Happy Father’s Day, Mom:You Will Always Be My Hero

Repost from write up in CCF website for Train Your Children Sunday message.

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Today June 19, 2011 is Father’s Day. One day that honors all the fathers who have worked countless hours to be able to provide and more. But also, one day that magnifies how much my supermom is both a mother and a father to me.

Also today on Jose Rizal’s birthday, I would like to declare that my mom is my hero; she is my model in every way. My supermom is everything to me. She not only took the role of providing for me and my sister, but she was also hands on with us and taught us much. I can never think of a time that she wasn’t present in my life. Even if she worked 9 hours a day, she has mastered the art of juggling priorities – I always felt her presence. More than these, my mom has also taught me how to pray. I love to read and she used this passion of mine to teach me about God and moral character through Children’s Bible Stories and other reading materials. I was taught to talk to God, encouraged to tell him the desires and intentions of my heart.

I am very grateful for my mom and for her introducing God to me and likewise; however I could not deny that the absence of my father or having a father-figure was an obstacle in my spiritual life. My prayer couldn’t go past graces before meal time or the daily morning “thank you for another day to celebrate the miracle of life”. I couldn’t fully open up and have a deeper, fulfilling relationship because I did not know how to treat a father. Most especially when I felt no effort from the other end and had the feeling that I was not thought of, unimportant and unloved by the one person who should reflect God.

But truly, through the message I was reminded that if we have a father who can’t forgive you or does not like you, it does not mean that God is so. His outstretched arms signify otherwise, He does not love little. His love is so great and immeasurable that it overflows.

Praise God indeed He has His ways to always reach out to me; He spoke to my spiritual mentor in college for me to be able to confront this dilemma. I realized then that though my earthly father might be absent, my heavenly father is far much greater, His presence more than enough, He is the very constant in my life.

As I opened my heart to the service today, I could not help but appreciate my mom all the more on Father’s Day. Pastor Peter said, “A father is worth more than 100 teachers”. I believe so, and my mom who stood as a father to me was not only worth a hundred teachers but she is much much more.

Let me end with one conversation I had with my mom a week ago. I was sharing to her how blessed I was to have been able to hear the family series in CCF. I was telling her about having positive relationships and intentional teaching so she may also share these with her friends and new parents. I told her these are a tremendous help to me should I be blessed to have children someday or spiritual children no less. After sharing these, my mom’s question left a mark on me: Did I regret my past? How she raised me was quite different from what I learned recently.

It took me a while to answer her. Then I finally said, No Mom. I do not regret my past. I do not regret anything because everything brought me to this moment that I may be able to testify of God’s movement in my life for His greater glory. I wouldn’t want my history to be any other way.

Mom, I wouldn’t want any other parent to teach me about what I know. I still have a lot to learn from you. You are my best Teacher and my HERO. Mom, you are more than enough, never were you less. Mom, YOU are the greatest blessing. YOU are God’s best.

The Wisdom of Teaching Intentionally (part 2 of 2)

On Teaching Intentionally to both biological and spiritual children, we not only teach them about themselves but we also should teach them how to relate to their environment, and their friends.

II. About Friends

(A.) Their friends will impact them either positively or negatively.

 Pastor Peter advises his kids that they should be friendly to everyone, but they should choose who to be close with, Who to be with around with.

As Proverbs 13:20 states, He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

Some friends may pull you up, influence you to do good, study harder, and just simply bring out the best in you. But there are also those kind of people who will drag you down. Even if you are raised to be of good moral character, sometimes peer pressure gets the best of you. In 1 Corinthians 15:33 we are reminded that “Bad company corrupts good character.” But though they are in that situation, God will always always provide a way out as Paul Tan-Chi, Pastor Peter's son, testified. There will never be a trial or temptation that will be too much to handle and too much that you couldn't overcome.

On the subject of smoking or drinking which usually surfaces as early as high school, and even more rampant in college, your children will have to face this sooner or later. Will they fall, will they stand? What should you say?

Remind them of this: 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 "Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.  Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Every time they attempt to smoke or to drink, let them ask themselves, how in any way is this beneficial? Am I doing this for God's greater glory?

Always let your children think twice. Let them be intentional in things that they do and not like a feather in the wind -  no direction, easily swayed.

(B.) The importance of priority

Friends are important but they are NOT the most important. We were given a priority list.

1st God

2nd Family

3rd Studies/Responsibilities

4th Friends

With the help of the priority list, they would be given a perspective on what they should put first in their lives.

WE were also taught the same idea Pastor Peter taught his kids: treat your family like you treat your best friend.

Some people may be mean to their siblings, or disrespectful to their parents, but when it comes to friends, they put out their best selves.

 (B.) It is impractical to have a Boyfriend/Girlfriend early in high school/college until they are ready to get married.

It is indeed impractical because you are closing your options, ruining the chance to be able to meet new friends, try new things. It is true that having an immature relationship hinders you from reaching your potential. There is always the jealousy or the insecurity of their bf/gf being with someone else, or  doing activities without them.

In worse cases these relationships could cause them to sin. Then the scare. Then the pregnancy. Then the stage when they are forced into adulthood when they are the least ready.

When this happens, there is no turning back. They have fallen into the deepest hole, difficult to pull them back.

Parents you do not want this to happen to your children, so as early as now teach them what is right. Teach them the value of waiting for the right person, the joy of finding the right one. That moment couldn't be more perfect. Their life lived with no regrets.

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Some people take parenthood lightly. Some people my age would even want to already be parents even when they're not ready. They do not understand the huge responsibility.

 If you want to raise your child right then you have to be INTENTIONAL in teaching them. From the way to bathe themselves, how to do their homework. From the littlest of things to the bigger decision-making ones. Would you rather have them learn from school or their friends what you should be teaching them? No one could raise them best than you with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the grace of Christ.

The wisdom then of teaching intentionally is this: you will raise children who have a good head on their shoulders. They are ready to face the world, they are ready to serve. And what could be more fulfilling than knowing that your child is able to make the wisest decisions and make a wonderful life of his/her own. You cannot be more proud as a parent. In raising your child the best way you can, being 100% present, you have done your duty in bringing glory and honor to Christ.