Tag Archives: flower

Pentecost Sunday Is All About Red

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Indeed, there is no coincidence in God. I got another wonderful surprise when Mom’s beautiful red lilies all bloomed this week in time for Flores de Mayo. All thanks to my 3rd sister and our house help for replanting and watering them. ❤

Red lilies are a classic emblem of passionate, romantic love.
Thanks to my sister for arranging them here!
This house, by the way, is also in its 50s – my parents’ greatest work of art, built slowly and lovingly since they got married 53 years ago.

When I watched this Sunday’s worship service, I realized only then that today is also Pentecost Sunday. And the liturgical color of the day is none other than RED. 😀

Pentecost Sunday is a major Christian holiday celebrated exactly 49 days (or 50 days inclusive) after Easter Sunday. Often called the “Birthday of the Church,” it commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus in Jerusalem, empowering them to spread the Gospel. [1, 2, 3]

Key Facts and Significance

  • Meaning: The name originates from the Greek word pentekostē, meaning “fiftieth”.
  • Biblical Event: Described in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit arrived as a “violent rushing wind” with “tongues of fire,” allowing the disciples to speak in various languages so that everyone could understand the message.
  • Other Names: It is also historically known as Whitsunday or White Sunday because early Christians often wore white garments for baptisms held on this day. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Traditions and Liturgy

  • Color: Red is the liturgical color for the day, symbolizing the “tongues of fire”. Many churches wear red, decorate with red, and pray for the renewal of the Holy Spirit.
  • Ecclesiastical Context: It marks the end of the Easter season in Western Christian traditions and is considered one of the holiest days of the year, frequently celebrated with special hymns and Holy Mass.[1, 2, 3]

(Source: Google)

Speaking of “tongues of fire,” I am praying that this blog has helped spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth through storytelling. And I would like to claim that by God’s grace, it was mission accomplished.

Because 2 days ago, I received a notification from WordPress. I unlocked an achievement as a Globe Trotter. It means around 50+ countries viewed this blog. Yaaaay! To God be the glory! 😇

Thank you for visiting this blog, my brothers and sisters in Christ from all over the world!

The irony? I have never been out of this country for the entire 40 years of my life. Yep, not once. lol

Though I’m not really into traveling if it’s only for the purpose of posting Instagram-worthy photos. My idea of a good travel whether locally or abroad is more like cultural immersion and getting to know the community on a deeper level.

And yet with just the internet and a laptop, the Good News traveled to so many different countries. Amazing God we have, right?

I guess I can now claim with such conviction that I have truly been a witness and have lived out this Bible verse:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

I would like to end this article with my all-time favorite classic hymn. There’s just something about this song that makes me (and also my late maternal grandma) cry every time I hear it, no matter who sings it.

A blessed Pentecost Sunday, everyone! 🙏

Such a very beautiful and powerful rendition. ❤

P.S. I’ll share a tip on how to recognize God’s hands when He orchestrates things. Did you notice this number in the paragraphs above, including the captions of the photos: 50? Try connecting it to Pentecost. I pray that your spiritual lens will also be opened so you can marvel at how great our God is. 😉

P.P.S. If you have noticed the other achievement I have unlocked, yes, WordPress got it right, too – I am a perfectionist when it comes to everything I post here in my blog. Because I serve a perfect God, He deserves nothing but my very best. 🙂

By the saving power of the Cross, I impart to you the spiritual gift that God has specifically bestowed upon you. Claim it in Jesus’ Mighty Name and proclaim His goodness and greatness to the ends of the world. Amen. 🙏

DIY Project: Memories In A Bottle

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Now here it is. 🙂

I have decided to come up with this project of filling in empty bottles with memorabilia from certain special events. I posted just recently regarding flowers from my brother’s wedding last April and been contemplating what to do with them. I have been staring at them for quite some time now whether to throw them away or not as they are still beautiful and lovely to look at though they’ve been dried for almost a month already. I finally decided to do the latter.

So to make this project materialize, I gathered an empty bottle which was an old Hennessy bottle from Dad’s collection and my hair spray. Sprayed each flower one by one even the tiniest and I let them dry for a couple of minutes before putting them inside the bottle. Then for a finishing touch, put a ribbon, a straw or any piece of string that you have around the neck of the bottle near the rim.

image

Preserving dried flowers essentials.

And this is the final output:

Tin Ginete

Brother’s Wedding Memorabilia

It is now my second bottle of another memory as my first preserved rose in a bottle was the first Valentine’s Day rose given to me by my bf last year and who is now my fiance. 😉

image

Memories In A Bottle

So, how far will your sentimentality take you? 🙂

Orchid: The Beauty That Clings

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Tin Ginete

Vanda: Mom’s favorite. 🙂

Incredibly, I know no other specie of the flora and fauna that thrives beautifully on a host except that of an orchid. It is such a spectacular relationship that balances the call of nature, completing the chain of life.

