Generations In Faith Together

Family Matters

In Colossians 3, there are rules given for Christian households:                           

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

There are those of us who feel stressed in our daily lives and struggle to balance family with work. We want to do all the right things for our families. It’s not that we don’t want to volunteer and serve others. It’s a matter of time and priorities. We don’t seem to have determined the amount we have of either very clearly in today’s culture.

I’d like to share an e-mail with you I received today. I’m bursting at the seams for this young family from our congregation. I feel both honored and blessed to know this family. They are very active in the congregation and are very familiar with sharing Highs & Lows, praying together and blessing one another. Their three year old son sings the Lord’s Prayer in the tub every night and loud and clear on Sunday mornings. Both David and Paula are parents who role model what they believe. I think you’ll agree how clear it is that family is a priority with these two when you read the e-mail below and take a peek from a youTube link at the remarks by Congressman Steve King on the floor of the House of Representatives about this mother who is making family and faith a priority in her life.   

Dear friends...
You will have to forgive me for this blatantly proud email, but I have to brag.  Recently, Paula announced her resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives after 12 years of faithful and ridiculously tiring service.  She will embark on a new adventure after the first of the year starting her own business with another colleague.  More on that at a later time.

This week, on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, her current boss Cong. Steve King offered up an emotional tribute to Paula.  Courtesy of YouTube, it is linked below for your viewing pleasure.  Not many people get their name mentioned on the floor of the U.S. Congress, let alone have an entire speech dedicated to their service.  This is pretty special.

Aidan and I have always known that we have a legend in our midst.  We knew she was a great one long before anyone else, but it's nice to know that others recognize that too, especially in Western Iowa.  When Paula does something, she does it with incredible passion, commitment and integrity.  It's about time she receive the recognition she deserves and has worked so hard for.

That said, Aidan and I are thrilled that she will close that chapter in her life and begin a new, equally challenging , but hopefully more rewarding quest in her next act.

Love to you all...
David

youTube Link

Parents = Role Models

I wanted to share a story with you seen making the rounds via the internet lately. My friend and fellow ministry partner, Drew Tiedtke, in Occonomowoc,WI sent it to me. I think it provides some food for thought about the role parents play in the life of their children.
We, as parents, indeed are role models each and every day of our lives for our children more than we’ll ever know.

The question? What is it we are role modeling? 

I would believe that you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, and even a year from now.  I believe I will.  We are raising our children to be parents.  What is the example we want to set?

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.  But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. 'We must do something about father,' said the son. 'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'  So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.  Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl!

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?'  Just as sweetly, the boy responded, 'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.  That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

We can make choices as role models. Support in making those choices, especially in relation to the physical, emotional, and spiritual well being of our children is important. In the context of the congregation, who gives parents tools to be faith role models for their children and how do we reach them?
I believe we need help. I certainly did! It involves the leadership, adult role models in the congregation who can be there when we have questions, becoming part of a support group through prayer, and intentionality.

What was learned by the writer of the story about the wooden bowl?
Here are a few insights from the unknown writer:

1.  No matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. 

2. You can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. 

3. Regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. 

4. Making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life.' 

5. Life sometimes gives you a second chance.

6. You shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

7. If you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

8. Whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

9. When I have pains, I don't have to be one.

10.  Everyday, you should reach out and touch someone.

11. People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

12. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I would add:
13. Touching base with a faith family every week in a congregation and allowing yourself to be nurtured, prayed for, and supported by others makes a difference.

14. Intentionally beginning faith practices in your home and bringing everyone in the household together at least once a day to share Highs & Lows, read scripture, talk about it, pray together, and bless one another changes family life forever.

As Paul says in Ephesians, Parents and children should be responsible to one another:
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ – this is the first commandment with a promise: ‘so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.’” Ephesians 6:1-3 

This verse speaks not only to the children, but to parents as well. We, as parents, are the ones on whose shoulders lies the responsibility of “a promise”.

Thanks for this reminder Drew!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good, long life on the earth!

A Christmas Story

Here is an excerpt from the Rev. Rich Melheim’s book entitled The Christmiss Guest:

Shortly before Christmas Eve, a little field mouse receives a note on her doorstep announcing the arrival of a very important guest for the holiday.  Frantically preparing her home, Fern the Fieldmouse cooks and cleans and kicks out all unwanted visitors who darken her door and get in her way.  When Christmas finally arrives, the house is in perfect condition, but her honored guest doesn't appear.

Or does he?

During Advent as we prepare our hearts and homes to receive the Christ child and prepare for his coming again, it’s helpful to reflect on how we go about sharing this message in our own homes.
Sometimes I’m afraid we are a little too much like Fern the Fieldmouse ourselves.
During Advent this year, I’d like to count my blessings and reach out to others who aren’t familiar with the love our Lord and Savior taught us to share.

Rather than hurry, maybe it’s time to slow down and be His hands and feet in the most unexpected of places.

Each year, Faith Inkubator’s shares this story in our monthly newsletter. I hope you get the chance to snuggle up with your family, read it, and prepare.

You can read the story if you click here.