Super Josh

In one of my conversations with Josh, an old father, he said: "I want to be cremated and be buried within 24 hours after I am dead. I told my son not to come home anymore for my burial..."

As our conversation went further, I learned why he said so: he did not want to 'bother' his son anymore. To rephrase it: he does not want to be a 'bother' anymore to anybody.

Josh is altruistic, but when it's time for him to receive attention and generosity, he panics. Oftentimes, his refusals were misunderstood as pride and sarcasm.

While most of us enjoy attentions and cares, there are people out there who, although deep inside they want, would blush at the mention of their names. It's not that they don't want any attention; it's just that they could hardly accept that they too need attention.

Josh is every person who feels this way. Most Joshes I met are parents. They could be your parents, or husband or wife, or mentors, or friends. Josh could be you. 

But, please,  when you meet Joshes along the way, don't hesitate to acknowledge them. They may refuse it, but deep inside, it's actually what they need.

 

Father,
While it’s sweeter to give than to receive,
Teach us as well to receive and enjoy the blessings
Which our loved ones share with us.
May we not neglect people
The attention and acknowledgement they deserve,
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

photo: clipartguide.com| posted by john b. bejo

River~Crossing

I lived my life by the riverside for more than 16 years, and our greatest obsession was to get to the other side of it without an aid of any life vest.

The roughly 100 meters distance plus the strong current looked intimidating. In fact, while most of us made it to the other side, some did not.  The funny but sad thing was, when we were halfway, some would decide to go back.
Let me say it again: HALFWAY.

Oftentimes goals are like that. The distance and the thought of difficulties seem intimidating. Fatigue and the feeling of being under-appreciated wear us out.  The worse is, sometimes we don't only quit, but we go back to where we came from with more frustrations,  fears and tears; not knowing that we're almost there.

The most trying moment in the life of Jesus Christ was not the time when he was carrying that chunk of tree and dying on the cross. It was his agony in the garden. It was the time when he was tempted to give up, to pass the cup and go back.

Life is a series of river-crossing. The current may bring us farther from our goal, and we may feel under appreciated. But know that going back oftentimes posts more danger and requires more energy  than moving forward.

Keep swimming…

 

Father,
Stay with us as we take this perilous journey.
Keep us on track,
Keep us in Jesus.
Amen.

photo: Google image | posted by john b. bejo

Audacious Parents

One of the confusing stories I read in the Bible was the story of Abraham offering his son to God. The story was too much for anybody before as well as today. Imagine a God asking you to offer your own child in a bloody sacrifice... but Abraham was very much willing to do it because of his faith in God.

They said children of this generation are very much different from years ago. Are they? Or, is it the other way around?

Bringing our children to God needs diligent love and audacity, I may say. 
The two major reasons why parents could not impose discipline on their children are
1. laziness and
2. the fear of losing their children's love for them.
God wants us to offer our children to God even to the point of losing them: losing their love for us.

It needs audacity and diligent love to tell our children
to fix their beds,
to feed the pets,
to limit their TV and Facebook time,
to respect silence and pray...

"Fools despise wisdom and discipline... The fear of the Lord is the first stage of Wisdom" ~ cf. Prov. 1:7

This is the meaning of "sacrificing our children to God..."

 

Father,
Thank You for Your diligent and audacious love.
You Yourself has showed this to us
By offering Your own Son for the love of us.
Bless and make us diligent and audacious lovers,
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

photo: HnK | posted by john b. bejo

Bedtime Stories

After reading the quote from Steve Allen, " “Radio is the theater of the mind; television is the theater of the mindless” I talked to the kids. We later decided to junk out the TV.

The result was more than I had imagined: before bedtime, they brought me their story books. But they love  to hear more of the stories I got from my father.
After each story they would clap their hands and give us hugs. What a prize!

I believe this is how Jesus was brought up. Every night, Joseph and Mary would tell him stories and he would clap his hands and give them hugs. That Jesus was a great story teller is not a secret. Jesus loves stories; stories that teach, stories that heal...

Stories that teach, stories that heal: these are the stories people need to hear...
Stories that teach, stories that heal…

 

Father,
Thank You for the stories that taught and healed us
We may refrain from listening, creating and
Repeating stories that only destroy others.
Bless us as we tell the stories
Jesus has told us.
Amen.

photo: allaboutthebible.net| posted by john b. bejo

Actual Grace

Fifteen years ago, I got terribly sick I thought I was dying. It took me some time to realize why I needed to stay at the passenger seat and simply enjoy the ride. 

