For those who were not able to attend the HS
Retreat, please do the following as your requirements for CLE:
1) Search youtube for the video
on Baggage by the Skit Guys. Make a one-page reflection paper.
2) Search youtube for the video
on God's Chisel by the Skit Guys. Make a one-page reflection paper.
3) Go to cfaonlinemodules.com and
watch the video on How to Talk so that Teens will Listen, How to Listen so that
Teens will Talk. Watch it together as parent(s)-child and discuss. Make a
one-page reflection paper on your insights and discussion.
My Reflections on “Baggage”
by Skit Guys
We
might think that some painful thoughts in us may have already left our hearts
but there may be parts that are still inside us. It seemed that we can’t escape
the memories of these thoughts and how people who surrounded us might have hurt
us.
It
was mentioned in the video, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words
can’t hurt me.” But the truth is, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but
words CAN hurt me.” I know this from experience. When I was in Grade 3, many
people in the school were calling me names. I thought almost “everybody”. The
teachers and my mom weren’t always around to help and comfort me against this
bullying.
One
case in the skit that must have been really hurtful was when the best friend of
Tommy developed a crush on Tommy’s “Shelly”. What he thought was his was
“stolen” by his best friend.
Another
point that was driven home to me in the skit was when the father was so
disappointed by his child when he lost a game. That the father was so
disappointed could be understood but as a parent, he should have been
supportive of his child, win or lose. It was just a game. It might have meant a
lot to the father – in terms of pride and honor. But the son did his best. With
just a single mistake, it is not right to make him feel unlike, disowned.
Making a child feel this might lead to something that the parents might not
know how to resolve in the future. Their child might have the tendency not to
have an open heart towards them.
There
are times when a child may seem to be too open about himself / herself. But at
the bottom of his / her heart, there is still a distance between the child and
the parent. This might be a certain kind of baggage that is portrayed in the
skit. This kind of situation happens to many youths and families here in the
Philippines.
The
video skit reminds me of Psalms 55:22 “Throw your burden on Jehovah, and he will sustain you. Never will he allow the righteous one to fall.”
This Bible verse is so true
to me. Why? It reminds me that I have a true, best friend that is and will always
be there for me. He is not just a simple friend. He is the one who created everything.
He is Jehovah God. As Revelation 4:11 says, “You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory
and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of
your will they came into existence and were created.”
Jehovah is the Almighty God.
Having Him for a friend enables me to throw my burdens in life to Him.
For some others, the cause of
their suicide is that they don’t have a friend to talk to although they have
thousands of friends – may be in person or online. But the burdens that they
can express to these many “friends” may just be very limited.
But because my Friend is
Almighty, I do not worry so much that I can burden Him with my many burdens. In
fact, He encourages me to throw these to Him in prayer:
Philippians 4: 6,7: “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God;
and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts
and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”
++++++++++++++++++
My
Reflections on “God’s Chisel” by Skit Guys
In the video, it was
mentioned that we are made in the image of God as what the Bible says:
(Genesis 1:26) Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, according to our
likeness, . . .”
And every time we commit
sins, it is as if we add more weight to our body (not our literal weight but a
figurative weight) or it is as if we appear deformed in the eyes of God. When
we want to change, it is as if we allow God to help us remove the bad traits in
us, the “excess” portions to our body.
As seen in the video,
Tommy really wants to change but he can’t take the pain that is involved in
removing his bad traits – which is likened to chiselling by God.
When we sin, we can
turn to God who is described in the Bible as merciful. God easily forgives us
but there are also consequences that may arise when he forgives us. The truth
really hurts sometimes. There may be painful consequences to sins and mistakes
we commit. These facts are shown in these Bible verses:
(Exodus 34:6, 7) . . .“Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger and abundant in loyal love and truth, 7 showing
loyal love to thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but he will
by no means leave the guilty unpunished, . . .”
(Galatians 6:7) Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a person is
sowing, this he will also reap; . . .
Another point I got
from the video is that some people think that God is too far from people and
hence, He can’t understand them and their situation. This is what Tommy thinks,
too.
But we should always
remember that God made us and by His power we live. So as our Creator, He can
very well read us – even our mind and heart.
(1 Chronicles 28:9) “And you, Solomon
my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a complete heart and
with a delightful soul, for Jehovah searches through all hearts, and he
discerns every inclination of the thoughts. If you search for him, he will let
himself be found by you, but if you leave him, he will reject you forever.”
Another thing Tommy mentioned
is that he sometimes views God as demanding of our sacrifices. In truth, it was
really God who is so self-sacrificing:
(John 3:16) “For God loved the world so
much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in
him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”
Imperfect parents would
do everything that they can in their power so that their child could have the
best of everything. That is how God felt for His Son, too. So, when He sent Jesus to Earth to be a
ransom sacrifice for mankind, we can imagine how painful that might have been
for God. To most human parents, offering their child as a sacrifice for sinful
people might not be an option ever.
