Our Lenten Journey (2015)

Lent has started! It's almost the second Sunday of Lent and I praise and thank God for the wisdom and grace He has given me and my family to continue our Lenten family traditions and to start new ones.

I consider this is a miracle because I have a newborn baby whom I breastfeed on demand. I thank God for sustaining me and giving me energy to lead our devotions and activities. I thank God also that it seems that my two older boys are enjoying our activities.

Let me share what we have started so far. 

Ash Wednesday was a full day in our home.

We changed the curtains and throw pillow cases changed into lavender. We also changed the cover of our altar into the same color.

  

My eldest son made Lenten banners.

My two older kids made the Alleluia banner and hid it.

I asked my eldest son to write "From: Jesus" in the gift tag
and on the opposite side of it, "salvation" and "eternal life."

We started using the Lenten calendar I printed the day before. For alternative Lenten Calendar ideas, click here.

Lenten Calendar from Catholic Icing blog.

The kids dropped coins on our alms box (a cereal box turned into a coin box covered with purple paper and with the word ALMS written on it).

I declared that for the entire season of Lent, our family will fast on our favorite dessert: ice cream and chocolates. So on the night before Ash Wednesday, my husband and I had a brief Valentine date at a nearby ice cream store. ;)

We've started observing the abstinence of meat on prescribed days like Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent. I put to use the 4-week Cycle Menu Plan for Lent that I made . Click here to go to my post about meatless Fridays of Lent.

And since we love music, we started reviewing and singing songs usually sang during Lent. Last week, my eldest son who can play the piano oido and who is starting to learn how to read notes learned how to play the song Hosea.

We went to Mass on Ash Wednesday and had ashes on our foreheads.



It's our baby's first Ash Wednesday!

As part of our new Lenten tradition, I have started reading the Bible or Bible stories from the kids' Children's Bible over breakfast. Then, I reinforce with a bit of storytelling as well when I read from my Bible.

After our storytelling and Bible reading, I sometimes ask the kids to make a drawing based on the story that they just heard. Sometimes, I ask them to color coloring pages about the stories that I told them. I also ask my eldest son to answer some worksheets related to our topics. Sometimes, he answers word searches, mazes, questions or fill in the blanks worksheets. I search the internet for ideas. I also get some help from the Holy Heroes site for inspiration and activities. I choose only what I think my kids are ready to do at this time/age.

Just like in the past, I reinforce these lessons and stories by letting them watch some videos on our topics/Bible heroes/characters. One of the recent videos I let them watch is about the 10 Commandments.

The kids so far are enjoying these activities. I hear them a lot talking about the Bible characters and stories we have discussed so far. Sometimes, these stories become the theme of their pretend plays. 

We have also resumed our night prayers as a family. For a while we just listen to the kids say their night prayers in the past months after I gave birth then we send them to bed to sleep. This Lent, we started praying again with them after they say their night prayers.

Lent is indeed a season of grace and I thank God for His grace that is new every morning. His grace is what enables us to keep on keeping on in our faith walk. It's what enables us to be faithful even after we fall and make mistakes along the way. It's His grace that reminds us of His unconditional and steadfast love. It's His grace that gives me encouragement to continuously strive to be more like Him in all things, especially in parenting my kids.

This year, I do not have a new verse to guide me throughout my Lenten journey. I have decided to stick to the verse that I adapted years ago. I believe that I need to be reminded of this verse a lot so I can grow closer to living it out. My verse for Lent again this year is: "Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."

I pray that God would continue to bless the rest of our Lenten journey.

Mommy TG's Recipes for Meatless Fridays of Lent and More

I was inspired last Lent to weekly share about some of the meatless recipes I know that are easy to prepare. I know that moms are always busy and it would be helpful to find recipes that they can quickly prepare even if they are not divas in the kitchen. It was also my way of reminding myself of other meal options I can include in our Lenten menu.

Surprisingly, these weekly posts got a lot of page views and most of these posts made their way to my Top 13 Posts for 2013. Thus, I've decided to write this post in preparation for Lent (which is starting tomorrow, Ash Wednesday) so that all the mommies who are cramming or who didn't have much time to do some menu planning before Lent can benefit from this post.

I'm arranging these posts in order of page views gained since I posted them last Lent (2013).

