My Birthday Present for Lola

Yesterday, we paid a visit to my Lola Conching. Today she turns 82. Its more than 2 years now, my Lola is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Since this year, I was inspired to blog and made mention about my Lola, I recalled who she was when I was younger. This blog is my birthday present for her.

My Lola aside from wanting us to go to church with her, she also wants us to eat with her. She would cook healthy foods like fish and vegetables. Dinner time is like learning time. She would tell us the names of the vegetables and explains how good it is for our body. She wanted us all to grow fat as fat as her. Hehehe!

One of the vegetables that everyone hates is "OKRA". I never liked it before. She would tell us to imitate my younger sister who eats a lot of it. She tells us what nutrients are in it, that we need to give in a bite. Just recently I often craved for it, and recalled her.

Food for the body was not her sole concern, she also teaches us the food for the soul. She was the one who brought the bible study in our home. I remember being with my sister, cousin, and friends in our neighborhood of almost same ages gathered together to learn about the bible and make bible study. She used to encourage us to memorize some of the verses and all books in the bible.

Now she can't memorize a name. She lost her memory. She can't even recognize someone. I would say my Lola was not the perfect one. But my Lola was once a pastor, she became a missionary not just for us her grand children but to God's children. No matter how she forgets me and everyone around her now, in my heart I can not forget her. I believe she has full filled her mission to share God's love. I do love my Lola, hope this blog makes her happy on her big day.

Memorized Prayers and Psalms 23

Praying is my ultimate weapon against my loneliness and sadness in this lifetime. I always battle depressing situations by talking to God or just reciting some memorized prayers. In my childhood, when it comes to prayers, I often associate it with "flores de mayo" and going to church.

I am not good in memorizing now, but when I was a child, I can repeat a lecture done by a teacher in our grade school including the actions or where my teacher point or walked while saying the things in front of us. That is how good my memory was.

During "flores de mayo", most of the memorized prayers are require for us to recite one by one. We would memorize them in English as well as in our own dialect. Since I got good memory at that time I got an "A". Most memorized prayers came for the bible.

As a child, like most Catholic do, I am not familiar with the bible. But I was able to memorize David's Prayer which is Psalms 23. My lola was the one who taught me. Until now I treasure this "little treasure" my lola gave me. I pray that one day I can also share the bible to my grandchildren just like what my lola did.

By the way, I am still a Catholic now, but as a Christian I make sure to read the bible everyday unlike before.

Psalms 23

1The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want

2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,

He leadeth me beside the still waters,

3He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

4Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fer no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

5Thou prepareth a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.

Thou anointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.

6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell

in the house of the Lord forever. Amen