M.E.R. Experience and TAKE AWAYS

 

September 10,2023

8:34am

 

Come Oh Holy Spirit, please fill the hearts, minds, soul, bodies of your faithful, enkindle in us the FIRE OF YOUR DIVINE love, send forth your Spirit Lord and it shall be created, and You Oh Lord shall renew the face of the earth, starting with my heart, mind, soul and body.

 

Jesus of Divine Mercy, have mercy on us.

Mama Mary, the Mother of God, pray for us.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.

St. Padre Pio,  pray for us.

 

 

It is now 8:37am  and it is God’s Holy Day designed for rest after seeing to it that we have given Him our Praises and worship.

 

After seeing to it that our pet dog’s funnel collar is fastened back to her neck, the butterfly decal glued to  the  window…I decided to walk around the house praying the Glorious mysteries of the Holy Rosary with Mother Angelica.

 

My thoughts went back to last night’s MPA.

 

There were so many things I wanted to share in the 2-3 minutes allotted to Ruel and I, thus, I thought of going  back to my writing attempts and passion.

 

Please lend me your hearts and bear with me.

 

God’s love is overflowing and abounding and experiencing the MER last August 19-20 was a manifestation of His great love for us.

 

In Today’s Sunday Gospel readings we are reminded to LOVE Him above all things and LOVING our neighbor as we LOVE ourselves.

 

May Our Great God all powerful and all mighty use my digital pen to share the LOVE He has for each and every one of us in an extra special way today and always.

 

Brother Darius and Sis Cita called us one day as we were really struggling with the decision to go or not.

 

Our recent summer activities and the newly acquired Bahay ni San Jose was putting a strain on our limited budget and we are trying to live by the wisdom of earning first before spending.

 

The service team worked their wonders in a quiet way making sure that we would still join despite this monetary situation.

 

And here are our take aways:

 

1.      God is not done with us. He wants to  be part of our LIVES and yes, even our SEX LIVES. 

I was pleasantly surprised at Ruel’s recollection of the speech my eldest brother gave during our wedding. Dave said that  , we think in the usual mathematical equation when we think of our marriage with our chosen spouses. 1+1=2.

 

But, God’s wisdom is different. 1+1=3.

 

If both spouses strive to maintain a special relationship with God as the center of their lives individually and as a partnership…the simple addition will have exponential results.

 

Ruel and I experienced once again a renewal of our marriage GLUE, the marital bond in a spectacular way, short of miraculous.

 

One sister, during the MER2 discussion, sis MaryJane said that when the husband and wife have sex, the choirs of angels break into celestial songs of PRAISES AND GLORIES.

 

Meaning to say, we can use SEX to glorify GOD with our bodies, but of course, within the proper context and confines of the MARITAL UNION  blessed  by the  supreme ARCHITECT and DESIGNER.

 

 

2.      GOD’S LOVE IS TO BE SHARED

 

As we experience it from God’s instruments of graces and blessings, otherwise known as earth angels, in this case, our leaders in the community, we make the decision to pay it forward.

 

Jesus must increase in our LIVES and our SELFISH, EGOTISTICAL, PROUD and ARROGANT selves must decrease, so that HIS LIGHT may come through us.

 

When people see us, they  see JESUS instead.

 

We need not use words but concrete and practical ACTIONS that speak LOUDER and have lingering effects.

 

 

3.      GOD PROVIDES AND GUIDES

 

Contrary to what HOLYWOOD culture tells us, which is down with the PATRIARCHY and that  women do not need men, I dare decree and declare GOD’s Fatherly AUTHORITY AND PRIMACY over our lives and futures.

 

Coming to Canada was not my decision, but Ruel’s.

 

Getting a house after being 3 year-immigrants was all Ruel’s decision.

 

Holding the mic to give testimony of God’s LOVE and GRACE through the M.E.R. ( last night) was all Ruel’s  and with the encouragement of my eldest daughter to join him up front.

 

As a help mate, as a supporting actress, we gain our salvation.  We  are able to overcome  ourselves,  our flesh, our small and big mountains…God provides and God guides.

Out of the blue, an acquaintance messages me asking me if I can be her financial agent. She needed to transfer her employee pension from her previous employer to a  LIRA or a LOCKED IN RETIREMENT ACCOUNT  and she also says she will be moving some more investments to my ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT.