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Spanish Sardines Pasta

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Seafood Kare-Kare

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Paksiw na Bangus

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Baked Mussels (Baked Tahong)

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Seafood Paella or Paella de Marisco

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Crusted Tilapia Fillet

Let me also share with you my 4-Week Cycle Menu Plan for Lent, which I made years ago. Feel free to adapt or tweak it to suit your family's needs and preferences.

Mommy TG's 4-Week Cycle Menu Plan for Lent

One of the reasons that I love writing and blogging is that I can go back to what I wrote in the past and benefit from my previous writings. With a blog, going back to these useful and helpful posts is much easier because there's a search button. :)

Thank God for these blessings!

Before I forget, I'd like to share another recipe for a truly blessed and meaningful Lent this year.

1. Marinate on God's Word daily. Let your soul soak in it for at least 15 minutes each day. You can make it 5-5-5. 5 minutes in the morning, 5 minutes at noon and 5 minutes before bed.

2. Add bits of Prayer throughout the day. Just like salt and pepper, this is best added not just at one point but at different times.

3. Add some more Forbearance and Patience. This would tenderize your soul and form your character.

4. Sprinkle generously with Love.

5. Last but not least, serve with a warm Smile on your lips.

Hope this post helps you this Lent and beyond! Don't forget to go to Mass tomorrow!

Hometown Decision

Have you ever heard of the phrase it’s a hometown decision? In contests or politics, hometown decisions mean that the decision was made in favor of the person who lives in that hometown because that person got the vote of his neighbors. But this is not the case in today’s Gospel for Jesus who visited his hometown, Nazareth.

Jesus said in Luke 4:24, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown."

In a cross reference (Matthew 13:57), it says: And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

In another version, Matthew 13:57 says: And so they rejected him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is respected everywhere except in his own hometown and by his own family."

Why did Jesus say this? Is this true? If it’s true, what could be the reason? What is it about the prophets that make the people who are supposedly close to them reject the message they preach?

It said in the Gospel today (March 12, 2012) that Jesus taught in their synagogue and the people in his hometown were amazed. They wondered where He got His wisdom when they know Him as the carpenter’s son. Sometimes, when we are already familiar with someone, we think and feel we know them completely. Thus, when this person whom we are familiar with says something unusual, we get surprised and wonder why this person said what he said. That was what happened with Jesus. His neighbors found it unusual for Him to say such eloquent words in the synagogue when they think that He was just an ordinary person in their neighborhood.

What did Jesus say that offended his neighbors? Why did they get so furious to the point that they want to throw him off a cliff?

What He said insulted his neighbors because the Jews think they are the chosen race. They are proud of that heritage being sons and daughters of Abraham. They are proud to be following many laws in their church or synagogue. Thus, when Jesus honored the foreigners like the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian, they felt that Jesus was telling them that these foreigners were better than them when it comes to matters of faith. To hear those words from a fellow Jew was an outrage for them. "How dare he say those words to us when he is just one of our neighbors?" They might be thinking at that time. "How dare he insult us by saying that those foreigners who do not believe in the God we worship are better than us that is why miracles were performed for them? Since when did he get the authority to insult us when he is just the carpenter’s son?"

"Some of the things that Jesus said in His mission were quite inflammatory. Did Jesus want to be provocative? Quite unlikely, but one thing is sure. He was not willing to compromise the truth so He always spoke it as He saw it. The Church knows what doing this means and how the intellectuals of society will take it. However, this is a small price to pay for the truth. This is easy to say, yet far more difficult to be faithful to it." This was the commentary on the Gospel from Catholic Scripture Diary, Companion.

That is what the prophets and Jesus share in common. They are not willing to compromise the truth just to accommodate or please the people listening to them. They are not willing to water-down God’s Word to the people God sends them to just so these people would be more receptive of them and of the message they preach. They would rather be persecuted, stoned or crucified than give up the message God has planted in their hearts.

Jesus’ neighbors’ ask, "Where does he get his authority to speak to us in such manner?" The people who listened to the prophets long ago asked the same question. Some were completely clueless. Some knew in their hearts that the prophets’ authority came from God but their pride and weaknesses prevented them from acting on the message proclaimed to them. Some could not accept that God would speak through these people (the prophets and Jesus) because they think and feel that if God is to speak, why not to them? Aren’t they the teachers of the law? Aren’t they the elders in their church?

