What We Have for Lunch: Tatak Batangueno

Steamed eggplant and kangkong with sauteed fish sauce (Bagoong Balayan)

Sinaing na Tambakol with fresh tomatoes

(Tuna simmered in tamarind with garlic)

Steamed rice to complete the meal.

When I Come to God in Prayer

It is in prayer that I can pour out my heart to God and express the things I couldn't share with anyone, not even with my partner for life.  During prayer, I am truly myself - I come to Him just as I am; there's nothing to hide, knowing that the God I converse with knows every detail about me.  God moves and changes things as we pray.  We find our strength when we're down on our knees in prayer.

Whenever I come to God in prayer, it reminds me to continually give grace to those who err against me.  As I draw near in prayer to God, I see my impurities in the light of His holiness.  Having a God who chose to love someone like me- someone who hurts Him most of the time because of my frailty - I fail to keep His words, to be grateful for each and every day, and to constantly commune with Him. I might even ask Him for things outside of His will, but those shortcomings do not change the fact that He will still love me no matter what.  This amazes me; what a kind of love!  It is one definite reason to grant forgiveness because God forgives. Now, it is easier for me to forgive those who have caused me pain.  I will choose to remember that I am not perfect, that I make mistakes and continue to err with God and the people around me, so I can graciously extend grace to others.  

Friendship

The gift of friendship is one of the greatest treasures we can have. True friends are hard to find—those you can truly rely on—and it's wonderful when you have found them; they are like precious gems, worthy of cherishing and safeguarding.

Can we truly find someone who's completely reliable?  Well, there is no one.  We, as flawed human beings, cause ourselves not to be.  We can say that a friend is worthy of our trust simply because we learn to love and accept them as they are.  Friendships face rough times; after these situations, you can discover who your true friends are.  For me, it is essential to maintain love, forgiveness, and understanding in friendships.  These qualities allow relationships to endure, even when imperfections and challenges arise.

 Found this cute photo from www.lucyannmoll.com just added the verse using Picasa.

Free Bible Lessons

You can now ask for a free soft copy of this material.  Send your requests to mommyhanny.me@gmail.com  Lessons are available only in Tagalog.  "Ang Diyos na Lumikha - Ako'y Espesyal na Nilikha Niya" is authored by yours truly and illustrated by Dennis Contreras.

I have been involved in teaching children since high school, and I believe it is where God has called me to minister to them.  One of my passions is teaching about God's love and guiding them on how to live according to His word. After several years in this ministry, one challenge has been finding free teaching resources for children. Often, churches have very little or sometimes no budget to support the needs of children's ministry.  We have faced these challenges, but they haven't hindered us from ministering to these young ones.

Mother's Day Celebration 2013

It's not easy being a mom, yet I would say it is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I feel happy watching my children grow and am delighted to care for them each and every day.

Yesterday, I received many greetings through SMS and my Facebook account. I appreciated it greatly; thank you, everyone. It's wonderful that there is a day dedicated to honoring all mothers. I just wanted to share my Mother's Day experience from 2013.

Looking for Something?

Have you experienced looking for some stuffs because you needed it right away?  And isn't it irritating to find your self looking around the house/office just to find that stuff you needed.  As far as I know everyone encounters this typical scenario, getting things misplaced.  Isn't it funny that you get to find these things so easily when you no longer needed them.  According to John Maxwell, looking for these stuffs is one of the greatest time wasters.  I agree with him so it pays to be always organized.

Cake Art Collections (2)

Lightning Mcqeen

This is my first attempt to use fondant.  I am happy with the results and enjoyed making this cake too!