FWESDA Women

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 23:59:00 +0000

A Victorian Tea Party
I have always loved Victorian Tea parties. It sort of reminded me of those years when the girls were still crazy about American Girls and tea parties. So, the date was set. September23, a Sunday afternoon at the Bautista's home. It was a perfect sunny and cool first day of autumn. While I was still busy setting up the table and putting finishing touches to the table setting, I saw the girls come down with their pretty handmade hats and lovely dresses. I knew then, that this party would be a success. The pictures herein will tell a great story.

As I looked at the array of tea selection, I was reminded of a devotional written by Julia Bettencourt entitled "Drop in for tea".

There are so many tea flavors these days. Many blends are good for us and today we are going to share in some cups of tea that are good for our us as Christians.

Royal-TEA (Galatians 4:7) This source for this tea is straight from the well of Living Water. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we become part of His royal family so we should be living like we are one of His children. Personali-TEA (John 13:35) As Christians, we represent the person of Christ, so He should be part of our persona. When we talk, we ask, "What would Jesus say?" Would He be happy with how we act?

Hones-TEA (Ephesians 4:25) In today's world, a cup of honesty sure is refreshing. As a Christian, honesty is something we should be filled with. Mark Twain said, "If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."

Accountabili-TEA (Romans 14:12) We all have to drink this one. We are all responsible for how we live this life on earth and what we do or don't do for Christ.

Adversi-TEA (2 Corinthians 12:9,10) Watch out! It's hot and may be a hard one to swallow, but sometimes the Lord knows we need a good strong drink of it. What I love is that this blend of tea always comes served with grace. Sufficient grace. Our cup's never filled with more than we can drink at one time.

Generosi-TEA (Luke 6:38) Notice how a cup of this will keep refilling itself? When we give, the Lord blesses us all the more. other Teresa once said, "“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

Availabili-TEA (Isaiah 6:8) We all should be willing and ready to drink this blend. Neal Maxwell said, "God does not begin by asking our ability, only our availability, and if we prove our dependability, He will increase our capability."

Laughabili-TEA (Proverbs 17:22) Be sure to get a full cup. This blend of tea has medicinal purposes and I sure feel good when I drink this one. May I have a refill, please? Laughter is always music to the soul.

Uni-TEA (Psalm 133:1) When you are drinking this blend, it causes a sweet spirit which can benefit those around you. Even Plato, the philosopher said, "“As the builders say, the larger stones do not lie well without the lesser.”

Humili-TEA (Acts 20:19) Before we can pick up this cup, sometimes we have to swallow a little of our own pride first. As a Christian, humility should be part of our character. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "“A great man is always willing to be little.”

Hospitali-TEA (1 Peter 4:9) This blend is for sharing. Be sure to serve it up to others. Romans 12:10-13, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”

I hope we are drinking in -all the things we need to drink in order to live our Christian lives to the fullest. These will all add up to our Spirituali-TEA. How we live reflects Who we serve and when we begin sipping on those "teas" in our lives and concentrating on those areas, we begin reflecting Christ more. I don't know about you, but each time I sit down and have a cup of tea in the morning, it puts me in the right mindset for the day. These "teas" will help put us in the right frame of mind too. Reflecting on these areas of our lives will give us a boost in our spiritually. So, how's your tea?

And to those of you who did not drop in for tea, I hope you will join us next time. We really did have a great time!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:31:00 +0000

Summertime fun and travel is done. Sorry for the long absence. Now that the children are back to school, we can also plan for more exciting things this fall and in the months to come. If you want to contribute something to our weekly blog - I would really appreciate that. You can write about anything: your thoughts, ideas and feelings. This blog is meant for us to grow together in the love and grace of our Lord.

We have been having so much rain the last two days. I cannot even go out to the backyard for fear of mosquito bites. My once-beautiful flowers are all looking scraggly. But I know as soon as cooler Autumn weather sets in, I will have more lovely blooms before winter comes.

As all of you know, I am just fascinated with flowers. They are one of the most beautiful things I think God created. Sometimes I think He created them just for me. They give me this happy feeling. When I see how simple but yet how fantastic flowers are, I can't help thinking that God is still in control and all is right with the world.

"And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6:29

People have loved flowers back from the beginning of time and there are different meanings that have been associated with specific ones over the years. Many flowers have come to have several different meanings. We will take a look at just four of them to see what we can learn.

Aster - Contentment Asters are those pretty little dainty white flowers that have a yellow center. I think they look like wild daisies. We have them growing along the roads here in California where I live and I always think I'd like to just stop the car and get out and pick some to take home.

One of the meanings associated with the aster flower is contentment. I kind of like that. They are simple yet pretty flowers and they do give me that sense of contentment. Those words in Philippians come to mind.

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content". Philippians 4:11

Contentment sure is a nice place to be in our lives. Isn't it? No matter what the circumstances we have that ease of satisfaction. The problem I think that people have with contentment is that they get it confused with being complacent. Complacent means we don't care about things or are unconcerned, but being content is not that. When we are content, we end up caring more because we don't allow things around us to get us off track. It's being able to push forward and have that peace no matter what the circumstances.

Camellia - Graciousness

I have a lot of favorite flowers and Camellias are right there towards the top of my list. I have a large Camellia bush beside my front porch. Right now they are in full bloom and are so breathtakingly beautiful. They make me smile every time I pass them.

The meaning associated with the camellia is graciousness. I think that's a word we don't hear used much anymore and we certainly don't see it displayed much. It means excellence of manners or social conduct. Shouldn't we as Christian women embody that? The world sure doesn't. You don't have to turn on the television for more than a few seconds and you'll see ads for those reality shows that have these type of women (if you can call them women) that are anything but gracious. It sickens my stomach at how proud they are of being hateful, mean, cruel, and distasteful in every sense of the word.

As Christian women, those definitely are not our role models. I think if we want to be in full bloom as Christian women we really need to concentrate on being gracious. I have known a few very gracious Christian women in my life and to me that makes them quite breathtakingly beautiful.

"A gracious woman retaineth honour..". Proverbs 11:16

Larkspur - Beautiful Spirit

The Larkspur is a pretty flower. I've mostly seen them in purple but they can be other colors as well. I have always wanted to plant these but they can be toxic to my dog Tiffany. They are one of the most beautiful flowers for any flower arrangement. One of the meanings associated with the Larkspur is a "beautiful spirit". Wow. That's something to strive for. I've always loved that verse in 1 Peter where it is talking about a "meek and quiet spirit". Now that is a "beautiful" spirit for a Christian lady.

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter 3:4

One thing I read about the Larkspur is that some of them have become endangered and that you don't find as many anymore except for those grown specifically for flower arranging. Kind of like those "meek and quiet spirit" ladies. There doesn't seem to be an abundance of them either.

Black Eyed Susan - Encouragement

These are the most reliable flowers in my garden. I've always admired the Black Eyed Susan. They are so bright and striking that I think they normally contrast everything around them. If I need some cheering up - I go outside and spend time with my black-eyed-susans. They seem to smile all the time no matter what the weather. The meaning of the Black Eyed Susan is encouragement.

I sure love to be around encouraging people. Don't you? People that give you that special word you need just at that moment or are there to cheer you on in whatever you are doing at the time. Those bright people definitely contrast with those around them.

"Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers". Ephesians 4:29

Conclusion:

I think there are things in our Christian lives that we have to have like pretty flowers all lined up in a row. Things like these four- contentment, graciousness, beautiful spirits, and encouragement. There are other things too all involved in our Christian living such as love, compassion, and all those other things Christ taught us. When we have these things in order, we have a tendency to live our Christian lives in a more beautiful way.

So, are your flowers all in a row?

All About Fathers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 23:36:00 +0000

All About Fathers

How can we make the men in our lives feel special on Father's Day? As my kids were growing up, we always celebrated Father's Day in style. We started with making him a very special breakfast...each kid made her own special recipe and presented it to her Papa. Then we would all go to a park of his choice. Now that they are grown up - the tradition continues. You too, can start making a tradition or continue doing what you have always done, but add a twist to it.

Here are some themes I found that are so simple, yet fun!

To those who love to play golf or other sports, decorating with grass and other natural elements can be fun. You'll never have to buy these decorative accents- you can just go to your backyard or park and collect various twigs, grass and sticks.

And for those who love gadgets....

Make a Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Tart!

Crust
2 cups organic chocolate cookie crumbs (see recipe below for how to make raw ones, or use store bought conventional ones) 1/4 cup coconut oil

Filling
1 1/2 cups cashews, soaked in water from one to three hours, then drained 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons agave syrup 1/2 cup coconut oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon hazelnut extract

Make the Crust
Mix coconut oil into cookie crumbs until crumbs hold together. Press in a very thin layer in tart pan and chill in freezer before filling.

Make the Filling
Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix or food processor until very smooth. Fill cookie crumb crust and chill in freezer overnight. Remove tart from pan and serve. Store leftovers in freezer.

For Raw Vegan Cookie Crumbs
To keep this recipe raw, you’ll need to make these raw cookie crumbs which require the use of a dehydrator. Otherwise, just use store bought organic cookies to crumb. 2 cups cocoa powder 2 cups oat flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup agave syrup 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
1. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix well with hands.
2. Crumble into small pieces (no bigger that 1/2 inch) onto dehydrator screens. Dehydrate for three days.
3. After dehydrating, process in food processor until small crumb consistency is reached.
4. Sift crumbs from flour, use flour for another recipe.

Have fun with your fathers next weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

LOOK BETTER, FEEL GOOD!

