Empty Words

Have you ever had something happen and you think, wow! Well today was one of those days. My morning walk is my thinking time. I’m not one that likes to have music pumping in my ears when I’m walking, although I love music. I enjoy the sounds of nature and at 5 am the world is still in stillness.

 I love to reflect, sometimes it’s a sound that brings on a thought, or even the day before events that might trigger my thoughts.

 I have been praying for an individual, I really don’t know this person, but through friends know this individual needs prayer. We need to see God’s healing power here. I have informed my friends that we would be praying and to pass this along to the family.

 As I was walking this morning I was thinking of this individual. Then my thoughts were led to how many times do we say we are praying for you or thinking of you and nothing more becomes of it.

 I humbly admit that I am guilty of this. How many times do I say empty words? How can I improve this in my life? Maybe it would help if I were to put it in a prayer book. Carry it with me, so when I say I’m praying for you or thinking of you I put that person’s name in it. This could be my daily reminder in my prayer time.

 As I returned home from my walk, I did my devotions- here was the wow moment! We look in Ephesians 1: 15-23. We see how the apostle Paul wrote prayers to encourage other believers. Bingo! Wow! As I see an area that I need to improve in my life; instead of using empty words. What an encouragement this passage was to me. When I say to someone I’m praying or thinking of them, why not back it up as Paul did with a written prayer sent to that person. With all the technology we have now, there are no limits. And then there is the good old fashion way of pen and paper.

 My prayer for me is to try and stop using empty words without action. I want to try to follow Paul’s example to back my words up with a written prayer to encourage others.

 It is so easy for us to use our words “loosely” and not follow up. Right now I’m imaging the great things that could happen in our lives, believers or not, if we would allow the Spirit to move.

 Praying for others is a privilege!!!

The Family Scrapbook

Deuteronomy 6:4-9(NIV)

  “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give to you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

 The family scrapbook; what did God have in mind when he designed the family?  He designed the family, first knowing that it was not good for man to be alone. The family is to encourage each other, to build up, to be there for each other. The design of the family has changed over the years; not so sure this is what God had in mind?

 The other day I was listening to the radio and they were doing the birthday announcements. There was a birthday wish for a 2 year old from her mom, step dad and her dad. I thought how sad, she is only 2 years old.  Where is the love that her parents had when they had her? If it is confusing to me, how much more confusing must it be to her.

  I think back to when Michael and I decided to get married, to start our home and family. You are filled with so many hopes and dreams as to what you want to build together. It takes a lot of work doesn’t it to keep everything working together.  It’s all about togetherness. We build our homes together; raise our kids together and now preparing our home for our next phase of our life.

 We see in Deuteronomy how God wants us to build our home. The commandments and promises are to be pressed upon our hearts. But, not only on our hearts but our children as well, to make it a part of our everyday living. Our whole lives are to be an example of who God is.  We are to walk daily with God. He beside you and you beside Him.  It’s a partnership.

 When we watch our children closely we can see them imitate some of our actions and attitudes, hopefully they are good ones. Funny little story; one day one of my kids shared “that when I grow up I want to drink lots of water and watch the Ellen show, cause that’s what my mom does.” When we spend time walking with God, reading His word, and living His word out we imitate His likeness, which rubs off on our kids. Even as they grow older. There is a song that Keith Urban sings about as the older he gets the more like his dad he becomes.  Another song called the Cat’s Cradle. Where the dad was always too busy but now the roles are reversed and the son is too busy to have time for his dad. Our kids watch how we react to things.

 Are we unloving, too stern, undisciplined, not accepting, selfish? Or do we have a home that is always accepting, warm, welcoming, loving and giving? I want this for our home. I want my kids to want to come back “home” (to visit) and my grandkids to feel the love at Opa’s and Oma’s. A special place for them to feel invited. I want to share and make memories that will stay with them.

 I remember when our daughter was in grade 3 and she came home one day from school, and shared that her teacher said that if you are being raised by your parents, how lucky you are.

 From the first creation of the family to now in 2012, our kids are lucky to be raised by their own parents. Something God created to be beautiful has become so distorted.

 I also appreciate a comment that was shared on “Mother’s Day.” “That once you are a parent you are always a parent; no on/off switch. Just because they get older doesn’t mean we stop parenting. Our role just changes a little.”

 It’s a commitment we made the day we choose to build our families. It doesn’t end when they turn 20, 30, and 40 etc...it’s a life time commitment to “the family.”

 We have a joke in our home (my daughter might object to me sharing this). I say this little thing to my daughter, “but I carried you for 9 months, kept you alive for 6 months”- her reply, “that was your choice, not mine, you chose to have me”. We joke about it in our home, but our daughter is so right isn’t she.

  I think of my own mom and how her grandkids always know they can run to grandma for help. She always makes a way for them. She has a connection with each of them; she has a very powerful influence on them. She plays a very vital role in their lives. I am so grateful that she is using her time to impress upon their hearts. She could use her time for herself and rightly so, but to her it is more important to see her kids, grandkids and great grandkids being lead to God. The legacy to be passed on from one generation to the next. I think God must have a great big smile on his face when he looks down on her. She is fulfilling her role that He has designed.

The design of the family is falling apart. Not only in our personal family, but the design of the “family of God” as well. The lack of commitment to the family has also crept into the commitment to the “family of God.” There seems to be little value in either one anymore. We have become a very self serve society. We serve the family and the “family of God” with this same on/off switch. When it’s convenient or it works for us at the time. We concern ourselves with just doing enough to get us by. How could we ever out serve our Lord?

 If the “constitution” of the family has dissolved, then where will the church be in 5, 10, 15 years from now? You say that could never happen- oh never say neverJ.  We (including myself) are putting, it seems, the big I before loving the Lord with all your heart and impressing them down from one generation to another.

  Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t have an on/off switch? Could you image what would happen? Then, maybe again, it would be a good lesson for us all!

Keith Urban - Song for Dad

Harry Chapin - Cat's In The Cradle