Over many years I have come to recognize the value of Sundays. Sunday is not just the name given for the day following Saturday. Nor is it of value to me because it is considered a day of rest .
Since I was a small girl, I can recall Sunday dresses and petticoats, patent leather shoes(white from Easter till Labor day,black for fall and winter) hats ,and gloves. What a great treasure to dress up in that special outfit once each week! For close to 12 weeks this outfit consisted of the same single dress! We were not wealthy, but it seemed most the kids also had 1 set of Sunday clothes. I think it only changed if you grew or with the seasons.
The priveledge of putting on such garments was for the purpose of going to church as a family.
We went faithfully with our friends and neighbors to church school and worship services each Sunday. We sang songs of Jesus' love for us and made crafts that helped remind us at home of the lessons we were taught on flannel boards about bible characters and Gods big plan! It always felt good to be there. I felt loved , I felt beautiful, I felt like it was one big family! I remember learning to recite the Lords prayer. It wasn't about anything rote that took place,yet the tradition was foundational in my sense of experiencing God through His people" The Church".
After Worship Service we always went to my Great Grandmaothers house for Sunday supper. This also was a tradition. As we entered her tiny cottage, the smells of a roast in the oven and fresh baked bread made our tummies grumble for the feast to follow! She would set us up with a quiet activity she found from the "funny pages" of the sunday paper. My sister and I weekly cut out the paper doll dress to add to our cigar box collection for later play. My older brother colored the by number picture insert. We sprawled across the small sitting room floor until called to our places at the childrens table, an arms length away from our elders. Grace was said and "children should be seen and not heard" was the rule for dinner conversation. If we ate all on our plates we were given dessert. Now all this was accomplished in our Sunday best with dishtowels covering our necks and chests.
After dinner we would be sent out to the front porch to play jacks or cards or jump rope. If the weather was bad we could take toys from a box out and play on the enclosed pantry -back door area. On long summer days we sat out under the cherry tree and played dolls as the adults talked and relaxed.
We ended each Sunday with full tummies, tired eyes and promises to be back next week. We children sat quietly in the back seat as our parents headed us home for bed. I remember watching the trees and neighborhoods pass by us from the car windows, sun setting,seasons changing. Everything familiar, each block etched into my memory of the road home.
I share this trip down memory lane with you today because I'm stirred by the promise I made this morning to God about Hunter. Hunter was Baptized today! His parents are Phil and Robin. They were surrounded by generations of family and friends. Robin and her family are new to our church family, and we all celebrated this joy together. Today I promised God to support Her and her family in showing Gods love, in encouraging them to come to the feast He has prepared in Christ thru the bread and cup. I promised to be that place that would help Hunter grow through years of laughter,tears,victories and challanges, and understand his gifts, along with all the others present.
Lord Jesus help us all to recieve the little children in our midst, to cherish your heart towards them as we learn to serve you more each day! For the sake of your kingdom coming into our midst every day. Amen
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Spring Cleaning
As I look around my home in the bright morning light I am energized with the possibilities of a beautiful day yet unexplored, until I spy small particles of airborn pollen and dust floating in my open windows. Spring is finally here! Allergy Alert!
I'm having one of those weeks where my eyes are itching and tearing up, my nose is dripping and my throat is slimey. I guess it's time to put my SUPERWOMAN costume on. This consists of a ponytail, my stretched out and stained yoga pants(don't kid yourself, housekeeping is very much like yoga if you think about the many twisted and stretched movements it takes to reach cobwebs) an oversized ratty tee-shirt and my sneakers. But what really makes my costume complete are the yellow playtex gloves and the baby blue dust mask over my nose and mouth,as well as the safety glasses I've recently added (to protect my eyes from falling ceiling fan grime goons).
Yes, I am now ready to tackle the messy build up of a long winter encampment! I don't move well in cold winter months! I prefer cooking to cleaning! I like visiting with friends over feeling trapped by my own four walls. And so I am astonished that in my brief departure from sunlight so much has been taking place around me in terms of downright neglect. And so this week with my trusted sidekick home from college, we will literally go where no man(in my family) has ever gone before! Into the cracks and crevices of darkness, searching out the closets of chaos, vacuaming up a variety of home invaders!
My first attack was on the tile floor in my kitchen. The grout was screaming to be set free from the grimey build up that had slowly caused a dull and lackluster appearance. This is where the super power took over. The Holy Spirit to the rescue!! The mundane and repetitive act of scrubbing was wearing me into a state of apathy. Maybe it was a waste of my time to expect the grout to come back to the original state and color. Perhaps I was putting my energy into an area of my home that wasn't necesary, what if I couldn't finish the whole floor today! And last but not least, if I stop now then only half of the floor will look done!