 

Praise God all mighty in Jesus mighty name.

 

Those are just 3 concrete ways of how God blesses us with graces we need to be repentant,  faithful and obedient to Him.

 

May we continue holding on to FAITH, HOPE and best of all LOVE of God and neighbor and ourselves so that all that may have been stolen by the evil one, be restored back and renewed.

 

May GOD be praised!

 

 

Angelli J

11:04am

 

This BLOG in a VLOG for  easy listening:

https://youtu.be/c6SgalCUMtM

 

 

 

Powerful songs played during the MPA:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW2LEU5v8VA&ab_channel=TheHigherPower

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY-TILjZ-wA&ab_channel=HillsongWorship

 

Today’s gospel readings from Kerygma

https://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2023-09-10

 

Today’s psalms in a youtube recording:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fh2A5ucqPQ&ab_channel=GodIsWithUs

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ9V3gAra0E&ab_channel=ExperienceGodEveryday

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7THrew1PlFc&ab_channel=FrancescaLaRosa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Easter Tribute to Jane - ONE TOUGH COOKIE

 

April 10,2023

Easter Monday

8:29am

 

A TRIBUTE TO A TOUGH COOKIE

 

Today, I wanted to nap a bit before the start of my employment obligations..but, my mind was so busy reflecting on the events of Good Friday, Black Saturday and Easter Sunday.

 

I  rose from my warm bed and face the white screen on my laptop and begin proclaiming GRATITUDE as I ponder on JANE, my daughters’ self imposed GRANNY.

 

One Christmas (2020) night is how it all started.

 

Ana Marcelina was tasked to knock on the door of the lady who lives right below our apartment unit.

 

She was bearing a tin can of  Save On bought cookies.

 

Caillie, the super friendly and kind German Shepherd greeted us at the door with Jane obviously pleased by our surprise appearance.

 

I hoped that the simple gift would have helped her forgive us for the noise we create.

 

It was such one annoying realization that the apartment building’s sound proofing is non-existent, thus the walls and floors seemed paper thin.

 

When we were in Alberta last November, Jane realized that there were certain sounds, she thought came from directly above her, and was not from us at all.

 

Haha, yesterday, as we came out of the elevator at the ground floor, we saw a police officer talking to a young lady. The bits  and pieces of information we heard as we headed out of the front door for Easter Mass, reveal a disturbance complaint. Noise and  disorderliness I guess?

 

I guess, Jane had to keep forgiving us for the noise we created as LIFE and it’s challenges happen.

 

The one directly above us, has given us some sleepless nights as well  now and then.

 

GETTING TO KNOW JANE

 

She is no whimp.  She  bravely faces growing old with a smile on her face and steel determination to conquer all the aches and pains that accompany it.

 

Yesterday, she whipped up a wonderful  EASTER DINNER, just one of many dinners we have had in her oh so charming home.

 

She loves decorating and re-decorating her home for every season.  And she is in her element for Christmas. She loves Christmas and giving gifts.

 

One of the  special gifts I got from her was in a shiny red box with pasted ribbon and bow. In it was a solitary marble and a saying that goes…”if you think you have lost  all of them, you still have one left.”

 

Last week, she sent me this quote about planting gardens and gave us seeds of wild flowers….” To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”

 

Despite the initial fits and starts of a beginning relationship, she has decided to be part of our family. She is family.  Now and then, I see resemblances of my dad and sister from her profile  and expressions.

 

I want to be like her at 72 and beyond.

 

She does not worry about tomorrow.

 

She is happy giving of herself to the now and is such a  extremely wonderful blessing in the present.

Let me end this with a quote from St. John Paul II " Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood, you enrich the world's understanding and help to  make relations more honest and authentic."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DUPLICITY

 

Sept 29 2022

8:39am CT

 

Come Oh Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, enkindle in us the fire of your Divine Love Oh Lord Jesus, and my mind, body, brains, heart and soul will be renewed as well as the face of the earth.

 

Jesus, King of Divine Mercy, I put my TRUST and CONFIDENCE in you.

Mary, Mother of God the Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, I consecrate my life to you, help me every step of the way.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Padre Pio, help us achieve great health and vitality of mind and body, in Jesus mighty name.

