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Nightingale









Wednesday, May 31, 2006


13TH WORDLESS WEDNESDAY


SAND LANTERN
Photographer/Artist: Willy Lorenzana
Place Taken: Boracay, Philippines





 
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Sunday, May 28, 2006
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Every job is a self portrait of the one who does it.
Is your work a masterpiece or a hack-job?


Long ago, a band of minstrels tried to make a living by traveling from village to village, performing music. However, even though the band's fee was small, the common folk to whom their music appealed could not afford admission to their performances.

Discouraged, one of the musicians said, "I see no reason to perform tonight. It's snowing and no one will come out on an evening like this."

One of the others agreed. "He's right. Only a handful of people came last night."

However, the leader of the troupe disagreed: "I know you're discouraged. I am too. But we have a responsibility to those who might come tonight. We will give our best performance. It's not the fault of those who come that others do not."

Heartened by their leader's words, the minstrels played to their sparse crowd with passion and energy. After the show, the leader again addressed the troupe. In his hand he held a note handed to him by one of the few audience members. The leader read the note: "Thank you for the beautiful performance." It was signed simply, "You King".



Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,
as working for the Lord, not for men.
Colossians 3:23
 
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Saturday, May 27, 2006

This Week's Theme:
Red, Blue & White




An entry to a Kite Festival
held in Fort Bonifacio, Philippines


 
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Thursday, May 25, 2006

Thankful Thursday: What VIAMARIE is thankful for this week


Photobucket - Video and Image HostingTo God for giving me the strength to handle everything that's going on now in my life both at work and with the family.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting To God for the forthcoming granddaughter.

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting To my relatives and all my friends(Bloggers & Non Bloggers)for your continuous prayers for my sister-in-law. Her fever(which was consistently high)and the pain upon movement of any part of her body for almost two weeks is gone.

Photobucket - Video and Image HostingTo all my doctor friends for patiently checking on my sister-in-law at home inspite of their very busy schedule.

Links to other Thankful Thursdays
(If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)




Click here for the Thankful Thursday code

Click here for Chrixean's blog


Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!




 
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Tuesday, May 23, 2006
12th WORDLESS WEDNESDAY



 
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Sunday, May 21, 2006


Have you ever experienced walking with a pebble in your shoe? How did it feel? Didn't you feel you had to remove it but couldn't because you were in a hurry and it would have taken too much time and energy? Imagine having to stop, sit down, take off your shoe, remove the pebble, put your shoe back on, then stand up and start walking all over again.

Since it was just a tiny pebble and not a big rock or anything, you just decided to ignore it. You continued walking, pebble and all and this of course caused a blister which later on popped and almost became infected.

In life, how often do we walk around with something that shouldn't be there? We know we should get rid of it, but it's easier to ignore it and to pretend it's not there. It's surely affecting our lives but we still choose to do nothing about it. Before long, we're complaining about the path and the pain we're forced to endure. But it's not the path that's giving us the problem. It's what we are refusing to remove.

How about you, is there something you're having a hard time removing from your life? Why do you think we shouldn't ignore the little things that threaten to hinder our walk?

Just like me, if there is, then let us pray to God that He sets all things right for us and let us be the person He desired us to be. Let us pray for guidance and strength since we know it wouldn't easy.
 
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Saturday, May 20, 2006

FLOWERS - This Week's Theme

Photos by: Maricel Santiago

This float is a participant in the Baguio Flower Festival(Panagbenga). It is decorated with various blooms of Baguio City (summer capital of the Philippines). This is celebrated from February 1-28 annually. It is one of the most colorful feasts in the country. It comes from the Kankanaey term, "a season of blossoming, a time for flowering." This event lures many visitors from all over – young revelers, people attending conventions, balikbayans, local and foreign tourists – to celebrate the flower power of Baguio.



 
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Thursday, May 18, 2006

Thankful Thursday: What VIAMARIE is thankful for this week


To find everyday joy in the simple things in life like ...