My sickness forced me to stay and be with my family from whom I was away for 8 long years. That was a precious and healing time with my mother and my siblings.

Ironically, the real disease God wanted me to be cured with was the disease in our family relationship... and my physiological disease was only a part of that cure.  I needed to be forced to stay.

Oftentimes, our physiological disease is just a symptom of a much deeper disease in our relationship and spiritual life. 

When Saul went blind, he was forced to be humble and received healing from the very people whom he persecuted.  His physical blindness was used by God to heal his spiritual blindness. Theology calls it an "Actual Grace." ~ Acts 9:3-9

Every now and then God sends us 'actual graces'.
What have been your actual graces? 

 

Father,
How ironic it is that most of the times,
The graces you sent us are not beautifully wrapped ,
And that we really need a deep faith in You
To recognize them as gifts.
Increase and sustain our faith,
So that we may be able to see the real gifts
Inside seemingly ordinary boxes.
We ask this in Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

photo: Ice Age 3 | posted by john b. bejo

On Fixing People

When I was working as a resolution expert at Dell,  my client told me: "you know what? The job of fixing computers is better than fixing people and relationships." I agreed with her... Some things are unfixable.

One of the big frustrations I saw in other people is their failure to fix other people's lives.  We try to fix other people's lives by giving direct advice, deciding for them and, worst, doing things for them.

When Hans was 3 years old he fell down sliding in the mall.  Two students wanted to help him, but I stopped them. I said: " It's ok. He could get up on his own." 

Sometimes, the best way to teach people how to get up is by letting them fall down. Sad to say,  we don't really know what's best for others... and the best way to love them is by letting them be where they want to be...

Father,
Thank You for the gift of freedom.
Even though it would mean not choosing You,
You still believed in us.
Teach us to respect this freedom
In others by letting them be where they want to be;
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

photo:  Wall E | posted by john b. bejo

GodParents

One of the best growing up experiences is having a godparent.
I have several, and I thank God for them.

I remember spending some time with their families during vacation. None of them was affluent, but I would say, they gave me something to treasure with the whole of my life.

During my graduation, I remember one my godparents sent me their last penny.  Yeah, their last penny and a torn bill. I knew them; I knew that they're the kind of people who would give even their last for me.

Last Christmas was another great opportunity for us to be generous, generous for a reason. I saw myriads of people who were happy. And the happiest people I saw were not those who received, but those who gave.

For all the godparents our there,
There are countless souls right now
who have been thanking God for your selfless generosity.
God listens to them.

You truly are godly - parents...

 

Father,
Thank You for this wonderful experience of generosity.
We thank You for the gift of having godparents.
Please, listen to their prayers;
Be with their families
Make them happy,
And console them
During their darkest moments.
We ask this
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen.

photo: catholicchildrenscompany.com| posted by john b. bejo

God Is not Stingy

I brought my family to a monastery the other day to spend a solemn time with God together. When I asked Namie, Kyle and Hans what they did ask Jesus, they said: "We prayed that Yuri will recover soon and that he will have a house of his own."

Yuri is our first puppy. We could not afford one with a foreign breed, so we decided to adopt a native one. But the kids love him. 

Last night, we made him a decent dog house. This morning they were enthusiastic: Yuri was already running in our garden. God has answered their little prayers.

God answers our prayers, little or big.  He uses people and events to answer those prayers.  In our case, our bonding moment in constructing a doghouse was an answer to their little prayer.

All prayers are ANSWERED. There may be wasted water, wasted food. But no prayer is ever wasted. God listens and answers them... in His own time, in His own terms.

God is not stingy.
Sometimes, we thought He turned us down, but little did we know that He already gave us a BETTER one. 
So next time you think God has turned you down, wait and look around, maybe He's already given you a better one...
God answers ALL our prayers... big or small…

Father,
We praise You for the gift of the desire to pray,
And we thank You even more for listening to them
However trivial they may seem.
Thank You for being a true affective Father to us,
With Jesus Christ Your Son
Amen.

photo: googled| posted by john b. bejo