Words of Wisdom

My Grandma is one of the biggest treasures in my life. She is like no one else I have ever known or will ever know. Her concern, care, and prayers night and day for me are like a heavenly cloak around me protecting me and strengthening me always.

Grandpa died a few years ago. I used to call him the Grandest Grand Pa, coz he truly was the most wonderful granddad according to me. He had a special twinkle in his eyes (Yeah, just like you read in story books), loved to laugh and loved people in an unconditional, over the top way.

Grandma always has words of wisdom to share and I enjoy sitting on the shore of the beach (one of her favorite places) and chatting with her. I wish I could do that more often!

She spent the last week with us and gave me a word of advice before she left. It was about temper tantrums. She said if ever you are in the same room with someone who has lost their temper, then you be the one who holds peace. Agree with what they have to say and go along with it all, fair or unfair. Then wait for a time when they have calmed down and talk things over. That’s how grandpa and I dealt with things she explained. When I was upset, he was patient and when he was upset I was patient. They never fought once in the 40 odd years of their married life.

I did not take her advice too seriously till something happened and I learnt from practice that it’s not easy to do so but trust me it works wonders! It’s something I want to hold on to for the rest of my life.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . Thank you for Grandmamma.

Love Covers

I was reading this statement this morning - 'Love Covers over All Wrong' in the book of the Proverbs… I have read it so many times before but this time I actually paused to think and I was taken aback by what it meant.

Let’s break it up…
Love Covers (Envelop, conceal, hide, protect, deal with, embrace, take in) over All (Completely, entirely, altogether, every part of, the whole) Wrong (Incorrect, wide of the mark, immoral, wicked, dishonest, unethical, improper, insult, injustice, injure, abuse, sin…)

That says a loooot, huh?

Makes me wonder - Have I ever ‘Loved’ anyone? Or Will I ever be able to ‘Love’?
‘coz Love and I mean Real Love covers.

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . Perhaps the reason I struggle with coming to grips with your love for me, which is a perfect Love that covers over all wrong is because I think of your love like mine.

Noddy says No!

Ever watched the cartoon show on Noddy?

If you haven’t then Noddy is a little boy in Toy World, who is a Taxi driver who delivers packages to toys in toy town. Noddy is a good natured, pleasant, nice young man who is always helpful and kind. The little town also has two goblins who are always up to mischief and Noddy often comes to the rescue of Toy town!

I am way over the age of watching cartoons, but still enjoy ‘em ... wait a minute, is there an age limit for cartoons? (Chuckle)

Anyway in this particular episode I watched, the goblins ask Noddy for a ride in his car. Noddy agrees and gives them a ride. But the Goblins begin to demand more of him. They ask him to take him from one place to another and refuse to let him go. Finally Noddy is tired, hungry and to make matters verse his fuel tank is almost empty.

He finally gets rid of the goblins after a long ordeal but his tank has no fuel to take him back to town and Noddy has to walk back to get some fuel.

An old gentleman who is a good friend of Noddy meets him on his way and asks him what is wrong. Noddy explains. His friend tells him he needs to learn to say “No!”
“But, But... they said please and thank you...” says Noddy.
That does not mean you have to do all that they say explains the old man.

The nest day, the Goblins come around to find Noddy again, but Noddy says No. He explains that he is busy and has other things to do and would just rather not hang out with them! His old friend is pleased and says, “Noddy, you are now growing up!“
And Noddy breaks into a little song, which ends with “You can say No, and still be Nice!”

Why do I narrate all this?
Well, I for one have a lot of trouble saying No. I tend to associate it with being offensive, rude or impolite and many a time end up messed up because of just that. A family friend of mine came over and she was talking about the same sort of thing too... I think in some ways we all struggle with saying No in different situations and to different types of pressures.

But many a time, we need to say No. To protect ourselves sometimes if not for anything else - Just like Noddy did!

So this is a reminder to me and the world (including toy world!) – No is a small but powerful world. Use it when you should to yourself (when fighting temptation) and to others (when need arrises).

Dear Mister God, this is @ina talking . . . Just as you say No, as so good Father should, Teach me to say No as a wise child should.