A Friend in Need is a Friend in Deed

The act of kindness done for others doubles or triples in value by the time they are received. That is what happened to me last weekend. When we arrived from our family Spring vacation, not only did my friend Sue - helped by her son Erich - made sure our pets had food, also stocked our fridge with delicious food so that we could have food to eat the following morning, That was really very helpful for poor travelers like us. They also setup Easter eggs around the house so that that Miriam could hunt for them. I must say that they were very sneaky in the way they hid the eggs.

 A friend is like an extension of the hands of God.  My friend, Sue is like that to me. She is always there for me and my family.  Most of the time I don't have to tell her anything, she just knows what to do.  I feel very blessed to have her not only to benefit from her goodness but also to have a close reminder of how I should be to her and to others around me.  I value her friendship not only because she is of help to me but most importantly the presence of someone I can trust and share a part of my life with. 

My friendship with Sue started when Brahms and Marcus were in first grade.  The two became friends and so Sue and I did.  Eventually there were two families doing things together.  It helped that we both have three children who are of similar ages and husbands who can discuss technology in depth.  Ever since the children were in elementary school we spent Easter dinner and egg hunt together - rain or shine.  But now that some of the older kids are living farther away and/or working, it has become more difficult to have a complete-family egg hunt.  But who knows, maybe one day we can have all children together again who knows when) and we'll do what we used to do for the sake of the gone by days.  :)  

Breakfast with Friends

Some things Sue found that reminded her of me.

Almost a month past my last birthday, and my friend Sue and I finally got around celebrating together. And even better because this time we brought our husbands with us.  Yes, Tim and Ueli went out with us to have breakfast at Early Toast.  We had a great time just catching up -  on life, work and children.  

Every birthday between Sue and I for more than ten years now, we made sure we did something together.  I can still remember one birthday of mine when we went to a nursery.  Sue saw that I was fascinated by the miniature succulents and she bought me three 2" pots of different varieties.  Those plants marked the beginning of a frenzy collection of succulents which subsided over time.  Today, I still have clones of the same succulents growing in my yard.  I also remember a year when I surprised her with a mystery party at my house where I invited several of her friends whom I have not met before. I had to enlist my whole family and some of her friends to make it happen the way it did!  Our children were much younger but they played key roles in the event. (Someday, I will look through my files and pull out some of the pictures.)  Who knows what we will do in the future.  

"Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity."  ~ Khalil Gibran

Prenuptial Counseling

Today, Tim is doing the second  prenuptial counseling session for Josh and Malia.  I think there will be one more meeting before their wedding which is on December 18th.  This is different from all the other couples he married in the past because we knew Josh from when he was a very young boy. His parents are our friends and shared many memories with them when we lived in the Bay Area. That's right, children of some of our friends are now getting married which means that our turn  to see our children plan to get married is not far from now.  We are getting old. Old enough to see young kids grow to adulthood and now stepping into married life.  It is very exciting!  

I believe Josh and Malia will make a good couple...

Becoming an Artist

Miriam is now taking art lessons from Adam Reeder.  Becky Carmichael, classmate and friend, has invited her before but she was not that interested back then.  Now she is excited not only to learn but also to spend more time with her good friend.

Miriam and Becky Carmichael

Miriam's increasing interest in art is likely to have been a result of her big-sister's influence.  Both girls love Anime.  In fact Miriam along with her brother recently attended the AnimeCon 2013 in Sacramento where she got to meet some of the artists that she follows.   I am not sure if it was Brahms' artistic inclinations or his interests for freebies that brought him there.  But who knows?

Posing with her favorite Anime-artist. (Image by Brahms Lewis)

While waiting for her to get done with her class today, I had to spend an hour and a half strolling along Sutter Street in the Historic Folsom District.  I enjoy antique-shopping but for some reason, the smell of the antique stores made me feel nauseous. (Could it be that my love for old second-hand stuff is waning?) So I walked towards Snooks and got me a cone of Almond Praline ice cream - it made me happy.

 For those who are willing to learn, there is always room for improvement. 

First House Guests of the Year

January 2, 2012.  We had the pleasure to host our dear friends the Actis Family.  It was very nice to see them after a year and a half since we went to see them and participate in their ministry.  They brought back very fond memories of Colombia.

Being the only boy, Brahms entertained the girls by being silly.

Tim, Shelly, and Matt talked while they ate Crepes and Sausages

Is this Chloe or Sophie?

Matt and Tim

The kids: Ours and theirs

Dainty and Demure girls: Sophie, Kennedy, and Chloe

The grown-ups

Lyndsay, and Kennedy

Tim and I have met Matt and Shelly in two different missions trips already but there seem to be a lot more to learn about each other.  It's still fun discovering each other.  

