Happy Birthday

It is sheer amazing that you are one year old, my Son.
The moment the first time we staring at each other's eyes at the maternity ward is still very vivid in my memory.
You have grown pretty fast, and have learned a lot in the past 12 months.
So do your mom and I.
My professor in bible seminary once said in the class, "God gives children so that the parents will grow."
Now I begin to understand what he meant.

12 months, you have learned to express your emotion and your will, and able to understand simple instructions from us. You understand and able to responce to words like: 'clap hands'; 'no more'; 'mom-mom'(eat);'drink water'.
You are growing fast under God's provision.

Friends and relatives celebrate your birthday with us.
It was a wonderful experience not only for you, but for me.
This was the first son's-birthday-celebration for me.You are too young to make any wish.
So, I made few on your behalf.
1. I wish Fidel grows up to be a toddler with faith in God.
(Remember the meaning of your name?)
2. I wish Fidel grows up to be a toddler that willing to share his toys with others.
3. I wish Fidel grows up to be a toddler that insterested in God's word.

In Jesus' precious name.

Amen.

He loves Rainy Day

Your dad loves rainy day.
Whenever it rains, he feels happy and fresh.
There are few reasons why he likes rainy day.
Rainy day washes away the dust and haze of our
polluted sky. God is still the best Environmentalist.
Rainy day brings cool air to our Malaysia hot weather.
It is very refreshing when rainy day comes.
But above all else, your dad loves rainy day because rain remind us of one important truth: God's Words and Promises are trustworthy!

'For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout......so will my word be which goes forth from my mouth; it will not return to me empty without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.' (Isaiah 55:10-11).

When rain falls, it reminds me of God's trustworthiness.
We never seen rain return to sky half way dropping.
Likewise, we will never see God's word return to Him in vain.

Rainy day is wonderful.

Curiosity without Knowledge spell Danger

You begin to crawl around in the home actively in your 8th to 9th month.
It is a joy seeing you with excitement discovering new things while you explore every corner of the house.
You open drawers of the kitchen, you take out books and papers from a box in my reading room, you stuck your finger in what ever small holes you can find, and of course, electrical wire and plug always attract your attention.
In this stage of your growth, your mom and I most frequent used word in the home is 'No!'.

Son, curiosity is God-given.
It is given so than man can learn and uncover the truth.
But with limited knowledge, your curiosity have risk, when you touch, hold, pull or taste things you are not suppose to.
Curiosity without knnowledge spell danger.

Son, learn to celebrate your curiosity within the boudary of God.
Your life will be fulfilling and exciting.

You will understand one day why we have to say 'No' to you and stop you from exploring things you should not explore.
We just want to protect you.
Even when you are in adulthood, your curiosity still need to be checked.
Because of our sinful nature, God-given curiosity has been distorted. It drives us to harmful things that we should not touch, see or taste.

How do you check your curiosity then?
By our point of reference: God inspired Word written in the Bible.
God's word is sufficient not only to say 'No' from outside, but to give us strenght to say 'No' from the inside (our hearts and wills).

Your First Sickness

Your mom and I are going through a difficult time seeing you seriously fall sick for the first time. It is in your 7th month.
Started off with a few dry cough, you have developed to heavy cough with lots of phlegm in your lung. High fever follows after few days.
We have been gone in and out of hospital few times.
It is a difficult time for all of us, but thank God, being part of God's big family in Christ, we are surrounded by concern brothers and sisters from Church who give us support, advice and prayers.

Seeing you in discomfort and can do nothing to bear your pain is itself a painful experience for us.
But, your mom and I frequently commit you into our Heavenly Father's hand.
We know, you are belong to Him, and He will take care of you.

This period of time help me to appreciate our Heavenly Father's love for us.
When He witnessed His only Son Jesus hanging on the cross, bearing the curse of Sin on our behalf, He, though Almighty, decided to let it be so that you and I can be saved from the consequence of Sin.
Our Heavenly Father definitely suffered more than I do by seeing you only in fever and cough.

How wonderful is God's love to us.
Remember that, son.

We pray that you be recovered soon, and your body become stronger after fighting off the diseases.

Your First Overseas Trip

Your first overseas trip was to Jakarta, mom's home city and country.
That was Jan 2009, when you were about 4 months old.
Mom and Ee-Ee Belly brought you home. I did not follow because of limited leave to apply.

Mom and dad did a lot of preparation for your trip.

Besides getting the passport done, we consulted doctor and friends how to make you comfortable during the flight.
You were unexpectedly calm and almost slept all the way until reached our home in Jakarta!

Grandpa and grandma, and Grand-grandma, and all friends and relatives were so excited to see you. Son, you will have a tough time to remember our big family and friends in Jakarta, but you have to know them and keep in touch with them. Family and friends are the most valuable gifts from God.


After few weeks stay at Jakarta, we met in Singapore.
So, Singapore was the second country you visited. (how you took bath in hotel)

We stay there for 3 days to attend a wedding reception of our friend, auntie Candy.
We were glad to meet auntie Yenny and little Argen in Singapore too.
I was grateful to have that few days break from my work to spend time with you and mom.

Wonderful.

Shepherding a child's heart through Provebs (part 2): Point of Reference

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ Proverbs 1:7

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.’ Proverbs 9:10

(photo in week 1)

To raise you up in wisdom, discernment, discipline and a good heart, you need a point of reference.
This point of reference should be big enough to encompass your whole being and all your experience in life.
This point of reference I give to you is God.
But, it is not any god. The God I give to you is God the Creator and the Sustainer of all the existence, who had once for all revealed Himself through and in the Bible.
Only God is big enough to be your point of reference for what you think and do.

I cannot be your ultimate point of reference.
I am neither perfect nor wise enough to know everything in life to guide you all the time.
Your friends, your teachers, your own self, cannot be the point of reference for all your experience either.
No, we are all not big enough for that.
But, since God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, He knows all things.

Therefore, He is our ultimate point of reference.
By trusting Him and His Word whole heartedly, is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.
The consequence of not believing in God is you will believe in anything else.
And believing in anything is no different from believing in nothing.

So, son, I will lead and guide you to this one and only God.
Because, to make sense to your life, you need a point of reference, and only God is big enough for that.

Shepherding a child's heart through Provebs (Part 1): Goal of Parenting

'The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth.
Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
And the one who understands obtain guidance'
(Proverbs 1:1-5)

(photo in week 1)

The goal of your upbringing is to possess wisdom, discernment, discipline and a good heart.
But these are things that you tend to ignore and avoid from me.

Instead, what you are asking from me are the best toys; best food; best games; best devices; best entertainment and best of many other things.

I will give you these within our family affordability, by God grace.
But, you need to know from the beginning.
These things cannot accompany you, satisfy you or carry you far down the road in you upbringing.

What matter most are things inside you: Wisdom, Discipline and a Good heart.

As your parents, we are entrusted by God to raise you up towards this goal.
All other good things outside of you will follow if you are careful with what is inside you.
And these will come naturally if you learn to fear the Lord, glorify Him and enjoy Him.

'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.' (Proverbs 1:7)