AWARD WINNING KID

Dear Elisha,

I am writing this letter with tears in my eyes because as I look at you while you’re sound asleep, I realize that you are still a “baby”, but sometimes, I forget that and expect you to act like an adult. You’re only 4 years old and 8 months to be exact and even if at  times you DO talk like a grown  up, you’re still just a little boy who wants to run and play…

Today you received several awards namely: GOLD in Chinese with Best in Math, Best in Language, Best in Social Studies and Best in Bible. SILVER in English with Best in English award. In the past, it was your A-ma who gave you your Chinese ribbons and I gave your English ribbons. But today it was I and Angkong who were there…  As I looked at you on stage, I saw not really much of the medals and the ribbons, but rather an award winning kid who’s happy and confident. Your classmates are at least a year older than you but you have made your way to be on top. Son, I am proud of what you have achieved academically, but I am more proud because you are growing to be happy, confident, obedient and loving to your sister.  As what Ms. Uy (your school principal) mentioned in her speech, good grades isn’t an assurance that a child will turn out to be honest, obedient or knowing God. I absolutely agree. Character formation is of utmost importance… So as early as now, you should know that though I am happy you had all those awards, I am happier because you love to learn, you are kind, generous, you know how to pray for others and most of all, you are fully aware that God loves you.

Kinder 1 Graduation

Here are some of the things you do that makes mama so proud of you EJ 😀

 

You know how to sweep and wipe the floor. You sometimes help in fixing the bed. You can pack away your toys after playing (with a little bit of reminder sometimes). You prepare the “arinola” almost every night. You can take care of Meimei and you get angry when someone wants to get her (kinda like a big brother who will protect her sister!). You follow deals and as what your tita doc said, you have a very nice temperament, very easy to discipline. Sometimes (like right now) you just give me hugs, kisses and tell me “I Love You Mom”. That really makes me happy son…

There are times that I have to repeat and repeat and repeat before you hear me… But that makes you normal. hihi… I’ll write about them some other time. You keep on asking me to sleep already so I’ll listen 😀 I’ll end my letter here and let you read this tomorrow when you wake.. This is a very fresh deal made just now.

I love you and to me, you’re an “A+++++” son. That’s your mama award. Hmmm… I wonder what’s your papa award will be.

Love,

Mama

A 4 Year Old’s Prayer

Dear Elisha,

I’ve been meaning to write you about your prayer times because there had been a lot of instances that you amazed me with your prayers, the ones that you say on your own… Here’s one that’s very fresh that you uttered before you slept this evening (Dec. 2, 2009):

Dear God our Father,

Thank you for blessing our friends and family.

Thank you for our ROCKING CHAIR.

Thank you that tomorrow I can go to school and make my… (you paused and asked me – Mama, what will we make tomorrow in my science class, I forgot – so I had to remind you that you’ll make a clay dough) … my clay dough.

Thank you for blessing others.

In Jesus name, Amen.

I won’t and can’t enumerate everything but just to give you an idea of what you prayed for as a 4 year old boy, read on  🙂

… for Jose Rizal and Ninoy Aquino – that God will bring them back to life so you can see them fly… Well, you thought they’re super heroes so I had a hard time explaining that they’re not!

… for Your papa’s gout to go away and your tita Celyn’s cancer to go away as your prayer before MEALTIME! 🙂

… for the poor family that once slept outside Wilmar’s gate – that God will give them bed so they can sleep on a nice bed,  that God will give them soap so they can take a bath and food so they will not be hungry.

As part of our bedtime prayer, we pray for our family, friends and our country. But sometimes you’d say something like – Mama, let’s not pray for Philippines tonight, I want only China. Or it’s like this – Mama, I don’t want to pray for places, only people. Other times it’s – Mama, I will only pray a very short prayer because I’m sleepy.

Many times we start our prayer time with these lines:

Dear Lord,

Thank you for our wonderful day, Thank you for guiding us today

Be with us Lord as we sleep tonight, Grant us sweetdreams so we can sleep tight.

God Bless Papa, Mama, EJ and Meimei. God Bless the Lo and the Boyero families. God Bless those we love and those who love us.

God Bless China and the Philippines…

Then go on with our other prayer items like praying for a sick family member to be healed, for God to take care of papa, etc.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

But there was one night I cried after we prayed… It was when you had your accident then you asked me while we were praying – Mama, where will God get His healing power? I asked you why are you asking and you told me – Because I want Him to heal me now, my wound is very painful. I just hugged you and told you to sleep and when you wake up, the pain will go away already because God will take it away. Then you said, OK. The next day when you woke up you told me that it was only baby painful because God already healed you!

I pray that as you grow, your knowledge of our God will also grow because as long as you “know” God and have that relationship with Him, no matter what comes your way, you’ll remain standing. His love will see you through.

God Bless you son and I am looking forward to more “CUTE” but effective prayer times with you.

Lastly, I’m sure you made God smile when you thanked Him for the rocking chair! 😀

I love you.

Mama

LOVE LETTERS TO E.J.

Elisha Joey and Elizabeth Joy

My husband and I agreed that from time to time, we will write letters to our children so that someday, they have something to guide and encourage them when they need it. We can’t and we won’t be with them all the time, but with these letters, it’s as if we’re beside them. From these letters they’ll know how much we love them, what we value the most, what we pray for, what our principles are, who we are and what we, as parents, hope to impart to them that they too can impart to their children. We will categorize these types of blogs as LOVE LETTERS TO E.J. because truly, all our letters will be written because we love them. All our children have the initial E.J. Elisha Joey (Elisha or EJ) our son and Elizabeth Joy (Meimei) our daughter. If a third child comes, for sure his or her initial will still be E.J. 🙂

Just as the Bible is God’s love letter to mankind, this LOVELETTERS blog will be our love letter to Elisha and Meimei (and to our 3rd, 4th, 5th or nth child – ehhhhm!).

Below is the first letter written by Papa Joey entitled:

FRIENDS

Dear EJ AND MEIMEI,

Today is the 23rd of August, year 2009.

Uncle Sydney came during lunch. We ate La Paz Batchoy instant noodles and leftovers of Ayi’s delicious pork knuckles. It was nice to have a friend around on a Sunday.

Just like the different seasons of the year, different friends come in different timing of our lives. Sometimes they’re there for a reason, while some are there for a lifetime. Some are conditional, while some are caring and real. Some comes during fair weathers, while some makes the weather fair.

I pray that as you grow up, you will have an abundance of friends. Friends who are divinely appointed by God to cross your paths… Friends who will share your joys and not rejoice in your sorrows… Friends who will love you unconditionally and not take advantage of you… Friends who will look up to you as you also look up to them… Friends who will mold your good character, build your self-confidence, lift your spirits up, and teach you in the ways of life.

Remember this always, friends are God’s gifts to us. No matter when and where, learn to treasure them.

I love you and I miss you.

Papa