42

Talk about delayed reaction. It's been five days since my birthday and it just dawned on me today that I'm now 42. Forty-two????!!!!

But other than seeing signs of little wrinkles on my face and the appearance of unwanted fats elsewhere, I find no reason to feel bad about being 42. In fact, I can think of at least 42 reasons to be thankful for right now:

1. hot lunch of breaded chicken and buttered veggies
2. yummy breakfast of garlic fried rice, eggs sunny side up and dilis
3. Chippy and Coke while working on the computer (my once a week junk fix)
4. the privilege to work from home and write
5. regular writing and editing gigs
6. five dogs that keep us company
7. the desire and time to cook (I cooked stir fried beef with ginger yesterday! Wagi!)
8. the Internet--how it makes my work life better
9. Facebook and Multiply which have connected me with friends and loved ones here and abroad
10. the song "When I Think About the Lord" which pretty much sums up what I feel when I think of all He has done in my life
11. Marley & Me by John Grogan, the book I'm reading now, which amazes me for being so well written in spite of the simple topic
12. my foodie friend Erli who I eat out with about once a week or so
13. Ugly Betty, and how it makes me laugh
14. ER rerun on the Hallmark Channel
15. the free chocolate cake I got from Figaro a few days ago just because it was the week of my birthday
16. having LTO outlets at the malls, which is a relief for all of us who used to line up with the crowds at LTO offices
17. my high school batchmates at School of the Holy Spirit--still gorgeous after 25 years
18. my wacky friends from The Varsitarian -- still there even if they're all famous and successful
19. earning from blogging! Thanks, Google Adsense
20. the gardener who makes sure our flowering plants blossom. We have yellow bells, pink bougainvillea, and many others I cannot identify
21. my orthopedic bed
22. my wonderful church
23. my small group at church (also called d-group)--such big-hearted ladies
24. body massages. Every time a masseuse works on the tense knots on my back, I can't help but thank God for teaching people how to do a massage.
25. peppermint foot lotion and foot massages
26. handmade organic soaps (oatmeal, guava, watermelon...)
27. my pink little Monologue planner which can fit in my bag
28. cellphones and how they make keeping in touch a breeze
29. sisig
30. manggang hilaw at bagoong
31. Jill Sandique's pistachio sans rival
32. barako coffee
33. Japanese green tea
34. the car I drive
35. The Prayer sung by Josh Groban
36. my only kuya, Boy, who calls from Tokyo once a week at least, and his family
37. my sister Babes, who doesn't look her age, and her family
38. my sister Cecille, who can whip up a huge bowl of yummy macaroni salad, and her family
39. my dad, who is also a father figure to my son
40. my mom--it takes only a little to make her happy: a trip to the mall, lunch or dinner out, and Wowowee
41. my son who's like an old soul
42. my God, who sustains me each day and shows me how great His love is for me

Photo by Marivic Henson-Ferma, New Zealand

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg shows what good writing is all about--writing from the heart, plain and simple.

VERSE OF THE WEEK: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. Hebrews 13:5