CAN I BE QUARANTINED HERE? OH PRETTY PLEASE!!!

I watched the live press conference last night of President Duterte and his cabinet members regarding the ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine) or the lock down in the Philippines.  I've been following the developments rather closely because I need to know when we can fly back to the Philippines.  Last night's press con gave my heart a little flutter.  I'm seeing a little ray of hope breaking in the otherwise gloomy state we are all in.

Here's what I've learned:

ECQ until May 15

NCR (National Capital Region) Manila and surrounding areas;
Region 3: Bataan/Bulacan/Nueva Ecija/Pampanga;
Region 4A: Cavite/Laguna/Batangas/Rizal/Quezon (CALABARZON);
Region 4B: Oriental and Occidental Mindoro;
Region 5: Albay/Catanduanes;
Region 1: Benguet/Pangasinan (may change by April 30);
Region 3: Tarlac/Zambales (may change by April 30).

The following are subject for re-check:

Antique/Aklan/Iloilo/Capiz/Cebu/Cebu City/Davao del Norte/Davao City and Davao de Oro (also known as Compostela Valley).

As recent as April 22, I've heard from a vlogger that a barangay in Cebu City is in total lockdown (no one's allowed to get out and no one's allowed to come in).  The whole barangay is considered infected, the reason for the total lock down.

In the meantime, most of the island provinces are all safe, they are declared very low to zero incident, hence, the GCQ - General Community Quarantine which is way better than the ECQ.  In GCQ, the people have a little more freedom and mobility.  Now if the airlines resume their flights, which I hope soon, I'd like to be caught on lock down (if it happens again) here:

or here:

.....where I could sit by the beach on a sunny afternoon and think about .... the Covid19?   Nah!

Or maybe go to Pintuyan, Southern Leyte,  and swim with the gentle giants of the sea.....

 Or spend the day and night in San Pedro Island, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte.  Island hopping should be allowed by then since there is zero incident in my hometown.

Well, well, well.  It's so nice to daydream, BUT....it could happen too since President Duterte has eased the lock down in our parts of the country.  See you soon Southern Leyte..........


You all are in our prayers during this difficult time.  Know that Jehovah is still in control!  Stay safe and well.  We love you so.

QUE SERA SERA

In the blink of an eye, everything's upended.  In the blink of an eye, plans are put on hold, but for how long?  Fear, worry, unsure of what's around the bend gnaws at me constantly but I cannot give in to these uncertainties.  And I hope and pray that you would remain strong also.  Amidst the roller coaster ride of the stock market, the community lock down happening everywhere around the globe, the rising death toll of the Covid-19 pandemic, let us remain strong in our faith in the One who is faithful for "He will never leave us nor forsake us."  Yes, I'm holding on fast to the One who holds our tomorrows.

And then school closed for the year even through there's still 10 weeks left of the school year.  Now what?  Parents are grumbling and panicking.  Relax y'all!  School is not just about worksheets, books and pencil and paper.  There are myriads of ways of teaching at home, most of the time your children won't even know they're doing school - I promise you that.  Just be there and spend time with them doing what you both love to do.

Anyway, yesterday we picked up JJ's device at his school and while we were in line waiting for our turn, I spied these corona virus-like seedpods lying on the ground.  They were everywhere under the big tree on the corner of the school parking lot.  So while we wait for the cars to move along -- PING! an idea came - in the blink of an eye  (can you see my eye blink and a light bulb above my head?)  Hahaha.

Once we got the device I parked my car in the corner and JJ and I each had a grocery bag and we went and filled both of them with the seedpods.  Of course JJ was grumbling about it but I challenged him to find out what tree it is and do a research about it as part of his home school.  It might be hard, of course, because the trees are still bare so we won't even have a clue what the leaves even look like.  (If you know what tree I'm talking about please feel free to comment below).  I mentioned that he can find out whether this kind of tree is endemic to the Midwest only.  He asked what "endemic" means and - BINGO - that's another "word of the day" for him.  He will look up the meaning of the word for me.  So there, parents, one example of teaching your children at home - simple, everyday activities that brings the most impact and will stay with them forever.  But, a tip, don't do it often or they will stop asking for fear that they may be asked to research it...tehehehe.

Back to the corona virus-like seedpods, I will turn these into a beautiful wreath worthy of hanging at my door.  Hey, who knows I might get orders - Hahaha.

And here it is....TAHDAA....tell me what you think.  I will be experimenting with other designs as well.

Well on the serious side of the matter at hand, let me ask you this, dear ones.  When we come out of this pandemic, and this lock down and Stay-at-home-is-safer idea, what will our score card look like?

# of hours slept?
# of hours spent on our phone?
# of movies watched on Netflix or Hulu?
# of hours spent online?
# of hours awake at night worrying?

........you fill the rest.  Or did our pursuits changed to spending more time with the Father, soaking in His Word and communing with the Holy Spirit while we're ordered to stay home with our family?

Let me leave you with this: Psalm 107: 6, 13, 19, 28 ""LORD help!" they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress."

And this:  Psalm 107:43 "Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the LORD."

May we find rest under the Shadow of the Almighty today.  Thank you for following - loving and praying for y'all!  Please feel free to share this with your friends.

