A glass of Coke can change the world

Daily Thoughts - September 5th 

A glass of Coke can change the world.

Let me share a personal story if you don't mind.

Picture the scene: Several high school kids go to the Christmas dance at the local Tecumseh High School.  Some were Seniors, some Juniors and a few Freshman.  All dressed in their best to impress.  In those days leisure suits and lace/twill dresses were in style.  At the completion of the dance in the high school gymnasium, this group of friends and girlfriends decide to go to the local Big Boy for a late night snack (fries, Cokes and Shakes).  God in His miraculous ways, used this event to impact a young man’s and a young woman’s life, and set in motion His plan to change the world for many years to come.  

At the table we crammed 6 of us into a booth, each sitting across from our respective Christmas date.  I was fortunate enough to be sitting at the outer edge of the bench seat.  I took the opportunity to demonstrate my sweetness and ability to flirt with the girls at the table, by grabbing a few candy canes from the Christmas tree in the restaurant, and handing them out.  As I returned to my seat I slid in next to a cute girl, and in doing so bumped her hip with mine as she was picking up her glass of Coke.  This resulted in the Coke splashing from the glass all over the left leg of my baby blue leisure suit, with quite a stain.  Apologies ensued, and were dismissed with laughter and a twinkle in the eye as we looked at each other.

Fast forward three years, I was a sophomore at Eastern Michigan, and had recently separated from my longtime girlfriend, because of the long distance in our college choices.  My best friend (still today), Paul came by to pick me up, knowing that I was in a depressed funk of late, just to get me out of the house.  With no plan in mind, we cruise through town a few times, listening to our favorite CCR cassette, before we pulled in front of a home I was unfamiliar with.  As we knock on the door and step into the home, my mind immediately flashed back to that Christmas dance.  Standing before me, for a matter of 15 seconds before she ran down the hallway, was that same cute girl from the Big Boy restaurant.  Emerging some 10 minutes later with her best friend (Chris Harris), we stumbled through a reintroduction.  A beautiful girl, with freshly permed hair and braces stood before me, with an incredible, flirtatious smile.  We decided to head out together, the four of us in Paul’s car, to the softball fields.  We all took turns hitting the softball as far as we could, and then decided to go to the water-slide and lake to cool off.  By the end of the evening, this beautiful woman and I were hand in hand, and had experienced our very first of many kisses.

That was the end of July, 1985 - 12,448 days ago, and we’ve held hands everyday since.  We were married 26 months later, 32 years ago today.  The Lord has blessed us with 5 incredible children that are becoming change agents for God, and raising their own children to become change agents for God. I am in awe and overwhelmed to look back and see God’s plan to use a spilled glass of Coke, and then through event after event, kept our paths intersecting over three years, and reconnecting us through our best friends, just so He could use our relationship to strengthen His kingdom through our children.  People ask me to explain to them why I believe God is real, and I can’t point to physical evidence.  But, I can point to this example as just one way He has been real in my life to ensure that His kingdom is strengthened. 

Not because of me, but because of Him, all of these factors fell into place.  I have been blessed to be with this woman for 32 years, and have so much more to look forward to in the next 30-40 or 50 years together.  She is my rock, my advisor, my counsel, my lover, my wife, my spiritual conscious, and my best friend.  We will grow old together and watch how God chooses to use our children and grand-children, and God willing great grand-children influence others in this world.  I can tell you without hesitation that next to God, the Father, I love Lisa most. 

Happy Anniversary my dear.  I am so proud to be your husband.  You can spill a Coke on my suit anytime you want.

Looking into the Crystal Ball

“Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”  So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son” – Ruth 4:12-13

Throughout time God has been involved in the little things of romance and love.  If you have experienced love in your life, consider where God’s hand has been in it?  What brought the two of you together?  I look at my own love story and see the patience of the Lord in it.  I first met my wife after a high school dance.  She was the date of my best friend (Paul) and after the dance a group of us went to a local restaurant for cokes and to hang out.  During that event, Lisa spilled an entire coke down the front of my only suit.  Unbelievably apologetic she and I had our first real conversation, after all she was there with Paul.