This was the theme we chose for our afternoon of beauty, rest and relaxation. As a woman, I firmly believe that if one makes the effort to look good for the day, she will feel good. The good feeling radiates out to ones countenance. To those who did not make it, I am sharing our devotional and pictures of that fun afternoon at Marie's beautiful home.

"Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.' Proverbs 31:30 Some may have heard about the little boy who asked his mother why she was putting on cold cream. She replied that she was making herself beautiful. When she went to take off the cold cream, the little boy wanted to know what was the matter. Was she giving up? That little boy misunderstood the concept of the art of becoming beautiful. Sometimes, we as Christian women misunderstand God's concept of becoming beautiful in Christ.

There is nothing wrong with working on our outward beauty in itself. We are children of the King, so why not look the part? We should always do our best and look our best but many times we forget about the inside and the way we project ourselves. Perhaps, sometimes we just concentrate only on one feature or area of our Christian life but not the whole and our beauty in Christ becomes skewed.

Being beautiful in Christ involves more than just the outside or just one part of us. Our verse says, "..a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised." That is the beauty that transcends time and doesn't fade away.

One thing about beauty that we all know as women is that it is a daily thing. In other words we have to keep ourselves up. If we let ourselves go, what happens? We're not quite so beautiful anymore, are we? It is the same with being beautiful in Christ. We have to constantly work at it. Here are some things to help us improve our beauty in Christ.

CLEANSER. In order to make ourselves beautiful, we have to first cleanse ourselves from all unwanted impurities. Our cleansing agent works through our confession and God's forgiveness.(1 John 1:9)

MOISTURIZER. Having compassion can be a good moisturizer. When we start seeing others and their needs instead of our own it can really soften us.

WRINKLE CREAM. If we want to smooth out those wrinkles, how about applying a meek and quiet spirit? (1 Peter 3:4) FOUNDATION. We need to start with a good foundation and what is better than the Word of God? If we have the Word of God in our hearts daily, the rest of our spiritual make-up can be easily applied. (Psalms 119:11)

EYE MAKEUP. To keeep our eyes shining the brightest we need to guard then from seeing things that are not fitting of a beautiful woman in Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

LIPSTICK. To make the face complete, don't forget your lips. Apply lipstick in the shade of "Pleasantness' daily for best results. (Proverbs 16:24 says, 'Pleasant words are as honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

BLUSH. The blush we apply should be God's love radiating through us. (Romans 5:5) HAND LOTION. We don't want our hands to become dry, ugly and brittle so we need to apply some generosity and good deeds. "Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:31 FOOT THERAPY. Sometimes when we overlook our feet they get calloused and rough so we need to get them going in the right direction. Take your feet only to places that Christ would approve. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Thank you Marie, for letting us use your lovely home for this afternoon of beauty, rest and relaxation. So, ladies, DON'T FORGET YOUR UPKEEP! (From A Beautiful Woman in Christ by Julia Bettencourt)

Sisters-in-Christ Cookie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:14:00 +0000

Sisters-in-Christ Friendship Recipe. I have often asked myself why fellowship and friendship with our sisters in Christ is so important? Let's check out the ingredients of the best chocolate chip cookie in the world and see.

Shortening - Provides texture. Our fellowship and friendship with our sisters in the Lord can add much depth and texture to our lives. We blend together in unity as part of the body of Christ.

Sugar - Adds sweetness. Our fellowship with our sisters adds such a sweet taste to our lives. If we didn't have suger in our cookies, we'd sure miss it. The same is with our fellowship with our sisters. We can't leave it out of our lives.

Eggs - Holds ingredients together. Sisters in the Lord are someone to lean on. We are help together by the fellowship with them. We are stronger because of them, their prayers and their love in the Lord. We have a special bond in Christ.

Vanilla - Adds flavor. Sisters add flavors we need. They give us that extra sensation. Without friends and fellowship we become kind of bland. Flour - Adds substance. We need the substance a sister in the Lord can add. They give us many things by way of mentoring us when we don't even know it. Their shared testimonies and way they live their lives has an impact on us.

Baking soda - Leavens. Leavening agents in baking helps to lighten the dough. Friendship with our sisters lightens our burdens through their prayer and encouragement.

Salt - Enhances flavor. We know that friendships add flavor and just when we need it, they help improve the tastefulness and quality of our lives. Friends are the type of people that know just what we are going through and are there when we need them.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips - The kind of chocolate chips we normally add to our cookies is semi-sweet. Our sisters in Christ tell us what they feel and think and that's okay. They can be honest and truthful to us.

Nuts - optional - Just a little craziness in a sister friend is great! Sometimes a little zaniness in our friends can be just the ingredient we need.

CONCLUSION: Friendships take a lot of time and effort to bake up but they are worth it when we sense that sweet aroma and special bond that they bring. Friends that have Jesus in common will have lasting relationships. Friends are one of the ways God takes care of us. An old saying goes, "In the cookies of life, friends are the chocolate chips." Friends are that sweeter extra in life and even sweeter is friends among believers in Christ. This coming Sunday, May 20, we are having an afternoon of BEAUTY, REST and RELAXATION! Why don't you come and join us for a moment of fun with your friends from church. You will not regret it. It will be at Marie Macris' home, 300 Eglantine, Circle. Richmond. SEE YOU THERE!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

All about Mother's day Celebration. How do you celebrate Mother's day?

The first North American Mother’s Day was conceptualized with Julia Ward Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. Despite having penned The Battle Hymn of the Republic 12 years earlier, Howe had become so distraught by the death and carnage of the Civil War that she called on Mother’s to come together and protest what she saw as the futility of their Sons killing the Sons of other Mothers. With the following, she called for an international Mother's Day celebrating peace and motherhood. This celebration was not really celebrated yearly, but Howe had nevertheless planted the seed that would blossom into what we know as Mother’s Day today. A West Virginia women’s group led by Anna Reeves Jarvis began to celebrate an adaptation of Howe’s holiday. In order to re-unite families and neighbors that had been divided between the Union and Confederate sides of the Civil War, the group held a Mother’s Friendship Day. After Anna Reeves Jarvis died, her daughter Anna M. Jarvis campaigned for the creation of an official Mother’s Day in remembrance of her mother and in honor of peace. In 1908, Anna petitioned the superintendent of the church where her Mother had spent over 20 years teaching Sunday School. Her request was honored, and on May 10, 1908, the first official Mother's Day celebration took place at Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia and a church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The West Virginia event drew a congregation of 407 and Anna Jarvis arranged for white carnations—her Mother’s favorite flower—to adorn the patrons. Two carnations were given to every Mother in attendance. Today, white carnations are used to honor deceased Mothers, while pink or red carnations pay tribute to Mothers who are still alive. Andrew's Methodist Church exists to this day, and was incorporated into the International Mother’s Day Shrine in 1962.By the time of Anna M. Jarvis's death, over 40 countries observed the Mother’s Day, and today that number exceeds 70.

Today, there are so many ways of celebrating Mother's Day. Most families reserve Mother's Day brunch at famous restaurants or even organize family "get-to-gethers" to celebrate this event.

**The National Retail Foundation estimates that Mother's Day is a $16 Billion industry. **Google Trends shows a sharp spike in search traffic for Mother's Day on Mother's Day in the US and UK and the month leading up to it. **Florists see their highest sales in May. **US restaurants claim that it is the busiest day of the year. **Long distance telephone calls also peak on this day. **The US Postal Service experiences increased volume during the surrounding days.

**According to Hallmark (via About.com), 96% of American consumers take part in shopping on Mother's Day, while retailers report it as the second highest gift giving day of the year behind Christmas. http://www.mothersdaycentral.com/about-mothersday/history/

In my own home, we always go to the botanical garden on mother's day because I always love gardens. When the kids were growing up in New York, we go to the Botanical Garden in the Bronx or in Brooklyn. Nowadays, we go to the Norfolk Botanical Garden or to Maymont.But we do not leave the house with empty stomachs.

Sunday brunches are very important in our home. Since I always leave early for church with the girls on Sabbath mornings, my husband just help himself to a bowl of cereal or oats on Saturday mornings. To compensate, I always make it a point to make a special Sunday brunch for everyone. But on Mother's Day Sunday, Helmut and the girls will wake up early to make a special breakfast for me. Although I am usually awake by then, I just pretend to sleep still. He always makes the same yummylicious cheesy souffle-omelet and a bowl of fresh fruits such as strawberries or mixed berries. When the girls grew up, they took charge of the kitchen decorating it with style, but Helmut still makes the same souffle-omelet until Kristina turned vegan. Now there are fruit tarts, quiches and frittatas of all sorts.Here is one simple strawberry tart you can make this Sunday...

Strawberry Tart Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Makes 6-8 servings. Ingredients 1sheet of puff pastry, approximately 12x12" (I don't make puff pastry from scratch, so I used a Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheet.) 16 ounces, weight strawberries, sliced 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons honey Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F. Lay puff pastry on parchment lined baking sheet. Turn up edges all the way around. Spread sliced strawberry evenly across puff pastry. Whisk together balsamic vinegar and honey. Brush tops of of strawberries with mixture. You will probably have a little extra balsamic vinegar/honey leftover. Bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes or until pastry is slightly browned. Serve while still warm. Top with favorite whipped topping. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, ladies! Wherever and however you spent this day, enjoy every moment with your mothers, children, family and friends.

Edwin Hubbell Chapin once said, "No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother's love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints, and over wastes of worldly fortunes sends the radiance of its quenchless fidelity like a star".

