20111213 After the Rain

Psalm 30:12
So my heart will sing to you. I can't keep silent. Lord, my God, I will give you thanks forever.

20111127 I Asked the Lord..

^{2 Thessalonians 2:5} Brothers and sisters, stand firm. Hold on to what we taught you. We passed our teachings on to you by what we preached and wrote.

What is my role as a mother?  Do it by the Book.  Who can better teach me how if not The Writer himself.  He is more than willing to teach me but on one condition that I allot a certain time for Him each day.  Thus, it is I do as told even not so willingly at times I must confess.  If it all should depend on my ability to learn, I know for sure that a lifetime will never be enough.  My Father in Heaven will make perfect all that I have done by faith so the Holy Spirit just told me. For this reason, there is only one thing I need to do which is to come to Him each day, and wait. 

20111120 Thank You, Diana.

Awakened by a call at 9am this morning.

The number indicated a long distance call from Taipei.

In a very beautiful accent the caller said, "Hello,is this B..?"

"Yes, may I know who's calling please?" I said.

"This is Diana."

"I only know of two Dianas.  The Diana and the little girl Diana."

A slight hesitation at the other end...

Certain that she must be the little girl Diana and the only Diana I've known,

I said,"Tell me where we got acquainted."

"S St." she said.

"Yes, you are the little girl Diana."

I also talked to her mom.

The hour on the phone brought back memories.

Recollections dated back 20 years ago.

I got to thank her mom for the support she has given me.

I got to thank her for entrusting me with the task of getting 

her precious little one to read.

I am so blessed.  Six years with a child is more than I can ask for.

She is now teaching.

I now have someone to refer to when asked about TOEIC & TESOL.

20111117 Here Today

20111117 Here Today

Four windows and a balcony.
Potted plants my company.
Plants that crave not much attention
Yet abundant their provision.

Plants that greet me each new day
Plants that talk as if to say,
"Look at me, I'm here today.
Enjoy my grandest display."

More time I tend to you this day
Then I heard the voice that says
"Isn't it fun working with me?"
"Yes, my Lord," I pray
"This is what life is meant to be."

My Lord requires not much of me,
Just to know He's there each day
Seeking my time for company
Our hearts in harmony.

20111028 The Culprit -Aedes Aegypti

A sizable area that used to be cramped with goods in the tiny grocery store was empty.  Either the owner is patient or I am the only one who has asked.  She told me that  someone in the community was infected with dengue virus.

No wonder the seats in the beauty salon and the desks at the office that I passed by were all wrapped in plastic.  I wondered if I have missed the notice.  On my way closer to home, I caught a glimpse of the empty racks in the organic store.  I have no time to look back at how the convenient store was doing.  The beddings shop and the restaurants right below us were closed for the night.  

I recalled what the sprayers and foggers did to our classroom four years ago. It was a whole lot easier to clean up compared to a home.  The house cleaning and the washing of utensils that came after would be any homemaker's nightmare. For sure, nobody would want to admit  to be the dengue victim after having caused everyone all the hassles.

  

No one within a radius of 50 meters from the victim can be spared.  It is enforced by fining uncooperative citizens and by opening locks in case one thinks he can get away with an alibi.  

With this blog you know I am spared.  And with this blog, a prayer

for complete elimination of the culprit.  

20111022 Fear, My First Glimpse of Life

Fear was my first glimpse of life.


Walking down a dusty road with  stones that grow on soil.
Protrudes felt by tiny feet; a twist and a tug as I kept in step.


Walking to a house called home, from my father's store.
A not-so-convenient distance in the dark, off to the beaten path track.


Walking with me clutching on to Mother's flowing skirt,
Carrying my sister on her left arm, in her right hand a flashlight.


Walking on in suppressed silence, threatened by what I had heard.
Mindless chatters made by Father's tinderas and tinderos,
of spirits lurking in the great mango tree at the coming bend.


Wished it had lurked in the mango tree,
If I had seen it hanging there in white,
It wouldn't have crept in to me.

20110924 Mode of Ode

A variety good for three
At its peak from mid June to August
But now in September the weather's cooler
It is sweet as yet.
A shot to remember this water, sugar & fiber
that pleasured us all through the summer.

Hubby's all praises to our fruit growers.
He picks and buys our fruit each day
My heart is grateful I'm off the load.
More time to write this mode of ode.