A WONDERFUL GOOD PROBLEM, AIN"T SO?

Some of you know that Mike and I started a children's Saturday Feeding and Art Program ministry during our stay in the Philippines.  We left it in the care of our Pastor and his wife with the promise that we will continue to support it financially which we have been faithfully doing.  The attendance has its valleys and peaks and some of the children are now teenagers and they have stopped coming.  Still Pastor Teddy and his wife, Deborah along with the few energetic ladies continued to minister to the children who come every Saturday.

Because the place where we used to meet has not been repaired yet, they started meeting at the church.  Below is the picture that was sent to me last summer.  Here's Pastor Ted giving them the Bible lesson before the feeding starts:

Today, March 2, I received a message from them wondering if it would be possible to up the financial support that we send each month.  I learned that attendance is growing, almost doubled.  They now serve children from 3 different Barangays or District.  We started with children from our neighborhood and children from Barangay Nasa and now I learned that there are children from Barangay Canipaan who regularly attends.  My first reaction was to dance and praise the Lord for bringing more children into the ministry.  Just imagine how many household will eventually hear the Gospel through these children?  How many will come to know the Lord and how many will we meet in heaven at the end of the age?  I am so elated I couldn't keep it to myself so I'm sharing it with you all.

Think of a one room church overflowing with children on Saturdays eager to hear the Word. I can't wait to go back and visit them.  And well, yes, isn't this a wonderful problem to have?  I'm going to make and sell more tocino so I can send them the financial support, hahaha.  I used to send them $50 a month, now I need to send $100 every month for they have multiplied, indeed!  HalleluYah!


Thank you all for following.  YHWH bless us all!

BEAUTY IN THE DEAD OF WINTER

Having returned from the Philippines 2 years ago, I detest having to go through cold winters again.  Don't get me wrong, I love it when it snows.  Have you stepped outside when the snow fall and just listen around you?  I love the stillness and the peace it evokes, it's like I am in dreamland.  There's a certain feeling that wells inside me when snow starts falling down.  It has the power to mute the hustle and bustle of life.  It's almost like I can hear God whispering in my ear.

When it snowed last week I was captivated by the beauty it brought to my surroundings.  I loved seeing the trees laden with snow and not only that, the beauty of pure white that covered and outlined every lines and curves around us.   So I decided to take photos of some of the favorite spots in Lake Shawnee.  Here's some of the spots in the dead of winter...still breathtaking as it is during the summer months when they are covered with color.

So there.  I have more pictures but I should stop now.  Don't you agree that there's beauty in the dead of winter even if it's brrrrrrr.

I still miss the beach though, :-)...............love you all.  Thanks for following.

Jehovah Nissi, The Lord is My Banner

If you are a parent you can probably relate to what I am going to blog about.  In our desire to please the Lord we try our best to be good examples to our children.  Not only that, we take them to the Lord in prayer every waking moments.  I remember when the boys were little, I started praying for their lifetime partners already.  They don't know that, though 😊.  And yes, I'm still praying up to now.

And then they become adults and have lives of their own.  Still we take them to the Lord in prayer constantly as always, and stand back and watch how the Lord works in and through their lives.  We watch them stumble, make mistakes, get hurt emotionally, choose to walk the opposite path trying to find  themselves.  As parents we ache every time and our hearts bleed as we stand back and let them figure life out for themselves.  We ask ourselves why they're taking the hard way when there's a better way?

My husband told me he was probably 22 when he hit rock bottom and finally figured out that he was going in the wrong direction and had to change course.   Yes, maybe soon our son will hit rock bottom and change course like his Dad.  My friend and prayer partner, Gloria Torres, shared to me that she learned to submit to God everything regarding her children.  And she's right, that is all a mother can do...to give our children unto the Lord for His guidance and protection.

I believe that God takes the life of a man, in this case my son, and sends him on a detour.  Perhaps all these "re-routings" are intended for him to go through in order that he will be better equipped for the tasks that the Lord has prepared for him in the future.  The Lord has brought to mind one of His names, Jehovah Nissi - meaning "The Lord is My Banner" and with that thought I knelt and prayed that He will become "The Banner" over my son while he is on "detour."  God sees the whole picture, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End and I know one day soon, He'll bring my son back to where he needs to be in God's perfect timing.

The above was drafted back in June 2019 when my son and I had a heated argument on messenger.  That night I can feel hatred and desperation and anger.  I was praying for the Lord to touch him while we exchanged messages when out of the blue he messaged me telling me to STOP PRAYING for him.  I messaged him back and told him I will never stop praying for him the same way that I will never stop loving him.  Right then and there I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to fight back.  It wasn't my son who messaged me to stop praying for him (how did he know I was interceding for him the whole time we exchanged messages?  I didn't tell him I was praying).  Bingo!  I knew then who I was up against.  So I knelt with my hand over my cellphone with the messenger screen on and I took authority in the name of Jesus over the spirit of hatred, despair and anger who has gripped my son for so long.   I was wailing before my Lord, petitioning Him in earnest to free my son from these demons.  At that moment I felt release and peace that passes all understanding.  I know in my heart that my petition had been answered.  Then the LORD reminded me of the different names of God and Jehovah Nissi stood out.  At first I was wondering why Jehovah Nissi - here's why:  The LORD wants me to raise a banner over my son because there is victory in the LORD, Hallelujah!!!. 

