Joy

Joy GROWS from a contented heart.

Farewell, Ninong

Farewell, Ninong
Originally uploaded by gezelle

I love you and I miss you, Ninong. I will see you someday. Also, belated happy birthday and belated happy father's day :)

photo taken by kuya, in UP sometime April 2011. this was after the cremation of my Ninong's remains.

Bistek

Bored and can't go out due to heavy rains, not to mention hungry from eating just salad for dinner for two days now, I decided to ask my mom to help me cook the meat that has been sitting on the freezer for almost a week now. She told me it was beef for the bistek which she had planned on cooking the following day or whenever she felt like cooking. I took the beef out and asked if we can cook a portion tonight, for dinner. Remembering what I had for lunch which was plain rice and tuna straight out of a can, an idea of a home-cooked dinner seemed so lovely.

Here's how we prepared tonight's bistek:

• with the back of a knife, make tadtad the sirloin beef
• marinate the beef with calamansi and all-around seasoning for 30 minutes
• prepare the potatoes by washing them carefully and slicing them round
• prepare the onions and cut them in rings
• fry the potatoes and set aside
• fry the onions and set aside
• heat the pan, put some oil and later on some butter
• prepare the sauce: toyo, calamansi and some sugar
• fry the beef until the water has evaporated and the meat is tender
• pour in the sauce

here's our output and my dinner this rainy Sunday:

yun lang! ang saya, ang sarap :)

Papa

To the person who taught me many things: how to tie my laces, how to shine my shoes, how to use the typewriter; who helped me with my "Sibika at Kultura" and Science projects and let me use his office; To the one who carried me on his back to defend me and take back what my childhood friends took from me; For the times when you prepared breakfast for me, carried my bags for me, and took care of me when I was sick... THANK YOU.

I love you and Happy Father's Day, Papa :)


photo taken 12-Jun-2011 at the Ocean Park in Manila during the Sea Lion show.

Be Made New

In my sadness and brokenness, I asked God to speak to me about the things that happened in the past. In His grace, He lead me to these verses:

Ephesians 4:22-24
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Isaiah 43:18-19
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?