Yesterday was the burial of an Uncle (1st cousin 1x removed), it was scheduled at one o’clock in the afternoon, if I didn’t remind my mother they almost forgot about it, so we rushed at the church since they will probably over there and we didn’t get wrong because the service is already starting when we arrived, we silently find a place to seat inside the church and listen to the priest while he is preaching.

The service didn’t really take long after the priest done preaching, songs and prayers followed and benediction of Holy Water to the coffin and final viewing of the immediate relatives inside the church and when our grandaunt started crying out loud, my eyes felt teary as well. The church was just nearby the cemetery so we just walked with the funeral car to witness the interment of the coffin.

At three o’clock yesterday, we went to the funeral of an Uncle (1st cousin 1x removed) which is at a neighboring barangay. We heard about his death from our grand aunts when we attend a dedication and birthday party of the daughter of our second cousin. It was said that he was found unconscious in the street; they were able to rush him in the hospital where he got on coma and died from stroke or heart failure.

We went to his funeral with a few relatives, we stayed a little longer, had coffee and snacks while the older family members are having conversation about any topic that comes along. As usual, they asked where my husband is, I was asked by our grand aunts a few nights ago too, which I both simply replied that he is working in China. We asked permission to leave first since we are heading to town, to get some items to sell at home but everyone decided to leave as well since there is still one funeral to go at 6 o’clock in the evening.

It took us long time in town, and it was almost six o’clock in the evening when we came home. My sister rushed to the printer because she still need to finish printing the programs that will be used at the funeral service of a distant relative in town, our Pastor left it when we are about to leave the house because PBC will facilitate the service. A lot of church members went to town to attend the funeral service as well. We didn’t take long after the funeral service was done we also left for home, it is getting late and colder outside.

It is the third Sunday of the month; the service will not start early so I didn’t hurry that much.  When I went inside the church, they are still announcing church concerns.  The praise and worship seems not joyful like the previous Sundays maybe because the congregation are being disturbed by the leader swiping her phone while leading the team,  it looks like she didn’t memorize the lyrics that she needs to look at her phone all the time. It was so much better when other youth members lead the praise and worship team, I guess I should just be thankful that there is someone who lead the praise and worship team, isn’t it?

The scriptural topic for this Sunday is about “The man who forgot to be thankful“.  All of us forgot to be thankful when our life is well, we forgot to say thank you to our parents who sacrifice a lot for us, waking up early to nurse us when we are still very young and vulnerable,  they gave us a better life, they brought us to school so we could learn and get a good life when we grow up. When was the last time you say thank you to your parents? We also forgot to say thank you to our friends and benefactors who are always there to help us emotionally and spiritually, and lastly we forgot to say thank you to God for all the blessings He showered to us.

It was said we must thankful for everything, it is either small or big.  We must count our blessings and name them one by one, blessings are not always material things, the love from God and people who love us is enough for us to be thankful.

We’ve went to a distant cousin’s daughter dedication and birthday party, it was in the neighboring barangay.  We arrived late because we have to wait until our father came home from work, he is working out of town and then we have to go directly to town to buy load for TV so we could have other channels to watch, thanks to their new subscription fee we are able to avail few channels for $2.12, way better than watching only one channel when just using antenna.

The reception was decorated grandiosely, the entrance was adorned with colorful balloons arched together, the main hall was a steal, there’s table for the favors, sweets and cookies, cakes and pictures,  food is catered and etc.  When we arrived,  the party host is facilitating a game for the kids. It’s a buffet so we help ourselves with the food,  we find a vacant table in the corner where we ate silently. Our immediate relatives came home ahead of us since they’ve done eating when we arrived.

[After the party]

We stayed a little longer as well because we have short conversation with our grandaunts after giving our respect, that’s where we found out that an uncle died a few days ago, before heading home we stop by at the reception hall to take pictures, it looks like the party theme is butterflies, we are told that a lot of butterflies were freed when the party started, that’s where the celebrant’s grandmother told us to help ourselves with the cake, well we went home with not only cake but a viand for our father as well, and one of our grandaunt handed a pancit to be given to our grandmother who came home early.

