Princess

 Ave Maria:)

Howdy beloved brothers and sisters... today is about remembering the homes or setting we grew up in. Wish I could say I grew up in a castle in England..with the most uppity British accent... or grew up in an honest to goodness ranch- with cattle and horses... and that I could ride a horse - no fear, even race or tame a horse as a child ... or as we are on fantasy island... how about growing in a white beach setting ...swimming like a mermaid.. not afraid at all of the ocean.. 

others grow up flitting from one big city to the next... following wherever their parents get assigned -- these guys get to learn to speak many languages and are so knowledgeable ... getting their education from a lot of traveling -- that too would have been splendid.

But you and me..we each grew up in the family and home where the Lord meant us to be.

For me it was-- till age 13, good ole San Juan ... we lived at 221 Biak na Bato street. It was a great street to live especially if you were a lonely only child..because the neighbor's children would come out around 4pm to play in the street... so wonderful...the ages would range from teeners to 5 yr olds  Roderick Paulate - the actor  was a toddler then, his Ate and Dante Varona- an action star  would join in the fun.... a young and debonair Eddie Garcia also lived in the same street,  ..there'd be endless rounds of tumbang preso - silly game where you kick a can... also Step-no ... little girls must own the prettiest shining smooth stone for your lucky pamato....  but what we waited for was Patintero... on mights when there'd be a full moon... it was War Zone Patintero Edition. How joyous..how thrilling to go and play in the streets then..when children would not be afraid of getting kidnapped or molested by pedophiles.  Adjacent to our street was the squatter's area..and the children there too would join us... this drove the parents nuts.... but for children..there were no boundaries.. it was just innocent fun... and we'd part in the evening tired and very happy.

Of course it wasn't like that everyday... there was school ..and my first school was just at the end of the street... with Mrs. Coquia our big teacher... mataba siya and pretty ... and had a way with children. Lord knows what the first poem was... probably Baa baa Black sheep...hahaha...oh Twinkle , twinkle Little star pala. Do children nowadays still recite this or are they bored with it..prefering to recite epic poems? hahahaha.

I'll skip San Juan and move over to Sanville.. our second home... this time at Quezon City... and since we were a stone's throw from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, this was where Mama decided we should serve.  In matters like these, women often wear the pants lol.

Poor Mama wanted..dreamt of living in a peaceful home... with less relatives from both sides (Boholanos and Warays landing in droves... uninvited..unexpected... but welcomed nonetheless.) While Pappy and Mama were opposite as opposites could be..on one point they completely agreed..and this was in helping the less fortunate...  whether they were related by blood... mere friends ... referrals... complete strangers... and I am not overdescribing it... it did happen... thank God.. if there were any troublesome moments and they were many... it did not reach a point where there would be actual bloodshed.

I remember at San Juan some cousins would try to bully the silent Warays.... the Warays tried to put up with it for as long as they could but one day... hahaha... a male Waray cousin was on the warpath with a knife in hand swearing he would teach them a lesson - they were pacified... hahaha... but no more bullying after this.... you couldn't fool around pala with Waray folks. 

so at Sanville..after we moved in it took just a few months before the 'adopted children'  found the place.... Mostly Pappy and Mama also invited this situation, as they found it hard to say no... my father and mother knew what it was like to not be materially blest... and tried best to help others get a head start in life. Praise the Lord , by God's grace...hard work and sacrifice...many have moved onto greener pastures... I pray it be truly green not just in material success but also in realizing the Lord's abounding goodness for making it all possible...and they now pass on and extend the same help and kindness to the less fortunate. Such is life.

There is a divine reason why we are born , reared in specific elements.... the nurturing we recieve, education...all experiences happy and sad...triumphant and tragic... the people who surround us either loving us or oppressing us.... every single experience shapes us into the person we are now.

We think  it is only people who lived in kind surroundings... who come out good...yet look and think again... many times those who went through so much pain and endured oppression become the good truly ones ... they donot want others to experience what they have been through..they vow to change the evil tide they were immersed in.... 

If we did not have our share of highs and lows... if everything went exactly the way we wanted it to happen..that we didnot even suffer a mosquito bite... absolutely clueless about a hunger pang..a needle prick..a broken heart... make that recurring brokenheartedness - some are just so prone to repeating the same mistakes and think it is only people who can satisfy their deepest want -- not realizing people and human love has its limits and how in the End..only the Almighty can satisfy our deepest needs. ONLY GOD.Only His Love.

A male cousin we named Bluebird coined a petname for me... "Princess".... no doubt referring to how my father was the one who at that time had the power and goodness to help lives change for the better.... It stuck as a joke ...cousins copying Bluebird... I knew Princess also meant...ahh here's the one who has no share of hard knocks.... the lucky one... yet God knows how to balance the equation.... what I didnot suffer on the material lack...the Lord more than made up on the emotional  and physical side..as I was always sickly..thought I was so panget compared to other cousins /classmates/ playmates.... ... and always wondered what it was like to have a big family..with brothers and sisters on hand at any time.... 

Decades after..the Princess had to move to another kingdom....hmmmm this one was different.... a kingdom where there could only be one Boss and where the Boss was a strange one..as He came to serve and not to be served. Of course.this confused me as I had gotten used to the old kingdom where money, power, fame and beauty speaks....yet in the new kingdom the Hard Currency was only Love and Forgiveness.

Mark 10:45

"In the same way, the Son of Man did not come for other people to serve him. But the Son of Man came to serve other people. The Son of Man came to give his life to save many people." 

Jesus was the New Boss ... He granted a new commissioning... I had a clearer understanding of what Princess now means... it means being heir to what Jesus has - all the  imperishable riches of heaven where truth and righteousness reign. . It means being one with the King. It means to love as He loves...to forgive the unforgiveable....      

It also means to not be attached to worldly goods / temporary pleasures and to other worldly blankets we wear as Princes and Princesses.

In Christ's kingdom we must approach or King naked and bereft of any strength we might have... laying ourself at His feet and allowing Him to crown us with the gifts that we can use in His Service.

Some princess huh?

But my friend ... it pays and how.

My bank account is in heaven ... --  hahaha, I wouldn't mind material riches why not.??..yet am no longer gungho  about it..knowing  when we have too much of it, riches, fame, strength ,beauty glory -- when we are not careful and discerning....it easily leads us astray from the Lord  -- becoz we think we have no need for Him - what a lie. Everybody needs Jesus ... and what God lends to me while on earth must be used wisely.... to promote His kingdom and His love.

The latest fotos I uploaded have relatives and friends who have passed away.... I don't know when the Lord will take me as you would not know yourself when the Lord takes you....suffice to say..let us act like princes and princesses of Christ's kingdom. Have a beautiful Sunday. 

Flashback 3 this link:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3904608527865.2155047.1058791569&type=1&l=7a33cf0446

Rest your spirit, your body... be with family. love and prayers...te mye