Yeah, it was one of those nights - in a deep sleep, only to be awakened at 2AM. What caused it? I was thinking of my prodigal granddaughter. My heart just grieves over her and her behavior, her life. How I wish I could intervene and get her straightened out. But she won't even respond to my emails. My son says she doesn't always get the emails. Whatever. So, being awakened with her on my mind, I did what I knew to do - pray for her. I still couldn't sleep so finally got up at 3AM and came in here and tried to go back to sleep in my chair. Didn't happen. Turned the light on at 4AM (now mind you, it's Sunday and I could sleep later!!) to start my time with God. Hubby gets up and brings in my coffee. After he leaves - I fall asleep in a deep sleep and dreamt the craziest dream! Awakened at 5AM I refused to go back to sleep, but started on my reading. I really did want to go back to sleep, but resisted it. Now my coffee is gone and I think I need another cup this morning.
I transported Ms. Amy yesterday. She sure is a hoot. She called just after noon to come pick her up. I drive over, and on the way back we stopped to get her premium gas. She said she has NEVER pumped gas before. After her husband died, she got someone to come stay with her during the day and she let her drive the car and pump the gas. So I pumped her gas and we continued on. She took three hours to go through her things. She grabbed a couple tops and some jewelry. Know what took so long? She showed me her passport and that it had 80 countries in it that she had been to... and then had to show me things she had bought in some of the different countries. Jewelry pieces that she will probably never wear again from Egypt, Spain, Jerusalem, and many other countries. At 1:30PM I told her we needed to 'keep moving' and she said 'it's not 2PM yet' - to which I replied I know, but I need to be back home by 3PM and just wanted to remind you of the time. LOL We left at 2;40pm I think. But she got a lot of things she wanted to take back. She wants me to come have lunch with her one day at the assisted living place. And she wants to take hubby and I out to dinner at a steak place. LongHorn is not far from her so I'm thinking I will tell her that. On a weekday it may not be too busy cause we can go around 4:30PM. Maybe in the next week or so. She still plans to go to Florida to live in May. When she does, I will probably never see her again. But I ca write and call her.
I received my cookbooks yesterday.... and hubby had to make his comments. I thought they were all soup but they weren't - one at least was for crockpot cooking (love those!) and the other was a diabetic cookbook. No, I'm not diabetic, but two of my children are. I'd like to be able to make food that is good for them - and invite them over sometime to eat! Hubby commented something about all the cookbooks I have.... why did I buy more? How often do I use the ones I have? I didn't really respond for it really wasn't a question. I wanted the cookbooks, so I got them. Enough said, right? I plan to spend time this afternoon going through them and figuring out what I want to make. I ought to do that daily - grab a cookbook and cook something from it. But I need to see what all is needed for I don't usually have everything on hand. And if I do - it's frozen so then it has to thaw out. Oh well. - I'll figure it out.
Deuteronomy 12:28 (NKJV): "Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God."
Some people scoff at the Bible and say it is 'old fashioned' to obey and believe the things that God has said. Why do they say that? Because they don't want to obey God. They don't want to 'be told what to do'. They don't want to allow an 'old book' to tell them how to live.
But they should. Why? Because by following what God says to do - and to not do - is for not only OUR protection, but for the protection of our children. We are responsible to raise our children to know and love our Lord. I tried, but I was too late, and my example wasn't the best, I think. I can see it in my children and grandchildren's lives. God is not important to them; He is an after-thought, if anything at all. I have confessed my sin to God many times, and I have wept many tears over my children and grandchildren. All I can do is pray for them and trust that they will eventually see that living for Jesus is the ONLY way.... it may not fit the people around them... but if their relationship with God is right, then He will provide for them and take care of them and their children will come to know Him as Lord of their lives as well. I have children and grandchildren who chose God at one time... were even baptized... but each one has chosen to go their own way. They let the world tell them how to live. I don't always see joy in their lives. And it grieves my heart, for there is Joy to be found in the Lord.
Oh I know, I talk about my own struggles, my own battles, my own depression at times..... but I will make one thing clear. I am dependent upon Jesus. He is the Rock on which I stand, my Firm Foundation. I know where I would be if I had not chosen to follow Jesus. And yes, I was raised in the church and allowed the world to pull me away. But I ran back to Jesus and although I struggle at times with my own resistance to being obedient, I know that Jesus is the only way to success, the only way to prosper, the only way to have true Joy. He alone is my Hope, my Joy. And He will supply that to you as well, if you choose to follow Him.
You may think you are getting by just fine right now... but there is an emptiness within that you keep pushing aside... and I pray that one day you will look at that emptiness and understand that only Jesus can fill it. Not busyness, not people or family, not other things. Only Jesus.
....that it may go well with you and your children after you forever.... I read a story about a woman who had 12 children, and every day, three times a day, after she fixed their meal, she would go into her bedroom and pray for each child by name, that they would accept Jesus as Lord. When she died, 7 had become Christians, 5 had not. At the time of that writing, the last one was the oldest one. He was in his 70's when his mother died, and he was now 92. A neighbor had a dream about him, and invited him to church - he went - and was saved that day, baptized the following week. I think the story said that only two were left that were not Christians. Where does it stand with you and your child/children? Are they following after Jesus? Are you praying for them, teaching them? Don't think there is plenty of time - one never knows when our time on earth is over. It could be today. Where will your child end up? Where will you end up - Heaven or Hell. Hell isn't a very nice place and I don't want any of my children to go there.... so I pray for each and every one... calling them out by name before our Heavenly Father, asking for His intervention in their life. No matter how old you are, you can still follow Jesus.
I John 1:9 (NKJV): "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
You and your children are worth it.
Blessings!
No comments:
Post a Comment