As we partake this fruit today
With grateful hearts we say
"Thank you Lord for soil and toil."
"Thank you Lord for skill to till."




 

It takes so little to give.

It took too much to want.

This Special Someone paid 

a special price no man can give.

He filled my needs.

He beckoned me,

Go and give.

I gazed at my five loaves and two fishes.

That's all He wanted from me.

He replenished it once and twice

until I realized,

even that is not from me.

"What do I have that's mine to give?" I asked.

"Nothing, my child, because that's all I want of you.

RECEIVE "  He said.

20110920 

Someone emailed me and said that he would want to come visit me.

That he doesn't want to go anywhere but just sit and sip coffee with me.

That is what I so wanted to do with him.

I know it will be more than just a cup of coffee.

I wonder though, how many refills we could have 

    as my thoughts brought me back to the lesser than few times,

    when we really sat and chatted after one simple home cooked dinner

    my Mom prepared.

    It was during one of my visits home.

    We were so young with selves as the only burdens then.

    Oh how I missed the laughter that he brought forth.

I wonder how many more stories I have missed,

     the stories that he is so good at telling.

     He simply has the knack to make me laugh

     as he relates his own ludicrous incidents.

I wonder when if ever we could still have a time.

     A time to just sit, chat and laugh.

     This must be written to let him know.

     In my previous visits to and fro,

     If he still remembers my motto:

     The best is yet to come.

     In reply to his query, 

     if I have found what I was searching for.

    ( I can be cunning, I can be guile but why!

     If you can laugh at your own ludicrous indicents,

     then why can't I?)

     I used to dread the changes in the tones to my reply.

     I myself can distinguish the differences in meaning

     as we both in the end would chorus:

     the best is yet to come,

     knowing that it is the best answer I can give.

   Mind you, my dear little "adopted cousin" Winston.

   After having said that

   for the fifth time in five years' time

   It was never without a tinge of doubt.

  Even God himself had a good laugh

    when I said my teary "I do" at the age of 33;

    well, it was exactly 3 months before my 34th b-day.

    Laughing out so loud.

20110821 Pray for Our Teen

Thank You Lord for simple fun times with our teen.
Lord make us wise and listen to Your advice.
We call out Your Name and seek Your guidance
moment by moment
each of our days.
Help us teach by how we live.
Give us the courage and hope to instruct our teen to successfully run life's race.
To know his calling, the condition that's best for his soul
that least exposes him to Your wrath but gives him more opportunity
of serving and enjoying You, Our Lord.

20110817 Wednesday Recluse

Call me lazy for taking it easy.
Another Wednesday, my non-working holiday.
Fleeing tension with relaxation,
Reading,writing,cooking and playing at my leisure.
Cheap at half the price for pleasure
in the privacy of one's home,
where my mind starts to roam.

20110811 Of Cowboys and Guns

The sign language for the word  traffic looks like a man holding and shooting two pistols aimed at an enemy.  The sign description says: Both 3 classifier hands move back and forth next to each other with palms facing each other.   Being on the road feels like being in a war zone.  No wonder I can never muster up the courage to drive a car, ride a motorcycle or even ride a bike. 

20110811 Of Lightning & Thunder

Braved several flashes of lightning on my way home from class tonight.
I could wait for the rain to stop and walked home along closed shops
or walked home along brightly lit shops amid the thunderstorm.

Thank you, Lord, for protecting the Mother,who had to brave the lightning and thunder
while the rain kept beating on her face, as she take her daughter home from class
on her motorcycle.

Thank you, Lord, for protecting the child, who had to brave the thunderstorm
riding home on his bicycle on busy streets among cars.

Thank you, Lord, for protecting the drivers, who had to be on the road at this kind of weather.
Be it driving home a loved one, or someone else's
Or be he driving home to his loved ones waiting for him at home.

20110807 It's Free

Missed by a day,
It has soared away.

20110803 Bugging Paparazzo

Deliberately for my ears as I was taking photos at the 
Cultural Center this afternoon.


Woman: Look! Somebody's taking our photos and then she'll be posting them...



Me: Sorry lady, I'm more interested in taking photos of worms. To prove see here 



She's such a coward for not engaging me in confrontation.
I'm more of a coward for just keeping my reply to my thoughts.


Much as I would love to put a bug in her ear, I want to give her credit for a subject to write about today and another one in the future about the ways to say "Bug Off!"

This Is It!

