Garden Chef's Needle and Pen

Hello, friends! It’s been three months of hiatus. In my mind, I never run out of ideas to write on, but time flies so much faster than my fingers could write about them. 

Sunday morning. I was standing in the midst of the congregation, reflecting on the lyrics of the song flashed on the screen. My heart overflowed with praise and thanksgiving for how the Lord has been so gracious unto me and my family all these years. 

Today is the third day she left and I have yet to verbally condole with the whole family. But I am at a loss for words. I didn't realize she's gone until I read posts of her family from Facebook late Tuesday morning. I’m torn between grieving for the loss and rejoicing at the thought that she is now in the best place, enjoying eternity.

Everytime I read and receive greetings about mothers and Mother's Day, I couldn't help but feel awkward and embarrassed. Firstly because I am far from being the godly woman described in Proverbs 31: 10-31. Secondly, because I have been guilty of defying God's command in Ephesians 6:1.  Last Sunday, as it has always been every Mother's Day in the past years, our church honored all mothers present during the service. I felt my heart crushing as I joined the other ladies who were called to occupy the first few rows of pews. Yes, I managed to smile and greet back all who greeted me, though deep within my heart was crumbling in humiliation.  Surprisingly, our Pastor didn't preach about the Proverbs 31 woman. Instead, he expounded on the first nine verses of Proverbs 31. These verses talk about King Lemuel's lessons of chastity and temperance, lessons he learned from his own mother. I confess I haven't been a good daughter during my childhood and...

The blood of Jesus My family came home from the Good Friday Service in our church tonight. The choir rendered a number of songs, in between preaching and reflections on the Seven Last Words of the Lord Jesus Christ, as they have always done every year. They didn't sing this one in particular but the lyrics of the song have been reverberating in my ears for days now.      "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow... I'll wash my garments white  in the blood of Calv'ry's Lamb." The verse below would make a perfect sequel to the lyrics above.   "...And the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." ( 1 John 1:7) The powe r to cleanse, indeed, is in His blood. " In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9: 22) Such power in the blood that ...

As 2014 came to a close, as usual everybody welcomed the new year with a blast. Woke up late today after watching the fireworks with the whole family in front of our house last night. Time for photo ops, of course, with our doggies! Sssshhh... my 90-year-old parents slept soundly, unperturbed by all the noise outside. Welcome 2015 After an hour of fireworks, our part of the world embraced the new year. I wasn't able to resist posting this photo in Instagram four days ago and yesterday in Facebook even before I could feature it here.  "New Life in Christ abundant and free! What glories shine, what joys are mine, What wondrous blessings I see! My past with its sin, the searching and strife, Forever gone -- There's a bright new dawn! For in Christ I have found new life." This photo was taken outside the Fraumunster at Zurich, Switzerland February last year. Well, isn't it a perfect image of new life? As we face another year, we can only cry out ...

This song was sung during the commencement ceremony of a group of nurses who graduated from a cardiovascular training course yesterday. I love the song and couldn't help reflecting on the lyrics. Come sing along! Blessings by  Laura Story Well, did you like the song? There's no stopping you to sing it over and over again. I would like to believe that the lyrics in the last stanza are very timely as my countrymen in several regions of the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas, are once again facing another threat of Super Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit). May we, indeed, find God's loving hands in the face of the downpour of rain, the strongest of storms and the darkest of nights! Please join me in beseeching the Lord God of heavens and earth, who has all the power and might to calm the winds, the water and the waves, to have mercy on us!

Hello, there you are! Couldn't resist sharing this poem I just found. I thought it's very timely as everyone might have been busy traveling to go to the cemetery to visit graves in memory of departed loved ones.

The moon is at her full, and riding high,  Floods the calm fields with light.  The airs that hover in the summer sky  Are all asleep to-night. - William C. Bryant A very peculiar view of the moon in the sky last night I went home a little late yesterday. I was a few steps away from our gate when I noticed the moon's peculiar face. As if it was looking down at me, I couldn't resist taking a picture of it so I hurriedly fumbled for my camera from my bag. Tadah! I was able to get some shots. I am no professional photographer. Neither do I have a high definition digital camera so I had to be contented with these photos I collaged out  of what I took last night. Have a restful and enjoyable weekend!

A reflection on the expository preaching given by our Pastor on the Seven Last Words of Christ. During the service, the congregation was led into singing "No Greater Love". I am no singer but I couldn't help meditating on the lyrics of the song that goes,   "You love me, When I was so unlovely, You sought me When I was lost;  You showed me How much You really loved me,  When You bought me At the highest cost. There's no greater love than this, That a man would give his life for a friend; There's no higher sacrifice Than a man would give his life,  You have paid A precious price for me. You chose me,  When I was so unworthy You cleansed me With Your own blood; You clothed me With righteousness and mercy, And You crowned me With Your steadfast love." What greater love, indeed, would allow anyone to lay down his life for a friend? "So high the price He paid..." goes the lyrics of a song the ch...

