OUR ANNIVERSARY TRIP
Esther is always full of new ideas...
She decided that we must have a "get-together" with some of her bridesmaids, September 24, 2011.
She decided that we must have a "get-together" with some of her bridesmaids, September 24, 2011.
Two were able to come, Leni Banaag Puen and Fernaline Kintanar. Letty Banaag and Mel Dizon, who were also in our wedding entourage, made it with Pastor Ray Puen, husband of Leni.
After visiting the wellness spa where the "ladies" and Ray had their massage, we went by one of the Wedding Chapels at the Caesar's.
Door was ajar!
With a surge of excitement and glee, we slowly entered the hall. It was solemnly quiet, nobody inside but us. Piano was in one corner but locked.
The "bridesmaids" pulled me over, we MUST re-enact our wedding 39 years ago!
Leni & Fe draped Esther with an improvised veil & with some coaching from the entourage, we must KISS, and we did!
What a pleasant & spontaneous event. It was a blast!
After the "brief service," I ventured to say, "Will we do this again 39 years from now?" The problem ... everyone would be more than a hundred years old by then :)
Blessings were received from Pastor Ray's devotional talk on the last night we were together. Encouraging, enriching & invigorating socially and spiritually. We were filled with God's promises as each one shared their life's testimony and how He led the way in our lives.
THE BEST OF FRIENDS
by Esther
In every ones' life God provides special people who make us happy because they share common happiness & joy and many times share experiences of sorrow or sadness.
They are forgiving and accepting no matter what you are and who you were. Yes, what great joys for me to be accepted or cared for whether I acted funny or not, behaving well or not!
Leni (Evangeline Banaag Puen) and Fe (Fernaline Kintanar) are but a few good friends since Elementay and High School years who kept in touched, sharing feelings & experiences all these years, though we don't see each other years (15 years or more) at a time.
When I went to Nursing School, Leni became one of my inspirations in my studies. Her persistent encouragements helped me pull through until I finished my course. She served as my escort during my Nurses Capping ceremony at La Sierra University (LLU), CA.
Coming to US as a teenager and self supporting student was very tough & challenging situation for me. Gratefully, Leni is also blessed with a sister, Ka (sister) Letty (Leticia Banaag) and another special friend, Mel (Amelia Dizon), a sister of one of my classmates (Boy Dizon) in PUC who were there for me too. God never fails, He provides true friendships.
Coming to US as a teenager and self supporting student was very tough & challenging situation for me. Gratefully, Leni is also blessed with a sister, Ka (sister) Letty (Leticia Banaag) and another special friend, Mel (Amelia Dizon), a sister of one of my classmates (Boy Dizon) in PUC who were there for me too. God never fails, He provides true friendships.
I remember the time we had spent together in California, the memorable experiences and how friends helped me during those challenging times. It made me look forward to the "next time," then it finally happened, a reality! We finally got together 39 years to the day on our wedding anniversary!
We had many memorable experiences to recollect, but one that makes me smile every time it comes to mind was about Leni's bridesmaid wedding dress.
All our dresses including my gown were made in the Philippines by my mom and other relatives. On our wedding day, I had all ready & iron pressed, but Leni decided to do hers again. She accidentally burned a sleeve!
Fortunately, my Aunt Tangunan & my Dad who brought the wedding gowns to US also brought extra materials per my instructions. Thank God, my aunt came to the rescue, she knew how to sew and repaired the dress!
I was a bit sad when finally we had to part after a couple of days together. However, the short time we were together strengthened my faith and encouraged each one to be more prayerful. Yes, I am reminded of our dear parents who were God fearing and loving. They are no longer with us resting in peace, but planted the seeds in our hearts the joy of serving.
Leni & Ray are great examples of dedicated servants of the Lord who unselfishly serve Him far & near. Fe, Mel and Ka Letty are also seriously involved in their own way in their own community & churches. All are in tune with His work on this earth.
For that am so happy, inspired and blessed.
p.s.
Thank you Rose for the comfortable hotel rooms you reserved for us. Truly, I am blessed, surrounded by a Pastor, professor in Music, Nurse, Medical Secretaries, Lab Technician and a Physician husband. Awesome!!!
