Last week, Romeo and I received a phone call from our second son, Roman. He is a volunteer staff at Mexico Caravan Ministry. He left last May 2009 and originally had the intention of staying there for the summer...until further leading made him decide to take on the staff offer for a year.
It was hard for me to grasp God's will when Roman was still here in Edmonton. My default was to think kids have to finish their university or college education as soon as possible, and do whatever volunteer work afterwards. Roman had been hinting that he might stay for a year in Mexico as a volunteer, and comeback for his studies, when he is more mature, spiritually and emotionally. Romeo was broadminded from the start and he sensed that Roman might take the one year route as a volunteer staff.
Roman was surprised when he talked to me and i gave him my blessings with the decision he made. What happened?
One thing i learned along my pilgrim's journey is to realize that my purpose is different from Romeo's, from Zean's, from Roman's, from Riva's and from Riza's. When I was single, my goal was to finish my studies as quickly as possible, get a job as fast as possible, and leave home. But, my home experience when i was single was totally different from what my children was accustomed to. As parents, Romeo and I asked God for constant discernment on what guidance and counsel we give our children, since they are all different. Because we constantly asked guidance from Him, my kids are, by God's grace relatively good. They are still sinners, just relatively good, by God's grace.
While Romeo and I try to give godly guidance as much as possible, my children will challenge the faith we instilled in their lives. My eldest, a rebel at heart, like me, would see God, feel Him, commune with Him, in a very different way. My second son, a soft-hearted young man, would see the world in his own perception. My third and fourth child will also respond differently, given the same situation.
Whatever route they take, as long as it is the long and narrow way towards pleasing the Creator that made them, then i would rest in peace.
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