Birth pain

It's hard work to carry the child for 9 months in a womb and extremely painful to deliver a child. However real parenting work only begins when the child is born. The many years that the parents need to feed and take care of her child until the child is independent. The harder part is to teach the child to walk in the right path.

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! - Galatians 4:19-20

To be a parent is not easy. Parents need to have strong and big heart for the ignorant, naughty little ones. Our parents need to bear with our nonsense when we screamed and cried over the things we wanted at the shopping malls. When we fell down and bleed, they ran to us. When we were bullied in school, they stood up and defended for us. When we are in pain, they felt the pain. Their desire is always for our good and that we will love them in return. When we walked in the wrong path, our parents get hurt.....

Have you stop and think from our parents' perspective?

If I am in their shoes, I will think why do I need to go through all these heart-ache to see growth in my children's lives? Is it worth my energy and love in doing all these? What do I gain at the end of the day?

If our parents have given hope on us for being naughty when we are young, what will become of us? If my parents have not spent their hard-earned $ on me so that I can have good education, what will I be doing now? If my parents have not taught me good values, what kind of person will I be?

My church is like a family to me. I am thankful for the many things that I have learnt and gained in my church all these years. Growth is a process. I have my rebellious days too. I hurt my mentor several times during my younger days as a Christian. I believe I have "trained" her to be stronger ;p I thank God for her patience and love for me. If not for her, I may not be who I am today. She has taught me values that helps me in my daily life. I have several opportunities to participate in various public events and learn to be confident in public speaking. I learn to work in teams. I learn to love others. To know who I am really.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - 1 Cor 13:4-8