MattAndJojang's Blog

“The Lord is risen, alleleuia, alleluia!” ~ Antiphon, Liturgy of the Hours

May the joy of the Risen Christ fill your hearts today. Happy Easter!

~ Matt and Jojang

Photo: Susan Kulungian/Flickr

“Home is where the heart is.” ~Pliny the Elder

Dear Mama,

My heart has found its home in you.

You’ve made me very happy,

And I don’t want to be in any place

Except with you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Love,

Papa

Matt And Jojang

Dear Family and Friends,

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow…”

~ Melody Beattie

The cool breeze and the slight smell of pine brushes through my face as I contemplate with gratitude the year that is soon to end and welcome with open arms the new year that is to come.

To begin with, this is the first time in nine years – since we got married – that Matthew was never rushed nor brought to the hospital. Sure, there were times when we almost did, but because he has already gotten stronger, we weathered the storm.

The past months, God is providing for us through a project in Baguio that I am currently involved in. It is also the first time in nine years that I regularly report for work in an office.

Matthew has always been tech-y. Thanks to Mark Zuckerberg communicating with relatives and friends through Facebook has made the world smaller for us. So don’t be surprised if you will notice that he has just posted a comment at your status and/or “like” it

This year end review will not be complete without mentioning this blog. We never expected it to have 100,000+ hits and 20 regular followers who have subscribed. It is a source of joy for us to know that we are reaching out to so many people.

All in all, I guess I can say it has been a halcyon year of sorts for Matthew and I. We can only thank God for making it so.

We look forward to the year ahead knowing that God is with us every step of the way.

May the good Lord bless you, our readers. May He make His face shine upon you and give you peace.

~Jojang

Photo: invalid-subject/Fickr

I dedicate this poem to my wife, Jojang. Today we  are celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary. Thank you, Irene, for sharing this beautiful poem…

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

~ e e cummings

Today, June 14, 2011 is Matthew’s birthday… and this is a surprise post for him!

“For which of these are you trying to stone me?”

~ John 10: 3

Do you ever feel like you have to live with other people’s expectations? I do and it can really be stressful.  I remember after coming from mass the woman beside me whispered to me,

“You know these people are wrong (pointing to those praying in the Blessed Sacrament) I saw some of them. They don’t know how to make the sign of the cross…” and then she gives me this whole lecture as to how it should be done with matching actions.  I kept quiet the whole time she was talking. Just nodding my head, to be polite. But in my mind, I felt that she was wrong, and not those people she was referring to. Why judge? God sees the heart…

Jesus experienced the same judgmental attitude. He was performing good works – healing the sick, casting out demons, teaching people to forgive, etc. But people were not grateful for what He did. Instead, they stoned Him for these good deeds. Because they said, he was making himself God, and yet He was just man.

It’s easy to see the mistakes of others. But how hard to see that we are human enough to commit mistakes as well.

When we are not ruled by our expectations of others, we become more accepting of other’s weaknesses. And perhaps, life will be better because we live our lives out of the box.

~ Jojang

Photo: joel8x/Flickr

Today I thank God that we have found each other.
You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.
My life would have been very dreary without you.
Thank you for loving me.
Thank you for taking care of me.

Love,

Papa

Jojang & Matt

Dear Family and Friends,

It was a stormy day. In fact, the fog was out almost the whole day. People were advised to stay home.   We both chose to follow.

Matt tinkered on his computer, while I busied myself pottering around the house. Matt donned a long sleeve shirt and jogging pants. I, on the other hand, was wearing a pair of shorts and a loose t-shirt. I put the fan “on” yet in spite of the storm and efforts to cool myself, it still felt hot! If you are thinking what I’m thinking… yup, you’re right. Hot flushes! I turned fifty last March.

When I was a little girl, I thought that people who were fifty years old were ancient. Now that I have reached this age, I realize we’re not. In fact, we can be hip. And life can still be exciting.

Anyway, this is our usual year-end Christmas letter. Like, I said earlier, this year I turned fifty! As I look back on my fifty years in existence, I cannot help but see that the Lord has really been good to us. Amidst the trials and vicissitudes of life, He has always been with us. Guiding and loving us, every step of the way.

Matthew, on the other hand, struggled with his health especially during the first three quarters of the year. Having been hospitalized three times this year. Last July, Matthew and I stayed for three weeks in Manila. He remembered his grandparents that used to bring him to Manila (or Pampanga) whenever he would have very bad asthma attacks. And true enough, his health significantly improved. We were sure that warm weather helped (the Doctor said that oxygen is thin at high altitudes and thick at low altitudes).  But the very clean environment was surely a major factor too. We stayed at my friend’s place – thanks to Dave and Wawi Dellosa and family for the hospitality, generosity, warmth and loving kindness – where Matthew’s health improved by leaps and bounds. There, he was able to take strolls and even go to Mega mall. Something he has not done in years.

As the year ends, we look forward to the year ahead with hope in our hearts. We place our life in God’s hand. He has always been taking care and providing for our needs. And we believe that He will always continue to do so.

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Grace Filled New Year ahead!

- Jojang

Meron akong kakilala
siya’y tunay na maginoo
mabait, guwapo, dakila,
at ubod pa ng talino.

Siguradong sigurado
ako, sasang-ayon kayo
kung sasabihin ko sa ‘nyo
sya’y kaaya-ayang tao.

Masarap siya kung magluto
fabada, paella, bacalao
pollos, pescados, mariscos
lagi na lang busog ang tyan ko.

Siya’y laging handang tumulong
makinig, magbigay payo
tuwing kami ay lumalapit
nagatubilin magkuwento.

Siguro alam ninyo na kung
sino ang tinutukoy ko
walang iba kung hindi
si Pepe, ang bida sa gabing ito!

Binabati ka namin
ng maligayang araw.
Nagpapasalamat kami
Ika’y naging bahagi ng aming buhay…

Nagmamahal,

Matthew at Jojang Aguas

Kuya Pepe Lugay is Jojang’s first cousin, and our Godfather. He passed away yesterday, October 24, 2010.  She wrote this to honor him when he celebrated his 80th birthday last August 25, 2008. Kuya Pepe is a good man. He is so endeared and respected amongst his colleagues and relatives. We will surely miss him.

On a summer’s night

Thoughts of you drift in my mind

Like the scent of pine…

- Matt

Note: this poem was written by Matt for Jojang