A Kindred Heart

This week I went to my very first Grandparent’s Day as a nana. It was a blast. My granddaughter is four years old and is in pre-school. Her class had a little celebration. If you’ve never seen a room full of four year olds do the Hokey Pokey, you haven’t lived.

My grandparents were such an important part of my life and now that it’s my turn, I hope I can do as good a job as they did. They were patient, kind, loving and supportive. I have so many wonderful memories of holidays spent with them in their homes, with lots of good food, fun and laughter. Both sets of grandparents attended the same little country church where my family attended. One grandmother died when I was very young, but the other three grandparents were with me through my formative years, and one grandmother lived to be eighty nine.  All of them were Bible scholars and knew God’s word forwards and backwards.

Besides being a good example for me and my cousins, they were a support system for my parents. Unfortuunately many families today don’t have the blessing of having grandparents close enough to babysit.

Timothy, of course, is a Biblical example of someone who benefited from having a grandmother who had faith and wisdom.

2Ti 1:5 -

I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother, Eunice, and your grandmother Lois.And what about Ruth and Naomi? Surely they were wonderful women of faith for Obed and future generations.

 

Ru 4:17 - 

The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.

Now that I am (ahem) an older woman, the Bible tells me that….

Sometimes we find ourselves wanting to do less in the church as we get older, but I don’t think that’s what God intended. The older we get, the more people we have looking to us to set an example.

I hope I can lead others to Christ and I hope I can be as good an example for my granddaughter, as my grandparents were for me.

This morning I woke up to the sound of rain. Depending on where you live, you may be getting too much rain (right my friends in Georgia?) or not enough. Listening to the rain brings back memories of when I was little girl and I would spend the night with my grandmother. My grandparents lived in a little white farmhouse with a tin roof. I slept upstairs on a feather bed (can’t do that now-allergies) and when it rained there was nothing that compared with being safe and snug in a feather bed beneath a tin roof.

My roof isn’t tin but I could still hear the rain (barely, my husband was snoring and almost drowned it out). It’s Saturday so there was no rush to get up and as I lay there in the semi-darkness it occured to me that my blessings are like raindrops. (1) There are so many I couldn’t possibly count them. (2) They come from God.(3) They are a gift.

Even my husband’s snoring is a gift. While I can’t say I honestly I enjoy it, oh how I miss the sound when he has to travel and is out of town. The next time you complain about something (like snoring) stop and think about it a minute. Is it really a problem or a blessing in disguise?

Remember the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding?”  In that movie the father solved problems with a bottle of Windex. Whenever something was broken, stained, or needed repair he squirted window cleaner on it and ta-da! It was all better.

Life isn’t like that, is it? We can’t fix our problems with Windex but we have something a lot more powerful. God’s word.

This week something happened in the small community where I live that has everyone shaking their heads and wondering just what went wrong. A well known member of a prominent family is in jail. He stands accused of shooting his ex-fiance and has been quoted as saying “She ruined my life. I was at the end of my rope.”  When the police arrested him he was in the graveyard where his parents are buried and he had tried to take his own life.

Regardless of what actually happened, what happens at his trial, and what further details are revealed, it is a tragedy in every sense of the word.

We live in a troubled world where people often look to drugs, alcohol and violence to solve their problems. How can we help them? By continuing to share the good news!

Jesus was treated with violence as well. When the Jews were faced with someone they didn’t understand, didn’t trust and couldn’t control their solution was to crucify him. His reaction was to ask for forgiveness for them.

I once heard a lady say that no matter what the problem was, the answer was love. I will add to that by saying, no matter what the problem is the answer can be found in the Bible.

This is a field behind my house. My sons ride four wheelers and while I don’t drive one, I do occasionally enjoy riding behind them on the farm. This past weekend we had glorious weather and I decided to get as close as I will ever get to being a “Wild Hog” (I hope you saw that movie and know what I am talking about) I climbed on the four wheeler behind my son and we took off through the fields.

Sometimes the beauty of nature overwhelms me. I don’t understand how anyone can gaze at the ocean, look at a field of wildflowers, or hold a newborn baby (I got to do that this weekend too!) and NOT feel God’s presence.