It is now February 2020 and through all those months, the Lord has slowly revealed to me that YES, He is working in my son's life.  My husband and I have noticed a big difference in his ways and attitudes.  Even his demeanor has changed PTL!!  I still pray that Jehovah Nissi will continue to be a Banner over him daily.  We celebrate small victories - like we don't get messages from him that speaks of hating this and hating that, or of being down and hopeless.   Even his profile on FB has changed, small steps that reflect hope and healing.  Day by day I thank the LORD for these small changes.  And day by day I raise the Banner over my son. One day, like the prodigal son in the Bible, he'll return to the fold and I know JEHOVAH YAHWEH will run to meet him.

And oh I can't wait for that day to come!!!

Thank you all for following.  God Almighty be with you and bless you!

ARCTIC BLAST EARLY NOVEMBER!!!!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner...this is one of my favorite time of the year.  I love to decorate for Fall - rich, vibrant colors of reds, browns, oranges are a delight to ones senses and there's that feeling of being reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness through the year.  Yes, He is faithful!  "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)  This was my dad's favorite verse and it is mine as well.

And then the Arctic blast whipped through the Midwest plunging the temperatures to freezing...brrrr.  What happened to Fall?  Why are we wearing heavy coats with gloves and winter boots now when we should be wearing light coats or sweaters?  Please Fall, come back, pretty please????  I still need to finish raking the leaves in our yard, oh dear.

Well, since it's cold outside dinner should be easy.  Chili with cornbread, yummy!  I'm sure JJ and Micheal will love it.  You want the recipe?  Here it is:

CHILI CON CARNE (4 servings)

1 lb. ground beef 
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. red pepper sauce
1 can (16 oz.) whole tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15.5 oz) kidney beans, undrained

Cook and stir ground beef, onion and garlic in 3-quart saucepan until beef is brown; drain.  Stir in remaining ingredients except beans; break up tomatoes.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

Stir in beans.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered, stirring mixture occasionally, until of desired consistency, about 20 minutes.

Tip:  I like to add a can of whole kernel corn to my chili - just because :)

CORN BREAD

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shortening or bacon fat
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs

Heat oven to 450* then mix all ingredients; beat vigorously 30 seconds.  Pour into greased round pan, 9x1.5 inches, or square pan, 8x8x2 inches.  Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.  Serve warm.

Another tip:

I normally don't have buttermilk in my pantry so I use regular milk mixed with 2 tbsp. lemon juice for substitute.  Also we like to use our heavy cast iron skillet when baking our cornbread - just because :)

We also love leftover cornbread - we reheat it in the microwave, drizzle it with honey and pour milk over it.

There you have it.  I hope you try these recipes and stay warm y'all.

Thank you for following and God bless!

IT'S FALL Y'ALL!!!

Oh my, time flew by so swiftly didn't it?  I can't believe it's October already.  Didn't September just started yesterday?  Whew!  October means it's time for Fall decor, pumpkins, apple cider and caramel apples.  It's also our wedding anniversary, October 10, to be exact.  This year we will celebrate our 32nd, all praise and thanks be to God.

Last week my son texted me whether I still have the recipe for the pumpkin choco chips muffins I used to make when they were growing up.  Honestly, I took it with me to the Philippines and....I left the recipe there.  But I found one online so this morning I baked them and they are the exact yummy muffins we enjoyed years ago.  I'd like to share the recipe below:

4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 can 15 oz. pumpkin (packed)
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 cups semi-sweet choco chips

In a big bowl combine first 4 ingredients, beat until well blended.  In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients except the choco chips.  Add the dry ingredients to the first bowl and mix well.  Using a spatula fold in the choco chips.  Divide evenly on the greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.  Yields 24 muffins.

Today I decided to use my mini bundt pans and it turned out okay.  I filled it to 3/4.

....and it turned out just the right height.  I didn't have trouble taking it out of the individual pans.

Let it cool in a wire rack....

but of course this muffin is best eaten warm with the choco chips melting like that.  Yummm!

I wish you were here to share this one with me.  One mini bundt is too big for one person so I packed the other half and sent it with JJ's lunch.  When I picked him up this afternoon he wanted to go straight home so he can have muffins for after school snack.  He told me he remembered eating these muffins when he was five years old.  Hmmm, typical JJ, if you know him well enough he seems to remember things when he was 5 years old....always when he was five years old...don't ask me :).


I end up with 6 mini bundt size muffins and 12 regular size muffins with one batch.  I like to freeze some and just pop it in the microwave when I crave for one.  Still good as the day it came out of the oven, trust me.

I hope you try this recipe and let me know how it goes.  Thank you for following and God bless you this Fall season as we teach our hearts to be thankful and grateful for all the blessings that He has lavished on us and our families and friends.

 "GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD.  HIS FAITHFUL LOVE ENDURES FOREVER."  -  Psalms 118:1