The Giver of Families

Last Valentines' Day together.

While alone at my Lola's house in Leyte, I was looking at Lolo and Lola's pictures - the one wherein they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and the one wherein they spent their last Valentines' Day together.

I was particularly looking at Lolo Dado. He was never the perfect man. He used to be a violent drunkard who spanked his children really hard, he should have expected a death full of hatred and remorse from his children - and eventually (I suppose), his grandchildren.

But the love of God changed everything about our family. 

________________

Tonight, I was just so overwhelmed with the food and presence of loved ones during a special dinner we hosted for my cousin's birthday and as a send-off for my uncle's family who will be going back to London in two days.

I was particularly enjoying my two cousins, Nicko and Ninin (ages 5 and 2 respectively), whose playfulness and youth simply made me happy. They have been staying at our home for three days now and I have been looking forward to go home from the office because of them.

Ninin was adorably a younger version of me. This morning, I was fixing her hair. She was behaved and was totally feeling it. They say that combing the hair is one of the most affectionate acts a mother can do to her daughter. (Okay. I was feeling it too! Haha.) Afterwards, she just embraced and cuddled me. It was one of the most wonderful feelings - a child finding comfort in your arms. :)

I was actually starting to think of having cute little ones like her someday too.

________________

Re-reading Exodus, I stumbled upon one particular verse, which I have not given attention to when I first went through it. It says:

Meet Arla version 2010 aka "Ninin"

"God was good to the nurses (who helped Hebrew women give birth and let the boys live despite the Egypt's king's order)... Because the nurses feared God, He gave them families of their own." - Exodus 1:21 (notes mine)

God is the One who gives families. And tonight, I just have to go to my room and personally thank God for giving me a family such as what I have now.

My grandparents aren't perfect. So are my uncles and aunts. My parents aren't either. So are my siblings. Not even me.

But I pray to the Heavenly Father - the Giver of Families - for His love to swell in our hearts just as the waters cover the sea. Let Him continually save our families, the present and those that will be added in the future. Let Him be our endless love. For without the Lord's goodness I do not know what kind of family I have now. And when the time comes that I have to build a family of my own, there wouldn't be any wiser thing to do but that to carry on the virtue of fearing Him and putting Him first - for this is the very virtue which led Him to give those nurses families of their own.