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Last weekend, my hubby and I had the opportunity to attend a retreat in Tagaytay. It was very refreshing and we really learned a lot from the speakers.
I missed the first talk because I had to attend Faye's activity in school; my hubby just went ahead with the rest of our group, and Faye and I just went to Tagaytay after lunch. The first talk, I was told, was very striking and relevant to everybody who attended the retreat. The second talk was just as relevant and when the speaker shared about his experience with his son, not a single eye in the audience was dry. He shared the struggles that his family had when his son was diagnosed with Sarcoma (cancer of the connective tissue) at the age of 10. The doctors wanted to amputate his leg, but through prayers, they were led to a doctor who opted for surgery and medications. The boy recovered, and he was very active in sports, but after a few years, the cancer metastasized to his lungs where they found nodules during a routine X-ray examination. The doctors said he would only live for six months unless they operated on him by removing half of his lungs. The boy didn't want to undergo the operation. They stormed the heavens in praying for his recovery, while at the same time undergoing medications and chemotherapy procedures. Through all this, the family has remained strong and has drawn strength also from the support of their brothers and sisters in the community. The boy was also very strong and was even able to finish his High School despite having to stop twice due to the treatments that he had to undergo.
Through all these trials, the family has leaned on the promise of the song, God Will Make a Way --- when there seems to be no way. They sung this song when their son was in pain; the father sung this song when his son went into comatose after a collapsed lung; he was singing God Will Make a Way while the doctors were trying to revive his son, and until his son died in his arms.
We have always believed that in everything that happens in our lives, God has a reason, and though we may not understand it during the time that the crisis came into our lives, in His time, He will reveal to us His purpose for all of these.
The father also shared that whenever some people talk to him complaining about their kids, like having rebellious teens, disobedient kids, kids who ran away from their homes, he always tell them that "it's OK, don't worry about it, at least your kids are alive, that stage will pass, what's important is they are with you and they are well, and are alive." He even joked, "if you want, let's exchange our kids."
What he said is true, it was very striking for us. It hit us right where it matters. We don't always realize that our kids are God's gift to us, and that He can take them back whenever He want to. Sometimes, the pressures of our everyday lives take its toll on our relationship with our kids, they can easily get to our nerves whenever they are being naughty, or whenever they are in constant bickering with their siblings. We easily ran out of patience and we sometimes think that they do it on purpose just to get our attention. But after hearing the sharing made by our brother in the community, we suddenly realized that we wouldn't trade this for anything else; better to have to undergo trials of sibling rivalry or disobedient kids, than to see your kids being withered away by incurable disease. I think that's the ultimate fear of every parent: to see your kids slowly being eaten by cancer.
Let's all kiss and hug our kids, and thank God for giving them to us, and never stop in praying that they will be protected from any sickness and that they remain healthy and playful.
I missed the first talk because I had to attend Faye's activity in school; my hubby just went ahead with the rest of our group, and Faye and I just went to Tagaytay after lunch. The first talk, I was told, was very striking and relevant to everybody who attended the retreat. The second talk was just as relevant and when the speaker shared about his experience with his son, not a single eye in the audience was dry. He shared the struggles that his family had when his son was diagnosed with Sarcoma (cancer of the connective tissue) at the age of 10. The doctors wanted to amputate his leg, but through prayers, they were led to a doctor who opted for surgery and medications. The boy recovered, and he was very active in sports, but after a few years, the cancer metastasized to his lungs where they found nodules during a routine X-ray examination. The doctors said he would only live for six months unless they operated on him by removing half of his lungs. The boy didn't want to undergo the operation. They stormed the heavens in praying for his recovery, while at the same time undergoing medications and chemotherapy procedures. Through all this, the family has remained strong and has drawn strength also from the support of their brothers and sisters in the community. The boy was also very strong and was even able to finish his High School despite having to stop twice due to the treatments that he had to undergo.
Through all these trials, the family has leaned on the promise of the song, God Will Make a Way --- when there seems to be no way. They sung this song when their son was in pain; the father sung this song when his son went into comatose after a collapsed lung; he was singing God Will Make a Way while the doctors were trying to revive his son, and until his son died in his arms.
We have always believed that in everything that happens in our lives, God has a reason, and though we may not understand it during the time that the crisis came into our lives, in His time, He will reveal to us His purpose for all of these.
The father also shared that whenever some people talk to him complaining about their kids, like having rebellious teens, disobedient kids, kids who ran away from their homes, he always tell them that "it's OK, don't worry about it, at least your kids are alive, that stage will pass, what's important is they are with you and they are well, and are alive." He even joked, "if you want, let's exchange our kids."
What he said is true, it was very striking for us. It hit us right where it matters. We don't always realize that our kids are God's gift to us, and that He can take them back whenever He want to. Sometimes, the pressures of our everyday lives take its toll on our relationship with our kids, they can easily get to our nerves whenever they are being naughty, or whenever they are in constant bickering with their siblings. We easily ran out of patience and we sometimes think that they do it on purpose just to get our attention. But after hearing the sharing made by our brother in the community, we suddenly realized that we wouldn't trade this for anything else; better to have to undergo trials of sibling rivalry or disobedient kids, than to see your kids being withered away by incurable disease. I think that's the ultimate fear of every parent: to see your kids slowly being eaten by cancer.
Let's all kiss and hug our kids, and thank God for giving them to us, and never stop in praying that they will be protected from any sickness and that they remain healthy and playful.
2 comments:
So true. Yes, it is important to sit back and count your blessings daily.
great pic!
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