..at the pool side...king-sized bed
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Pastor Ray, at one point taught his class the Introduction to Prophetic online class (all SDA students), while we were with them, and was kind enough to share his message with us:
Dear Class,
Please review the difference between OT and NT prophets and prophesying so that you won't be confused about the 1 Cor. 14:3 admonition to which you are limited. It is comprehensive enough and the whole Body of Christ is benefited when people operate in its context.
You will know that prophecy is the only gift common to all 3 inventories. It must then be an important matter to the Lord to equip His people in this gift. (Don't hesitate to check everything against scripture). Below is a word which will have most of the elements you learned in recent labs.
"Preamble" is optional and so that you may benefit more fully from a background, it is included in this instance. The appeal to scripture to strengthen your conveying of any word, the use of the first person in a different way than you were instructed in the beginning to avoid, and the use of the second person (singular or plural) to address the word, are all included. Note the first and last sentences that you just learned in lab last night to work towards being concise and precise. The trigger is obvious though not identified in the word but you will have the following background as explanation.
Good friends Ben and Esther Sanidad live in Ohio and contacted a few friends (5) in the Glendale area to come join them in celebrating their anniversary. Ben is a doctor and has written a book I can share with you of his marvelous recovery from cancer. He shares his testimony wherever he can and continues to practice in a medical group in Ohio. He and his wife are always generously involved in blessing others and many miracles attend their ministry.
So we were specially invited. The terms were highly unusual as they offered to pay our air fare or other travel expenses, hosting in a major hotel, including food and spa/massage experience. It was the good life even though the celebration was for them! We expressed our surprise and delight to which they replied, "We want to share with others and enjoy your fellowship. That's our blessing." That was repeated many times through the short vacation.
And so it was that way. In order for us to drive the distance and coordinate the coming together of our 5 who were scattered throughout Southern California with a preaching appointment in San Diego (for me) and a church retreat for two others in Silverwood an hour north of Loma Linda, we had to leave very early on Sunday morning. This meant that at about 10 am we were hungry and so stopped off at Dennys off the freeway. That's when we got a telephone call wondering where we were and urging us to hurry. It was full of eager anticipation at the soon reunion.
We finally arrived and rejoiced in each other's company, were ushered to our suite, taken to a sumptuous meal, and each given generous spending money. The next morning, I got up a half hour earlier than my 5:15 wake-up call, cancelled the wake-up call and meditated on God's word for the ensuing 2 hours, memorizing some more scripture. Ahead of us was the day of pampering via massage and sauna experience, and the disclosure that the rooms had been prepaid for an extra day than we had planned. They themselves had to leave early Tuesday so that left us with an open-ended "blank check" to spend the day or extra day if we chose.
Upon our waking up, we discovered a note of instructions on what to do: how to check out on their behalf because the rooms were in their name and large dollar bills more than several times enough to pay for parking and our driving both ways. This recalled the parable of the Good Samaritan which I recited during breakfast as part of a brief devotional, underscoring the Samaritan's assurance to the innkeeper that whatever extra expense was incurred would be covered by arrangement.
On the first morning after we arrived, I was meditating on God's word and marveling at our not-totally-unexpected blessings but yet still-overwhelming blessings, when I heard very clearly the Lord speaking into my spirit. This is what He said: I await your arrival with eager anticipation. I can hardly wait for you as I have prepared a banquet feast that I am inviting you to share with Me. It is My celebration and you are invited. I can hardly wait as the time draws near for I eagerly desire your fellowship. Don't worry about anything - I paid for everything on Calvary and everything is in place. As you have faithfully fulfilled your commission and followed the instructions I left, I have also made provision to repay you and to reward you "more" for all that you have done "more" while waiting for My banquet to begin. You will see this when I return for I am keeping track of all that you do and will bring my reward with Me, for am I not, the Lord your God, an accurate and perfect Bookkeeper?
I have recorded in the Book of Life all that you have coming and I am bestowing on you to receive nothing but the best. It will be more than you expect. I am withholding nothing. You will be pampered beyond your expectations for you do not know by human perception, your eyes have not seen nor your ears heard what I have prepared for you, because you love Me and have shown your love for Me. So hurry. Do not delay. I await your arrival with eager anticipation.
...make believe veil by Ka Letty..