Thanksgiving At Home

The siblings together again.

Thanksgiving 2011 took place on a cold and rainy day. Fortunately, all of us were together and all cozy in the warmth of our own home. Shannon is back from Irvine for the weekend and we are all happy to a complete home again.  This may not happen very often anymore but we rejoice at every opportunity that we can get. 

Shannon got to meet Lexy River for the first time - although she suspects that Lexy was meant to replace her.  

Thanksgiving dinner with Dave and Haidz.

Dave and Haidz Diezer joined us for the Thanksgiving dinner which made the night a little bit less Lewis-focused.  We met the Diezers at the Folsom Community Church a couple of months ago and we've getting to know each other slowly since then. 

Okay, I was not in the picture but my plate can be seen in the picture - still empty but it would soon be filled with all sorts of  traditional Thanksgiving food.   This year's menu:

Appetizers:

Shrimp Cocktail

Fruits (prepared by Haidz)

Pancit (prepared by Haidz)

Main Course:

Grilled Turkey

Yukon old Mashed Potatoes

Giblet Gravy

Italian Sausage Stuffing with Mushrooms

Green Salad

Baked Butternut Squash

Whole Cranberry Sauce

Buttermilk Biscuits

Drinks:

Sparkling Apple Cider

H2O

Coffee and Tea

Dessert:

Homemade Pumpkin Pie with Whipped cream

Homemade Apple Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

This year we had to replace our meat thermometer but the one I bought was not properly calibrated.  The turkey ended up being over-cooked but the great thing about grilled turkeys is that they tend to taste better and remain relatively moist even when the skin is already very dark.  The grilled bird is cooked evenly all around - the skin get crispy and very yummy.  Since Tim learned how to grill turkeys in the barbeque we have never went back to baking again.  

In our family, I like the dark meat (drumsticks and wings) while everyone else prefer the white meat (breast).  Everyone look forward to making turkey sandwiches from all the left-overs.  Today I saw Shannon pilled turkey and mashed potatoes drizzled with gravy on top of a piece of sourdough bread.  Miriam always likes to add cranberry sauce on her sandwich. 

 

After dinner, Brahms set up the game "Perpetual Commotion".

I Never Knew

Today I've learned more about Gayle Mackenzie.  She told a very interesting story/testimony at a women's group meeting about her past and her walk with God.  She and I have known each other for a long time, attended the same bible studies, women's conferences, and even tailgated at Arco Arena together.  She's beautiful, smart, talented, and she loves the Lord.  She likes to prepare food for people and enjoys working in the Children's ministry.  She and her husband sit on the same side of the sanctuary during worship service that I could isolate her voice when we're singing hymns and praises.  I thought I knew her.  But today I found out one more thing about her.  In her maiden name Gayle Kovaly, she was Miss USA!  She did not mention details but in my research I found out that she was a finalist in the 1969 Miss International Beauty Pageant in Japan.  Indeed she was a celebrity.  

Gayle now hangs out with the Greatest Celebrity that ever walked the earth - our Savior Lord Jesus Christ. 

Time with Sue

 

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art (for God did not need to create).  It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.   ~ C.S. Lewis  

Sue and I took the time to catch with each other by getting lunch at Togo's today.  Life does not seem right when we do not get to talk to each other for a week.  We lose track of what's going on in each other's life and that doesn't settle well with either of us.  So we go out and do something together and share.  We talked about the kids, church, why we both do not work,  our spouses, their jobs, and chores we have not finished.  It is always refreshing getting-together with her.  

Miriam's Eleventh Birthday

Miriam on her eleventh birthday.

This is the girl I call my surprise baby - smart, beautiful and in some ways exotic.   She's growing up and trying to catch up with her siblings whom she loves so much.   It is hard to believe that the baby I gave birth to shortly after we moved to El Dorado Hills is now in middle school. 

Mriam and Will Leszinske

On her eleventh birthday she chose to invite some friends to come over.  First we had pizza, went to the Ridgeview Park to play "Capture the Flag", and then played with water balloons.  When they got tired and after the faucet was broken, we came back to the house to have some apple pie and to open presents.   After all the basic birthday activities, they did other things such as look at Will's YouTube channel,  laughed at them a lot, jump up-and-down on the beds in Miriam's room and breaking one of them. 

Miriam, Becky and Will

Miriam and Erich Lippuner

Miriam with Janae Bonnel, Emily Kennedy, Becky Carmichael, Erich Lippuner, and Will Leszinske

Her new cajon (a percussion instrument) - a birthday present.