Our second encounter came during a Volleyball game.  My girlfriend was on the high school team, and they were playing at another school about 30 minutes from our home town.  I called up Paul to go with me.  He showed up and Lisa was with him, so I piled into the back seat.  We made it to the game late and had missed the first set of the match, in which my girlfriend was playing.  She didn’t play in the second set, and as the third set was beginning I watched as she took the floor with her team.  Just then Paul leaned down and whispered in my ear, “We gotta leave, Lisa has a curfew of 9 o’clock and she can’t be late.”  Seriously?  I’m just about to watch my girlfriend play volleyball and we have to leave because his girlfriend has a curfew.  Imagine the look I got from my girlfriend as she watched me and my best friend walk out of the gymnasium that night.

Skip ahead 2 years.  Paul swings by to hang out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in June, 1985.  We hop in his car and cruise through town a few times listening to Credence Clearwater Revival and the Beachboys cassette tapes, when he pulls into Lisa’s driveway.  I give him a curious look, “What’s up?” He and Lisa hadn’t been dating for a few years, but had remained friends all along.  “I just want to stop in and say hi.  No big deal.”   Well, he was my ride and I had nothing better going on that day.  We went inside and exchanged hello’s with Lisa and her friend, before they proceeded down the hall, leaving Paul and I sitting at the kitchen table drinking Mountain Dew.  When they came out, you could say the rest is history.  Lisa was stunning when she came back down the hallway.  Paul recommended we all pile in his car and hang out for the day. 

From that night; June 29, 1985, Lisa and I have been together.  We were married 2 years later, and God has blessed us with 5 incredible children, two awesome sons-in-law and 5 beautiful grand children over the last 34 years.  Did God have all of this in mind when Lisa spilled coke on my new suit after that Christmas dance in 1982?  Does Paul realize that he was part of God’s incredible plan of creating this wonderful family who live for the Lord? 

God’s hand was definitely in the marriage of Boaz and Ruth.  Ruth was born a Moabite, a natural enemy to the Israelites of that time.  She married into the Israeli family of Naomi.  An accident took the lives of her husband, as well as her Father-in-law (Naomi’s husband).  This left Naomi and Ruth widows together.  Tragic as this was, God had a plan.  Because she was not Israeli, Ruth was not obligated to remain with Naomi.  She chose to though, out of love and compassion for this woman who had become like a mother to her.  Ruth traveled with Naomi back to Bethlehem, her home-town.  There, through the work of God’s hand and Namoi’s persuasion Ruth meets Boaz.  In due time they receive the blessing to be married and God’s plan begins to take shape.  For you see, from this couple came a son named Obed.  In Matthew 1 and in Luke 3 we see the following lineage laid out for us: “Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.”

From a Moabite woman, widowed at a young age, with a heart and compassion for serving the needs of her mother-in-law; God brought forth the grand-father of King David.  From King David we are unbelievably blessed as a people who serve God the Father.  Through his lineage came the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and our eternal salvation.  As a widow, she felt lost and alone and needed the companionship of Naomi.  As a mother, she set in motion the events that would forever change the world.  All unbeknownst to her, but all within the Sovereign planning of the Lord.  As you look at the one you love today, realize that God brought you together for a purpose to change the world.  You may not ever live to see the result, but great things will happen for those that are within His will.

 

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We do not always see Your ways unfold before us.  We are blind by emotions and feelings that cloud our perspective.  Yet in the midst of our confusion and chaos or emotion, Your finger is at work.  You bring two people together for Your purpose and change the world, because it is within Your will to do so.  Bless us in our relationships and bless the Mothers as they raise strong Godly children in today’s world.  In Your name we pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2019
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Tell Your Story

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It
“Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.”  – Joshua 4:9

The pebbles were round and smooth, certainly unsteady under foot, but not hurtful in any way.  The man led his family along their trek to the southern valley where he had heard stories of the welcoming people there, and the prosperity they had been experiencing.  Living in the North had become dangerous ever since the attacks and many of his friends and family had been slaughtered or taken as slaves.  He, his wife and their 3 sons had packed everything they owned onto these two small donkey’s and spent the last three days on this journey.  It is good that he had picked a route along the river, for fresh water and frequent engagement with other travelers.

