Meeting a Need

While taking care of two of my grandsons last week, I was blessed to observe the 21-month-old react to having a new baby brother.

While he was uncertain at first, he showed a servant’s heart within a few hours after the baby came home. His dad (my son) was putting the baby in the crib and asked his wife if the baby needed a blanket.

Next thing we knew, big brother had gone to his room, retrieved his own blanket and stuffed toy—his bedtime favorites—and carried them to the baby’s room, where he put them in the crib. He was willing to give up—at least for a short while—things that are precious to him in order to help his brother.

I pray that his willingness and desire to meet the needs of others will grow as he matures.

Jesus told His disciples that serving others will be rewarded one day: “‘I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:35-40, NIV).”

Most of the time, I am unwilling to give up my own convenience, much less my most treasured possessions, to help someone in need. But watching my young grandson do so has increased my own desire to make sacrifices to meet the needs of the “least of these,” in order to serve the King of Kings.

The Joy of a Child

I’ve just returned from spending a week with my 1½-year-old grandson (and a few days with his newborn brother).
Those days made me appreciate—once again—the small things in life that we take for granted.
What fun it was to show him animals at the zoo that he had seen only in picture books or on TV. In one of the monkey exhibits, a paste had been put on the inside glass that the monkeys would lick off, and my grandson—as did many other children—took great joy in putting his finger or his mouth up to the monkey’s mouth.
I watched his excitement at being close to airplanes as they took off and landed.
He laughed when his granddad put his favorite ball into a basketball net, where it got stuck. Granddad found a stick to push the ball up and out of the net, which got more laughter—and, of course, pleas to do it again. And I was grateful that he didn’t laugh when Grandma took several tries to put the ball into the basket.
Do you remember when you got excited at seeing those big planes fly? Or the first time you saw “wild” animals in a zoo or at a circus? The success of putting the ball in the net, or the joy of going down a slide?
I was also thrilled to hold my new grandson within an hour of his birth—something I did not get to experience with my first two grandchildren. With all three of my children’s babies, I’ve been in awe that they are “flesh of my flesh.” I enjoy just watching them sleep, holding their tiny hands, stroking their soft heads.
These times are even more poignant because they occur far less frequently than we would like—the children live over a thousand miles away, so the visits are too far apart and too soon over. But I treasure each moment as it comes.
The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy (Psalm 126:3, NIV).

It's Only a Game

It’s been one week since Super Bowl XLIII.

The general consensus is that this year’s game was one of the best in recent memory. Around here, at least, few people cared strongly who won or lost, even though we might have rooted for one team or the other.

When it was all over, I overheard the comment, “It’s only a game.”

Lots of people would argue with that, of course. To some, the Super Bowl is the Game of the Year. To others, the World Series or the Final Four carry much more importance.

What’s really difficult, I think, is to take that approach with life. Especially now, with business closings, job losses, retirement funds tanking, and on and on.

I don’t mean that those things are not serious and even discouraging. Basically, I want to stick my head in the sand and come out when it’s all better.

But I keep reminding myself that these are only things. Jesus cautioned, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6: 19-21, NIV).”

When I start to take life too seriously, that’s the verse I want to remember. Making a difference in the lives of other people is really what this game is all about.

Coveting

"They" say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Or as Tevye pined, in Fiddler on the Roof, "If I were a rich man."

Sometimes we don't appreciate what we have until someone else wants it.

Recently I met a woman--a casual acquaintance of my husband's--who raved about what a good man he is. "I didn't know there were any good men left," she said.

She only knows him because he has shopped at her store a few times, but in the course of those visits, she learned a lot about him.

She didn't tell me anything I didn't already know, but sometimes I need to be reminded.
That's true with many things in life.

Sometimes we wish for a nicer house, newer car, prettier hair, closer family. We get jealous of other people who are better looking, smarter, or richer. But we don't know about the debts they owe, how their kids don't talk to them, or the medical problems they're facing.

