Back To Hometown for Eid..

 

Tomorrow Insha Allah (God willing) me and my family will do a long trip toward my hometown in Sumedang, located at the west Java province... to celebrate Eid which will taken  place on the coming August 10, 2010...

Alhamdulillah Ramadhan fasting will end up the next two days... and we will be ready to face the day of victory for us all muslims around the  globe... Welcome Eid...!!

Me and my family will celebrate Eid in my hometown this time ...

the trip will take about 20 hours... we take a car as usual...and hope we  have a safely trip...

Here I wanna say Happy Eid Mubarak to all who celebrate... I also apologized to all my bloggies friends over this  if I make a mistake in words either an intentional or unintentional...

Hopefully this year Eid will bring us more blessings and joyous...

Here I also wanna apologize to all... coz during this Eid holidays (about 1 week or more)  I'll probably rarely  online or visiting your blog... coz maybe the connection I  used during my trip was not as good as my connection in my home...

I promise... when I'm home I will be back to visit you all...

Thank you so much to all for always give me lots of support and always brighten my days by your visit and your lovely comment on my blog..

I always appreciate you very much!!

God blessed you all...

Happy Independence Day, Indonesia!!

On  Tuesday 17th August 2010, Indonesia will celebrate the 65th Independence Day.  Nowadays the red  white flags  were flown everywhere in my country.  The  buildings, the mall, schools and of course the goverment buildings all lighted up by the red and white. There're a lot of people along the roadside selling the red  white flag....

I also bought one to flown myself in  our  yard, because my old flag has been quite worn and faded.

Along  the roadside,  lots of  the red white flag's vender were hawking their  wares

One of the vender was offering his merchandise to me... I bought one for about 15.000 rupiahs

Actually there're lots of activities to celebrate the Independence day... The populer game was named 'Panjat Pinang'... In my neighbourhood, this game was usually held every year, but this time I have no idea, because the Independence day this time was coincided with the holy month of Ramadan when Indonesian Muslims practice fasting for 1 month....

In 'Panjat pinang'  a palm trunk was erected in a public area which is well greased with a mixture of clay and oil. Various prizes in the form of bikes, TVs , radios, T-shirts, shoes, etc were hung at the top and kids and even grownups climb over each other struggling to reach the goal. In the end there are a lot of slippery, muddy kids and grownups all happy and smiling after their exercise of fun.

As I didn't have any pic about 'Panjat Pinang', here I share a caricature of Panjat Pinang, created by my son Vincent: "Panjat Pinang Hit by Tornado'.... enjoy!!

My son,  Baim was tying the red and white flag, he's still in his school uniform...

Hahaha....smile happily!!

Every year  on August 17  the red  white flag was always flown as usual  in my area as an honor and love for Indonesia.

With the spirit of the Independence day, as the commoners,  I hope Indonesia will become increasingly mature, more advanced, can continue to improve the welfare of its people ...

Just expect Indonesia to be a peaceful country secure and prosperous ...

My daughter, Ochi posed under the red white flag in my narrow yard...

Happy Independence day, Indonesia!

MERDEKA!!

Happy Ramadhan ...

 Welcome Ramadhan

Month of Grace and forgiveness

To all each and every muslim here and out there

Wishing you a very happy Ramadhan
May Allah always be blessed us

Alhamdulillah, thanks to Allah... Ramadhan, the holy loved month of all muslim around the globe will be coming soon.. Here in Indonesia Ramadhan will begin at 11th August 2010.

Ramadhan was the month when every muslim do fasting from dawn to dusk (sunset). Fasting is not only about refrain of drink, eating or sex activities... but more for improve our faith and piety towards Allah The Almighty.

Actually the essence of fasting is more to redirect our heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity.

Every ramadhan night muslim will perform the special pray called 'Taraweh" which held in the mosque...Me and my family were also doing so... but sometimes I usually Taraweh at home, and my hubby with our children go to the mosque...Actually Taraweh is the great moment for the kids.

especially for my little son Baim... He's so excited when time for Taraweh coming... because after taraweh he can play fireworks or even firecrackers with his friends...

which I always forbid, but he still keep playing happily...

My son Baim

This little man is  the one who very excited when ramadhan or esp 'taraweh' coming

However Ramadhan is really a great time for me to teach our kids for being a good muslim, learning how to purify our soul, how to spread out the kindness, offer more prayers, give charity, more to read Al Quran, and make more Dhikr...

I really feel grateful for the presence of Allah The Almighty, for His grace me and my family here are still able to meet The holy month of ramadhan this year... Hopefully we can be reunited again with the ramadhan in subsequent years.

Ameen!

Happy Mother's Day....

Happy mother's day to all mom here and out there....

A mother is the truest friend we have... 

when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us...

when adversity takes the place of prosperity...  

when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine... desert us when troubles thicken around us...

still will she cling to us...

and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness...

and cause peace to return to our hearts.

-- Washington Irving (1783-1859)

As I'm not good on writing a poem... here I wanna share a poem  from  

Howard Johnson (c. 1915)

M-O-T-H-E-R

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,

Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER",
A word that means the world to me.

 If you wanna... send this  poem to your mom!!

Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Valentine's Day To You...

Today is a very special day , the Chinese New Year and The Valentine's  day … come on  by the same day on 14th of  Feb. 2010…
Here I wanna greet you all my readers who celebrate this day…
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR  and  HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY for all of you ….
Wishing you all the best of healthy, wealthy, and may the year bring you all happiness and  loves….
Good luck to all…




 

Happy Eid ul Adha....

Allaahu akbar....Allaahu akbar.... Allaahu akbar.....
Laa ilaaha illAllaah
Allaahu akbar,
Allaahu akbar wa li-illaahil-hamd


Happy Eid ul Adha to all people who celebrated….

Here in my place Eid ul Adha recently was soaked by heavy rain over night. According to the news, the hajj/pilgrims in Mecca this year was poured by heavy rain too and even storm…
Until the next morning, the rain was still flushed my town. So Eid ul Adha prayer which usually performed in an open area, this time was done in the mosque and the home sides wich attached the tent. However, the congregation did not reduce the concentration of the implement.

Just like other Muslims through-out the world, we celebrate the feast of Eid ul Adha by cutting the animal sacrifice. In my neighborhood most of sacrificial animals used are cows and goats, but beef remains the most, because the meat is more likable than goat meat which containing high cholesterol.

As in previous years our family also purchased a cow sacrificed joint venture with other citizens. A cow is usually valid for 7 people sacrifice, and my family as usual used to pay the sacrifice cows for 2 people. This year collected 6 cows and 5 goats from the citizens to be distributed to the entitled.
As you all known the meat from the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha is mostly given away to others. One-third is eaten by immediate family and relatives, one-third is given away to friends, and one-third is donated to the poor.

The Feast of the Sacrifice symbolizes obedience to Allah and its distribution to others is an expression of generosity, one of the five pillars of Islam.

I wish the Sacrifice will be able to further increase my faith and devotion to Allah ... Amen!