One of her current interests is band.  She loves being in band and enjoys learning to play all sorts of percussion instruments at school.  One of the presents we got her is an instrument called  cajon.  Basically it is a box which combines bass and a snare drum. She can sit on it while she plays it.  Recently she has been asked to train to replace the drummer (who will soon graduate) for Youth Band.  Also she continues to take drum lessons under Cameron Carbrey.

Girls Play Date

Children no matter how tall they are will always be youthful at heart.  Emily is Miriam's classmate and friend.  She is tall and Miriam is short, comparatively speaking.  Sometimes I could not help but imagine that Emily likes to do things that are more mature in nature just because she is taller than me.  I have to constantly remind myself that she is young just like Miriam.   

During this past two-week-Spring-break, Miriam and Emily got together twice.  During the first week we all went to see the movie "Rio". It was a girls date.  Linda (her mom), Emily, and Julia (sister) joined us  (Shannon, Miriam and I) afterwards to go to McDonalds for some food.  

Then we arranged to have Emily and Miriam play at home.  It is very delightful to have them play together because they like to laugh.  I was in the kitchen when they played PS3 games and I found out that Miriam behaves differently when she's with her other friends - Erich and Will.   She is controlled and feeling-in-charge when she is with the boys. However, when she was with Emily she is more care-free and relaxed.  Whatever the reason maybe - I guess it has something to do with gender difference in maturity level. :) 

The two girls made chocolate chip cookies.  As soon as they put the cookies in the oven, they grabbed the spatula and the paddle and started licking them.  I admire their self-control.  Obviously as they were dropping the dough onto the baking sheet they were already making plans as to who gets what utensil to lick. 

They had a great time together.  Unfortunately, Emily had to go to her piano lessons.  They only had a little bit of time to play with Miriam's dollhouse.

Our Easter Sunday

Sunday, April 24, 2011

This is a record of the manner we spent our Easter Sunday as a family.

Tim preached during Sunrise Service at Cornerstone Church with the following verses as his reference:
 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.  If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. ~ 1 John 3:16-18.

He did a great job challenging us to love the way God intended us to love.  It was indeed a great Easter message!  And for the first time -  he used programming concepts to illustrate his point.   This is something I wanted him to do for a long time.  I still wished that he did not use me as an illustration but what can I do - I must be the most obvious life within his observation ground.  :)  I thank God for helping him. He had to prepare his script after a long busy week.

Ueli and Sue

Preparation.   After coming back from the Sunrise Service I cleaned the house and prepared part of our luncheon with our friends, the Lippuners.  Tim, Shannon and Brahms went back to help in the second regular service and Sunday school.  Our menu included ham, potatoes, Caesar salad, green beans with bacon, Jell-O salad, herbed rolls, and carrot cake.  I actually did not do much of the cooking since Shannon made the rolls and carrot cake while Sue made the the rest except for the ham.  Everything was very delicious.

 
The two families - Lewises and Lippuners (including Nick, Ueli's dad) ate together again as we always did in the previous Easter Sundays.   We ate like a big family as we listened to our friends who just came back from a week-long mission trip to San Francisco.  It was very interesting and educating to hear about their experiences.

The  Kids

Nick L.

Tim and Ueli hid the eggs in the garden.  Now that the kids are taller than they used to, the eggs were hidden in much higher places.  The hunt began.  Both families are Christians and are aware of the true meaning of Easter - the sacrifice that Jesus did for mankind.  This activity has evolved from something a thought into a tradition.  Sue and I thought of the idea for a one-time event but the kids liked it - so we did it again the next year...and again...  I asked my friend if we should skip the egg hunt this time and her response was "Are you kidding?"  With that, the message was very clear.  The tradition must go on. 

Sue in the hammock.

Erich spots another egg.

Trading candies.

Anna and her grandpa.

Counting and sorting candies.

Navigating the vegetable garden.

Filipino Church.   A few weeks ago we saw a sign on East Bidwell Avenue for a Filipino church that meets at the Folsom Lake College.  Tim and I went to visit the church after the Lippuners had left.  It was a very pleasant experience.  It reminded us of the good old days when we lived in the bay area.  This church is a newly planted church.  The people who go there do not even know each other very well.  However, it does not matter because every Sunday they spend more time visiting than sitting down listening to their pastor preach.  Soon they will be like family. 

The Elders.

He is Risen Indeed!!! We believe in Jesus Christ our Savior.  He came to live among us and then died as the perfect sacrifice for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God.  On the third day he arose.  He has conquered death.  He has risen!  The bible says that "whosoever believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life."  He gave up His own life so that He could offer Life for you and for me.  Do you believe in Him?  Do you accept his offer of Life or do you choose death.