 

*** ***

 

Reflection question for the gospel readings for today:  What do you think Jesus will say if you meet today? Similarly, what He said of Nathaneal in John 1:48 “Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” – John 1:48

 

Here is another reflection question I encountered  yesterday for today’s readings:

 

How does the Devil deceive me with his lies and cunning ways? When have I experienced the power of the Archangels in my life? How has the effect of sin left me wounded, broken, and disintegrated?

 

 

These are very interesting questions. It would be very interesting to put out my words publicly today.

 

I had the inspiration to record the gospel readings, gospel reflections and do my blog as I reflect in real time.

 

Perhaps, let me go the winding way first.

 

DUPLICITY.

 

In today’s gospel, Jesus declared that there was no duplicity with Nathaneal. 

 

I was called  a HYPOCRITE  two years ago during lent.

 

In high school, there was a play I figured in and my character was Binibining Ipocrita.

 

It was a tough label to work from.

 

The stickiness of the whole name calling is quite challenging to extricate from…it leads you down  a dark pit.

 

I rise from the ashes today.

 

I dust myself off.

 

I put on new clothing that reminds me of my  authentic self, rooted on the fact that my God is a great, almighty King, whose only Son, died for my sins, washed me clean and ransomed my life for His will and purpose.

 

I THANK that person, let us call him D, for this learning experience, I  say SORRY  to him and to myself for this ugly situation to have happened, I ask FORGIVENESS from him and myself for allowing this  to hurt, break and poison other events and situations, with the LOVE AND MERCY of CHRIST JESUS, I send out HIS LIGHT AND LOVE to D and me, and  everything that is connected to us and this situation, allowing and thanking GOD to shine HIS DIVINE LIGHT AND LOVE on it, now and always.

Moving forward, I just need to please God above all else, and love others as I love myself.

Learning to self care and love myself healthily first and remind myself that...

I do not have to please everybody else.

 

I do not need to dance to other people’s expectations of me to please them.

 

I just need to be clear of my values and beliefs as they are founded in my faith in my Lord Jesus Christ.

 

And when I do meet my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, He will say, good and faithful servant and soldier…You did the best that you could given what you have.

 

Despite your limitations and struggles, you went after my heart and in it you found the healing you desperately needed to be the best version of yourself a step at a time.

 

I am whole.

 

I am completely and totally healed by your most precious body and blood , Oh Jesus.

 

I am strong in God’s graces and blessings for me each and every moment of my life.

 

Thank you Lord.

 

Thank you.

 

Mary, Queen of all the Holy Angels, hold my hand.

 

Ave Maria!

https://youtu.be/q4_IqkQHmOY

https://youtu.be/ibjBdKsnhNs

LITANY OF HUMILITY

 

Sept.28,2022

10:58 CT

I am ready to go back into my FB Social Media FAST.  As a form of goodbye, I recorded the LITANY OF HUMILITY, something that can CURB my tendency to go for the DOPAMINE RUSH of the LIKES.

A very challenging addictive tendency.

This will also be a form of THANK YOU for all those who took the time and effort to greet me for  my birthday. It has warmed my heart so much, something that will help me face the coming winter.

Here is the recording . Thank you. God bless.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EH3C1vUbfw&ab_channel=GoingVananas

53 Birthday THANKSGIVINGS

 

September 24,2022

10pm

 

 

My  53^rd  birthday  celebration started at 7am of  yesterday.

 

A devotional time with my siblings online was engaged into with a bit of tentativeness. Internet was unstable for one or two, but, the hiccups didn’t hinder us from going through with it.

 

Sibling #2 was able to join us post devotion.

 

If she didn’t remind me, I would have totally mixed it up with another date and time. Praise God I was able to get her notice in just the nick of time.

 

An online appointment at 5pm  with Elvira Acapulco of Usana was just another breath of fresh air that I needed to boost my waning spirits and body, tired from the years of faking it, till I make it.

 

Authenticity is not cheap, nor is it a welcome commodity in an otherwise unforgiving world of unrealistic expectations and dashed hopes.

 

Hubby came home with some Chinese take out from our favorite North Garden in University Crescent. Was not inclined to cook since I am still recovering from a flu bout that got me down for 3 days last week.

 

Our pumpkins, care of some wonderful friends,  had to wait a bit more for the 4 ideas  2^nd born and I had in mind for it.

 

The full stomach and tiredness was enough for me to be sluggish yet wide awake at 9pm.