As the creator of the universe the knowledge and scope of his creations defies understanding. All I can do is admire his splendor and offer praise to the Master artist for allowing me to enjoy his work!

I snapped the picture above on the way back to the house. All weekend I have enjoyed God’s handiwork and all week long I will sing his praises!

Do you have what it takes to be a Christian? Unfortunately, some people think they don’t. They think they aren’t good enough to be one. How do I know this? Because I am very close to someone who feels this way.

Joan, (not her real name) says she can’t go to church because she is a terrible sinner. “Every time I step inside a church door I feel like everyone there is staring at me and thinking “What is SHE doing here?”

I have tried my best to convince her that isn’t true, but she doesn’t believe me.

“I’ve done too many really bad things in my life,” she says. “There’s no way I’m good enough to be a Christian.”

Last Sunday we had a lesson on Saul and how his heart was changed on the road to Damascus. He went from stoning Stephen to believing and preaching about Jesus. I have talked to my friend about Saul, but she says it doesn’t matter. She still isn’t good enough.

I have talked to her about Jesus and how he died for our sins, and how his blood washes away our sins. She just shakes her head and tells me that I don’t understand.

For years we have had these discussions and nothing I have ever said has convinced her that she has the “right stuff” to be a Christian.

I know she has it, because we all do. That’s why Jesus came and died. That was the Master’s Plan! He knows that we ALL are sinners and we ALL fall short. No matter what sins we commited once we become a Christian, those sins are no more.

For whatever reason some people carry sin around like a well worn suitcase full of cement blocks. They take it everywhere they go. It’s heavy, so heavy it bends their body and slows them down. It’s hard to carry and they struggle with it night and day. They take it with them to work, to town, but especially, they take it to church.  It’s almost as if it’s chained to them and they don’t know how to break those chains…but Jesus knows.

There have been times I have wanted to grab my friend’s suitcase full of cement blocks and pull it off of her, but I can’t. Until she decides to let it go Samson himself couldn’t take it away from her.

Does it make me sad to see her so burdened? It breaks my heart. Do I pray she will come to realize she has the “right stuff”? Every day.  Am I one hundred percent sure she will be forgiven of everything? Of course I am!

That’s the “Good News”! We all have the right stuff and we all can be forgiven because Jesus didn’t just die for those who committed particular sins, he died for ALL sinners and ALL sins.

Read the story of Saul and his conversion again. Study how Jesus changed the lives of those who sought him out. He is merciful and He will change your life too. Give him your suitcase full of blocks. I promise he will take it.

The Conversion of Saul

¹ Now ^R458 Saul, ^F203 still breathing ^R459 threats ^F204 and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, ² and asked for letters ^R460 from him to the ^R461 synagogues at Damascus, ^R462 so that if he found any belonging to the ^R463 Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly ^R464 a light from heaven flashed around him; ⁴ and he ^R465 fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” ⁵ And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, ⁶ but get up and enter the city, and it ^R466 will be told you what you must do.” ⁷ The men who traveled with him stood ^R467 speechless, hearing ^R468 the voice ^F205 but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, and though ^R469 his eyes were open, he could ^F206 see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. ^{R470 9} And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

What does the word “pardon” mean? Essentially we associate it with forgiveness.

If you are sitting in a theater and someone has to exit the aisle you are sitting in and they step over you, they might say “Pardon me,” which means they are asking you to excuse them.

If you are in prison for a crime you commited and the governor of the state decides to issue you a pardon, then you are free and no longer punished for the crime.

But the greatest “pardon” of all is that Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins so that we may be forgiven. He didn’t need forgiveness, but we do. He didn’t deserve to pay for our sins, but he did.

If Jesus can do that for us and if we are forgiven, then shouldn’t we be able to forgive those who sin against us? 

Anger and bitterness are like cancer. Only instead of eating cells, it eats at a persons soul. It takes away their peace and happiness and spreads within them until they are consumed by it.

Think about the word “pardon” and what it means for you and for others. After you contemplate that for awhile, then add mercy and grace to your list of things to think about. It’s overwhelming when you consider what Jesus did, the mercy and grace he has and how God pardons us through his son.

