Chocolate Covered Raisins

I am living in what is commonly called the sandwich generation. In my particular case, the sandwich is a triple decker club in that we still have young children living at home as well as older children who are having their own children along with aging parents. I recently became a grandmother so I'm very interested in what my new role is going to be. So far I've just been in awe of our beautiful granddaughter, but it's just been 2 weeks. What can I give my grandchildren that is different than what their parents can give them? I had the opportunity today to see what my role could be.

My mother-in-law is definitely having ups and downs with her health, more and more downs lately. But when she is feeling good, she enjoys giving our 3 youngest piano lessons. She used to be able to come to our house and give their lessons which was super convenient, but she recently suggested that I bring them to her house this week instead. While I know that this is great bonding time for them, it is at least a 3 hour proposition. I selfishly did not want to take the time but couldn't in good conscience refuse so off we went.

I predetermined that we would start with the youngest and go up from there and hope to be done before bedtime. I listened as she patiently listened to each one as they commented before and after every measure they played. She encouraged them throughout their lessons and praised each small accomplishment making them feel like piano virtuosos! While we were waiting on one, the other two played with the various geriatric contraptions they found like long handled pinchers to reach things, back scratchers, and the like. You never know what a child finds interesting and what he can do with it! My father-in-law who is a wood craftsman and the most generous man I know, gave them their very own back scratcher and wooden boxes that he had made along with chocolate covered raisins and any other edible treat he had on hand. I don't know who enjoyed the time more, my children or their grandparents.

I'm again amazed at God's patience with me, to open my eyes to see the blessing that a grandparent can be. Grandparents have the time or take the time to be encouraging while parents are prone to watch the clock. My mother used to say, "We have all the time in the world." to my older girls and she meant it. Taking the time to listen and make them feel special is a precious gift they give to my children. I hope that I can be that kind of grandparent. I guess I need to load up on chocolate covered raisins too!

Thankful

There is simply no way to witness the birth of your first grandchild and not be affected. I really didn't know what to expect from the experience since this was my first. In many ways I found it affected me more than the birth of my children, probably because I didn't have much time to reflect as a new mom. I found myself overcome with emotion at God's goodness and ridiculous love to bless us with a beautiful baby granddaughter. The fact that He has chosen this as one way to show us a glimpse of how He feels about us was such a good idea. Since He is perfect, His love is perfect so I cannot ever really grasp how much He loves me.

As much as I would like to sit in adoration of my new granddaughter,  I feel compelled to find a way to show my thanksgiving. More comfortable in doing, surely there is something I can do or give Him. Then I start to think,what can I give someone who has everything? literally! I found my answer in Psalm 100.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His Name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.

Amen.

June 17, 2012 - The Deacons of the Church

Lesson and class discussion of Acts 6:1 - 8:3 using John MacArthur's commentary, led by Holly Lundberg.

Class Handout

Acts 5,6,7 Chapter Review

·         The young church experienced growing pains that caused dissention among the body.  Some of the Greek-speaking (Hellenists) Jewish widows were overlooked in the food distribution.  Complaints of neglect and discrimination surfaced.  The solution was to enlist more hands to help the Apostles with the work load. (Acts 4:34-5:2; 6:1-4)

·         Seven spiritually mature, wise men were chosen from among the Grecian Jews to oversee the food distribution to the needy and to aid the apostles in caring for the expanding body of the church.  The apostles prayed and laid hands on the men entrusting the Holy Spirit to empower them.  Their service was called Diakoneo (today = deacons) (Acts 6:5-7)

·         Stephen, one of the seven, was passionate about proving to others that Jesus was the Messiah. His preaching and testifying in the temple about Christ enraged some Jews entrenched in their religion and a plot was hatched to bring Stephen before the Sanhedrin using false accusations and trumped up charges. (Acts 6:8-14)

·         As he defended himself, Stephen’s face took on an other-worldly glow, just as Moses’ had when he met with God on Mt. Sinai.  Stephen preached an incredibly all encompassing sermon reminding the Sanhedrin of God’s involvement in Israel’s history and His never ending covenant love for them that was culminated in Christ’s work on the cross.  He tried to tie the rich traditions of the forefathers to Jesus. (Acts 6:15-7:45)

·         David wanted to build a house for God, but God told him “NO” because of His sins, so Solomon, David’s son built the Temple.  But building a house to contain God is impossible!  (Acts 7:44-50).

·         Stephen ended his sermon with an indictment of the Sanhedrin’s treatment and rejection of Christ.  When Stephen described his vision of Jesus at God’s right hand, infuriated council members dragged him out and stoned him for blasphemy.  As Stephen died, he as the Lord to forgive them.  (Acts 7:51-60)

·         The day Stephen was murdered; Saul launched a crusade to destroy the church. Men and women were jailed for the crime of following Jesus. (Acts 8:1-3)

 ·       Molech- Pagan god whose worship involved child sacrifice.

·         Remphan- Babylonian god of the planet Saturn used to symbolize Israelite apostasy

·         Saul- pre-conversion name of Apostle Paul, a Jewish Roman citizen from Tarsus from the tribe of Benjamin, "a Pharisee & the son of a Pharisee. Paul studied in Jerusalem with Rabbi Gamaliel.

·         Jacob- Later renamed by God: Israel. He is the son of Isaac and Rebekah, the grandson of  Abraham & Sarah  and the younger twin brother of Esau. He had twelve sons and at least one daughter by his two wives, sisters Leah & Rachel, and by their maids, Bilhah & Zilpah. The children named in Genesis were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin as well as daughter Dinah.  These 12 brothers became the original 12 tribes of Israel.

June 10, 2012 - The Apostles of the Church

Lesson and class discussion of Acts 3:1 - 5:42 using John MacArthur's commentary, led by Holly Lundberg.

Light Construction Skills Wanted

Why should we go on mission trips? The obvious reason is that it is the Great Commission directly from Jesus. But, wouldn't our money be better spent sending it to a missionary already serving. I mean really, what skills do I possess that would actually be helpful to anyone? Better yet, what skills do my children possess that God can use on a mission trip!

Last week Bryant had only just recently come back from a mission trip to South Asia and he reminded me why we should go on mission trips. He joked about possibly falling asleep during the service b/c of jet lag. On the contrary, I found him to be on fire! Even as he spoke about the difficulties of this particular trip like his son having to be hospitalized for severe dehydration, I could see that the trip had impacted him in a powerful way. He preached his message from Romans with even more passion than usual and he loves preaching from Romans!

Mission trips take our minds off ourselves (and mine is there a lot) and puts them on other people, other people's salvation in particular. Is there anything more important? God knows my construction skills are not great, but He can still use me. My children have less construction skills than I do but on our last trip they became friends with some of the ranch kids. These friendships I'm sure meant more to the ranch kids than any construction they could do.

I loved hearing from Bryant last week. It made me excited to go to Wear's Valley Ranch for our class trip in August. Traveling to Tennessee isn't as bad as hiking 6 miles in oppressive heat and humidity in the jungles of South Asia, but  then again he wasn't traveling with 3 children in the car.

May 20, 2012 - The Birth of the Church (1 of 2)

Lesson and class discussion of Acts 1:1 - 2:47 using John MacArthur's commentary, led by Bill Gambrell.

May 6, 2012 - The Balanced Christian Life

Lesson and class discussion over chapter 18 of Charles Ryrie's book Balancing the Christian Life, led by Holly Lundberg.