Thus, when God chisels
our sins, we should accept the pain because it hurts God more than we do. God is
the first one to get hurt when we sin and He is more hurt when we do not repent
for our sin and change our ways to do His will.
As a child and servant of
Jehovah God, I appreciate all these truths. True, discipline (as a result of chiselling)
is painful but I keep this in mind:
(Hebrews 12:7-11) 7 You need to endure as part of your discipline.
God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 But
if you have not all shared in receiving this discipline, you are really
illegitimate children, and not sons. 9 Furthermore, our
human fathers used to discipline us, and we gave them respect. Should we not
more readily submit ourselves to the Father of our spiritual life and live? 10 For
they disciplined us for a short time according to what seemed good to them, but
he does so for our benefit so that we may partake of his holiness. 11 True,
no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but it is painful; yet
afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have
been trained by it.
I should always
remember that I am made in the image of God and to become His great artwork, I
need to welcome His chiselling.
++++++++++++++++++
My
Reflections on “How to
Talk so that Teens will Listen,
How to Listen so that Teens will Talk” by Aileen Santos
MANY children in the United States were asked this question: “If you
were to somehow find out that your parents were going to die tomorrow, what
would you most want to tell them today?” Nearly all of them said that they
would not want to talk about problems or disagreements. Instead, they said that
they would tell their parents: “I’m sorry” and “I love you so much.”—For Parents Only, by Shaunti Feldhahn and Lisa Rice.
Generally, children love their parents, and parents love their
children. Even so, communication between parents and children is sometimes
difficult. As a teenager, I know and experience this sometimes. Outspoken as I
am, yet, there are times when I feel shy to talk to my mother.
As a single parent, I can see that she has so many things to do. She
is a mother and a father rolled into one. I remember what some of our friends –
mothers and fathers – told me, that is, to value my mother because what she did
and is doing to me, they can’t do, even as they are already two. One of these
is homeschooling me – while my mom works at her job and does household chores,
and she is even very active in our spiritual ministry.
Most of my needs
are met and are being fulfilled – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc. My mom strives very much to apply these words
in Deuteronomy 6:5-9:
5 You
must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your
strength. 6 These words that I am commanding you today
must be on your heart, 7 and you must inculcate them in
your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the
road and when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie
them as a reminder on your hand, and they must be like a headband on your
forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house
and on your gates.
I think I should overcome my shyness to speak to my mom. I should
also think of proper timing to talk to her, considering that she also feels
tired (exhausted sometimes, at her age). I should approach her when she is more
relaxed, and I can do so during our Family Worship hours.
Our Family Worship is a wonderful opportunity for us to get
to know one another better, as we study the Bible together. On many occasions,
we pray together and also discuss the daily Bible text.
I may
also need to appreciate that in our small family, our time is not spent too
much in watching television or using our gadgets. My mom and I are together often
– because I am homeschooled and my mom works from home. We also go on vacations
regularly – at least eight - ten weeks a year – to visit our loved ones in the
provinces and to engage in volunteer ministry in various places where there is
greater need.
Sometimes,
I fail to appreciate our blessings as a family. My mom reminds me, “Do not
count what and who you do not have, rather count what and who you have and enjoy. You
have lots of blessings that are not within reach of others. Practice
contentment and experience joy.”
As a
child, I want to always remember that my mother loves me and wants the best for
me. She may even die for me, my mom would say. I am thankful to Jehovah God for
my dear mother.
From my mom
After interviewing many young people, the writers of the above
book For
Parents Only say: “The kids’ number one most common
complaint about their parents was, ‘They don’t listen.’”
Parents often say the same thing about their children.
As a parent, I learned from the video the big value of
listening. I should apply and importantly, master what the Bible says:
(James 1:19) Everyone must be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger
This may be difficult when I am HAT – hungry, angry and tired
– so I tell Mavy to discuss things with me when I am not HAT.
I should remember, what does not seem important to me may be very
important to Mavy. To be “swift about hearing” means to pay attention not only
to what she says but also to how she says it. Her tone of voice, gestures and
the expressions on her face can tell me a lot about how she feels.
It is also important that I ask her positive questions so I can draw
her out, instead of commanding her and uttering negatives and predicting “doom”.
The Bible says: “A person’s thoughts are like water in a deep well, but someone
with insight can draw them out.” (Proverbs 20:5)
I need to show
insight when my child speaks.
Mavy is so patient with me. She gives me chances every day to
improve as a mom, as her mom.
I am
thankful to Jehovah God for my dear daughter.
