grandchildren

Our Quiet House

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The bathroom and guest room are clean again. 20190813_123703_Film4The refrigerator is mostly restocked and there are no more piles of sneakers by the doorway. But the return to our normal order of things  is too quiet for me. They say that we smile when the grand-kids come and then again when they go. But for me – I slept better with the disorder of family in the home. I am just sharing this thought with other Pops and Nanas out there to encourage you to treasure those special moments that race by so quickly.

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Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.            Psalm 17:6 KJV

 

Sometimes as moms and dads we are too busy and too tired for the small struggles of our children. But God has made us grandparents; to walk a little slower and ask for things to be repeated now and then because we listen carefully and give time generously to grandchildren. So now in my too quiet and too orderly home I am left with the assurance that God bends especially low to listen to the prayers of grandparents and to send His angels to watch for them and His Spirit to guide them on their way.

 

Listening Ears

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Why is it that a child who didn’t hear you ask them to pick up their toys hears the song of the ice cream truck two blocks away?

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Photo by Min An on Pexels.com

As I have gotten older my hearing has dimmed so that  sometimes I just politely nod though I am not really catching all of the conversation. An even a bigger problem for me has been my tendency to ignore other people’s advice. “I’ve heard it all before!” I hear myself saying. A big danger for all of us is that we grow calluses over our ears so that we don’t even hear when God speaks. When Jesus ran into people who had grown dull of hearing like me, He left a short but important counsel.

He said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”  Mark 4:9 ESV

Our biggest difficulty isn’t uncovering some miraculous way of hearing from God such as angels or visions. Our greatest challenge is to listen to the truth and then put it into practice. Remember that God gave us ears for listening. Most often God speaks with His still small voice. May we have the grace of a quiet spirit ready to listen to His advice!

 

 

 

 

 

Again I Say Rejoice

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Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice Philippians 4:4 

While Paul was writing from a Roman prison with guards chained to him on either side, my life’s problems pale in comparison. Yet Paul’s kind of rejoicing is a hard lesson for me to learn. Yes, things are not all that bad. We have moved into our comfortable small home in Florida but those we love especially the grandchildren we kissed good-bye just last week seem like a universe away. As we unpack and make phone calls to change our address with a thousand people we feel lost, lonely and joy, real load lifting and soul refreshing joy is something we long for.

But Jesus told us He was leaving us His joy – not a joy to be found anywhere on planet earth.

These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11

His joy kept Jesus through the wavering loyalties, betrayals and treacheries that pressed Him towards a harsh Roman cross. His joy caused Him to wash dirty feet and skip lunch in the sweltering heat by a well to meet a woman who was thirsty for a water only He could give. The joy of Jesus Christ rises up and says, “Enough!” to waves and wind. His joy sees the way along shadowy valley paths and lights a candle of hope waiting for us at the end of the day. Maybe that is why Paul tells us, “Rejoice!” then in face of the improbable backdrop of His life and our’s He tells us again, “Rejoice!” The world may not get it. Our weary bodies may not feel like it and The devil can not understand it. But we who are God’s children are given the priceless gift of His joy. We only have to remember and believe His joy is especially deep and true when it comes in a morning light that wipes away the tears of our darkest night!

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