The Blessings of Extended Family

The Blessings of Extended Family

Did you have the privilege of knowing your grandparents well? I lived over a thousand miles away from my paternal grandparents. But one week out of the summer we packed into the family station wagon and made the long journey to Wisconsin to see my dads’ relatives. My parents drove in shifts to get there in less than 24 hours while we slept. They would be exhausted but we kids were ready to play. (not my family photo but could be)

While we were visiting, we would gather together with all of my dads’ relatives at one of my aunt and uncles’ houses. They had 9 kids themselves and there were 25 grandchildren when we were altogether plus all of my dads’ adult siblings, spouses and his cousins that would come to see us. It was a huge reunion to say the least. Everyone brought some food to share so there was quite a wide variety. Grandpa would ask a blessing on the food and everyone present before we were allowed to eat. My cousins lived near a farm so we kids would play hide and seek in the cornfields which was exciting for a suburban girl. None of my relatives were wealthy but I have great memories spending time with my long distance family where there was lots of love, laughter and story telling.

When my children were young we would go to my inlaws cottage for summer fun. Extended family from all sides would come and bring food to share. All the cousins got to use their imaginations while playing outside with lots of new “friends” and things to do. There were some unwritten boundaries for the adults’ communication as we tried to steer clear of arguments about politics and religion. Big parties are a lot of work in preparation and cleaning up but the memories are priceless.

Psalm 127:3–5 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language)
Don’t you see that children are GOD’s best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy?Like a warrior’s fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don’t stand a chance against you; you’ll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Proverbs 17:6 (ESV)
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.

Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 (ESV) There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?

People have gathered to celebrate feasts/ holidays and special ceremonies as an extended family for millenia. The Bible tells us very little about Jesus’ childhood but we know he would have celebrated all of the Jewish feasts with his family and relatives. Today however, two great foes of the modern family are divorce and migration. We no longer live in a continuous circle of life together in the same communities.

How can you encourage family time and extended family time? Some practical suggestions : Relationships can be prickly so boundaries are important. Shoot for quality over quantity because cranky kids are not fun. Choose a general place if you don’t have space (or don’t want to or can’t host) such as a park, zoo, museum etc. Minimize all electronics unless you are watching the Superbowl. There must be some kind of food and drink or the grown-ups will get cranky. Ask for help. I believe creating positive memories is crucial for our general well being.

My husband and I are now the family hosts for a Christmas party and the summer family barbeque. Over the years I have learned that you don’t have to look like a magazine photo to make people feel welcome. Plenty of food, some yard games and chairs in the shade will make everyone comfortable. We always ask a blessing before we eat because we hope to pass on that faith and family are the most important things in life as we gather around for food and fun.

Watching Grandma

Watching Grandma

Did you have the privilege of knowing your grandparents well? I lived over a thousand miles away from my paternal grandparents. My maternal grandmother died when I was young so I don’t remember her well. One week out of the summer we packed into the family station wagon and made the long journey to Wisconsin to see my dads’ relatives. My parents drove in shifts to get there in less than 24 hours while we slept. They would be exhausted but we kids were ready to play. We were always made to feel special when we came.

I remember being in my grandmothers’ kitchen while on vacation. I sat on the kitchen chair as she began to measure the ingredients for a cake. Grandma didn’t use measuring cups all the time. She would scoop the flour with a regular coffee cup and used a cereal spoon to measure this and that. Somehow, she knew that it was just the right amount. She had a big mixing bowl with a standing mixer which I thought was pretty special. I watched as the mixer whirled the ingredients together and she let me taste the batter before we put the pan in the oven.

We always had dessert after dinner at Grandmas’. It might be some cake, pie, pudding or just a bowl of canned fruit. It would be no surprise to you that both of my grandparents were large people. Grandpa loved his sweets. He loved a slice of white bread with butter and honey on it for a snack which I thought was odd. A favorite cake of mine is Grandmas’ refrigerator cake. It is a variation of a “poke cake”. It is called that because you poke holes in the baked cake with a toothpick and then pour concentrated dissolved jello into the holes. It is one of the few family recipies that I have and I like to make it for our summer family reunion.

Long distance phone calls were expensive in the ’60s and ’70s so throughout the year we would receive cards and letters in her large cursive handwrriting. I still have a few letters she sent when I was in college and my aunt told me that my picture was in her bible when she died. She prayed regularly for all of us.

