Good Monday, everyone! Did you have a good time yesterday? How about today? Living life in the present moment well? Good. Thank God, we're alive and well! Thank you, Jesus. And thank you, Mother Mary...pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
As soon as I woke up yesterday (Sunday) morning, I gave my wife Freny her Mother's Day card with $$ enclosed. Still in bed, and just woke up, she thanked me for her gifts. Afterwards, I headed to our restroom to prepare myself for church. I also encouraged her to get up and get ready for Mass. I took a shower first. She followed, after using the toilet.
Now, while I was already dressed up and getting ready to go to Mass at St. Paul's Catholic Church with my wife Freny and sis-in-law Rose, I thought of sharing to all of my Facebook friends a Mother's Day essay No Greater Love Than Mother's Love (featuring my poem MOTHER DEAR) that I've written and posted on my blog last year, in honor and celebration of all mothers around the world. First, I logged on to my laptop, visited my blog site and searched for my blog post with the article mentioned above. As I was re-reading it, I came across one of the music videos, from YouTube, of Philippine superstar Nora Aunor, one of my favorite female singers around the world. I clicked it to listen to her song about mother's love. Then, scrolling down to the very end of my "essay" I clicked Facebook to share my one-year old blog post. That's what I did, while waiting for Freny to finally get dressed.
Now, while on Facebook to see if my sharing the post went through (and it did, successfully), I found out that there's someone who requested me to be a new Facebook friend. I clicked that spot on the upper left side of my FB page. I recognized the name immediately and I was elated. It was one of my fellow Shipmates and co-workers at the naval hospital where I've spent eleven out of my twenty years in the Service prior to retirement in 2005. Knowing that it was truly my co-worker, I didn't hesitate to confirm the request. I bet my new FB friend found me via another fellow Shipmate and co-worker because I saw the latter's photo and name as one of my new FB friends, too. I mentioned this to Freny (who was ready for church) and showed her my new FB friend's FB page. Before I logged off my computer, I wrote a short message on his page, and also wished his wife Happy Mother's Day.
All ready for morning church worship-service, we left the house five minutes to nine. It was drizzling outside. But the temperature was kind of warm. (I've already thought of turning off the heater or switching it to AC once we get back home from church.)
Our pastor, Rev. Fr. David, celebrated the Mass with us. There was one young girl-parishioner who got confirmed and, thus, received her first communion. Btw, Freny and I were not scheduled yesterday to be one of those volunteer Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. But we're always ready and available in case one didn't show up for the Mass. (She was happy and proud to show me her new earrings and necklace, her Mother's Day gift from me. Thanks, Mama.) Before the Mass ended, Rev. Fr. David called on all mothers sitting on the pews to stand up and be recognized for Mother's Day. With him leading the prayer, the whole congregation honored and prayed for all mothers. He, especially, mentioned Blessed Virgin Mary, our Heavenly Mother and Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.
After Mass, our friends and fellow St. Paul's parishioners Mike and Myrna invited us to their house for lunch. We were happy to join them again, after our last get-together. (We brought with us a cake, and Myrna's gifts. And her daughter's and her sister's gifts, too.) As always, we enjoyed their company, Myrna's cooking, their whole family's hospitality. On the other hand, I was feeling uncomfortable, even while in the church, when the Mass was about to be over. I've been experiencing back spasms, besides my knees, and chronic lower back pain has been acting up again!( But I didn't tell anyone, not even Freny. I tried to forget about it and acted as if I was feeling okay. We continued with our conversation while enjoying all the food prepared by Myrna. Minutes before we were about to leave, their young adult son (our son Andrew's classmate and friend way back in elementary school) arrived. We exchanged "Hi" and I shook his hands, too, as he continued walking through their kitchen. A brief chitchat here and there followed.
With some of Myrna's cooking, we left Mike and Myrna's at about 1:30 pm, expressing thanks and gratitude for their warm hospitality. Myrna also thanked us for their gifts from us.
At home, after changing clothes, I found out that Aunt Emi called and left us a message. I tried to call her. No one on the other line answering. Tried giving her another ring. No success. I left her a short message. Then, while I was resting on our couch in the living room with TV set on PBS, and I was about to log on to my laptop (while Freny was on her laptop or with her phone, in the kitchen; Rose left for her part-time job), my cellphone rang. It was Aunt Emi. She was glad to inform us she received her Mother's Day gift-card and thanked us for our thoughtfulness and generosity. We thanked her, too, for her love and understanding. We also had the opportunity to talk to my two sisters across the miles...they, too, were so happy to have received theirs, then graciously thanked us, too. Well, we're all glad to have celebrated Mother's Day, with Love, always on our mind!
In the evening, our children, Andrew and Tintin, who couldn't make it home personally to celebrate Mother's Day with their Mom Freny (because of their respective work assignments), called us and we're so glad and thankful that they're well. We had the opportunity to see and to talk to Tintin via Skype, from Rose's laptop (once she arrived from her work). See what technology can do with "bonding" and connecting families together! Thank God for the Internet and all the people involved in social networking processes.
Btw, my dear folks and friends, how did your Mother's Day celebration go yesterday? Hope and pray you had fun and good time together with your families and/or friends. Again, to all mothers all over the world, Thank You for your unconditional love and sacrifices! May God bless you always!
This is all for now. Until next time around, my dear folks and friends. Take care and have a blessed and peaceful Monday, everyone! As always, I pray, "May God bless us all!"-chris a. quilpa, 13 May 2013
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