Last Sunday was Mother’s day but it was just this Sunday that the church celebrated Mother’s day, yes it was a week late. Within the service, three young people shared testimonies about their mother’s, their love and sacrifices for them. The church gave token of appreciation for all mothers in the church, they were given a hand fan which is useful this summer season. Pastor E’s scriptural topic is about honoring mothers, treating them with admiration and respect and the scriptural verse was from Ephesians 6: 1-2.

[Photo courtesy of beforeitsnews.com]

Pastor E quote from the bible that mothers are like precious gems and rare stones (Ephesians 6:2). We can honor our mothers by recognizing her work, giving her respect (Proverbs 20:20), valuing them as our mother and considering them highly and spend time with them.

My mother wasn’t perfect like everyone else, we always disagree with each other when we have different views and opinions about things but when something went wrong around me I know that there’s only one person I can cry and talk too and that’s her.

Living in Korea through independent visa a few years back means I am not allowed to work and without source income it means I can’t send money home.  My family is my sole responsibility with the help of J’s laptop which I am allowed to use when he is at work I searched for ways to work and earn money at home. I found several blogs that teach me how to earn money online, I tried paid to click sites but the earning isn’t promising and then I found out that it is possible to earn money online by only writing about myself and my daily life and this thing was called blogging. I created my first blog at blogger.com, a free blogging platform and was able to buy my first domain a year after.

Mentioning about it, my very first domain will bid goodbye soon since I am not planning not to renew it anymore. It’s very regretting because the blog I have to let go has traffic, ranking and thousands of its pages has been indexed by Google. It’s very saddening too but I have to let go of it since maintaining a lot of blogs today isn’t a great idea when I can’t update them all. I have already planned to republished the article in my other blogs according to niche, I have already moved some personal post about living in Korea (2009-2014) over here, so if you’ll notice my archives here there are old posts added in them. I have a lot of personal posts on that blog since it was my first ever domain and my first ever blog in the web, that’s where I post everything about daily living in Korea before this blog came.

The election day was already finished yesterday and the results was favorable to other candidates but not to others. A relative running for a local position didn’t win as well, for us he is the right person for the position but not all people think the same thought.

An aunt handed us and a relative passing by a dozen Fastbreak a product of San Miguel  which is a coffee mix with cereals, we are told it was from the politician she supported who happened to won the election, I think she was given a box and then she shared it to relatives around her. I guess it is a thank you gift from the politician, it is a sweet gesture and I couldn’t consider it vote buying since the election was just finished. The cereal meal was a month to its expiration date, it is still consumable and can fill a stomach in the morning, right?

Anyway, in town we’ve heard from other people that there was a vote buying that took place in certain towns before and during the election, it was all gossip since they just heard the rumor as well from other people.  So who knows if it really happens or not, vote buying is normal in the Philippines even it is prohibited by law.

It was National Election Day today, my sister served as poll watcher after being hired by a relative for a certain local candidate. It was only me and my parents left at home, for the first time after so many years my mother cooked for lunch. We agreed to vote at the same time but to my disappointment when my parents brought packed lunch to my sister they voted upon seeing that the precinct isn’t busy. Knowing it make me feel disappointed since they left me at home and before they went my mother says they will not vote but they did. I have thought every one is leaving me behind and breaking their promise when the road is wider and things work for their own good.  So mean isn’t it?

[Voters lining up at others voting precinct]

My father drove me to the voting precinct and since I am not in a good mood I didn’t look around when we entered the gate and I went directly to the voting precinct to vote. I didn’t take long since I only voted few candidates and there was no line in our designated voting precinct, when we left and passed the gate I overheard a male youngster calling his friend while saying “asawa nang kano” if translated in English it means “wife of American” a foreigner precisely. You know, most people thought that a foreigner is always a kano (Amerikano) or American in English. LOL

The voting experience was actually funny since it was the first time I have vote again after almost a decade and voting those time wasn’t that techy like as of today. I have thought that I have to bring home the print-out from the PCOS machine, I have folded it many times and I was ready to put it in my pocket and then I was told to drop it in a small box and when inking my fingers I don’t know which finger to hand over.  So funny isn’t it?

Anyway, I hope the best and trustworthy candidates will won this election.

This Sunday, Pastor E’s scriptural topic was about Faithful Christian Service based from scriptural verses Matthew 25:21, 1 Corinthians 4: 12 and Galatians 5: 22-23. Pastor E told the congregation that it is our duty to serve God but we served God in a voluntarily phases, in short we see ourselves as volunteers.

God put us in our particular place to be faithful and with a purpose, these purpose can be found in the following bible verses and what God encourages us to be:

[Photo courtesy of tnvalleytalks.hoop.la]

1. Hebrews 10: 25 – God wish each of us to be faithful in our attendance in church
2. 2 Timothy 2: 15 – Be faithful in reading the bible
3. 1 Thessalonians 5: 17 –  Be faithful in praying without ceasing
4. 2 Timothy 2: 19- 22 – Be faithful in our moral lives
5. James 2: 14-18 – Be faithful in serving others

Pastor E elaborates more and shared a story how King Henry III became an obedient King. He finishes his preach asking everyone a question “Will God find us faithful?”