My grandparents raised six children through the Great Depression, a seventh child died at only a few days old. They made sure the other siblings didn’t forget Ruby. Through the years they suffered the same hardships as many others, such as a son serving in the Vietnam war and death of another daughter by car accident. But they loved God, attended church faithfully and trusted in His provision and faithfulness. Grandpa was a volunteer with The Gideons so the importance of Gods’ word was impressed upon my young heart and I saw Grandma reading her black leather bible at the dining room table and pause for prayer.

There were 25 grandchildren altogether so you can imagine how large the summer reunion picnic was. Grandma never learned to drive and they never owned their own house. But many people were recipients of her embroiderd handiwork on table scarves and pillow cases. When we came to visit I remember a lot of story telling and laughter coming from all the grown ups. They didn’t have much as far as the world would count but thay enjoyed the simple things of life and blessings money cannot buy.

For reflection:

I was blessed to also have a godly mother who read and prayed with us and served our local church in many ways. Many other women throughout my lifetime have taught me how to love my family, trust God in difficult circumstances and use my gifts and abilities for Him. Remember, “godly” doesn’t mean perfect but growing in grace. On this Mother’s Day weekend take a few moments to reflect on the godly role models you have known during your life. A grandmother, mother, aunt, neighbor or an older woman (women) in the church. Thank God for what they taught by their example and ask Him to help you pass it onto the next generation.

Burning Hearts

Burning Hearts

On Easter morning we usually stop reading or hearing the biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection right after the women run from the tomb to tell the disciples that it is empty and angels told them that He is alive. Peter and John run to see the empty tomb but have not seen Jesus yet. But a whole lot more happened later that day.

The guards assigned to watch the tomb received a large sum of money from the chief priests to change their report. (Matthew 28) Later that day we are told that two men were walking toward Emmaus, a town about 7 miles from Jerusalem. They were talking about everything that had happened when a stranger came alongside asking why they seemed so sad. They explained that Jesus the Nazarene was a powerful prophet in word and deed and they were hoping he was the one to redeem Israel. But the chief priests and rulers had sentenced him to death and had him crucified. Now it is the third day since all this took place and some women were at the tomb this morning and couldn’t find his body. They came back saying they saw angels and that Jesus is alive. It’s just crazy.

Luke 24:25–32 (LEB) Lexham English Bible And he said to them, “O foolish and slow in heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ suffer these things and enter into his glory?”And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things concerning himself in all the scriptures.And they drew near to the village where they were going, and he acted as though he was going farther.And they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening, and by this time the day is far spent.” And he went in to stay with them.And it happened that when he reclined at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks, and after breaking it, he gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he became invisible to them. And they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking with us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us?” The men returned to Jerusalem to find the disciples and as they were speaking Jesus appeared before them all.

Can you imagine the excitement of these men? They witnessed a horrific crucifixion of the man they had great hopes in and now they realize he is alive just as he fortold. Amazing. Jesus’ words burned in their hearts the message of truth and hope. His words were profound yet personal. He walked ,talked and ate with them. Astonishing . {If you want to feel some of that excitement, I suggest you listen to Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris sing “I’ve Just Seen Jesus“, it is on you-tube. It raises the hair on my arm everytime! }

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

Hebrews 4:12 (LEB)
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart.

Dear Reader, when was the last time your heart burned with joy and excitement of knowing Jesus. Because He lives we have a hope and a future. God speaks to us in so many ways reminding us of His presence, protection and provision. While listening to a sermon do you hear God speaking to you personally? Have you experienced a “God moment” when you know He answered prayer or comforted your heart through someone else? Our hearts cannot burn without adding fuel. When you read the Bible do you hear and feel Him talking to your heart? God has given us His word to challenge us, comfort, encourage and instruct us. We all get sidetracked by busyness and worries of the day and don’t feel very close to God. Let us ask Him for burning hearts.

The Women of the Easter Story

The Women of the Easter Story

The attitude of Jesus towards women broke many normal social standards. Women lived very restricted lives in first century Palestine and belonged to their husbands (like property). Their main purpose was to provide an heir but they worked very hard just to provide daily sustenence. It is hard in the 21st century to imagine grinding your own grain to make bread every day or to card the wool to then spin and weave into clothing for the family. They had no voice in the synagogue yet Jesus had women among his disciples. Many men and women listened to Jesus teach but there was an inner circle of women who followed him and provided for Jesus and the disciples needs. It is confusing since the name “Mary” was used so often by families. Here are some of the women who played a big part in the Easter story.

The beginning of Passion Week

Mary of Bethany was the sister of Martha and Lazarus. (Luke 10:39, John11) Oh how she loved sitting nearby and listening to Jesus teach. He didn’t rebuke her for not helping her sister to prepare for all the company. Martha appears to be the owner of the home so perhaps she was a widow and took care of her younger brother and sister. It was this Mary who annointed Jesus’ feet and Jesus said it would be remembered as a gift for his burial .

