Homeward Bound

Eight more days and I will be seeing my parents, my siblings, my son, my nephews and nieces, my in-laws~my whole family~ again. This break is a more significant one than my other holidays because this is the first Christmas that our family will celebrate again together in say *1,2,3...*, 17 years? We only have like three additionals to the family since our last reunion in 2008. Now we have Elaine, baby Migs, and Jerome (and baby Jiuliana while at Ish's tummy).

I know more than myself, it will be my dad and my "nanay" who are the most excited ones for this occasion. They will be excited and also having problems now with where they will accommodate me, and my sis and family at our old house in Paciano *LOL!*. Yeah, that old house...the house where we all grew up and experienced both the happy and sad memories of our lives. Summing it up, there were really no sad memories in that old house. There were trials, there were sickness, there were problems and pains but we shared them all together as a family. And all those "sad memories" built a strong foundation in us. Having that foundation made us feel excited and always looking forward to any occasion that will bring us back together in that old house...in our old home.

There are times that we question God why He allows big or small problems (depends on who is handling it) in our lives. We ask why trial times come that they almost break us, how He can allow things that are beyond bearable to happen? Each time a problem or pain is experienced, we tend to be closer to Him, tend to talk more with Him. We tend to build a personal relationship with Him...and that is the foundation God would like to have with us... a strong personal relationship hemmed both with happy and "sad" memories.

These trials and pains build a strong foundation of relationship between God and us through our faith and trust. Having this kind of foundation will make us feel excited and look forward to that occasion that will bring us together with Him in that old house...in our new home...in heaven.