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:31:00 +0000

Meet our Pastor's Wife: Marie Jean Mercado Pagunsan

She was born in Iligan City, Philippines to a very devout Catholic family. She graduated her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing in 1994 and loved every minute of being a nightingale. On March 1996, she applied as a volunteer nurse at Iligan Medical Center and during her orientation, she met the dashing and highly intelligent Chaplain, Junnie Ree Pagunsan who was in charge of orientation. That moment changed her life forever. She knew then that he was going to be the one and although she knew that her being a non-Adventist and his being a non-Catholic would bring a lot of challenges and hindrances to their relationship within the denomination and among their families, both were determined to find a way for love to prevail. Six months later, against all odds, they got married at a civil ceremony in September 17, 1996. But God is so good and three beautiful children followed:Jan Mikhail, Neil Owen and Shanele Aira 'Aya'.

In the year 2000 Junnie Ree left for California while she stayed behind with the children. Without her husband, the responsibilities of bringing up her children as Adventists with her devout Catholic family was challenging. Four years later, they joined him and she is now employed at VCU Health System. She used to work at the Orthopedics Units where she was given the Flamingo Award, a special award given to a nurse for excellent service. Recently, she was also given a special award at the Bone Marrow Transplant Department in recognition for excellence in nursing care as recommended by her patients to her superiors. (This was shared by her spouse without her knowledge).

This year in February, during the annual Renewal of Vows ceremony that our church, Jean and her husband were able to say their vows the way they dreamed of - and in the presence of their three lovely children and the whole church family.

Her favorite text in the Bible is found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Her favorite woman in the Bible: A Bleeding Woman of Faith. From her own words: I always love the story of the woman who was bleeding for 12 years, undiagnosed, shunned by society, exhausted and weak from anemia, yet courageous enough to walk for miles to follow Jesus.The Law forbids her, a Canaanite to touch a Jew or anyone for that matter because she was bleeding and sick. She was considered an outcast from society. But she was determined to do something. As Jesus walked by, this woman was overwhelmed by faith, reached out her hand, and touched His robe as He walked by. The Bible says, "Immediately, her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering." (Mark 5:29).She had the greatest faith that if only she could touch the hem of His garment, she will be well. As a woman of God, I want to have that great faith like hers. I know that in our lives, God deals with us in different ways. But we have to intentionally touch God as we tell him all our worries and cares and let him know how much we need Him. I know fully well that our God hears even the deafening silence of a humble spirit or even in the midst of the raging crowd of prayers thrown at Him. I firmly believed that my act of faith, my act of worship, my soul thirsty for Him to fill, all my cares and problems will never go unnoticed. My sins will be blotted out and He will give me a fresh start; I just have to come to Him just as I am BROKEN.

According to Pastor Junnie, as a mother, Jean is a loving mother whose number one concern is her children. Although exhausted from her night duties at the hospital, she never hesitates to ask how they are, what they're doing and what their needs are. She spends a lot of time with them during her waking hours. Family time is of utmost importance and she is a strict observer of the Sabbath. Preparation for the Sabbath takes precedence on Friday afternoons. The house cleaned, meals prepared and hearts ready for the Sabbath. She also enjoys getting together with other families on weekends for socializing knowing the importance of a living a well-balanced family life. She assumes leadership roles at Filipino "get-togethers", making sure that Filipino children do not forget their heritage and where they came from. As a woman of God, she wants to be an example to her children that if you have that great faith in God, nothing is impossible. Believing on Him completely is an attribute worth emulating.

Sisters for Christ

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:15:00 +0000

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." Proverbs 17:22 I have always been an optimist and a very cheerful person. But last Sabbath, I woke up with a heavy heart. My daughter ALexa cannot go to church with me and that is always depressing for me. I always want her to come along and be spiritually refreshed or rejuvenated. So I decided to spend a weekend in Richmond and be with my church family. I have always wanted to join the afternoon sessions plus the Kairos prayer and get-together, so I decided this will be the weekend to enjoy all these, instead of rushing home as always. I packed some clothes. Although I have not made arrangements for lodging, I know there will always be someone who will volunteer her room for me. As I drove the almost 90 miles drive to church, I started thinking of what I could possibly do to use my time wisely. Reality dawned, I never had to. God had a plan for me. Potluck was scheduled to my delight.

As I mingled and interacted with these women at our church, I realized, we have so much in common. We all work during the week, took care of our families, and although sleep-deprived and exhausted, we come to church - still willing to serve. We cook and bring food, we help serve and make sure every activity at church runs at the right speed and sequence. We do not complain or grumble - we just accept the stark reality that this is part of our existence. Then I decided to stay with the Pagunsans after finding out that the Kairos group will meet at their place for their weekly sundown worship and fellowship due to a predicted evening rain. I knew then, it will be a fun evening. And it sure was!

Worship started and as the rain poured, more families came bringing food to devour. Another scrumptious dinner was served and as the kids found their chosen activity, the men group themselves around the kitchen table while the women went upstairs for a special activity: watching old movies. This was our evening to relax, to forget about the stresses and challenges of the past week and to rejuvenate ourselves before another week ensues.

Even without the popcorn and snacks, we had a great time laughing, crying and making odd if not silly comments about the movie. It was such a simple activity - but it brought us joy and camaraderie. We knew that evening was a time for relaxation knowing that there will be more challenges in the week ahead. As sisters in Christ, we do have a common goal: to take care of our family, support our church and all their social and religious programs, be an example to our children and to be healthy physically and emotionally so we can serve others better. I love this article about how to be a healthier and stronger woman. Here are 9 principles of purposeful living that we can put into practice. [1] You should NOT WORRY, for WORRY is the most unproductive of all human activities. Worry is a negative state of mind which deals with the same problem over and over again, yet nothing is solved. [2] You should NOT BE FEARFUL, for most of the things we fear never come to pass. Fear is the opposite of confidence. It is also another negative emotion where it deals with uncertainty and loses heart easily. How can one win when one feels defeated even before the game has started? [3] You SHOULD NOT CROSS BRIDGES before you get to them, for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this. Deal with each problem as it comes, you can handle only one at a time anyway. Let God's will be done, not ours. What will happen will happen for a good cause. One cannot deal with unseen problems though one can learn to troubleshoot. [4] You should NOT TAKE PROBLEMS TO BED with you for they make very poor bedfellows. Problems are not solved when one go to sleep, be rested proper to have our energies and spirits renewed to stand tall to face all challenges the next day.. [5] You should NOT BORROW other people's problems. They can take better care of them than you can. There are numerous other people's problems beyond one's expectations and understandings. Learn to tackle our own problems before giving a hand to others. Solve our own problems before minding other people's problems. [6] You SHOULD NOT TRY TO RELIVE YESTERDAY for good or bad... it has already gone! Concentrate on what is happening in your life today. There is no use crying over spilt milk. Be geared towards moving a step at a time. 'Yesterday was a cancelled check, tomorrow is a promissory note, Today is ready cash, Use it to the fullest!' That was what people used to say. [7] You should BE A GOOD LISTENER, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own. It is very hard to learn something new when you are talking. We have a pair of ears but only one mouth. Be patient to speak before understanding. Our mouths serve us best when in accord with inner conscience where Truth dwells.. [8] You should NOT BECOME BOGGED DOWN by frustration, for 90 percent of it is rooted in self-pity, and it will only interfere with positive action. Self-pity is the web that spins miseries and traps oneself with their 'self-dug-pits' or dungeons. Slithering snakes and crawling insects will be your friends while in the darkness of frustrations. [9] You should COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one! For every blessings known to you, there are hundreds more that you don't know. Have heart in all you do. Always be grateful in all we have. Gratitude is a virtue for all. Gratitude is a key to peace of mind and heart. When one seeks to assuage the suffering of others, it is really one's own suffering that one mitigates the relief. When one direct one's attention to the inner-self, which is Truth, one will perceive the same Divinity to be present in all. Thus it makes up these 9 principles to live by......... Lucy Wong is a health and nutrition consultant. She is keen in sharing the 4 dimensions of health, aiming at attaining total health and happiness for all. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lucy_Wong_Moi HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD!!!!!! Your sister in Christ, Raylene

Sisters for Christ

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:31:00 +0000

I was just looking through quotations written by women and this one really caught my fancy. It was written by Christina Rosssetti and it goes this way: “For there is no friend like a sister, in calm or stormy weather, to cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands.”

I too, firmly believed that “A sister is a gift from God, sent from above to make life worthwhile here below.” And to this quote, I do not necessarily mean a birth sister. Few months back, The FWESDA Women's Ministry circle met at Shari's house for an international Tea Party and we decided to find a partner or a special sister where we can spend time to get to know each other better. A sisterhood for Christ could be a beginning of a real deep friendship. I was so excited that I picked Hilda's name. I have often observed her to be very genuine, always smiling and ready to greet me with a warm embrace and a Happy Sabbath greeting. I knew she came from Brazil and have met her family and have even visited her home. But aside from the information she voluntarily wrote on the sheet about her favorite colors and food and memory verses, i really do not know her that well - yet! And I am really guilty. Didn't I start this idea of having a special sister, anyway? Why haven't I done something special to make this quest come to full reality? I wonder if all the other women did their part?

