A seed that produces forever……
You know there is a song a couple of years old that describes the craziness of a life with children and all that comes with it … good and bad ! The best line and the absolute truth is….. You’re going to miss this !!
Our sons are now 33 & 31 !! They both have wonderful wives and each have two children ( a boy and girl) … they are Brion 14 … Kristin 12 … Devon 10 … Kiana 8 ! ALL AMAZING OF COURSE !!
Through the years V and I have watched our sons and daughters raise their sons and daughters and experience all the joys of raising kids ( OK that was tender thoughts… Kissed with sarcasm !) We have sat back with smiles on our faces watching them maneuver through a life of marriage and the complicated maze of raising kids… who are completely opposite of each other… each of them strong willed in their own ways…. none of them liking the same foods…. all having areas of brilliance and moments of memory loss coupled with complete abandonment of thought …and we chuckle.
Sometimes they think we take their momentary issue too lightly about the kids or life when we remind them about what they used to do… I make sure I always pull out one of their stories that is far worse than what they are experiencing at the time to remind them. First of all you did worse… second, everyone will live through it !
We always knew one day we would get to this place in our lives but never knew how sweet it could be.
We listen to the phrases we once used on our sons, now being used by them on our grandchildren… it makes us smile and remember our moments with our kids with the added blessing of now having all the memories of our grandkids !
We watch our sons at one moment being their father and the next being me, blended to their personalities and ways of doing things. I watch how the older they get the more they are like their father… which is a good thing all the time.
We watch our daughters who came into our family young and broken, insecure and without confidence … now strong, whole, secure women who can do anything with fierceness and grace… ( you don’t want to mess with the women I have helped raise !)
And all we can say is …. LIFE IS AMAZING !
WHY AM I SAYING THIS….
When we were young and raising the boys there were some decisions we made that have now come full circle.. I think you all should know about !!
When V and I first got together and spoke of a life together and a family.. we would talk for hours on end of what we did not want to recycle from our upbringing and how we would do it different. We dreamed of having a life and family that was in almost every respect completely different than the ones we had. I didn’t at the time understand the importance of our talks and dreams !! I didn’t at the time appreciate how God can help you dream a thing you have never seen or experienced .. how would you know it could be.. without Him.
All I knew is we were so young, so in love and made huge decisions while we laid in each others arms and spoke of our future !! It was such a great time in our lives… all things were possible, we knew no limitations or boundaries … we did not care what people thought… or who else failed.. we were going to have a great life together, FOREVER!!
IT’S NOW BEEN 35 YEARS … A lot of why we have lived this life and are here now are those decisions we made that many years ago!
We were not saved.. and both of us lived in environments that did not produce successful, happy people. Both of our surroundings were not conducive to live the life we were dreaming about.. our surroundings were to be survived and overcome… In family life… marriages…education… careers… you name it !!
We literally would sit down together and state our desired end in an area … then talk about what needed to be changed in how we did things to bring it to pass. It is so funny now to think we thought we had it all figured out while still in our teens !! But in some respects we did.. those moments defined us forever.
We decided we would ..stay in love forever and do whatever it took to make it work.
Don’t get me wrong some of these conversations were not as mature or euphoric as they sound now.. ie.. what appendage would be removed if he ever went out on me..if he ever raised his hand to me.. the fact that he had to sleep sometime..and it would not be good for HIM. (ok some would call those threats.. I called them promises!!) You know little things like that.
When we had children we would pour ourselves into them and build an environment of safety and joy, the platform we would create for them to grow on would allow them to achieve anything they could dream of…. we spoke over them and to them about their ability to be great at anything that was in them to be…we would always express our love to them openly and show our love for each other in front of them so they could feel safe and know how marriage should be !
(We of course had our times of yelling, spankings, figuring out who was lying, recovering from a chaotic road trip…on and on..)
V and I gave ourselves to each other… then we together poured ourselves into our children… who in turn are pouring themselves into theirs !!
However, our grandchildren still need us !! There are things that we bring to the family even now that our family and especially our grandchildren need.