Had a very bad day yesterday after I accidentally cut myself early in the morning when my family woke me up just to make an instant coffee for my father. I was a bit unhappy since it wasn’t six o’clock in the morning yet when they woke me up. Anyway, since too much caffeine make me sick and nervous without a reason I decided to prepare luke warm calamansi for myself and while cutting them I have included my fingers, I have forgotten  that the knife was newly sharpened last night when my father used it in slicing and cutting meat at a neighbors house who’ll be celebrating his 50th birthday. Well, I immediately wash my hand with water and soap in the bathroom and put iodine but the cuts didn’t stop bleeding making me anxious, I tried to sip it but then I stopped and tried to looked for cottons but can’t find any so I rushed to the moringa tree in our backyard, took some young leaves, chewed it and put them on my cuts, it tasted bitter and it hurts but it is very effective the bleeding stops, I have learned the tricked from my aunt’s husband. When I went back inside our house, found out that I left droplets of blood in our floor, and what comes to my mind is my blood type, what type of blood do I have. LOL

Moringa is one of the most powerful health-enhancing plants, eating it has a lot of benefits since it was very nutritious and  very rich in healthy antioxidants and bioactive plant compounds.

Anyway, late afternoon we are invited to a 50th and 3rd birthday party in our neighborhood,  it’s a father and son’s birthday. My sister was requested to take photos of the celebration but since she isn’t feeling well, she doesn’t want to do it and I don’t wanna do it as well since I have cut my fingers and it is hard to move the lens back and forth when taking photos, and then I am also ashamed taking photos of the who’s and who, the birthday celebrant is school supervisor so I believed most of his visitors are well known people and professionals.

With the scorching heat of the sun, humidity,  limited supply of water and without rain for a longer period of time it is definitely summer time. Some of our relatives went home when my aunt dies and my older cousin’s and her kids stays for short vacation and last Saturday it was agreed by many to have a dip to ease the warm weather.

The clan decided to do family outing at SATO Beach Resort which is just in a neighboring barangay, initially I am not attending since my family doesn’t want to go because my father isn’t in a good mood and he is at work, my mother thought if we tagged along he will not like it. My family offered to drop me at the beach resort but I declined since it feel awkward to be alone without them but when an older cousin came to our house and asked if we are not tagging along, my family pushed me to go and since I would like to visit the place that I have been only hearing from other people I went with them.

SATO Beach Resort was located in Brgy. Batiano, the resort was just a few meters away from Odiongan port it is overlooking the port and a beach shore but the main attraction was the large pool and slides. There are plenty of people on their family outing and there was also a wedding reception taking place at the main hall.  SATO Beach Resort has a pool for adult and a pool for kids to enjoy, the large pool was huge, the water is salty and the chlorine is very strong to the extent that it smells like Zonrox bleach for clothes,  the moment that my cousins dip in the pool they complaint that they felt itchy and keep scratching their skin same with the kids with us, I didn’t feel itchiness so I have told them maybe skin is thick like carabao skin and wasn’t so sensitive like theirs. I didn’t dip longer in the pool and just dip when it is cloudy, I just dip three times in short period of time but turn very dark easily like everyone, wasn’t sure if it was because of the salty water, the sun or is it a chemical burn from strong smelly water?

Browsing online here’s what I found from ask.com – According to clorox.com, chlorine levels in the water should not exceed 3ppm (parts per million) as measured by a pool testing kit. To reach these levels, very little chlorine is needed. For example, if a circular pool has water 3 feet deep and is 15 feet in diameter, only 5 cups are needed to reach the appropriate chlorine levels. Although liquid bleach and chlorine tablets both contain the same chemical, it is extremely important to know what other chemicals are contained in both products. Do not ever put chemicals in the pool that are not recommended for use in pools, and do not substitute products such as cleaners with bleach for plain, liquid bleach. Know the type of filtration system in the pool, and be sure to avoid chemicals that can react with other cleaning chemicals and cleaning systems. Always test the pool water with a pool testing kit before entering, and do not enter the pool if chlorine levels are above 3ppm. Wait until the sunlight breaks the chlorine down, and test the water again.

My aunts rented two cottage but was given a free one for renting two, I have forgot to ask how much does it cost for each cottage but the entrance fee cost ₱50 per head (adult) and ₱30 per head (kids) and ₱40 for senior citizen. The cottage was good but since the resort doesn’t have too many trees and it is overlooking the beach it was very open and not shady like it should be.

Anyway, I didn’t take long and went home early with our grandmother leaving everyone to enjoy on their own. I have informed our distant cousin that everybody went to SATO beach resort and I have informed the salty and strong smelly water, he seconded about it and says it was the reason why they didn’t went in the outing because they had a batch reunion less than a month ago in the said resort so they knew how the pool was like.

SATO beach resort is very spacious, good location since it is overlooking the beach, the downside not enough shade to enjoy and the water has a strong smell of bleach not sure if it is because the pool is using salty water unlike other pool around.