Looking back, I realized that I truly have been so busy with other tasks at home, church and at work and I need to prioritize all of these things. We, women are always multi-tasking and do not even realize that we have been overwhelmed with the tasks we volunteered or given to us. I have been guilty. I have been busy with the Social Committee and the coming Mission Trip to the Philippines, plus my job and my home, that I have neglected the Women's blog. I have so many great plans to feature all the women in our church here so we can get to know each other. I tried but there were only a few who willingly gave their stories or return the forms so they can be featured. So for this issue, I really want to let you, my sisters for Christ know that I need you to help me make this blog possible. I need to get your stories about your life as women for Christ, as a mother, as a wife, as a sister or simply as a woman. Your experiences in your journey to the kingdom could touch one soul and make a difference. I hope you will share your stories, your sentiments and experiences by talking to me or emailing them to me so they can be featured here. If we cannot have a weekly blog, at least, we can do it every other week.

Because I am organizing our yearly Renewal of Vows scheduled on February 12, I have decided that we, women will meet on the second Saturday Night or second Sunday afternoon for a Spring Fling. I will keep you posted in the next few weeks. Please let me know what schedule you prefer: Saturday night or Sunday afternoon. It will be a "Day for Beauty and Relaxation".

Relationships are as important to us women as the very air we breathe. Without relationships we feel bereft, cut off from vital sources of comfort and support. We love our family, our husbands, our children and grandchildren and we give and give and give to them all our time and attention and sometimes, we forget to give also a treat to ourselves by nurturing friendships of other women. And because of our busy schedules, sometimes we cannot make it a priority to keep our relationship to other women current.Let his be our thought today " Today, I nurture and sustain my relationship through following my urges to give. I am a trustworthy friend to myself and others.

I will be a worthy sister for Christ.

Submitted by Raylene Ann Baumgart

A woman's thought about aging

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 02:58:00 +0000

A few week's ago, I left for my birth country, the Philippines to visit my mother who has been ailing lately. She is 81 years of age and due to rheumatoid arthritis, her activities are limited and this has been very frustrating to her, a woman, who once upon a time, was the busiest socialite in town. She was always the leader, organizer of church and charity events in town and a true public figure. Two years ago, I relocated my parents from the hometown I grew up to a seaside village which is also close to the city and hospitals in case they need them and where my two brothers live close by. My Papa in desperation told me that sometimes, my mother refused to get out of bed. So, I concluded, she must be suffering from depression. Lately, she had been sick and my family thought, perhaps, my presence will make her laugh and feel rejuvenated again.

(My Mama and me on my wedding day)

On my flight home, visions of my Mama invaded my psyche and I remembered vividly how I used to tell my friends that if I could half half of her genes, her beauty and her intelligence, I would not ask for anything else. I kept preparing myself on how to handle her presence, to be extra-sensitive and to plan for activities that will make it easier for transport and less strenuous outings.Perhaps, just a quiet beach vacation will do, where we can just hang around and observe the fisherman with their sailboats and watch the sunrise or sunset.

I was never so wrong in my life. When I arrived at their condo, dinner was ready and she had made my favorite hearty food: fried tuna, vegetable stew with malunggay and ginisang kangkong (sir fry green vegetables). I saw an immaculately clean kitchen with bleached-white kitchen towels neatly ironed then folded on open shelves above the kitchen counter. Bathroom was well-scrubbed with a tankful of water ready for my bath with crisply-ironed bath towels ready for my use. And instead of a whining, complaining sickly woman, here was my mother, chattering the afternoon away, telling me about her new friends in the neighborhood and how much she appreciated me for putting them up on this apartment by the sea. My father amused, confided that she had been busy preparing for my homecoming and have not complained about her aching knees and arthritic hands. She got rid of the cleaning lady who comes every other week and have been doing all the laundry while he did the house cleaning. After opening my suitcase and giving her all my "pasalubongs" (presents), she chuckled and laughed at all the church dresses and even tried them on one by one, walking up and down the stairs for a fashion show. She kept saying, "I am going to be the best-dressed old lady in our church." There was simply no sign of fatigue and I was the one, exhausted from the 25 hours flight and jet lag.

The following morning, I was awakened at 4:00Am. Before the roosters could crow, my mother was already singing her favorite hymns. Unable to sleep and without complaint, my Papa went downstairs to the kitchen to make his coffee. Still groggy,I went to their room and joined her in singing and then she started reciting her favorite sonnets by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Then she recalled how she taught me all those declamation pieces so I could be the best literary orator in the province. We switched on to reciting her favorite poems by John Masefield and Robert Frost. I had no choice but join in. These, after all are poems she taught me to memorize as a child and as a teenager. Only, this time, she memorized the lines, much better than I could. When asked how she could still memorize these lines, she just chuckled and said, "This is how I fight Alzheimer's disease. That is one disease I would never wish to have. I am exercising my brain daily."

By 5:30 that morning, we joined Papa downstairs for our morning worship and an hour later, we were walking towards the beach for their daily morning beach walk and swim. I was just amazed at all the people they knew in their new location and all the morning greetings and respect from everyone we met at this new place. On our way home, bought hot "suman" (sweetened rice wrapped in banana leaves made with coconut milk, a dozen ripe mangoes and 2 pounds of fresh fish sold by vendors they personally know in their new neighborhood.

breakfast after the swim

freshly caught fish

After a hearty breakfast, she hastened to get dressed for the town market, a place where my Papa said she refused to go due to distance. With me, we brought home lots of food for the week.

Mama and her choice of transportation: the prettiest pedicab she can find.

In the three weeks, I spent with my parents, we were able to have a family reunion for my mother's side of the family at another island where she was reunited with three other sibblings she has not seen for years. She said, she was looking forward to my homecoming so she could ride on an airplane again plus go island hopping. And we did. We flew to one island and visited three more islands by boat and stayed at relaxing and quiet tourist-free beachside resorts. We visited 6 provinces by land. While I ached and ordered massages at least three times a week, she never complained about aches and pains in all our outings. She had a real blast.

As I look back, i can only say that I was glad I went home and spent those weeks with my mother while she can still enjoy all those excursions. My father himself could not believe she had that energy and enthusiasm and he could only thank me for it. He concluded that my visit was just the prescription she needed.

As women, we face the reality that someday, our parents are going to get old and dramatically change their lifestyles. Are we ready to accept those changes? How will we cope with them?

Here is a list of things we can do to help as suggested by David Moberg from Decision Magazine:
1. Communicate often. Keep in touch by phone, visits, and letters. Remember special occasions.
2.Respect independence. As long as possible, your parents need to make their own decisions about where and how to live.
3.Support "letting go". Help them find constructive ways to dispose of possessions. Listen to them and weep with them when they must give up their homes, their driver's licenses or their leadership skills.
4.Empathize with them. If you were in their place, how would you act and feel?
5.Encourage age reminiscing. Draw forth memories of the past and help them fit together the pieces of their experiences.
6.Listen to them. Hear the accounts of their past disappointments, accomplishments and satisfactions - even if told repeatedly - as well as the accounts of their current worries and fears, joys and hopes and delights.
. Help them find large print Bibles, enriching TV and radio programs and arrange transportation for church going.
8.Support usefulness. Seek their counsel, praise their hobbies and encourage their giving services to others.
9.Stimulate their social life. Encourage them to maintain old social relationships and to make new ones.
10.Pray for them and with them. Their physical, mental, social and material well-being is interconnected with their spiritual growth.

If you have experiences as a wife, as a daughter, as a mother, as a sister or niece or simply as a woman, please share them with us, women in our church. Let's support one another in our journey. As Christian sisters for Christ, we get to encourage one another as we share our experiences. Email them to me at raylene.baumgart@gmail.com or simply sit down with me and let me write your story.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Autumn at it's glory

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:50:00 +0000

William Cullen Bryant,an American romantic poet, journalist, and long-time editor of the New York Evening Post.(November 3,1794-June 12, 1878) once said, "Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.”

And he is right. Autumn comes with crispness in the air and a rainbow of colors paint the earth and sky. Brilliant golds and reds adorn the trees, and there are more sunshine than clouds. It was one cold windy Sunday when few Moms and Dads and Aunties drove to Carter Mountain Orchards for an apple-picking adventure and picnic. The cold gusty wind did not deter us from our quest of getting the yummiest apples of the season.

After the apples were picked, the picnic followed.

As women, we make sure we let our children experience all the fun and traditions that we want them to remember forever. And we have fun too, in the process.

What happened to the apples when they reached our homes - are beyond me. But this is what happened to ours, my very first apple pie!

Recipe for this pie:
Servings: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts
Prep Time: 50 min

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn’t get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball.
When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

***To make the topping with hearts, I had to double this recipe and had a lot of extras to make the decoration an elaborate one.Use heart-shape cookie cutters to make the hearts.The brush with an egg wash (egg yolk with a tablespoon of milk)..

Getting to Know Sali Gaye Condez Deapera

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 22:36:00 +0000

SALI GAYE CONDEZ DEAPERA

Tell us a bit about your family (spouse, children, parents?): I am married to a wonderful husband named Arthur and we have a son named Arthur Louie, the apple of my eye. These are the two most precious men in my life.

Country of Birth: I was born in our Adventist Hospital in Cebu , The Miller Sanitarium & Hospital in the Philippines. I practically grew up in Cebu.

Favorite color:Pink although I find myself wearing a lot of black clothes which goes with anything

Favorite food:Rice - cannot live wihtout rice because fish, chicken and vegetables will not taste good without rice.

Favorite Bible Verse:Proverbs 8:17
"I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently will find me." This text gives me strength every day to help me realize that it is His strength that carried me through all those years and He will still carry me through.

