“Fertilizer Sure Helps!”

One of the Our Daily Bread devotional materials I’ve read last week shared about a Sunday school teacher who asked her pupils, “Who made these beautiful flowers grow?’ … while pointing to a flowering plant. And one of the boys quickly answered, “God did!”

But before the teacher could  express her affirmation, another boy shouted, “But fertilizer sure helps!”

What an insightful reality!  Isn’t it?  God created the world and ALL the growing things in it. BUT He also created MAN to nurture it … so that man may enjoy His creation to the fullest.  And God filled the earth not only with growing things but also with awesome nature which makes us see and appreciate the greatness of the Creator. For man, however, to fully enjoy the benefits of the Almighty’s creation, I’ve got to … you’ve got to … and we’ve got to be responsible beneficiaries/recipients of His wonderful gifts.

When you give someone a gift, a gift that is well thought of and carefully chosen, you would want the recipient to not only appreciate your gift but also use it and take good care of it.   Similarly, God gifted us with nature and He wants us to enjoy His creation to the fullest. But we’ve got to be responsible recipients, conscientious beneficiaries.  We’ve got to take good care of God’s creation!  We’ve got to actively do our part in protecting and preserving the environment!

My friend, what about sharing your practices and thoughts on protecting and preserving God’s creation?

-Myong 

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Plant a Tree on Your Birthday!

Have you joined your high school reunion(s)?  Yeah!!! Real fun!!! If you haven’t, I strongly suggest you join and cooperate should another reunion of your batch be called.

I am so lucky and proud to belong to St. Michael’s College high school batch ’72 where most of the graduates are still actively connected.  We had a great time together last week as we celebrated our 40th anniversary. Ooooooops!!! that emphasizes my age.

A number of our classmates from across the globe went home for the celebration.   We really had great time singing popular songs of the 70’s, dancing to the tune of the 70’s, storytelling, outing, swimming, ballroom dancing  and of course EATING to our hearts’ content…erasing meantime the terms carbohydrates, sweets, fats, cholesterol and the like from the dictionary.

But what touched me most was Gina’s announcement of promoting tree planting as our batch’s project. Specifically, she wanted to promote “Plant a Tree on Your Birthday Movement” or PTYBD Movement.  My heart leaped with so much JOY. Thank you so much Gin for verbalizing your concern for Mother Earth. Gina Aberilla was our batch Salutatorian and one of the active organizers of our batch reunions.

The image used in this blog was taken at the Cardona Residence where we held our Saturday lunch. Aside from mouth watering food, the venue is very impressive…awesome landscaping…well manicured grass…beautiful tall trees.  I know these trees were as happy as I am having heard that announcement from Gina.

Our past reunions, which were held every 5 years,  were jointly planned and undertaken with  the La Salle Academy High School Batch’72.  Next reunion will be on 2017 and we’ll have 2 citizenship by then…Filipino citizenship and SENIOR citizenship.

And know what?  I am excited to hear them say -no matter how few they are- that they enjoyed planting and nurturing a tree.

What do you think my friend?

–myong

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Happy Mothers Day Dearest Mader!

“Mader”, that is how I fondly call my Mom…from the word “mother”.  I am currently in Iligan City to join our High School Reunion.  I sneaked for a while and, together with my siblings, visited Mama Nene’s grave early morning of Saturday,  a day before Mothers Day.

Nice memorial park…nature-rich…full of trees…overlooking Iligan Bay. I can’t help but thank God for the gift of nature and the privilege of having Papa Maning and Mama Nene interred here at Maria Cristina Gardens.

Maria Cristina Gardens, overlooking Iligan Bay

We enjoyed a native breakfast here while reminiscing  our fun moments with our late parents. Papa Maning and Mama Nene were among the victims of killer typhoon Sendong.

As early as Friday, members of our clan -especially the grandchildren- already shared fun memories on what Mama Nene used to do during Mothers Day.

She’ll order lots of  “suman”, a native delicacy, and distribute to her children and friends. I and my siblings never forget to give her an early Mothers Day greeting call. Flowers and cakes flood… and of course CASH gift…small-medium-large in amount.  Michelle, one of her granddaughters, never missed to give her a flower arrangement during this special day.

Recollecting what she usually do with the money she received made us cry. Rachelle, a granddaughter who grew with Mama Nene and Papa Maning , shared that Mama Nene will immediately go to the wet market and stuff their refrigerator with one week provision. But those stuff won’t last that long because she will share these stuff NOT ONLY with her children BUT ALSO with her cell group members and others.

Yes, Mama Nene was VERY GENEROUS, a character she will always be remembered of not only by us, her children, but also by her relatives and friends. She was always willing to share her last rice and her last P20.00 to whoever comes to ask for help. Papa  Maning was at first adverse to this kind of generosity, but eventually learned to appreciate this trait of Mama.

I thank God for my generous Mader and I thank Him for the blessing of enjoying the gift of nature even in times of visiting dear loved ones who went ahead of us.

–myong

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Why Plant Trees?

As you may very well know, trees can do amazing things for the environment. A single tree will quarantine a ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime.

Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is the main pollutant that is warming Mother Earth. Though living things emit carbon dioxide when they breathe, carbon dioxide is widely considered to be a pollutant when associated with cars, planes, power plants, and other human activities that involve the burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline and natural gas.

And trees, which are considered the lungs of the planet, breathe in this pollutant carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.

Besides removing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, trees can:

• reduce contaminants from the air
• be used to prevent erosion
• help cool our homes especially in summer
• act as a windbreak
• reduce noise pollution

Yes, trees can significantly improve our mental and physical health.

The great thing is that YOU and I can play an active role in protecting Mother Earth.  If our backyards no longer have enough spaces to plant trees, we can get involved in local tree planting activities.

What about that dear friend?

–myong

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Planting Birthday Trees

Today is Krysha’s 5th birthday.  She’s  our only grandchild…as of this time.  As a family tradition, a tree is planted during a family member’s birthday.  Last year Krysha planted a tambis tree (Syzygium Aqueum). The seedling of that tambis tree was given by Auntie Polding, my Mama Nene’s youngest sister.

This time Inshang, that’ s how we fondly call Krysha, planted an antipolo tree.  Jessie assisted Inshang plant her birthday tree along the westside boundary of AtsYaKayKoy Hill, our little paradise. She planted it between the antipolo trees planted by Mommy Jeselle and Tita Kikay.

 I searched about antipolo tree and I learned that it’s  scientific name is  Artocarpus blancoi.  It’s my  first time to know also  that antipolo’s seeds could be cooked.  For more information about antipolo tree, visit http://philippinenativeforesttrees.blogspot.com/2010/05/antipolo-tree-and-not-capital-of-rizal.html.

Planting a tree during a family member’s birthday is our family’s simple way of helping preserve the environment and Mother Earth.  Trees serve as lungs of the planet because they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.

Dear friend, let’s join hands in helping preserve Mother Earth by planting trees.

Myong

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