 13 Besides, they are likely to become lazy and spend their time gossiping from house to house, getting into other people’s business and saying things they shouldn’t. 1 Tim. 5:13

Have you ever made a comment and the minute it’s out of your mouth you wish you hadn’t said it? Think before you speak is a good rule to follow but sometimes the tongue seems to have a mind of its own.

I live in a very small town and bad news seems to travel at the speed of lightning. Good news travels too, but I’m not sure it moves as quickly. Why are we so anxious to pass along news about someone else? Does it make us feel bigger, better, more secure. I’m not sure, but I do know that malicious gossip is a sin and that we should do our best to keep from passing it along.

If someone gave you a virus would you knowingly pass it on to friends and family? Probably not. In a way, gossip is a virus…a really nasty one. Wash your hands with soap (by reading the Bible) frequently and stay away from known contaminates. Often the temptation to gossip can be avoided merely by staying away from those who already have the virus and are eager to share it!

This afternoon I watched The Jungle Book with my granddaughter. One of the songs in the movie is about have the Bare Necessities of life.

It says in part;

Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife

That got me to wondering, how many of us would be happy with just the very few things it REALLY takes to exist; the bare necessities if you will. There are so many in the world that don’t know where their next meal is coming from or where they will lay their head down at night.

If we are fortunate enough to have food in our refrigerators and pantries, shouldn’t we be trying harder to share with those who don’t? If we have a bed, blanket and pillow, shouldn’t be trying harder to provide shelter those who are homeless?

Matthew 25:37  says, “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the King will tell them, ‘I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, ^F143 you were doing it to me!’

Those of us who have more than the bare necessities need to reach out to those in need. It’s the Christian thing to do and what Christ commands us to do when he says that by doing it to the least of his brothers and sisters we are doing it to Him!

My grandfather was a big fan of a television show called Hee Haw. You’ve probably seen it too. If so, you probably recall the words, “Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all. Gloom, despair, and agony on me.” I thought about that song today when someone was complaining to me about his per­sistent bad luck.

Remember the Peanuts character, Charlie Brown? He had a black cloud that followed him around. Have you ever known people that if you look closely you can almost see a similar dark cloud hovering over their heads? Very often these are folks who believe they are victims of bad luck.

Then there is the opposite end of the spectrum. Folks who you’d swear probably smile in their sleep. When they enter a room it’s like opening a window to fresh air and sunshine. Folks like my grandmother, who didn’t have an easy life but lived it like they did.

Do these folks consider themselves lucky? Maybe, but I think most of them would tell you that they make a conscious effort to be happy. Bad things happen to them too, but instead of focusing on the black cloud, they do their best to remember that the sun is still shining even when it’s temporarily blocked from view.

One of my favorite lessons on attitude is by Charles Swindoll and it says in part, “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift, or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes.”

Take a moment to examine your attitude. Read the Bible and examine the attitude of Christ. It will humble and inspire you. I guarantee it!

…..is a penny earned, of course. How do I know that? Because my grandmother told me so. If she found a penny on the ground she would stop and pick it up and say, “Find a penny and pick it up and all the day you’ll have good luck.” So this morning when I walked out to my car and saw a penny on the ground next to my van, I stopped and picked it up and thought about my grandmother.

Her name was Nettie Lee and she lived to be 89 years old. She lived through the Great Depression and to say that she knew how to “pinch pennies” would be an understatement. She never threw anything away. She unwrapped Christmas gifts, took off the paper, folded it and put it in a drawer to use the next year. She took empty margerine tubs, cleaned them and used them to put left over food in. Every time I cleaned out my refrigerator if there were margerine tubs with two tablespoons of food in them, I knew who put them there.

I never, not even once, heard my grandmother raise her voice. She had the patience of Job and a gentle, loving spirit. She was a wonderful Christian woman and had a huge impact on the lives of all of her grandchildren.

Remember Timothy? And how the Bible tells us that his grandmother and mother influenced his faith. 

Godly grandmothers are a blessing to their families and their church families. I loved mine dearly and miss her still.

I know it’s rather silly, but this morning when I saw the penny on the ground next to my van and I picked it up, I smiled. Today is my birthday and it felt as if grandma was saying “Happy Birthday, granddaughter. I love you.”  I know she did and I know she knew I loved her too.