April 12, 2004

• On the third day, it arose from the dead.  Yes, on Friday night, my car went dead.  Not irrepairably dead, but it sure wasn't starting.  I was reminded a lot by this weekend though.  I can't say that I learned a lot, because it's all stuff I had learned before.

  
  

  First, you can always count on brothers.  Since I don't have any biological brothers, of course, I'm talking about my fraternity brothers.  I called one brother, and since his wife had just given birth, he couldn't come out.  He did the next best thing.  He called other brothers to come out and give me a hand.  With 209 brothers to call on, getting help shouldn't be a problem.

  
  

  Secondly, I was reminded of the greatness of a child's innocence.  Last time I really felt this was in the Philippines in September of 2000, when I met one of my grand-nieces, Vanessa.  Upon just meeting her in Baguio, she hugged me, told me that she wanted to show me her play area, grabbed my hand and led me to a small clearing where she had a little club house.  This time, my cousin Jennifer, my fifteen year old cousin, who had gone out earlier in the day, came to me, who in the mean time had been calling auto parts places and figuring out a way to fix my car, and gave me some chicken nuggets from Wendy's.  It was a small gesture, but it came as a huge surprise to me, and a feeling of appreciation swept over me.  I even denied it at first, but she insisted.  I give as much of myself out to everyone, and it felt so good to get a little more than usual back.  I say more than usual, because I thank God each and every day for what I have.  God sacrificed the most perfect lamb for me, just as ordered in Moses' time.  God sacrificed everything for me.  That is a wonderful gift.  I don't take it for granted.  Similarly, I didn't take the gift that my fifteen year old cousin gave me for granted.

  
  

  Finally, I realized how hard I've been on my uncle, who, like me, is doing what he can.  We're family, and I need to encourage, rather than discourage him, and believe in him, rather than criticize his decisions.  I don't have to agree with him all the time, but I don't need to condemn him for what he does.  I just need to be positive for him.  Then things will be better.  Life has been hard for him.  Life has been hard for both of us.  When I lost my mom, he lost his sister.  Now that my lola is sick, his mother is sick.  We're linked.  We'll always be linked.  He helped me fix my car yesterday.  Easter Sunday, after church, when he had a party to go to, he worked right next to me, for hours, until we got the starter changed.

  
  

  I finally woke up on time in order for me to get to work in time.  I hate how waking up late can mess up your whole day's plans.  It's been that way for me for about a week now.  I blame it one Daylight Savings Time.  I think it had more to do with my lola getting sick and me being worried sick also.  I love her and am doing my best for her, and so I leave the rest up to God.  "I cast all my cares upon You."

  
  

  And on the third day, God arose from the dead.  Thank you God for always reminding me of these lessons.

  • 1:11 pm
  • 1 Comment