My wife, who is not a Christian, reluctantly agreed to attend a baptismal class for our youngest son. I figured she would be bored out of her mind: The hour-long class would be full of Catholic terminology regarding a sacrament that Ayako had no clue about.
And there would be praying.
That evening, I found the courage to glance over at Ayako at some point during the class, and, sure enough, her eyes were glazed over. “How are you doing?” I asked meekly.
No response.
I got worried. The whole idea of baptizing our children was mine. I was the reason we were all here on a weeknight instead of at home in our highly-structured routine.
In my mind, I tried to hurry along the class so that I wouldn’t feel like I was keeping my wife hostage inside a Catholic church. Just a few more minutes, right? I kept asking myself nervously.
After 90 minutes, we were dismissed. Leaving Ayako with both kids, who were going stir crazy by then, I went up to the individuals in charge of the baptismal class to ask some questions.
Outside in the parking lot, I expected Ayako to either give me the silent treatment or start complaining about wasting her time. Instead, the first words out of her mouth were: “I liked that prayer.”
“Which one?”
“The one at the beginning. It sounded like a poem.”
This is a very good sign! I thought, shocked that she actually enjoyed something about the class.
I went home and punched in some key words on the computer; I had no idea what the poem was called or anything. That’s why God gave us Google, I reminded myself.
Ayako even wanted me to print a copy for her which she now reads every night before going to bed.
The moral of this story? God is in control. He can work wonders. He changed a big fool such as me, and He can surely convert the heart of a tough little non-practicing Buddhist/Shintoist Japanese woman. Just not according to my timetable.
Anyway, here is the poem that I tracked down. It’s called “When God Says No” by Claudia Minden Welsz.
I asked God to take away my pride,
and God said, “No.”
He said it was not for Him to take away,
but for me to give up.I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,
and God said, “No.”
He said her spirit is,
while her body is only temporary.I asked God to grant me patience,
And God said, “No.”
He said patience is a by-product of tribulation.
It isn’t granted, it is earned.I asked God to give me happiness,
And God said, “No.”
He said He gives blessings,
happiness is up to me.I asked God to spare me pain,
and God said, “No.”
He said, “Suffering draws you apart from
worldly cares and brings you closer to Me.”I asked God to make my spirit grow,
and God said, “No.”
He said I must grow on my own,
but He will prune me to make it fruitful.I asked God if He loved me,
and God said, “Yes.”
He gave me His only Son, who died for me.
And I will be in Heaven someday
because I believe.I asked God to help me love others
as much as He loves me,
and God said,
“Ah, finally, you have the idea.”
~t
April 4th, 2014 at 10:57 am
Wonderful post! I especially like the poem.
April 4th, 2014 at 4:06 pm
Thank you! It’s a wonderful poem.
April 7th, 2014 at 2:07 pm
Beautiful poem!
April 7th, 2014 at 2:38 pm
I know, right? I’m so glad I took the time to find it online.
April 16th, 2014 at 9:11 pm
Love the poem and am so happy to hear that your wife loved it.
April 23rd, 2014 at 5:54 pm
Thank you! 🙂