Good Morning,
My cup is steaming hot, filled with Door County Hazelnut Crème Coffee and it is begging to be consumed. I will grant that wish as I write to all of you. I hope someone tells you that they love you today. But just in case that didn't happen I want to let you know that you are loved right from this antique desk in Wisconsin.
Yesterday our grandson celebrated his 15th birthday which is really making me feel older than this desk I am sitting at. By the way the desk was in use as far back as 1941. As is customary we always try to follow up a card and gift with a phone call to the that special person on their birthday. Grandma was like a bird dog on a pheasant last night and hunted him down with calls until she reached him. He lives several states away and sometimes it seems like he is half way around the world . During the phone call of happy wishes and laughs I asked him what he would be doing for the evening. He explained that he would be socializing with friends at the mall and then the next day the family would be all going out for a special dinner.
I zeroed in on the Friday night at the mall. I recalled Friday nights when I was a teen in my mind. Many were spent "cruising" in our souped up jalopies, radios blaring, loud mufflers purring as we headed to the root beer stand to flirt with the cute car hops or from there to a custard stand to hang out. Shopping Malls were just coming about when I was younger and really did not hold much of an attraction for us except to buy things. Well, the phone call ended with good advise from us. "Have fun and behave". Now there's an evening wrecker from the grandparents. I forgot to mention that I was still recalling cruising to the custard stand from the pizza palace and occasionally those 1961 Fords would hit speeds of 100 miles per hour or more with my girl friend throwing water balloons out of the window.
So as every reckless grandparent would do I smiled and said "let's pray". Grandma who was born a conservative and her idea of fun Friday night as a teen was to take in a movie and laugh about it on the way home said "sure why"?. I replied, " he is a good kid and uses good judgment. But don't we owe it to him to keep him on that track and hope that the little acorn fell further away from this tree? And we can pray for protection from the others who won't exhibit good judgment tonight" Grandma then recalled some of my antics and it seemed we prayed just a little longer.
We will all let our kids out of the house or our grandchildren will be venturing into the world. This is normal and you can't lock them up and keep them playing Monopoly forever on a Friday night. But you can pray from a half a world away for them and when they return home safe and all is well, you know you did your job.
I will admit that there was a temptation to call him later and make him say I love you over the phone in front of his buddies and the girls he was probably flirting with, but I saved that for our daughter who at anytime just might show up at the mall. Now that little acorn did not fall far from this tree. She loves her boy and is very protective. I wouldn't poke that bear.
Back to the prayer. We owe it to be praying for those entrusted to us by God and to protect those same ones.
Matthew 18:10New King James Version (NKJV)
10 “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
The word despise is used in the passage above. I would offer that we actually despise our kids and grandchildren when we do not pray for their protection each and every day. We acknowledge their importance and our love for them to God by praying. Little did our young man know that angels were in that mall.
Don't forget to pray. By the way. Rene and I went out last night in the Old Ford F250 pick up truck. As we turned on to a highway, I floored the beast just to get it up to speed with traffic. She asked what that was all about? I replied, "Memories baby, memories, want some custard" as I turned up the radio to the Oldies Channel.
Love ya,
Marty
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