Zaxby's
I just had lunch with my sister and daughter-in-law at Zaxby's, where we meet sometimes to have a small reunion with our kids and grandkids. It's usually a spontaneous gathering, that is usually determined by the behavior of the kids on that particular day. Nevertheless, even with all the inconveniences they like to get together.
Today was really no different than any other day, except that another little cousin came who usually doesn't. He came because my sister brought him and she tries to help his mom who needs help sometimes. One of the children has a mom, a dad and another mom. One of the children lives alone with his mom, but has a dad he's seen maybe twice. The other one has had only one set of parents and her homelife has, pretty much so, remained the same.
When Bella, my granddaughter, saw me come into Zaxby's she lifted her hands, palms up and reached out and said "Hode. " "Hode." And I picked her up and held her. And nothing would have kept me from "hoding" her. Not ordering. Not eating. Not going to the bathroom to wash my hands--which I did with her standing between my legs, so she wouldn't touch anything "germy." She just wanted to be with me, that badly, and I wanted to be with her that badly, so I just included her in what I did. She wanted to see the airplane and the helicopter hanging from the ceiling, so I lifted her up. She wanted to eat what I was eating so I gave her my chicken and bread. She wanted to drink what I was drinking, so I let her drink, not from my water, but from her own water. It was hard for me not to.
I think children and grandchildren teach us a lot about God, even more than anything else.
They teach us contentment. From what I can surmise, none of these children worry about their next meal or if there's going to be one. They may be hungry, but they know that, sooner or later, they're going to eat. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them." Matt. l6:26
They teach us dependence. When Bella looks up to my husband, raising her arms up as high as she can, she's saying "Pappaw (who's 6' 6") would you lift me way up, so I can touch the ceiling?" So he does. And he's done it so many times with her, that she knows he'll do it again and again. And when she wants to see the airplanes and the helicopters, I lift her up as high as I can, though not as high as Pappaw, so she can almost reach them. "So we say with confidence 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid'." Heb. 13:6
They teach us fellowship. As soon as I sat down by Mary Kate, she reached out, just to touch me. I reached out to her, to give her a hug. By reaching out, she showed me she was glad to see me. "Greet one another with a holy kiss." 1 Cor. 16:20
They teach us to share. When Bella reached out to take Mary Kate's doll--the one with the band-aid on its forehead, that she took into surgery, when she got her boo boo repaired--Mary Kate let her. "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matt. 5:42
They teach us submission. All three of these children have to go when and where someone else takes them. Even though they may not want to, they go. "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." Matt. 5:41
They teach us faith. Even though they all three come from different homes, varying backgrounds, and different parents, they know that someone's always been there for them. "...be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Heb. 13:5
They teach us hope. When Bella reaches out her arms and cries when she sees me leave, I tell her "I'll see you tomorrow." And her mom takes her home. And she knows she will see me again. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3.
They teach us resilience. Two of these children have been bystanders in a very difficult world. They've watched through very innocent eyes, things that never should have happened...and they've lived through them. And they can laugh and play today, because today is all that matters. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
And they teach us love. "Love keeps no record of wrongs" even though they've been wronged. "Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." because that is what they believe.
I pray to God, as His child,
Today was really no different than any other day, except that another little cousin came who usually doesn't. He came because my sister brought him and she tries to help his mom who needs help sometimes. One of the children has a mom, a dad and another mom. One of the children lives alone with his mom, but has a dad he's seen maybe twice. The other one has had only one set of parents and her homelife has, pretty much so, remained the same.
When Bella, my granddaughter, saw me come into Zaxby's she lifted her hands, palms up and reached out and said "Hode. " "Hode." And I picked her up and held her. And nothing would have kept me from "hoding" her. Not ordering. Not eating. Not going to the bathroom to wash my hands--which I did with her standing between my legs, so she wouldn't touch anything "germy." She just wanted to be with me, that badly, and I wanted to be with her that badly, so I just included her in what I did. She wanted to see the airplane and the helicopter hanging from the ceiling, so I lifted her up. She wanted to eat what I was eating so I gave her my chicken and bread. She wanted to drink what I was drinking, so I let her drink, not from my water, but from her own water. It was hard for me not to.
I think children and grandchildren teach us a lot about God, even more than anything else.
They teach us contentment. From what I can surmise, none of these children worry about their next meal or if there's going to be one. They may be hungry, but they know that, sooner or later, they're going to eat. "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them." Matt. l6:26
They teach us dependence. When Bella looks up to my husband, raising her arms up as high as she can, she's saying "Pappaw (who's 6' 6") would you lift me way up, so I can touch the ceiling?" So he does. And he's done it so many times with her, that she knows he'll do it again and again. And when she wants to see the airplanes and the helicopters, I lift her up as high as I can, though not as high as Pappaw, so she can almost reach them. "So we say with confidence 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid'." Heb. 13:6
They teach us fellowship. As soon as I sat down by Mary Kate, she reached out, just to touch me. I reached out to her, to give her a hug. By reaching out, she showed me she was glad to see me. "Greet one another with a holy kiss." 1 Cor. 16:20
They teach us to share. When Bella reached out to take Mary Kate's doll--the one with the band-aid on its forehead, that she took into surgery, when she got her boo boo repaired--Mary Kate let her. "Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matt. 5:42
They teach us submission. All three of these children have to go when and where someone else takes them. Even though they may not want to, they go. "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." Matt. 5:41
They teach us faith. Even though they all three come from different homes, varying backgrounds, and different parents, they know that someone's always been there for them. "...be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Heb. 13:5
They teach us hope. When Bella reaches out her arms and cries when she sees me leave, I tell her "I'll see you tomorrow." And her mom takes her home. And she knows she will see me again. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3.
They teach us resilience. Two of these children have been bystanders in a very difficult world. They've watched through very innocent eyes, things that never should have happened...and they've lived through them. And they can laugh and play today, because today is all that matters. "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
And they teach us love. "Love keeps no record of wrongs" even though they've been wronged. "Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." because that is what they believe.
I pray to God, as His child,
that I want to be with Him, even when it's inconvenient.
that I care enough about Him, I bring somebody else.
that I want to be with Him, regardless of my situation.
that I care enough about Him, I bring somebody else.
that I want to be with Him, regardless of my situation.
that I will lift my hands up to Him, and say "hode me" "hode me."
that nothing will keep me from asking Him to "hode me" "hode me."
that nothing will keep me from asking Him to "hode me" "hode me."
that I will trust Him enough, to lift me up, when I am down.
that when I am hungry I will eat His bread.
that when I am thirsty I will drink from His cup and
that when He says I will come back for you, I will see Him tomorrow.
"Please God, come quickly."
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