Blessings = shame?

My own family is just an average family in terms of size and wealth. Those days we used to have enough and hardly had excess eventhough my grandfather was a well to do businessman. Our most luxurious meal then was Kentucky Fried Chicken. O, I remembered that once my father took us to The Ship to celebrate my mom's birthday. That was 'the once...'

Both my father and my pak pak had the same fate. Both sons were not favoured by my grandfather - for whatever the reasons were. Both did not get much attention nor help in any way. Moreso, my Pak Pak have 8 dependants compared to my family of 4. Both family's wealth was just enough to get by. No matter how hard they had to struggle in providing to their own family my grandfather did not bothered to lift a finger to help them. Despite that fact, both insisted that we, the grandchildren, must never be disrespectful to our grandfather. And both sons never 'ditched' their father in his old days and cleaned him when he was unable. I respect and salute them as filial sons and this I must learn.

Both men struggles did not go in vain. As far as I am concern, my cousins, my brother and myself have made it in our life and we should be able to make it till end if we stay content. We may not be multi millionaire (maybe some of my cousins are or perhaps in future we may be...hehehehe who knows) but we continue to have enough and now some of us can afford more.

Well, some times 'enough' does not have to be the measurement of wealth...Family unity and the tradition of having generations are more important for Chinese family. These values must be embedded to bring honour to our fathers.

At this moment, I may not be able to 'contribute' in terms of adding to the quantity to my family but I thank God that He has blessed me in other forms. With these blessings, I am able to bless my family. I am proud that I am able to afford many things and to share with my family. I am proud that I do not need to depend on others just to ensure my family is provided and also we are able to indulge into some luxurios items.

I do not think that we are being a show off nor being materialistic when we are able to afford luxury. However I should not covet neither be prideful. To me, I trust that by working hard and believing that God hears our prayer would bring blessings to us. And we should not be 'shameful' by these blessings neither should we find explanations to these blessings. Also we should not think it is by luck we have these blessings. We asked from God, we should then claimed them and glorify Him.

Besides, I also believe that at times, when we struggle and that we do not see the results now - it does not conclude that our struggles will go in vain. We may not receive the blessing directly for ourselves but surely there will be. I thank God that both my father and pak pak did not give up nor blame my grandfather. I would think the values that could have instilled in us would have been different should our fathers 'curse' our grandfather then.

I used to think that life were unfair for my father and pak pak because they did not have the chance to enjoy their 'fruits' of labour. They have gone too soon. It was very naive of me...What does the earth has that heaven does not?!

They had laboured for us, their children and we should treasure their struggles and set the same values for our children...never be ashamed of what we have or afford...they are ours when God says they belong to us...Amen!