God, however, has a mysterious way of choosing His messengers. Often, he chooses the most unlikely, the ordinary, the poor and the young. As 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, "Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful."

Jesus’ neighbors especially the leaders in their church or synagogue thought that they are better than him because they were teachers of the law and some were older than him. They saw Jesus grow up to be a man and they saw nothing special about Him. They do not know and they have failed to recognize the hand of God the Father upon Jesus. They did not recognize that among them is not just an ordinary prophet but the Messiah they have been waiting for. They did not recognize Him because He was so ordinary looking. They felt that they already know Him and where He came from. But they are wrong, so wrong.

Let me quote what Jesus said to his disciples on why He uses parables to speak to the people:

The reason that I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand. So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them: ‘This people will listen and listen, but not understand; they will look and look, but not see, because their minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and have closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.’ (Matthew 13:13-15)
 

Can you relate with Jesus and the prophets? Are you experiencing a hometown decision now? Is it in your favor or not? Are there also people rising up against you because of the message that you proclaim? Fear not! Rejoice, for you are in good company, the prophets and the Messiah! Do you feel misunderstood? Do you feel terrified? Do you feel sad and alone?

Here is God’s message to you modern day messenger of God.

"How fortunate you are! Your eyes see and your ears hear." (Matthew 13:16)

"Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today… The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14:13-14)

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6)

"Draw near to God." (James 4:8)

"If God is for us, who can be against us? … In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:31, 37)

"Fear not, for I am with you." (Philippians 4:5-6)

"Speak, and do not be silent; for I am with you." (Act 18:9-10)

When the apostle Paul faced the Roman tribunal, he said, "At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me… but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me." (2 Timothy 4:16-17)

Remind yourself that God stands by your side when you stand before an assembly that does not want to listen to you and rejects you and the message that you preach. Let God comfort you and strengthen you. Let God whisper in your ear what to do next. For though the voices of the crowd may be loud, the God who speaks to your heart will still have the final word. So boldly conquer as God’s anointed! Walk past them and walk towards your Jerusalem! Embrace your cross and follow Jesus’ footsteps. For as you follow Him to the cross, you also follow Him to His resurrection.

Our Father in heaven does not waste our tears and pains. He allows them and uses them for His purposes so that His glory would be evident in our lives and the choices that we make. May by the choices we make and our witness more hearts would turn to God. Not to us, not to us, but to God be glory!

Holy Week Visit to an Orphanage: One of my early birthday gifts from God

My husband and I planned early in Lent to have an outreach for our family during the Lenten season.  Then, we became so busy with deadlines and many other things and the release/delivery of our new vehicle happened much later than expected.

 

Our busy days became busy weeks and Lent was almost over.  Deep inside I was still hoping and wishing we could go to a charitable institution or to the same orphanage that we visited last year to celebrate my birthday.

 

Then, God surprised me when one of the servants managing the orphanage for girls where we went last year told me that they are still free on Holy Wednesday afternoon. Yes!  God answered my heart's desire!  Perfect timing because our van was already delivered.

 

The last few days leading to the outreach were again very busy days.  I hardly had time to plan and prepare.  But by God's grace, I was able to think of simple activities.  Since my advance birthday celebration fell within Holy Week, I decided to tone it down.  No cake, ice cream or balloons like last year. No more fancy decors or fancy loot bags.  It was much simpler compared to my Disney Princess-themed birthday party last year.

 

Our simple activities were graced by God's presence and our simple outreach turned out to be so much fun, not just for the kids of Tahanan ng Pagmamahal but also for me and my husband, my friends and my two kids. 

 

We started our simple program with the teaching of songs led by my ever-dependable husband who played his guitar.  My eldest son could not resist to join his Dad.  He played his guitar as well while singing with us.

 

 

My husband and his little assistant playing the guitar.  My little Mateo walking and dancing around
while Kuya Yanthy and Daddy teaches some songs.

 

Here is one of the songs that we taught them.  My son loves this song and he enjoyed helping his Dad teach this to the kids in the orphanage.  The kids in turn loved how my eldest son sang his heart out and played his guitar with passion.

 

 

 

The other songs we taught were Jesus Loves the Little Children and John 3:16 Song which are some of the first songs my kids learned from me.  Click on the song titles to watch a video of the songs.