John 12:1–8 (ESV)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him),………. complained about the waste of money….

The Women at the Crucifixion

All four gospels mention the women watching the crucifixion of their Friend, Teacher – The Messiah. They watched from a distance; Close enough to observe the horrific torture of Jesus but maybe far enough away from the angry mob and soldiers. Mary, his mother drew close enough for him to speak to her and then asked his closest friend John to take care of her. Deep tenderness is shown for His mother even as He is dying.

Matthew 27:55–56
There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebede.

Mary Magdalene appears in all four Gospels as a follower of Jesus (Luke 8:2) and at critical moments in Jesus’ story. “Magdalene” implies that she was from Magdala, a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. In Mark 16:9 and Luke 8:2, it states that Jesus had cast seven demons from her. She may have been a woman of means—Mark 15:40–41 counts her among the women who followed and provided for Jesus. This woman carried a deep debt of gratitude for the whole new life He gave her. She is the one to first see the resurrected Lord and it is recorded in all four gospels.

The account in Mark 15 adds the name of Salome as the mother of the apostles James and John, a.k.a. the sons of Zebede. He mentions another devoted follower named Mary the mother of James the younger (not the apostle) and Joseph. And to add to the group of Marys, Jesus’ mother, had a sister named Mary, the wife of Clopas, who is mentioned in John 19. These women provided food and shelter for twelve plus hungry men as they traveled with Jesus and perhaps they tended to their clothing and other personal needs. If you remember the account of Jesus teaching at Peter’s house in Capernaum, it was so packed that some men brought their friend through the roof for healing. Imagine all those people crowding into your home!

The Women at the Tomb

Mark 16:1–8 (ESV)
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Despite being so horrified at the turn of events and watching Jesus die a few women stayed to see his body taken from the cross and followed to see where it was laid. These women had to wait for Sabbath to end to prepare to mourn and properly care for Jesus’ body according to custom. What they found totally shocked them but they ran to tell the disciples what they saw and heard. Peter and John ran to investigate their unbelievable story for themselves and then went home. Mary Magdalene stayed behind totally confused and distraught.

Jesus is ALIVE

John 20:15–18 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

What can we learn from these women that were included as early disciples and founders of the early Church? 1. They were loyal servants who gave sacrificially to support the message of good news. 2. Huge social barriers were broken when a woman like Mary Magdalene was included in the group of women. 3. The disciples were a mix of men and women from different classes and backgrounds.Therefore the Church is made up of all types of people and should be fully inclusive.

How can you be a follower of Jesus? God loves us but hates sin and it separates us from Him. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin so we can have a new relationship with our Heavenly Father. This is the good news and hope of Easter that we too can have eternal life in heaven. The scripture tells us:

Romans 3:22–24 …the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

A simple prayer


Words Of Hope For Hurting Hearts

Words Of Hope For Hurting Hearts

My heart hurts. Last month three people I know passed into eternity. This week I learned that a dear Christian sister has entered hospice while another friends’ adult son is clinging to life due to a severe illness. I have spent much time in prayer for the families.

While living in this world can be absolutely beautiful and amazing there are other times that bring us to our knees . Do you have a prodigal child that keeps you awake at night? Have you lost a job and are staring at the bills pouring in? Maybe you are facing a health issue that is overwhelming. Have you lost someone very dear to you? Fill in the blank____. Sometimes loss and grief are so intense we ache mentally, physically and spiritually. God sees and hears us even if a simple prayer is all we can muster.

A simple prayer of David. Psalm 130:title–2 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language)
Help, GOD—the bottom has fallen out of my life! Master, hear my cry for help!
Listen hard! Open your ears! Listen to my cries for mercy.

A prayer of Jonah from the belly of a whale . Jonah 2:2 (The Message)
He prayed: “In trouble, deep trouble, I prayed to GOD. He answered me. From the belly of the grave I cried, ‘Help!’ You heard my cry.

Our hope is based on His Word to us because He is trustworthy.

Psalm 121:1–4 (ESV) God is on call 24/7
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Creator and Sustainer of earth) He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Lamentations 3:21–23 (ESV) God’s love and faithfulness never ends
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Sometimes the circumstances we face are there to build our faith muscles. The very definition of biblical hope is trusting God and believing Him for what you cannot see. This hope is based on His attributes and past provision. Gratitude also plays a part in our hope as we count our past blessings and look above our current situation. It is a shield and a pathway forward. But we are all without real hope if we don’t have God in our lives in this world. Rick Warren said, “God never wastes a tear. There is a purpose in our pain”.

