My first fruit salad...

Tweet

This year brings a lot of first for me... with the passing away of my wife and being left on my own, I have to do things by myself. With my wife's birthday yesterday, I just don't want to it pass without us preparing anything to celebrate the day.

Yet no matter how much I write to her, I know I would still be alone to prepare for it. And so I decided to make fruit salad and cook spaghetti on her birthday. The spaghetti wasn't much a big deal for me, as I have already prepared it before. The only difference is that this time, nobody was coaching me this time as I was cooking.

But for the fruit salad, it's definitely a first for me. I tried to look at cook books and searched on the internet, but what I see only confuses me. Relying on my gut feel and remembering how my wife prepared it then, I bought the needed ingredients and just began making the fruit salad.

All through the process, I was asking the children what they remembered their mother was doing. "Does Mama add the juice of the fruit cocktail in the salad?" I asked my son Edgar, and he answered that she didn't add the juice or syrup. "How much condensed milk does she put?" I followed, and this time none of the kids remembered.

Still, I went on with the procedure, and everything was a guessing game for me. Fortunately, it didn't turn out bad. Big deal! I know - fruit cocktail, all-purpose cream, condensed milk, apples... what could go wrong?!

Like I said, it's a first for me.

Just one more of the firsts that I will be facing all alone from now on...

Prayer Brigade for the future Philippine President

Tweet

I have received quite a lot of tags, and I haven't done any them yet (my apologies to those who tagged me, I promise I will get to them in time). But this recent tag, I believe deserve immediate attention as it concerns our future as Filipinos.

Fatherlyours joined a prayer brigade and tagged me to join. There's nothing wrong in a prayer or in praying. It's a simple request to join the prayer brigade for the future Philippine President, no matter what religion one may belong, I know we all pray to one God.

My prayer:

I praise and thank You for the talent You have given me to write and express my thoughts. I am hoping that I am serving You with my writings and my works could bring greater glory to Your name.

At this point My Lord, our country needs Your guidance and untiring protection from all those who seek to serve only their self-interest, even if it would cause the demise of the greater majority.

Send us Lord, Your anointed one and bring us a leader that will serve in Your Name, and bring our country closer to You and Your plans for us.

Save us from wolves in sheep's clothing who even speaks in Your Name and yet their heart contains nothing but self-serving motives.

All this I ask in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Your Son and our Lord.

Amen.

My Oath:

I, Roy dela Cruz support the cause of the Blog Prayer Brigade for the election of the Future President of the Republic of the Philippines and I do solemnly promise to recite the prayer, which I wrote, in my own convenient time and regularly as possible until the 2010 Presidential Election commences. Let it be written, let it be done.

I would like to invite the following people as I tag them to join.

Iva
Amor
Sweetiepie
Monette
Ada

Here's what to do:

1. Write a short, sincere and meaningful prayer, (in your own words and according to the customs of your religious affiliation) about asking God in guiding our country and fellowmen in choosing the right candidate to vote for in the coming 2010 Philippine Presidential Elections. It can be in your own vernacular, and can be short and long as you please. Remember, the goal of the prayer is not only for Peaceful Election but most of all “for the guidance of choosing the right Presidential candidate to vote in the election”

2, Publish the prayer for everyone to Read in your blog.

3. Go to the Blog Prayer Brigade Main Page which is located here, and get one of the badges or banners for the brigade. Place the badge or banner in your Sidebar until the 2010 Presidential Elections commence.

4. Make an oath by filling the blank below with your handle/or name

I, _____________________(name) support the cause of the Blog Prayer Brigade for the election of the Future President of the Republic of the Philippines and I do solemnly promise to recite the prayer, which I wrote, in my own convenient time and regularly as possible until the 2010 Presidential Election commences. Let it be written, let it be done.

5. Tag at least 7 Pinoy bloggers you know who haven’t done this before so that the prayer will spread wherever there is a pinoy blogger present.

6. Keep you promise of praying for the Presidential Election so that God may guide us in choosing the right leader for our country.

7. in January 2010, we will gather all the names and prayers of each participants and publish all their prayers in one Blog. We will also feature in the blog the most beautiful prayer ever composed in this project.

Right now, our country really needs prayers to be saved. Let us spread the word.

Thank you.

Our firsts without her...

Tweet

We have spent our first Mother's Day without her... now here come some more firsts... because life is supposed to go on.

When you're not on someone else's shoes, things are easier to say. "She is at rest now..." "be strong, you can do it..." "have faith..." and so on...

I know all that. But once in melancholic trance, all senses, logic, faith and strength seem to fly out the window. Nothing but anxiety and loneliness remain.

Can life really go on? I'm talking about a life with sense, direction... purpose. I really don't think anybody would understand what I'm saying here... they just think they do.

In a few days time it will be her birthday, November 29 to be exact. Then comes December 8, our wedding anniversary... it is supposed to be our 17th year. Of course, needless to say, Christmas day comes next.

I don't think I'm making any sense here. I don't even know what I'm trying to drive at.

I'm lost... I'm moving and going somewhere... but I don't know where...

I'm doing something, but I don't know what... and why...

and just because life has to go on...