Translated in English, that means, "Churches in Zurich". Well, this post was inspired by the photos and posts I've seen in Facebook. I know of friends who practice the tradition of visiting churches during the Lenten season. That reminds me of the three famous churches we visited on our 3rd day in the city of Zurich. If you have been with me in  Day 1 in Zurich , this is a sequel. On our 3rd day, after coming out of the Swiss National Museum where we went round and round, lost in the immense historic grandeur of the place, we once again spanned the length of Limmatquai and Bahnhofquai (the streets on both sides of the Limmat River) to Stadthausquai. Within the vicinity we were able to get a closer view of the three famous and major churches for which the city of Zurich is known for. These are the Fraumunster and St. Peter on the western bank and the Grossmunster at the eastern bank of the Limmat River.

February 23, 2014, the day we arrived in Zurich, we didn't waste any time... even without tickets for any transportation, we were determined to explore the city--- first, to find out where to buy the tickets, and second, to take a glimpse of the city at once.  So we just walked, walked and walked to where our impulses led us.  That day, being a Sunday, we were enthusiastic to find a church. So the moment we saw the steeple of this church while we were exploring the city streets, we just continued walking to its direction, until we reached this place--- the Wipkingen Church. The Wipkingen Kirche

Today (February 26, 2014), I get to enjoy another view of The Alps from afar, but this time, from the Sorell Hotel Zurichberg.

What a blessing it is to savor the wonder and beauty of these snow-capped mountains after walking a few kilometers to Wipkingen Church up a hill several blocks from Wipkinger Park . I didn't expect to see this view on Day 1 here in Zurich, Switzerland. Never in my whole life did I realize I would ever take this photo personally. It's very, very far from where I stood, yes, but distance is no hindrance in savoring such wonder and beauty! See this--- The Alps!

One day in November of 2013, I was so blessed to enjoy the breathtaking view of the rock formation by the sea. Tanah Lot, that's the place. Home of a pilgrimage temple, the Pura Tanah Lot, is known for its panoramic view of sunset in Bali, and has become a popular tourist attraction. As a matter of fact, I fell in love with the place the moment I first saw it on TV during the 2013 Miss World Beauty Pageant held in Bali last year. That's where Ms. Philippines - World (Meagan Young) won the crown!

Hello, hello, hello! How was your New Year's Eve celebration?  Mine? Well, super multitasking, as ever! While doing a dish, I do browse through the net for some recipes to try next  😊 Of course, I manage to squeeze in crocheting some cute flowers for a project I'm still working on until this time. Whew!  While searching the web for other doable projects, I saw these images of crocheted cobwebs by Ria Kock from google .       Crocheting a cobweb                        Frostflowers and a cobweb Perfect! These images reminded me of some dust and real cobwebs from  the whole house  some corners of our bedroom and closet that I was able to brush and sweep away this holiday break. A major achievement eh!?? You may say so! Haha! Well, as I did just that, these verses came to mind:                     "Brethren, I do n...

Credits to Dang Dupale for this photo Posted by a Facebook friend, Dang, this photo reminds me of one of my posts ( The Birth of a Hobby ) as a new blogger two years ago, where I featured about how I came to like plants. This hobby inspired me to get involved in the Exaltation Ministry in our church. Together with former church gardener, Raffy, I used to grow potted plants, water them every Saturday in preparation for the Sunday Worship Service.  Through the years, however, changes in the volume of my domestic responsibilities no longer allow me to be involved in ministries that require my physical presence in church. At one time, I became church treasurer, a ministry which called for keeping track and recording of all church finances on top of counting tithes and offerings every after church services on Sundays.  A heavy responsibility eh!?  At another time I became church secretary. This ministry entailed preparing minutes of all church meetings and pu...

"And I'm back like I never left." I found the quote from google.com . Feels like I've been away for ages! I realize two months of silence could make so much of a difference... as if going some places without saying goodbye to friends and loved ones :(  I'm so sorry for that... I really am... I miss you all and doing this terribly!!!! The truth is, the spirit has always been willing, but the flesh just felt so weak. Physically and mentally tired with office work for the past weeks, I still am, but somehow the one week respite from office work has given me a renewed ray of "hello-welcome-back-to-reality" perspective to finish targets before the year ends. Work goes on in never-ending cyclical routines... so vacationing from bloggerdome because of work just doesn't seem to be a valid reason at all! Oh, how I miss everybody, link parties and everything!  So now, here I am, taking double strides and multitasking once again... with quite a nu...

"He placed me in a little cage, Away from gardens fair; But I must sing the sweetest songs Because He placed me there. Not beat my wings against the cage If it's my Maker's will, But raise my voice to heaven's gate And sing the louder still!" -Streams in the Desert March 23 Photo from google I am no singer. I mean, I don't have a golden voice. I don't sing solo (except when I was in gradeschool when my teachers in Grade 1 and Grade 4 made me sing in front of the class, and once for a graded activity in high school). I can read notes, though, and can very well recognize off tunes. And yes, I do like classical music! Today, as I celebrate God's goodness in my life, I post this poem I read from my favorite devotional. As I write this, in my heart and in my mind, like the bird in the poem, I sing of God's faithfulness all through the 53 years He has blessed me with. My husband posted a photo in Facebook with the birth...

Bound to start life anew together My name is Eve. Hear my story about how I met Adam... I mean, the Adam of my life.