Sunday is always my best day of the week. After a prata breakfast early this morning, I was off to church with my wife.

What I am going to share with you in this blog is an article written by Pastor Kwan in this morning service bulletin.

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Pastor Kwan Writes…

This is an interesting story that I received recently in my email box. It is a story worth reading and pondering over.

A teacher from a primary school asked her students to write an essay about what they would like God to do for them. At the end of the day, she read one essay that made her very emotional. Her hushand, who had walked in, saw her crying and asked her, “What happened?” She answered, “Read this. It is one of my students’ essay.”

Oh God, make me into a TV!

‘Oh God, tonight I ask you something very special. Make me into a television. I want to take its place and live like the TV in my house. Have my own special place, and have my family around me. To be taken seriously when I talk. I want to be the centre of attention and be heard without interruptions or questions. I want to receive the same special care that the TV receives even when it is not working. Have the company of my dad when he arrives home from work, even when he is tired. And I want my mom to want me when she is sad and upset, instead of ignoring me. And I want my brothers to fight to be with me. I want to feel that family just leaves everything aside, every now and then, just to spend some time with me. And last but not least, ensure that I can make them all happy and entertain them. Lord, I don’t ask you for much. I just want to live like a TV.’

At that moment the husband said, “Oh! Poor kid. What horrible parents!” The wife looked up at him and said, “That essay is from our son!”

Parents must not underestimate the powerful influence of the TV and how it can control our lives. We have not doubt that some of the TV programmes can have negative effects on our children and also on our lives. It hinders meaningful intimate relationships with our family members when we give priority to watching the TV.

Besides the television, there are perhaps other modern gadgets and preoccupations that will also draw us away from spending quality time with our family members. It could be the computer. It could be our smartphones. It could be our hobbies or even our careers. Whatever they may be, the important lesson for us to learn from this story is how we ought to spend quality time with our loved ones. Indeed, we must not allow the things of this world to take priority over our relationship with our family members and also our communion with God.