Children's Moment: Love through Obedience

I have a love-dislike relationship with the month of May.  You see, I absolutely LOVE to garden.  As soon as we get a day or two of warm weather, I am outside digging in the dirt.  I get really excited and want to plant all of my seeds and starter plants so I can harvest delicious vegetables as soon as possible.  You know the problem though?  The weather in May is fickle, which means that it changes a lot.  One day it might be sunny and 80 degrees and the next day there could be snow on the ground.  One week it could be beautiful and the next week we have tornadoes and torrential rain and wind.  I have had to learn LOTS of patience over the years when planting my garden.  I have had to set-up a few simple rules for planting, and it is tough to stick by my rules, especially when the weather looks beautiful.

The rules I have made for planting help to make sure I don’t waste seed or time and also help to ensure my plants are healthy and survive the fickle May weather.  It’s hard to hold off planting things sometimes, but after years of experience, I know it is better to wait and have beautiful crops, then to work twice as hard and end up with a very small harvest or none at all.  In other words, my love for gardening has been teaching me patience.

Life is like this too though.  As you grow-up, your parents will set-up rules to help you along the way.  Those rules are meant to protect you, keep you safe.  You will sometimes feel like disobeying your parent’s rules because something looks fun or you just want to try it, but remember, your parents really do know best. They were kids once and teenagers and young adults, they have had to learn the same lessons you are learning now.

In Corinthians 13:4-5, it says “Love is patient and kind: love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;”

Always remember this, your parents love you above and beyond all else.  Don’t get impatient with growing-up and having rules.  Love your parents back by listening and obeying their rules, even when you don’t really want to obey.  Just like the bountiful harvests which I get to reap because of my patience and following simple rules, you will get to experience great things in your life by following the rules and path your parents set-up for you.   Be patient and love your parents through obedience.

Let us pray:

Dear Jesus, thank you for allowing us to come into your house of worship on such a beautiful morning.  Thank you for blessing these children with adults who love and care for them and who set-up healthy boundaries.  I pray that each one of these children are able to see the love which is given to them.  Guide them along their path.  We love you and praise you, in Jesus name, Amen.

Children's Moment: A Hunting We Shall Go

Mr. Ladd took me morel hunting yesterday and while we hunted, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the many walks my Grandma Allen used to take me on when I was a young girl.  She used to let me lead the way on many of our walking adventures.  I would go under trees, through the woods, dip in and out of the creek, trail around the ponds, and try to find the biggest rocks for Grandma and I to sit on and eat the sandwiches she would pack.  While we walked, I picked about every flower I would see and she would tell me the name of the flower and anything she knew about it.  She would tell me how some were used in medicine and how some were poisonous to eat or even to touch and how some were delicious to munch on. 

Can anyone tell me what the name of this plant is?  These are wild impatiens.  My Grandma told me I was like these little flowers.  These wild impatiens pop-up early in the spring and grow until the first frost of winter.  Their seed is spread by the wind, so they grow in just about every corner of the field and forest and they can hardly wait till spring to just show-up everywhere. 

These impatiens remind me of being a Christian.  We should go everywhere the wind blows, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.

In Mark 16:15 Jesus says “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

We have talked about this many times in Sunday school.  How can we tell and show others about Christ in our everyday lives?

§        listening to a friend

§        hugging someone who is lonely

§        helping someone in need

§        telling others about God’s love

I hope you can be like impatiens, go everywhere and share God’s love with those you meet.

Let us pray:

Dear Jesus, thank you for allowing us to come into your house of worship on such a beautiful morning.  Thank you for the beauty in everyday things such as these impatiens and the wonderful reminders of your beauty and love.  I thank you for bringing each one of these children here this morning to hear your word.  Help us to share your love to all those we encounter.  We love you and praise you.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Children's Moment: The Empty Easter Egg

I love Easter!  I love everything about Easter!  I love watching the kids hunt for eggs, I love the surprise on their face when they find their candy-filled Easter baskets, I love having family over for our traditional Easter dinner, I love all the bright colors, but most of all I really love these little eggs.  Every time I open one up, the candy reminds me of Jesus’ sweet sacrifice he made on the cross for my sins.  His grace, forgiveness and love for us.  When the candy is gone I am left with a bright colored, yet empty egg.  What a wonderful reminder of the empty tomb!  How lucky we are to serve a God that cannot be bound by death.  In Corinthians 15 it reads “O Death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?  Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Though we must always remember the horrible death which Jesus suffered for our sins, we must also celebrate his resurrection.  Today I pray that you and your family will celebrate and each time you open an egg you will remember sweet Jesus and an empty tomb.