 

My husband and I explained the meaning of the songs a bit to the kids as we taught them then we used the songs to lead them in prayer.  After that, we distributed John 3:16 book marks that I got from Christian Preschool Printables.  I instructed them to decorate, color or jazz up their bookmarks.  We provided them with coloring materials, yarns and ribbons.  Each child, including my eldest son and the daughter of one of my college friends who joined us, got busy right away with their masterpieces. 

 

The girls in the orphanage busy with their book marks with my college friend and her daughter.

 

My eldest son proudly shows his book mark.

 

Yanthy, my eldest, finished his book mark fast.  He went to the dining area eagerly and took the initiative to help out in setting up the table and preparing the food for the kids while the other kids continued to decorate their book marks.  He patiently prepared with the other volunteers and he didn't even rush to eat his share.  He waited until all the food are prepared and most kids were finished with their book marks before asking if he can already eat.  So we said grace before meals with the rest of the kids and those who were finished were asked to line up and their food and drinks were given to them.

 

 

 

 

I ordered food (spaghetti) from Amber once more just like last year.  Earlier that morning, we made some sandwiches. We also bought cartons of juices and marshmallows for the kids.  A couple friend who came to join our activity brought some Yakult and chocolate drinks in tetra packs and pizza.

 

The kids jammed some more with my husband after eating merienda/afternoon snack.  Then, I had a word hunt game inspired by 1 Corinthians 13.  We gave chocolates to the first three girls who found all the words that were listed. 

 

Then, I asked Yanthy and Cate to distribute our brown bag loot bags to the girls in the orphanage.  Each loot bag has a rosary aside from the sweet treats.

 

We had a closing prayer and the kids surprised us with a very moving song.

 

I felt so blessed that day!  I was blessed to be given the chance to serve God's favorites again and to bring Christ's love to them on Holy Week.  I felt blessed to witness my son happy to serve the Lord's favorites in his own little ways.  I pray that he would continue to do so when he grows up.  Moreover, my family had another meaningful bonding activity to celebrate my birthday and to bring God's message to others during the Holy Week.  God is so good!

 

 

Random Reflections on Today's Readings

It's Good Friday and it's a day of fasting and abstinence.  But instead of sharing a meatless recipe today, I'm going to share my random thoughts and reflections as I read the readings today.

 

My husband and I attended a two-half day (Holy Thursday and Good Friday morning) live out retreat led by Bo Sanchez in PICC.  It was a spirit-filled and powerful retreat!  I'm still letting the words of God sink into my heart.  I will certainly blog about my reflections soon.

 

But today before I sleep, let me share these verses that caught my attention and my thoughts about them.

 

"I find no guilt in him.” John 19:6
That was what Pilate said about Jesus. But he still didn't have enough courage to stand by his belief. He was afraid of the crowd. He didn't want to go against what they believed in even when he thought that they were wrong.

How many times have we been witnesses to injustice or unfair treatment or judgement yet we chose to be silent? Like Pilate, have we been cowards, too? How many times have we betrayed Jesus by not standing up to Him and our belief in Him. There are still modern day Pilates and we can be one of them when we choose not to defend the innocent because of our fear of the crowd.

 

The service of the Gospel will bring you into conflict with the world, and that conflict will initiate suffering. - Didache

 

Jesus lived His life fully in the service of the Gospel. He lived to love us. He lived to carry out the Father's Will and perfect plan of salvation for humankind.  He got into conflict with the powerful people of His time because of this.  He suffered because of this.

 

How about us?  How willing are we to be in conflict with the world to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth? Or even to our neighbors or officemates?  Are we really willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel?  Or do we tell God about our conditions or limits on what kind of sufferings for the Gospel we are willing to endure?

 

 

"Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth..." Isaiah 53:7

He is the Son of God and yet when people treated Him harshly He chose not to defend Himself. He chose to be humble and silent. How many of us today can do what Jesus did? Can we also be humble enough to remain silent and not defend ourselves while being treated unjustly and harshly by our enemies? 

 

What Jesus did is no easy thing.  It was humbling. It was humiliating. Yet He endured it all. Why? He loved us. 

 

Let's ask ourselves: When was the last time we endured a humbling experience or humiliation because of love for someone or because of our love for God?