Sustained by two silk strands
A lovely sight to see
I did not know it is this day,
the resting stage to be.

No more feeding.

The breaking down and
the building up.

Pry not but wonder
The lessons to ponder.

20110730 Something About It

This morning I was awakened by the bird!
I couldn't be laying awake all night waiting for this.
I rushed to the balcony...

20110728 It & Something

A Caterpillar clinging for dear life.
Took it in for some photographs
but couldn't find a satisfying pose.
It wasn't that wriggly
Just inexperience on my part.

Took the whole pot out again,
cannot decide its fate.
Where it will be tomorrow
has to wait for the day to come.

Flapping wings by my window
Would wake me up in the mornings.
I missed them these rainy days
It could make their day.

I can hear the raindrops
Saved from its predator
Hope to see it be a pupa
instead of something's supper.

July 2011 Blog of Notes http://www.brooklynlimestone.com/
http://missmustardseed.blogspot.com/
http://taicarmen.wordpress.com/

20110726 Awry Rhyme

There are days I can't deny, 
when a meal can make me shy,
when a meal can make me want to cry.

Thrown in haste
this fishy taste.
Do not pry
I'll tell you why.


That's fresh mango before 
your eye.
What a sight!
I hear your sigh.


Such an eerie combination 
a stretch of imagination
to save a sauce that went awry
caused by a canned supply.


This careless mistake,
A potful of headache,
got to be dealt with this July
even secretly 
a sty is desired nearby.


Grant me wisdom I pray,
I shall wait each day
Give me a clue or two
or simply just a cue.

Pets Or Pests

Look what paid us a visit today.
Well, actually I didn't let them in.
I brought this pot of orange seedlings into the house
to liven up my desk with
something green.
I remembered washing some soil off the leaves
after I transferred them to the glass container
four days ago.
The eggs must have slipped my eyes.

Look, it is not alone.
Pets or pests which shall they be?
Pets?
I can be a snooper
as these larvae turn to be pupae
Pests?
Reality came in through the windows
as I watched those strong jaws.
Pets?
I used to tear open pupas
This time I can watch metamorphosis
Pests?
What voracious appetite!
If I only know how many days
it would take for them to get
to the pupal stage.

They can defoliate my seedlings.
Seedling that I've waited months to grow.

I would want an orange tree or two...

Pests!
They have to go!

Taking A Break

What have I been doing since my last post?

Lazying around, which I'm so good at.

Well, physically maybe since I've been visiting bloggers 

whom I've followed.

It is nice to see Cooper growing up and is now actively crawling around.

It feels like opening a package and looking into its contents as I updated myself on the beach house which was undergoing remodeling.
The owner decided to raise the house 9 feet above the ground for the beach view.
I've lost track of the number of blogs I've visited, blogs about  home decor and crafts
and blogs about life in New York.

All for now,

I'm off to the kitchen for my chicken and spinach casserole

and then back to organizing and rearranging the books and stuff around the apartment.
Call it the influence of blogging.
Son will have a surprise when he comes home from summer camp tomorrow.

It is raining again, just love everything about it..

Thank God for this joyful feeling.
Thank God for the day.

20110619 A Promise

A sight to behold.
This potful of beauties
came to be
after two successive days of rain.

The cooked squash is still in my ref.
A prepared pie filling
waiting for its crust.

My Father spoke to me through
this scooped
up seeds thrown haphazardly
into an empty pot.

Do you have time to listen to what He wants to tell you?

Isaiah 30:23
He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful.
Isaiah 65:23
They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune;
for they will be a people blessed by the Lord, they and their descendants with them.

Teach Me How To Live

Philippians 2:5

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

The Lord knows I cannot have the same mindset as Jesus Christ. 

Not on my own, no matter how much I try.

No how-to-books can change me.

Nor mere knowledge, will and determination.

Jesus would have died in vain if I can do it on my own.

Jesus didn't have to die on the cross for me if my heart,

  on my own free will, can become like Him.

It is so nice to know that it is Jesus' job to change me.

He made it clear that His words are not read with disregard.

It is so nice to know that I do not have to work hard for it.

Reading and chatting with Him just eventually become pleasurable.

It is so nice to know that He is willing to wait..

until the time that I would say: 

Lord, I surrender.  Teach me how to live.

20110416 He is Lord

You made me walk amongst the dead
And see through their made up pallor
You showed me imitations of Your work
supplemented, altered, and counteracted upon.


