Category: Family

Thoughts on family past, present and future.

How you can make Peace

When I was about ten years old, I had an enemy. I didn’t know why she was my enemy, but she was.  She made fun of my clothes. My clothes were generally my aunt’s dresses which my mother made over for me. I knew they weren’t as nice as the other girl’s dresses but a preacher’s daughter couldn’t have new clothes in those days. Some pastors today are the richest people in town. I don’t understand that either.

This girl, her name was Donna, would try to destroy any papers that I was working on by marking them with a big black X, and I would have to do  the paper over again before it could be handed in. She tried to get the other girls against me, but, for the most part, I guess they knew her too. I always got better grades and I thought maybe that was why Donna was my enemy, but she didn’t care that much about grades so I was pretty sure that was not it.

In Sunday School one Sunday, I read: “If thine enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head”. (Romans 12-20KJ) I didn’t want heaps of coals of fire heaped on her head but I got from that verse I should be kind to her even though she was not kind to me. But how could I do that? I wondered. I realized then that I was always shooting words back at anything she said!  I was as bad as she!

If I respond to her in anger, we will never have peace between us. However. if I continue to treat her with kindness and pray for her, I will find that peace will prevail. I was not a bit sure it would work like the Bible verse said, but I decided to give it a whirl anyhow. I started praying for her, Praying that she would be happy and find that friend that I had, Jesus. I treated her well too, doing little things for her and not answering when she said something nasty to me. One day she asked me if she could go with me to Sunday School! I, of course said yes.

We started going to Sunday School together regularly and she finally gave her life to Jesus. She even gave me two dresses that didn’t fit her anymore. I found that I was no longer only making  peace between us, but I was making a friend. Donna and I friends? Yes, we were truly that and much more. Why don’t you give that a try if you have a person who does mean things to you. It works! and it should,  because it came from God’s Holy Word. And His word is true!

We Can’t Go On Like This!

What is happening to our young people? I have heard the study made that shows more drugs are taken by young people and young adults than ever before. And that American young people are taking drugs more than any other country! Why do they  do that? Could it be that we have ignored the teachings of the Bible to our kids? I think we have watered down what the Bible teaches far too much.

I’ve been writing a book about a twelve year old girl in the middle eighties. This has taken me much research and I have read that young people were open to talking about God and Jesus. The stories that Jesus told were the basis of their lives. Now, all they do is swear by God’s name. Yet drugs and alcohol were available even at that time and I suppose there were those who used them. After all, there are always a few rotten apples in the basket.

Now I’ll give you my theory: The generation of the late eighties taught their children the way to live. Christianity was alive and kicking then. The parents of the early nineties spent nearly all their time in Church with their kids and their kids really loved it. There they met their friends and it was playtime around the church! The study time was taken seriously too. I am a member of that time so I don’t need any research on that!

The parents of the next generation made the decision not to attend church as often as their parents. I was a Parish Worker, which is really a pastors assistant, remember that I had men of the church pick up children who wanted to go to Sunday School. I think I had three cars go every Sunday. The kids really wanted to go, but their parents wanted to sleep an extra hour or two. Anyhow, things broke down a bit during that time. Also, Sunday School was held before the worship service so the children went to the service with their parents.

Now, the Church’s message has been watered down in some of our Christian churches. It seems there’s not much to believe in. So, the parents stay home and many of the kids have gone to Independent churches. The rest wander around and often get into bad company. And that’s what makes the study. We, the modern parents are guilty and we seem, to get worse every generation, don’t we?

What do we do about it? I really don’t know. I watch parents play with their children. This was much like in the eighties but not like the other generations until today’s.  I think there is hope. We were told we must stand up for our country. Well I think we should stand up for Christianity now. It is constantly being persecuted. Many are killed. Yesterday, 45 Christians were killed while celebrating their Palm Sunday service in Egypt. Let’s be real Christians, teach our children too. And be proud that we are Christians! Maybe that will bring at least our Christian kids back to the fold.