A Note From Dad--You're In The Game!

For my final post of 2011 on this blog, I decided to share a note I found written by my dad when straightening my desk.  I never noticed it before because it was on the backside of a pink index card invitation to a "Youth For Christ" meeting.  It must have either been some sermon notes he took or else a devotional thought he had.  It was written in pencil so is hard to read, but here is what it says:

Game, Sport

A great many people thoroughly enjoy watching a good game; the most popular seems to be baseball.  Few of us realize that we are in a game ourselves right now, with many people watching us and hoping that we will win.  But some of us we are losing, because we are so much interested in watching others play their game, and forget that it we ought to be much concerned about winning ourselves.  You ask "what game are we playing?"  Our very life is a game, some win, and some lose.  There is always reward for the winner.  The prize for the winner of life's game is of unspeakable value; words cannot describe it.

 I believe his thoughts were based on these two scriptures:

Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.  Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith:  who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

God compares our life to a race and those who have successfully completed their journey before us are the "cloud of witnesses" cheering us on.  I wonder if my mom and dad see me from heaven and are cheering me on.  It's kind of a cool thought, isn't it?

The other verses that I think my dad was thinking of when he wrote this are:

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:  but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:13-1)

What a good message to keep in mind as we begin a new year!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am donating .50 per legitimate comment this month to The Cleveland Pregnancy Center.

Easter Was Great Except For The Stupid Hats!

I have all good memories of Easter except for one thing--the stupid hats we had to wear. I remember mine was white with a blue ribbon on it and some flowers. I wish I could have found a picture of it to show you, but I couldn't find it. I know I saw one somewhere. Apparently my parents thought it was cute. I never liked dressing up anyhow on Sundays, but Easter was the worst of all!

Anyhow, let's move on to the things I liked about Easter growing up. I remember going to my grandma's house on my mom's side where I was first introduced to delicious chocolate covered marshmallow eggs. My aunt used to work at Towers Candies and they always had some for me. I still love chocolate marshmallow eggs and and not choosy about the brand. The Towers ones were big and the marshmallow was always soft, never hard or stretchy. Those marshmallow eggs were the highlight of Easter for me growing up.

How Do We Grow Strong Spiritually?

It's in difficult situations that we grow spirituality stronger, when we have to actually exercise our faith.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.
(Romans 5:3-4, NIV)

When I attended a Sweet Saturday women's get-together at church about a month ago, I realized that whenever God spoke to people in the Bible, he always chose ways to use them that challenged them to exercise faith. For example, telling Abraham to use sacrifice his only son, Isaac, Joshua winning the battle of Jericho by marching around the city, Gideon delivering the Israelites from the Midianites using just 300 men and horns, pitchers and torches, Moses with the parting of the Red Sea, speaking to a rock to get water, etc., and many, many more. What examples come to your mind?

When we encounter difficult circumstances and really have to exercise our faith, it seems that's when we see God at work in our own life which builds us up and increases our faith. Some of these times in my life were trusting God and obeying my parents even though I disagreed their decision to move, not knowing what to do after high school graduation and God provided a full 4-year scholarship, trusting God to do new things such as teach Sunday School, lead a youth group, learn to swim when I was afraid I'd drown, work as a temp which lead to a good permanent job, provide me a wonderful husband, provide us a great house we could afford, comfort in grieving and strength to do all that needed to get done when my dad died, courage to write My Funny Dad, Harry that I felt God leading me to do and be at peace about the future which I know he has all planned out for me and is in his hands.

I find it interesting that I schedule these posts ahead. I really needed this reminder now for myself because I just found out I need to have a biopsy on my right breast--they saw something "suspicious" on my last mammogram. This can't be good, but I know God knew all about this and will help me deal with whatever comes my way. Other people have gone through some bad times, now it's my turn again to keep growing stronger spiritually.

What has God brought you through that has increased your faith?

Praying Before Meals and Family Devotions

When I visited "The Little Mermaid's" blog and saw some prayers that she has been taught, it reminded me of the one we used to say before meals growing up. It went like this:

Come Lord Jesus, be thou our guest, and let this food to us be blessed. Amen.

It was short but had a neat concept of inviting Jesus to join us for our meals. It became repetitious to me though and praying before meals is something I really no longer do. I know Jesus gave thanks to the Father before he ate so maybe I should too. But it also says not to use vain repetitions when we pray. I start my day with prayer and pray throughout the day, so don't feel it's necessary to pray before every meal. I know it's expected at Christian gatherings and I don't have any objection to doing it, so I do when I attend those things where there is food. Even then though, it seems kind of ritualistic to me.

Praying before meals was really the only formal "spiritual" instruction or training we got at home even though my mom and dad were both Christians. They mostly taught by example. I remember seeing my mom reading the Bible when she was preparing to teach her Sunday School lesson or for the Jr. High youth group but can't remember ever seeing my dad read his Bible outside of church. He never learned the order of the books either--probably because he always had difficulty memorizing things. He just always used the Table of Contents in the front.

I remember at one time our pastor preached about the parents taking responsibility for the spiritual training of their children in the home and that families should have a time of devotions together. He referred to it as a family altar. My dad didn't want to do it and took no part in it, but let my mom give it a try. She would get us kids all together in the early evening and tried leading some kind of devotional time. We didn't like it and felt awkward. I don't remember how old we were but I do remember it didn't last for long, maybe a week or perhaps a couple weeks but no more than that.

I never understood why my dad didn't support her more in this effort but apparently he felt it wasn't necessary. Perhaps he felt it wasn't her place to do it or perhaps he just didn't like the minister telling him what he should do. I was just happy he wasn't for the idea at the time.

Do you have family devotions? Do you pray together as a family? I think it would be a wonderful thing to do if you start early so it doesn't feel so awkward for everyone. Do you think the saying, "Families who pray together, stay together" is true? These days, at least in the U.S. it seems families are doing great if they can manage to have one meal a day together.