When our oldest left our home it was so hard.. but when our youngest left it was too much for me. He was the last one… now what? I absolutely loved being their mom… now what? I was too young not to have my children.. they were no longer kids and were now building their own lives with their wives and their dreams which we taught them their whole lives to do… But the overwhelming empty feeling I had was too much….and then here came Brion !! … and a new chapter began.
Thank God V and I had built our whole family structure around US and later when we got saved of course around God and us… he used to tell me ..these boys are leaving one day and then we will only have each other so lets always make our love for each other the priority, so when they go … another phase of our lives BEGIN..!! ( he was wise even then)
We had seen so many people’s marriages fall apart when their kids left home.. how awful. To invest so many years together to only not know or like each other when that season is over and the best one is beginning !
WHY AM I SAYING ALL THIS… (ok this time its for real… I am a preacher and we close a few times..)
When the summer break for the kids came this year.. I dedicated the summer to pour myself into my grandkids !! I see them all the time and they all come over to visit for the day or stay with us overnight.. we work in the ministry together.. go to dinners and movies together as a family, we call and text. But I wanted special time with my grandkids!! I wanted to have a whole summer of quality time with all 4 of them !! So I did !!
Sooo.. I created .. CAMP NANA… It was a summer camp for my grandkids !!
I had the youngest two every day from 7:30 to 5 .. and the oldest one stayed with us Wed-Fri every week…. our second came and stayed Wed-Fri every other week or so ( she had a lot planned already) The oldest two live 45 minutes away so we just had them stay. It worked out to be 92 hours a week average that we had them with us !! (did I mention how old we are?)
We had the whole summer scheduled with Beach days … surfing with boards and body..( their papa taught them both..including a chest bump move they all crack up about when they go out !).. Baseball days… which included spending time teaching them running, throwing, catching ,hitting … SWEATING…and of course the most important stop for a recovery ICEE !! They had no idea their nana could really play, they figured their papa could !!… Throwing a football on the beach to practice with our oldest… as he stood there shocked I could really throw the ball and teasing me how I caught it .. but I had parts he did not account for !! Teaching gymnastic techniques and advice to our second who later paid a coach to give her the same advice!! I’m just saying !! … library trips… videos and popcorn… reading times with books that I knew were great reads … cooking meals together in the kitchen (which was some of my favorite memories.. our family was always cooking together, talking about our day.. cracking jokes.. and because of it our sons can cook! )..games … and my favorite of all.. the moments I had alone with each one of them to talk about anything and everything they wanted !!
ITS HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY EXHAUSTING AND IRREPLACEABLE !!
These moments will last forever in both V’s and my hearts and our grandchildren’s memories ! I have watched them change so many things this summer because of these moments. They learned more about their nana and papa,( stuff they never knew…like we were both athletes in our day … all they see now is old people !! ) their moms and dads, and themselves … but I pray the thing they learned the most… Is how loved they are !!!
I pray they watch both generations before them and never forget the care and sacrifices that were made to make their lives rich and full. I pray they run the mountain tops … never fear failure… feel safe enough in their judgement and the Lord to risk all for their dreams… I pray they dream dreams so big others will not be able to comprehend..and then live a life that will bring them to pass !!!
I PROPHESY THEIR VICTORIES !!!
My daughter was telling me last night how much my youngest one has become like me through this summer. She is using my phrases, voice inflection, gestures… how they sit there and laugh because of how much of me she has picked up.. those things are in her now !
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU PARENTS WHO THINK YOU ARE GOING TO DIE IF THE SUMMER DOESN’T END SOON….
ONE DAY…. YOU’RE GOING TO MISS THIS !!!
Take a moment and realize what a gift you have.. if you have fallen in love and gotten married … what have you done with it ? Have you valued what others live whole lives and never experience..or have you not given it the time and care it needs to grow over the years.
I promise you if you will dream again … make a plan… and then live your life so it can succeed .. God can help you take your marriage from wherever it is to where you want it to be !!
Don’t forget your example of how you value your marriage is being burned in the heart of your children… CHOOSE WELL !
