Once upon a time, a man built a breathtakingly stunning palace. Surrounding the palace, he planted plants of all colors, textures, and sizes; many of them were fit to be eaten. He also introduced many animals to the land; animals of all imaginable kinds, yet none was dangerous. They freely roamed about the green, rolling land that was dotted with tall trees, providing shady spots for any passersby. The man had built the great palace for the children he will have, who would inherit the palace and the land. He imagined his children playing in this land, running around hither and thither, in and out about the palace.

By and by, the man had children, who indeed inherited the land. The man could not help but smile whenever he watched them play about. His heart and soul were filled with immeasurable joy when he pictured the children of his children inhabiting the land and enjoying all that it had to offer.

One day, he could not find one of his children, so he asked the rest where the child was, but did not receive any definite answer. Soon, he was shocked to find the dead body of the lost child, and found out he was murdered by his own siblings. He was more than horrified; and anger was not absent. He detested evil. He had especially carefully taught his children well. How could something so vile have happened? Despair soon replaced his anger. He knew that his children did not love him as they had claimed; they would not have done this if they truly loved him.

Does this story sound familiar?

Okay, so this is not the best adaptation of God's magnificent creation story, but that is all right since it is just my intention to illustrate why it is important to listen to your parents. There are many reasons why we should pay attention to our parents, but I am just going to cover the three top reasons.

1. Returning your parents' love. The number one reason why it is a good idea to pay heed to what your parents say is to show that you love them in return. I have heard people posing the question, "Why was God so terribly angry in the Old Testament?" Well, let me ask you this: Would you not be upset if your children constantly do things that are downright evil after you have told them what not to do over and over and over again? Only an uncaring parent would not mind what bad things their children do. So God was truly loving when He got angry at His creations' wrongdoing. Above all, it showed that His children did not care about His feelings; they did not love Him back after He had so painstakingly created them after His own spiritual image. So show that you love your parents back by obeying their wishes.

2. It is best for you. God created us human beings, so He obviously knows what is best for us, yet countless people since the beginning of our kind have not followed His advice. Parents, who took care of us ever since we were tiny, helpless babies, know what is best for us, yet not many of us like to listen to our parents. I agree that we cannot agree to everything our parents tell us, but it is essential to think carefully about the large issues, the most important things in our lives. If parents tell us that smoking is bad for our health, then we should consider their warning before sticking a deadly cigarette into our mouths. It is best for you.

3. You receive support. When we listen to people's advice, we are being supported at the same time. Talking with and receiving insights from your parents will not only help you live a better life but will strengthen the bond between you and your parents. If all human beings listen to God's loving words, imagine what a beautiful world this would have been for each and every one of us! Even now, having God close to our hearts and doing what He loves, bring us spiritually closer to Him. Personally, it makes me very happy when I pay attention to His words in the Bible. It gives me a sense of security and support, as I know I am doing what is best for me, that whatever I am doing could not be wrong since it has been laid by the most supreme being ever, and above all, that I am not alone—I have Him to guide me.

Parents should be their children's best source of support. My mom is my #1 confidant and best friend. No one, except God, can take her place. When I listen to her, it means I love her, I trust her, and I won't feel alone to deal with things on my own.

It is true that not all parents' advice are right, but we should at least consider them instead of turning away from them immediately. It is up to your value system and judgment to judge whether what your parents tell you is good or bad. If you need guidance, flip through the Bible. Who could give better advice than the Parent of all parents?

Shirley's Corner

I have happy news to share with you this month! (But don't I always?)

I received my copies of the Vietnamese edition of my book, "Dance with Your Heart," straight from Vietnam, and oh my, are they beautiful or what! My mother and I were delighted to discover that between their pages, beautiful illustrations accompany my poems, fairy tales, fables, and myths. I am absolutely thrilled to say that some copies (out of my original fifty copies) have been donated to the Art Club for Disabled Children in Hanoi. The chairwoman of the club said that each tale will be read to the children every Sunday evening.

