DEAD Deadlines

Task: Standardize Service Types and their descriptions (across all VCD initiatives )

Deadline: November 6

Status: 50% complete

Task: Bible lessons (series) for church Bible study leaders

Deadline: October 2009

Status: Still on lesson 1

Task:

Email EGR Kids pastor and coordinate summer camp 2010

Deadline: September 2009

Status: have not emailed him yet

Task: Sunday school curriculum

Deadline: August 2009

Status: Sunday school is still on hold

Task: Resume homeschooling my 2 preschoolers

Deadline: August 2009

Status: still on hold

Task: Revive blog

Deadline: 2008

Status: trying hard to get up

Overall status of deadlines: MAJOR FAIL!!

Something's got to give here so balance can be restored. (sigh)

Plastic Frogs

"Noah, Nanee! I have something for you." my eldest son Caleb cheerily greeted one afternoon as he entered the front door whilst getting rid of his school shoes and socks.

I wondered what he had for his younger siblings and smiled at the thought that he was really a sweet kid. I soon discovered that it was a couple of plastic frogs that could be made to jump by pressing on its backside. Another ingenious Pinoy toy.

Well, my kids had fun. We laughed together as I got on all fours on the living room floor to try out the plastic frogs. We found out that there was a technique to pressing their backs so that they jumped forward and did not belly up. Kinda tricky. But we finally managed. I challenged them to a race. I think my frog bellied up lots of times instead of jumping. But it was fun and with had great laughs.

Learning from My Kids

Lately, God has been teaching me some lessons through my children. Lessons about myself, my parenting and most especially my relationship with Him.

Lesson 1: Unconditional Love
No matter how many times I reprimand them or nag or scold, or discipline them or turn them away when I'm in a really crabby mood, all my three kids still manage to come up to me just to give me a hug with a heart-melting "Love you, Ma" to match.

And I hear God saying, "I love you just like that. Nevermind that you're upset with Me at times or don't want to talk to Me or that you just plain ignore Me. I love you just the same and I will never ever turn you away."

Then I also realize that I really should be careful with my kids' fragile emotions. The thought that if Christ doesn't come back just yet and they get to grow up into adults, makes me promise myself to be a better parent--a more loving mom--so as not to leave emotional scars on their tender hearts.

Lesson 2: Faith
My children always believe what I tell them. Period. And they think I could do just about anything. The idea that I sometimes can't draw them a Parasaurolophus (one of their dinosaurs) is simply unthinkable. I'm supposed to know how to draw that or to make a paper cutout of it. They have a fit if I seriously tell them that I really really don't know how to make it.

I can hear God telling me, "You know I can do absolutely anything. Nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible or too hard for Me. So why don't you just hand over that ministry situation or co-worker relationship that you think is impossible to fix. I can make it much better if You just believe and let Me work on it."

I also realize that I have to live my faith in the God of the impossible in front of my children if I want them to learn how to trust God absolutely. I must first set the example.

Lesson 3: Pay Attention
Just these past couple of weeks I keep hearing myself tell my eldest son, "Caleb! Pay attention! Listen well to instructions. Pay attention to them. Instructions are very important. You won't know what to do without them...are you listening?"

I feel like I have to repeat those same sentences to him every so often these days. But just last week while I was running my usual tirade about paying attention, I suddenly stopped. It was like God was telling me in a loud voice, "You should practice that yourself...paying attention." I also heard Him say almost audibly, "Have you been paying attention to what I've been trying to tell you? Are you listening my child?"

Too often, I now realized how I always seemed to be in a hurry during my time with God. I need to pay attention more to Him if I ever want to fulfill my life's purpose. I also need to pay attention to my husband and children before I expect them to pay attention to me as well. Reciprocity. Mutuality.

Three major life lessons, I must say. I may not have mastered them, I admit. But I'm getting there--learning to apply them everyday, a step at a time. Easier said than done. But still I'm getting there. And getting better.