Celebrating Life Through Gratitude

If I am to make a significant declaration today, I'd say 'Life is beautiful'! That is quite a bold assertion in such woeful circumstances we have in the world. However, I wouldn't let this day pass without acknowledging the grand splendor that is left amidst awful crises.

Today marks the 37th year of my remarkable earthly journey in the eternal scheme of things. I want to look at it that way to remind me that I am plodding through a temporary sojourn. By having this conviction, the purpose of life in general becomes easier to approach and realize. The challenge becomes setting priorities and doing what’s needful. It is a struggle if one has a blurry resolve.

I’ve been around for a long time, yet I have not been able to run around as much as I needed to, to accomplish what one ought to accomplish at this point in life. At my age, some had already pulled off a lot that deems them to be successful. I am still far from the foyer of success. Nevertheless, what I’ve carried out and gone through by far taught me humility in extreme measure. Whether or not I even reach the midmost part of success, I am, nonetheless grateful.

I’m grateful for a beautiful life. What makes it beautiful?

First, it is a beauty because of my knowledge of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ. Appreciation for what I’ve been, what I am now, and what I’ll be, was not as and will not be as splendid if it wasn’t for the learning I’ve gone through and the ongoing education I have about Deity. Knowing that God is my Father—despite His being the ruler of the Universes, the most powerful Being, and the Creator of all, makes me live comfortably and with a sense of security in a world of sorrows and trouble. Knowing that Christ is my Redeemer and Savior makes me hopeful in the midst of uncertainty.

Second, life is beautiful because of family and friends. Literally I don’t have my family with me, anymore, (and I have not yet created one, either) but the foundation that was laid by them which is in me now, made my journey more profound than it could ever be. I am what I am and what I stand for because of my family. I do not drink what most people drink; I do not do what most people do; I do not listen to what most people listen to; I do not watch what most people watch; and I do not believe what most people believe, because my family taught me so. To have been able to know for myself the validity of those teachings makes life more meaningful & stunning than I could ever imagine.

I now live practically independent around my friends. They add zest to my life which makes it beautiful. Although they come and go, the memory of these friends makes it all worthwhile. I sometimes feel alone, as that may be a natural feeling for someone who’s detached from family, but these friends compensate for that lack which is supposed to come from “biological” means. For this cause, my friends have become the metaphor for family in my life now.

Albert Schweitzer, an Alsatian theologian, musician, philosopher, and physician, once said:

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us”.

We are products of what we gain and get from each other. What we sometimes lack can be obtained from another. I’m grateful for what I have, both intangible and tangible—for those who have “lighted the flame” within me and are continuing to kindle that flame which keeps me going in this rough course of life.

"Angels Round About You"

General Conference, what a weekend!

I love General Conferences because they remind me about beauty in simplicity & that the Heavens are open. The meetings are usually composed of talks & singing of sacred hymns. It has remained that way since its inception—a simple program, yet profound in effect. Here is when the will of the Lord is revealed because His prophets and apostles speak.

The messages, the music, the prayers, the ambiance were so reminiscent of how I’ve been raised up—a clear reflection of my parents’ principles. It reminds me of my childhood days. It’s wonderful to find the church still the same in a world of shifting values & eroding morals. President Hinckley used to liken the church as a solid rock standing amidst the ravishing storms of the day—that regardless of the immensity of changes around us, the church holds up the values and standards the Lord has given as never changing.

This past weekend, I’ve been enthralled by the powerful messages of the Lord’s servants & the lasting effects of the music rendered. All contributed to an ultimate retreat from the world.

One specific talk I loved was Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s “The Ministry of Angels”. It gave this scripture an intimate meaning: “And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up” (D&C 84:88).

This promise meant so much during my 2-year full time missionary service for the church. I could not even begin to imagine what I would have been like without the Lord’s assistance in such a magnanimous endeavor. This scripture was intended for missionaries—that they wouldn’t have to worry on how to go about their missions, because the Lord will be with them.

After listening to Elder Holland’s conference piece, the last part of that verse began to glow with a special implication.

