Tribute: 35th Birthday Of My Eldest Daughter

Dear Everyone,

7 October 2020 is the 35th birthday of my eldest Vanessa or Vannie.

Let me look back about 18 years ago, that's 2002...

... it's a moment of mixed emotions....a moment of JOY and WORRY in the father in me....

...the worry....I was out of work, that started late 2000.....and my eldest of three children will start college.....

....the joy.....she was graduating high school top of the class at De La Salle Lipa....

.....even an added joy....I had the chance to pay tribute to Tatay and Inay, along with Daddy and Mommy, my in-laws, when each couple went up the stage to put a medal on Vannie that graduation day.....as in this blog....

https://picoygonzales.blogspot.com/2020/09/tribute-to-tatay-abba-father-romans-815.html?m=1

I afforded my three children up to high school at De La Salle owing to my employment at Caltex.....I got early retirement package from Caltex in 1997 after 14 years service.

.....at Caltex, there is this college scholarship at UP Diliman....

......at the company of unemployment....in gaps....half the period late 2000 to late 2005.....there was this God's scholarship...

.......not just for my eldest.....the following year, it was my other daughter Patricia or Patty.....both at Ateneo de Manila University.....at a time that the rule was one in a family for scholarship purposes.....

.....I have written in a blog on 26 August 2020......"I was out of work in gaps for about half of a period of five years. And I felt I brought it up to myself, that I had guilt of putting college education of my children in jeopardy, and their future itself at that.

The cars were sold, the house was mortgaged with the amortization overdue, and my wife had to borrow money to pay utility bills. You cannot forgive a man who brought this misfortune to his family."

http://picoygonzales.blogspot.com/2020/08/wala-ka-sa-lolo-ko-he-cried-tears-in.html

I got a comment on the blog....."You cannot forgive a man who brought this misfortune to his family."

But we never felt this way. 😊

God was and is always good and faithful!

.....my rejoinder....The kind of regard I had seeing Lolo Ofring provided for the family. I know I provided up to high school and that reveals my heart. The Lord has purpose in what I went through and what our family went through. The Lord be praised! His ways are not my ways, His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Amen.

..... it's humbling....the blog comment is from my eldest daughter....

..... she's so simple....no frills....she had P20,000 award from Globe before graduating high school.....she gave all the money to my wife....

.....I became a Christian in 2004.....I did not impose on my three children....I know it was a struggle for them.....having attended Catholic schools...

.....few years later....all three of them.....accepted Jesus as personal Lord and Savior.....

Belatedly, this tribute to my eldest daughter.....

..... I know Patty and my son Paolo will never feel I am playing favorite.....

.....I cannot ask for anything more for an eldest daughter....

.....that speaks as well for Patty and Paolo....

.....we, the whole family serve the Lord.....

....Vannie is the team leader for the online platform of our church, Proclaim His Name Christian Fellowship http://pcf.org.ph/

......from Vannie's journal artbook in college....as to how she herself was back in a grade school pic...."....when asked by teachers to go in front of the class and introduce myself, I won't even say a single word! It would take a long time for the teacher to convince me to speak, that is, if she actually convinces me...."

________________

Dear Vannie....I am blessed with your life. I am blessed with your kind heart. I thank the Lord for your life.

My prayer for you, just as my prayer in my Father's Day open letter to the three of you.....

"The Lord blessed our family, our house, in a way I could not imagine. My prayer for you, for our family, is as that of King David's in 1 Chronicles 17:27, "Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.””

https://picoygonzales.blogspot.com/2020/08/give-voice-to-your-love-fathers-day-2020.html?m=1

The Lord continue to bless the work of your hands. Amen.

Love,

Papa