MOTHER EDNA says, Gus, have you finished your homework? He doesn’t answer.
Raising her voice Edna says, Augustine, did you hear me? He replies, Aww, Mom. . .
Well, did you or did you not finish YOUR HOMEWORK!? Gus answers, Sort of, and starts towards his bedroom, intending to play games on his tablet.
Wait a minute young man! Go, show me your homework. Gus goes to his room to retrieve it, and shows it to his mother. You call this homework? You’ve barely started, and what you’ve done is awful!
You’re impossible! You want to make something of yourself, or end up like your dad, a chauffeur for a rich family in Hong Kong? Just wait till we talk on Skype, he’ll hear about this, and when he comes home on vacation, you’ll hear from him, just you wait and see!
–Really, Mom? Maybe he’ll also hear about how you were making eyes at the deacon in church the other day, replies Gus.
–What, how dare you! You’re not even acting like a Filipino any more, let alone as a Christian, she screams at him.
I’m sorry, mom, Gus answers. But I don’t understand why he has to live apart from us, in the first place.
We weren’t starving, were we?
Edna says, No, of course not. We even had a garden, your father was driving a taxi. But I wanted a bigger, nicer house for all of us, even your grandmother, and we wanted to send you, your sisters and brother to good schools and college.
Gus replies, Well, I’d rather have him here than off someplace just making money and sending it home.
Who knows what else he may be doing? Maybe starting another family with a Filipino co-worker!
Infuriated, Edna almost slaps him. How DARE you talk to me like this! Go to your room, and don’t come out until you are ready to show respect!
Edna collapses into an easy chair, cries, then prays. Lord, show me. Where have we, have I, gone wrong?
She then opens her Bible to Matthew 6: 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
She prays again, Lord, forgive me for worrying about money and stuff. Teach me, teach me about trust, kingdom living and how to follow you, In Jesus’ name.
Edna then turns to Proverbs 3: 5 & 6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. She then prays, Lord, teach me, teach my husband too, what your Word teaches about our roles as father and mother.
Next week: What she discovered.
