Lessons Learned

Wouldn’t it be great if we learned our lessons quickly and easily? Just last night, my youngest sat near me as I used my laptop computer. I sent him off to brush his teeth and get ready for bed. I told him that I would soon join him so we could continue reading “Letters Never Sent” together. He noted that we would have a long time together so he gladly left saying he’d wait in bed. I was actually waiting for my friend to get online so we could chat. She was scheduled to have a surgery to remove a tumor behind her eye so it was important for me that we connected. She didn’t get online so we never did chat but somehow I reasoned that I needed to unwind. That’s how I rationalized that I should be able to play “Typing Maniac”, a game on Facebook. Big MISTAKE! I ended up playing for at least 45 minutes. I wish I could say it unwound me but if my heartbeats were the indication, it obviously had the opposite effect! Thankfully, Ethan was still up and we did get to read together before he slept. I fell asleep too so that was how my evening ended. Only later when I woke up (around 2 a.m.) did I get upset that I didn’t even have the chance to connect with my teens. I spent my prime family time on a typing game on the computer and it didn't even relax me but hyped me up! I wasted what could have been good quality time with my sons, or productive time with regards to the work at home. Since we are leaving to go home in 3 months, I do have a lot of packing and sorting to do. I need your mercy, Papa God. Please help me to change and learn my lessons fast. This is obviously not the first time this has happened. =(

My other son just got his motorbike license 2 weeks ago. With great trepidation, I told him to ride carefully and wisely. On prior occasions, I told him to always wear a helmet, shoes, pants, and if possible, a long sleeve shirt. Exactly a week after getting his license to ride, he skidded on the road just near the school as he over sped. The borrowed motorbike was scratched in different places and so was he. He was thankfully wearing shoes and his helmet. If only he had pants on though, he could have spared himself the BIG road burn on his leg or the deep gash on his ankle. The same could be said for the small wounds on his arm and hand. SIGH. What a painful and expensive (he pays for the damages) lesson. The pain was even made worse because in his desire to clean up his wounds, he ran out of hydrogen peroxide so he used alcohol. I was told that he was screaming and grimacing in pain. I was glad I wasn’t yet at home. By the time he called me, he had gauze all over his wounds held by scotch tape. He was a funny sight actually except that he was remorseful and in agony. Thank you, Lord, for lessons. I think he’ll know what to do next time. Best of all, he’s seen how the Lord protected him. He knows he could have been more hurt. He only has a wound on a small area of his waist because his backpack received the impact of his crash. I also phoned the school’s nurse for advice and she ended up coming to the house for two days to clean up his wounds and put on his dressing. He was blessed in spite the choices he’d made. Thank you, Lord.

Deep down, in our lives, we all know what we should do. The Holy Spirit even prompts us to remind us what we should do, or not do. "Will we listen?" is the question. May we not have to endure literally painful lessons before we do.