 

I suggested to the girls that we watch the Home Sweet Home Alone movie latest version.

 

Before half way mark of the movie, I got a call from my dear sister in the community announcing a “ something”  to be dropped off.  She lives nearby and we get to receive a lot of stuff  from her every now and then for the past two years, especially food stuff that not only warms the belly, but the heart as well more importantly.

 

She reminds me so much of my sibling #5.

 

As we were almost done with the call,  hubby receives a call from another sister in the prayer community…sounds like they were going to drop off something as well.

 

This got me into autopilot  mode and tried to put order and pick up the otherwise Friday frazzled look of the house, that forgot to be a  magazine cover home.

 

In 10 minutes, I was ushering  Cely and Albert from the  2^nd day of Autumn 11pm night cold- crisp air in my thin  red blouse into our downstairs lobby, to the elevator, into our  “eclectic, practically furnished “ apartment of two years and 5 months.

 

Then, after they had hot tea drinks in hand,  Teena, Marlon and Marie came bearing more gifts of food and  a lovely  white with pink blush orchid plant and  yummy pancit and garlic giant soft pretzels. Brother William followed after a while.

 

The girls kept raving about how good the pretzels were, while  I have been enjoying  the pancit till today and relish the view of the flowers  on our  altar.

 

 

Sept 25,2022

12:07pm

 

 

 I abandoned my writing last night and gave in to distractions in the internet. My 2^nd born Ana Marcelina a.k.a. Lilli kept asking me to sleep with her.

 

I gave in after 3 or more nudging.

 

First born, Victoria Marina or Mari is off to do some driving practice with dear Jane, my friendly 72 year old neighbor who has decided to make us family.

 

She prepared bagels and 2 different cheese spread and eggs for breakfast before she left.

 

Ruel  cooked  scrambled eggs with lots of yellow and red tomatoes ( courtesy of the generosity of some friends and office mate’s garden harvests.)

 

Yum!

 

After some other tasks, here I am trying to resurrect my blogging/writing pursuits… which was my armchair mental health therapy of long ago.

 

It worked once…I am sure, it will work it’s magic again.

 

So,  I am  now basking in the love and care certain friends and family showed me for my birthday.

 

I will do a thanksgiving list t now without the initially planned blow by blow timeline:

 

1.      Jane, she baked me a very heavenly delicious German Chocolate cake with toppings of pecan, coconut and 3 purple candles. She asked Mari to put a dollap of Hagen Daz vanilla icecream in each slice ( which I had to beg off from).

2.      She  then gave me this wonderful card that says this:

 

 

3.      After reading , I opened a beautifully wrapped small box that contained a sleek white 2 plastic blade miniature fan, very good for the hot flashes that comes with a deadly surprise now and then.

4.      A silver shiny wrapped box came next, floating candles!

5.      Jane then asked Mari to get something from the bedrooms, and a wow glass jar was presented to me with lovely green butterfly candles ( which matched my blouse c/o Mari) and 3 yellow wooden shavings flowers.  Beautiful!!! Guess, finally, I will treat myself with a bubble bath with these floating candles keeping me company! Good idea?

6.      Wrapped myself with a grey Ikea throw blanket from Celedonia. 

7.      Reaching for Mari and Lilli’s gift bag….another TREASURE found, a lovely book by LM Montgomery from a dreamy place already on the top of our bucket list. 

8.      Lilli read the post-word about this classic book and Jane exclaimed, this looks like those Victorian parlor room reading sessions….and we delighted ourselves in the moment.

9.      4pm-530 pm saw us in the loving care and generosity of Father Ani of Holy Cross parish. He treated us to another amazing experience. After the 4pm mass where he asked our family to do the offertory and showered us with holy water, he invited us and another couple to join an Eritrean family and friends in festivities for the baptism celebration of their first born daughter.  The food and the dancing was such a novelty.  We teased Marina over something that made her get tickled pink during this whole interesting experience.

10.   Their traditional costume and music and food was such a wonderful unique and curious attraction.  

11.   8am CT-12 noon,   a handful of high school classmates and I started our mini reunion  with bible reading on Sept 24, 2022 gospel readings and our very own Father Tim gave us his thoughts. Then we proceeded to share our own thoughts and thanksgiving.  Claire from Ireland joined us  around 9am already. We got to share our struggles and triumphs  while we remembered those classmates who passed on and those who are challenged with health issues in prayer. Looking forward to another chance to meditate on God’s word with them  again soon. 

