An update: What do we do with what we’ve been given in life? Here’s a good plan: Love God, love and enjoy your family and love your neighbors!
My wife has always been good to have old family pictures up on the wall. Makes you stop and think. And then I came to the family picture albums. You know, the ones back before computers and digital pictures. Y’all remember negatives? Yeah, some of the albums are about to fall apart; I was hoping they would stay together as I opened ‘em up. The tape holding the pictures had yellowed with the years. Those pictures helped to represent our life.
We happened to look in the wife’s old cedar chest a while back, too. As I looked, I saw memories. Her wedding dress was there. Some of the kids' clothes were there as well. I saw my son’s boots from when he must have been about four. Our daughter’s dress from when she was a young princess over at the school. There were so many things; and at least a couple of ‘em make you a bit emotional. We move ahead and we have 7 grandkids! But then I think back to when we first met. Cheryl was beautiful and I think it was because she wasn’t wearin’ any makeup and she didn’t need it.
I think about our son. He is an engineer. He tells me it don’t have anything to do with drivin’ a train. He is more into designing combines. And our daughter, boy did our lives change when she came along. She’s my princess! Now, both our kids are married, and, like I said, 7 grandkids! Yep, Cheryl and I are grandparents (Gammie and Granpa or is it Gigi and Pa?). Our son lives in Kansas and our daughter lives nearby.
And somewhere, put away, is my first preachin’ Bible. I had no idea the Lord was gonna call me to preach. Oh, I say that, but I guess I knew. I remember Him talkin’ to me about it years ago at Falls Creek. I’m pretty sure she didn’t know she married a preacher, though! He has a way of preparin’ us for what is to come. And sometimes, well, we just have to look back to the past to know what is yet to be done. Well, now the Lord has let me go ahead and continue to run a few cows and farm a lil’ ground, but he gave me a burning desire to see others come to a relationship with Him. Yep, there was a few times that were mighty hard and others, well, the summers were hot and the winters were cold. But Jesus said, “Go!” So we were always headin’ somewhere. Youth camps, pastors’ meetin’s and mission trips were our vacations from the farmstead.
Oh, and look at that picture! Cheryl was about 20. She could drive a diesel grain truck or a 4-wheel drive tractor. And she can cook, and she can share Jesus with a bunch of children. But somewhere along the way, she wanted to be a RN, and she’s doing that now. She is smart and can and will do anything she sets her mind to. As I look at that picture of her, boy did I marry above my pay grade! It’s not hard to get caught up in all the memories. Family is important! I could write a book of all the memories! And I always need to be ready for what He has next.
As I look back I know that my first ministry is my family. And I’ll admit that I didn’t always get it: God is first, then family. And the ministry and the church and everything else comes after family. And in all we do, we must have love.
Jesus was asked, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' "
(Matt 22:36-39 nasb)
Choose Jesus, choose life and let your light shine! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! Pray for the rain! Amen!