk separation and mixing the condensed milk.  After I mixed the egg yolk and the milk thoroughly I went to get the caramel and to my surprise I saw a stone like thing with the laddle immovable...tsk tsk tsk now what? I reheated the hardened caramel and placed it in the llaneras and poured the eggyolk mixture covered it with foil and the steamed for 30 minutes. It was a tense waiting moment,  I kept testing it using the toothpick to see if it was done. I tried eating one llanera and it was soso though it may not look like the one sold in restuarants but to me it tasted like one, hehehehehe. And in the morning, I had difficulty  removing the leche flan from the llaneras coz I realized I used very sticky caramel for that, I have to remove it from the top part of the flan coz it was really hard. The taste was soso also and \i have decided in my heart that I would make a better leche flan, I have another leche flan recipe and I just hope it would be good enough.

Rating for my leche flan: 3 ( 1-10 and 10 being the highest)

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Wordless friday

Chicken sotanghon

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Water Colors 101

 Getting to know how to use the water color brush my first lesson....

 my water color leaf

 eclectic? incomprehensible.....

 flat wash

 graded wash

 light wash plus dark contrast

flat wash plus water flicks....

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Flying high: zipline adventures....

I tried the longest zipline in asia and it was spectacular; a wonderful experience...

id would like to go back and ask for more ....

Also tried the zipline at initao and took the plunge, another breath taking
experience; i have tried many zips but this one is great....

 my first zip @ makahambus adventure park

zip at papakits liloan cebu

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Fun day 2011

 When they said that we going to Initao for the 2011 funday I had second thoughts about joining.

Many decided not to go but i took my chances and it was worth my

time. I enjoyed it. it was spectacular!

 Something I never expected...

 amazing water, makes me want to swim at noon!

 picture picture under the sun....

 i tried their version of zipline and took the plunge...

 sun bathing? waheheheh

 having fun

 cool place to enjoy your summer

 we are the survivors....

 tribu bakiki

the souvenier t shirt

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Neena's Thank you cards

This is my first time making thank you cards for a kid's birthday....

 

the pictures: got the design form imikimi and finalized at powerpoint

and saved as jpeg...

 The finish product....hmmmm I dont know if its good enough...

 chose this one to compliment with the color pink star...

 The pink ribbon to match barbie's pink aura...

and the pink star

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Will there be a game 6?

Im a frustrated and broken hearted laker fan and a miami heat fan in the making, it would be alright if they lose this game. A game 6 would make it more exciting. For me there will be a game six.

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Zelmarq's life testimony

I grew up in a small part of Carmen, in this City,  born into a god-fearing family for which I am thankful.  We attended church regularly , but knew nothing of a personal relationship with God.  My spiritual life was  a routine, I thought going to church every Sunday, joining the church choir , joining  holy week activities and doing good works were enough. I  Never heard about salvation although i studied in a Catholic school in high school.  Life was all normal and there was nothing to worry about since my father provided  for our needs  even if  his heath was not that good. My mother was  on his side  giving all her support and affection for the family.

My Father’s heath got worst. Our going to church, kneeling for his health and even medication were  not enough to stop him from leaving us. 

I am the ate of 7 siblings, I had done my part of being the good daughter, tried to fill the missing link that my father used to have  but things were never the same. Life was difficult, I ended up working  as student assistant to support my studies and even my mother washed clothes just to support the family.

There were a lot of questions in mind that were beyond my comprehension and just brushed it aside and went on with the so called busy life I had. There was this emptiness,  something  was  missing. This emptiness defines lack of  purpose or substance; and meaninglessness.

Life  was about  me, I, and  myself . It revolves around  my studies, then work, family, career. It seems a purposeless life. I don’t even read the Bible and have no personal relationship with God. I only fall on bended knees when things get rough and its through Him that i cry out and find peace. It was a life without assurance, that if I die i didn’t know where i was going for i knew my good works were not enough to save me.

One day kuya Jerry asked us if are willing to have Bible  study and introduced us to ate Cessie  who became my spiritual mother last May 10, 2001. She introduced to me the Good News- that all of us are sinners that deserve death and hell, but God loved us so much, He sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins, and rose again. We can now go back to God be believing and receiving Jesus Christ into our hearts. I opened my heart and believe Christ as my Lord and Savior.  There were tears of joy on that day I met Jesus by faith. The same joy that ate cc felt, the same joy the angels felt when i said yes to Jesus, there must have been a grand celebration in heaven with angels rejoicing. Its indescribable, to know that Jesus cared for me and have died for my sins and how important i am to Him. I felt so special.  Jesus died for my sins, my sins behind that cross at Calvary. That as a  sinner I needed him, no amount of good works, education, good morals,  religion  could  save me. In John  14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life no comes to the father except through me”. Before, all my efforts  such as going to church, doing good, helping the poor, being a good daughter, doing good at school were all worthless and all dirty in God’s eyes. (Isaiah 64:6 )

That was the  start of learning and loving relationship with Jesus, my  Savior. But one thing I realized that life without Christ was dull and empty, but with Jesus in my life many things change, my plans, my priorities, my character. Although they are gradual, but there are sure changes, changes for the better and best.ly. I have learned to be sensitive to others and God gave me this desire to really share His love to those who are  still lost. I used to depend on my parents to help me and guide me but then the new life with Jesus helped me to depend on someone far greater than my earthly parents could give, my Father in heaven. I have found peace and comfort in the Bible, my source of hope.

