(I’ve asked our son, Mark, to write for Inside Out a couple of times. Outside of those times, all the stuff (more than 200 pieces in the Archives) have come from experiences in my life. This e-mail hit me very hard. Because I didn’t have the good sense and insight to write it FIRST, I asked my friend, Lee, if I could use her story on Inside Out. Thanks, Lee.)

Guess what????? God has impressed upon my spirit the real and necessary task of introducing Him to my four children: K____ (30); J____ (26); T______ (23) and K____ (21). I believe He wants to have a lasting relationship with them — on an individual basis!

During their growing up years, I took them to church on a regular basis, read Scripture to them until they learned to read. Then, we would read together. We prayed together – everything. But, one thing was missing. They didn’t really understand like I thought they understood.

Because I took them to church, I thought that they had a grip on what the pastor was preaching about. I understood him. And, they were sitting right there beside me, so, they had to hear what I heard, right? Wrongo! A lot of what I heard just went over their heads. Their experiences were not the same as mine and they were from a different generation. They had their own way of processing information. I needed a way to reach them before it was too late.

So, God told me to start having a “soul-searching” family time with my younguns’ on a weekly basis. We have decided on Sunday afternoons around 3:00. We will share The Word and find ways to apply it to our everyday lives.

My kids are inquisitive, bright and want an honest answer. Gone are the days when I can tell them “because I say so” and they still look at me as the wisest mom in the world. They are searching for answers. They want to know how they fit into God’s Plan. How can I answer their probing questions? It made me go back to the Bible and really read it.

I also started to search for pearls of wisdom in the e-mails I get from my brothers and sisters. I needed major help so that I could show my kids how to cross over into the Promised Land. Gone are the days of just treading water. I now have an obligation to grow, to spy out the land, to lead my family safely around/through trials, tribulations, etc. I am being forced to grow; to mature.

Sometimes, it hurts! I want my old comfortable shell. I don’t want to grow. I want everything to stay the same. I don’t like surprises. Sometimes, I even read the end of the book before I read the beginning.

I am excited about this new change. I am looking forward to our first meeting this Sunday. Our tentative topic will center on God and His Character. They want to know Him and I want to introduce them to each other.

Please pray for us as we embark on this new journey together. I will send you an update after our first meeting.

(PAPAJ again.I’m sure Lee would be interested in your responses. I’ll gladly pass them along to her. Just use the “Leave a Reply” box below!)

SOME SELECTED RESPONSES TO “LIKE A YO YO”

– On my way home Friday night — taking the short cut that swings right by Krispy Kreem (G) I noticed a Godfather’s Pizza right next door to Weight Watchers. Hmmmmm? Who was there first? Probably Weight Watchers came first and then Godfather’s Pizza came in to see how many they could get to break their diets? Or was Godfather’s Pizza first and Weight Watchers came to help slim down their frequent customers?

That brings to mind the eternal question: What was first? The chicken or the egg? And that brings me to my final question: Is someone special because we love them or are they loved because they’re special? To God our father we are all special, imperfect as we are.

– Now to the Yo-Yo…I was thinking as I read your article about the times in our lives when we are “up and down”! I was also thinking about how when things go “down” for us, that the Lord is always there to pull us back “up”. If we stay “down” then it’s our own choice because the Lord will pick us back “up” if we are willing to call on Him for help.

We are nothing without Him and He is always there in time of need. How many times have I gotten “down” about things and He always come through in the most wonderful ways to get me “up”. Praise His Holy Name!

– I am SO HAPPY to receive your “solution”, actually God’s, to the sick house problem!!! His ways ARE so much higher than ours!

– Another great piece! I could visualize you sitting there wondering what was up, or down, or up, or down (gr). I am so glad that it did not cost you anything more than your dignity and the pain of getting down so low. Hope your knees were not strained too badly.

– The picture you attached to the promo of you in the Greek fishing cap would be more impressive if you were holding a large fish caught on a Greek fishing boat.

– I love the YoYo………It makes us stop and think that sometimes the smallest things can really turn out to be a big deal. Not only that, but sometimes we make a big deal out of things that really are small things. We need to realize this more often. As usual, you make me ponder.

– So glad to hear of the Lord’s provision for you and Pat for the next few months! Always appreciate your writing. “Leaf” it to you to give us some helpful info!

– I had an experience with my garage. I was sitting quietly in my living room a week ago Saturday & all of a sudden came a big bang – huge noise that I couldn’t figure out. When I tried to put up the garage door, it wouldn’t go but an inch, then back. I tried twice. I decided to call a colleague who can do about anything. He came right over. He said “It WAS a big bang!” It was the huge spring that operates the door – rusted & about 15 yrs. old. He couldn’t lift the door, so they picked me up for church Sunday, then Monday I was able to get someone from “Overhead Doors” out to fix it. He said it wouldn’t be more than $120. Tim, my friend who discovered it said that sometimes those things can fly & cause other damage. Thank the Lord it didn’t & that I was at home to figure it out right away!

– One tiny thing kept that door from working – a silly, tiny little piece of a leaf. The safety was “on” and working properly though you saw it as perhaps broken.

Sin is like that. We think, “oh, it is just a little sin, it won’t affect my life, my relationship with God,…….. yeah, right!…. say “NOT”! Our Holy Spirit warns us & then we try to override his advice, pushing that sin button….. again…… and again……. and wondering why things in our life start not working….and why we don’t feel close to God anymore. …

But it was just a little sin, surely it wouldn’t mess up everything? But there are no little sins in God’s eyes, huh? And that electric eye “saw it all” (just like God) – even that little bit of leaf (or our unconfessed sins). Difference between the garage door and us is that the garage door opener trusts in the warning and we often blunder ahead not heeding the Holy Spirit’s advice, like a fool who thinks he/she is wise. Aarrrgh! But I tell on myself…..

– The Greek fishing cap suits you… My dad has one like it… He wears it everywhere. =) You have always reminded me of a one of those “sea going” Scot men anyway… with the beard and all… the cap puts the finishing touches… lol

I was so tickled to hear about the “miracle” of the house situation. God is so good! I almost jumped up and down I was so happy about it. I will be praying for Pat’s travel back to Florida. Praise God for all the good stuff that came and is to come. He always promises to bring us through the storm.

– Good story about the leaf in the magic eye. I’ve just been listening to a whole series about tending to our own emotions faults, etc. (that speck and beam thing) If I am going to grow in the Lord…I cannot spend time worrying about everyone else’s specks, beams, leafs, sticks, logs, or dust…. because I have so much of that stuff to take care of in my own life. Many times that means getting down on my knees and taking care of it…. Even if it may be painful…then I need to do it! Then things will work in my life and heart the way they should.

– You don’t look real happy in that there fishin’ cap :::GRIN::: I remember the day after my mom remarried. She and W___ were on their honeymoon, and my stepsister had gone back home to Cincinnati. I pushed the garage door button, and when the door started down, an old golf umbrella fell over in the door, and jammed the door!. It went up and down, up and down, for what seemed like an eternity. F-I-N-A-L-L-Y, I had enough presence of mind to go over and yank the umbrella out of the way, and the door went down with a MIGHTY SLAM!! The golf umbrella was totally shot! I thought I was going to catch holy heck when the parents got home (this was in Aug of 1977; I was 23 at the time). All they did was laugh their heads off when I told them what had happened.