The year that was...

Thank you so much for your love and support during the past years and most especially the recently concluded..which was last year...The year 2006 has been a blessed year for us...indeed it was a 365 days WALK with the Lord... in the midst of difficulties and financial crises...the Lord has been with us 365 days of our lives...He did not falter and never left us..constantly provided for our family and our home the essentials..daily needs..the love, harmony, little means and little success and triumphs that made our lives still and more meaningful. And most importantly he gifted us all with excellent health to serve Him more.

Although, we experienced difficult times and rough sailing for a couple of years before last year, God never left us unattended and had been faithful to watch over us, continuously provided us direction and guidance in our everyday life.
Last year was the time He made us pick up the pieces and re-directed our business. He just continue to show signs to us what to do and introduces us to people and circumstances that may in turn help and support us. There were so many countless instances wherein God proved His ever-abiding support and love to us..some were easily discernible while others were mostly blessings in different packages and parcels...some answered prayers and petitions coming from an unexpected time and place.

We have been blessed with family and friends who have been supporting us with loads of love through prayers throughout these years. I specially thank our Lola Charing who despite her old age at 98, never failed to include us in her daily devotions. I knew Lola Charing started to pray for us as early as 17 years ago when Junel and I started our union in marriage... Thank you very much Lola...Our loving and ever-supportive Daddy and equally loving and caring Iya..your love is incomparable and your loving service to us all your children is beyond compare..never expecting and wanting in return...

I give thanks also to my one and only Ma and Babeth and my whole family in Pampanga and Bulacan and others scattered in the USA, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Singapore and Dubai...all of you are so special and mean so much to us. Your self-less love and caring know no distance and space...your support is always on time and your prayers and love never came late. You were truly the God-sent angels to us as we hurdled our walk in the year that was...

Most of all, thank you to all our friends in CFC community. You have constantly inspired us in more ways than one. The community and you has become the sealant in order for us to be constantly on our feet and steadfast with the Lord. We can only say so much of how you and the CFC community has turned us into OURSELVES as NOW. Truly, another craft by none other but God's hands..I specially give honor and thanks to my early leaders who dutifully and patiently drawn us into this lifetime way of life.

Let me also thank our dutiful staff who chose to stay with us throughout these years despite the valleys and cliffs and mountainous trek we've encountered in the workplace as well as in our business.

Our sincerest wish to you and your families the best of this year 2007. Let us make this 2007 a 365 days walk with our Lord.

Missing you so much...but onward you must go...

This portion is the start of re-visiting the past with my Tang....as of this writing I still cannot organize my thoughts where and how to begin this. This has been my dream exercise, shall I say, a silent communion with a love one through recollection of past journeys...his triumphs, his successes, his wits, his doctrines....oooh all so much about him....that one cannot easily forget. This man who was loved so much by all and his abounding love he gave and offered to us all...sparing nothing and no one in pursuit of his joy...his selfless love...my dearest Tang...this is for you...

March 26, 2004...from sun up since I woke up at 4 am I was in constant watch at every tick of the hour. My usual routine of doing and attending to the food preparation first thing in in the day has already become effortless since i have been on it in the last 16 years or so...Although its quite sad to note but rather honestly and frankly, most often it's even lot harder to say my morning gratitudes to God than concoct meals good for the whole the day, for the whole household--- feeding 2 adults and 2 children not including the housemaid, the dog and indefinite number of stray cats that come and go for a quick munch.

The Swing

"How would you like to go up in a swing...up in the air so blue...oooh I do think it's the pleasanest thing ever a child can do...." ...and the song goes on.

This song reminds me of my three girls...all three of them were charmed, calmed and eventually put to sleep by this unassuming kiddie song. Today, even as they wouldn't admit and recognize the song....to me it will be forever etched in my heart.....the song reminds me the joy and fulfillment only a mother can understand.....brings me to a very distant past ... softly humming and cuddling my darling babies to dreamland of peaceful sleep.....

.."up in the air and over the walls,
till I can see so wide,
rivers and trees and cattle and and all,
over the countryside,

til I looked down on the garden green,
down on the roof so brown.......
up in the air I go flying again,
up in the air and down...."