Chicken Joy to the world!

I just came from Jollibee to claim again my BPI-credit card’s promo…
Of Chicken Joy!

There were also a lot of other people that claimed their chicken joys and also by the buckets (actually contains 6 pieces/bucket) that I had to wait for sometime to get my share and this time the buckets are no longer of plastic but paper buckets.

I called on my nieces and nephews after I lay the buckets on the table and they immediately came and took their share.
They were excited.
Well they will have to finish it all immediately since mama says NO chicken to be served for our New Year’s eve celebration and the whole day of New year. In fact NO chicken in our refrigerator at this time already. We cooked them all yesterday and no buying for the time being.

Ahhh superstitions!

She says serving chicken is not good since their feet keep on scratching looking for food. The “Isang kahig isang tuka” (one scratch one bite) saying means “from hand to mouth” existence which is not the way to look forward too for a New Year. Everything should be bountiful… prosperous… so there has to be lots of fruits on the table and foods to share of course.

I am not superstitious but I don’t eat much meat especially chicken so it is okay with me not to have chicken but the kids could probably just tolerate not having it for a day. After New Year, they are back to eating fried chicken and I think the promo is on till next year so it is certainly chicken joy till next year... well not really for the whole world but at least on my part of the world. ;-)

Jesus' birthday!

The Christmas eve mass was celebrated in our chapel at 10:00 pm. They were doing it early not just so we could be with the family at midnight but also to avoid firecrackers since it is not only New Year were some people light firecrackers and there were a lot on the street and alleys we passed to.

Anyway, we got to the chapel 15 minutes before the start and as usual it was full. There was no place on the sides were we used to stand during our Misa de Gallo mass that we decided to go up to where the choir stays and one of the choir members said that even that place was full too. Well we were ready to stand but luckily one man motioned that the stack up seats at their abck was empty since the occupants found a place and did not come back anymore. So we got seats afterall. There were 4 of us but the seats were only 3 but we shared and made it through!

The service was simple but we had a chance to venerate the baby Jesus at the end of the mass. We waited till it thinned out before we came to the altar. We got home plenty of time before midnight and on our way we passed by a lot of celebrations going on... there were dancing (modern dance presentations) and in one area we found that they enclosed a certain portion of the street with coconut leaves and put chairs around a small table. The place was fullpacked and the table was just small... it was pretty obvious that they were going to have a drinking session... well actually they have already started with it. There were also lots of karaoke singing we heard as we walked even until we reached home.

Lots of celebration to celebrate Jesus' birthday! I was just thinking as I got seated on our table and we have our own celebration. Are the celebrations eveybody is doing the kind of celebration Jesus want? I am not only talking about the celebrations I saw on the road... even our own.
Well we opened with a short prayer and have our birthday cake which we lighted as we sang "happy birthday Jesus" and since there were just a few of us at home on midnight we all were seated around our table. The children who were around opened their gifts. But no Christmas carol... not even on the radio.

And as I head up to my room, i still ask, is this the kind of celebration you want?

No answer and I slept...

And in the morning we had our early visitor... well not really the people I would want to eat with the first thing in the morning BUT maybe Jesus wanted me to celebrate with them.

I think He did.

Happy birthday Jesus!

We celebrated your birthday, maybe not the best celebration that you would have wanted but I know you appreciate it nevertheless.

I love you!

The Ninth day of Misa de gallo

Today is the ninth day, the last day of the Misa de gallo and I am so happy that I was able to complete it!

This is the first time ever that I have completed the novena mass. I celebrate the mass everyday but usually attend the noon mass since it is the most convenient for me... but for the past nine days I was able to wake up very early to attend the mass, even had a chance to be part of the service at one point (last sunday).

And i actually feel happy that even while walking home I couldn't contain the smile on my lips and even greeted the people I come across with a good morning and an early Merry Christmas.

The priest that said the first-day mass was also the pri the est that said the last of the novena mass and he said that there is really no point in finishing a novena-mass if there is no transformation, if there is still unforgiveness in your heart... if once you leave the church and you still feel anger at the people you don't like when you meet them.

He is right... the mass and all the spiritual rituals we go to are actually pointless if we don't really know why we are doing them.

Well... there is also some things that I do not completely understand... but one thing I am sure of... I am BLESSED! and once again I share my blessing! :)

Eight Day!

