Once again I was awakened around 2:15AM and could not go back to sleep. We went to bed around 8:45PM, which is not unusual. Is it that my body is now deciding 5-6 hours of sleep is all it needs? This isn't the first time, and I'm sure I've written about it before. Personally, I'd rather sleep to 4AM as usual... but, after lying in bed another 30 minutes, I got my body up and brought it in here. Thought about trying to go back to sleep, but decided to spend it praying for awhile before I get started on my morning readings.
One of my readings this morning was being 'all in'. What does that mean? Am I (or are you) all in - to the death, if necessary - to follow Jesus? It was interesting that I read about being 'all in' in two different books today, by two different authors. So yes, it has given me pause. I know I have mentioned many times that Jesus is my All in All - and He is. Or should I just be honest enough to say, "I want Him to be my All in All", for you know as well as I do, that I fail many times to do the right things. Not from lack of 'want to', but because I'm human and I choose the wrong thing at times.
I read one story of two young girls who lived in a country that hated Christians. But they were Christians, and they have driven out of their country to another, to attend a conference by Christian leaders. After the conference they ran into one of the leaders at a cafe and they shared that the authorities in their country were tracking them down. They were asked, "Why don't you defect?" Their response? "Who would tell our people about Jesus if we did?" If captured, they would be imprisoned, or killed. It didn't matter. They wanted to tell the people about Jesus.
Wow. They were willing to put their lives on the line for Jesus. And many of us are afraid - because of the 'authorities' here in our own 'free' country to even mention His name! The name of Jesus .... are you afraid to say it in public? Are you hesitant to pray in public because you are afraid people are watching you and don't want them talking about you, ridiculing you?
I called out a pastor one time. Several years ago my daughter went to McDonald's on a Sunday morning to grab breakfast, and she saw this pastor get his order inside McDonald's, sit down and start eating. He didn't pray. After she told me about it, I confronted him and told him that it doesn't matter if it was 'just' a McMuffin - he is being watched and when he didn't pause to pray, even over his egg sandwich, it was noticed. Are we not thankful for even a small morsel of food?
Hubby and I always pray before our meal, whether in a restaurant or fast food place, or at home. We are thankful that God provides for us. One time at an Arby's restaurant, of all places, we prayed and started to eat and an older gentleman came up to us and said that he watched us and when we prayed, he realized how easy it is NOT to pray in a public place (because he hadn't). Fast food is still food, right?
My friends and co-workers whom I meet for lunch on occasion, they know I will interrupt conversations once our food is delivered and will pray before I will 'allow' them to eat. They never ridicule me. I have done it enough they don't even start to eat; they wait for me to pray. It only takes a moment to say, "Lord, thank you for this food. Bless it to our bodies. Bless the hands that prepared it for us. In Jesus' name, Amen." Does it feel awkward sometimes? Yes. Depending on whom we are with, hubby and I will sometimes look at each other and just nod, meaning, 'say it to yourself'. Some people just dive in and don't wait, especially at a long table where you don't know everyone and they don't know you.
Changing the subject, last night we had a nice evening at the daughter's. We took pictures of those relatives that had passed away and we shared who they were and a story about them. I hadn't thought much about how many of those close to me had passed away already. My mama and dad, my oldest brother, my older sister, my youngest brother and his three children. (I still choke up when I share about the children.) I took photos and told our 5 year old granddaughter who they were to her. Oh yeah, I had also found a photo of my dad with his parents - her great-great-great grandparents. I will scan those photos over to my granddaughter later as she wants to create a generation page to help her daughter know 'from where she came'. Sounds like they are getting into genealogies. I'm always happy to share photos and any stories I can remember, which, unfortunately, aren't many.
Genealogy is important. In fact, Matthew 1:1 starts off with:
Matthew 1:1: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
And, of course, Jesus is the Son of God, but to show He was the Son of David, Matthew started his book this way. Genealogy was important back then. Remember that the men were called 'son of their father's name' - for example, Simon, Bar-Jonah. Bar is 'son of' and Jonah was his father.
Matthew 16:17 (NKJV): Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."
Your father's name identified who you were. Genealogy is important. It tells you not only from whom you came, but who you are and why perhaps, you are the way you are. Curses of the past are sometimes carried down the line. I don't know who put alcoholic curses within my family, but it has come down through my siblings into some of our families. I have prayed many times for that curse to be broken. And I will continue to pray, that the curse will be broken in this generation. There are other 'quirks' I've noticed but at the moment, my mind can't think of them.
I think back to my grandparents, how different they were. My dad's parents were involved in the church (my dad helped build the first church of God in Tennessee at which he was the pastor). Big families back then. My dad had 5 brothers and 3 sisters, I think. They lived in the city and were 'city folk'. My grandparents were very poor in money, but rich in love and in love for Jesus.
My mother's family were farmers and store owners. Mama had 6 sisters and 1 brother. The sisters (all but one) married and worked farms (but 1, and they had a small store in Pikeville). Granny lived until 1968 and I loved her dearly, but do not remember her talking much. My grandfather passed away before I was born. They had a large farm that one of the daughters and her husband lived there with Granny and took care of her. Sadly, the farm is gone now, as Aunt Margaret and Uncle George's two boys did not want it and have both passed away, without children. I believe an Amish family bought the farm at the auction. My grandfather built the house Granny lived in when they got married. The Amish people now use it as a chicken coop. Unless they tore it down; I don't remember and haven't been back there in over 40 years. Special memories there with Granny, though.
Maybe someday, if I ever retire, and remember, I should write down some of those memories of visiting Granny (I have the most memories with her) each year on vacation. Ah, my thoughts are seeing Granny sitting in her rocking chair, reading her Bible.
And with that, I'm going to jump off here and get started on my day. Wishing you time to think back over special memories of years gone by. Some memories are hard to get through, but the good ones last forever. Treasure them, for they have made you who you are.
Blessings!
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