Here’s part of Elder Holland’s talk:

In the course of life all of us spend time in “dark and dreary” places, circumstances of sorrow or fear or discouragement. Our present day is filled with global distress over financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual and family concerns not only about homes in which to live and food available to eat, but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children and the latter-day prophecies about our planet.

More serious than these—and sometimes related to them—are matters of ethical, moral and spiritual decay seen in populations large and small, at home and abroad. But I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the World Himself.

Matthew records in his gospel that after Satan had tempted Christ in the wilderness “angels came and ministered unto him.” Even the Son of God, a God Himself, had need for heavenly comfort during His sojourn in mortality. And so such ministrations will be to the righteous until the end of time. As Mormon said to his son, Moroni , who would one day be an angel:

“…Has the day of miracles ceased?

“Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

“Behold I say unto you, Nay; for…it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; for behold, they are subject unto [Christ], to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mine in every form of godliness.”

I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He would “fight [our] battles,…[our] children's battles, and [the battles of our] children's children.” What do we do to merit such a defense? We are to “search diligently, pray always, and be believing. [Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.” The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants.

He then went on to speak about mortal angels. He talked about how an angel his mother was to him—that in our lifetime there will be people who will bring so powerful & meaningful an influence that they, too, can be regarded as angels in their own right.

I couldn’t help but think of the angels who had gone my way along the paths of life. It is true that once a person lifts off from being a child into becoming an adult, that the “dark & dreary” circumstances come. Childhood fears become insignificant, but are replaced with consequential ones—e.g. financial stability, building a family, etc. Sorrow & discouragement almost always take over emotional strength. It’s a struggle. Life will always be filled with battles, but angels do come to the rescue. They may not necessarily be immortals. My parents were angels to me. They have such an overwhelming influence in my life.

Now, angels continue to come. When the Lord said, “…mine angels [will be] round about you, to bear you up”, He really meant that, especially in these difficult times. Despite how strong we think we had become in facing the challenges and troubles of our time, there will be unhappy or near to the ground moments. These circumstances will merit our friends’ and family’s support.

I’ve always looked up to myself as being strong since my Mission. The conditions after my missionary service really tested me. Grateful will I always be for the powerful influence of angels in my mission, such as my Mission President & his wife, my 10 companions, and all of the member friends I gained. The people I’ve met whom I was able to share the gospel to, were also angels. Without them, I would not have been able to appreciate and realize the purpose of service & the real meaning of charity or the pure love of Christ.

In this time of day, I wouldn’t deny that fear, sorrow, & discouragement still take over my human side. My friends, both in and outside the church, take the role of angels. Without their watchful reinforcements & constant reminders, being alone, without a family, may take its toll in me and would possibly drive me nuts. Along the way, angels seem to come to the rescue. I am aware that in spite of having been able to govern myself accordingly in conjunction to the correct principles taught to me, and while I battle or struggle to walk in righteous paths, the adversary will always look for ways to distract my determination. My principles, the fortress that I take refuge from—the church, & the covenants that I made with the Lord, will be rallied against. I know it is difficult.

I believe in the promise of the Lord that He will send His angels. They are “round about” me. If I do my best “walking uprightly” & doing my part in keeping the commandments of the Lord, I need not tremble and fear in this “dark & dreary” place & time. The immortal angels will surely come if necessary, but the mortal ones will be there to bear me up and keep me on my feet.

The Dying Man Who Taught Me How To Live

This week I’d like to write about Randy Pausch. I never heard of the man until yesterday when a friend, Rafael Osumo, introduced the name & talked a little bit about the person. It was during Sunday school that I saw a shortened version of his renowned “Last Lecture”. It was presented in the Oprah Winfrey show.

Randy Pausch was a Computer Science Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He died last month of pancreatic cancer. When he gave his “Last Lecture” at the University, he had only months to live.

I would like to share excerpts from his lecture as they relate to life. You can watch the full version in this blog article.

It somewhat came as a surprise for a Computer Science professor to talk about “Childhood Dreams” in a classroom lecture. Then again, it was a personal preference in response to the question: “If you only have months to live, and is asked to lecture on something, what would it be? What would you talk about”?