Favorite Woman in the Bible and why:
My favorite woman in the Bible is Sarah. She must have been a very beautiful woman because even kings found her very attractive, that even her husband had to tell a lie about her (half lie- she was his half sister) and yet she never questioned him. Then she was barren for a while and because she wanted so much for Abraham to have a child, she consented that Abraham get their maid servant pregnant. This of course caused conflict but God had other plans for her life and even as an older woman, she was chosen to be the mother of nation. God blessed her.

As a woman of God what do you need from your fellow women from the church? I would like to get to know the other women in the church better.

Is there anything you want to do with other women or for other women? Get together more often

Tell us a short story of your life’s journey as a woman of God.
I was born into a faithful Seventh-day Adventist family and was educated in our Adventist School system since the elementary years. There was a time when I had to study at a private exclusive-for-girls college called St Theresa's College where I learned to sing, dance and be fashionable and be independent. But I missed the Adventist atmosphere, so I transferred to Adventist University in the Philippines to finish my Bachelor's Degree in English. And that's where I met my wonderful husband Arthur.

He worked full time while I worked part-time as an English teacher in college. I taught Speech Communication and Reading Comprehension to sophomore college nursing students for 2 years before I got a teaching job here in America. I am currently teaching language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies to students from K-2 with special needs. I am hoping to finish my Master's Degree in Special Education through distance learning program in March 2012. I turn to God in my greatest hour of need, stress, anxiety and hopelessness. I am blessed with a faithful Seventh-day Adventist husband and we have dedicated our son to God so he will also know Him deeply and make Him first, last and everything in his life.

Getting to Know Hilda Serpa

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Complete Name: Hilda Serpa

My Family: I was born in Sao Paolo, Brazil. I married my wonderful husband in January 29, 1976.

We came to America 14 years ago together with our son, Ramon. Now we are living here in Richmond.I have a Cleaning Services Company which keeps me busy. I enjoy spending time with my husband and son and my very own church family.

Birth Country: Sao Paolo, Brazil

Favorite thing to do: Gardening and taking care of our lawn, watch movies at home

Favorite Color: Orange

Favorite Food: All kinds of sandwiches

Favorite Bible Verse: I love Psalms 100
"Shout to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with joy; and come before Him with singing.
Know that the Lord is God, He made us, and we belong to Him.
We are His people, the sheep he tends.
Come unto His city with songs of thanksgiving
and into His courtyards with songs of praise.
Thanks Him and praise His name.
The Lord is good. His love is forever,
and His loyalty goes on and on."

Favorite Woman in the Bible: Mary, the mother of Jesus
Mary was a very young and innocent girl. But when she was told that she was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah, she willingly took the risk of ruining her reputation. She knew she would be ridiculed, shamed and frowned upon, mocked and possibly put to death. Even Joseph was about to leave her at first. But she accepted this task given to her at her very young age. She was one of the bravest young woman in the Bible times.

As a woman of God, what would you like to do with the other women in church?
I would really like to get to know the women on the church better. We see each other at church, greet each other, but it would be better if we meet more often,a s women, sharing each other's stories, concerns and burdens so we can encourage each other. It does not have to be very special and elaborate: perhaps just meeting somewhere for pizza or in a garden or just having a cup of tea. I would really like that!

Short Story of your journey as a Christian.
I was born into a Catholic family. As a young girl, I took piano lessons with a teacher who is a Seventh-day Adventist. Once a week, she holds bible studies or a branch Sabbath school at her home. My sister and I would attending those meetings and we enjoyed it a lot. Later she invited us to attend Sabbath School at her church and after a few years, I accepted Jesus. There, I met Gerson, in the youth class. He was a born Adventist.

A favorite Recipe: COCADA -traditional Brazilian dessert

Traditional Cocada

1 lb grated coconut
1 lb sugar
1 cup water

Dissolve sugar in water and boil the mixture until it spins a thread (I use a candy thermometer; 232 to 234° F). Remove syrup from heat and add the grated coconut. Stir well until it becomes sugary. Pour onto a buttered platter (a marble pizza stone is great for that purpose) and let cool, then cut into squares (about two inches).

Cocadas with Condensed Milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 equal measures of sugar (use the empty can to measure the sugar)
1 lb freshly grated coconut (or frozen grated coconut, which you can find in Latino markets; it tastes very much like fresh coconut)
1 can evaporated milk

Mix all ingredients together. Cook in low heat stirring constantly until you can see the bottom of the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes or so. Pour onto a greased marble pizza stone. Let cool and cut into two-inch squares (yields about 20 cocadas)

Getting to know Jinnyfer Laporre

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:35:00 +0000

FAMILY: I have a very quiet husband who is very understanding and respectful. We have two precious gifts from God - our two wonderful boys: Brent and Devon. I am not the only pianist in our home. My husband Rey Booz also plays the piano and spends his time training our older son Brent to be a good pianist so he could be a great help in God's ministry through music.

COUNTRY OF BIRTH: I originally came from the Philippines. I arrived here in May 9, 2005. My husband was the one who got a job offer to relocate here from our country. The boys and me came with him and after passing the NCLEX, I am now also working at MCV Medical Center in Acute Hemodialysis Unit.

FAVORITE THINGS TO DO: Piano-playing, Reading, Playing tennis and badminton

FAVORITE COLOR: Purple

FAVORITE FOOD: Filipino food (Pansit, lumpia, etcetera)

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSE: Matthew 19:26 "Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (New International Version)

FAVORITE WOMAN IN THE BIBLE: Dorcas - very resourceful and kind.
Her name was Tabitha, in Hebrew, or Dorcas, in Greek. Both words mean "gazelle". She lived in Joppa, A seaport 35 miles NW of Jerusalem on the Mediterranean Sea:the only natural harbor in Israel between Egypt and Ptolemais. She was a true disciple of Jesus, always doing good for others. She helped the poor, the widows and sews clothes for them; always on the alert on who needs help and attention. She was very resourceful and kindhearted. And like a gazelle, she was always quick to answer the call for help.

She got ill one day and everyone thought she was going to die. Peter prays at Dorcas’ bedside and calls to her to get up. She is revived and becomes living testimony of presence of God. She is the only woman in the Bible who was named a disciple of Christ. There are a lot of woman known as Jesus' followers, but she was considered a disciple because she was a disciple in every meaning of the word.

AS A WOMAN OF GOD, what do you need from your fellow women from the church?
We should just really be supportive of each other and try to understand each other's weaknesses. We have different personalities and talents but we have only one goal in life - to go to heaven and live there with God.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO WITH OTHER WOMEN OR FOR OTHER WOMEN?
I am always busy with my two kids and family while working full time and study. I am presently taking a Masters Degree in Nursing. But I am always willing to help as long as I can.

SHORT STORY & JOURNEY OF MY CHRISTIAN LIFE: I have the greatest privilege of being born to an Adventist family. Although my father was never ordained as a minister, he is a very good preacher. My parents have always encouraged me to be a living witness for the Lord and to play an active part in God's work. They tried to send me to music school to be a pianist just so I can be useful in all church activities. So, now, here I am - willing to be used by God in His ministry whether in the music department or in any aspect of our church life.

September

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 23:39:00 +0000

I love September!
The air is still warm but the evenings are cooler. And just when you have enough of the summer heat and humidity, the cool, crisp evenings of September can be real panacea for the soul.

September also brings a lot of exciting activities. Children are back to school and moms can have moments to do things for themselves – just for themselves – for a change. In Germany, there’s a lovely first-day-of-school tradition called a “Schultüte” or School Cone. Parents prepare a giant cardboard cone and fill it with back-to-school supplies, candies, and other small goodies. This gift, makes the first day of school extra special. The tradition dates back to the early 1800′s in German and children from German heritage, even here in the USA practice this.

In Texas where we used to live, we always have “block parties” to celebrate the kids’ back to school event. We all bring out some portable tables and chairs and set them outside on our street and we bring lost of food and drinks and spend it getting to know the neighbors and setting up play dates for the younger siblings.

September is the beginning of apple picking season and weekends are spent looking for the best deals and the best places to go apple picking and picking up pumpkins to decorate our homes. Carter Mountain Orchards seem to be the most popular in our area and families and friends can come together for an excursion or a picnic.

Pretty soon, our front steps will be decorated with pumpkins, dried corn stalks and colorful mums. Warm tones like chocolate browns, rich red and golden yellows will replace the cool summer blues and greens. And I will really look forward to the cool evenings this fall.

Our church has scheduled a Back to School Pizza and Ice Cream Party and a Movie Night this coming Saturday, September 10. Because of the uncertainty of the weather, we are holding it at the Richmond Academy Gym. Please support this occasion. This is not just for the kids. It is for everyone to enjoy. Just bring your favorite ice cream or ice cream topping and let’s have fun and enjoy a family movie.

September 24, we will be visiting Carter Mountain as a church family. It will be an apple picking event but we will also have a lunch picnic on the grounds. I firmly believe that as women for Christ, we can be a great influence, an encourager of sorts to our church as a whole. Our responsibilities as women in the church does not end in planned brunches or going-out-for-dinner appointments. We have a role in making our children look up to us as role models for active participation in church activities. So pack your picnic basket and bring picnic food to share with everyone. It will be a great occasion.

I love this quotation from “The Education of Women” by Daniel Defoe:
“For I cannot think that God Almighty ever made women so delicate, so glorious creatures and furnished them with such charms, so agreeable and so delightful to mankind with souls capable of the same accomplishments with men: and all, to be only Stewards of our houses, Cooks and Slaves.”

Yes, God created us to be of service to others.

