My initial plan for my birthday was to leave a day off from work and spend the day to myself, such as indulging on a really good massage and spa center, eat all the pizzas that I want and bring my family to dinner at night. It was something I was really looking forward to, but it's amazing that God moves in ways that I cannot predict. Let me share a verse that was related to what He has revealed to me the past week:
Philippians 2:3-4 ESV
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
I was suddenly burdened to do something different on my birthday, something that I have never done before. I knew that it wasn't the 'natural' me so to speak, because I really don't enjoy responsibility and minding things on a time I am supposed to be relaxed. But you see, God's Spirit and His Word empowers us to do things that we seem to fear or feel anxious about. Moses was reluctant to lead the Israelites. Jonah was afraid to preach to the Ninehvites. David was only a little shepherd boy tending to his sheep and seemed unlikely to defeat Goliath.
But through God's guidance, blessings and support of my friends and family, I was able to lead a small story-telling class and coloring session on a group of special children, adolescents and adults in Elsie Gaches village. It was such a remarkable and one-of-a-kind experience because even if I was the one in front teaching these group of young and not-so-young people, it was me who learned many things.
I learned that there is more to life than spending all the blessings we have to ourselves. I learned that outside the comforts of our home, there are people who need your resources, care and blessings. There are people who are beyond grateful for what seemed minimal of what you can offer. That for our lives to be full, we must be less. Selfless, and not full of ourselves.
This post isn't meant to brag about the things I did for the students living there because what I gave can never equate what other multi-million businessmen or large organizations give to Elsie Gaches. I am just happy enough that what I gave is something that amounted to a small monetary value, but what I got in return is something valuable and I'll treasure my whole life.
I hope God can use me as an instrument to anyone who comes across this post and inspired to do something different for his or her birthday, or any other day.
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