The Joy of Eating Together

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I want to encourage you to take time to eat together with your family. January is a great time to start new habits and traditions and this is one to carry out throughout the entire year! I believe this is an important tradition of the past that is often lost in the busyness of life. It will take time, along with a little work and planning. You may have to slow down the pace of life and say no to others things to be successful. BUT I really believe it’s worth it and your family might even enjoy it once they got used to it on a regular basis.

The Bible speaks much of “eating” together, “fellow-shipping” together, and “suppering” together. It must be important since God speaks of it often in the bible and gives many example of Jesus doing it.

Here are a few of those references:

Perhaps the one we think of first is Revelation 3:20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him and he with me.”

I love that verse. Jesus thinks it’s important enough as he talks really about salvation, of allowing him to enter our life, that he speaks also of sitting with us and “eating” a meal. What a meal that would be! The food would not be important, “but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”. That should be our example too as we “sup” with others. The food is not to be the prime purpose, but instead visiting, listening, loving, and just being together.

Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellow-shipping, to the BREAKING OF BREAD and the prayers.”

John 21:9-14 “When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went abroad and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.”

Revelation 19:9 “And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage support of the Lamb.”

 

*Side Note from Mali:

Reflecting on Grandma Rosy’s words reminded me of all the wonderful prayers we sang and said around the dinner table as a family. I have several in mind that are Norwegian but I have no idea how to spell the words 🙂 But here is one the whole family would sing together….

The Lord is good to me, and so I thank the Lord

For giving me the things I need, the sun and the fun, and the family

The Lord is good to me…. amen, amen, amen, amen, amen…..amen. Hallelujah!

Enjoying Life…..Along the Way

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After I have committed the day to the Lord and asked Him to establish my plans, especially when its a day of errands and seeing many people, I ask the Lord to help me to totally enjoy each visit and each errand. Not to be in the attitude of “I want to get this over so I can move on to the next thing”, but to keep my mind totally on the moment and the person and enjoying it and not just trying to get it over with. When I am able to do this with the Lord’s help, the day is so much more fun.

Knowing that the day is in His hands and that I will accomplish what He wants me to accomplish that day. It’s fun to take a little surprise breaks and give myself little treats on these busy errands days too. It might be bringing a book along and taking a little reading break in the Safeway parking lot, or having coffee at Target just to enjoy people watching, or having a real cup of tea at a tea shop. Talking to the Lord along the way the whole day. Asking Him to direct me to the right store and the right purchase so I don’t waste time.

Ecc 2:22 “What has a man from all the toil and strain with which he toils beneath the sun? For all his days are full of pain, and his works is a vexation; even in the night his mind does not rest.”

John 10:10b “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Ex. 23:12 “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest.”

Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

May we all learn truly what it means to “rest in God”. Amen

This entry was posted in Prayer.

The Precious Present

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Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Don’t look BACKWARD: Phil 3:13 “…Forgetting what lies behind.”

Don’t look FORWARD: Matt 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the days own trouble be sufficient for the day. ”

But look UPWARD (today): Isaiah 26:3 “Thou dost keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.”

What if I don’t have things to rejoice over this day?

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in ALL circumstance.”

Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good, with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:38 “For I am sure that neither death not life not… nor THINGS PRESENT… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Romans 8:18 “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

We must learn to trust the Lord each day, for our needs for that day!

Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day, our daily bread.”

Exodus 16:4 “Then the Lord said to Moses, Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day….

Exodus 16:21 “Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat, but when the sun grew hot it melted.”

What is the secret?

Phil. 4:11-13 “Not that I complain of want- for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound, in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger and abundance and want- I can do all things through Him who gives me strengthens me.”

Lesson: Be a more positive person, not a grumbler and complainer and also a lesson on forgiveness.

The more I thought of these I realized how they really are tied together. If we grumble and complain we often have the attitude of not wanting to forgive someone or being unable to forgive ourselves.

First I think we must ask ourselves- “Do we really believe He is ABLE?”

Able to make me a more positive person

Able to forgive me

Able to help me to forgive others

Able to care for my needs

Able to help me give up resentment

We sing, “He’s able, he’s able, I know he’s able. I know my Lord is able to carry me through.”

Jude 24 “Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time, now and forever. Amen.”

Romans 16:25 “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ…”

Ephesians 3:20.21 “Now to him who by the power at work within is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever, Amen.”

But do we really believe it? Would we really complain so much about our situations if we really believe that Jesus could change it for us- give us peace in the midst of it- and work it all out for good?

The life verses that I claimed for my family, Romans 8:28 along with 1 Thess 5:18- I think helped me to look on the positive side of things instead of negative.

Romans 8:28 “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”

1 Thess. 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstance for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

I really think these are companion verses and if used together and really claimed and used they will change your life and your outlook. You begin in every bad situation to think, “this is a good one Lord, how will you ever work for good in this?” And then you begin to look and wonder and your eyes are turned upon him and what he is going to do, and not on the bad things that could happen.

This is what Pollyanna did in the movie and book “Pollyanna”. People make fun of her and her name has been used with a goody-goody person who only sees the good. This is sad because being content is scriptural.

My Becky has claimed these verses with her life and family and is a very positive person and I know some people make fun of her too and call her Pollyanna but she has a beautiful life and family and spirit to show for it. It can be almost a game- looking forward with anticipation to what good shall come from this. Also, Phil 4:8,9 can be very helpful to make us a positive person and looking on the positive side of things. I use this verse in the lesson on worry and Becky uses it in talking about husbands. Even if 95% of things are bad and 5% are good, think on the 5% and the Lord will bless you and your marriage for it.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.”

We can choose to focus on the 5% good, on the one lovely thing, on the one true thing in the situation and claim Isaiah 26:3 “Thou dost keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. He will give us that perfect peace as we CHOOSE to look to him, and be positive and then receive his perfect peace”. How can we be grumblers and complainers if we are experiencing God’s perfect peace? Or we can CHOOSE to grumble and complain about the situation and allow a root of bitterness to grow and allow many people- innocent members of our family- to be defiled.

Hebrews 12:15 ” See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and cause trouble and by it the many become defiled.”

The Bible talks of complaining:

  • Psalm 77
  • Jude 16
  • John 6:43

We don’t want to be grumblers and complainers. Let us look to Jesus and receive all that He has for us and believe that he is ABLE to change our hearts. Let us look to what the Bible stays about forgiveness. Usually if we are complaining it is because of a person, something someone has done to us, something someone has not done for you. If we are able to forgive that person, would it not stop our complaining about him also.

  • Matthew 5:23,24
  • Collosians 3:12-15
  • Jeremiah 31:34

Let us really try to put these verses to work in our lives- and become the more positive forgiving woman of God that He would have us be.