International Lady Chefs' Summer Tea Party

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:30:00 +0000

It started as a very warm and humid morning.The weather bureau predicted thunderstorms that afternoon, so I had a sick feeling that perhaps nobody will show up except Shari and me. I have ardently prayed that more women from the church would come to enjoy this special bond of friendship, a sort of a women's club for sisters of Christ. And I was not ready to be disappointed.
Few minutes before 4pm, the women arrived and the fun began.

Marie arrived with an intricately-carved watermelon teapot which served as a great centerpiece. Then Sarah showed her exquisite mini cupcakes and we all exclaimed our "Ahhs" and "Ohhhs". More yummy goodies came. The white tablecloth was a perfect back drop for all the colorful aprons that were draped around it plus the display of homemade, gourmet hors d'oeuvres, appetizers and desserts.

Shari's collection of 4 kinds of freshly-brewed tea was just wonderful! And to think that she said, she does not like tea! I still could not decide whether it was the raspberry or the peach tea that caught my fancy! The orange-pineapple was just as yummylicious and the chai tea was just as energizing. Linda's tofu spread was the favorite of the afternoon and a copy of her recipe was in order. Anna's varied selection of Russian pastries was simply tempting and scrumptious. And there were a lot more: stuffed tomatoes,lemon bars, black bean quesadillas plus Hilda's "coconutty" dessert flavored with pineapple. All I can say, is that: to those, who did not make it, you missed a lot of the fun and camaraderie.

Then the game began. Each lady was asked to pick a household gadget that reminded them of an experience about their lives as girls, wives, and women. We were richly blessed with the shared stories and we knew that this friendship will thrive for as long as we make it.

Ruth Bell Graham once said that "The center of power is not to be found in summit meetings or in peace conferences. It is not in Peking or Washington or in the United Nations, but rather where a child of God prays in the power of the Spirit for God's will to be done in her life, in her home, and in the world about her." The stories shared were testimonies of God's love for us, women.

We then had to pick up a piece of a puzzle to search for our matching piece our "prayer sisters" and it was quite a revelation! We wanted to have a very special friend for the year, someone who does not have to be a secret, someone we can pray with, pray for, share our joys, our passion and our concerns. And what a fun revelation it was for all.

This has been a wonderful experience for the ladies, and we certainly hope, that you will join us in our next scheduled activities. We want you to be part of our ministry. We want you to join our fun, the laughter and the friendship. A Canadian writer once said, "A good laugh is as good as prayer sometimes."
Proverbs 31: 25 NIV says, "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come."

Thanks to Shari for hosting this beautiful memorable occasion.
And thanks to Luke for reminding us, why we enjoy being mothers and women for Christ!

A Mother's Thank You Letter to a Blankie

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:00:00 +0000

It’s only 4:45 in the early morning. I just got back from the Newport News Williamsburg International airport after sending off Katie for California. This was her college graduation present of choice: a trip to Southern California to reunite with her High School friends. She has been home for over two weeks now, and she had been busy. She introduced us to her love for organic food and tempted me to let go of my love for fried foods and indoctrinated me to her freshly-made gourmet smoothies for breakfast. She completely unpacked all her stuff from her student apartment and re-arranged her room. Now, it looks like she intends to stay for a while again, although she was certain of being accepted on a job interview last week.

Now, I really missed her and went to her room to look around. There I saw important things that are still very dear to her heart.

Here is Pablo, from the famous Build-a-Bear Company. He sometimes becomes Pablita when Katie decided to dress her up with frills and laces. Now he is standing forlorn among her favorite books and movies.

Here is the dream catcher I bought her at a county fair in Texas, when she was still obsessed with everything America Indian.

This morning, I felt a need to feel her presence, so I decided to lie down on her bed to catch more winks of sleep before daylight. But sleep was far from reach. Then, suddenly, I felt a bulky lump from underneath her pillow. I turned on the light for closer inspection and then I saw it – Boobie (her blankie), her lifetime companion since she was a baby. Did she forget it? I knew she cannot sleep without it. Or is today, the day she says goodbye to her Boobie, a sign of total independence?

As I looked at its tattered hems, I cannot help but shed tears. I saw a few safety pins on some corner, a testament that she tried to fix some corners to prevent them from being totally frayed and worn out. It is no longer pristine white and the pictures of tiny bears wearing sky blue dresses are beyond recognition. It is now almost khaki-colored plain fabric with lots of stains and tear: signs that it had been well-used for comfort when she was sick, hurting or frustrated. Then memories of the past came flooding to my touched psyche and heart.

During her first trip to the Philippines when she was two years old, Boobie was her constant companion in the plane during the almost 30 hours flight. Boobie was in the stroller, in the car, to the beach and even in the hammock. Katie hugged and talked to Boobie when she saw my brothers butcher a goat to celebrate our homecoming. She simply could not sleep without it. A year later after needing a Myringotomy (ear tube insertion) at barely three years of age, Boobie took full center stage as she proudly displayed it to the nurses and doctors at the Surgery center.

Then, I remembered the day I dropped her off for her first day in Pre-School. She was full of excitement but extremely worried that nobody will take care of her Boobie while at school. I promised I would, and every time I come to pick her up, her Boobie would be waiting for her in the car and she would immediately grab it, rub her cheeks with it and then she would suck one corner and with her eyes close, she'd take a nap. All is well with the world with Boobie. This blankie has always been under her pillow through the years. She took it with her when we sent her off to Germany for full immersion of German Language and Culture when she was 13. She took it again to Zweibrucken as an exchange student for the Yorktown-Zweibrucken Exchange Program during her Junior year in high School. Boobie explored Switzerland, Austria, Paris and other European tourist spots. Boobie has cruised all around the Caribbean and Mexico.

When we unloaded all of Katie's belongings at her appointed Gladding Residence Center in VCU as a freshman, Boobie was the first to be unloaded. And it had been transported to two other off-campus apartments she has resided. I am pretty certain, Boobie had been her constant companion and confidante during exciting, frustrating as well as her triumphant moments as a student. I am sure it had been her refuge when her heart was broken. Boobie was there during all these times when I couldn’t or those nights when she preferred solitude. If I could, I would preserve this old, stained and “stinky” memorabilia and place it on a shadow box together with her diploma – because it certainly deserved its place there.

So to you, my dearest Boobie:
Thank you so much…
~for comforting my little girl all throughout these years when she was scared of the dark in her tiny room;

~for being her constant loyal companion, when she most needed a friend;

~for not being judgmental when she was not her own true self and when her attitude was not acceptable to my standards;

~for drying her tears when she was broken-hearted;

~and for simply being there for her in all the good and the bad times.

For the next two weeks while she is away, I will celebrate your existence. I promised not get so attached, knowing you will be needed again when she is back. I promised not to wash you, (tempted as I am) because your smell will be the first thing she will notice when she gets back. Today let us both celebrate her choice for independence away from both of us. And if perchance, she decides not to keep you, any longer, DO NOT WORRY! I will keep you for myself – forever.

by Raylene Ann Rodrigo-Baumgart

Post Script:
To all of you ladies, moms, sisters, aunts and grandmas - this blog has a special place where you can post all your longings, your thoughts and experiences. Please share with us your innermost feelings and experiences as moms, sisters, aunts and friends. If you do not want to write it, talk to us and we will help you. As sisters for Christ, it is great to share each other's burdens and happy thoughts.

Meet Junette Bofetiado

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 01:30:00 +0000

Junette Bofetiado

I am a Registered Nurse, currently working in MCVH as a Transplant Nurse. I married Alexander in July 1999. Together, we are blessed and thoroughly enjoying the privileges of having two healthy boys, Alec and Josh.

Country of Birth: Philippines

Favorite Hobbies: Cooking. I love to experiment on new recipes.

Favorite Color: Pinks and shades of Green

Favorite Food: All sorts of salads

Favorite Bible Verse: Roman 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose". (KJV)

Favorite Woman in the Bible: Queen Esther and her bravery

I have always loved the story of Esther ever since I was a young girl. Her story is filled with intrigue, romance, bravery, and honor. It is the story of an orphan girl who became the chosen queen. And yet she did not forget her people and who through a curious mix of fate and need, saved her people just when she was most needed. It is truly a story of remarkable love and devotion to her own people and where she came from and the love of her King who admired her bravery.

As a woman of God, what do you need from your fellow women from the church? Prayer for strength, wisdom and guidance as a mother and as a woman.

Is there anything you want to do with other women or for other women? It would be nice if we can do some cooking together and do some outing as a group of church women, getting to know each other.

A short Story of your journey as a woman of God:

My parents have always been faithful Seventh-day Adventists. I grew up in an Adventist community and most of my contacts and friends are from the same Adventist Church and Church School.I spent most of my school days in Seventh-day Adventist schools. I graduated as a nurse at our own Adventist institution, Mountain View College in 1995. After graduation, i worked in Davao, Adventist Hospital, Davao, Philippines. There I worked for 7 years before coming to the United States. It is not any wonder that I married a Seventh-day Adventist man.

I firmly believed that God has a plan for each one of us. We just need to put our trust in Him completely.

"In A Little While" - by Renee Cerovski

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:43:00 +0000

I remember standing at the gate in Richmond International Airport, full to the brim with anticipation. Back in 1996, we could do that—wait inside the terminal for someone to exit the plane. I carefully scrutinized every face that came out of that gate. I wondered if I’d recognize her, or if I’d just know she was my grandma. Finally, a small Chinese woman appeared. Our family of four, Mom, Dad, Nathan and I jumped to greet her. During the whole car ride home, I was so excited: I was actually sitting next to Lau Lau. My grandma.