SATO BEACH RESORT
Pier, Batiano, Odiongan, Romblon
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/satobeachresort/
Mobile No. – (042) 567-6279 / 09473421701 / 09353574631

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal experience and opinion and might be different from yours.

It was first Sunday of the month and as usual the church service started early, during this day there was no Sunday school for all levels. Pastor E scriptural topic is about “Becoming People of the Towel” which literally means becoming servant of God. The scriptural verse was from John 13: 1-5 and John 13: 12-17

Pastor E tells about the story of Epaphroditus, a servant who risk and  gamble his life to serve Paul, he gambled everything for Jesus Christ so that the man of God would be served.

[Photo courtesy of journeychurchgillette.com]

On the book of John chapter 13, on the eve of His death, Jesus assumes the place of a slave and serves His disciples. While they were eating the Passover, Jesus gets up from the table and dons a towel. He poured a basin of water, and He began to wash the disciple’s feet.  He took the place of a slave before His men when Jesus did this. He took the place of the lowest kind of slaves, who were called “the people of the towel”. They were called this because it was their job to wash the feet of those who were superior to them.

Pastor E says Jesus did this to call His disciples to become people of the towel as well. He wants every person who follows Him to be a servant. He wants us to be a people of the towel. If we are to achieve that goal in our lives, we must develop a heart for others and we must learn from Jesus through His Labor, Lordship and Love.

The other day my father’s eldest brother and his wife went back to Manila after attending our aunt’s wake and burial. We invited them for dinner the night before their departure it almost didn’t happened since my older aunt also scheduled a dinner to their house but since it was figured a bit earlier they prepared lunch instead.

[Laszaji grilled chicken in an ice cream plastic container]

My father offered them a viand for their dinner in the ferry since there’s a piece of chicken in our fridge so my sister fried the piece of chicken the next day and let it cool down in our table, I put food cover in them but without my knowing the stray cat I adopted took one piece of chicken, which mean there is only three pieces left for two persons which doesn’t look good at all and since there is still one hour and half left before my uncle and his wife go to the port I have asked my mother and sister to just buy some cooked chicken at Laszaji grill their grilled chicken thighs was the best in town.  I have thought they would take long but they arrived home earlier than expected, the chickens were still on stick and wrap in banana leaves but since they will be brought as packed dinner we moved them in a plastic container were two of them will fit, a sole chicken without rice and drinks cost ₱60 per piece.

It is a tradition/custom in the Philippines to eat lunch in someone else house during fiesta, it was only the time that someone else house is open for visitors without needing an invitation. After watching the ground demonstration in school ground instead of going to my father’s contractor we went to Laszaji grill.

Laszaji was a newly opened grill house in town and since it opened they already catered many “chicken inasal” lovers in Romblon. When we arrived inside we sit in the table a bit but there was no food server coming to our table so we concluded we have to order at the counter so we did. They have a variety of menu to order from chicken to fried pork, vegetable dishes. desserts and etc but since Laszaji is well know for their mouth watering “chicken inasal” we ordered four orders of chicken inasal with bottomless ice tea and unlimited rice for ₱89 each and a plate of chopsuey.

It is a customary in any restaurant to a serve drink first before the main dish but that was not the case when we had our order, the chicken arrived first in our table, it was served late actually since we’ve waited for more than 15 minutes before it was served in our table maybe because there was plenty of people at that moment since it was town fiesta and it’s lunch time. What’s disappointing was I have already finished my food but there was no drinks coming yet and it turns out there was no clean glass to use. Since it was unlimited rice we asked for another servings, the chopsuey wasn’t served yet at that time but the drinks finally arrived in glasses, chopsuey was only served the second time we have asked for another servings of rice and since we almost choked from thirst the drinks didn’t last so we have to asked for refill since we’ve seen that they personally refill the glasses of our neighbor table instead of giving a pitcher of drinks for tables with bottomless drinks.

Travelling and eating at different places I have learned to leave something in the table for the server, according to J’s standard if the service is slow it doesn’t deserve any but since it’s town fiesta and the food servers are probably dead tired from walking in and out the kitchen I did. Actually, my parent’s at first doesn’t agreed with it since they both work in a restaurant on their younger years and they knew when a food server deserve something. The food server who was busy cleaning the table behind us was very apologetic of the poor service when my mother handed something to him, it was my mother’s idea to hand it over to him if I do insists on leaving something in the table since he was the one who frequently served in our table, she thought if we just leave it on the table somebody else would take it. LOL

Laszaji grill won’t disappoint you when it comes to their food, they’re one of the best in town and their food are in very affordable prices too. Maybe if you went on a different day without a town affair where almost everybody are out of their comfort zone, the service will be different since it won’t be so freaking busy. The grill was made of bamboo and pretty ventilated with wall fans so eating during warmer days won’t be a problem. Laszaji grill also offered catering service on birthdays and any other occasions for affordable rate just contact them at –

LASZAJI GRILL
Gen. Luna St. Cor. Rosales St. Odiongan, Romblon
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/laszajigrill
Mobile No. – 0929 853 2973

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal experience and might be different from yours.