Climb that Mountain

Ave Maria:-)

Thank You Jesus for this time before the computer..hahaha.. watta treat this is for me.. oh my goodness I don't know where to start ... but will try..pls bear with me bros and sisters..

July is always a special month for our Catholic charismatic and parish community -- charismatic would refer to the smaller group (Living Word)  within the bigger group the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish.. it's a month  I believe that's filled with blessings... ours for the asking and the claiming.

Before the fiesta date of OLMC ( Mt. Carmel) our parish priest  Rev. Fr. Larry Garces instructed that the 5 minute catechism should be one about   the history of this beautiful mountain -- Mt. Carmel and the Blessed Mother's connection to this holy place--  Mt. Carmel figured prominently in the Old Testament - a refuge for monks , prophets, holy men -- in fact the place where the Carmelite order was born. Everyone knows how the Carmelite order has grown and blossomed thru the centuries - a religious congregation that strives to imitate our Lord Jesus . Twas also famous for the Ultimate Showdown between the prophet Elijah and some hundreds of prophets of the false gods Baal and Asherah --- Elijah won this battle hands down -- no sweat -- it hadn't rained for the longest time --- and the prophet whose God would consume with fire the offering on the altar was deemed the True God --  I so love this story becoz those poor priests of the false gods danced and pranced-- chanted  tried every trick in their book- sobrang na -pressure sila to prove their gods was GOD  , even resorted to hurting themselves-- but hey their god wouldn't set their sacrifice on the altar on fire -- while our hero Elijah  even poured water on the altar --errr yes to drive a point, I guess-- then he prayed earnestly and bingo -- C'mon God light our fire --and boy, did He.. the bonus was: this offering triggered that grand cloud of rain -- it came and praise the Lord--good-bye drought -- and hello Mighty God, alleluia!

 As for Mama Mary , she is the Mother of all --- Mother of Jesus , and we are too fortunate that Jesus decided to share His mom with us.   Just think, here on earth  when we have friends who we think have the kindest , best, absolutely terrific, perfect moms -- that we're almost envious of them -- and then wow-- we grow close to them and we sort of get adopted and become part of the family -- our friend's mom treats us as tho' we were her own child -- we even call her mom too ---  there's a feeling of belongingness.

Now think on a grander , grandest- ever scale and this time it's Jesus Lord and Saviour who lends us His Mom. He says: My mom is your mom too. I mean can you even imagine what this would mean? imply? It changes the ballgame, ang tindi ng back-up.. We think we understand fully what the Motherhood of Mary to mankind implies -- but really the full comprehension of this gift to us we might only completely recieve in heaven -- becoz the gift of Mary to us -- is like Jesus saying -- I have decided to share with you everything that is precious to me, my Life, My Spirit, my holiness, salvation, and hey my mother too.

Incomprehensible love and generosity from our Lord. And puh-leez .. nowhere in this scenario did Jesus say -- Mary can also be your God... Sabi Niya lang po , magiging nanay natin siya -- wag na po i complicate kasi po simple naman ang pangyayari.  

As is the case with fiestas in the Philippines, there will be the usual 9 day Novena of Masses..with beautiful themes each mass building up to the joy of the saint's feast. It is  like a spiritual preparation preparing our hearts for the graces overflowing thru the intercession of the saint..and in our case the Saint who intercedes for us is the Blessed Virgin Mary. BTW... how utterly impossible that heaven or God for that matter would not pay attention when his beloved saints celebrate their feasts -- God would only be too happy to release graces -and all because He recalls the faithfulness, love and sacrifice of this saint - who imitated the life of Jesus. 

So then my friends it's a double source of blessings for us : 1) thru the Feast of Our Lady of Mt Camel and then thru our specific  group-- in our case  2)the Living Word charismatic group.

Really, God has given us so many ways so that we can grow in His knowledge and love -- leading us to various channels of his graces -- be it religious organizations or any apostolate -- we must be sensitive where Jesus calls us -- if we are called to join the Mother Butler, or men feel led to serve at the Altar as sacristans or as Lay Eucharistic Ministers - others serve as Lector/Commentators -- others find their calling in groups that help the poor or the sick, or in educating people -- others may not have an opportunity to be active in church bcoz of certain constraints -- nonetheless, even as a simple stay at home mother : cooking caring for the family -- the yaya/helper at home -- the mailman -- all of our life's labours  united to Christ can be offered to help build Christ's Kingdom on earth. 

It's the 34th year of our small charismatic group -- still a work in progress hahaha -- still so much pruning, trimming, purifying from heaven on the way -- and not becoz God is a sadist but precisely becoz He loves us so..wants us to become more like Him --so that we recieve, experience  true joy.

While I couldn't join the typical fiesta celebrations at the parish -- and also our weekly prayer meetings ---plus our anniversary celeb is end of month -- will wait for God's Will for me on that date -- God did give me a most marvelous fiesta and anniversary gift.

And that's when our faithful Yaya Lina got critically sick. she's 75 yrs. old - served my late father and mother-- my husband Dil,our son Josh and I inherited Lola -- she was my Yaya if you could have a yaya at  13 yrs old upwards ...stayed with us even after Papi Mama died - stayed till I got married and Josh was born.. 

