Month: July 2021

I reconnected with cousins this week. Another cousin and I traveled an hour and a half to visit these cousins we had not seen in decades. We often visited each other as children, but life happens, we grow up, have families of our own and, in my case, move away for 50 years!

They were happy to see us and we, them. I discovered we immediately began talking about the past and asking and sharing about each other’s families. We had to start with the past in order to move to the present.  What memories we had! I learned that one cousin was afraid of the cows whenever they came to visit my family on the farm. Another cousin was afraid of the chickens! I had not remembered those fears. I did remember playing house with the cousin who had a very nice cupboard in which to keep her very nice play dishes.  Her dolls were fed from fancy dishes, mine endured metal plates. The dolls are long since gone. I doubt they cared anyway. She told me the cupboard had been destroyed.

We remembered family members who have gone on to their reward and shared pictures, both old and recent. We had lunch together and decided we must do this again. I hope we can.

I sometimes chide myself for living too much in the past. It’s easy to do that when you’re missing loved ones no longer with you. But then, I remember that even Jesus told us to remember the past. When He celebrated the Passover with His disciples for the last time, He instituted a new remembrance celebration.  Passover was for the Jewish people to remember their miraculous escape from slavery in Egypt. The new celebration is what we call the Lord’s Supper or Communion.  Partaking of communion helps us remember the cross and the sacrifice Jesus made for our salvation. It is also a time to look forward to the culmination of our salvation when Jesus comes again to take His people, the Church, to be with Him forever. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:26, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Do you have a friend or a relative with whom you need to renew a relationship?  More important than that, do you need to renew your relationship with the Lord Jesus? Jesus wants to be a part of every aspect of your life.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37).

 

The month of June has come and gone. I’m sure you’ve noticed how fast the summer is passing.  I was blessed to have my older daughter and 10-year-old grandson spend much of the month with me. With their help (mostly, my daughter’s) I was able to get the garden boxes ready for planting and I now have green beans growing, along with the tomatoes and peppers I’d already planted. It will take awhile for the harvest of most vegetables since I was late getting started.

My grandson spent a week with me without his mom. He is a busy boy! He is all about toads, slugs, and basketball with a few newly hatched preying mantises thrown in for good measure. The highlight of his day was when Farmer Kirk made hay and allowed him to ride the tractor, the one with the enclosed cab. He, also, read more books than usual since Grandma demanded equal time between educational activities and screen time activities.  Grandma also had to give time tossing a baseball and trying to hit a badminton shuttlecock. I managed to throw well enough for him to get a few hits of the baseball but hitting the shuttlecock was a different story. Neither of us were very successful at that! It was a good week with one tired grandma and a boy who loves the farm.

After one particularly busy and a bit difficult day for listening I was trying to be patient while waiting for him to finish getting ready for bed so I could read to him. He is easily distracted! I finally said, “You have just about used up all my nerves today.”

To which he replied, “How many do you have left?”

“I think I have half of one left,” I said.

Later, as I reflected on that moment I wondered if I ever use up God’s nerves. I’m not a good listener sometimes. I read the Word, but I don’t let it change me. Does God ever get upset with me?  Is God disappointed with His people today? It seems our Nation has forgotten God. I wonder, will God’s people remain faithful?

The prophet, Hosea, proclaimed, “My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him; they will be wanderers among the nations” (Hosea 9:17). Israel had turned from God to worship and offer sacrifices to false gods. They even sacrificed their children! God’s judgment was coming.

The Apostle Peter reminds us judgment is coming. God judged the world once with water, but the next time it will be fire.

 “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7).

“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation . . .” (2 Peter 3:14-15a).

Enjoy celebrating Independence Day!