Another inspiring story I came across with..
In His Mother's Footsteps
It was a busy day in our Costa Mesa, California, home. But then, with ten children and one on the way, every day was a bit hectic. On this particular day, however, I was having trouble doing even routine chores-all because of one little boy.
Len, who was three at the time, was on my heels no matter where I went. Whenever I stopped to do something and turned back around, I would trip over him. Several times I patiently suggested fun activities to keep him occupied.
"Wouldn't you like to play on the swing set?" I asked again. But he simply smiled an innocent smile and said, "Oh, that's all right, Mommy. I'd rather be in here with you." Then he continued to bounce happily along behind me.
After stepping on his toes for the fifth time, I began to lose my patience and insisted that he go outside and play with the other children. When I asked him why he was acting this way, he looked up at me with sweet green eyes and said, "Well, Mommy, in Primary my teacher told me to walk in Jesus' footsteps. But I can't see him, so I I'm walking in yours."
I gathered Len in my arms and held him close. Tears of love and humility spilled over from the prayer that grew in my heart, a prayer of thanks for the simple yet beautiful perspective of a three-year-old boy. This experience has served as a reminder to me of the vital role of a mother. While it is sobering to realize that I am a crucial link between my children and the Savior, I need to remember that since a mother is a copartner with God, I am in a position to receive guidance from one who truly cares and wants all of us to walk in Heavenly footsteps.
By: Davida Dalton, as Told To JoEllen Johnson
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A VERY INSPIRING STORY
Even though Christmas is still a few months away, I would like to share this story that i came across with a couple of years ago through an email that was sent to me. It never failed to make me teary-eyed. This is a story of HOPE and FAITH. Read on..
Andoy's Story (This is very, very touching)
Somewhere in Milaor, Camarines Sur, Philippines
there lived a fourth grader boy named Andoy who
would follow this route to school everyday.
He has to cross the rugged plains and cross the
dangerous highway where vehicles are recklessly
driving to and from. Once passed this highway,
the boy would take a short cut by passing by the
Church every morning just to say Hi to Jesus,
and faithfully say his, "Magandang umaga po"
in Bicol dialect.
A Priest, who was so happy to find innocence so
uplifting in the
morning, was faithfully watching the
boy. "Kamusta Andoy!
Papasok ka na?" "Opo padre..." He would flash
his innocent grin,
the priest would be touched.
The priest was so concerned that one day he
talked to Andoy,
"From school...", he advised "do not cross the
highway,
you can pass through the Church and I can
accompany you to
the other side of the road... that way I can
see
that you are home safe.
"Thank you father." "Why don't you go home?
Why do you stay in this Church right after
school?"
"I just want to say "Hi" to my friend, Jesus,"
The priest would leave the boy to spend time
beside the altar,
talking by himself, but the priest hid behind
the
altar to listen to what
this boy has to say to his heavenly FATHER.
"You know my math exam was pretty bad today,
but I did not cheat - although my seatmate is
bullying me for notes...
I ate one cracker and drank my water, Itay had a
bad season and
all I can eat is this cracker. Thank you for
this! I saw a poor kitten that
was hungry and I know how he feels so I gave my
last cracker to him ...
funny but I am not that hungry.
Look, this is my last pair of slippers ... I
may
have to walk barefooted
next week ... you see this is about to be
broken.
But it is okay at least
I am still going to school ... some say we will
have a hard season this
year and some of my classmates have already
stopped going to school.
Please help them get back to school again,
please
Jesus? ...
Oh, you know, Inay had hit me again, it is
painful, but I know this pain
will pass away; at least I still have a
mother...
Jesus, you want to see
my bruises? I know you can heal
them...here...here and....oh .. blood ..
I guess you knew about this one huh? Please
don't be mad at Inay.
She is just tired and she worries for the food
in
our table and my
schooling that is why she hits us ...
Oh, I think I am in love ... there's this pretty
girl in my class, her name
is Anita ... do you think she will like me?
Anyway, at least I know you
will always like me, I don't have to be anybody
just to please you,
you are my very best friend! Hey your birthday
is
a month from now!
Aren't you excited? I am! Wait till you see my
gift for you.... But it is
a surprise! I hope you will like it! Oops, I
have
to go..." then he stood
up and calls out, "Padre, padre, I am finished
talking to my friend.
You can accompany me to the other side of the
road now"
Everyday this routine happens without fail for
Andoy.
Father Agaton shares this every Sunday to the
people in his church
because he has not seen a very pure faith and
trust in Jesus,
a very positive look at negative situations.
