Joshua’s 4th Birthday and my 39th year of existence

Today marks Francis Joshua’s 4th birthday. Later, I’ll give him his birthday present, something he had wanted for his birthday, a SpongeBob watch. Nothing much really…. but in his eyes, it meant more than gold and silver.


We’ve had a string of birthdays in the past few weeks. My sister Inas last Aug 25, my mother, last Aug. 30, my father last Sept. 22, Joshua my 3rd out of four children today and some friends and relatives all this month of September.

I’ll be turning 39 tomorrow. I’ll go on birthday leave and probably just stay at home with the kids. My wife Odette is on official trip to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to attend a conference on poverty and corruption. Her plane left last Saturday and she’ll be back by Friday, the 29th. I’m sad she couldn’t be here for our birthdays and I’m sure she feels the same way but duty calls. Besides, it is not always that one gets the opportunity to see Tanzania (or any part of Africa for that matter!) and on official status at that!

Still, I’m very thankful to God for my birthday. For one, I don’t feel older or sluggish. Come to think of it, I feel kind of better than say… a year ago. Maybe because I have been able to better control my high blood sugar levels and maintain by body weight in the past year. My blood sugar is still high by any standards (a diabetic on denial stage!) but I have managed to keep myself at around 183-185 lbs. I think I’m still overweight by 5-10 lbs. for my frame.

God has kept me busy doing His work. There’s the CLP that our unit’s leading the first module, preparation for Gawad Kalinga activities this October, mission trips to GK Botocan for their Kapitbahayan Membership Training and Values Formation Program, CFC talks in various places, forthcoming KFC/SAGIP activities and our Unit Assembly and Chapter Assembly in the following days and weeks. Indeed, it is an honor to serve Him.

Thank you Lord, for the gift of our lives.


P.S.
Not that I’m rushing into it, but I really wonder why people say that life begins at 40?
I guess I’ll know soon enough…in a year’s time! God bless!