It was ironic for a man who’s dying to talk about life and how to live. Randy said he didn’t want to be the object of pity. He didn’t like what he was going through because he has 3 little children. He couldn’t do anything about the fact that he was going to die. He said he couldn’t control the cards he’s dealt, just how he plays the hands.

CHILDHOOD DREAMS

In the lecture, he talked about his childhood dreams. He related that he couldn’t find any childhood pictures where he wasn’t smiling. He had a great childhood. He said as a child he dreamed. It was an easy time to dream when you turn on the television and see man landing on the moon: anything is possible. He said we should never lose that spirit.

He dreamed to be a part of the National Football League (NFL), which never happened. He said that “if you don’t achieve your dreams you can still get a lot by trying for it”. That’s important to know. He quoted an expression that he loves, “experience is what you get when you don’t get what you wanted”.

He talked about how his football coach “rode” him all the time during practice. He thought that was a good thing. It meant that he cared. “When you’re doing a bad job and nobody points it out to you, that’s when they’ve given up on you”, he said.

Next he talked about his other dream: A Walt Disney Imagineer. When he was 8 years old his family took a pilgrimage to Disneyland in California. He described it as an “incredible experience”. He was impressed with the rides, the shows, and attractions. He wanted to make stuffs like the ones he saw in Disneyland when he gets older. When he graduated from college, he tried to be an imagineer. Imagineers are the people who “make the magic”. His applications got rejected. He tried again after graduate school and still got rejected. He jested about how he kept those rejection letters and thought they were inspirational.

He worked hard until he became a junior faculty member. He specialized in doing research. There was one “Virtual Reality Research” that he was involved in. By so doing, he developed a skill that was valuable to Disney. That was his chance. He became part of the imagineering team and they worked on something called “Alladin’s Magic Carpet Ride”. It took him over 15 years to finally get a start in Disney. What he learned from that experience is: The brick walls that are in our way are there for a reason. They’re not there to keep us out. They’re there to give us a way to show how much we want it.

GOOD PARENTS: Key to having childhood dreams
He also recommended that we need to have good parents in order for us to have childhood dreams. He said he had great parents. He went on showing slides of his mother and father in their 70’s and 80’s. His mom was riding a go-cart and his dad, a roller coaster. He said there is that notion of “have fun all the time. Have a sense of fun and wonder. That should never go away”.

His dad fought in World War II. He died a little over a year ago. Randy said that while his mom was going through his things, she discovered that her husband was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor, during World War II. In 50 years of marriage, it has never come up. That is a great lesson in humility.

Randy went on to talk about his mother. He described mothers as “people who love you even when you pull their hair”. Her mother was also an example of humility to him. He recalled when he was going through graduate school; she was always there to keep him on check. He said when he was taking really hard examinations, he would go home and whine, complain about how hard those PH. D tests were. His mother would just pat his arm and say “we know how you feel. Just remember that when your father was your age, he was fighting the Germans in World War II”. Finally when Randy got his PH.D, his mother introduced him to everyone saying, “this is my son, he’s a doctor, but not the kind that helps people”.

He remembered how his parents let him paint his bedroom. He drew a rocket ship. They lived in a ranch so he wanted an elevator—he painted one. He also painted the quadratic equation on the wall. He said that the great thing is that his parents let him do it. They let him express his creativity. They thought that was “more important than the pristine nature of the walls”.

PEOPLE VS.THINGS
His parents also taught the importance of people vs. things. He recalled buying his first car when he got older. On weekends he would take his niece (Laura) and nephew (Christopher), with him so his sister would get a little break. They would go on adventures. His sister would explain to the kids how it’s a no-no to get Uncle Randy’s new car dirty. The kids were just cracking up laughing because over her shoulder, they were casually emptying a can of soda over the back seat of Randy’s car. His sister was like, “what are you doing?” and Randy would respond, “It’s a thing. It’s just a thing”. He was glad he did that because at the end of the weekend as he was driving the kids home, Kris who was 8 at the time had a flu and he threw up all over the back seat of his car. Take note of this: Randy said, “I don’t care how much value you get out of owning a nice shiny pristine thing. It’s not as good as I felt knowing that I made an 8 year old boy not feel guilty just because he had the flu”.

DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE
Next he said that we have to decide early on if we’re a Tigger or an Eeyore. Tiggers are energetic, optimistic, curious, and enthusiastic. They have fun. He said not to ever underestimate the importance of having fun. He said he’s dying soon and he’s choosing to have fun “today, tomorrow, and every other day I have left”.

WORK AND PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS
Tell the Truth
Randy continued by saying that if we want to achieve our dreams, we must work and play well with others. Live with integrity—simple advise that we’ll find hard to follow: Just tell the truth.

Apologize (properly)
He admonished that when we screw up, apologize. There are a lot of bad apologies in America, if not the world. He said that a good apology has 3 parts: 1. I’m sorry, 2. It was my fault, and 3. How do I make it right? He lamented that most people skip the 3rd part. That’s how one can tell sincerity.

Wait, and people will show you their good side
There are people that we don’t like—that have done things we don’t like. Randy emphasized that he found out that no one is pure evil. He said that if we wait long enough, people will show us their good side. We can’t make them do it in a hurry, but we can be patient.

SHOW GRATITUDE
When he got tenure, as a young faculty member, there were about 15 young kids who had been working in his research lab. He took them out to Disney World for a week. He paid for the expenses. One of his colleagues said that that might have cost him a fortune. How could have he possibly done it? He responded: “These kids work day and night for years so that I could get the best job in the world for life. How could I not do it”? Gratitude is a very simple and powerful thing.

DON’T COMPLAIN; JUST WORK HARDER
Most of the time we hear our colleagues talk negatively about how things aren’t going the way they should in the company. They rub that attitude to us and we tend to complain about our work, as well. Then someone would say “don’t complain, just do your job”, but here’s a better advise I’ve never thought of for a long time.

Randy didn’t think that complaining and whining really solves the problem. He talked about Jackie Robinson, the first African-American Major League Baseball player. He had in his contract not to complain if people spit on him. It doesn’t matter if we’re Jackie Robinson or like Randy who only has couple of months to live. We can choose to take our finite time, energy, and effort, and we can spend it complaining or we “can spend it playing the game hard”—which is probably going to be more helpful in the long run.

WHY RANDY GAVE THE TALK
The lecture was part of a series given at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy said that his talk isn’t just about how to achieve our childhood dreams. It’s much broader than that. He said it’s about how to live our life. If we lead our life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to us.

“If you live properly, the dreams will come to you”. – Randy Pausch

It was so stirring to find out that Randy didn’t just give this lecture to the 400 people in Carnegie Mellon who came, and so many have benefited from it. He wrote the lecture for 3 people—his kids. He hopes that when they get older, they could watch it.

Celebrating Life Through Gratitude

If I am to make a significant declaration today, I'd say 'Life is beautiful'! That is quite a bold assertion in such woeful circumstances we have in the world. However, I wouldn't let this day pass without acknowledging the grand splendor that is left amidst awful crises.

Today marks the 34th year of my remarkable earthly journey in the eternal scheme of things. I want to look at it that way to remind me that I am plodding through a temporary sojourn. By having this conviction, the purpose of life in general becomes easier to approach and realize. The challenge becomes setting priorities and doing what’s needful. It is a struggle if one has a blurry resolve.

I’ve been around for a long time, yet I have not been able to run around as much as I needed to, to accomplish what one ought to accomplish at this point in life. At my age, some had already pulled off a lot that deems them to be successful. I am still far from the foyer of success. Nevertheless, what I’ve carried out and gone through by far taught me humility in extreme measure. Whether or not I even reach the midmost part of success, I am, nonetheless grateful.

I’m grateful for a beautiful life. What makes it beautiful?

