Monthly Archives: February 2018

Selfishness: Me First -By Karla

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Go Figure

Sixth grade kids crack me up! They are so independent one minute and a little kid the next. Some have already grown so tough that it is difficult to approach them for a personal conversation, and others still have questions about Santa Claus! The very ones that are most difficult pull their attention into a lesson are the ones who are jumping up and down on the bleachers dying to be a volunteer during an assembly. Many times, the ones who have attendance issues are the ones running down the hallways to be the first on in the classroom! 

All About Me

Relatively thinking, we live in a “me-first” or “I should get-the-best” kind of world. Often we think that it is only kids who are partakers of this slanted thinking, but we are guilty too. We stand in the check-out lines mumbling. Can they not open another line? Can’t they see me standing here having to wait? I’m in a hurry. At work when things to not seem to go the way we want, we mutter. Really, I’ve worked here all these years, and this is all they give me for Christmas? The examples could go on for a while, but the point is that our biased me-thinking is either entering our minds or lurking near unless we consciously put things in perspective.

Wanting the Best for her Children

Recently reading in the book of Matthew, James and John’s mother asked Jesus if her boys would sit on the left and the right of Him. Hello! The left and the right! She would probably think she should get her own personal grocery store! Honestly, I did think what audacity!

Our List of Demands

I enjoy watching Chip Ingrid; he says such profound things in such a down to earth manner. Sometimes our prayers might come across like a list of demands: “Dear Lord, please fix this situation, heal this person, make this bad think stop happening, please make someone do this.”

At times, we act as if we are requesting the easy life from God: “Lord, let everything go my way, let everyone I know be healthy, give my children the prosperous life, and on and on.”

Not On the Easy Days

Really? Do I do that? Maybe not in those words, but in similar ones. As I look back to the paths I have traveled, I am struck at the times I have grown in my Christian walk.

  • Not the sunny days, but in the storms
  • Not payday; but three weeks after (Good ole once-a-month teacher paydays.)
  • Not the healthy days, but the days when a loved-one was ill
  • Not the days the car cranked, but when we were stranded.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”(Proverbs 3:5-6) 

The days the hurricanes hurled the rains into our paths; these are the times to learn to lean on God most. However, I want learned that I don’t want to only lean on God during the rough times, but on the good days as well. In all our ways, the good and the bad.

I am learning to add to my “me-first/make my life easy” prayers by asking God to walk with me every step of the way. I want to draw nearer desiring for more and more of His ways to become my ways. For my young adult children, I want to remember not to pray for them to be first or to have an easy life. For it was during adversity that I learned to walk closer with God, and so may it be for the ones I love.

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Prayer: What If We Ask? -By Donna

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Last week I was asked if I thought it was ok for someone to pray for what they hoped would happen. I was also talking to a friend recently who had been dealing with a situation for a while. I laughed and said, “ask and it shall be given unto you.” To which she replied, “Hmm, I haven’t prayed about it, I’ve just complained about it.”

God answers prayers. I know that for a fact. The Bible says so, and I have experienced it many times. I remember from my early teens two things my pastor said about prayer that have stuck with me. The first was that God answers prayer three ways; yes, no, or wait a while.” Yes prayers are the easiest to accept and be thankful for.  But, he may answer no. When God says no, He is looking out for our best interest. He has something better planned. Someday you may find yourself thanking God for an unanswered prayer. I know I have. The hardest answer is the “wait a while.” We must remember that God’s timing is perfect. Sometimes it seems like He has forgotten, but He is orchestrating each detail and step along the way.

What More do You Want?

A story was the second thing I remember my pastor saying about prayer. It illustrated how God’s answer may be different from what you are expecting. That was many moons ago but it went something like this:

A man was trapped on his rooftop by the rising waters of a flood. A neighbor came by in a rowboat and called to him, “Get in my boat! I’ll save you!” However, the man said, “No!  I prayed to God, and He will save me!” The water rose to the man’s knees. Next came another fellow in a motorboat. “Get in! I’ll save you!” cried the fellow. “No!” the man on the roof replied. “I prayed to God, and He will save me!”  Soon the water was up to the man’s chest. Then a helicopter with a ladder came by. “Grab on!” called the pilot. “I’ll save you!” The man on the roof called, “No, I prayed to God, and He is going to save me!”

Without warning a wave swept him off the roof, and he drowned. As he entered heaven, he questioned God. “God, I prayed to you, and I trusted you to save me. You let me drown. Why didn’t you answer my prayer?” God replied. “My son, I sent you two boats and a helicopter! What more did you want?”

Ask Him

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:7-11

God is our father.  “… how much more will our Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him.”  But what if we don’t ask and miss out on a blessing He had planned for us?

-Donna

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Simplicity: Kazoo Moments -By Karla

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Tonight I sat at an elementary school watching a group of first graders sing about love and presidents, all the biggies of February. (We teachers try not to leave out anyone or anything.) So, they began with a song about how George Washington really didn’t wear a wig; he just powdered his hair. Ending with a ditty about what it means to be a good friend. 

Transported Back in Time

It took almost no time to whisk my mind back to when my two now-grown children were on a stage in elementary school. Memories flooded my mind. Lindsey singing a little solo, and Rachel’s big shout about guacamole. She had a horrid raspy voice. Even though she had a horribly hoarse voice—the show had to go on! I grinned at the thought of my lugging around the huge camcorder in my jumper dress. The three of us were so proud of their success.

A Simple View Point

The look on the kids’ faces tonight reminded me of how simple life is from their perspective at times. Joy oozed from their smiles when they pulled out kazoos and began tooting a tune!

I was there with my family-friends, whose children call me Nana. Although we had already made a potty trip immediately before the program started, my sweet four-year-old Rylynn needed to go again around the third song. What fun she was having being at her big brother’s school. She washed her hands from the water that sprayed out of the trough-like sink, adding even more excitement of the evening.

As we dodged the parents filming children through a phone, who would have ever thought that 25 years ago, I watched my Colby. Surely, every other child on that stage was as cute to someone as he was to me. My eyes stayed glued to him, watching his little arms shoot up and down not missing a beat. He seemed so proud of himself.

Heading Home with a Smile

On the way out of the school, I got a big hug from him saying thank you for coming. Then he pulled out his kazoo as if to give me a private concert. Laughingly, I joked with his parents about how that kazoo might get lost sometime soon. In the rain, I got to buckle Rylynn in her car seat because she begged for “Nana to do it”. During that moment, I heard her precious 16 month sister’s eyes light up saying Nana.

Walking to my car I thought, “God is so good; what a fun night to be me!”

 

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