 

Today, Jesus gave us a perfect example of up to what point we should be ready to suffer for the Gospel.  He showed us what courage looked like.  May we be inspired and strengthened by His example, by His life, by His love.

 

Waiting on the Lord this Holy Week

The verse that struck me the most in today's readings is from Psalm 27:14 which says, "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (ESV)

 

In another version (ISV), it is said this way, "Wait on the LORD. Be courageous, and he will strengthen your heart. Wait on the LORD!"

 

I looked up the different versions of the verse here and was led to read and meditate on other parallel verses which I found very helpful in understanding God's message more.  Let me share some of the things I read that helped me understand what God was telling me through this verse.

 

Psalm 25:3 "No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame..."

 

Psalm 37:34 "Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land;"

 

Psalm 62:5 "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him."

 

Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope."

 

Isaiah 25:9 "In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

 

Lamentations 3:25 "The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;"

 

Here is a commentary from Barne's Notes on the Bible that further enlightened me:

 

"Wait on the Lord - This is the sum of all the instruction in the psalm; the main lesson which the psalm is designed to convey. The object is to induce others, from the experience of the psalmist, to trust in the Lord; to rely upon Him; to come to Him in trouble... to wait for His interposition when all other resources fail."

 

He added, "in all times of danger and difficulty, instead of despondency, instead of sinking down in despair, instead of giving up all effort, we should go forward in the discharge of duty, putting our trust solely in the Lord."

 

Here's another inspiring line from The Treasury of David:

 

"Wait on the Lord." Wait at his door with prayer; wait at his foot with humility; wait at his table with service; wait at his window with expectancy."

 

Another commentary said that the first wait means wait in expectation; while the second simply means wait as if expecting new measures of help.

 

What is God's message to me in all these?

 

First, He's asking me to to let my soul and body rest for I have been stressed and now sick with colds and sore throat.  Second, He is asking me to let go of my attachment to results and of relying on my own strength.  Third, He is giving me hope, courage and confidence that He will not fail me as I put my hope and trust in Him.  He will give me the help that I need to accomplish what He has called me to accomplish.

 

What will I do now to respond to His Words to me today?

 

I'll be sending my draft/manuscript to a copyeditor and trust that with her help, God will use her to improve on my work.  Instead of stressing about how to improve it this Holy Week, I'm deligating it to her so I can rest in body and spirit and be nourished and refreshed by God.

I will push through with the outreach to an orphanage I planned for Holy Wednesday.

I will focus on the retreat that my husband and I will attend from Holy Thursday to Black Saturday.

 

Moreover, I will do what I can to promote again our condominium unit that is still for sale and trust that God will help us pay for the remaining balance in our downpayment so we can move to our new house soon.

 

In both of these concerns, I will choose to trust and wait on the Lord with great expectation.  I will not let worry or any negativity bring me down or discourage me.  I will look forward to great things for the Lord has told me in the past that He has called me to do great things!

 

I will continue to bask in prayer and rely on the power of His Holy Spirit to help me endure the wait.

 

 

 

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Seafood Paella or Paella de Marisco

I almost forgot that I needed to blog about a meatless recipe today.  I was busy preparing for my talk/presentation tomorrow among other domestic concerns when I realized that it's already afternoon and I haven't posted a meatless recipe.

 

Anyway, I choose to post about one of my favorite dishes today -- Paella.  Paella is a popular dish from Spain.  It originated in Valencia but later became popular in the entire region and eventually outside of Spain.  You may read here to learn more about its origin. 

 

Traditional Paella has meat (like chicken or sausages) but since it's Lent, I'm sharing here the Seafood Paella version.  I have tasted both versions - traditional and seafood only -- and both are very delicious.  There are many versions or ways of cooking Paella actually and it is said that it varies depending on the style and preference of the one cooking it.

Let me quote from an article published last year in Inquirer Lifestyle:

“To talk about real paella is difficult. We have thousands of recipes. If you go to Spain and you are in the main towns in the middle of the Iberian Peninsula, the paellas will be more on meat and vegetables. They will be adding pimentón or Spanish paprika.

“If you are in the coastline, the paella will be more on fish and seafood, and if you are from the north of Spain, the paella even does not have yellow color because they don’t use saffron.