The Misa de Gallo is on its eight day and thanks God I have made it to all. One more and I would have completed it and already the anticipation that I will be able to complete adds joy to my heart!

The gospel today tells how ELizabeth told the people that the name of her son is John which they questioned but when they asked Zecheriah (through sign and gestures since he became deaf and dumb) he wrote that his name will be John. The meaning of JOHN is "God is gracious" and indeed He is. He has blessed Zecheriah and Elizabeth and He is blessing us all also.

Isn't He a great God???

He is!

The Seventh Day

On the seventh day God rested but no rest for me for the time being.

The seventh day… yup made it to 7 and two more days to go to complete the Misa de Gallo!

I was afraid that I might be too tired and not wake up for the mass since we had a gift giving activity yesterday and I got home a tired and hungry but it was worth it… just worried that I might sleep too soundly and not wake up so I stayed in my mom’s room. Funny thing I was so sleepy yet I keep waking up to check on the time. I think when you are too tired you lose your sense of body clock but my mama (bless her!) ably woke me up at 3:15 am… a bit earlier than my alarm time of 3:30 am. I also brought my celfone in her room and when it alarmed she laughed because it was loud since it is really meant to wake me up as I shout to myself to wake up… with a matching “Yoohoo Beth!”

There have been different priests the past days since the priests take turn visiting the different sub-parishes in our place and it is a big community. Our parish priest was the main celebrant today and as usual the chapel was full but thanks God I was able to have a sit. He knew I was tired and allowed me to sit today and as always I feel blessed…

And once again I share my blessing.

The Sixth Day

My cousin Anne's husband arrived yesterday from the province with their child and was staying in the house from across our home with Anne's brother so ANne did not sleep in our home. I was worried that I would have nobody to go with me to the chapel. My other cousin could not wake up that early since she stays up really late and would be too tired.

Anyway, I did not want to go alone but since I had nobody I went. My mom woke up and see me walk from our gate till her eyes could see me. There were people on the street and I made it through safely to the chapel and what was cool was that there were still lots of available seats.

So I sat and closed my eyes as I prayed from my seat until i felt that somebody already took the vacant place beside me. When I opened my eyes there was Anne! SHe made it too. She heard our gate opening (it is a big heavy and very noisy gate) and immediately prepared and followed. So i believe that we will be both be able to finish the 9-days Misa de Gallo. Ain't it a blessing?

The priest asked during his homily if we feel blessed? And I immediately silently answered "Yup, I am blessed!" ANd once again I share you my blessing!

Day Five

It is day five and it is Sunday. I woke up at 2:30 am. It is still too early so I slept once more. Then I heard knocking at my door. My brother woke me up, it was 3:50 am and we would be late! I did not hear my alarm sounded. I might have turned it off when I woke up at 2:30. Hood thing my sister-in-law who is awake for her internet work-at-home did not hear me moving and got worried. Bless her and my brother for waking me. We rushed to the chapel and barely made it since I saw the lay people already in the procession line and once again we were standing... Ahh never mind at least we made it.

I was still perspiring a bit from the fast walking we did and have not completely settled when I was approached by one of the lay minister. The commentator did not make it and the lector would have to take her place and there was no one to take over the readings... so could I do it? The mass is in Tagalog and I am not really good in reading "Tagalog readings" since I find the words deeper than the normal conversation words but I agreed nevertheless and I joined their procession to be near the altar.

When the time came and I began reading, I saw and felt my hands trembling and I smiled (actually i felt it like a muffled nervous laugh). It did not show in my voice but my hands were really shaking and I did not want people to see it so I put down the misalette on the lectern and read from afar so i could steady my hands.

After the readings while the gospel was being said, I really felt soooo blessed. Told you that every year my namesake Elizabeth gets mentioned in the gospel for my birthday and today was a continuation of yesterday's gospel. In today's gospel, Mary visited Elizabeth!

The Lord certainly has a sense of humor. Sometimes he jolts you a bit then showers you with great joy and you can't help yourself from smiling and being awed.

So once again I feel blest and i share you my blessing.

I certainly hope that I make it to the next masses, four days to go after all...

Day Four

It is day four and it is also a special day for me. I woke up at 3:00 am, even before my alarm sounded. I did not really feel excited even if it today is also my birthday but I was glad that I woke up early so I had a longer time to just pray sitted in my bed to thank God for all my blessings.