As they came upon the town of Jericho, they set up a camp along the flat lands near the banks of the Jordan river.  The father looked to his eldest boy to go and gather some wood from the river so they could start a fire.  Of course Simon (the younger brother) went with him.  As the boys made their way closer to the river’s edge, darkness was beginning to fall over the desert night.  They found a few pieces of drift wood that had come aground and was dry enough to burn.  Under the pale light of the moon they continued walking and looking for something slightly larger.  It was then that they came upon the unusual formation of rocks.  Piled in a unique fashion, it obviously had been done with a purpose in mind and not by the current or by accident.  They looked at it from all sides, it was bizarre how these heavy stones were stable and secure in their most peculiarly stacked pile.

They found a few larger pieces of wood and made it back to the camp.  Father was waiting for them, obviously irritated with their delays, and having to start a fire in the dark.  He proceeded to get a spark and then one of the dry pieces of wood caught fire and the tension eased a little.  As the fire sparked and grew in size, more wood was applied and soon they had a blaze for their mother to begin cooking.  The boys sat next to their father, and he could tell something was on their mind. “What, what is it?  What took you boys so long?”

“Father, we found the most unusual thing down by the river.  It was a large pile of stones, perfectly balanced and resting one upon another.  It must be a sign of something, there is no way it was an accident.”, the boys blurted out together.  The father looked at them intent and with a knowing and discerning view.  “Boys, you must take me to these stones first thing in the morning, where we will lift our voices and spirits and praise God Almighty for His love and grace”, the father told them when he heard their story.  Simon immediately demanded that they go back now, “Let’s take some fire and go now, I know the way even in the dark.”  Wiser heads prevailed and they all ate well and then got a good night sleep.

The next morning the family quickly packed their things back onto the donkey’s and hurried through the brush and over the smooth stones to the river’s edge.  They proceeded down the river to the place where the boys remembered the stones.  The stones were not there, they knew this was the place for there was the large log that they chose to leave the night before.  “Father, you must believe us.  Last night the stones were right here”, both boys said together as they look on in bewilderment.  The father looked down at both of his boys and knew they would not have lied about this.  There is no way they could have made this story up. Somehow God had placed these rocks in the eyes of Simon and his brother last night as a gentle reminder to their father. For you see the father had actually seen the actual stones in that exact spot many, many years earlier, before the rise and fall of the river Jordan washed them away. Putting his arm around his sons, they walked ahead of the others, while he proceeded to tell them the history of God’s children entering the Promised Land, and the meaning to the 12 Stones Memorial

In today’s fast paced world we fail to take the time to stop and pass on to the younger generation the blessings from God above.  The legacy we are tasked to leave behind with our children is to educate them on the family history and the history of God Almighty.  The miracles, no matter how small or how grand, that have taken place in your life need to be talked about and passed on to the children.  Some people I know have created a display of small stones in their front yard, others have pictures and tell stories this way.  Still others have shadow boxes with small objects representing each miracle in their life.  Maybe your story isn’t as grand as Joshua’s in the Old Testament, but it is unbelievably important that they hear it from you, so they in turn can tell their children and so on.

Think carefully about the stories you need to tell your children.  What will you display as a reminder of how great God has been to you?  Don’t put this one off, you can create something small today and build/add on to it over time.  The key is to build it in honor of what God has done in your life and for your family.

Prayer:,
Heavenly Father,
We stand awe of your completely amazing miracles and teaching for our lives.  We draw from Your word a look at the past and for you to reveal the future for each of us.  Help us to see Your blessings in our life and to be able to share them with others.  In Your name we pray – Amen
 
 
 
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Finding Me - Day 5

September 12, 2014

Every single one of us will leave a legacy.  You are influencing people each and every moment in either a constructive manner or in a destructive manner.  Those around you are watching and learning from your actions, your words and your mannerisms, and long after you have passed away they will be carrying on what they have learned.  This I’ve learned over time as I watch my children, my grandchildren and my friends and see small characteristics show up in their lives that remind me very much of myself.