First, it is a beauty because of my knowledge of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ. Appreciation for what I’ve been, what I am now, and what I’ll be, was not as and will not be as splendid if it isn’t for the learning I’ve had and am having about Deity. Knowing that God is my father—despite His being the ruler of the Universes, the most powerful Being, and the Creator of all, makes me live comfortably and with a sense of security in a world of sorrows and trouble. Knowing that Christ is my Redeemer and Savior makes me hopeful in the midst of uncertainty.

Second, life is a beauty because of family and friends. Literally I don’t have my family with me, anymore, but the foundation that was laid by them which is in me now, made my journey more profound than it could ever be. I am what I believe and what I stand for because of my family. I do not drink what most people drink; I do not do what most people do; I do not listen to what most people listen to; I do not watch what most people watch; and I do not believe what most people believe, because my family taught me not to. To have been able to know for myself the validity of those teachings makes life more stunning that I could ever imagine.

I now live practically independent around my friends. They add zest to my life which makes it beautiful. Although they come and go, the memory of these friends makes it all worthwhile. I sometimes feel alone, as that may be a natural feeling for someone who’s detached from family, but these friends compensate for that lack which is supposed to come from “biological” means. For this cause, my friends have become the metaphor for family in my life now.

Albert Schweitzer, an Alsatian theologian, musician, philosopher, and physician, once said:

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us”.

We are products of what we gain and get from each other. What we sometimes lack can be obtained from another. I’m grateful for what I have, both intangible and tangible—for those who have “lighted the flame” within me and are continuing to kindle that flame which keeps me going in this rough course of life.

Service = Happiness

“To measure the goodness of life by its delights and pleasures is to apply a false standard. The abundant life does not consist of a glut of luxury. It does not make itself content with commercially produced pleasure, mistaking it for joy and happiness. To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellowmen. Service to others is akin to duty, the fulfillment of which brings true joy.”

-= Thomas S. Monson =-

Sheila Debois sent this quote to me today. She is my provider of Daily Words of Wisdom (DailyWoW).

What a timely message this is. Yesterday during Sunday school, we started discussing about the teachings of King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon. He was a great leader and a giant of an example of service to his fellowmen. He was a holy man who reigned in righteousness over his people. He labored with “all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul”. (Mosiah 1:17-18) In his own words he said, “And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be borne–". (Mosiah 2:14)

Such was the character of King Benjamin that the people loved him so much. He was a great political and spiritual leader. The balance that he was able to establish among his people was an accomplishment that is yet to be seen in this modern world.

Great was his wisdom as he reminded his sons, Mosiah, Helorum, & Helaman, about the value of the scriptures. “I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct”. (Mosiah 1:5)

It is indeed a blessing to have the opportunity, even the luxury to “have his commandments always before our eyes. Have we taken advantage? On the other hand, have we, because of neglect of the scriptures, dwindled in unbelief from time to time in our lives? Have we sometimes “suffered in ignorance, not knowing the mysteries of God”? Mark Twain once said, “A man who won’t read is no better off than a man who can’t.” This is certainly true of reading the scriptures. If we do not read the scriptures, what advantage do we have over those who cannot read them for whatever reason?

By reading the scriptures we come to understand what the Lord would have us do. President Monson in the citation above discusses how to measure a good and happy life. It is by service to others.

King Benjamin taught: “….when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17). We are eternally indebted to God for the following, among other things: (see Mosiah 2:20-23)

- He has created us
- He has preserved us
- He has caused that we can rejoice
- He has granted that we can live in peace
- He is preserving us from day to day
- He lends us breath
- He allows us agency–that is, the power to live and move according to our wills
- He has granted unto us our lives

Now Benjamin lists the things we can do for God: There are only three of them:

- We can be grateful
- We can serve him
- We can keep his commandments

When we do these things, “….he [God] doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast"? (Mosiah 2:24)
We can never be too confident of our own might until we’ve acknowledged the hand of God in the use of that might. We can never own our accomplishments, regardless of how hard we worked for them and how much effort we put to them until we have acknowledged the help of God in those endeavors.