Children's Moment: Two are Better Than One

So yesterday was a wonderful day.  I enjoyed coffee with Mr. Ladd, the weather was beautiful, I had my family working with me in the garden, and then came the best part . . . BOWLING!!!  Yep, I had so much fun bowling with all the kiddos of First Christian Church.  I got to see some really interesting forms of bowling such as drop kick, slam dunk, drop and roll, swing to the left, throw to the right, sit and spin, gutter lunges, toe breakers, wipe outs, and granny lunges.    For most everyone, yesterday was the FIRST time ever to go bowling.  I think we had great fun!

I saw kids and parents helping each other out with carrying balls and teaching each other how to roll the ball.  I saw friendships forming.  I also saw you cheer each other on, high five, give each other bumps, hug each other and pat each other on the back.  You know what God’s word says about friends?

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

I think you were doing exactly as God’s word says . . . you were lifting each other up!!  My prayer for you today is that you always be surrounded by people who care about you and want good things for you.  I also pray that you surround others with positive thoughts and care.  So, when you see someone in need of a friend, take a minute to be a friend.

Let us pray:

Dear Jesus, thank you for allowing us to come into your house of worship this morning.  Thank you for these wonderful rain showers which will help water the earth and provide bountiful crops.  I thank you for bringing each one of these children here this morning to hear your word.  Help us to be a friend to someone today.  We love you and praise you.  In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Christmas with Grandma

Yesterday as Ladd and I traveled home from a fun-filled night provided by his employer, I was thinking how fortunate we are.  I am not talking about money or anything like that, but feeling so blessed that we are able to spend time with our kiddos and family this holiday season.  I especially thought a lot about my grandparents and no matter how long they have been gone, the memories they provided to us will ever be so vivid.

My Grandma Wanell spent endless hours in the kitchen baking with us girls as we grew up.  Buckeyes, sugar cookies, peanut butter kiss cookies, chocolate rolls, pumpkin rolls, jelly rolls.  Oh my goodness, the list is endless.  Never once did I hear her complain about the flour all over the floor or that we probably ate more than we produced.  She taught us how to beautifully decorate a home and tree on a budget and how to wrap gifts.  She taught us how to give joyfully and to not want or expect during the holidays.

My Grandpa would sneak in and out of all the holiday to-do's.  He always made sure to take us on the mistletoe hunt and loved bringing the ugly mistletoe back to the house for Grandma.  He would stand at the front door holding it up until Grandma scurried over to give him the much sought after kiss and squishy hugs.  He also had to taste-test all of the baked goodies and frequently stopped by to pat my Grandma on the back and give her kisses.

Grandma woke at early hours of the morning to prepare the most delicious Christmas breakfast a person could envision with glazed spiral sliced ham, bacon, sausage, homemade buttermilk biscuits, gravy, chocolate gravy, and just about every side you could think of in visions of the best breakfast ever.  The best part of Christmas breakfast?  Walking in the door and my Grandma's expression of excitement and happiness at seeing her family.

We usually received practical gifts from my Grandma . . . Sunday clothes or warm socks, but she also gave us gifts that would last for MANY years ahead.  Each year she gave us a blanket or quilt and always with a note written or embroidered in the corner "Love Grandpa and Grandma Allen" with the year.  To this day I have those blankets, some tattered and torn and worse for wear, but they have been with me in every apartment or home I have lived and have wrapped each of my kiddos in warmth and love.

My Grandmother truly captured the holiday season in her smile and acts of kindness. She sought after the family that needed clothes or a hot meal and provided it.  She found the child that needed a hug and gave it.  She loved relentlessly and gave what she had to offer.  She kept her focus on Christ and shared it with anyone who would listen.  My Grandma, oh how I miss her today.

My husband is such a dick!

Yep, those are the words I heard come out of my friends mouth just recently.  "My husband is suck a dick!"  When I asked her what she meant, she described all of the things he was doing wrong . . . not saying thank you to her for all her hard work, treating her like she was his "buddy", not picking up his dirty clothes, expecting dinner by 5:30 every night, sitting around with his hands in his pants watching tv while she did the dishes, laundry, homework with the kids and all the other routine items, expecting sex all the time (at which point she said "What? Does he think I am some sort of machine?  Push a button and whala!  Sex goddess ready for action!").  She went on to describe how he breathes, turns on the lights when she is trying to rest, can never find the remote and doesn't even know how to operate the damn dishwasher (her words, not mine).