You let me hear the soul's anguish
You make me discern the enemies' deceit.
"Subdue, rule over, work, take care"
You do it.  You are Lord.

20110410 Presence

Lord, it is You that have led me thus far,
You enticed me to the path that leads to life.
You showed me how to walk the narrow way
A walk for two,
of You and me.

To know You and live in Your Presence.
Not just an assurance to claim when my life's through.
You filled me with Your Presence each moment of the day
Such exciting way of life You granted.
I will delight in the pleasures that You give.

You will make me speak of Your good deeds
in every conversations though be few.
You want me to see how You can change one's view.
I shall wait for You,
As only You can,
one's mind renew.

20110407 Of Teas, Coffee & Cake

A gift from a friend,
shared with more friends.

I brought half of this cake to visit Ruth,
the ever gracious hostess at Cafe 349
yesterday afternoon.
We had our cup of coffee with this Icewine Tea Chiffon Cake.

I got to meet one of her friends,
a lovely lady.
We continued our conversation as
Ruth's customers started to come in.
It was one afternoon that I need not worry about
what food to put on the table for hubby and son.
Ruth had it all planned for me.
I just took the bag home
and laid them on the table.
A dish of vegetable, chicken and fish.

I thank my Lord for the time to enjoy people.
People in different walks of life.

"The Lord, whose name is Jealous"

Exodus 34:14
Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.




I had a wise father who sent me to a school that according to him "teaches right from wrong." (This was the answer that he could give a third grader when asked  why he sent us to this Christian School when he himself wouldn't believe in Jesus - ah, the burden that we were given since Grade 1.
He accepted Christ in his deathbed though.)

Today I am reminded of what he taught me about acquiring things that will never be stolen, which is wise of him..
and You Lord, reminded me that it was You who made him teach me so.


My father did leave something for us, thinking it would help..
You, Lord ,allowed them to be taken away..
Some friends did try to help us fight..
You, Lord, said, stop the case, let go.

1. Jeremiah 9:24

1. but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.

You wanted me to boast of this and this alone.

"My name, the Lord"

Exodus 33:19
And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.


You Lord, will have mercy on whom You have mercy,
and will have compassion on whom You will have compassion.
It is not what I with all the auxiliary verbs + do or I with all the auxiliary verbs + not+do.
You are the Lord.

Surrender

Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.


When I was young and selfish, I thought He will give me what I wanted.
As I grew older and yet did not get what I wanted,
I began to seriously ask Him what He meant by it.


In time He made me understand that He wanted me to want what He wanted me to want.
Pressed for time, I succumbed (Lord, You are patient) and asked Him then to make me want what He wanted me to want.
He took it right away even when I am not that ready to change my heart. (Lord, You are merciful)
Boy, am I glad that I surrendered!

Behold, I didn't see..

I bought this whole piece of bamboo shoot.
The woman asked if I'd want it peeled.
Don't know why I refused.
Must have thought I can do it myself.
Not until I tried to split it open, (1)
and decided to peel a layer off,
  that I wondered how it should be done.
I have watched it done before.
Just kept on peeling until (2),(3)
and doubted if I have really watched
in the real sense of the word.
There must be a way of peeling it
and for sure it doesn't look like this at all. (4)

20110327

Dear Howard, Catherine, Rachel & Chung,

Precious moments together though short,

An impulse to soar that needs support.

There is one task ,a portion I can share,

To bend my knees for you in prayer.

May you find liberty as the wise man sees,

life is not thorns, thistles and toils but ease.


(Thanks to Howard for this photo
looking forward to his coming solo exhibit.)

20110323 Coincidence? (3)

Lord:  Becky, tell of my wondrous deeds.
me:  Sure Lord, Where shall I start?
I do not have enough words,
I do not know which adjective to use
I really do not know what is going on inside of me.

Are tears enough?
Can you hear my sobs?
Give me more time...

20110318 Coincidence? (II)

Everyone seemed to be in a very upbeat mood this evening.
My 6:00 pm group of first to third graders were all lined up
to read the sounds, words, a sentence or a paragraph to me,
depending on their individual level.
One of the twins, a first grader, KC, came up with a question
that I didn't  quickly catch.

Me:  "Yu Huang what?"  I thought he was asking about a place.

Everyone:  (laughing) " Yu Huang Ta Ti!"