The Spirit began to show me how change is a choice,how it takes time and repitition to restore an area of my life to it's original beauty! I recognized that the goal here was not just a clean floor but a maintained surface. As hard as it is to admit my limits, I was also aware that like the grout, there are tiny groves that have collected deposits brought in on the feet of others who walked over my life, without concern for keeping it clean. It was my job to take care of what I could see. The Holy spirit would loose the grit and grime from the hidden places beyond my own ability. And why worry about what is not completed today when tomorrow will offer time to come back and do yet one more tile to perfection. It is much better to do a big thing half way today, then to walk away in defeat. Who knows tomorrow may produce better results toward the finished work.
I am reminded that He(Jesus) who began a good work in you , is faithful to complete it! Don't grow faint hearted when the mess is revealed, put on your superwoman costume( from Ephesians 6:10-12) The full armor of God ! For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. { And sometimes they float in on the light of a beautiful sunny morning as specks of dust. }
I'm having one of those weeks where my eyes are itching and tearing up, my nose is dripping and my throat is slimey. I guess it's time to put my SUPERWOMAN costume on. This consists of a ponytail, my stretched out and stained yoga pants(don't kid yourself, housekeeping is very much like yoga if you think about the many twisted and stretched movements it takes to reach cobwebs) an oversized ratty tee-shirt and my sneakers. But what really makes my costume complete are the yellow playtex gloves and the baby blue dust mask over my nose and mouth,as well as the safety glasses I've recently added (to protect my eyes from falling ceiling fan grime goons).
Yes, I am now ready to tackle the messy build up of a long winter encampment! I don't move well in cold winter months! I prefer cooking to cleaning! I like visiting with friends over feeling trapped by my own four walls. And so I am astonished that in my brief departure from sunlight so much has been taking place around me in terms of downright neglect. And so this week with my trusted sidekick home from college, we will literally go where no man(in my family) has ever gone before! Into the cracks and crevices of darkness, searching out the closets of chaos, vacuaming up a variety of home invaders!
My first attack was on the tile floor in my kitchen. The grout was screaming to be set free from the grimey build up that had slowly caused a dull and lackluster appearance. This is where the super power took over. The Holy Spirit to the rescue!! The mundane and repetitive act of scrubbing was wearing me into a state of apathy. Maybe it was a waste of my time to expect the grout to come back to the original state and color. Perhaps I was putting my energy into an area of my home that wasn't necesary, what if I couldn't finish the whole floor today! And last but not least, if I stop now then only half of the floor will look done!
The Spirit began to show me how change is a choice,how it takes time and repitition to restore an area of my life to it's original beauty! I recognized that the goal here was not just a clean floor but a maintained surface. As hard as it is to admit my limits, I was also aware that like the grout, there are tiny groves that have collected deposits brought in on the feet of others who walked over my life, without concern for keeping it clean. It was my job to take care of what I could see. The Holy spirit would loose the grit and grime from the hidden places beyond my own ability. And why worry about what is not completed today when tomorrow will offer time to come back and do yet one more tile to perfection. It is much better to do a big thing half way today, then to walk away in defeat. Who knows tomorrow may produce better results toward the finished work.
I am reminded that He(Jesus) who began a good work in you , is faithful to complete it! Don't grow faint hearted when the mess is revealed, put on your superwoman costume( from Ephesians 6:10-12) The full armor of God ! For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. { And sometimes they float in on the light of a beautiful sunny morning as specks of dust. }
Saturday, May 9, 2009
A Mothers Merit badge-Grown up children!
This past month has been incredible. I am still reviewing in my minds eye the lessons given me by my children and granddaughters. Part of me is shocked to find out that they all have so much to inspire me with. They also are showing ownership of foundational truth in application. On Easter, we are reminded of a resurrection power of supernatural proportions in Christs' triumph over sin & death. A selfless, loving act to free us of our burdens! Restore us to the very source of universal love.
