“Why are you in my orchard, Teo?” Apong Cion asked gruffly.
Just one week after she had lost her dog Arsab, the old lady was her grouchy self again.
Silence.
“Lost your tongue?” she pushed. “Teo, Arsab is LOST, you hear? No point grieving over it!”
“I lost in the Math contest,” Teo said. “I didn’t win any prize.”
“Pooh! You’re moping because you lost? Hey, Teo, that doesn’t mean you are not good! Winning doesn’t make you better! Hah, there’s nothing tragic about losing! Look at me!”
Teo raised his head.
“I lost my only pet! But am I moping? Noooo!”
“You’re not sad anymore?” Teo asked.
“No! Look, I still have my tress, my home, my good health! How much more blessing do I need?”
“You don’t miss Arsab?”
“I do! But I am not grieving, see? I have wonderful memories of that noisy big-eater!”
A jeepney honked from the road, and down came – Arsab!
“ARSAB?!” Both Apong Cion and Teo were shocked to see Arsab yipping and bounding non-stop. They saw a letter tied to his neck:
I stole your cute dog, but he eats too much and I cannot afford to feed him. You can have him back!
Apong Cion and Teo laughed and leaped, while Arsab lapped up the papayas strewn around.
* * *
Prayer:
Lord, when I lose, please make me accept it. Encourage me to keep doing my best. Amen.
Memory verse:
“Do not worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks.” Philippians 4:6
“Quiet Time with Mateo – 52 Weekly Devotions for Children” is published by OMF Literature, Inc. and available at leading bookstores.