Winter day’s sunshine
Frosty’s cousin liquefied—
Playfulness melting
All things now in place
Embracing mother’s lifestyle—
Child’s room makeover
Teen doing homework?
Dreamy imagination—
Ambition snoozes
From Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
The headlines read of child pornography, drugs, alcohol, depression, teen-age suicide, murder, abuse and much, much more! Sometimes, we might feel that if we don’t read the newspapers or listen to news reports, we can forget those things are there. We would like them to go away. We would like to forget they exist. Unfortunately, we know they won’t go away, and our hearts are sickened by that painful truth. How are these horrible realities affecting the lives of our precious children? They are not only in the high schools. You can find them in elementary schools, day care facilities, and on street corners everywhere. It breaks my heart to read of the young victims held in the clutches of such evils. More than that, it makes me angry!
The Word of God tells us to be angry and sin not! We should be angry at the evils around our children. These children are a gift from God, but the gift was not free. It came with a price tag of awesome responsibility. How foolish is the parent who takes that responsibility lightly. We are in a battle against Satan. If God is to control our children’s lives when they become adults, we must train them as children. We cannot handle their lives as though they are nothing but toys or play things, and expect God to let us off without answering for it. Our children must be armed for battle by knowing God and His Word. Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness by using Scripture, and we have the power to do the same! How can we allow our children to go out into this worldly battle unarmed? We must teach them what is right, and show them how to have the strength to stand up for it.
A dear friend of mine has shared something very special with me. She also wonders about the effects of the evils of this world on her children. She has always prayed for their lives each day. Since it has become a burden in her heart, she has started praying for their children’s safe future before she goes to bed at night. She goes into their room after they’re asleep, and places her hand on them as she prays. As you touch the child you brought into this world, how can you not feel the great responsibility to pray for their health, their school years, and their adult lives? I challenge you to do this for your children!
It takes an awesome commitment to be a parent; to pray for them at night, to teach them each day, and to live what you teach. Without that commitment, will your child become one of the statistics?
Oh Father, help me feel the burden of responsibility for my children’s lives. Help me to be faithful to pray and teach each one in the way they should go. Show me today where I’ve failed as a parent in the past. Forgive me when I take this position lightly. Help me to live a life that is consistent with what I teach. Father, use my children for Your glory, that Jesus may be seen in them. Amen.
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This devotion is written by my wife, Colleen. It is taken from the contents of her book, BITS ‘N’ PIECES OF MY HEART. Inspired by her own Christian faith and a mother’s love for her daughters, Colleen’s writings feature short stories, devotions, and poetry. These are intended for reading by adults and teens. The final two sections of the book share her inventory of activities and songs to enjoy with young children. Her book is available online at your favorite outlet.
Daughter plays all day
Riding Dad’s motorcycle—
Up for excitement
Mall’s escalator
Roller-coaster up, then down—
Child’s favorite ride
One more dollar, please?
Loving Dad empties wallet—
Grinch on vacation
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Charles Swindoll: “Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection . . . an annual reminder that God has, again, been ever so faithful. The solid and simple things of life are brought into clear focus.”
National tradition
Year’s intentional pause
Coming together as one
With purposeful cause
Nation’s heart now gathers
Thanksgiving welcomes all
Putting aside differences
Mercy’s blessed call
Family’s homeward steps
Cherished goodness brightens
Strengthening tomorrow’s bonds
Grace shall enlighten
Love fills another home
Peace refreshes outlook
Praying with one single voice
Heaven’s warm chinook
Harmony writes new psalm
Tranquility’s fellowship
Sharing gratitude today
Praise from every lip
From Revelation 7:12: “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
This devotion is another page from my wife’s recently published book, BITS ‘N’ PIECES OF MY HEART. Colleen’s treasured memory shares God’s light as it nourishes a family with His love.
Living close to parents, grandparents, siblings and other family members allows you to spend more time together. Sometimes you can live down the street, a couple miles away, or just an hour’s drive. When this is the case, your family can have dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, attend church together, and get together for all kinds of fun activities. Unfortunately, there can be reasons that prevent this from happening. Mommy’s or Daddy’s job may require you to move to live in another town, or even a state far from where your family is. If this is your family’s situation, special planning is often required to visit your relatives.
During most of the time after our girls were born, we found ourselves living in different states, far from where my immediate family lived. They lived on the beautiful eastern shore of Maryland. At the time, we were living in a very small town near the border between Florida and Georgia. It did take much thinking and talking before we decided that I would drive to Maryland with Taryn and Heather. Since it was October, we planned the trip so we would arrive in my home town on the day they celebrated Halloween with “Trick or Treating” for the children! We planned to arrive just after the time that children would be heading around in my mother’s neighborhood.
We arrived at the perfect time. The beautiful sunset hung over the bridge that led into the town. Street lights were already helping guide the children and families walking in the neighborhood. My mother’s house was a block from the bridge at the entrance of town. I parked the car around the corner so she wouldn’t be able to see us from her doorstep.
The girls’ Granny had been a floral designer for many, many years in her brother’s flower shop. This was helpful when we chose costumes for them to wear. It also helped to know that pink and purple were Granny’s favorite colors. Heather was an adorable flower! She had green pants on, and wore an extra-large green hoodie sweatshirt so the sleeves hung over her arms to make “leaves”. I had painted a pretty pink and purple flower on cardboard with the perfect sized center to fit around her face. Taryn was inside a big box with a hole on the top and two sides for her head and arms to come out. We had covered the box in glittery gift wrap with pink and purple hearts. Since I had worked in my uncle’s shop I was fortunate to learn some design skills. I was able to make a big purple bow to tie around the top of Taryn’s head.