When we look at our meager efforts in this light, we begin to see why Benjamin could call us “unprofitable servants (see Mosiah 2:21).” Of course, God’s investment in the welfare of his children and his involvement in their lives is not a business venture from which he hopes to turn a profit. Benjamin’s explanation of the goodness of God makes it seem very much as though God pays reverse interest: the more we try to repay him for his goodness and blessings, the more his goodness and blessings upon us increase (Thought by Ted L. Gibbons). This makes it impossible to recompense our debt to him.

In our efforts to give back what is due to the Lord, we ought to serve Him with all our might, mind, and strength. Recalling how it was in the mission, we were blessed if we served Him faithfully. In the service of the people whom we were called to serve, we found happiness as we, in our inadequate state, were able to help them change for the better. After the mission, we are still given many opportunities to serve. In doing so, we forget about ourselves, worry about others, and as we lift them up, we lift our lives in the process.

In the light of President Monson’s words, it is not by traveling or by going to places of interest—finding pleasure by doing so, that we discover lasting happiness. It is not by merely satisfying our wants by acquiring the things we see other people have. It is, indeed, by serving others and learning to recognize the joys by so doing. We can never be content with the kind of life we’re living if we’ve only scratched the surface of our purpose in life. What is the purpose of life? To be
happy—but the kind of happiness that we ought to attain is the kind that is not disrupted by the end of worldly pleasure. It is not the type that is suspended if a loved one dies. The happiness that we ought to arrive at is the type that brings hope and direction—a force that we can reckon with in our quest for eternal life in the presence of our Father in Heaven.

Rain

It was a delight to listen to the pouring rain last night. It’s been a very hot summer and we’d appreciate a downpour every now and then. I just wish that would happen during mid-day to make my rest more comfortable—to, in a way, bathe the oven!

A rainy day or a rainy night brings back many memories. Aside from the fun bathe in the rain when I was a kid, there was that elementary school nostalgia when I bring along my raincoat and have my teacher button my way to it since mom wouldn’t come pick me up.

Gone were the days of raincoats in high school. I brought along an umbrella. It’s funny how we show off our umbrellas and compare as to which was bigger, but it was always enjoyable when I get to share with friends, especially my crush (just pray that she didn’t bring along an umbrella).

I would rather not talk about my memory of rain in college. That took place in Manila, particularly in Espana in Sampaloc. A downpour would mean cancellation of classes as flashfloods rise faster than you think. You’d later find yourself stranded and if you want to go home, you have to trek your way through the dirty floodwaters. My birthdays always had to happen on a rainy day. We had to walk our way through the ‘swamp’ just to buy food to eat for the fete.

I lived through those days and looking back, I think I know & understand the importance of rain in my life. For me the rain is a symbol of God’s blessing. Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet wrote about a certain “dearth” (famine) in the land when the people basked in wickedness (Moroni 9). “And it came to pass that there began to be a great dearth upon the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth” (v. 30). The famine occurred because of the absence of rain. Notice what happened when the people humbled themselves—only then did the Lord send rain. “And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine” (v. 35). Because of the rain, “the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit…..”. Notice the effect of rain among the people.

We all hear some people grumble about life’s difficulties. Sometimes the hardships lead to transgression of God’s laws. That is somehow extreme. Let us just say that because of life’s hardships, people tread on the paths of omission, not necessarily intending to disobey. While on that path, however, the things that are supposed to be done which aren’t done leads one away from God, thus the beginning of a more errant life. Then the “dearth” comes. There’s no more rain, just famine. People then die down and bear no fruit at all. Life becomes even less mediocre, if not useless and miserable.

When life becomes too unhappy and unfruitful, one would want rain to come as the Philistines of old (Gen. 27:28, Deut 33:13) to make their land fertile. Just as the dews of heaven come when we start to realize our mistakes and our lack, the rain follows when we stay on the path of recovery and become “sufficiently” humble. Then we become revived and once again, productive.

I want to think of rain as the gift of the Holy Ghost. We keep a dazzling “downpour” of this gift if we tread the paths of obedience & righteousness. Just as I remember how fun and joyful it was with my experience of rain in my youth, the same feeling vibrates as I remember the rainy days in my spiritual quest for happiness.