Maybe if we arrived early at the reception, we are able to get better photos while the decoration and food were not touched or eaten yet.

It has been a few days already since my turtle pet was gone, swept away by the flood. Today, a first cousin came by to our house and informed me that he saw my turtle in the irrigation, so we followed him and we ended saw a turtle stuck inside with the frogs. It was difficult to reach the turtle so my mother asked me to look for a stick to pull the turtle out, I accidentally tripped over in the irrigation that cause my feet to bleed. The stick didn’t help because the water pressure is big so I took a hollow block to block the water from coming in as well as a flashlight to see the inside of the covered road irrigation; I have also asked my younger sister’s help since I can’t block the water and fish out the turtle at the same time.

It took us long time to fish the turtle out, and when I took it out I knew from the spot it wasn’t my Thurty, the turtle is a bit smaller and lighter and has different shell pattern. The turtle is very outgoing too, it was not even scared when I picked it, it didn’t even hide in his shell unlike Thurty who is not socially inclined like me, we both love to hide rather than socializing with people. The turtle we found doesn’t have scratches at the bottom too, Thurty has scratches because we found him in the street after being hit and run by someone’s motorcycle.

Well, I still took the newly found turtle home and kept in on the green pail where I kept my old turtle. I’ve been missing Thurty that every time I feed our pets I always throw a second look at the green pail wishing he didn’t run away.

The new turtle maybe signifies the new me, my new and improved attitude and like Thurty, it was also reminding me to take things slower and wait for right and perfect divine timing before I rush myself out.

It rained a lot last night; it was very heavy with thunderstorm and lightning. I am half-awake and half-asleep when my mother wakes me up to look after my turtle. Since I am dead tired to wake up from severe headache, I just whimper and went back to sleep. I had a developing headache before we pay a visit in our second degree cousin confined in a provincial hospital and it became severe when we went home, I think it was from eating barbecue chicken head; it was maybe frozen for a long time so food intolerance strike. I didn’t wake up too because I was a bit lazy and I have thought the turtle can breathe underwater and won’t escape and even if he escape it won’t matter since I am planning to set him free anyway.

This morning, I was still in bed when my mother yelled that my turtle was gone already. I get up and look at the pail where I have kept it, the turtle was really gone and the pail is full of water, although I have already accepted that the turtle might be gone when I wake up in the morning I still look and asked around if anyone see it.  Well, I’ll surely miss Thurty, Baol as my father fondly call him.

Last night I have asked my sister to buy chicken head barbecue in the street, I have followed her when I heard commotion outside. It turns out, our second degree younger cousin Paolo was confined in the hospital and in need of operation but there’s isn’t a doctor, they can’t find a doctor that will perform the operation so they have been discussing of bringing the patient to Manila and then ask for help to well-known politicians to facilitate the hospital transfer in Manila to avoid hassle of hospital shopping.

Well, with my mother’s idea we went to the provincial hospital to visit Paolo, since he is her godchild, when we arrived at the hospital we don’t know which building and room to go, so we decided to check the patient’s chart but before we able to see it we’ve seen his mother and his older sister in-law waiting for a doctor. His mother brought us to the public ward where two of his older brothers, cousin and friend are looking after him.

[Photo taken from window reflection]

We are told that Paolo was confined since few days ago because of severe pain in his lower abdomen, he was been confined in a private hospital in the neighboring city where he temporarily resides with his older sister but it was said that the doctor didn’t find anything while his health is deteriorating, that’s when her older sister send him home in our hometown where he was confined again and when his laboratory test came out the findings was he has ruptured appendicitis which has pus already. Upon hearing it, I felt scared with my cousin’s life because as what I know once the appendicitis ruptured it is a matter of life and death and without a doctor who will operate on him, he is doomed. Looking at him in the hospital he is severe pain, I can’t count how many times he agonized in pain. We waited a later longer because his mother talked with a doctor and when he comes back, she was crying endlessly. There isn’t a doctor around, there’s one doctor who can operate him but he isn’t around and he was not picking up the call and they were told to wait until the doctor showed up since he was not in duty. It wasn’t a good idea, it is our cousin’s life on the line so we told them not to wait anymore until the doctor showed up for his duty in the hospital or not to think of the operation cost because life is more important, they can find the money but they cannot return a life so if they can do something right away they should do it because every minute counts, that’s when his sister in-law says they could try to go to the doctor’s house which is just around the hospital neighborhood, they would be lucky if he is around or he was out of town like what they are thinking since he isn’t picking up a call. We went out with them, us going home and them going to the doctor’s house.

