Exodus 20:12 “Honor thy Father and Mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”
Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with a promise, “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”
Psalm 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
I just celebrated another birthday, and enjoyed the warm blessings of my friends calling, texting and facebook-ing best wishes. I also had the pleasure of having my family with me. There were six other adults (my three children and their spouses) and seven grandkids.
But I am blessed—those grandchildren are inquisitive, healthy, and follow the rules and mandates laid down for them. They are polite, curious, and loving to siblings, cousins, and adults. Those youngsters are also curious and respectful to my cats and dog. I don’t have to worry they will hurt or be too rough with my pets. They respect the fact that these pets give love and enjoyment. They appreciate them. And while the youngest pushes the time constraint one of the cats can tolerate, he learned with one quick minor scratch not to push the cat’s limits. He learned he had to respect another creature.
There have been no arguments, no bullying, no significant whining (fairly impressive since the youngest is 5 years old). We share meals, good times spent at the beach, and each other. I am so happy to have my family with me for this birthday celebration, to enjoy the grandchildren being together as well as seeing my three children and their mates enjoying one another—laughing, playing beach games and interacting with the children, then returning and handling most of the meals.
I have so much to be grateful for and I am. I know there are families who quarrel at each gathering. There are some families which seem to have no or few rules for the children—this leads to bickering and fighting, and all sorts of misbehavior, and generally children few want to be around.
It was a frequent topic between my husband and myself as the kids were growing up to wonder if we were making mistakes, what moves should we do to punish yet not squash enthusiasm, and, are we on top of things, etc. The concerns were constantly present although not overwhelming. We wanted to oversee their development so they would grow into independent, loving, happy, and God fearing people. And we were successful. Thank You, God.
I don’t have that worry with my family of the bickering and arguing and not getting along. We appreciate being together, and although we are only together for a week in the summer –two of my children live several states away, we recognize the blessing it is to spend this time together as one large family, instead of three separate families merging at “Grammy’s.” They each appreciate one another, the pleasure of spending a good chunk of time together, and liberally show me they learned and are passing on the family values we tried to instill in them.
My grandchildren know and respect the rules; being polite to others, no fighting or bickering, and best of all showing others love. Certainly God has blessed me and mine. Thank You for all these family blessings of mybellaviews
My wonderful family is one of my best blessings enjoyed by ‘mybellaviews.’
Galatians 5:13,14 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5: 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
I think all people question why they are on earth, in this life.
We want more than going to school, getting a career, supporting ourselves or family members. Doing these things does bring about a certain amount of satisfaction for jobs well done, but people tend to feel like there is some other nebulous “more” there. It seems there’s an inherent, deep need to know what in the world our reason for being is. We develop a restlessness we can not quite define.
Oftentimes, there is a deep satisfaction with our jobs or professions. But as honorable as any work done to the best of one’s ability, there’s a deep need in most of us to find “the more.” We sense there is a deeper meaning…and many begin the search for whatever it is. We want deeper, more meaningful relationships and when those do not fully seem to satisfy the craving for that mysterious ‘more,’ we begin to look deeper. I wonder why we all strive for that; it seems to be in all of us.
God has ingrained in us a deep need to seek Him. It may be a restless spirit and we cannot find a way to totally relax and be at peace; it may be nothing totally satisfies the craving for “more” something, but it is there. I believe this is a way God entices us to search for Him, to grasp Him to us. Throughout the Bible, it is clear He wants a relationship with us. We were the final aspect of His creation, He created us in His own image.
Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image. Genesis 1:26,27.
When He first placed Adam and Eve in that garden, He chatted with them, walked with them, and had a personal relationship with them. And through disobedience, humans (through the actions of Adam and Eve) severed those intimate ties.
Then we continued to live life within our own ideas, thoughts, desires and temptations. We chose waywardness almost every time we had a choice. Feeling we were smarter than the Creator, we tried marching to our own plans and desires. We supposed our way of doing things was so much more direct and pleasurable than God’s. It has caused many tears and heartache by not following His will for our lives.
For several centuries, the Creator allowed us to stumble, breaking impossible “laws” constantly requiring us to need “sacrifices” of pigeons, goats, lambs and so forth to seek forgiveness.
Until, the Son, the Redeemer was sent to be the final sacrifice. He never succumbed to sin, and yet recognized it, lived among men and women who had and continued to sin even while he was with them. But He taught them through example, parables, and life that those sins could be forgiven and there was another way to live. . . . To love.
And for centuries, the teachings and prophecies written by many men, passed to them by God, and gathered into the Bible, have been shared and brought to peoples throughout the world. They, too, have felt the love and the forgiveness; the MORE we seem to seek. The desire seems to be fulfilled the closer and more intimate we get with our Creator.
And many of these people chose to become better and closer to this source, this Creator who loves unconditionally and helps us to love others, serve others, and thus attain that ‘more’ purpose we seek. The seeking and finding of Him, fulfills that restless desire for more.
The “more” is to love and serve others, to teach and lead others to the Creator. That is how the desire for “more” is fulfilled.
I know it has deepened mybellaviews.
Romans 1: 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 4:20 He did not waiver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
Faith is a wonderful thing to clutch. It gets difficult for me when Satan starts reminding me ‘it’s been long enough. God isn’t going to come through for you on this. You got it wrong. Not happening.’
I begin to doubt, then fret, then worry, then become more impatient. I stop seeking and finding His will. I stop asking Him if I misunderstood or if I am still to ‘wait…with patience.’ I’ve developed a modicum of patience as an adult…but not a lot of it, it seems at times.
I have never liked to wait for anything. I would receive my weekly allowance and dash out the door and through the woods (for 4 miles) to the penny candy store in town and have it spent within an hour of receiving it. 