 

 

Praise God, the lack of sleep and head ache was manageable with  2 power naps.

 

 I will end this journal entry, this documentation of the love received for my birthday from people around me ( physically and virtually)  who made an extra effort to greet me in their own love languages with this recording as taken from a message from dear friend Ally, who is based in New Zealand and was one of the first to greet me in advance.

 https://youtu.be/HUcYPWrqpjM

https://youtu.be/UHfetzBzkvI

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzPMFSoIu1Q&ab_channel=GoingVananas

 

April 30 Gospel Reflections

April 29 Reflection for April 30,2020

2:30pm

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, enkindle in them the fire of thy Divine love, send forth your Spirit, and it shall be created, and Thou shall renew the face of the earth.”

**

Here are some questions that we can ponder on for today’s scripture readings:

“ Do you understand what you are reading?”  Acts 8:30

This was the question Philip asked the Eunuch reading Isaiah in today’s first reading.

Next, how much grace do you need in your life today?

Often times, we read scripture without much understanding. There are times, it is a much enlightening experience, when we feel the words jump out of the page and resonate with us in a deep manner.

Perhaps, it answers a specific query we may be having.

Other times, it  makes us more aware of the wonderful working of God in our lives.

But, beyond understanding of the words of scripture…we can still move  beyond mere understanding to the actual living out the gospel…or the manifestation of the word in our lives.

After all, understanding is just left within us…but when we act it out, make it visible in our lives…love in action.

When we decide to forgive and let go of a  past hurt…that is living out what Jesus did as He hangs on the cross and asks the Father to forgive His persecutors.

When we give without counting the costs or expect any returns, we live out the Jesus’s example of feeding the multitude and His directive to Peter, feed my sheep.

When we pray with people or with them in their needs,  we are examples of Jesus’s teaching us the Lord’s prayer.

When we bring people to Mary, The Mother of our Savior, we fulfill His instruction to John, to take Mary as his Mother and the Mother of all humanity.

Understanding of scripture, demands more from us today…it demands the manifestation of it in many ways of acts of love to people around us and those especially who are challenging to love.

My prayer:


Lord, by your most wonderful favor, grant us the grace and the wisdom from the Most Holy Spirit, to know your will for our lives, every minute of our lives, so we do not go around in circles...but be more intentional and fruitful in the Spirit and in works of mercy. Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

O Taste and See How Great Our God Can Be

April 28,2020

12:10am

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful, enkindle in them the fire of Thy Divine Love, send forth your Spirit, and it shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.”

**

Reading 1, Acts 8:1-8

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7

Gospel, John 6:35-40

**

"...there was great rejoicing in that town."

"How awesome you are! "

"Jesus answered them: I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever hunger; no one who believes in me will ever thirst."

In the first reading, we learned about the early Christians, bravely proclaiming the gospel to as many people as possible despite the threat of death to their lives as experienced by Stephen.  Despite the fact that Saul was heavily persecuting them, even endorsing the death of Stephen, the early Christians, like Philip continued to do what they needed to do and that is to spread the work and words of Jesus.

How about us? What is stopping us from fulfilling the great commission of Christ to us, to spread His message, His good news, far and wide?

Are we experiencing too much hunger and thirst that we are not able to do what is expected of us?

Are we allowing the threat of COVID 19 to keep us in the chains of darkness and fear?

God is still in control and for this we should give thanks.

He still gives us each day to wake up. He still provides for our daily bread and water to sustain us.

He provides for us shelter.

Basic things He has provided for us.

Should we not give thanks by doing us we are told?

God is so awesome and powerful that he…

My thoughts were cut short when I received a call from my friend at this time.

She told me she just placed an order for a 6 seater  Bjursta Ikea dining set to be delivered to me soon.

How awesome is our God in deed!

This comes at the heels of another friend who just said out of the blue, I will take care of your fee of 80 CAD so I can start my training to become a Financial Advisor plus the  janitor of this property calling me to say he brought the corner lamp he wants to give us.

Thank you God for sending angels among us to give us messages of your hope and providence.

Alleluia !

Praise to you now and forever Oh Lord!

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us who have perpertual recourse to thee.

St. Joseph, pray for us.

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.