I’ve come to face it there are truly only two major decisions in life: “Will I follow Christ?” and “Will I live for His purpose or mine?”  The decision on marriage is a really close third, but falls short of deciding your eternal fate and serving the Lord.  As I near another pinnacle in my life I ask myself, have I truly lived for God or has my life been focused on obtaining my goals, my dreams and my comfort.   I look at those around me and ask if I have had an influence on them and helping them draw closer to God.  For you see, when it all comes down to it, I don’t want my children to be like me; I want them to be like Jesus.   If indeed it is my desire that they grow up and serve Him in a manner that He deserves, then I ought to demonstrate that for them. 

Day 5: Choose to Serve
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:14-15

God has placed within each of us a purpose on this earth that can only be fulfilled by exercising the gifts and talents He alone has placed within us.  We must choose to be faithful and serve Him by using these gifts for His purpose.  In doing so, He will take the little bit we bring to the table and use it in mighty ways to influence those around us to do even greater things long after we’re gone.  To our children’s children and their children the influences of our life will have lasting effects.  Leave them something worth holding onto.

Prayer:
Father,
You have given me grace and mercy, that I may one day be with You in heaven.  I pray today that Your words are upon my lips and that my actions represent Your love for mankind.  Help me to overcome the selfishness, conceit and ego that stand between me and the purpose You have called me into.  I want serve You and bring You glory through my actions.   – Amen

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Pursuing Hope

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32
Mankind is inherently sinful.  We all know this from our youth and having been taught as children, from our parents and Sunday School teachers.  We are also taught the Golden Rule; can everyone say it with me:  “Treat others as you would like to be treated.”  It’s pretty basic when you really come down to it.  There is very little wiggle room and when it is followed, most people can generally get along.  Yet, there is something inside of us that at times, bubbles up and comes forth with wickedness and hatred for another, and we allow it to overcome our better judgment to treat others as you would like to be treated.  When my son started Kindergarten, the principle pulled the entire student body together on the first day of school and laid out this same guidelines for the students to abide in; he also added to it the Thumper Rule.  You all remember Thumper right?  He was the cute little bunny on Bambi, who pretty much said whatever was on his mind without considering the consequences or the impact to another person’s feelings.  The Thumper Rule goes like this: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” 

Put these two rules together and you have a basic formula for co-existence in this life.  Treat others with kindness, generosity, love and forgiveness.  Keep your words in check and don’t slander others behind their back or in front of them.  This life is difficult and we are all pressing hard to make it through each day.  When we treat others with disrespect, callousness and resentment it only serves to create more animosity and strife in the relationship.  I personally believe we are here on this earth to help one another, to demonstrate love, hospitality and forgiveness to others as we all try to make it through each day.  Words, actions and anger do nothing but fuel the separation of individuals from this purpose in life.  In turn this creates bitterness and unforgiveness to fester and we fall farther and farther from the representation of God’s love to each other.

This life is not about today, or tomorrow.  It is about the whole and the opportunity to share His gospel with others, through the way we represent His love and peace in our daily walk.  It’s about leaving a legacy of truthfulness, integrity, love, humility and generosity for those who will carry on after we are long gone.  Hope for something better than what we have today is what binds us together as a human race, all striving for peaceful co-existence.  Without hope, we have no love, we have no future and we have no reason for following the Golden Rule or the Thumper Rule.  For without hope for a better tomorrow; who cares who you might offend, anger or step on today.  Living life in love, peace and pursuit of happiness for you and those around you will inspire you to continue down this path of hope for a better future together as mankind.  I hope you are able to consider the big picture of life in your day to day activities and forgive those who have wronged you and ask forgiveness of those you have wronged.  Don’t make this life any more difficult than it already is, and strive to help others simplify and improve upon their life as much as you can.