The book, which is published by Women Publishing House for the non-profit market for low-income families and schools and with an initial print run of 1,500 copies, is already receiving great feedback. A woman wrote this to my translator Nguyen Bich Lan: "Last night I had difficulty making my daughter go to bed on time because she entreated me to let her finish the tale 'Blooming Hope'. I myself like the book very much. The words she used are so pure, emotive. I like the fables most. They bring the useful lessons which are easily absorbed. The way you translated the tales and poems is so impressive that I forget that I am reading a literary book written in a foreign language."

I mentioned previously that I will take autographed copies for the book, and now I am keeping my word, but for only THREE copies. Yes, I am only making three of the ten copies I received available for ordering because I want to keep the rest for myself (can you blame me?). The three copies will be available on a first come, first serve basis, so if you or a friend can read Vietnamese, grab a copy quick by simply going to my site www.shirleycheng.com

In March, journalist Vu Anh Tuan wrote an article about our story—Nguyen Bich Lan's and mine—and the full-page article (yes, full page!) was published in Tien Phong Chu Nhat (Pioneer Sunday), Vietnamese's largest newspaper for youths. The news story, which is titled "'Dance with Your Heart' and the Two Girls Who Live in Two Different Hemispheres," can be found at (if the link is still live) www.tienphong.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=115906&ChannelID=7

Gnuyen Bich Lan is a marvelous person. Born and raised in a small village in Thai Binh, Vietnam, Bich was chosen for a class for gifted children with very good skills in literature. Before stopping her schooling at the age of 14 because of muscular dystrophy, she knew no English. Despite her bad health, she spent almost her time teaching herself English and reading a lot. Four years later she began giving English lessons to children in her area. Now in her early thirties, she has had more than two hundred pupils, eight of whom have gone on to become teachers of English. She is the translator of ten compelling books, including "From the Nile to the Jordan" and "A Thousand Faces of Night." Bich says she herself chooses which books to translate.

You know that one of my personal quotes is: "Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains." Well, a lady brought my attention to Blindsight, a fascinating film based on a true story that gives a new literal meaning to my motto. The documentary is about a German woman, Sabriya Tenberken, who lost her eyesight at age twelve. Her interest in Tibetan and Chinese culture brought her to opening Braille Without Borders, a school for the blind in Tibet (where blind children are not allowed to attend school because they think blind people are demon-possessed). By and by, she got in touch with a blind mountaineer, Erik Weihenmayer, who is the only blind person to have climbed the tallest mountains on each continent. The film is of the amazing team of Erik, Sabriya, and six of her blind, Tibetan teenaged students as they climb Lakpari which is on the north side of Mt. Everest. Each of the blind people traveled with a sighted climber/guide. Sabriya has been deservedly nominated for the Nobel Prize—I hope she wins it! Learn more about the film at www.blindsightthemovie.com/

Life coach Nickolove Lovemore, who interviewed me back in February, interviewed Jennifer Mannion, author of "How I Used the Law of Attraction to Heal Myself from Chronic Pain," and I thought I would share with you the interview recording because Jennifer's story is quite remarkable, and may benefit you or someone you know who is suffering from chronic pain. For nearly ten years, she suffered from chronic and debilitating illnesses, and amazingly, she was able to almost completely heal herself in a few short weeks using Law of Attraction. This story demonstrates the powers of gratitude and positive thinking. To listen to this interview, go to instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=2512911

I have released another new book, "Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Where Is Our Freedom to Say No? A Look at the Injustice of the American Medical System," and I will talk more about it in my next issue, so stay tuned!

Until next month, remember—when you need guidance, seek your parents; when you need even more guidance, seek your Heavenly Father.

Best wishes always!

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Best regards,

Shirley Cheng

Award-Winning Author
Miracle survivor, inspiring author and contributing author of seventeen books by age 24, poet, motivational speaker, self-empowerment expert, advocate, and a co-author in the bestselling Wake Up...Live the Life You Love book series
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
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