Reflections on 52 Years of Blessings

Hello, it's Sunday once again! It's a custom in our church for the Pastor to call all the birthday and anniversary celebrators for the week to stand in front for the congregation to greet and pray for. Last week, my husband and I were called because it was our wedding anniversary day. Today, I was called to stand in front again and as I listened to the brethren singing the Birthday Song, I couldn't help but thank and praise God for every blessing He has showered me with all these 52 years of my life.

Oh yes, I will be celebrating my birthday on Tuesday, September 11. Does the date sound familiar? I believe so. If you are an American, I'm sure you would remember one significant event! If you are an Ilocano born in decada 60, what could it be you are thinking of?

To stay in tune with the song, "Count your Blessings" (written by Johnson Oatman, Jr and composed by Edwin Othello Excell), I would do so right now.

"Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done."

So here, I recount my blessings and summarize them collectively altogether as my family and loved ones, my church and brethren, my work and the friends I made all through the years… these of course, are on top of all material and spiritual blessings, too many to mention.

I thank God for shaping and creating me (Job 10:8). I'm happy that His timing has been and always will be perfect (Psalms 18:30) for me. The process of how I came to know Him was a perfect example of how He gradually unfolded His grand plan in my life. All the places I've been to, including my school and all my teachers (from pre-school to college, including my mentors at work), were all instrumental in shaping my life to become as it is now. How He led me to our church where I met Billy, my husband and how He gave us our two lovely daughters (Ayana Grace, 22 and Ana Cristina, 20) are among His most beautiful gifts to me.

As I sat in the pew this morning, I believe God was speaking to me through our Pastor as the title of his message was "Walking with God for a Lifetime." Let me quote verse 4 from the key verses of his message, Isaiah 46: 3, 4:

"Even to your old age and gray hairs

I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

I will sustain you and I will rescue you."

What great assurance it is to know that I have a God who knows me inside out (Psalms 139) and who will never cease to hold out His mighty arm to guide and protect me. How He does it I need not understand. I just have to be content to savor such thought as I walk in stride with Him in my lifetime! Oh, may He give me such grace, I continually pray! ∞

Pesto Spanish Sardines Pasta: A Remake

There's a saying that goes, "One is enough, two is too much..." Uh uhhh, not for this!!! I'm referring to the Spanish Sardines Pasta which was my welcome post this year. My daughter, Ayana Grace, bought a bottle of pesto from the grocery store last month (she usually does...we seldom run out of pesto sauce in our cupboard) and I just wasn't able to resist making another try of the Pesto Spanish Sardines Pasta so here it is... Ingredients: 2 tbsps reserved oil from bottled sardines 2 tbsps olive oil 1 tbsp minced garlic 1/4 cup diced tomato 1 cup flaked Spanish sardines 1/3 cup Pesto sauce 1/4 cup pitted black olives 1/4 cup button mushrooms 1/2 kilo pasta noodles, cooked according to package instructions salt and pepper to taste Whole pieces of Spanish sardines (1 piece as topping per serving) Parsley for garnish Steps: In a large saute pan, heat oil from sardines. Add olive oil as needed. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add diced

Ensaladang Mustasa

It's back to work today, after five days of rest, something I've been looking forward to. As if the long Christmas holiday vacation was not enough :) Well, days just seem to fly so fast! Thanks to the additional non-working holidays brought about by the Pope's visit to my country, the Philippines. I had time to relax, stay at home, bond with family and yes, sort picture files in my computer. In between social networking, of course, I cooked for my family. With my husband home, there has to be fish and vegetables on the dining table. There was a bunch of mustasa (mustard) leaves left in the vegetable bin. What could be a better and perfect partner to fried fish than Ensaladang Mustasa (Mustard Salad)? Very simple and easy, here's how I did it. Ingredients: 1 bunch of mustasa leaves Rock salt 2 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced 1 small onion, sliced thinly 3 tbsps vinegar Iodized salt, ground pepper and sugar to taste Steps: 1. Cut mus

Ensaladang Alugbati (Malabar Spinach Salad)

This post appeared in my Facebook memories today. I'm glad it did! I featured this salad in my FB page a year ago. Alugbati (Malabar Spinach) Salad (Ensaladang Alugbati). This came up when I received for the first time this bouquet of alugbati from Erik, my officemate. He shares with us fruits and veggies fresh from his garden.

Garden Chef's Needle and Pen

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