Parents.. your children are a culmination of your life !! Have you built a platform of safety and love that your children can launch their lives from ? Do they see and hear what they need to dream big dreams and have a successful life… It is your job as a parent to do so.…if they grew to be just like you, your marriage and your life would it be a good thing ?… if not make the changes. If everyone is still breathing it is not to late… start today !
And if you are grandparents… please understand your value in your family. They still need you.. your wisdom… your stories… your love ! … you have earned in time and life experiences things their parents cannot yet bring to the table! Perspective !
Spend quality time with your grandchildren… make them feel special … do not endure them… embrace them !!
I know not everyone’s lives and schedules allow them the kind of time that God has given me with my grandchildren but I believe with all my heart schedules can change, priorities reevaluated, and life changes can absolutely be structured to have a wonderful, full life ! V and I worked our whole lives while we raised our sons !! YOU CAN DO IT !!
Put the valuable time and money you have on things that produce a lifetime of joy not just a season.
YOUR GOD….YOUR MARRIAGE… YOUR CHILDREN… YOUR FAMILY !!
When all the cars and junk that took up your attention and money are gone.. you will forever have the perpetual life of the family you built !!
LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH SACRIFICES NEEDED TO CREATE THE FUTURE YOU DREAMED ABOUT…. AND WHEN YOU ARE OLD THERE WILL BE NO REGRETS!
CHOOSE WELL… BUILD WELL… YOUR LEGECY DEPENDS ON IT !
Dr. H
1 Comment »
THROW DOWN…. SAY SOMETHING !!
BEING UNIQUE IN A CONFORMING SOCIETY
From the time we are integrated into society at our earliest years, we are inundated with images and commentaries on what we should wear, believe, look life, think like, BE LIKE.
It is a barrage of never ending calculated information coming from every side of our society.
From the curriculums being taught in our schools picked out by WHO !! … To only find Colleges and Universities peddling their views to the generation that is tired of what the last generation did or did not do. Using terminology to ignite a desire to change what was their yesterday to be a great tomorrow.. the problem is not the sales pitch… it is the delivery...what these young people do not know, since they have not been around long enough to see the whole picture, is that over 90 % of all college and university professors have one view….LIBERAL AND MOST CASES ANTI GOD AND ANTI AMERICAN. So, since most of society has now conformed to, integrated and absorbed these views and mindsets… where is the Unique view…where are the non conformists ??? They have become the status quo… but to what benefit ??
Unfortunately this generation’s attempt to REVOLT against the status quo.. is rendered a joke…. THEIR VIEW IS THE STATUS QUO !!! With the main stream media being almost entirely LIBERAL and telling us what society deems as acceptable. It has inevitably become the norm.
I remember when I was young the idea to be different was my total goal.. all leaders will feel this pulsing through their veins at a very early age.. not to conform to where the last generation stopped and negotiated with mediocrity !! While others are followers of whatever will allow them to be readily received and accepted.
I AM TALKING TO BOTH OF YOU !! To the leaders and followers…
DO NOT BE FOOLED… Unique is only worth something when it is utilized to change something!! If it is not for a purpose then why bother.
WHAT HAS ANY OF THESE VIEWS DONE FOR OUR SOCIETY !!! NOTHING GOOD !!
It has convinced whole generations that God is not real and if He is He is to submit to their guidelines of what they consider to be politically correct or feasibly acceptable to our now anti Jesus culture!! They give time and respect to belief systems that at the end of the day will produce nothing… AND MOCK THE LIVING GOD !!!
GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED !!!
I AM NOT NOW .. NOR WILL I EVER BE POLITICALLY CORRECT… !!! I DON’T GIVE A RIP ABOUT THAT !! AT THE END OF MY TIME HERE I WILL GIVE ACCOUNT TO GOD..HE HAS MY ETERNITY AND TO HIM ALONE DO I ANSWER !!