It was always so easy to make this age group laugh, especially whenever I mispronounced a Chinese word, so I got my paper and asked them to repeat it as I scribbled the Chinese phonetic symbol.

Once again I earned another laughter because I was not writing the Chinese character when I should be at this age.

Me:  "What is that?"

KC:  "The god that we 'pai pai' " ( clasping hands and bowing his head).

Me:  " I did not get your question.  Can you say it again?"

KC:  "I said, who is greater, your God or Yu Huang Ta Ti."

Me:  "Oh! that!  Ok, well, why don't you ask Yu Huang Ta Ti about it?"

KC:  "Will he talk to me?"

Me:  "You can try it tonight.  Ask Yi Huang Ta Ti to answer your question in a dream."
         "But," I continued, " It would be my God talking to you if you dream of a cross."

More laughter..

KCh:  " Teacher, I know you believe in Jesus.  Have you heard him speak?"

Me:  "Oh yes!  Do you want to know how?"

 I Picked up the Chinese Bible on my desk and randomly opened it to a page and read a verse.  I cannot now recall what it was.

K Ch:  (standing closer to me.) " May I touch it?"

Me: "Of course."

K Ch:  "Does it have phonetic symbols?  I want one!"

Me:  "Let's try another verse okay?"  "We can ask Him to speak to us and then read the Bible."

Again, I opened the Bible at random and this was what I read out loud:

因為我是  神 再沒有別神

I cannot tell how the children took it.  There were laughters.  My God surprised me with it.
It is one thing to say "Let's look at Isaiah 45:22" and read the verse to them, but it really did not occur to me to give KC that answer.  My God did speak for Himself!

20110311 My Nose and The Leaves

1.Amoxil 500mg, Amoxicillin, 2. Paran 500mg, Acetaminophen 500mg
3.Pukamin Tablets "C, Brompheniramine 4mg, 4. ME 25 mg., DL Methylephedrine 25mg
5. Suwell.


Was up early this morning to pay our family doctor a visit,
before his clinic, about 15 steps from our front door,
closed at 10a.m..

My sneezes were never ending.
It was not just the exaggerated reaction
to sudden changes in temperature
or some offending allergens that my surgical mask could take care of.
It was a time for therapeutic intervention.

"Same old problem." My doctor said
"This happens whenever you see the leaves falling and
whenever you see them sprouting."
"Thank You, Doc" I said as I headed to the
dispatch window for my medicine.

This may sound like a seasonal thing
but I have long been disarmed from knowing how to get over-the counter drugs.
It felt good to have a professional person to depend on
even for such a small case between my nose and the leaves.

20110220 Coincidence?

Me:               How long will it take  me to get to this hospital? ( After giving him the name)

Taxi Driver:  About 20 minutes, unless you want to take the super highway.

Me:              No, just take the slow route ( I hate superhighways)
                    I just want to know how much time I can visit with a hospital patient

                    and come back in time for my 5:00 pm class.

It was already 3:00 in the afternoon when I got into his taxi, feeling a bit apprehensive
about finding the right building, getting into the right wing and the right room.  I put my
thinking cap on the whole ride but had not come up with any idea of a suitable gift to bring
when I heard the driver's question.

Taxi Driver:    We're almost there, where do you want to get off?

Me:                How many entrances are there?

Taxi Driver:    Are you an outpatient ?

Me:               No, just visiting a patient.  Is it okay to visit empty handed?

Taxi Driver:    It is the thought that counts.

Me:                Yes, well, maybe next visit..

I can see the hospital entrance but there were no empty taxis waiting in line as there are in other hospitals,
so I asked another question before I got off.

Me:               How do I get a taxi for my return trip?

Taxi Driver:    Just call our number and tell them you're at the entrance to this building.

Me:               Thank you.... God bless you.  ( there was a prodding that I should say it and it was said
                      not without hesitation.)

I cannot thank  the very complaisant volunteer worker (in uniform) at the information desk
whose directions got me to the elevator, the floor number and the room after several turns.

My friend Grace's Mom is undergoing targeted therapy at 76.  It was not long after I got to her bedside
when another visitor came into the room.  Grace's Mom said that he's become a friend after several rides in his taxi and he's a constant visitor - I turned around - we recognized each other.  He's the one who drove me here, I told them.  We stayed a while and then Mr.Yi got a client's call from our area so he drove me back home in his taxi, to pick another client.  God indeed blessed him.... and me, all along.