2 Corinthians 1:4 (The Message)
He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.

Jeremiah 29:11–12 (ESV)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

“Hope is also beginning to reveal its value in scientific studies. Among young adults with chronic illnesses, greater degrees of hope are associated with improved coping, well-being, and engagement in healthy behaviors. It also protects against depression and suicide. Among teens, hope is linked with health, quality of life, self-esteem, and a sense of purpose. It is an essential factor for developing both maturity and resilience. From Harvard Health “Why Hope Matters”July 16, 2021 Here is a scientific study to prove what believers have know for millenia.

1 Peter 1:3–4 (ESV) This is the HOPE of Easter
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

We serve a living God. Jesus’s death for our sins and resurrection from the grave gives us victorious power to live each day when we walk with Him. He sees us, hears us and knows us by name. Yes, God answers prayer. We have a living and active hope through Him not just nice thoughts and wishes.

John 14:1–3 (ESV) We have a future in eternity
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

John 14:27 (ESV) His peace is based in faith not circumstances
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

1 John 5:13–15 (ESV)
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Are You Looking For Something More?

Are You Looking For Something More?

After watching a recent television advertizement I could only shake my head. A young woman was ordering an ice cream sundae and asking the waitress to pour more toppings on it and more and MORE until it is absoulutely ridiculous. The add was not for an all you can eat ice cream bar but for a lawyers’ firm. You deserve MORE. The commercial really sends the wrong message – more leverage or money doesn’t fix any problem. Are you looking for more education, satisfaction, success, money, power…the list goes on. Is bigger really better?

I was talking with a friend who had achieved her Masters degree which is something to be proud of. She bought a home and had a good job but seemed to be looking for something more. I explained that we are all designed with an empty void in our soul which can only be filled by a relationship with God.

Quoted review from Rotten Tomataoes: ” JESUS REVOLUTION is the story of one young hippie’s quest in the 1970s for belonging and liberation that leads not only to peace, love, and rock and roll, but that sets into motion a new counterculture crusade–a Jesus Movement–changing the course of history. Inspired by a true movement, JESUS REVOLUTION tells the story of a young Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) being raised by his struggling mother, Charlene (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) in the 1970s. Laurie and a sea of young people descend on sunny Southern California to redefine truth through all means of liberation. Inadvertently, Laurie meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a charismatic hippie-street-preacher, and Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) who have thrown open the doors of Smith’s languishing church to a stream of wandering youth. What unfolds becomes the greatest spiritual awakening in American history. Rock and roll, newfound love, and a twist of faith lead to a JESUS REVOLUTION that turns one counterculture movement into a revival that changes the world.” I strongly recommend watching this.

These young people called “Hippies” were anti-establishment, protesting the war in Vietnam and the government. They wore strange clothes, sported long hair and advocated spontanaity and “free love” while delving into alcohol and hallucinogenic drugs to elevate their consciousness. They were seeking for something more than what they were being offered and they found it in following Jesus.

Mark 10:17–22 (ESV)
And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”18And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.19You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ”20And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”21And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Contrary to the “hippies”, that threw everything conventional away, this young man appeared to have it all. He was a good law abiding citizen, cared for his parents and was well off. The young man was checking off his list and something was missing. The aposte Paul was considered “the best of the best” as a Pharisee but was crusading for the wrong side. When he came face to face with Jesus he was radically changed forever.

Philippians 3:4–8 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language)
Paul writes: even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree:5a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Ben-jamin; a strict and devout adherent to God’s law;6a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God’s law Book.7The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. 8Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ

Where are you on your journey in life my friend? Are you searching for something new, bigger, better? Just like the young man and the Apostle Paul even though life looks good and are doing all the right things, is your heart still empty? If today was your last day on earth do you have peace and assurance that you will enter heaven? Maybe you have been looking in the wrong places because things on this earth do not last.

Matthew 6:19–21,25 (ESV) – from the sermon on the mount
19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
20but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 25“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

John 14:6 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Matthew 11:28 (The Message) Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.

The Imperials – More Than You’ll Ever Know

If I could find the right words to say
To tell you just what Christ means to me
I’d say He is more than I could show
And more than you’ll ever know

If you could have seen me just yesterday
You’d know why He’s life and He’s breath to me
You’d know why He’s more than I could show
And more than you’ll ever know

Christ means more to me than you’ll ever know
Christ means more to me than I could possibly show
More, more, so much more, He’s more than you’ll ever know