…BUT WHAT I AM IS … A DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD.. CALLED BY HIS NAME TO BRING LIGHT AND LIFE TO A DARK AND DYING WORLD… WALK IN THE OFFICE OF A PROPHET… AM A WARRIOR , DRESSED IN HIS ARMOR AND FULL OF HIS WORD…. AM SKILLED IN THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT AND FULL OF HIS SAVING GRACE… AM UNASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND WILL SPEND EVERY BREATH, DOLLAR AND DAY OF MY LIFE… FURTHERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD, BY TELLING THE WHOLE WORLD HE IS ALIVE AND HERE FOR THEM… GO WHERE HE TELLS ME TO GO… DO WHAT HE TELLS ME TO DO …. SAY WHAT HE TELLS ME TO SAY !!!
HE HAS INSTRUCTED ME …. AT THE LEVEL I AM WILLING TO PREACH HIS WORD … HE IS WILLING TO DEMONSTRATE HIS LOVE AND POWER !! IT’S TIME PEOPLE.. IT’S TIME !!
I CALL FOR THE LEADERS TO RISE UP …. if you want to be unique and different … get to know the living God… JESUS CHRIST….
STAND AND BE COUNTED …. RISE UP AND TAKE YOUR PLACE …. IS THERE NOT A CAUSE !!!
ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR COUNTRY IS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOWED IT… THE DESIRE TO NEGOTIATE WITH MEDIOCRITY AND RELIGION HAS ANNIHILATED THE POWER WE ARE CALLED TO DEMONSTRATE AND WALK IN.
THAT IS WHY MOST PEOPLE CONSIDER CHURCH UNNECESSARY…. MANY CHURCHES ARE !!
MANY NO LONGER HAVE THE PRESENCE OR THE POWER OF THE LIVING GOD …. THEY ARE LIVING ON ASSES HEADS AND DOVES DUNG …( REBELLION, SELF WILL… AND WHAT WAS LEFT BEHIND WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT LEFT)
HE LEAVES WHEN HE CAN NO LONGER HAVE HIS WAY….SOMEWHERE THEY DECIDED TO BE DIGNIFIED, POLITICALLY CORRECT, OR JUST NOT BOTHER TO GET TO KNOW THE TRUE GOD !!!
I HATE DEAD RELIGION !! … I LOVE GOD, THE LOST, HIS CHURCH, HIS PEOPLE, HIS PREACHERS, … THE REAL ONES ARE STILL OUT THERE !!!
I AM ONE OF THEM !!!!
WHERE ARE THE TRUE CHRISTIANS…. OTHERS ARE WILLING TO DIE FOR THEIR BELIEFS AND MOST SUPPOSED CHRISTIANS ARE NOT EVEN WILLING TO LIVE FOR THEIRS !
I CALL YOU OUT TODAY…. OUT OF YOUR LAZY PLACES… OUT OF YOUR DARK PLACES… OUT OF YOUR NEGOTIATED COMPLACENT WALKS… OUT OF YOUR LIVES FULL OF DEAD RELIGION.. NOW BEING NO MORE THAN WHITE WASHED TOMBS…
OBVIOUSLY YOU EITHER NEVER DID OR HAVE FORGOTTEN TO ACTUALLY “KNOW” THE LIVING GOD !!
I SPEAK LIFE TO THOSE WHO ONCED LIVED AND NOW ARE JUST SCATTERED BONES IN THE VALLEY …WAITING TO HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD !! LIVE !!
COME TOGETHER … FORM THE BODY OF CHRIST AND BREATH AGAIN !!!!
LET ME INTRODUCE YOU !! JESUS CHRIST IS LORD TO THE GLORY OF GOD !!!
I AM CALLING FOR THE NON CONFORMISTS, THE TREND SETTERS, THE LEADERS OF TODAY AND TOMORROW.. RISE OUT OF THE ASHES OF WHAT THIS COUNTRY AND THE SUPPOSED BODY OF CHRIST HAS BECOME … STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT !!!
BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT … PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD AND KICK SATAN’S BUTT…. BE VICTORIOUS IN YOUR LIVES AND DEMONSTRATE THE POWER AND LOVE OF GOD WITHOUT HYPOCRISY.
IT’S TIME TO HAVE SOME CHURCH !!!!!
SAY SOMETHING !!!
DR. H
1 Comment »