Our plan was to walk from our car to her yard at the other corner of the block. We walked quietly to the shrubs around the side of the house, and waited until there was no one on her sidewalk. As I hid behind a bush, but was close enough to hear, Taryn and Heather slowly walked by the front picture window to the sidewalk, and rang the doorbell. When the door opened, they smiled and sang “Trick or Treat”! Granny’s eyes widened with love and excitement! To say they received some sweet treats would be an understatement. They received sweet, surprised “Oohs, Aahs, Hugs, Kisses, and much, much more”. To say that her granddaughters and daughter surprised their Granny doesn’t even come close.
I came out from behind the bushes and joined in the best, loving family celebration. The “Trick or Treat” surprise was the beginning of a special week-long visit with Granny. Words cannot begin to express the importance of our time with her.
From Psalm 133:1: “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!”
My poem serves as an introduction for praising the gift that God has shared with my dear wife, Colleen. From a bag filled with a collection of writings, she has crafted a book from her faith-filled heart about family and God.
Mother’s faith-filled love
Embracing Father’s grace
Teaching her daughters
About Heaven’s special place
Daughters’ faith blooming
Accepting Father’s love
Learning from His Word
His presence reigning above
Mother’s writing pen
Following Father’s heart
Serving as His light
Book begins initial start
Daughters growing up
Living in Father’s peace
Welcoming next steps
Faith maturing, piece by piece
Colleen fills so blessed to share God’s light with others. After nearly seven months in the publishing process, her book is now in print. The book is currently available on Amazon, but it will soon be featured on other platforms such as Barnes & Noble.
Sun sets on another day
Evening calls, wanting its way
Family gathers around
Home now, love and peace abound
Night sky envelopes the land
Stillness breathes on high command
Supper cooking, hunger calls
Mom’s spaghetti and meatballs
All hands on deck, helping mom
Frenzy soon returns to calm
Television calling out
Favorite show brings a shout
Mom crochets, sitting nearby
Dad reads book, about Shanghai
Final chores, homework to do
Soon slumber stirs up its brew
Before the last light goes out
Prayers praise God, so devout
Originally published November, 2020.
Embracing
God’s wisdom
Accepting priceless truth
Overcoming through His understanding
Perseverance
Practicing
Daily self-discipline
Listening to God
Maturing from righteous lessons
Diligence
Honoring
Unconditional love
Mother and Father
Guided by Spirit above
Family
Waking at midnight, I glance at the open bedroom window filled with what I think is early morning light. Throwing off the covers and rubbing sleep from my eyes, I hurry to the window with wonderment and then surprise.
Wandering outside in my robe and slippers, I discover the backyard is filled with an enormous oak tree. I think to myself, “Where did this tree come from? It’s never been here until now.”
Nestled under a full canopy of branches, rests a delightfully engineered tree house. From a window, a young boy’s voice beckons me, “Come on up.”
“But how?” I ask.
Without any explanation, a gentle breeze sweeps me up, and I am standing next to a handsome boy, Steven. He welcomes me to his house, and goes on to say, “I don’t often give tours during darkness in the middle of the night.”
Steven and I walk together, just the two of us, at midnight, in his magnificent tree house. I have never seen anything like his personal Shangri-La.
Each of the three small rooms is filled with a young boy’s playthings and imagination. One room overflows with games of every description, which are stacked neatly upon a shelf. On the table is a half-finished puzzle, which the two of us finish together before I begin battling another yawn.
Another room invites us in to experience beautiful music. The atmosphere feels like a concert hall filled with symphonic, harmonized sound. We relax and listen while sitting in comfy bean bag chairs, but I am beginning to feel just a bit drowsy.
The final room offers a kaleidoscope of color, with different designs on each wall and the ceiling. The floor is painted with shades brighter than any rainbow. Steven encourages me to touch any color, and it instantly changes to a more dreamy moment.
As my personal tour of Steven’s tree house wraps up, he tells me, “I hope to see you again some night. Always wake up preciously at midnight, and I’ll be here.”
The moonlight’s stardust carefully returns grandpa back to sleep; now in his bed . . . still wearing his robe and slippers.
Marveling at an American treasure
Outdoor movie screens offer nighttime pleasure
Drive-ins share their unique personality
Double features, hometown hospitality
Big screen stars on America’s movie night
Under the night sky, Hollywood’s best shine bright
Notable scenes from drive-ins come to the screen
Danny and Sandy from “Grease” making the scene
Winning combination fuels drive-ins’ success
Love of movies plus cars, who would ever guess?
Practicing social distancing, cars spread out
Another summer night, film-inspired blowout
Family piles into the station wagon
Good thing we traded that tiny Volkswagen
Mom and Dad, reservations in the front seat
Wearing pajamas, kids view from the back seat
Transporting all of us to a place of fun
Kids become quiet . . . fall asleep, one by one
Comfy family night under twilight’s stars
Slice of Americana, with movie stars
Practicing social distance before anyone knew what it meant, America’s drive-ins have been a fixture since arriving in New Jersey in 1933. Following World War II, the American landscape exploded with new drive-ins. By 1952, outdoor movie attendance exceeded indoor theaters for the first time. During the 1950s, the number of drive-ins peaked at 5,000 or so.
Originally published September, 2020.
Big Sky Buckeye 