The Gift of Tears

Sample of Daily Encounter by Dick Innes

"Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" (Romans 12:15).

An article in Parables, Etc., shares how "Author Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next-door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

"When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.'"

By the time I was five years of age I had learned that "big men don't cry," so I learned well never to cry. As an adult, however, I came to realize that I had a problem because I couldn't cry. So I asked God to give me tears back! Whew! He did!

Not so long ago a friend from church lost her teenage daughter. She was well on a Friday. The following Friday was her funeral. This friend had already lost her son during the Vietnam war. Another friend and I visited her on Saturday night. It was incredibly sad. I had nothing to say. At times like these words can seem so empty and meaningless. I simply sat on the floor and wept with her.

Rare are the friends who know how to weep with those who weep. May God help us all to learn how to be this kind of a friend.

Suggested prayer:
"Dear God, thank you not only for the gift of laughter, but also for the gift of tears. Please help me to always be sensitive to the hurts and pains of others and learn how to weep with those who weep, as you did when your friend, Lazarus, died. Gratefully in Jesus' name. Amen."

My Thoughts:

Now I know why I have so much tears to spare, not only for myself, but for others too. For me, they wash away all the sadness in my heart so I can continue my journey again and again. For others, they show that I care and feel for them. Thank God for the gift of tears.

When I am sad and crying, please don't ask me to stop crying... cry with me if you can. After the rain comes the sunshine and rainbow. After the tears come release and peace.

My Christmas Gifts

Warning: Don't bother to read this if you have no time...

Why give gifts?
Many Christmases have passed by and I have been giving gifts to others each Christmas. We also used to have gifts-exchange time in church too. But it seems that gradually these activities have become just a commercial practice where its true meaning has lost. We have not been doing it for the last few Christmases. We believe more in giving throughout the year rather than once in a year.

What did I give?
For this coming Christmas I didn't buy any gift, except 5 Christmas cards. Why send Christmas cards when I can send e-cards? Well, my personalized, hand-written cards (though one commented my handwriting is 'ugly'), with my 5 individually composed Christmas poem, take effort, thoughts, and time, especially when I have to send some of them oversea. So the 5 who have got my cards are somewhat special to me, isn't it?

Who can appreciate my gifts?
Yet not everyone can appreciate such actions. :( To those who do: "Thank You Very Much" for appreciating it. In fact, one of them has also spent much time to make something for me in return, though I might only get it after Christmas.... it's ok, for I appreciate the thought and effort very much! :)

The gift of time
Richard said at his blog, "Time is far more precious than money. If you run out of money, there are a myriad of ways you can generate more. If you run out of time, there is no way you can generate more."

Indeed time is life itself. When we give time to a person we are giving part of our life to him/her. I value the time people give to me more than anything else... for money can't buy time, and that's what I wish to give to those I care too. But again, not everyone see the value of time.

Giving to the wrong people
Richard also mentioned in one of his comment to another blog, "I know all too well the feeling of always giving and not getting as much in return. Sometimes it seems that when I stop giving, I stop getting. If I don't call people, they don't call me."

Yes, that's exactly how I feel too. Very often I have to be the one to initiate a chat/conversation/call... if I don't do it, the other person will not initiate it. They only do when they need my help or info. *sigh* Is it so hard to just say "Hi" or "Good morning" when you see your friends (especially the close ones) online, even if you are busy and don't intend to chat? I feel quite discourage over this at times.

Giving to the right people
Jesus advised, "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6)

"The swine cannot possibly appreciate the beauty and complexity of a fine, rare pearl. The swine only sees that they are not edible, and therefore dismisses them as unimportant and worthless, trampling those costly gems underfoot... You have twenty-four hours available to you today -- 86,400 seconds.... Those seconds are your pearls. Where you cast them is completely up to you. " (Twenty-Four Hours)

Re-evaluating who to give
I guess I need to re-evaluate my friendship/relationship with people who don't have affinity with me and to start anew for 2006. I only have 24-hours a day. Time is my life, so I need to prioritize my time and give it only to those who could appreciate it. I need to set my new year resolution soon and start moving on....



Thank you for taking time to read this far.... I appreciate it.