Well, early this morning we are told by relatives he is going to be operated by that doctor, probably they were able to see him last night. One young politician would like to send him to Manila because she said it is maybe not appendicitis because once it was ruptured you only have 24 hours to live since it is very dangerous once the poison scattered in his body but it was late already since he is already under the table and being operated. So far, we have no news yet how the operation went. We hope it was successful.

Buy and sell business is profitable if you have loyal customers who know how to pay without giving you a severe headache when their due date for payment came.

When the internet connection is good, browsing on shopping portals online became my habit since the products were loaded immediately.  A week ago, while looking for dresses I have found a sale on clothing and  I have informed my mother about it, and I was told if I have budget for it I could buy few and we could sell them in higher price. So I have ordered 8 short dresses to start with, when they arrived the other day, my mother and sister brought them to prospected client, three of the dresses where immediately taken and another one were taken separately so there is still four dresses in our care, hopefully we could sell them too.

The dresses were not bought as cash by the people who took them; they are one month to pay so I have to wait a month before I could get the payments. I have been planning to do buy and sell business when I have enough capital to start with it because I cannot forever depend on my father’s care since working online isn’t good anymore, lots of bloggers copied me too for being a link broker so the trade is really slow.

My mother suggested that buying and selling appliances, gadgets and other electronic devices will be profitable since most consumers wanted to own this things, but I need ample amount of money to start on that trade, all I can do right now is to sell few dresses in affordable amount and hopefully it works well without being copied by our neighbors.

Well, maybe if I got lucky and won in a lottery I will be able to build a clothes and beauty products shop in front of our house, since my Uncle has no plan yet to use his lot.

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It’s second Sunday of thanksgiving month, I have thought I will not be able to go to church today because my younger sister and mother went to town to shop for vegetables that our father could carry on his workplace since he said things were expensive over there and then my father went to the field, I was left alone at home and I could not live the house empty. Gladly,  my mother and younger sister came on time the Sunday school was just finished and the Sunday service was just about to start so I immediately put on my jeans and blouse and left. I’ve already prepared while they are away so all I need when they came home is to get dress.

When you need, God knows.
When you ask, God listens.
When you believe, God works.
When you thank, God gives more.

The topic this Sunday is about Thanksgiving, and it was said that the first mention of thanksgiving is found in Leviticus 7:12. Thanksgiving offering must be given voluntarily, in your own free will, private and there should be no regrets and hesitation. To be thankful to God we first must believe in Him and accept the truth that all things come from Him, our life, the earth and all the blessings we are enjoying everyday. We can show our gratitude to God by proclaiming God’s greatest and praise to others, through public worship services and testimonies of God’s faithfulness and goodness and through giving offerings to the Lord.

The scripture reading this Sunday is in book of Psalms 192: 1-6, it was written by David, it was said that the David has great achievement but he also face failure and trials before he became victorious.

It wasn’t summer yet but the water supply isn’t unlimited anymore in our barangay, there is no more water coming from the faucet after six o ‘clock in the evening or sometimes earlier than that. It comes in surprised, no information given that they will turned off the water so imagined how furious people were.

We didn’t stocked water since we are not expecting nor informed about the shortage, gladly the faucet outside our house has still running water, so were able to bath and wash some dishes.  I guess the water shortage is brought by El Niño which already left several provinces in drought, the fields were already dried up and crops were not expected to grow anymore.