We got in the church earlier than the previous days and we got good seats!

Hmmm... I did get a gift since I get to really appreciate the service since I was comfortable. I always am excited for the gospel on my birthday because everytime Mary's cousin, my namesake Elizabeth is part of it and for me that is special and being there once more made me feel blessed.

I had a recollection at 8:30 am and I thought i'd sleep a little after I got home to prepare for it. I was in time for the recollection and there was also a mass after so I got to celebrate two masses today! :)

Our cluster had fellowship and service meeting after so I had to stay longer in the area and when I got home I helped in the preparation for our family get-together. It will not only be me who'll be celebrating my birthday but also my two nieces who celebrated their birthdays earlier this month. It was good to celebrate with the family. The food was plentiful and we had three cakes one for each of us. The celebration with the family is a blessing too.

The celebration included a sing-a-long which would last longer but I could not join them since i had to sleep to make it for the next day's service.

I was tired but still felt blessed.

And once again I share my blessing.

God bless you!

Day Three

Ahh I made it to day three of the Misa de Gallo!

Three down six to go!

Once again we stood through the whole service but it was okay. I just felt good being there. The choir was good and the service was also good. I am getting used to just standing through the whole service but i thought that it would be really nice if we could come earlier and get a sit. So tonight I am going to sleep earlier.

Just being there celebrating the mass makes me feel blessed.

And once again I share my blessing!

God bless you!

Day Two

My alarm clock woke me once again and it didn't take us long to prepare and head for the chapel for our Misa de Gallo. As usual there were already many people... even the chairs they placed outside to accomodate people were already full... but we did not want to stand outside the chapel so once again we squeezed ourselves to the place were we stayed before. Luckily many people would rather stand outside than force themselves in.

I was sleepier compared to yesterday but good thing we were standing as i might have dozed off...

Well even if I was sleepy I feel the spirit of the celebration and I participated the whole time... even the priest's homily did not let me doze off though I felt myself yawning from time to time. It was good to be inside the chapel since all the people there seemed intent on the mass and not doing something else like courting or talking which was also one of my concerns why I did not look forward to dawn masses before.

I made it to the second day and once again I felt good and blest...

And I share my blessing...

God bless you!

Misa de Gallo

This year I have decided to try to complete the Misa de Gallo or dawn mass, a 9-day novena mass anticipating Christmas. I have never completed such mass and have not actually tried attending one in a long time preferring to celebrate my usual noon mass. I have always been a good sleeper and at the time said mass is said, I am usually deep asleep... dead to the world.

We were not going to have our company's annual Auditors' Training which I conduct this time of the year so I thought it would be good to celebrate and complete the Misa de Gallo. I have checked the schedule and the chapel near our place where I could just walk to celebrates their mass at 4:00 am. I could prepare at night and wake up at 3:30 am and be able to make it for the mass. My cousin who just recently arrived from the province agreed to go with me so mama would not worry about me walking alone especially in dark alleys where I have to pass to.

I have recorded my voice reminding me to wake up so I could attend the mass and I have made such recording as the alarm for my celfone.

Today was the first day. My alarm properly woke me up and it didn't take long to prepare. We then walked towards the church. My cousin and I were the only people walking but we passed by some people on the road... some were just talking... some were in the game shops playing... too early for regular activities. The small flashlight I brought aided us in the alleys we had to pass. In the main road, there were lots of people heading for the Chapel and we could hear Christmas carol being played as we came nearer. We made it on time though the chapel was already overflowing with people. We eased our way inside and even if we stood up the whole service, we got to celebrate the first of our dawn masses.

It felt good! :)

Amazing choir

A friend (actually 2 friends) forwarded me a video of Perpetuum Jazzile’s performance of Toto’s Africa and I find it too amazing not to share…



Saw that?
Play it again and this time with your eyes closed…

Did you feel the rain???
Feel how it progressed into a storm?
and the thunder?
Pretty amazing huh?

Now, notice that each one had his own microphone…
Each one has a distinct part to perform
Alone it wouldn’t amount to much
But put together…
Amazing!

I think that’s pretty much how it is also with life
Each one of us is distinct…
Each has a part to play…
Each part is important…
What a harmonious and great world it would be
if we are all played our part right
and followed the same beat…

Ahhhh…
Wish it were so…