Don't shortchanged yourself..

I happened to be in St Mary this morning after my keyboard lesson.. I supposed this is the 1st time I attended mass after my lessons (excluding those at HSC).. Not feeling v gd as the flu bug is still inside me.. Goggy + fainty..

Hmm.. Today "happened" to be Vocation Sunday and I "happened" to be in St Marys.. to listen to a sermon/ homily tt's calling out to "young men & women" to be more open to the choices in lives.. I was at the right place, at the right time..

Today, Fr John-Paul was proposing to young ppl to be open to the choices in lives.. Life is not merely abt fulfilling what you had always wanted (eg 5Cs or to be an accountant which is a childhood dream.. or to fulfil what your parents want of you).. It is abt living a life which we will not regret.. He mentioned tt God has given us so many choices & we shld be open to it so tt we can live our lives to the fullest.. If we close up the options, we are short-changing ourselves to the choices available.. Fr mentioned tt during this proposal, he will not try to state the good points of religious lives or to sugar coat the gd things because, in reality, its never easy. Because the ppl we will be facing, are ppl who are concerned w/ the 5Cs, wealth, fame and authority.

I remembered Fr saying tt there are many parents who offered to pray for vocations.. but deep in their hearts, they said, "Yes, I will help to pray.. but pls dont take my child (son/ daughter)." If everyone's thinking tt way, how then, will there be any vocations?

Quite true thou..

The next thing which he said, has actually helped to confirm my calling once again.. which I thought its really awesome (after the sharing w/ Bro Gregory during Landings sessions.. abt his vocations..)..

Well, I was asked to join 2 of my friends (QH & SY) for a Degree in Biz Mgmt course next yr, after our current dip course. This issue has been "bothering" me over the past 3-4 days.. I remember telling SY tt I dont see myself in tt course.. I do not know the apparant reason behind it but.. hmm.. They told me to consider and to go with them. Its a degree offered by RMIT(Aust) which is quite regconised.. 1.5yr course.. and its "only $13k" which is quite worth it.. However, frankly, I really do not see myself there.. Till now, even though I only agreed to explore my vocation, I am still v puzzled over what I will be doing in life..

I remembered I tried giving myself option.. perhaps to give it a try to go for the course.. (at least I'd considered).. I was pondering over how I am to raise the 13k in abt 2yrs.. I started to think as far as to ask my boss to help me to req for salary adjustments after I grad next april or so.. I started to think of so many things..

Today's homily is kind of a "wake up call" for me..

"Hey! I thought you'd submitted yourself to the Lord? Why are you worrying over such things?"

Ar.. Alas! Why shld I worry abt these things when I know my life is in the hands of the Lord? Even if I worked upon it in saving up for my course, if its not meant to be, it will never be.. During today's homily, Fr John-Paul mentioned tt when he was serving as a campus director, there were undergrads in their final yr who would approach him, telling him tt they wanted to go into vocation. However, Fr John-Paul told them, take time.. Get some experience in the world 1st.. Wont it be a waste if you'd spent so much time and $$$ only to find out this is not what you want? This is something which had strike me hard today.. I supposed my question had been answered..

1)There is no need for me to worry over something which is not meant for me to worry over..
2)Since I can alrdy see tt my future is not in the biz world, why shld I still waste my time & $$$ in something which wont happen?

Fr John-Paul also mentioned tt youngsters these days are unable to make life-choices during their early twenties.. By the time they grad, they're alrdy in mid twenties and after they step into the real world, they're nearly 30s.. So, these are something which we shld consider as well.. We have to "see the world" 1st.. before we decide on our choice.. For me, I supposed, I'd seen the world long enough.. Been working since I was 16+ (even though I was still studying).. I guess, its really time for me to make my lifetime decision..

I remembered tt I cried quite badly when we were singing "Our Father".. singing to God tt Holy be His name and may His kingdom come and His will be done.. I was closing my eyes and I offered up my worries to Him and similarly, I told God, "may Your will be done".

Thank God.. for allowing me to be in church today.. to listen to what You have to tell me.

**Always Keep Him in your heart. In everything, give thanks.. for it is God's will for you in Christ Jesus..**