THE WOODEN BOWLS
Last week, Junior, Missy and I went to visit grandpa (Obinna’s dad). We arrive on time and make our entrance and I felt so good seeing grandma again. She was looking frail, I must confess, but she still had something nice to say to each one of us. Lately the arthritis had escalated and her hands were shaking.
Obinna and his ‘latest’ walk in and after pleasantries have been exchanged we walk to the dining room and take our seats while we waited for grandpa to make his entrance. I wasn’t so fond of ‘grandpa’ he was manipulative and cruel. Unfortunately, he was still full of life and still made absurd demands (our compulsory Sunday lunch being one of them). He walks in and offers a grunt at our greetings. Grandma shuffles in and takes her seat on her a wooden table and chair by the corner of the room set with wooden bowls. Why isn’t she on the table? I am about to ask the question out loud but Junior beats me to it.
“Why isn’t grandma sitting with us on the dinning table, grandpa?”
“She is pretty old and her hands shake a lot when she eats. Food rolls off her spoon and messes up the table cloth. It is very irritating and messy and particularly embarrassing when I have guests. She has even broken a dish or two because of her unstable hands. So I have set the table at the corner for her to have her meal in the wooden bowls”.
Junior looks at him cooly. Obinna nods his head as he chews his food. I almost weep with pain. I almost scream with disgust
Oh my God. This man is so cruel. I fight the tears that threaten to fall. I glance in grandma’s direction and I noticed she had a tear in her eyes as she sat alone. My Junior notices it too and looks away but it is clear he has lost his appetite.
Today was another Sunday and though I didn’t want to go, I had to for grandma’s sake. How sad she must be in that house with a cruel husband. Junior had insisted on carrying his backpack to grandpa’s place. I couldn’t imagine why since he didn’t have any homework to do. I let him anyway. The ride to grandpa’s house was uneventful. We got there and exchanged pleasantries again. This time, Obinna and was waiting alone.
As we sat down to lunch (grandma in her corner), Junior opened his back pack and brought out four wooden bowls with a flourish.
“This is for you, grandpa”, he says as he hands him two of the bowls.
“This is for you, dad”, he says again as he hands the other two bowls to his surprised dad.
“What are they for”, grandpa asks.
We all look to Junior to hear what he has to say.
He responds sweetly as he fills his mouth jollof rice, “The bowls are for you and dad, to be used to eat in your respective corners when you are in grandma’s condition”.
“Whatttttttttt!!!!!!!”, Obinna thunders.
“Take it easy dad”, Junior replies, “In church last week, we learnt to do unto other what we want others to do to us. So I figured you put grandma in that corner because you wouldn’t mind staying there too, like an outcast, when you also begin to mess up the table.”
He turns and looks at grandma and asks with a straight face “Isn’t that right gran” and I look at grandma and see that she smiling. She wobbles up on her feet and shuffles to her grandson and gives him a kiss on the head.
Smiling, I glance at Obinna and his father, their heads are bowed as they ponder, I hope, on the lesson learnt from my amazing son today.
Posted on April 13, 2014, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 84 Comments.
Ezar's Chronicles 
@Chuks, thank God 4 d mistress/madam bedroom.Thats where d oppressed wife can be herself without d control of a bullish husband.she is free to think her thots,switch on/off her light,make her decisions,plan her life,weep nd wet her pillows,cry out to her God saying,Lord,wen will i enjoy marital bliss.it is her place of refuge in God,a place where she can shake/tremble without being embarrassed or made an object of ridicule.It is only in an abusive marriage dat ‘solitary confinement’is not punishment but a blessing.I thank God 4 d couples dat stay together in d masters bedroom.I also thank God 4 d wives in solitary confinement waiting for d Lords divine intervention.However,d ideal is to stay together in one room.I perceive dat grandma is in solitary confinement,with d husband as Prison Warder.
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Thank God for room and parlor for newly weds. Let me see how she will create mistress bedroom.
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Prison Warders indeed!!!! I can identify wit this scenario.common amongst polygamists.
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I hope d wife’s reward is not only in Heaven?Let d husband make it happen 4 her on earth.The Bible says,pamper her nd nourish her like ur own body.It also says,do not be bitter against her.Make her home Heaven-on-earth,woo her till death part u.Dont celebrate her death to remarry after SIX MONTHS!
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Surprisingly,the worst offenders are Christian husbands.Must they remarry?Can’t they control their body like Apostle Paul who remained single in order 2 serve His master?Men nd SEX.
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Atimes i feel like breaking d wooden bowls on his head to bring him back 2 his senses.Only a fool will reject his own.Most married women are in hell.They are just pretending to protect their families.
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Grandma is suffering..to think dat Grandpa might be shagging another woman.Her pains must be unbearable.
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The golden rule is for outsiders nd not for family members.Why are families bedevilled with strife?Siblings rivalry,husband nd wife indifferences,parents/children tantrum.God help us!
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@Christy…It is called household wickedness!It takes d love of d fathers to put an end to it.Annointing(whether holy or unholy) flows from head to toe.As d priest in the home,d ball is in his court to create a godly atmosphere.It takes a humble man to have a peaceful home.Even a wife with a hardened heart can be softened by d husbands unconditional love.U don’t need to square up with her.Love ur wife nd children unconditionally.that is d beginning of a stable family.
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Have u noticed dat a wife plays double roles according to’House rules’-She is to love,nd at d same time submit.Haba!What role is d husband supposed to playoooo?ANSWER ME.