I thank Christ Jesus, who had strengthened me, for choosing me to serve him even though I was a blasphemer, a murderer, a  persecutor before . But Jesus has sown mercy.  Now, I don’t want to go to heaven alone, i want to see friends, family, classmates and officemates and acquaintances. I want them to share with me the joy with Jesus in my heart and I want to see them in heaven also. I thank God for this life that he has given to be used by him to reach out to many more.

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Wednesday weeping

Its a wonderful wednesday morning. I praise God for a new life, though I may not have everything in this life but Im thankful for all the blessings that He has poured, I may not have everything I want but I have enough to survive.There are so many reasons to smile, but this morning I had my reason to weep. I thought I have over grown the feeling, but I was never brave when it comes to matter that concerns fathers.

Yes, I cried this morning.

I saw rose rendon on facebook and I how I love the picture of her and her father.

I miss my father. I miss him so much. I ended up weeping. I wept hard. I never had the chance to have a picture with him and as far as I can remember we never had a family picture when he was around. My heart aches. Its aching more than the first broken heart I once had, its painful. Im embracing the pain. Its always this way, I end up getting involved with my emotions. Its already 3: 25pm and im always teary eyed since this morning when that thought comes to mind. I just try to think of happy thoughts to chase my tears away, but the tears just try to remind me that its alright to cry. Crying can be a good exercise for the heart.

Im not alone. There are lots of fatherless children in the world  but  cant I help but reveal the melancholic side of me, it does happen. Im just glad even though I no longer have a physical father  have my Father up there who has lavished me with so much love and care, who died for my sins and save my from eternal damnation, my first love love, Jesus Christ.
Its ok to weep once in a while.
Its ok to cry.
And to those children who have their fathers with them, pray for your fathers, for salvation,  for good health and for protection, always. Treasure each moment together.

Zelmarq

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CDO blogger group

Im glad I found the cdoblogger website and Im so happy we have one big blogger family here in cagayan de oro city.

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Blogger template gaga

I have been spending much time looking for a template that would be used for my blog. Last week I thought I found the one that would suit me but then when I saw this template   I have decided to change. I just hope I wont change my heart and mind again.What do you think? I wish i could hear comments from you guys. Thank you in advance.

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Late night supper

Im so tired. Went home late today since its the last day of the month and cut and lots of work done today but still lots of work waiting to be finished tomorrow. I tried to finish them but I have decided in my heart to go home and eat, I need to refuel, anyway tomorrow is another day. Most of the time when I get home late I no longer eat dinner, sleep will help me forget hunger but tonight was an exception, I was starving and needed food, I want food and thank God there was still pinakbet on the table and fried fish, wow, it was perfect, it was the dinner I dreamed of, wish granted, Thank you Lord!, you are so awesome. And the late dinner fed a hungry soul and kept me awake, I cant sleep with a stomach freshly fed, I need to burn a few calories somehow and browsing through facebook and a few blog hopping was a great calorie burning activity to keep up.

Im tired.

I need to rest.

Tomorrow  is another day.

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Wordless Sunday

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Lost and found

I found the gift for myself for my 35th birthday. Its not some costly jewelry for I know I couldnt afford one, and it was not a time for myself to go somewhere for I would want to spend it with someone, I did that last year, though it was also fun it would have been more exciting if I shared it with someone. And that gift for myself is this cute lamb stuffed toy. Why?
I felt it. The moment we gazed at each others eyes, I picked him up and we were inseparable. He reminded me so much of myself. Helpless, vulnerable and needed a saviour. I named him lost and found, just like the lost sheep I also was lost and now Im found. I am helpless, and Im just glad he found me. Just like the story in the bible how the shepherd left his flock just to find the one missing sheep, and when He found the lost sheep he joyfully puts on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls friends and neighbors to rejoice with Him for he has found his lost sheep. "tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent’” (Luke 15:3-7). I imagined how the angels in heaven rejoiced when I accepted Jesus Christ as my saviour and Lord last may 10, 2001.

Now, i have lost and found, he has a new home and is one of my favorite sleeping buddy, always beside me when I sleep at night.

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Made me think.......

Things and events in life happen for a reason, nothing happens by chance or luck, they happen to teach us a lesson and I learned mine last February 12, 2011.

Maybe if I was not saved by that brave kid I may now be lying there as cold as steel inside a coffin.

I dont know if I'd look well inside a coffin, hmmm, of course I would want to look good inside a coffin, Id like to look like sleeping beauty than to look like someone who just died from drowning.

It was just a kids game, me and mam madz surveyed the depth of the pool step by step and with caution but to my surprise I just slipped and felt like theres a magnet pulling me deeper, i gasp for air, struggled and begged for help, with arms reaching out but death never came to mind, what was on my mind was that I have to get out of that depth, survival. I was helpless, I needed someone to rescue me that my state of helplessness.

Wew! That was close.

Im glad Ive reached my 35th birthday and there's so much reason to celebrate, another chance, one more year. Days after that many things came to mind. What if I died?

First lesson I have learned, that I should learn to swim. Well, I know how to float but during that time panic over powered me. It would be a shame but I should find time to learn, it never too late im not too old to learn swimming, anyways learning is a life long process.

Another lesson i have learned is the art of putting my plans and prayers to action. I always prayed that I will be able to share the gospel to my office mates, but that almost drowning incident made me realize that I prayed for years but never tried to share it to them, I had my own reasons that they were busy and I was busy, I kept on procrastinating and had alibis. Im just glad I already shared the gospel on my birthday, it was the best birthday gift I had, I ws the answer to my prayer.

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I wish you enough

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more..
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting…
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good- bye.
I'd like my readers to add i wish you enoughs with your version, Id really appreciate it.
Thank you in advance and have a nice day."
By Paulo Coelho

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