Her illness episode was like our family climbing Mt. Carmel -- mountains are hard to conquer. She has complications of every sort -- the worst patient is the one who never suffered major illness or got hospitalized in her life -- even her child-bearing was done by manghihilot. 

So poor Lola -- so used to being the strongwoman, the one who serves - it is her joy - something she has perfected ---cooking, cleaning, scaling garden walls , physical strength was her particular gift -- but alas -- everything has it's end -- so she needs to get used to being cared for, she absolutely hates being weak but is getting used to it -- we don't have a maid so this is a divine appointment, a learning and challenging experience for us at home.

Inspite of financial constraints plus other difficulties, God has paved a way for Lola, with 2 hospitals ready to grant her operation ( one for pro-lapsed uterus, then her gallbladder removal) but we wait for clearances from cardio, pulmo bcoz of her respiratory ailment and diabetic doctor -- it would be a miracle if the doctors say she can be operated on. We must experience a degree of poverty in our life not just materially but in spirit for that is the way we can experience the richness of God's abiding love. Di ka talaga Niya pababayaan. God is merciful, alleluia. 

In our life , as we aspire to be good and true , to have some measure of success, to find fulfillment in our chosen fields -- we always need that special someone who has a heart big enough to give us unconditional love. . Sometimes they are our shock absorbers, our rock, other times they can be our garbage collectors -collecting our weaknesses , unkindness we never show to the outside world.. Lola is not perfect..haha she can even in her current condition be so bullheaded, mataray, maldita minsan--pero I can honestly say we struck a goldmine when God gave her to us--no way our small family could have overcome life's trials without her-- no way I could have gone into ministry...if Lola wasn't our quiet rock in the background. 

God has been so merciful , much too kind..too lavish in His love for me Dilbert and Josh -- even if one has all the money in the world -- it's hard to find a companion who truly loves us -- who believes , chooses to believe more in the good in us -- so that we cannot help but strive to be good becoz someone trusts us, loves us with Christ's sacrificial love.

I have spent so many hours, days in ministry , in family life, in my work as a life insurance agent, in my leisurely interests and passions -- but my fiesta and anniversary gift now is the bonding/ healing time with Lola -- accompanying her to the hospital -- her children can only come week-ends --- so it's really me and her -- As a priest told me, in the same way she cared for you -- now in her old age you are caring for her .. it is not so much that she obtains physical healing but that you give some measure of hope..that thru you she recieves Christ's mercy and compassion. We can do this by the grace of God..and yes, with a willing heart.            

It is an enriching experience ..climbing our mountains ...discovering our strengths and weaknesses and finding our God There. May Our Lady of Mt. Carmel bless you bros and sisters, shower a plenitude of graces -- the kind that transforms our hearts and fills us with Christ's redeeming love. ... In Christ thru Mary, te mye

During Elijah’s time there had been a drought in Israel for 3 years, a sign of God’s displeasure with this ongoing flirtation with paganism. Ahab was King of Israel and had married a daughter of the King of neighboring Phoenicia (Lebanon), a powerful and influential woman named Jezebel. She personally supported 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. It was these prophets that Ahab summoned to Mt. Carmel in response to Elijah’s “invitation.” In the presence of all the people Elijah (his name means God is Lord) challenged the prophets of Baal to a contest designed to reveal the one true God.

Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has 450 prophets. Get 2 bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire – He is God.” Then all the people said, “What you say is good.” (1 Kings 18:22-24)

All that morning the prophets of Baal called upon their god. They danced around their altar, and cut themselves with knives, part of their religious practice. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder,” he said, “Surely he is a god. Perhaps he is relieving himself or busy or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27). This went on all through the day with no response from Baal. Then at the time of the evening sacrifice Elijah took 12 stones, one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel, and built an altar for the Lord. He dug a trench around it and placed wood upon it. He cut the other bull into pieces and arranged them on the wood. Then he had the people bring 4 large jars filled with water that he poured on the offering and the wood. “Do it again,” he said and they did. “Do it a 3rd time,” he ordered and they did. The water ran down around the altar and filled the trench. And then he prayed. “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel, and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that You O Lord are God and that You are turning their hearts back again” (1 Kings 18:36-37).

One Moment in Time

Ave Maria:-) 

    One of my girlfriends is having her birthday today - that's Zelda with a Z - one of 2 very talented sisters from beautiful Bohol who graced our jazz band Best of Friends in - let's see 1981? the other elder sister Flor whom I love to call Lori completed vocalist line-up with moi as third female vocalist -- If I were to count God's blessings, not all the Yahoo, Gmail Instagram Facebook accounts space would be enough to count them and relate them - 

Blessings come in a multitude of hues - some are so very recognizable -we readily acclaim to the highest heavens our jubilant " Thank You Dear God "----

 Others are given on a regular basis, we tend to forget they are in fact blessings -such as.... c'mon, the ability to normally breath: inhale /exhale --with no blocks , no turning blue/violet - just blissful regular breathing ---

And thennnn ..there are blessings that come in peculiar packaging -- yes my love-- these are the type na -- they even temporarily hurt us, not exactly to our liking - puede pa nga , we shudder at the remembrance of them --- Yet glory hallelujah -- even at the end  -- the painful circumstance/situation Was In Fact a Colossal blessing - the type that changes our hearts and minds for the better. Amen to that Gee that third type would require one whole blog to itself hehe.