Oxnard

On our way to Santa Barbara we stopped in Oxnard to visit the de Ocampos who used to be my neighbors in the Philippines.  Lelong Ago (Santi) and Lelang Ibang (Gene) were waiting to see us.  We were eventually joined by their kids, Bobot, Auntie Belen, Steve and Angel.  They brought us to a Vietnamese restaurant to have dinner.  They were very hospitable and kind.  I brought home a lot of plants from Lelang's garden.   Orchids, succulents, seeds of various flowering plants and even kamote cuttings.   Since I'm behind in writing this post, some kamote tops are ready to be harvested.  

It was like being in Abulug again.

Life Must Go On

She called home and did not get a response.  She tried his cell phone...he did not answer.  He always answered.  She texted his son and he replied back: "tlk 2 u later". She began to worry.  He had a fever and has been sick since she left five days ago.  Nonetheless they must have talked to each other every six hours since then.  She had encouraged him to go to the hospital but he assumed it's just a simple fever.  The last time she talked to him was last night at eleven after coming from her work.  Five minutes have passed since the last text message...here comes another one: "He's gone."

She lost her fiancé.  They had plans to get married on July 7th and have a simple wedding.   Her ring and her mother's wedding dress, which she decided to wear on her own special day, are ready.  Big plans were laid between the two of them but now everything has gone away with him.

Mercy and I were close friends back when we were in the Philippines.  She was my secretary.  Recently we were reconnected through Facebook and found out that she lived not too far away from me.  I invited her to come see to our place; after all we had a lot of catching up to do.  He was supposed to drop her off to my house on his way to Canada on the 24th of June.  It was exciting to imagine the thought of seeing my old co-worker/friend and her future husband.  

Today she called me.  She was sobbing.  She needed someone to talk to.  I listened.  That's all I can do.  The question that she repeatedly asked me was "Why did God take him away from me so soon?"  I said nothing even when I wanted to say something.  The wound is so raw.  Anything that you put on it will only make it more painful. 

Now she's alone.  The pain and the memories will remain but life must go on.    Where do you start when all the roads that you have considered have disappeared on the map?  How do you choose which way to go?  How do you forget all the things that you have known?  It is like having someone snatch your lamp away in the middle of the thick woods.  Life must go on.

Just like going into a dark room...at first we can't see anything because we lost the familiar light - the light we relied on to help us command our circumstances.   We feel lost and scared.  So we struggle and try to grab on to whatever mastery we can of the situation.  This is a fifty-fifty chance of success...sad to say but it's true.

When my kids were little (Miriam is almost not little anymore) I'd sing them a good-night song and turn off the lights.  The darkness scared them initially and they wanted the lights back on.  I advised them to close their eyes and then look again to see if they can see me or not.  They all discovered at a very young age that "There's enough light".   When the light is gone the fastest way to have your command back is to master darkness.   We find out eventually that we have what we need.  We find ourselves more in-tuned to the options that are already there which we missed because of the blinding offer of what we used to have.   

When the lights are off the exit doors become visible.   After this time of darkness, I hope that Mercy will find the door that leads to a new life of great purpose, opportunities, and fulfillment.  Life must go on. 

Saturday with Friends

Last weekend we had a fun evening with the Cranmers and the Bohlkes.   My children entertained the Dan and Bernadette D. showing and telling them about their pets.  This was like an act of "vengeance" because the Cranmers showed my kids how their pet snake swallowed a mouse in a few seconds.  This time it was their turn to hear how our turtle snaps a fish in half.  Marina on the other hand didn't realize that I was picking her brain regarding orchid growing.  She is a pro and I am a newbie on growing cymbidium orchids. 

Tim grilled some ribs and chicken while I did the easy part - baked potatoes.  Bernadette brought a curried rice salad with shrimp and palm shoots and it was very good.   I prepared the makings of Bruschetta in advance which my kids assembled and served to our guests.  We ended our meal with Marina's strawberry cobbler and Shannon's Chocolate-chip/cranberry cookies.  It was great getting to know each other some more and spending time together.

Masterpieces

The following pieces of art work were created by my little girl friends who live up the hill.   I showed them how to start a garden and they have been very excited about it.   Gardening has become the basis of our friendship.  Not bad I think.  It is interesting to see their different expressions of "gardening" in art form.  They all seem to have an accurate interpretation of a garden - insects and birds are part of a healthy garden.  

by Caroline

by Claire

by Courtney

by Calista

Calista will soon find out from her own garden that the green part of the strawberry fruits attaches to the plant. :) That is what gardening is all about - learning by doing.