According to the Bible, God has given us exactly what we need (see Matthew 6:25-32). When we covet what others have, essentially we are telling God that He doesn't know what He's doing. At those times, what we really need to do is thank God for what He has given us.

Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34, NIV).

God, help me to remember that You have already given me all I need and to appreciate all that You have given me.

Toys

My husband thinks he’s reverting to childhood.

Now that he’s retired, he has more time to play—er, work—at things he enjoys. Like making toys.

It all started with making presents. Wooden trains, planes, and tanks. One set for each of the two grandsons, and one to keep at our house for when they come to visit (we hope).

Then it was almost time for Christmas, and we have several nieces and nephews, so he made 3 more trains—five cars each.

Then it seemed like he couldn’t stop. We ordered another 100 wheels, and today he said those are almost gone, and he’d need 200 more.

Right now, it’s planes—biplanes, jet planes, and the stealth plane, if he can figure out how to make a close imitation.

Next, he’s got ideas for cars, especially the old-fashioned kind.

He’s having as much fun making the toys as kids will have playing with them—hopefully for several generations.

Making toys for grandchildren…that may be passed on to their children.

It occurs to me that this is what God instructs us to do with His Word: “Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation” (Joel 1:3, NIV).

Just as we pass on heirloom-to-be toys, so we strive to pass on our faith to our children and their children.

Gone in 6 seconds

It’s amazing how quickly everything can change.

One minute, you’re walking along, finished with work for the day, thinking about going home and what you’ll do that evening. The next, you’re flat on your back with people staring down at you, asking if you’re OK.

One day, you are independent, driving yourself to work, changing light bulbs, pumping your own gas. The next, you’re dependent on someone else for all the large and small tasks of living, dressing, eating, even opening doors.

A broken right arm makes a difference.

In the past six days, I’ve gained a new appreciation for caregivers, for people with permanent physical limitations, and for God’s incredible timing.

As I lay awake that first night, waiting for the painkillers to kick in, I was filled with gratefulness to God. After all, I reasoned, He knew this accident was going to happen and, for His own purposes, He allowed it. Yet He arranged for my husband, who had been away on business the past month, to be home when it happened, with no trips in the near future.

I am incredibly fortunate. To be loved and cared for by this man, who can make me laugh in spite of the pain. To work with a bunch of praying people who are figuring out how to get things done in my absence. To be part of a wonderful church and Sunday school class who have offered to do whatever we need and who have relieved my husband from having to cook several meals. To be loved by God, Who sometimes forces me to slow down and focus on how suddenly life can change.

God, make me sensitive to the needs of those around me, and remind me every day that today may be the only day we have to meet those needs.

Blinkers

As I sat at a stoplight waiting to turn right, I watched a flock of cars turn left without signaling. Once again I wished that people would use their blinkers.

That started me thinking about how much easier life would be if we all had signal lights to warn each other what we were about to do. If my kids would signal when they were planning to go to a party where alcohol would be flowing. My husband would use his blinker to say that he was about to spend the evening watching football when I was hoping to go out to eat. My boss’s lights would warn me that I was about to hear about that mistake I made.

Would such a thing aid communication, or hamper it? Maybe we would be like some drivers: I’d see your signal and speed up to keep you from getting in my way. Or you’d pretend not to notice me trying to get on the freeway.

I guess God has given us signals, even if people don’t. His Word shows us how to stay on the straight road, and not turn to the left or to the right.

Most of us have not picked up a driver’s manual since we first got our license. Amazing how many rules we’ve forgotten, isn’t it?

In the same way, we have a tendency to forget God’s rules for our life if we don’t review the Book regularly. Oh, we remember the “big 10”—most of the time. But how often do we remember Jesus’ words about our hearts?

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!” (Matthew 5:21-22, NLT).

A little later, He told His listeners, “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28, NLT).

Ultimately, if we study God’s Word regularly, He’ll help us follow the better route of love, and we won’t need blinkers to signal our intentions to others, after all.