SIT DOWN AND EAT

Many aspects of family life have changed in the past fifty years. Eating together as a family has become almost unheard of, and yet it is at the supper table or the Sunday dinner that many issues of life can be solved. Parents are wise to find time to sit down with their children for one meal a day.  Fast food and hurried schedules can sometimes make for so little time that children and parents have no time for one another.

Children need to be heard. Listening to the ramblings of a ten-year-old when travelling from McDonald’s to the soccer practice may not be enough time for the young person to get to the point of the story.  Recently, I picked my great granddaughter up from one practice and took her to another. We stopped at McDonald’s drive-through and she ate on the run. She is a talker. We were just getting into a real conversation when we arrived at the ballpark. Time was so short and my opportunity to share with her that day was lost.  I plan to go back to that discussion, but time left us much too soon.

  As my children grew and changed, I found that one-on-one conversation as we rode to a nearby town for piano lessons or a ballgame became the confession time for both my children and me.  Sometimes I needed to talk to them privately. It can take a while before the true issue is revealed (particularly with some young boys). Families need to be together for a time each day if possible.  Just touching base with one another gives a security to each member of the family. (Parents as well as children)

NOTE TO READER: This blog post is an excerpt from the book I am writing now. At this point,it is entitled THREAD OF LOVE, but that may change. I hope to finish this winter and will try to post a few more examples. Let me know in comments below how you responded to this. Thanks.

Clella

REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE

     “Remember who you are” It woke me! Not that I was asleep, but I do gather my own thoughts at times when my minister is talking.  He does preach a meaningful sermon, but I have heard many of these admonishments for countless years. Not that I don’t need to hear them repeated, but sometimes I go off in my own thoughts.  However, his rather quiet and yet strong voice echoed in my mind. REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE!

I reached for my phone. I had used my Bible app to read the Scripture for the day, so it was close by. I quickly typed the words into my memory list. Now it is Monday, and I am still hearing those words.  I begin to question myself.  Who am I really?I know who I want to be and who I think I am, but what does that really mean?         “Remember”…have I forgotten who I am. I begin to think through this admonishment.

  I want to be known as a Christian woman, but have I modeled that in this past week. I examine my recent actions, my speech and my thoughts. I realize I sometimes forget who I am.

   I want to be the wife I promised to be sixty-five years ago. My sharp answers yesterday and the impatient way I answered a request did not reflect the speech of a “loving” wife. Sometimes I forget who I am.

  I want to be a mother and grandmother and mother-in-law my family can depend on. I want each of them to know I pray for them. I want them to always know I am available for them. I wonder if I was too busy this week for that to happen. Sometimes I forget who I am

    I want to be known as a Friend who cares, but I forgot to call my friend who missed Bible study.  I disregarded my friend who had some trouble with her children. She tried to talk with me, but I hurried on. And then the young mother who was struggling with life in general, and I knew it, but didn’t really want to get involved right now.  I forgot to pray for her, and I said I would. Sometimes I forget who I am.

As I think about this today, I realize that it’s okay if I forget who I am. Jesus knows, and His Holy Sprit reminds me who my Father is and how He loves me. As my earthly father forgave me, my Heavenly Father is even more forgiving and loving.  I remember whose child I am and that is enough.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:  Father, I am so glad you are my Father, and that I can know you love me and forgive me through each day. I sometimes forget who I am, but I know you will give me strength and courage to go on and be the woman you want me to be.  Thank you for that. Thank you for loving me enough to send Jesus to die for me even though I am not worthy. I pray in His holy name. Amen

SHE SAID WHAT?

SHE SAID WHAT???

As I walked this morning, my mind is filled with so many different thoughts. I have been going back over a conversation I was a part of recently.  And yes, I was a part of it, not an innocent by stander, but a part of the group. And in retrospect, I have decided to be more careful about my participation in such conversations.  

Was it harmful?  I don't think so, but was it necessary?  Probably not. How do you feel about gossip?  Harmless?  Destructive? Not a problem? The subject is on my heart this morning. Society gives it many labels-chit-chat, rumor, conversation, prayer-wait Prayer?  Really? How could prayer be destructive?

As His people, we need to examine our hearts as we make prayer requests. God knows the details of the situation. Vivid description of the problem as the request is made is not usually necessary. An explicit detail made public does little for a marital or family situation. Just like the game we played as children; the words change as they are passed from one person to the next. A simple request for prayer is sufficient.  The key here being the word “simple.”  

Elaborate prayer requests can be gossip in disguise… can you be trusted? The author of Proverbs tells his reader that a gossip betrays a confidence. (Proverbs 11:13, 20:19,) Betraying a friend’s confidence by labeling it a prayer request becomes gossip. Our public prayer requests need to be clear and simple. God will understand.
My prayer today is that I might not betray my friends or my God. Won't you join me?
Clella

ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN

“Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.” Exodus 25:40

      I have been pondering these words for several days. Moses is on the mountain and God is giving him directions for the building of the Ark, the Table, and the Lampstand. These directives were for the building of the place where God would meet them. For forty days God talked with Moses and gave instructions for Moses to deliver to the Israelites. And when God finishes these directions, He tells Moses to “make sure” they build according to the pattern.

   I have thought about how I have followed His directions according to His pattern.  James 3:10 says “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.” I certainly have not followed that pattern recently.  Not that I am in the habit of cursing, but it has happened.  I go to the mountain in prayer, and yet when I return to the world I again veer from the pattern.

   I also contemplated the pattern of how I treat my fellow man. Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew sums up the Law, but I messed up the pattern.  It isn’t that I don’t know to follow, but it happens, and the pattern is blotted again. And I feel the need to go back to the mountain of prayer.   And the largest piece of the pattern John shares when he quotes Jesus, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) With this piece, He tells us to be sure we are doing life according to His pattern. It is this pattern of love that brings the Whole together. God’s love and our love is His complete plan for the world.

   I need to go to the mountain each day and examine my life, study the pattern again and make sure I am building my life according to God’s plan. Won’t you join me?

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