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting the smell of hot coffee and pancakes this morning
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting the cool morning fog as the sun comes up and warms the day
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting the warm feeling of a hug from my grandson when I come home
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting the call I get from a close friend every morning


Links to other Thankful Thursdays
(If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)




Click here for the Thankful Thursday code

Click here for Chrixean's blog


Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!



 
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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

11th WORDLESS WEDNESDAY





 
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Sunday, May 14, 2006

Today, as I approach middle age, I look at my mother through different eyes and wish I could stop her from growing older and from repeating herself.

As my mother and I were eating breakfast last May 1, she asked me, "is Linda going to be here today?" Referring to my sister.

"Yes mommy," I answered patiently and then I stood up from the table. This was at least the 5th time she had asked that question in as many minutes.

While my mommy and grandson were watching tv, I busied myself making a salad. "Don't put shrimps in the salad," mommy said. "You know Linda and her son are allergic to shrimps."

Yes mommy, I answered.

I then proceeded to peeling the onions. While I was chopping the onions, mommy called out to me to say, "don't put shrimps in the salad because Linda and her son are allergic to it." This time I couldn't answer.

I just kept chopping while tears came down my cheeks. I started to think if only I could chop away the years and shred the age from my mommy's face and hands. If only I could go back to my younger years when she would move from room to room, leaving a trace of her favorite cologne. My mommy had been pretty. She still is despite the additional pounds she had gained throughout the years. In fact, she is still everything she has been, just a bit forgetful.

I try to convince myself that's all that it is, and if she really paid attention to what is being said, she would not repeat herself so much. There isn't anything wrong with her...not my mommy.

I then cut off the end of the cucumber, and rub it against the stalk to take away the bitterness. The white juice oozes out the sides. I then thought, wouldn't it be nice if all unpleasant situations could be so easily remedied? Cut and rub. This was a trick I have learned from my mommy along with a trillion other things like cooking, keeping the house clean, singing, dancing, etc. I learned how to grow up and when to stay young. I also learned the art of sorting through emotions. And I learned that when mommy was around, I never had to be afraid. So why am I afraid now?

I studied her hands. Her nails are no longer a bright red, but almost no color at all. And as I scrutinize them, I realized I am no longer looking at those hands but feeling them as they shaped my youth. Hands that prepared a thousand meals and wiped a million tears off my cheeks. Hands that tucked confidence into each day of my life.

I turned away and threw the cucumber into the bowl and then it hits me. My hands have grown into those of my mommy's. Hands that have cooked uneaten meals, held my daughter's frightened fingers whenever she had to perform in school and dried tears off her face.

I grew lighthearted. I felt my mommy kiss me goodnight, check to see if the windows are locked and then gently closing my door behind her. Then I am my mommy, doing just the same things she did. Then someday my daughter will be standing in my place, and I will be resting where my mother now sits.

Will I remember then how it felt to be both mother and daughter? Will I ask the same question one too many times?


 
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Saturday, May 13, 2006

This Week's Theme: CELEBRATION


My hubby and I left the house at 4 in the morning
and we had to walk 5 kilometers so we could get
very good seats. There were a million people who
witnessed this celebration which lasted for 4 hours.













 
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Thursday, May 11, 2006




Thankful Thursday: What VIAMARIE is thankful for this week

Since Monday,  a lot of major issues in the office and in the family swept 
me off my feet and left me dangling in confusion.  This really caught me
off balance.  If not for the encouraging words of family members and friends, I would have not realized that the answers to all my problems
were within my own consciousness and that they will be revealed as 
long as I remained patient.    



strong>Links to other Thankful Thursdays
(If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)





Click here for the Thankful Thursday code

Click here for Chrixean's blog


Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!






 
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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

10th WORDLESS WEDNESDAY




 
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Monday, May 08, 2006

The phone rang while I was having lunch with friends in my office. It was my sister-in-law's doctor requesting to personally see me. I immediately agreed because I had to know the results of the bone marrow test of my sister-in-law
who has been confined in the hospital for a week now.