© Sondove Enterprises, 2013
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Let There Be Peace on Earth

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"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.. " - Matthew 5:9

A son of any man in those days carried forth the legacy of the family. The wisdom passed on from generation to generation from the father's teaching would establish the strength in which the son would live out his life. It was expected that the son would follow in his father's footsteps with respect to their trade or craft. So here we find Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter, sitting upon a hill telling those who would listen what it takes to be a son of God. Where are his credentials, what gives him the audacity to claim this knowledge and talk about it in public. Some were amazed at his wisdom. He spoke of things they had never heard before. None of his teachings were in the old text's, yet he spoke as if they were common knowledge for all. He spoke of the meek, the pure, hungry, merciful and now peacemakers? He couldn't be the coming King - the Messiah - for these characteristics are very counter intuitive to their expectations.

In hindsight of course we know that He indeed was a son of God, so who better to lay out the requirements and characteristics. But, what does it mean to be a peacemaker? Someone who is living in, breathing and creating a peaceful existence for themselves and those around them. Of all of the people in the world today and those that have walked the earth for the last few thousands years, they have always been seeking peace. Wars, violence and death have been the formidable foe since the early days recorded in Genesis, right up through the angry mobs in Jerusalem screaming, "Crucify Him~ Crucify Him." Man has sought peace from these acts of war and violence throughout history. Similarly, man has sought and waited upon God throughout history. Here we find Peace and "...called sons of God." lumped together. This one verse has likely became a staple in cultures, believers and non-believers alike. This leads to the real question, "Are we seeking peace from society, the world, or our own inner struggles?"

Jesus Christ walked the earth for 32 years and ministered for just over 2 years. In that 2 year period He took men and women and taught them very intimately how to become followers and apostles of the one true God. With first hand guidance and experience He showered them with love and peace, such that they in turn would carry forward after His death and resurrection these traits. Just like you and I have learned by following our parents throughout our life, the intimacy between this group of disciples over that 2 years would have seemed like a lifetime to most. They learned and carried forward his teachings, and it has continued through to this very day where nearly every person in the world would agree that we need to discover peace in the world. Just as Jesus showed them how in those days; we need to walk, and breath in His commandments today such that it becomes blatantly evidenced to whom we belong. The evidence will be such that others will see God through you as you follow this man - Jesus Christ.  

© Sondove Enterprises, 2011
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A Legacy worth Leaving

"I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him... ” - 1 Chronicles 17:13a

All men will one day pass away. It is written and has been the case since time began. Do you have a plan on how to avoid the inevitable? Some are looking into cryogenics, phylactery and of late even the immortality of vampires. So what is your plan? There are things in life that are absolutes: do you think the sun will come up, or do you know it will? Do you think you love you kids or do you know you do? Do you think it is right to be honest or do you know it is? These are absolutes that you know the answer too. Now do you think you can cheat death or do you know it?

So, assuming we can all agree that death will indeed catch up with us, have you thought about what will happen to those you leave behind? In 1 Chronicles 17:13 we find Nathan communicating God's plans with David regarding David's legacy. God delivers a message to David about Solomon. God states clearly that He will be with Solomon after David has passed away. He provides comfort to David that He will always love him and shepherd him as a father would a son.

This challenges me to ensure that I am setting my children up with a love for Christ that will last well beyond my life. I cannot save them myself, it is something they must come to on their own. But, I must give them every opportunity, example and encouragement as possible as they pursue His ways. Their ability to impact this world will far exceed mine and the legacy that I hope to leave is one that will carry for generations to come. There will come the day that I will join those saints near my Father's throne and have a comfort level based on this verse that He will carry them forward with love and guidance to make a significant impact on the world. Today, give some thought to your legacy and be sure to encourage your children and family in the ways of the Lord, so that you can feel the peace and comfort should the inevitable happen.
Heavenly Father,
You have provided for my needs, my wants and my desires throughout my life.  I have looked to Your word for guidance and understanding.  You have given me the freedom of choice and I choose You.  Help me to share this faith, love and understanding with my children, that in turn they may walk in Your light and experience Your glory. In Your name I pray – Amen

© Sondove Enterprises, 2010
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Looking Into the Crystal Ball

“Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”  So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son” – Ruth 4:12-13

Throughout time God has been involved in the little things of romance and love.  If you have experienced love in your life, consider where God’s hand has been in it?  What brought the two of you together?  I look at my own love story and see the patience of the Lord in it.  I first met my wife after a high school dance.  She was the date of my best friend (Paul) and after the dance a group of us went to a local restaurant for cokes and to hang out.  During that event, Lisa spilled an entire coke down the front of my only suit.  Unbelievably apologetic she and I had our first real conversation, after all she was there with Paul.