When Lau Lau came to visit us in Richmond 1996, I gave Lau Lau my room and I slept in Nathan’s room. She was completely different from my other grandma. I would sneak up to my bedroom and push my face against the frame to watch her through the slim crack in the door. I’d watch her do mysterious, graceful exercises every morning. At first, I thought it was a strange Buddhist ritual, but later learned it was only tai chi. She mostly kept to herself. During the day, I’d see her sitting on my bed playing Solitaire over and over. She looked so lonely. I finally got up my courage and timidly came in and sat next to her on the bed. She taught me how to play Solitaire and I was so happy that I’d found a way to connect to her.

I only saw her a few other times after that. But before I came to Korea, she got so excited. She wanted to give me a fur coat and all kinds of advice: don’t get involved with any North Korean men and to stay out of any political demonstrations. She wanted me to learn Chinese over there so we could talk. She wanted to tell me all about her life and about being Chinese. It tugged at my heart. Why hadn’t I tried harder? It was one of my life-goals, but the time never seemed right to learn.

About two months before I came to Korea, Lau Lau got sick. She broke her wrist and Mom wanted to go to her so badly, but she couldn’t because the timing didn’t work out. I went to Korea, knowing that I’d go to Hong Kong at some point.

In March, I learned that she was doing much worse. She hadn’t healed well from her injury back in October and had lost a lot of weight. She had advanced-stage lung cancer and it had spread to her bones. Mom got on the earliest flight to Hong Kong and got there at the beginning of April. Once in Hong Kong, Mom said Lau Lau was slowly doing better, so I decided to go at the end of April during my term break.

After I arrived in Hong Kong, I took the bus to Sheng Shui, the small town where Lau Lau lived. It’s the New Territories, almost in China. Mom met me at the bus stop. She told me that Lau Lau was doing better, but she had lost a lot of weight and was still very weak. Even though I knew this, nothing could prepare me for the shock of actually seeing her. I couldn’t recognize her at all. The tiny, stick-thin woman who greeted me with a tired voice looked nothing like the Lau Lau I had known, or rather, always wished I’d known better. However, her mind and will were still as strong as ever. Mom said that the doctors said she should have at least 6-8 more months.
That night, as I sat on the couch next to Lau Lau, she started talking to me.
“Soon….Lau Lau go bye-bye…” she said in mixed Chinese and English. She pointed at herself and made sleeping gestures with her hands. I understood her, but pretended I didn’t. I took her hand.
“I’m praying for you,” I forced myself to say. For some reason, speaking had become almost impossible.
Mom walked over, and Lau Lau started talking to her.
“Lau Lau wants to say goodbye. She wants you to take good care of yourself, you have a good future,” Mom translated.

I couldn’t keep the tears from spilling out.
“Lau Lau says you’re a good girl. She says not to cry.” Mom said and I managed to hold it back.
Those next few days felt like I’d hit the “pause” button on my life. Every day, I’d wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed and go walk around Sheng Shui with Mom. We’d look at clothes, or pick out food for lunch. After a couple hours, we go back home and cook lunch. Depending on how she felt, Lau Lau might join us. I’d take a nap while Mom talked to Lau Lau. Then, we go out again and repeat the process until dinner. Sometimes my aunt came home early enough for us to make dinner with her. Then, we’d all sit in front of the TV and watch Chinese game shows and dramas. Those few days in Hong Kong are so precious to me. When I came to Hong Kong before, I was always a tourist. Now I wasn’t a tourist, just Lau Lau’s granddaughter who had come to visit.

That Sabbath, my 24th birthday, Lau Lau decided to become a Christian. People from the local SDA church came over in the afternoon and anointed her. They prayed for her and sang with her. When they sang “God Will Take Care of You” in Chinese, Lau Lau looked so happy. I know that this was one of Mom’s greatest wishes come true.

In June, I got an e-mail from Mom saying that Lau Lau had passed away in the night. She had been in the hospital for a few days and was in a lot of pain. They gave her a lot of morphine and oxygen and it made her drift in and out of consciousness.
I learned one Chinese phrase this last time I was in Hong Kong. “Yet tsung geen” means approximately, “see you later.” It’s “good-bye,” but not for long. We’d tell that to Lau Lau whenever we went out shopping. After she passed away, I remembered that phrase. As a Christian, it expresses the greatest hope I have. This isn’t good-bye forever. I’ll see her again, in a world where there is no more sickness or pain. Yet tsung geen, Lau Lau.

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 NIV

Getting to know the Women in our church

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:12:00 +0000

MEET MARCELA ALEXANDER

I am originally from Brazil. My family were originally German miners who migrated to South America and lived in Chile for a while. I am married to Hebe Duarte, a Civil Engineer. Heber is a Pastor's son whom I met at an Adventist Retreat-Revival Camp when I was in college. We got married in Patterson June 16, 1991. Together we have two beautiful girls: Sofia and Sabrina.

Country of Birth: Sao Paolo, Brazil. It is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the western and southern hemisphere, and the world's eighth largest city by population. The city is ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among the five-largest metropolitan areas on the planet. São Paulo is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous Brazilian state and exerts strong regional influence in commerce and finance as well as arts and entertainment.

Favorite things to do: Spending time with my daughters.

Favorite Color: Yellow

Favorite Food: Italian food: Pasta and anything Italian

Favorite Bible Verses:

Joshua 1:9 "Remember that I commanded you to be strong and brave. Do not be afraid, because the Lord your God will be with you everywhere you go.
Romans 12:2 "Do not shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; then you will know what is good and pleasing to Him and what is perfect."

Favorite Woman in the Bible and why: Ruth

Ruth was poor, a foreigner from a despised Moabite nation, and a woman, and all this counted against her. But when her husband died, she decided to stay with her mother-in-law Naomi and faithfully followed her including her beliefs in her God. She shared loneliness, anxiety and grief with her and returned with Naomi to Bethlehem. Because of her unfaltering loyalty, God blessed her. She married a close relative of Naomi and had a son called Obed who grew up to be the grandfather of King David

As a woman of God, what do you need from your fellow women from the church or what can you do to help other women? ~ I love helping the Spanish Community as a translator. I am multi-lingual and speak Spanish, German, Portuguese and English. I am very open to any task that I am needed for the church.

Tell us a Story of your life's journey as a woman of God - My mother's family are mostly Catholics. My father was a former Lutheran. But in Brazil, to get a good education, you have to enroll at the Adventist Church School. So, I grew up with Adventists all my life. Most of my friends as a young woman were all Adventists. So it was normal for me to become an Adventist and to go to church regularly and attend all retreats and revival meetings for the youth. I attended college at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Federal University of Minas Gerais, abbreviated as UFMG). It is a public university located in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. It is one of Brazil's five largest universities, being the largest federal university. Then I taught as an Agronomist, specializing in agronomy, which is the science of utilizing plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber. After meeting my husband,who is an Adventist Minister's son, it was only expected that I become a true believer on the faith. We both came to America to work in 1989, got married in June 16, 1991 At Patterson. I was meant to be a Seventh-day Adventist.

Getting to know the Women in our Church

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 17:36:00 +0000

ROSANA MARIA SANTOS

I am happily married to my husband Altamir and I am blessed to have these three boys that God gave to me: BRUNO, GABRIEL and ANDREW.

Country of Origin: BRAZIL

Favorite things to do: Play volleyball

Favorite Color: Red (also Black)

Favorite food: PASTA

Favorite Bible Verse: Psalms 23 New International Version
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness.
For His name's sake.
Even tough I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for You are with me.
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You annoint my head with oil, my cup oveflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Favorite Woman of the Bible: Hannah

Hannah was a good woman who loved God. But she was sad, for she had no children. Each year, her husband took her to a place called Shiloh, where they worshiped God. And each year, Hannah prayed a special prayer that God would give her a child. One year, she prayed, "Dear God, if You will only give me a son, I will give him back to You, to serve You all his days."
Hannah desperately wanted a son. She even promised that if God gave her a baby boy, she would dedicate him to doing the LORD's work. And God heard her prayer. It must have been difficult for Hannah to keep her promise, but she did by giving her son Samuel to Eli the priest.Because of a mother's great love and trust in God, her son became a great priest, prophet and leader in Israel.

As a woman of God,what do you need from your fellow women in the Church? I need your prayers, support, smiles and hugs.

Is there anything you want to do with the other women or for other women? I would really love to go out at least once a month, just to talk and have fun together to share our experiences and prayers for one another.

Life's journey as a Woman of God:

My parents were not Adventists. But my grandmother was a devout Adventist and she took me to Sabbath School as often as possible. And that is how I knew my Jesus through my grandmother. I am very happy and fortunate to find a good and wonderful husband who also love God. We both want our children to grow up in the Lord. I pray every day for God to bless my family. And for God to give me patience in dealing with Andrew's health needs. God is so good and He is with me, every step of the way. I feel helpless sometimes and I just pray to God because oftentimes I do not know what to do. But He always has a ready anser to my prayers.

Leap of Faith

noreply@blogger.com (FWESDA Women) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 21:15:00 +0000

There is nothing quite as rewarding in life as doing something you never thought possible. I recently had the opportunity to take a leap of faith out of a plane, something I never really thought I could do. Sure, I had put it on my bucket list, and I certainly thought it was something I wanted to do before I died. But as I drove to Delaware to the skydiving site, my stomach just got more and more twisted.