And on the way home I had much of that $0.25 candy devoured; hmm, fireballs, squirrel nuts, and all sorts of things which should have ruined my teeth. But usually before Sunday morning came, my allowance was totally gone with nothing to show for it. My prized stash was gone; nothing saved—no candy, no money—nothing. Because I was impatient and wanted what I wanted and then quickly achieved it. I didn’t learn to savor and deeply appreciate for a long time.
It took years for me to realize the value of something once achieved when I had to wait for it. It seemed so much more costly and valuable, precious.
That’s the way it is with faith. I still stumble even after all these years of knowing I have a savior and there is a plan for my life, a good plan, one to prosper. But it’s sometimes so long to wait, and I begin to wonder and doubt and second guess.
Faith does not doubt, it knows that what God says will come to pass. So you wait with patience and firm belief that what was promised is going to come about. You don’t fall for the lies of the evil being.
Oh, I am much better at getting rid of the lies, but still they sneak in at times. Satan, too, knows my every weakness and how to invade my thoughts. Usually, I can feel myself stumble, and am able to catch my errant thoughts and bring them under control while mentally whisking Satan from m thoughts with a sharp rebuke, and a pleas of strength and discernment from the Holy Spirit. But when I am weakened for whatever reason, those lies sneak in like an odor. You can’t necessarily see a smell, but can find it either pleasant or awful. Sometimes, that’s how the liar eases his lies into our minds. We must be diligent and have armor on at all times to defend against his lies. To maintain the faith after a long time has passed and we don’t see the results.
Maintain the faith and get your reward.
Still faithfully waiting for some of mine…myBellaveiws
Ephesians 6:4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Jeremiah 31:1 At the same time,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
God created us to be with others, to be a part of others. We are each born into a nuclear family, although sometimes we don’t get the opportunity to know them. Some are given up for adoption, or separated in many various ways. Others have the benefit of being in a wonderful nuclear family and learn values, ethics, morals and so forth. I am not saying any family is perfect. People are humans and we are not perfect, not one of us. But most people try doing their best.
I was blessed to be born into such a family. Family should be one of our initial blessings. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Some children are born into abusive, non-loving homes. That is tragic.
There are people in this world who desperately want to care for a child. They would never think of abusing one. It is their strongest, most urgent desire in the world to have and raise a child. How unfortunate it is that a babe is mistreated, a family is left without their deepest desire, and some selfish, impatient fool has damaged a blessing–sometimes beyond help.
There are so many heart wrenching things in this world, and a child not being in a loving home, protected from the majority of what is horrific, is one of them. Abusing any child is abhorrent to me, but infants…it just makes me ill. Yet, I feel the abuser must be angry and out of control maybe from lack of sleep or something. But our God is there to help with our frustration, irritation, rage when we feel we are losing control. I pray for all those who have been in these situations and lost. Innocent babies who only needed food, diapers changed, treatment for a stomach ache—and yet were abused with fierce and utter abandon.
I don’t know how God doesn’t just weep sometimes at the tragic circumstances that happen. I weep for them, pray for them.
If you know of someone struggling with their frustrations with children—reach out a hand and give them a break for a while.
Change their view, circumstance and pray they will have patience forever more dealing with the blessing of the child. I hope in my future to never hear more hurtful things.
I pray for all those stressed to not reach out in anger, that someone will be touched positively by “mybellaviews.”
Maturing part of the growth of people who grow and learn from their mistakes, work hard to achieve and complete their tasks, and learn with the steps they take in life. We steadily (hopefully) work to achieve, to accomplish. That makes responsible, supportive folks.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted….a time to break down, a time to build up…..and a time to lose, and a time to keep…. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
I like to garden and tend plants, weed out nasty things detracting from them. There is a quietness to the work, my hands get dirty, yet I have the satisfaction of a job that shows. The grounds are a bit neater, there is less crowding and everything looks a bit fresher. And the plants seem so appreciative. They stand fuller, blossom with bright buds and seem to be thankful for the attention.
Presently, temperatures here have been in the high 80’s to mid 90’s. My plants and flowers are DROOPING, and look SAD. There are no vibrant colors and some have actually died, despite watering. There is a dismal look to the plants—some are leggy, limbs are browned with little leaves. With this heat, the plants don’t have enough to thrive. The conditions are too hot, the sun too bright and strong. So although the plants are striving to survive, they are not thriving. The extra high temps have lasted too long for the plants to flourish.
I miss the satisfaction of seeing my plants hardy and pretty, but I know when the weather breaks, all will return to robust life. This is the awkward stage when nurturing and caring are still important, and I wonder if I should cut all back. But the steadiness and continued care will get us through this stage.
But it reminds me as I look with a touch of sadness, that this can also look like our lives sometimes. we hit a rough patch–illness, worrisome children or parents who need care, a troubled marriage, or maybe a job that causes stress and angst. Troubles come at various times, and we can feel beaten down like the abused plants in front of me. But if we get nurturing from first our Father and creator, then our friends or family, we are able to better maintain the course and “Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9. We can continue the march with less stress, less worry.
And if there are times when the torment of worry tries to invade you walk, life and thoughts, remember that Satan is always trying to knock you from your path and cause you upset. Continue to be courageous and not dismayed. God’s got this…and you.
Be patient with the different stages of life. Continued care and nurture get us through to the other side, and better times.
For now, I wait, water, and wonder about cutting back. Wait patiently. For now, I wait a little uncertain about the flowers, but also can be with life’s trials. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14.
I pray I’ll always walk courageously and remembering to push Satan from ‘mybellaviews.’
Hi, I'm Kathy. Welcome to my website!