One Christmas day, Father Agaton was sick so he
could not make it to
Church, he was sent to the hospital. The Church
was left to 4 manangs
who would chant the rosary in 1000 miles per
hour
would not smile and
always find fault in what you do. They are also
very well versed in cursing
if you irritate them! They were kneeling, saying
their kilometric rosary
when Andoy, coming from his Christmas party,
playfully dashed in,
"Hello Jesus! "P----! (a curse) bata ka! Alam
mo
nang may nagdadasal
dito! Alis!" Poor Andoy was so
terrified, "Where's Father Agaton?
He is supposed to help me cross the street....
And to be able to
cross the street I will have to pass by this
church ... not only that,
I have to greet Jesus. Today is His birthday and
I have a gift right here....
Just as he was about to get the gift out of his
shirt, one manang pulled
his shirt and threw him out of the
church. "Susmaryosep! (does a sign
of the cross fervently) Alis kang bata ka, kung
hindi matatamaan ka!
So the boy had no choice but to cross the
dangerous side of the road
in front of the church.
He crossed. There was a blind curve. A fast
moving bus came in.
The boy was protecting his gift inside his
shirt, so he was not looking.
There was so little time. The bus hit Andoy and
he died on the spot.
A lot of people crowded the lifeless body of
the
young boy.
Then suddenly, out of nowhere a tall man
wearing
a white shirt and pants,
a face so mild and gentle, but with eyes full
of
tears. He came and lifted
the boy in his arms and he was crying.
The curious bystanders nudged the man in white,
and asked,
"Excuse me sir, are you related to this child?
Do you know this child?" The man, his face
mourning and
in agony answered, "He was my best friend."
He took the badly wrapped gift in the bloody
chest of Andoy
and placed it near his heart. He stood up and
carried the boy away
and they both disappeared in sight. The crowd
was bewildered.
The next day, Father Agaton learned of the
shocking news.
He immediately visited Andoy's house and wanted
to learn more
about the man in white. He asked Andoy's
parents.
"Do you know the man who took Andoy?"
"A man in white brought him here." sobbed the
mother.
"What did he say?" The father answered, "He did
not say anything.
He was mourning. We do not know him and yet he
was very lonely
at our son's death as if he knew our son very
well.
There was something peaceful and unexplainable
about him.
He brought my son home and then he smiled
gently.
He rubbed Andoy's hair away from his face and
kissed him on his
forehead. Then he whispered something to
Andoy." "What did he say?",
asked the priest. The father began, "He said to
my son... "Thank you
for the gift ... I will see you soon... you
will
be with me forever..."
Andoy's father continued, "You know for a
while,
I felt so wonderful.
I cried, but I do not know why. All I know is
that I cried tears of joy.
I could not explain it father.
When that man left, something peaceful came over
me. I felt a deep
sense of love inside. I could not explain the
joy
in my heart. I knew
my boy is in heaven now but tell me father, who
is this man that my
son talks to everyday in your church. You should
know because you are
always there... except on the time of his
death."
Father Agaton suddenly felt the tears welling
in
his eyes, with trembling
knees, he murmured, "He was talking to no
one....but....JESUS."
If you have been blessed by the story, please feel free to share it. :) Have a great day and God bless.
Andoy's Story (This is very, very touching)
Somewhere in Milaor, Camarines Sur, Philippines
there lived a fourth grader boy named Andoy who
would follow this route to school everyday.
He has to cross the rugged plains and cross the
dangerous highway where vehicles are recklessly
driving to and from. Once passed this highway,
the boy would take a short cut by passing by the
Church every morning just to say Hi to Jesus,
and faithfully say his, "Magandang umaga po"
in Bicol dialect.
A Priest, who was so happy to find innocence so
uplifting in the
morning, was faithfully watching the
boy. "Kamusta Andoy!
Papasok ka na?" "Opo padre..." He would flash
his innocent grin,
the priest would be touched.
The priest was so concerned that one day he
talked to Andoy,
"From school...", he advised "do not cross the
highway,
you can pass through the Church and I can
accompany you to
the other side of the road... that way I can
see
that you are home safe.
"Thank you father." "Why don't you go home?
Why do you stay in this Church right after
school?"
"I just want to say "Hi" to my friend, Jesus,"
The priest would leave the boy to spend time
beside the altar,
talking by himself, but the priest hid behind
the
altar to listen to what
this boy has to say to his heavenly FATHER.
"You know my math exam was pretty bad today,
but I did not cheat - although my seatmate is
bullying me for notes...
I ate one cracker and drank my water, Itay had a
bad season and
all I can eat is this cracker. Thank you for
this! I saw a poor kitten that
was hungry and I know how he feels so I gave my
last cracker to him ...
funny but I am not that hungry.