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Hmmm. An alarming rate of bitter marriages, judging from d tone of most women here. Sad case.
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@Ugochi, the husband is a guide, a lover and a protector.
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@Andy, r u there? Dont mind most of them. some married for the very wrongest of reasons-money, family pressure, fine boy. Now they are complaining. A girl left me because I didn’t have much THEN. I am glad she did. Her loss not mine. Seeing her state now is enough punishment for her.
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Thank God for room and parlor for newly weds. Let me see how she will create mistress bedroom.
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All these rantings. I know of a woman that maltreated her husband when he was sick and out of job. Friends even had to intervene and rally round. God in his mercies healed him and gave him a job. Please, that kind of wife deserves plenty wooden bowls.
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@Chuks..its not about rattling d roles..its about actively playing the roles,to be a lover indeed.@Emeka..wen u marry 4 d right reason,marry well nd be a good example 2 other husbands.U sound so bitter.Kpeleoooo.
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Was d man shagging b/4 his woes.For every action,there is a reaction.Women are generally soft nd emotional.For her to act wicked,the man must have dealt terribly wit her wen all was going well wit him.So save d wooden bowls 4 urself,4 being so biased.
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When JESUS is enthroned in a home under d leadership of a God-fearing man,theres righteousness,peace nd joy in d Holy Ghost.Where He is dethroned,things fall apart nd are no longer at ease.Who will be held accountable?The head of dat home,whether u married for d right or wrong reasons.Like father Adam,men will always try 2 justify their actions.Hear Adam…It is d woman u gave me dat gave me to eat.He blamed both God nd Eve.It is d same trend frm Adam till date(Gen3:12).Its high time husbands lived up 2 their responsibility.A man dat can not keep his home nd be d Jesus dat d wife nd children can see,is worse than an infidel,period.
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Ezar,i tank u 4 ur blog site with posts dat actvate d soul .Because d internet is faceless,women have opened up,nd are pouring out frm their embittered souls.This is something they couldnt do anywhere,not even in d Church.Heart-rending comments!My heart bleeds for women,including grandma who is no longer d Jewel of inestimable value.Wowwww!Good site,good post.
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Kudos.This is another case of man’s inhumanity against woman.
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Broken wooden bowls can be mended nd not thrown away like thrash.Lets co-operate with d Holy Spirit 2 mend our homes.It begins with sincere nd true repentance nd not remorse.
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@Christian,u understand.My husband is a serial cheater.For every affair there is remorse witout sorrow-no genuine turnaround…nd so d cheating continues.To crown it all,he is a preacher of d gospel.Why crucify Jesus a 2nd time.Its passion week again,lets identify with His passion 4 genuine repentance.
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God hates divorce of any kind…whether frm ur heart,frm ur room,frm ur dining table,frm ur office or frm ur house/life.Yes,many live under d same roof,but are already divorced in their hearts.With God,there is no irreconcilable differences.U must fulfil ur marriage vows..a command nd not a choice.
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God hates divorce of any kind…whether frm ur heart,frm ur room,frm ur’dining table’,frm ur office or frm ur house/life.Yes,many live under d same roof,but are already divorced in their hearts.With God,there is no irreconcilable differences.U must fulfil ur marriage vows..a command nd not a choice.
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What the Lord has joined together,let not wooden bowls put asunder!
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Not all men are d same.We still hv loving husbands like me dat marvellously adore our wives nd treat them like eggs.It depends on ur spiritual maturity nd ur sincere desire 2 get married.Each day we depend on Gods grace 2 be d Jesus dat our family members can see.I also understand dat i will be held accountable for each soul,which is a great responsibility.I hv decided to work out my salvation with great fear nd trembling.I hv promised myself to be a better husband/father,or even d best.So help me God!
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God will help u nd grant u ur heart desires.U sound sincere nd genuine.Unlike others,u didnt try 2 justify ur shortcomings/weaknesses.
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@William…i identify with dat ‘woman’ who was once brutalized by d husband until things turned around in her favour.U are a stranger nd do not know d facts.Was dat man not reaping what he sowed?Presently i am terribly oppressed by a man dat once claimed he loved me.Each time i wonder whether i would take revenge on d day of my visitation..but i know i hv a soft heart nd will not do to him what he is doing to me right now.The love of Christ constrains me to love nd not to hate.For dat wife,all she needs to do is to forgive nd move on 4 Christ’s sake.Where are d other women dat he rejected her for their friendship?Wont they come nd nurse him?Wen d chips are down,it still remains ur wife nd children.Husbands take note!
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in d hour of great need,all will go except wife/husband nd children.Build ur home to love nd to care like our Lord Jesus.The younger married couples should take note.What will it profit u to gain all nd lose ur home?
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The problem is dat we are so particular about d wedding ceremony dat we do not take notice of d marriage vows which is d substance.We just browsed over it or read it casually to fulfill all righteousness.How many of d married couples still rem in our hearts d ‘marriage vows’?Did we ever try to memorize them?If we did,it will help men like grandpa to rem dat whether in sickness or in health,they should love nd cherish their spouse,nd not to ostracize them wen physically challenged.Perhaps u have 4gotten d vows?Whenever u attend any wedding ceremony dis Easter,try to attend the Service(not d receptn)nd familiarize urself with d vows so dat u do not violate them with impunity.Happy Easter!
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