ED & LINA DAVID
Our jobs as parents do not end when they graduate when they start working or getting married. We worry about their physical safety and their health. We also wonder about their progress in their careers and how their children are coming along. They continue to be our children long after they have left the nest.
Our children’s spiritual development concerns us. We look at telltale signs such as their attendance in Sunday mass and holidays of obligation. But beyond that, we question if the seeds of faith we have planted long ago have taken root. Those who studied abroad have acquired different values. Their attitudes towards life are may be different from ours. The standards of their life partners may also vary and far from our control or influence.
At the end of 2017, Lina and I asked ourselves, “How did 2017 go?” Each of our six children has their “blind spots” and is not yet ready to admit or accept their shortcomings. We fear to tread those hot buttons lest we alienate them or their children. But we must if we care. So with great trepidation, we inquired in a mild manner way how their year had been. Our prayer has always been for our children to experience the joy of knowing God. To our surprise, they said that the Lord had intervened in their lives in so many unique ways.
Our daughter, Tintin, husband, Julius, and their four children, ages 4-21, are moving forward as a family. They discovered the value of thanking God. A most helpful experience for them was when they let go of their housemaids. They became more dependent, helpful, and concerned with one another as a result.
Our son, Paolo, and Mian’s wife have dedicated quality time away from their busy careers. They aim to nurture their faith, work hard, and raise their two daughters well.
We discovered that the concerns we had for our son, Justin, and his new wife, Sam, were their concerns as well. Both have developed a deep faith and confidence in God’s love for them.
As for the rest of our children – sons, Miko and Martin, and daughter, Regine, we nurtured them. We have opened the way for them to discover their spiritual path.
Our journeys differ as we are in different stages of our lives. Sometimes what we work and aspire for – indeed pray for, may not come to pass. But we have learned to wait for God’s perfect timing.
As we look forward to yet another year, we may expect difficulties that may come our way. And these may appear sometimes more substantial than what they are. God, in His mercy and love, surprises us. He consoles those who remain faithful to him.
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