Life….

It can be desperate, it could get completely obliterated. Unless you have something to cling to – a sturdy host. Suppose we let the orchid thrive on water, will it die? Will the water nourish it? Or it will just turn into complete decay?

The questions seem endless.

Why not let an air orchid grow with its roots dangling, suspended in mid air, with its stem attached only to a string? Can’t it survive from the air around it and rainwater? Why does it have to be on a tree trunk, a branch, or a hanging pot?

Questions they are that we, unfortunately, have to take as they are. Science may have an explanation for it. But if I ask the general question “What for?”, then, I believe there lies the danger of questioning even our very own existence. An idea that I dare not entertain.

Acceptance is as crucial as life itself. Live for the moment, some say. But worry not on the future. Take the past as it is. For they are matters that do not lie in our hands to control and manipulate.

So where do we cling to?

Now that is a very good question to ponder on. But I’ll give you a clue to the answer – HOPE. Who/what gives you hope is your sturdy host. Read between the lines if you may, but the One who gives eternal life is our hope.

That is the One where all beauty clings. 🙂

Origami Kusudama Flower

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Red-Orange Kusudama Origami

This is the tiniest origami flower I have made so far. Folding it has been the greatest challenge as it is difficult to fold an inch-big paper and make it relatively smaller. I colored this one with red and orange poster color to give it that more natural look. I created quite a number of this to decorate the flower box origami I made as a birthday gift to a friend.

If time would permit, I hope and pray I can do more of them, origami. 🙂

Having Fun with Origami

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When things get really serious and heavy to carry, this is how I digress – either I write, do arts, or play music and just recently, make crafts. 

It became a newest past time for me and my sister.  She made the really difficult butterfly origami (see photo below). Very pretty they are, aren’t they? I believe I’ll learn this another time as it is far too intricate for me. 😀

Butterfly Origami by my sister Ate Abeden

Swallowtail Butterfly Origami by my sister Ate Abeden

Before starting, I first practiced making a lily origami using a colored art paper through a Youtube tutorial – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWylGb8EyQw.

There are thousands of tutorials to choose from on origami-making uploaded in Youtube and I must admit I really had a hard time choosing which one should I do first as I wanted to learn all of them.  I first made the single petal lily and the multiple petal next. It took me a whole lot dozen of them before I finally memorized the procedure without referring to the video.

Patience is a virtue, indeed. 😉

Lily Origami in Art Paper

Lily Origami in Art Paper

After making them, my sister and I thought we wanted to make our origami crafts more “personalized” so we have decided to use a white paper instead of the regular colored art paper and painted them using poster color.

White paper and Poster Color

White paper and Poster Color

We allowed it to dry for a couple of minutes before starting to fold.

Two-tone

Two-tone

I used pink for the primary color of my lily and lavender as an undertone brushing with left to right strokes. Of course, a flower cannot stand alone so I made the stem origami using a color green art paper and a flower box origami using a black special paper. 

This is the final result. Do make your own personalized origami as well. I assure you, it is so much fun. Enjoy! 🙂

Multi Petaled Lily Origami and Flower Box Origami

Multi Petal Lily Origami and Flower Box Origami

A Bunch of Awards – 3 Nominations: My Sincerest Gratitude

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Pink Rose

Pink Rose

I would like to start this post with my warmest congratulations and a note of gratitude to my friend and fellow blogger miles and miles away across where I am now – ajaytao. 🙂

Ajay, I have been one of your constant followers and I must say that in as many ways as you can, you have definitely touched a lot of lives, inspired a lot of people and brought joy to many all around the world through your posts.

I know this will never be enough to thank you for all that you have done but please bear in mind that we, your followers, can attest to how much have you contributed in making everyone see the world in a whole lot of different perspectives.

Our prayers are with you always, Ajay. Be happy always. 🙂

I would like to acknowledge the privilege that you have given for nominating me for 3 awards as well. I am truly honored to be chosen by one of the best bloggers here in WordPress. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I definitely will pay it forward. 🙂

The Versatile Blogger Award

The Versatile Blogger Award

Inner Peace Award

Inner Peace Award

Most Influential Blogger Award

Most Influential Blogger Award

Art Attack 101: Tulip in Oil Pastel

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Art Attack 101: Tulip in Oil Pastel

Combined two mediums: oil pastel and colored pencils. My first time to try oil pastel. Enjoying it so far. 🙂

“Thou Shall Not Wilt”

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If your imagination is running high, you would agree with me if this looks like a flower to you – the inside of the top core cover of a coconut fruit attached to a stalk. A flower that will not wilt. 🙂