SUCCESS, PEACE, a(I)Nd COOKING (Proud of you Ninang! 😋😋)

Just follow directions!

It has always been in my mind to try.. In my heart to set an example to my daughters.. My dream to please my husband (in another way 😋.. besides engaging in intelligent discussion hehe😘). But it took me seventeen years to finally believe, act, and succeed.. at (drumroll please!) COOKING (Ninangkopo hehe). Last night I cooked Chicken Curry (Wootwoot! Pat on my back.. Handshake..Hug😋.. With some tears of joy..) for dinner. And it gave me peace to finally hear my children “wow Mommy! You cooked this on your own.. Yum!! Can we eat now?!”  and see a different twinkle in the eyes of my husband.

I guess many have been putting off success (and me getting good at cooking– feeling good na!) when yes, all they need is the resolve and the directions to do so. I decided I will cook yesterday (took faith and courage too hehe). I asked for a recipe from my daughters who had more experience in cooking (shame one me!) and they consulted the Internet 😋😋 and downloaded (go to someone with experience and knowledge! 😬)

It took belief and effort to go out of my way to buy the ingredients (Success is a two-way street– you have to decide to do what’s necessary. And anything “bad” is never necessary, just in case I’m taken out of context.🤔). I drove and went to the supermarket (when I could just be sleeping or reading a book- not necessarily bad I say🤔) and bought (yay!).

I had a recipe. I believed it’s a good recipe (I think my daughter tried it in school 😬). I followed the recipe to the letter, adding salt and pepper to taste (which was also instructions in the recipe.. Maybe except for the pepper😊). And “Voila!”, a perfectly cooked chicken curry!! Ok– with help from my “sous chef(s)” ate M and ate V who did the cutting, and the mixing (only!) when there was oil heavily crackling (a.k.a. tumitilamsik na mantika!!)

While cooking, our driver, through the screen door of the kitchen, told me “doktora! Anyone can cook..” Haha! We have watched “Ratatouille” countless times in the car, and now I’m not sure if that catapulted that very moment of actually cooking (pwede!). If you don’t know, “anyone can cook” is the gist and tagline, of the movie (watch if if you haven’t).

So the bottomline (already? Ninang? “Mag-church pa..”): with belief, resolve, action, help (daughters and househelp), and most of all, by following directions from someone or something trustworthy, we can succeed at our purposes. Yup, not really at anything, but our purposes. And the sooner we realize the purposes of God the better. A mother of course should be able to prepare food for her kids 😊 (and a doctor, for example, be an advocate for his patients; and someone who really knows how to sing, to be a singer; and someone with gift of administration to lead).

So what about Success in Life in general (ok here goes..). Oh not from me, but from the author, and therefore ultimate expert, in LIFE, SUCCESS, and PEACE. 😋😋😋😋😋 (Ninangkopo! Ganyan Talaga!!!) See below.. And more from the bible (!) 😋

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8)

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

– Ninang thoughts before Sunday church 😋