More than once I thought of calling my friends and telling them I would not be able to join them. Yet, I kept driving. Something inside me kept pushing me to take this leap.

Once I arrived at the site, they had us fill out all this paperwork "in the event of an accident"...yikes, nerves came back big time!

Then it was time to meet our dive instructors. My instructor's name was Joe. He pointed me in the direction of the suits and then got started on placing the harness on me. As he tightened all the various cords to me, I began to feel my body relax.

They called our names to board the plane, my body relaxed even more. By the time we were up in the air I felt such a thrill that my nerves were completely gone. "I'm doing this", I kept thinking.

There was a "ding" in the cabin and Joe announced "three minutes till we jump". Before I realized what was happening, the door of the plane opened and out went the more experienced divers. Joe started shouting orders at me over the noise of the plane: "stand up", "walk to the door", "on your mark, set, go"...and off we went. It had all happened so fast I had no time to get nervous again before we plunged into the open air.

I always imagined that skydiving was a bit like a roller coaster. That my stomach would surge as I fell, and that the earth would be approaching me at an alarming speed. Yet, the reality was quite different. It felt like I was floating, the ground looked the same as if I were looking out of an airplane window. The view was magnificent. The Chesapeake on one side and Ocean City on the other.

Before long Joe flashed me the signal to open my parachute. It was a smooth ride down to the bottom.

A incredible sense of accomplishment flooded me as I finally hit the ground. I had done something crazy. I had taken a leap of faith.

This experience will continually remind me that taking a little risk can be incredibly rewarding if you have the right instructor on your side. "With God, all things are possible".

Getting to know the Women in our church

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Meet Idaflor Gozo Cabaluna

Short Bio: I graduated from Mountain View College in 1979. Just like many Filipinos, I wanted to be a nurse so I could help lift up my family from poverty and help other family members financially so they too can have a brighter future. After taking some qualifying exams I went to work to Saudi Arabia and spent four years in Jeddah and Riyadh from 1984. After passing the CGFNS examination, I arrived in Connecticut in 1988 and then moved to New York to start a family. My goal in life has not changed. I have helped a lot of other Filipinos come to America and helped them start their new lives here. I am still supporting a lot of relatives in the Philippines, helping them reach their goals of finishing their college degrees so they too can achieve their dreams.

Now, I am so blessed to have married Tom, an Adventist whose goals are just like mine: making sure that our two children Jabriel and Krezhia love Jesus and make Him first in their lives. Jabriel is enjoying his studies in VCU while Krezhia is now in the Philippines to finish her High School and eventually follow my footsteps in pursuing a career in Nursing. It is a lot of sacrifice to send my baby, my Krezhia away at her young age, but this is what she always wanted and I can only support her with every step of the way. I am comforted with the thought that she is in an Adventist Institution, following her dreams. Tom is with her right now during her adjustment period, and both of us will do everything we can to show her that we love her and wish her only the best. It is never easy to be separated from the people that you love, but when it is for their best interest and happiness, I know my sacrifices will not be in vain. I have learned through the years that putting your complete trust in God is the blessed assurance that all will be well.

Hobbies: Sewing and crafts

Favorite color: BLUE

Favorite Bible Verse: John 14:1-3 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in Me. There are many rooms in my Father's house; I would not tell you this if this was not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with me, so that you may be where I am."

Favorite Woman in the Bible: RUTH. Ruth was a young foreigner who became a widow at a very young age. She could have chosen to leave her mother-in-law and got married again on her own. But instead, she was loyal and faithful to the aging Naomi and stayed with her, taking care of her and listening to her for her wisdom and advice. She had shared loneliness, anxiety and grief with Naomi, and now that the older woman was completely alone, Ruth would not abandon her. ‘But Ruth said,
“Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
Where you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die
There I will be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me
And more as well
If even death parts me from you!”’

So the two women returned to Bethlehem in time for the autumn harvest of barley.Because of her faithfulness God provided for her a better life.She became the wife of Boaz, a rich and good man, and she had a son, Obed. Eventually, Ruth would be the great-grandmother of King David.

As a woman of God, what do you need from other women in the church: I just want us to be closer to each other, just like sisters, sharing our experiences as wives, moms and women.

I grew up as an Adventist and I will never depart from the doctrines and beliefs that I grew up with. I have dedicated my life and the lives of my family to God. He knows what is best for us.

Getting to know the Women in our church

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:30:00 +0000

Carla Azenet Gutierrez

Short Bio: I'm originally from a city called Barquisimeto, Venezuela which is the state capital of the Sate of Lara. It's a city with around 1,500,000 people. I have been here in the Unted States for about 12 years.
I work in a Sprinkler Company, in the National Accounts Department, which means I take care of the big accounts from receiving a call to dispatching and follow up and invoicing and collecting. I'm blessed to be a Mother of 2 beautiful kids who means the whole world to me. They are my life. My mom Myriam Gutierrez is very important in my life and my brother is the most quiet person you will ever meet, but the one that worries about me the most, and it feels great to be loved like that!

Favorite Color: Earth tones

Favorite food: Chicken.

Hobbies: Love movies and taking pictures.

Favorite Memory Verse (s): Jeremiah 1:5
“Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

Favorite Woman in the Bible and Why: (explain) Miriam, Moses' sister. As the older sister of Moses, she was given the special task of taking care of him when he was put in the basket in the river to escape from death. She took her job seriously and creatively made it possible for Moses to be saved from the clutches of death and be adopted instead to royalty, becoming one of the best leaders in history. My mom who is named Myriam is doing exactly the same thing to me and my family. She has always taken care of me and my brother and a lot more other people who came to her life........ She's an angel.

What do you want to happen with our Women's Group or what you expect from other women in the group. - be a part of their activities.

Your spiritual journey: Born and raised in the church, I never knew any other way of life. Coming from a predominantly Catholic country our friends and other family members are not Adventists, so I always felt I was the outcast, the odd and abnormal one. I still feel the same way. I'm different and I wish I wasn't but now I'm finally comfortable with my beliefs, enough to talk about it and not be scared of being different........ and if I am, I'm okay with that.

Getting to know the Women in our church

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 22:58:00 +0000

Shari Pottinger Osborn

Short Bio:
I was born in Honduras on October 15, 1981. My father was a pastor there, but he registered both my brother and I as Costa Ricans since that is where he is from. When I was about 4 years old we moved to Costa Rica. For the next 12 years Costa Rica was my home. It was such a blessing to live in such a beautiful place. In 1998 my father was once again called to be a missionary, but now to the United States. We moved to New Jersey that year. My father still works as a conference official in New Jersey.

I graduated from Columbia Union College and married my college sweetheart! We then moved to Michigan where we both got graduate degrees, his in Divinity and mine in business. Now we live in Richmond and love being a part of this church community.

Favorite things to do:
I love shopping, watching TV, making cards and playing games. Lately, I have been spending a lot of my time taking long walks while pushing Luke in the stroller!

Favorite Color: Red/Burgundy and Turquoise

Favorite Food: I love Central American foods, such as tostones, rice and beans, tamales, pupusas and pickled cabbage salad…(made myself hungry just thinking about it).

Favorite Verse in the Bible: Job 19:23-27
“Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
25 I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!

Favorite Woman in the Bible and Why:
I really like the story of Tamar. She was a victim of horrible circumstances with her first husband being such a bad person that God struck him down, and then her second husband also being struck down. Then her father-in-law, Judah, tries to cheat her of her right to marry his third son, but she would have none of it. She takes matters into her own hands to level the score and ensure a safe life for herself. She pretends to be a prostitute and gets Judah to spend the night with her. She is smart enough to get proof that he is the one who has fathered her child, and therefore, he cannot deny her a place in his house.

I think her braveness is one of the reasons she is one of the 5 women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus. She could have just meekly went back to her father’s house and lived out her days as a widow with no one to protect her, but she took her place in history by choosing to demand a place in society and not just take what seem to be given to her.

What do you need from your fellow women from church:
The last couple months have been very interesting because I have been pregnant, and then in February I had my baby boy, Luke. Many of the women at church would come up to me and tell me stories about their children and their pregnancies and it was nice to learn new things about them through their stories. I love learning more about people because I think we all have great stories to tell and wonderful adventures to share.

Story of faith:
As a pastor’s child I have been in the church all my life. Church is just something I did, but God was not really that important to me. I felt like He was there, and that eventually it would all “click”, but in the mean time I just lived my life. I never did anything bad, but I had no purpose or spirituality in my life.

My Junior year in college I went on a mission trip and met this great guy. His name was Brian Han. He was the chaperone for a high-school group that joined us on the trip. I found out that he had left a promising career in medicine to become a Youth Pastor. He was so passionate about God, and had the kids sing “Make me a Servant” every evening at vespers. He wanted them to remember that they were on earth to serve others.

The final day of our trip we went to the beach. A tidal wave came to shore and caught a bunch of people from our group in it. Pastor Han went in to the ocean to try to save some of the students, but he was not a strong swimmer. By the time they pulled him out of the water it was too late. They tried everything to bring him back, but he was gone. As the paramedics pulled a towel over his body, I crumbled to the ground. I felt like his death was my fault. That God was trying to get my attention and now an innocent man was dead. After much prayer I realized that God did not “make” Pastor Han die to get my attention, but that his death left a vacuum that in God’s work that needed to be filled. I realized that the best way to honor Pastor Han’s life was to become a better friend of God the way he had been. In this way I would be able to carry on the good work he was doing in my own way.

This experience was the beginning of my new life with Christ. I started to seek His guidance and will for my life in a new and earnest way.