When Much is Given. . .Give Back

 The very next day after Disneyland, we braved the rain to go and put together lunches for the Homeless Shelter our church would be hosting over the next two weeks.  We worked in an assembly line while some of the kids walked the bags to boxes and others wrote bible verses on lunch bags.

From Luke 12:48. . ."From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."  Serving alongside Marriage Ministry with our children was a blessing on this day, especially after the gifts that had been given us just the day before.  Teaching our kids to serve, to use their gifts and bless others is a goal of Ernie and I, this year especially.  

Just a week later it would be my turn to serve on the kitchen crew with my Mom Ministry to cook a meal for about 250 people.

 Father Rich stopped by to check in on us.

 This beautiful group of eight women (my mom and Anna included) got it together to serve a meal of chips and salsa, hamburger picadillo, rice, beans, and Mexican cookies for dessert.  When we left that night, some of the guests were outside in the smoking section, and they applauded us.  It was the sweetest thing.

Friends, family, and church members gave up their Friday night to serve our guests with graciousness and smiles.  This act of service was something unlike anything I've ever been a part of.  From start to finish, it was quite the moving experience to remind yourself that our job here on earth is to serve. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and go, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Notice it says GO. . don' keep what you kn ow to be true within the walls of your own family:  GO out and make His truths known.  We give to live.  He is calling us to go.

I had the honor of giving the blessing before our meal.  I was nervous--I asked my kitchen crew to go out there with me because let me brutally honest, the sick scare me.  Some of these people looked sick, were sick, are sick and that makes me nervous.  The homeless in and of themselves doesn't do that to me, but serving the sick has never been one of my gifts--not even in my own home, I'm afraid.  With hands held, and one particular mom whispering a blessing into my ear first, and a hand on my shoulder showing her support. . .I closed my eyes and asked the Lord to fill me with the right words.  I said something like. . . "In the name of the Father, the son and the Holy Spirit.  I thank you Lord for the gift of today.  For the gift of preparing food for our guests.  I thank you for the hands about to serve and for the opportunity to feast together. . .and another sentence. Amen."

I was relieved to be finished because that is way out of my comfort zone.  Later in the evening Deacon Marv found me and told me my prayer was perfect.  I really got what it meant to be non-denominational.  Hmmm, God got it because that prayer was all Him!  Overall, serving with the shelter has been a wonderful opportunity.  Super Bowl Sunday found Anthony ready and willing to serve along side the rest of the high school teens. We must do for others while we still can.  Part of our purpose on this earth is to make disciples and the best way to do that is to spread love through the way we  serve others.  I think my kids are getting it.  That makes me feel like we are moving in the right direction. . .one step at a time.

Convictions in a Crazy World

“In the absence of Biblical convictions, people go the way of culture.”--Sally Clarkson

Navigating against the tide of middle school influences is an ebb and flow of conversations, criticisms, and critiques.  I sit here and think there are so many things working against us each day: television, film, technology, books, and even friends and family.  It has often been lonely this year to stand for what we believe is right. If it hadn't been for all of us in this household, standing together, I may have wavered. There have been times we second guessed allowing a tween to do something they have asked because we're not sure the difference between protective and over-protective.  

I have read more tween literature than I probably did when I was this age. . .to check it out, act as a buffer, decide whether it's too much too soon, because didn't you know?  So and so has already read that!  And it IS in the school library, so it must be age appropriate...  Yeah, right!

This parenting gig is not for the faint of heart...

Being set apart, having high ideals for our children's behavior and character, not wanting to expose them to too much too soon is a battle being waged daily: the radio station they listen to, not being allowed to use social media, allowing some freedoms but with a very limited number of people in which we know their families.  It is HARD!  And trust me when I say, we get tired.  Instructing our kids day in and day out is draining and exhausting!  We yell and get frustrated, but we also have learned to ask for forgiveness and make things right before we go to bed.  It has been such a dance between holding on and letting go, all the while wondering if we have modeled and trained in a love-filled, grace-filled way.  I don't know.  I hope so, but hope is all I have to rely on some days.

I want my kids to further His kingdom.  I want them to desire to serve Him, to find their passion and use it for good.  I want them to have their own individual relationships with God because it's what they come to want, not because it's all we have ever wanted for them.  I think some people say they want their kids to love God and do good, but then they don't do the necessary work to instill excellent character traits in them.  Kids need to learn it at home first because so much of the world is working to undo their convictions.  There is a battle being waged on our children's hearts and we must fight for them.  We must protect them from too much too soon.  We must teach them what it means to be humble, trustworthy, honest, and faithful.  Our actions, our words, our ways are constantly ushering the way into who they will become. And even if we do all things right, there is no guarantee they will walk the road we would like them to, being the type of people we had trained them to be, living a life of service that we had hoped for them.  And in those instances, we pray God uses it all for His good and we hold on to hope.  

This raising of kingdom kids in a world that is so dark and full of trouble is hard.  But God's call on our lives as parents, is to be in it for the long haul--to do the work we were sent here to do.  It is our responsibility to turn away from contemporary culture's allure to live a life filled with honor, service, love, kindness, and respect.  My prayer for my children is that they will hold tight to their biblical convictions and take a stand to be who God created them to be in a culture that is screaming something different. 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."--John 16:33

Welcome

My life these days.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

All are welcome here.  

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."--Joshua 24:15