Our second encounter came during a Volleyball game.  My girlfriend was on the high school team, and they were playing at another school about 30 minutes from our home town.  I called up Paul to go with me.  He showed up and Lisa was with him, so I piled into the back seat.  We made it to the game late and had missed the first set of the match, in which my girlfriend was playing.  She didn’t play in the second set, and as the third set was beginning I watched as she took the floor with her team.  Just then Paul leaned down and whispered in my ear, “We gotta leave, Lisa has a curfew of 9 o’clock and she can’t be late.”  Seriously?  I’m just about to watch my girlfriend play volleyball and we have to leave because his girlfriend has a curfew.  Imagine the look I got from my girlfriend as she watched me and my best friend walk out of the gymnasium that night.

Skip ahead 2 years.  Paul swings by to hang out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in June, 1985.  We hop in his car and cruise through town a few times listening to Credence Clearwater Revival and the Beachboys cassette tapes, when he pulls into Lisa’s driveway.  I give him a curious look, “What’s up?” He and Lisa hadn’t been dating for a few years, but had remained friends all along.  “I just want to stop in and say hi.  No big deal.”   Well, he was my ride and I had nothing better going on that day.  We went inside and exchanged hello’s with Lisa and her friend, before they proceeded down the hall, leaving Paul and I sitting at the kitchen table drinking Mountain Dew.  When they came out, you could say the rest is history.  Lisa was stunning when she came back down the hallway.  Paul recommended we all pile in his car and hang out for the day. 

From that night; June 29, 1985, Lisa and I have been together.  We were married 2 years later, and God has blessed us with 5 incredible children, an awesome son-in-law and 2 beautiful grand children over the last 24 years.  Did God have all of this in mind when Lisa spilled coke on my new suit after that Christmas dance in 1982?  Does Paul realize that he was part of God’s incredible plan of creating this wonderful family who live for the Lord? 

God’s hand was definitely in the marriage of Boaz and Ruth.  Ruth was born a Moabite, a natural enemy to the Israelites of that time.  She married into the Israeli family of Naomi.  An accident took the lives of her husband, as well as her Father-in-law (Naomi’s husband).  This left Naomi and Ruth widows together.  Tragic as this was, God had a plan.  Because she was not Israeli, Ruth was not obligated to remain with Naomi.  She chose to though, out of love and compassion for this woman who had become like a mother to her.  Ruth traveled with Naomi back to Bethlehem, her home-town.  There, through the work of God’s hand and Namoi’s persuasion Ruth meets Boaz.  In due time they receive the blessing to be married and God’s plan begins to take shape.  For you see, from this couple came a son named Obed.  In Matthew 1 and in Luke 3 we see the following lineage laid out for us: “Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.”
From a Moabite woman, widowed at a young age, with a heart and compassion for serving the needs of her mother-in-law; God brought forth the grand-father of King David.  From King David we are unbelievably blessed as a people who serve God the Father.  Through his lineage came the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and our eternal salvation.  As a widow, she felt lost and alone and needed the companionship of Naomi.  As a mother, she set in motion the events that would forever change the world.  All unbeknownst to her, but all within the Sovereign planning of the Lord.  As you look at the one you love today, realize that God brought you together for a purpose to change the world.  You may not ever live to see the result, but great things will happen for those that are within His will.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We do not always see Your ways unfold before us.  We are blind by emotions and feelings that cloud our perspective.  Yet in the midst of our confusion and chaos or emotion, Your finger is at work.  You bring two people together for Your purpose and change the world, because it is within Your will to do so.  Bless us in our relationships and bless the Mothers as they raise strong Godly children in today’s world.  In Your name we pray – Amen

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©Sondove Enterprises, 2011

Tell the Story

“Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, at the place where the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day.”  – Joshua 4:9

The pebbles were round and smooth, certainly unsteady under foot, but not hurtful in any way.  The man led his family along their trek to the southern valley where he had heard stories of the welcoming people there, and the prosperity they had been experiencing.  Living in the North had become dangerous ever since the attacks and many of his friends and family had been slaughtered or taken as slaves.  He, his wife and their 3 sons had packed everything they owned onto these two small donkey’s and spent the last three days on this journey.  It is good that he had picked a route along the river, for fresh water and frequent engagement with other travelers.