Look, this is my last pair of slippers ... I
may
have to walk barefooted
next week ... you see this is about to be
broken.
But it is okay at least
I am still going to school ... some say we will
have a hard season this
year and some of my classmates have already
stopped going to school.
Please help them get back to school again,
please
Jesus? ...
Oh, you know, Inay had hit me again, it is
painful, but I know this pain
will pass away; at least I still have a
mother...
Jesus, you want to see
my bruises? I know you can heal
them...here...here and....oh .. blood ..
I guess you knew about this one huh? Please
don't be mad at Inay.
She is just tired and she worries for the food
in
our table and my
schooling that is why she hits us ...
Oh, I think I am in love ... there's this pretty
girl in my class, her name
is Anita ... do you think she will like me?
Anyway, at least I know you
will always like me, I don't have to be anybody
just to please you,
you are my very best friend! Hey your birthday
is
a month from now!
Aren't you excited? I am! Wait till you see my
gift for you.... But it is
a surprise! I hope you will like it! Oops, I
have
to go..." then he stood
up and calls out, "Padre, padre, I am finished
talking to my friend.
You can accompany me to the other side of the
road now"
Everyday this routine happens without fail for
Andoy.
Father Agaton shares this every Sunday to the
people in his church
because he has not seen a very pure faith and
trust in Jesus,
a very positive look at negative situations.
One Christmas day, Father Agaton was sick so he
could not make it to
Church, he was sent to the hospital. The Church
was left to 4 manangs
who would chant the rosary in 1000 miles per
hour
would not smile and
always find fault in what you do. They are also
very well versed in cursing
if you irritate them! They were kneeling, saying
their kilometric rosary
when Andoy, coming from his Christmas party,
playfully dashed in,
"Hello Jesus! "P----! (a curse) bata ka! Alam
mo
nang may nagdadasal
dito! Alis!" Poor Andoy was so
terrified, "Where's Father Agaton?
He is supposed to help me cross the street....
And to be able to
cross the street I will have to pass by this
church ... not only that,
I have to greet Jesus. Today is His birthday and
I have a gift right here....
Just as he was about to get the gift out of his
shirt, one manang pulled
his shirt and threw him out of the
church. "Susmaryosep! (does a sign
of the cross fervently) Alis kang bata ka, kung
hindi matatamaan ka!
So the boy had no choice but to cross the
dangerous side of the road
in front of the church.
He crossed. There was a blind curve. A fast
moving bus came in.
The boy was protecting his gift inside his
shirt, so he was not looking.
There was so little time. The bus hit Andoy and
he died on the spot.
A lot of people crowded the lifeless body of
the
young boy.
Then suddenly, out of nowhere a tall man
wearing
a white shirt and pants,
a face so mild and gentle, but with eyes full
of
tears. He came and lifted
the boy in his arms and he was crying.
The curious bystanders nudged the man in white,
and asked,
"Excuse me sir, are you related to this child?
Do you know this child?" The man, his face
mourning and
in agony answered, "He was my best friend."
He took the badly wrapped gift in the bloody
chest of Andoy
and placed it near his heart. He stood up and
carried the boy away
and they both disappeared in sight. The crowd
was bewildered.
The next day, Father Agaton learned of the
shocking news.
He immediately visited Andoy's house and wanted
to learn more
about the man in white. He asked Andoy's
parents.
"Do you know the man who took Andoy?"
"A man in white brought him here." sobbed the
mother.
"What did he say?" The father answered, "He did
not say anything.
He was mourning. We do not know him and yet he
was very lonely
at our son's death as if he knew our son very
well.
There was something peaceful and unexplainable
about him.
He brought my son home and then he smiled
gently.
He rubbed Andoy's hair away from his face and
kissed him on his
forehead. Then he whispered something to
Andoy." "What did he say?",
asked the priest. The father began, "He said to
my son... "Thank you
for the gift ... I will see you soon... you
will
be with me forever..."
Andoy's father continued, "You know for a
while,
I felt so wonderful.
I cried, but I do not know why. All I know is
that I cried tears of joy.
I could not explain it father.
When that man left, something peaceful came over
me. I felt a deep
sense of love inside. I could not explain the
joy
in my heart. I knew
my boy is in heaven now but tell me father, who
is this man that my
son talks to everyday in your church. You should
know because you are
always there... except on the time of his
death."
Father Agaton suddenly felt the tears welling
in
his eyes, with trembling
knees, he murmured, "He was talking to no
one....but....JESUS."
If you have been blessed by the story, please feel free to share it. :) Have a great day and God bless.
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