But today, it being Zelda's birthday - it's the perfect time to share please bear with my outpouring of joy and thanksgiving to the Lord.

What was it St. Paul said in one of his letters-- that God gives us unique gifts -- and how we must use them wisely -- and yes hopefully for the glory of God --- hmmmm , the last reminder of giving glory to God can be tricky... challenging ... okay--- hard.

No one is ever worthy to revieve these gifts --- no one , not even the holiest amongst us can say: "Well God did Himself a favor when He decided to create me." Please --- we weren't even dust...we might not even be labeled as nothing --- were it not for God's love to give us life --- human life, with a set of specific gifts, a soul that can go back and be united to God forever --- that's if we don't mess things up --- with God Almighty watching over us night and day, day and night --- how do you beat that -- is that a huge blessing or what?

I did say in the beginning that some of the blessings could be titled as : Hardships hahaha.... this is not the time to expound on that.

But will focus on one particular gift the Lord so graciously bestowed -- the gift of music.

The thing with gifts or talents is that we 're still given space to decide what to do with them .Either we appreciate a gift, develop it..try it out..see its applications ... have a trial and error on how to put it to good use. Or let it waste. Sayang.

Love for music runs on both sides : my father's and mother's ... Mama Lydia had classical training ... Pappy Danny just like his brothers and sisters opted to oido it all the way -- meaning no strict music lessons - mostly learning how to play the guitar or piano or how to sing -- in a casual way. Family gatherings were laced with lots of singing - my aunts come to think of it had lovely alto voices ...the brothers oh how wonderful to recall them singing in their booming voices : Monsignour would belt out The Impossible Dream ..awwww 

If it's in you ..it's in you.. you cannot deny it, you cannot run away from it..and you'll probably get sick if you don't find expression for it.

Joining Hotdog in the thick of their Annie Batungbakal fame as one of 3 female vocalists - gave me a glimpse of the entertainment industry : Hotdog did the rounds of recording, school, city concerts - club stints...even movie making. It was heady and exciting but there was a yearning to do other music --- jazz fusion was invading Manila , and then I also loved R & B .... took a leave from Hotdog , auditioned and joined Best of Friends then playing at Phil Plaza , Lobby Court ... Rey Katindig managed the band and Boy Baria the Band Leader and Musical Arranger. 

I am very grateful to my parents for allowing me to follow my heart --- my poor father mustav wondered why I didn't enroll in the College of Law.. be a doctor or something --- hahaha,  but I had to do this One Moment in Time. We have to do it otherwise you have no peace. We opted to separate from Rey's management and voila... wahaha, am now band manager -- I didn't know that would involve a lot of stress and responsibilities --- making sure you got good stints  for the band -- otherwise gutom kayo. Contracts would be a minimum , 3, 6 moths if you're lucky ... and then you could get renewed.

My nodes couldn't take all the singing and clearly we needed help -- also to get a fuller sound --- that's when God sent Flor and Zelda. 

Work can feel like work... or you can experience that rarity where the work is an absolute joy and fulfillment - the fulfillment came from creating the music we loved, being cocooned in a group where we felt like brothers and sisters --- since the 3 of us girls were so young , 21 thereabouts --the boys were protective toward us... and being able to play in nice spots like the Bienvenida Court of Silahis hotel... 

It was the same at Hotdog, the elder band members, esp the Garcia brothers took care of Mazo, Vivien and me... 

I guess we didn't have time for monkey business - foolin ' around ( lotsa temptations in this kind of work}  because we were much too in love and engrossed with the music. 

Let's see did we make money.. hahaha... naku kulang pa kinikita namin... plus we had to pay for our costumes and food -- clearly this couldn't be our bread and butter for long term period.

But for that time... we stacked up precious memories.. learning the music we loved... how to perform in front of different crowds..from sosi, tight-lipped elite , Kano, Hapon, foreigners..and the hardest to please Pinoy music lovers... Hay naku tumibay sikmura ko dito -- becoz you get both adulation/affirmation and rejection/humiliation here.

How wise the Lord is.... my stint in Hotdog and Best of Friends prepared me for my work both in church - Education /formation ...and for my work in the life insurance industry. I can't go into details suffice to say, even if it was a musical field -- there were many things I learned and acquired there that found a new application in later years and other fields of work.

Music is universal.. it is a powerful medium.. but like aLL other mediums it can be used to impact others in a good way .. or it can be abused and bring others to ruin.

Although I am now more active in gospel and inspirational music..yet life has come a full circle.... the God of all Creation has given us the gifts to create all forms of music and other art , technology, science , other creations as well. 

May we always be open to the Great Teacher God Almighty Who shares with us a plenitude of gifts beyond our imagination. And as we recieve and use them may they be a source of joy and goodness for others - a way for them to remember the God Who loves us.amen. Happy birthday , Zelda.. love and prayers , Mye