As they came upon the town of Jericho, they set up a camp along the flat lands near the banks of the Jordan river.  The father looked to his eldest boy to go and gather some wood from the river so they could start a fire.  Of course Simon (the younger brother) went with him.  As the boys made their way closer to the river’s edge, darkness was beginning to fall over the desert night.  They found a few pieces of drift wood that had come aground and was dry enough to burn.  Under the pale light of the moon they continued walking and looking for something slightly larger.  It was then that they came upon the unusual formation of rocks.  Piled in a unique fashion, it obviously had been done with a purpose in mind and not by the current or by accident.  They looked at it from all sides, it was bizarre how these heavy stones were stable and secure in their most peculiarly stacked pile.

They found a few larger pieces of wood and made it back to the camp.  Father was waiting for them, obviously irritated with their delays, and having to start a fire in the dark.  He proceeded to get a spark and then one of the dry pieces of wood caught fire and the tension eased a little.  As the fire sparked and grew in size, more wood was applied and soon they had a blaze for their mother to begin cooking.  The boys sat next to their father, and he could tell something was on their mind. “What, what is it?  What took you boys so long?”

“Father, we found the most unusual thing down by the river.  It was a large pile of stones, perfectly balanced and resting one upon another.  It must be a sign of something, there is no way it was an accident.”, the boys blurted out together.  The father looked at them intent and with a knowing and discerning view.  “Boys, you must take me to these stones first thing in the morning, where we will lift our voices and spirits and praise God Almighty for His love and grace”, the father told them when he heard their story.  Simon immediately demanded that they go back now, “Let’s take some fire and go now, I know the way even in the dark.”  Wiser heads prevailed and they all ate well and then got a good night sleep.

The next morning the family quickly packed their things back onto the donkey’s and hurried through the brush and over the smooth stones to the river’s edge.  They proceeded down the river to the place where the boys remembered the stones.  The stones were not there, they knew this was the place for there was the large log that they chose to leave the night before.  “Father, you must believe us.  Last night the stones were right here”, both boys said together as they look on in bewilderment.  The father looked down at both of his boys and knew they would not have lied about this.  There is no way they could have made this story up. Somehow God had placed these rocks in the eyes of Simon and his brother last night as a gentle reminder to their father. For you see the father had actually seen the actual stones in that exact spot many, many years earlier, before the rise and fall of the river Jordan washed them away. Putting his arm around his sons, they walked ahead of the others, while he proceeded to tell them the history of God’s children entering the Promised Land, and the meaning to the 12 Stones Memorial

In today’s fast paced world we fail to take the time to stop and pass on to the younger generation the blessings from God above.  The legacy we are tasked to leave behind with our children is to educate them on the family history and the history of God Almighty.  The miracles, no matter how small or how grand, that have taken place in your life need to be talked about and passed on to the children.  Some people I know have created a display of small stones in their front yard, others have pictures and tell stories this way.  Still others have shadow boxes with small objects representing each miracle in their life.  Maybe your story isn’t as grand as Joshua’s in the Old Testament, but it is unbelievably important that they hear it from you, so they in turn can tell their children and so on.

Think carefully about the stories you need to tell your children.  What will you display as a reminder of how great God has been to you?  Don’t put this one off, you can create something small today and build/add on to it over time.  The key is to build it in honor of what God has done in your life and for your family.

Prayer:,
Heavenly Father,
We stand awe of your completely amazing miracles and teaching for our lives.  We draw from Your word a look at the past and for you to reveal the future for each of us.  Help us to see Your blessings in our life and to be able to share them with others.  In Your name we pray – Amen

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