“When I came to the Philippines, the difference is the hard-boiled egg and chorizo de Bilbao, and the big amount of toppings, like seafood, chicken, etc.”

 

I searched the net for some Seafood Paella recipes that you can try one Friday this Lent.  It actually isn't as difficult as it seems.  Try a recipe first before concluding that it's only for seasoned chefs.

 

 

Seafood Paella from Just Easy Recipes

 

Classic Seafood Paella from Fine Cooking

 

Seafood Paella by Home Cooking About.com

 

A Sensational Seafood Paella Shared by Norma Chikiamco

 

 

If you're not up to cooking your own Paella but are still craving for one, you can just head to Spanish restaurants in your area. In Manila, you can go to Casa Armas, Alba's, Las Paella's, Las Flores, Pio's Kitchen and other restaurants that feature spanish cuisine.

 

Que se diviertan comiendo!  

 

An Encounter with Jesus that changed them

"they went away one by one, beginning with the elders." John 8:9

The Gospel today tells of a woman caught in adultery. Those who caught her wanted to stone her to death. (Have you ever wondered how they caught someone in the act of adultery?)  But their encounter with Jesus changed their mind and their actions. They were so eager to throw a stone at her in the beginning; but something in their encounter with the Lord moved them not to continue what they originally wanted to do.

 


Photo source here.

We all need this encounter with Jesus - whether we are one of those holding a stone in our hand or the one who is in danger of being stoned. For indeed all of us are sinners but do we really need to gang around someone whom we think has done something wrong? Are we really in the position to judge that person? 

 

The Bible says, "“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye..."  Matthew 7:1-5 

 

Why don't we pause for a while and ask if we are not guilty of the same sins by which we want to stone our neighbor? Maybe by doing that, we would encounter Jesus and we too would be transformed by Him.


Update: This post is linked to the Catholic Bloggers Monthly Link-up Blitz for the month of March.
 

Recipes for Meatless Fridays: Seafood Kare-Kare

It's another beautiful Friday of Lent!  Today, I will share about a dish that I first tried when I was still a college student taking up Hotel and Restaurant Administration in the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

 

It was also Lent at that time and we were planning for our catering class.  My groupmates and I thought of making a delicious twist to the traditional Kare-Kare which is usually cooked with beef.  The result was still a delicious Kare-Kare with new ingredients.

 

What we did was to simply blanch the vegetables so as not to lose their nutrients and to prevent them from becoming soggy.  We did not mix the vegetables right away with the sauce.  We put the vegetables when the dish is about to be served.  We chose to put one kind of fish which has firm flesh that's cut into bit-size squares (to ensure it won't flake easily when cooked), mussels, shrimps and squid rings. 

 

I have lost our original recipe so I've decided to look for similar Kare-Kare recipes in the web that I can share with you.  You may choose from these recipes which you think would best suit your taste and which seafoods to include.  You may also choose to make your own peanut sauce from scratch (which my groupmates I did before) or use the store-bought ready to mix sauce.  We also did not mix the bagoong or shrimp paste right away to the sauce.  It was served with the dish but placed in a smaller container.

 

 

Seafood Kare-Kare

 

Recipe #1

 

Recipe #2

 

Recipe #3

 

Recipe #4

 

 

Try one Seafood Kare-Kare recipe and let me know how you find it?  A grace-filled Friday to you and your family!

 

Rejected for Speaking the Truth

"People (like the Scribes and Pharisees) didn't like to listen to Jesus because He was speaking the Truth. They didn't like to hear the Truth because the Truth hurts... It was one of the reasons why they rejected Him," said Fr. Eric Santos last Friday in his homily during the Mass.

Fr. Eric went on to explain the readings and how the First Reading relates to the Gospel and Jesus.  He related how the experience of Joseph, son of Jacob/Israel, is in a way similar to Jesus’ experience of rejection.  Both of them were rejected for telling the truth.  There were people around them who heard the truth they have spoken and because of that, these people plotted against them.  Then, in the end, they saved the same people who betrayed them or caused them harm.