This Easter my son (who no longer lives at home) joined my husband and I for a light breakfast before church. As we sat chatting, a familiar sound came from the lower level of our house. It was the washing machine! I looked at both men and asked if someone accidently knocked into it and perhaps started it. My son casually responded that he was putting a load through. I was flabergasted to say the least. He had never used the machines before! I ran over to him and planted a big kiss on his cheek and thanked God for this miracle of resurrection life over him. Why you ask? Because at one time the boy was deaf to my pleading for him to take respondsibility over his laundry, At one time he was blind to the extra tasks left to other memebers of our household, At one time he was deadened beyond belief to the need to gain skill in areas of home economics. He was now aware-alive-and active in these ways. It was a startleing revelation for me his mother!
My youngest daughter also showed me incredible growth in that she choose to spend her spring break with us at home, indulging herself with home cooked meals,family game time and long deep intimate conversations about her spiritual convictions! She recieved our words without conflict, restored areas of seperation and made obvious leaps in mature decisions toward finance and education. She will be moving home to continue college and work. This too is a major miracle in her life as she had only one year ago declared her distaste for being with her old fashioned and goofy parents. We were out of sync with the real world!
I was also pleasantly surprised by a simple statement made by my oldest daughter. For her a dare to live more fully in faith. She declared to me that this would be the year of "no regrets!" She was willing to live outside the restrictions of circumstance to forge a path of inviting new and difficult challanges into her life. She would begin to allow momentary discomforts for the sake of unknown rewards both physically and spiritually recieving each as a gift to greater fullness in her life. For her it meant a 7 day road trip with 2 small children, Her Aunt and I, along the east coast. We crammed into a 5 seat vehicle and drove 10 hours each way to Myrtle Beach for a 4 day stay in a one room efficiency. She is much stronger then she even knows for having gone the distance.
And last but not least is the lesson we all got when my 4 year old grandaughter (having never seen the ocean, awoke to her mother throwing back the curtain on our 9th story balcony to take in the panaoramic sight of the Atlantic. AWE, SILENCE, PURE JOY was her expression. We all delighted in that moment with her!
That is the same way I feel over each of these small revelations of my children. It is because of the many sacrifices we make as mothers to bring them along to a place were the view is spectacular! To see Gods grace and growth in each one. To feel that the untold hours of prayer can provide us with these glimpses of His seal on their lives. This was the only gift I will need this mothers day!
This Easter my son (who no longer lives at home) joined my husband and I for a light breakfast before church. As we sat chatting, a familiar sound came from the lower level of our house. It was the washing machine! I looked at both men and asked if someone accidently knocked into it and perhaps started it. My son casually responded that he was putting a load through. I was flabergasted to say the least. He had never used the machines before! I ran over to him and planted a big kiss on his cheek and thanked God for this miracle of resurrection life over him. Why you ask? Because at one time the boy was deaf to my pleading for him to take respondsibility over his laundry, At one time he was blind to the extra tasks left to other memebers of our household, At one time he was deadened beyond belief to the need to gain skill in areas of home economics. He was now aware-alive-and active in these ways. It was a startleing revelation for me his mother!
My youngest daughter also showed me incredible growth in that she choose to spend her spring break with us at home, indulging herself with home cooked meals,family game time and long deep intimate conversations about her spiritual convictions! She recieved our words without conflict, restored areas of seperation and made obvious leaps in mature decisions toward finance and education. She will be moving home to continue college and work. This too is a major miracle in her life as she had only one year ago declared her distaste for being with her old fashioned and goofy parents. We were out of sync with the real world!
I was also pleasantly surprised by a simple statement made by my oldest daughter. For her a dare to live more fully in faith. She declared to me that this would be the year of "no regrets!" She was willing to live outside the restrictions of circumstance to forge a path of inviting new and difficult challanges into her life. She would begin to allow momentary discomforts for the sake of unknown rewards both physically and spiritually recieving each as a gift to greater fullness in her life. For her it meant a 7 day road trip with 2 small children, Her Aunt and I, along the east coast. We crammed into a 5 seat vehicle and drove 10 hours each way to Myrtle Beach for a 4 day stay in a one room efficiency. She is much stronger then she even knows for having gone the distance.
And last but not least is the lesson we all got when my 4 year old grandaughter (having never seen the ocean, awoke to her mother throwing back the curtain on our 9th story balcony to take in the panaoramic sight of the Atlantic. AWE, SILENCE, PURE JOY was her expression. We all delighted in that moment with her!
That is the same way I feel over each of these small revelations of my children. It is because of the many sacrifices we make as mothers to bring them along to a place were the view is spectacular! To see Gods grace and growth in each one. To feel that the untold hours of prayer can provide us with these glimpses of His seal on their lives. This was the only gift I will need this mothers day!
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