The Ultimate Gift

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16 

Watching some cartoons on kids' TV with my children one lazy afternoon, I was dismayed to find how twisted our values have gone. A music video was shown of a song "Chintzy" with a couple of famous cartoon characters portraying some gift-giving. A notorious friend was having his birthday and his friend gave him a personal gift, a picture of them together when they were young, framed, and obviously, well-kept and treasured. And the birthday celebrator's reaction? A song that goes along these lines... A picture framed, chintzy! A sweater you made, chintzy! Give me a Ferrari, a trip to Hawaii and throw in a million bucks!

Hands On (and More) Part 2

Gifts

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17). The joy of working with our hands in service and the privilege of enjoying the fruits of our labors comes only from our Creator.

But what if you don't know what your gift is?

Growing up, I thought I knew what I was going to be and where I was going. But having gone through so many detours and u-turns, I had become very confused. God, though, has been very patient with me.

Hands On Part 1

Craft-y

I've never been crafty with my hands as my younger sister is. She is utterly awesome that she has made a business out of it. (Check out some of her work below or visit her website www.estherspalace.com. No apologies as I am just so proud of her.)

I wish I am as skillful as her but I haven't quite mastered the use of my hands or explored the wonders it can do.

Actually, I have done some exploration back in high school. We had to do a sewing project for our Home Ec class, but being one who can't construct anything out of nothing, much less a mass of threads and pieces of cloth, I pressured my mom into teaching me how to sew together an apron. (Uh-huh, pretty ambitious. An apron! Should have set my sights on a handkerchief and passed it on as a table napkin.)

Snow

She can't get enough of the snow...

It's winter here in Russia. Snow is everywhere.

The family was out up in the mountains with friends for some barbecue in the snow. We dressed up pretty warmly to avoid the cold and to really enjoy the moment. We are appreciative of the scene outside. It looked pure, undefiled, soft and WHITE.

Very white. I wondered then how snow happens to get so white.

Far From Perfect

I'm not so sure why I'm writing about that Proverbs 31 woman.  You know, that Mrs. Perfect who has a spotless home, impeccable taste, boundless energy and talent, poised, and sweet as honey? I am just so far from being like her, that the more I read about her, the more sure I am that if I get to meet her, really meet her in person, I would most likely be reduced to two inches tall (or should I say short? or shorter? I mean, I am already short!).

Trusting God with Life's Adventures

It has been awhile since my last post. There has been a lot to do for me and my family. We have moved  to another temporary home. In Russia. With our present moving, we are not immune to a lot of excitement and decisions to make. Decisions on where to move or whether we will move, when to move, how to move, and what to move. There was a lot of stress and it has to be managed or there will be no thriving, only suffering.

Well, life constitutes change and transitions.

Mirror

I looked at myself in the mirror and I was aghast to see that I had become heavier, wider and stouter since I woke up that morning. Hmm... I turned sideways and I can see that my belly seemed to be bulging more than it used to and, wow! my behind... it was sagging down to my knees. (Maybe an exaggeration, but really, it looked like it was really hanging that loose!) So I sucked in my belly and stood straighter but it wasn't helping my image in the mirror a bit.

Ultimate Loving

I was weak. I had a fit. Basically, I was complaining that I was tired of having to take care of three kids, help them with their homework, cook and feed them when I get home from work while my husband has to stay home. It was one of those mommy-things wherein the day's stress at work, the children's inexhaustible energy, the seemingly never-ending rituals of tucking them to bed, and some paranoid thoughts created a combustion that, well, I wasn't able to handle. Or maybe it's just me. I was tired and couldn't help but let other people (well, there was only my husband) know in a really, really huge way how I felt. Oh yeah, a pretty childish enormous way. I wasn't able to 'let go' when I should have let it all go and should have breathed in, breathed out. I shoulda, woulda, coulda... But it was too late.

Waiting on the Ultimate Parent

Oh, to be patient! It would solve most of my life's problems. I would be the best mom that ever walked on this earth, the sweetest wife that mankind has ever known, scores of people will be my friend and will stay to be my friend.

Patience is a virtue that is needed, oh, so needed by everybody in this world. Sadly, however, I lack it. I often find myself saying to my kids and students, "Be careful." Then in the next breath I would say, "Hurry up!" Worst, I kept stopping myself from automatically demanding several times a day "Hurry up", when I just said, "Go slowly" or "Write slowly". I really sound like that familiar sentiment, "Lord, give me patience, and give it to me now!" I am an oxymoron personified.

