During the last two weeks, we asked my aunt and cousins to join us for Easter Linner -- my dad's sis and her kids -- but she called on Friday to say they were all too busy with work to come. (Same fam that didn't come for Christmas either.) Mom thinks there is some sort of never-discussed issue between she and Suze. My poor dad gets caught between wondering about his sis and also knowing that mom is hurt because Suze never comes or calls anymore. Lord only knows! Sometimes I truly wonder WHY God planted us in the families He chose... Jesus knew what it meant to be misunderstood. At least Peter had the heart to weep when he realized the depth of his denial. Hallelujah that Jesus and family are not one in the same!
Mom came into my room this morning and asked IF I still wanted to go to church. I thought for a min she might back out, so I worked quickly to find the right kind of inviting tone and kept on getting dressed. Thank God she went! I have no idea why she always balks... I hadn't set up the shuttle van and the bus runs on a very limited Sunday schedule, so WHEW! Getting there IS a battle sometimes. (Not to mention the prospect of waiting at muddy,unpaved bus stops in the rain...)
That said, read on!! When my cousins chose not to join us for family time, I had to release my family holiday expectations back to God. Doing that reminded of the Greek word, eukaireo, which means to create an opportunity for something to occur. It means to be focused and devoting time to a specific thing.
When Mom arrived at church with me, she immediately ran into a friend she used to teach with. That's important because Mom loves being noticed! Then, our sermon was about who we expect Jesus to be, or what we expect Him to do... Pastor Patrick's words also challenged us to move beyond simply "looking at the tomb" because Jesus' resurrection should propel us to ACT! Preacher's phrases were perfectly timed. Just as Mom & I were finding seats, my friend Cheryl from the PT clinic came into the sanctuary. Cheryl bent to hug me and said she'd had a difficult week. (She moved here from CA a year ago, so she can't see her family very often. Her boyfriend is in Iraq, too.) I took a chance and asked mom if Cheryl could join us here at home for brunch. Mom usually hates impromptu invites like that, but today she said yes!! Cheryl accepted our brunch offer as soon as she was asked! Hopefully God will use our family's hospitality to ease Cheryl's loneliness today. Both my parents like her very much without realizing that she's "another of those church friends..." Lord, I am amazed by You! This has been a blessed Easter.
Mom came into my room this morning and asked IF I still wanted to go to church. I thought for a min she might back out, so I worked quickly to find the right kind of inviting tone and kept on getting dressed. Thank God she went! I have no idea why she always balks... I hadn't set up the shuttle van and the bus runs on a very limited Sunday schedule, so WHEW! Getting there IS a battle sometimes. (Not to mention the prospect of waiting at muddy,unpaved bus stops in the rain...)
That said, read on!! When my cousins chose not to join us for family time, I had to release my family holiday expectations back to God. Doing that reminded of the Greek word, eukaireo, which means to create an opportunity for something to occur. It means to be focused and devoting time to a specific thing.
When Mom arrived at church with me, she immediately ran into a friend she used to teach with. That's important because Mom loves being noticed! Then, our sermon was about who we expect Jesus to be, or what we expect Him to do... Pastor Patrick's words also challenged us to move beyond simply "looking at the tomb" because Jesus' resurrection should propel us to ACT! Preacher's phrases were perfectly timed. Just as Mom & I were finding seats, my friend Cheryl from the PT clinic came into the sanctuary. Cheryl bent to hug me and said she'd had a difficult week. (She moved here from CA a year ago, so she can't see her family very often. Her boyfriend is in Iraq, too.) I took a chance and asked mom if Cheryl could join us here at home for brunch. Mom usually hates impromptu invites like that, but today she said yes!! Cheryl accepted our brunch offer as soon as she was asked! Hopefully God will use our family's hospitality to ease Cheryl's loneliness today. Both my parents like her very much without realizing that she's "another of those church friends..." Lord, I am amazed by You! This has been a blessed Easter.
God's timing really IS perfect. We say it, then when we see thing unfold and we're surprised! Happens to me all the timeThis was a great thing to read this morning; thanks for posting it!
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