The entire time my friend was talking, I kept thinking, this could be any one of us.  We get so used to the daily responsibilities, that we forget, it gets tiresome, monotonous and more importantly . . . forgotten by our partners.  I am the most guilty of this.  I often forget that Ladd puts in 12-14 hour days, then comes home exhausted.  I think because I worked hard, I shouldn't be expected to continue working when I come home exhausted.

I remember when we first got married, I got up each morning made coffee and breakfast, packed his lunch, ironed his clothes and sent him out the door for the day.  I remember the exact moment when I discovered the 10 or so uneaten lunches sitting in his car.  I remember feeling betrayed and unappreciated.  Reality check?  My husband never used to eat breakfast before marriage, so when he filled up on breakfast, he wasn't hungry for lunch.  He just didn't want to hurt my feelings.  We talked it out and decided coffee for breakfast and a few lunch snacks for the road would keep him satisfied and still hungry for dinner.

I have also found that if I allow my husband to treat me a certain way, he will continue doing so out of ignorance and vice versa.  Point in case, I was raised in a home where I was called names on a regular basis.  The names were meant to pick fun and weren't intended to be mean, but they were sooo hurtful.  How do you tell your dad that being called fat at 85 pounds in the 6th grade really sucks and that in turn you starved yourself to fit an image which you thought was perceived?  (Yes, I kept harbored feelings for a verrry long time, forgiveness isn't easy).  I carried this name calling trait into my marriage.  Anytime I get mad, I easily spew out some rude derogatory, unthoughtful comment or name.  It took  my husband THREE years before he finally told me he didn't want to be called an asshole any longer, that it hurt his feelings.  It took me another three years to stop saying that when I was angry.  I am still a work in progress.

Communication, communication, communication is what I have learned helps us.  Sometimes it means we take a quiet walk in the field to clear our thoughts or we may holler a bit and then calm ourselves down.  Either way, we are talking it out.

I honestly don't think my husband fits into the awful husband category, actually, he is pretty awesome.  We have each accepted certain roles which we feel comfortable.  I have assumed most of the domestic duties while he has assumed the financial support duties.  He is a pretty awesome handyman, one of the kindest souls you will ever meet, holds a pretty stern hand when needed, snuggles like a fluffy teddy bear, and makes the best breakfast around.  He holds our family together and often forces me to be better than I could ever try to be.  He holds me accountable for my actions and I do the same for him.  What keeps us connected?  Coffee and talks at 5 am and holding hands while laying in bed talking ourselves to sleep.

To my husband, I love you babe!

Children's Moment: Transformation Is Not Always Easy!

Guess what happened yesterday???  It is REALLY exciting!!!  I mean, I just can’t explain how exciting it is!!! Anyone want to take a guess???

Mr. Ladd bought me a new mattress and pillows!!!!  I know, I know you are thinking “what is so exciting about that?” right?  Well, our old mattress had become pretty old and didn’t provide support anymore. Each morning had become like a chore trying to get out all the kinks in my back and neck before I could even walk.  Not fun!

As excited as I am, I also realized this was not going to be fun to have a new mattress at first.  You know why?  Mr. Ladd does not like change.  Actually, he despises change.  All day yesterday he talked about how he wasn’t going to be able to sleep well on the new mattress.  He knew change would be tough for him.  And it was.  All night last night he tossed and turned and snuffed and snorted and didn’t sleep well.  He will eventually get used to our new mattress and sleep will come again.

Thinking of our new mattress and Mr. Ladd, it made me think about being a Christian.  When we become a Christian and accept God into our hearts, it doesn’t mean that a button is automatically switched onto “good person” mode.  It often means that things we have been used to doing for a long time have to change.  Perhaps we have always gossiped about others, made fun of people, or lied to our parents to stay out of trouble.  God doesn’t want us to do that, He wants us to change our ways.  Changing is not always easy though, it sometimes feels uncomfortable.  Just know that making one right choice after another becomes easier and easier over time.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

So, the next time you are trying to decide between right and wrong and it feels a bit “uncomfortable”, remember Mr. Ladd and his old bed.  You may toss and turn but eventually all those good and right choices will become easier and easier and all the “old ways” will be forgotten.