I was four months pregnant and living with my family on the fourth floor of a building. Whenever my 19-month old son and I would go out, I had to carry him down flights of stairs on my hip supported by one arm while the other arm had to carry a heavy stroller that weighed like it was made of pure iron. There was no elevator on that building. After carrying my son and dragging the stroller in my preggy condition on the stairs, my arm would become so tired that I was afraid I would either drop my son or we'd tumble down the stairs. So I would decide to stop.

I could not continue on on that kind of laborious activity. With only one short set of stairs to tackle before reaching the bottom, I had to decide whether to bring the stroller down first, or my son on those steps. If I bring the stroller down first, my son would be left at the top of the stairs, with the possibility of him trying those steps himself. My hands won't be available to catch him as they would be busy carrying the stroller. That would be disastrous. If I carry my son first, then it would be dangerous for on one side was the open door with plenty of possibilities for my son to explore and on the other side was another flight of stairs going to a dark basement.

Most of the time I would carry him down the stairs, but at times, I would leave him at the top. But one thing for sure that I would do was to talk to him, asking him to wait on me. Even at his young age I would instruct him of what he needs to do and what I have to do. There was no other way. So I would tell him that I needed to bring the stroller down and that I would need his help. I would ask him to wait for me with his back on the wall and to stay exactly where he was. I had to repeat it many times until I could see that he understood what he was asked to do and that I was sure that he would do it. To my great relief and satisfaction as a mother, he did wait on me ALL the time.

I wonder if God asks us to wait on Him for He knows exactly the danger that is around us, just as I knew what would happen if my son would step towards that open door or those stairs that lead to the basement. I knew that beyond that open door were not only possibilities of exploration and discoveries that my son was so excited about, but there was also danger. And down at the bottom of the stairs of the basement, with broken a leg or something, was not where I wanted him to be. I had great plans of where I wanted to take my child for an outing. I wanted him to be able to enjoy the day with me, safe and happy. That is exactly what God wants for us. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:10-12. Our Ultimate Parent wants us to wait on Him and to enjoy the great plans He has for us.

Just as I know that my son's development is not mature enough to tackle that open door, its dangers and possibilities, and those steps and the dark basement below; my Ultimate Parent also knows when I am ready enough to take on challenges. We are not mass-produced in a factory with identical experiences and growth. Rather, we are made uniquely and our experiences, learning and growth are tailor-made just for us, for our optimal development. God made us, and He knows exactly what we need to grow and be happy. He wants us to wait on Him. He knows best. He wants what is best for us. At times it may not be what we want, still we wait on Him, trusting that He knows what He is doing. In waiting, we develop patience, we develop strength of character, we develop an intimate relationship with our Ultimate Parent, we become strong in Him.

"They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint." Teach me, Lord, to wait.

Progress Report

It's that time of the month. No, I'm not PMS-ing. Nor am I having the actual monthly visit. I am writing progress reports. I don't really look forward to this activity, but as a teacher, this is expected from me.  My students (and their parents) need to know how they are doing and how their skills are improving.

So here I am rating one student Excellent in speaking, while rating the other student Needs Improvement.

Learning from the Ultimate Parent

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." 2 Peter 3:18
 
Since becoming a parent, I have been in awe of the power that parents have over their children. The power to make them or break them, to fashion them into society's best or cursed,  and to affect their lives and the way they live them. That, I would say, is a power akin to playing God. This power gives us the audacity to wield control and to determine the destiny of a human being. That, would make any person nervous and question his abilities and qualifications.

Who, in this world, is qualified to to be a parent? Who has the academic qualifications, the experience, the skills to parent?

Toddler Time is...

So, I have a toddler. My third, actually. Though kids are their cutest during this time, it's also the time when they wreak havoc the most. So let me define toddler time to get some sense out of it... and hope that I get some lighthearted time out of, phew! stress-inducing moments and some wisdom too.

Toddler time is...

A Pilgrim's Dream

I dream of a beautiful home. A place that I can have for myself. A place where I can run to for shelter and warmth. A place where I can be at ease and be myself. A place where I can freely love, laugh, sing and cry. A place where I can proudly show to others, invite them in, hoping that they find the satisfaction that I have found. I long for this place, this home. 

Maybe you do too?