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”  Matthew 21:42

These same things still happen in our modern world today.  There are people who simply choose to follow Jesus’ example and are rejected for speaking the truth.  There are Christians who simply choose to be vocal about their beliefs and who choose to be bold enough to admit their stand on certain issues in our society today but they are persecuted for doing this.  This isn’t surprising for if the Master suffered, it follows that His followers will also suffer.  Manny Pacquiao and Miriam Quiambao are the celebrities that came to my mind as I listened to the homily.  They simply shared their beliefs about homosexuality and yet people were so fast in speaking against them as if they committed a crime.  I admired their courage to speak about their beliefs in this modern world where many Christians hesitate to declare the truth about what they believe in for fear that people would say something against them.  Some Christians are so cautious to lose the approval of people; yet are not as cautious in offending God or hurting Him.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:33, “Everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”

The Truth will remain the Truth whether we proclaim it or not.  The Truth will be revealed whether we choose to be bearers of the Truth or not.  This Lent, may we allow the Truth to transform us to be more like Christ.  May we choose to be vessels of the Truth and not refuse to be mouthpieces of God.

Let’s ask ourselves this question: What truth from God am I denying and refusing to transform me? 

Author's note: This was published today at The Feast Sucat Bulletin.

 

Update: Ths post is linked to the Catholic Bloggers Network Monthly Link-up Blitz for the month of March.

God creates hunger in our hearts for a purpose

We lived in a small and old apartment when I was young.  I grew up in that room on the second floor of a row of apartments somewhere in Quezon City.  It was similar to the studio units that we have now in condominiums wherein everything is found in one room.  The receiving area, dining area and kitchen are all near each other.  The sleeping area would have been in sight if not for the partition that my parents built to provide some privacy.  We didn't have our own toliet and bath unlike the studio units we now have.  There were units like ours in that row of apartments that didn't have this facility.  Instead, there's a common toilet and bath at the end of this row of old apartments.  Since the apartments were already old, the toilet and bath was also old.  In fact, it was already dilapidated.  The floors of our home then had some cracks, big enough for me and my younger brother to play marbles in them. 

 

I lived a happy childhood in that neighborhood where some of my cousins were our neighbors, too.  But I think there was a part of me that kept on telling me that I could live in much better place, in a more beautiful house.  And so from then on, I started dreaming of having our own house that is beautiful, spacious and has it's own toilet and bath.  Daydreaming, sketching and looking at books and magazines with pictures of beautiful houses were my favorite past times.  I even considered becoming an architect or a civil engineer.  I eventually changed my mind.

 

Then, that row of old apartments had to be renovated and all the tenants had to leave.

 

My parents didn't know what to do.  They couldn't find another apartment that is being rented out within the same range that they were paying in our old apartment.  They couldn't afford newer apartments either.  They didn't want to go back to their province because both of their jobs were in the city.

 

They eventually decided to build a house in a land that wasn't ours.  The land was owned by the government and they found out about it through my mother's friend.  So from living in an old apartment, we ended living in the slums for years.

 

My desire to live in a more beautiful house with a much better environment became stronger.  Deep inside I knew that it wasn't God's Will that we lived in that place.  I knew that it was beneath our human dignity.  So I asked God why He allowed it to happen.  He didn't give me an answer right away.

 

Then, one evening, after coming from school and just before eating dinner with my family, I heard screams from outside. "Fire! Fire!"  I looked to the left.  I looked to the right.  I could not see the fire but only people running.  Then, I looked up and I saw that the house just behind the house in front of our house was on fire.  We tried to save as much possessions as we could but most of them were burned in less than an hour I think.  We were blessed to have survived unharmed with only my brother sustaining a few small wounds on his feet as he ran back and forth from our house to the street barefoot trying to save as much as he could.   

 

I remember crying to one of our close family friends then telling him that we no longer have a house.

 

Old apartment, slums then no more house because of fire.  It was really beyond my limited understanding.  There were a lot of times then that I struggled with God because I could not comprehend what He was doing in my life.  I got angry with God and got depressed.  For a while I didn't like to go to church or pray.  I even bought a small book entitled May I hate God?   

 

But God's grace truly abounds that no amount of anger or depression can separate me from His love.  God eventually healed me from those pains.  Then, He used those pains and experiences to fuel my passion and determination to buy/build a house that my family and I could call our own.

