Fasting Journal: 3rd Day With Chowking (!) & Quiet Walks With God
While I fast, I’m giving a retreat to almost 300 people in Tagaytay (divided into 3 batches). Preaching and blessing these beautiful people here is my great joy. Sometimes, I want to pinch myself. Is this really my life? My job is the best in the world.
It’s the third day of my juice fast. When I’m not with the retreatants, I’m in my room studying, still preparing for my FEAST talk on Easter Sunday. (If you live in Metro Manila, don’t miss it! Click here for venue.) And if I’m not doing that, I’m taking quiet walks under the blue sky with God beside me.
Let me share with you my guiding principle for prayer: I do what works.
Like each morning, I always pray by writing on my journal–which is in my computer. Some may frown at that and say, “That’s not the way to pray! You should kneel down or stand up or sing…”
I tried all that. But I guess because I’m a writer, I feel that I’m able to connect with God’s presence by writing my thoughts on the computer. It just works. I’ve been doing this for years.
I also love taking quiet walks–which is my favorite way of praying when I take retreats. I feel close to God when I do that.
This afternoon, my wife and kids visited me in the retreat house.
My 7 year old and I took a walk around the retreat house compound, all the while chatting. Here’s a piece of our lovely conversation…
Bene: Daddy, how’s the retreat? (I love it when he asks me about my work!)
Bo: It’s going very well, son. People are blessed.
Bene: What did you talk about? (That question floored me. He’s really interested.)
Bo: About our image of God. Our picture of God. Sometimes, we have a wrong image of God. For example, some people see Him as always angry. Which isn’t true because He’s such a loving God. By the way Bene, what is your image of God?
Bene: I never thought of that before.
Bo: Well, what do you think of Him now? Is He big?
Bene: Of course. And serious.
Bo: Why?
Bene: That’s how the artists draw God. Serious.
Bo: I bet He laughs a lot.
Bene: Why?
Bo: Because that’s who God is. And I bet He likes to hug kids a lot too.
Bene: Let’s eat in Jollibee!
If you’re trying to figure out the connection between his last sentence and our topic of discussion, don’t try too hard. He just loves to eat there when he’s happy.
But those kinds of spontaneous, unplanned conversations are the stuff of great parent-child relationships. That’s why quality time isn’t enough. You also need quantity–because if you’re not around to grab those deep conversations, the opportunity to connect with him and shape his values will slip by… and be lost forever.
Soon, my wife and our two-year-old Francis joined us, and we prayed before the Blessed Sacrament. We sang a few off-key songs to God but I don’t think He minded. For dinner, I sneaked them out of the retreat house for a Chowking meal (Bene was overruled this time.) And during the entire meal, as everyone was munching their chicken, noodles, and halo-halo, all I could do was watch. And smell!
But I wasn’t tempted at all.
I realize that I no longer felt hungry. At all.
After swapping stories with my wife and kids, they brought me back to the retreat house and left me here.
Under the moonlight, I took another beautiful walk around the compound–just me and God chatting the night away–before entering my room and writing this piece for you.
I looked at the mirror and checked my thin face.
I probably lost 3 or 4 pounds already.
Tomorrow will be a challenging day: Another 4 Talks.
I’ll tell you all about it…
Abangan!
PS1. What juices am I taking? Here’s my favorite recipe… (5 carrots, ½ apple, ¼ inch of ginger) Just chuck these into the juicer and presto! Refreshing, delicious, nutrition in a glass.
PS2. Just in case you didn’t get my invitation to pray and fast with me for 7 days, click here and read about it.
PS3. My office staff just started mailing out my newest book, 8 Secrets Of The Truly Rich, to KerygmaFamily members. It’s my Big “Thank You” Gift to those who partner with me in my work for the Lord with at least P300 a month (local) or $20 (international) a month. If you’re NOT yet a member of the KerygmaFamily, you’re missing the mountain load of spiritual nourishment we give away to members for FREE! Monthly Kerygma magazine, daily video talks, daily Bible reflections, and so much more! Click here and join your new spiritual family and support system now!
PS4. More and more people are asking me about homeschooling. Yes, we teach our kids at home. And yes, I started Catholic Filipino Academy, a homeschool center that provides parents who wish to teach their kids at home the training, teacher’s manuals, textbooks, and DepED accreditation for their children. If you want to teach your kids at home, email catholicfilipinoacademy@gmail.com and ask for an article I wrote about homeschooling.
PS5. Do you want a part-time job where you can work from home? WANTED: We need budding school textbook writers. From Kindergarten to Grade 6 subjects. We pay a fixed amount per book project. If you’re interested, email tina@kerygmafamily.com and we’ll interview you to see if there’s a fit in the work to be done.
PS6. Do you have old children’s encyclopaedias, resource books, and story books that you are no longer using and are just collecting dust in your homes–and want to get rid of them? Let other kids read them. Please mail or ship them to CFA c/o Mayette Salvedia, at #60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City (For details, call up Mayette at Tel. (632) 7264709 or email her at catholicfilipinoacademy@gmail.com (Sorry, we have no means of picking them up.)