She told me that she had Acute Myelogenous Leukemia ( an aggressive type) and she had a few months to live. It was a terrible jolt and an awful dread swept over me. After she left, I immediately went up to the hospital chapel to pray for strength for I had to relay the sad news to her husband and two sons (ages 12 & 16).

Before I could say anything to them when they came into my office, I already broke down into tears. At this instance, my cellphone beeped and it was my daughter replying to my sad news. Her message went this way..."Let's be strong for her right now. Hope is a gift from God. Let's use it to assure us that God's plan is greater than ours. Don't show her pity and sadness but rather we need to help her prepare her spirit for God's purpose in her life. There is still time. God can do wondrous things in just a snap of His fingers. We need to believe that there is hope because if we can't do this, how are we of any help to her? God loves her more than we do. Be strong in your faith." From that moment, the grip of panic fell away, and I had peace. This helped my brother and my nephews accept the news in a different perspective.

Starting that moment, we will commit to take the step of faith. By doing so, the action will wash out the fear, and faith will take its place. For faith and fear cannot exist simultaneously. We will nurture this through prayer and action for it to remain a strong force as we go through this difficult time.
 
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Sunday, May 07, 2006
WANTED: MOM


This is hysterical. Had it been presented this way, probably none of us would have done it!!! It's kind of long but please read.

Position: mother, mom, mama, mommy, ma

Job Description:
Long term, team players needed for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tour in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.


Responsibilties:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calanedars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.


Possibility for advancement & promotion:
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without conmplaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

Previous experience: None required. On-the-job training required on a continually exhausting basis.

Wages and compensation: Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

Benefits: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.






 
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Saturday, May 06, 2006

This Week's Theme - OPEN


THIS SPACE IS OPEN FOR ADS

This was taken last April 30 while our car was
waiting for its turn in the toll gate.


 
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Thursday, May 04, 2006

Thankful Thursday: What VIAMARIE is thankful for this week


...spending the long weekend with the in-laws of my daughter. We went to a resort outside of our city. That was the first time I swam in 7 years and I really had a grand time.

...celebrating hubby's birthday with family members. We had it here at home and we had the following for lunch: barbecue spareribs with a very special sauce, baked fish fillet and hot salad. For desert, my hubby baked his specialty, blueberry cheesecake which is everyone's favorite.

...attending the last day of the Purpose Driven Life Seminar. It was celebration night last Tuesday and I had the opportunity to witness many heartwarming and touching testimonies which inspired me to put what I learned and experienced for the past 8 weeks into action.
Credit goes to my daughter and son-in-law for the invitation.

Links to other Thankful Thursdays

(If you participate, leave your link in the comments and I'll post it below; or, you can post in the comments)

Unicorn Child * Friday's Child * eph2810 * Tyra * No_average_girl

Annette Burkett * Beckie


Click here for the Thankful Thursday code

Click here for Chrixean's blog


Trackbacks, pings, and comment links are accepted and encouraged!





 
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Wednesday, May 03, 2006

9th WORDLESS DAY

If you are a participant of the Wordless Wednesday,
please leave me a comment and I'll link you below.

Friday's Child * Wystful1 * Coffee Addict * Chilady
Mar * Pat * Le Laquet * PresentStorm * eph2810
Guppyman * Froggie Mama * Tiffany * Ma * TNChick
Megan * PowersTwinB * Heather/SHTEZQ * Stacey
 
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Monday, May 01, 2006


A few weeks ago, I came across the POSTCARD EXCHANGE on the
blogs of Meow
and Mumbo Jumbo and I decided to join it.
It's a way for me to get to know my blog pals better.
Below are the beautiful cards I got from them.
If you wish to join, you may email me @ viamarie71@yahoo.com
your complete name and address and I will assure you that
I will strictly maintain confidentiality.
Isn't this exciting?

From Meow

From Mumbo Jumbo
 
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