 

That dream became a reality shortly after I graduated from college and started working.  We found a small village which I thought was affordable enough given my parents' income and my income as a management trainee in a fast food restaurant.  From then on, I spent most of my money paying for the amortization, renovating it and decorating it to make it beautiful.  Finally, my dream became a reality.  It was not a big house but it was our own.  It had three small bedrooms - one for my brother, one for me and one for my parents.  It has a kitchen separate from the dining area.  It has a small receiving area and a small yard beside it big enough to park a vehicle or have a garden.  And we had our own toilet and bath. :)

 

Then, I got married.

 

My fiance and I didn't have enough money to buy a single detached house so we decided to buy two condominium units instead.  We put an adjoining door and those two units became the first home of our young family.

 

It was really our plan to buy a bigger house and to sell our condominium units eventually.  But we were not in a hurry since we haven't found a property or house that we really liked.  Until, I saw this property that had almost all that I wanted in a property.  It was beautiful.  The neighborhood seems nice and quiet.  And it's literally a stone's throw from the church.  I liked it right away as soon as I saw it.  But we had one big problem... we didn't have enough money to purchase or even reserve it.  Then, God made a way and so we got to reserve the property and to this day we continue to pay for the property and we look forward to moving to it soon.

 

Have we sold both of our condominium units? Not yet. Only one.  This moved me to ask God why once more.  Recently, He made me realize that one of His reasons for this is so that I would have a hunger in my heart once more that is so strong, strong enough to move me out of my current comfort zone.  God also answered this question in my heart through Brother Bo last weekend when Brother Bo said, "God wants you to use your talents to solve your problems.  God will provide for your needs but He also wants you to be part of the solution."

 

God has blessed me tremendously in my career.  He has blessed me with abundance through my previous jobs.  Then, when I decided to become a stay-at-home mom, shortly after that, He blessed me with opportunities to earn from home through one of my hobbies (writing) and do consulting work on a per project basis.  I had been doing this for years now and usually, I would only choose to work whenever I feel the need to contribute to the family income.  That was not very often because God has been enabling my husband to provide for our needs and even some of our wants and because consulting and speaking in corporate events is a highly-paid service; so I simply wait for clients to come to me.  Again, God has been so gracious to me that I don't run out of clients and projects even when I don't market my services.  I relied mainly on word of mouth, repeat business and referrals from people in my network.

 

Until we found this property that we so badly want to get because God promised us that He will give it to us.  (You can read more about how God spoke to me through this property here and here.)  At first I was disappointed with God because we are still selling one of our condominium units until now.  But God made me realize that this was simply His way of creating hunger in my heart once more to use my talent and skills to earn and contribute to our family income.  And in the process, God led me to discover His higher calling to me in scaling up what I had been doing for years. He made me realize that He wants me to do this not just for my immediate family or extended family or to purchase this property.  He knew that if I make that my reason for scaling up my current business, I would easily become complacent and stop working again as soon as I reach my goal of paying the property in full or furnishing it based on how I dreamed about it.  Having my dream house and dream vehicle simply would not be enough to keep me going.  So God placed a much bigger dream in my heart for a much greater, bigger reason.  He made that big reason much bigger than me or my family's needs.  You can read imy ultimate big why for wanting to scale up my business here in my previous post.

Now, that I've discovered God's purpose and accepted His invitation, He has provided me with mentors.  As Dean Pax Lapid said, "The teacher appears when the student is ready."  I'm now ready to learn how to serve more people through my gifts.  May God bless me and my efforts as I respond to His call and follow Him.

The new books I bought at the Truly Rich Club Wealth Summit last weekend.

 

I praise and thank the Lord for creating in me this much hunger now enough to make a turning point decision in my life.  I thank God for disturbing my already comfortable life a few years ago to be in this wonderful adventure with Him.  What started to be a family adventure with God has become a much greater adventure which will involve more people.  Amazing!  God truly works in mysterious ways and I am awed at how He chooses to use very ordinary people like me to move His purposes forward.  It's humbling and at the same time amazing! 

 

Are you hungry for something now (other than food)?  Have you paused to search your heart and ask God why He has created this hunger in your heart and soul?  This season of Lent is one great time to pause and ponder on your life events.  I pray that in the same way that God has revealed much to me this season of Lent, He too would reveal much to you as you take time to seek His purposes in your life.

 

God bless!

Update: This post is linked to the Catholic Bloggers Network Monthly Link-up Blitz for March.