Take time with your loved ones: March 2014

By Cherry Moriones Doromal

Nearly thirty years ago, we used to play a game called “Pass the Message” where the leader would whisper a message ( for instance:“supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”) to two contending team leaders who would each pass the message to the next person in his team, until the message reaches the last member of the team who would shout out the message. Other than the speed, the message to be passed and shouted out has to be correct and precise; otherwise it’s useless.

With my husband Wilson, taken a week ago

Exactly a year after I wrote my blogs entitled “Through the Strong Winds Part 1” and “Through the Strong Winds Part 2 (Learning from an Eagle in Pain)”, I realized that the very words I wrote were meant for me the same month and day a year after. The blogs disclosed the incredible strengths of an eagle, as well as the ironic unimaginable weakness and pain it suffers during the molting process where the supposed robust eagle becomes helpless, necessitating support from stronger eagles.

Recently, the eagle in me got into its molting stage, that one night, I was so anxious that I couldn’t even open my Bible, nor utter a prayer. It was at this fretful time that my husband sat beside me, opened “Our Daily Bread”, read for me God’s message, shared his insights, and led me into a prayer. Incidentally, the text was my life verse Isaiah 40:30-31 saying: "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Then I remembered the previous blogs I mentioned above and read them once again. Here, I had a different appreciation of my writing. I felt like they were not authored by me and that the Lord was talking to me directly.

God’s message is always clear. Though it comes in many forms—direct, indirect, Bible, life’s circumstances, through nature, through media, dreams, etc. -- it’s always timely, correct and precise.

My husband and I regularly attend Sunday Worship with our children Zekie (12 years old) and Strong (8 years old). During the Sermon/ Message part, I noticed that my kids would grab their Iphone units and would concentrate on somewhat texting or gaming gesture. I called on my kids’ attention one time, and I was surprised that contrary to what I thought, they were not texting or playing. They were actually writing their own notes while listening to the Pastor’s message. It’s a moment of discovery that my kids, at their own level, can write well and fast, hahah… and more importantly, understand what’s being preached. Yesterday, I took shots of my 8-year old’s notes (as is, no edits!) which I would like to share with you:

Photo1 (Strong's Notes 3/23/2014)

Photo 2 (Strong's Notes 3/23/2014)

Photo3 (Strong's Notes 3/23/2014)

One significant lesson I learned in this life is that sometimes it takes silence to get to hear clearly what God says, and in all cases... “an open heart!” John 10:14 says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me”, and verses 2 and 16 mention that the sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd. In the same way, when we listen to the Lord our Shepherd and follow His voice, we will never go wrong.

Like a child, may we listen to the words of our Father, all the days of our lives.

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.