My Greatest Blessing For 2008

My Greatest Blessing For 2008
By Bo Sanchez

JANUARY 6, 2009 (http://bosanchez.ph/) - Who said you can’t have fun on a budget? Last July, to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, my extended family of 28 all flew to the island resort of Boracay for five days. Just imagine how much we spent.

But this Christmas 2008, we spent a meager P6000 only. Because fun doesn’t mean expensive. Fun means you’re with people you love. So we went for a whole-day swim in a lovely Bulacan resort. Yep, we had the beautiful place exclusively to ourselves for only six thousand buckeroos.

And we brought our own food. My sisters cooked Adobo. (We’re Filipino, remember?) And my brother-in-law brought Tuna Panga for me and grilled it on the spot. With tomatoes and wansuy. And a gigantic pot of hot steaming rice good for 60 people. (Did I say we’re Filipino?) For desert, my niece brought buko pandan with jello. Yum!

Not all of us swam. Most of us were lazy bums sitting around the pool, eating chichiria, playing board games, and belting 80’s songs in the Videoke.

In the midst of all the fun, I saw Mom in a corner. I caught her crying. She missed Dad who went to Heaven last year. I missed him too.

That’s when I began to think of 2008…

Oh, it was awesome. 2008 was so blessed. My ministry flourished. My business grew. My health improved. Even my eyesight improved (I no longer wear eyeglasses.) The blessings are too much to count.

But if you’d ask me, “Bo, what was your greatest blessing for 2008?” I would have to say, “My relationships.” At the end of the day, life is built on them. We only have a very short time to enjoy the people we love. And this “short time” is what I’m profoundly thankful for.

For example, my marriage is blessed. I love my wife more than ever. I love talking with her. I love sitting beside her after a long day. I can’t imagine life without this lovely girl. (Proof of how fantastic she is: I only have one vice and she gives it to me—Every night, she serves me a10 minute foot-massage. Isn’t she incredible?)

This 2008, we also took our family meals four notches higher. (1) All of us sit around the table from beginning to end; (2) We don’t answer any phone or text during mealtime; (3) We close the TV set; We don’t read newspapers; (4) We totally engage each other in conversation. Because of these four simple decisions, our meals have enriched our relationships.

My two boys? Just phenomenal. They make my mornings the greatest part of my day. We spend lots of time talking and having our little breakfast dates.

My relationship with my mother and my sisters—and their families—are my treasure. And my parents-in-laws are God’s great bonus to me. They love me more than they love their daughter. (Just kidding.)

And how can I start talking about how wonderful my friends are? (I wrote about them in another Blog entry entitled Warning: This Will Make You Hungry.)

And my friends include YOU, my spiritual family. (Just in case you haven’t joined, log on at http://www.kerygmafamily.com/ It’s totally FREE. You get a mountain load of spiritual blessings to nourish your soul.)

In 2009, I’m totally committed to deepen my relationships even more. To enjoy them more. To bless my loved ones more.

This is my prayer for you too.

Have a blessed-filled 2009!

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez