May your day be blessed from above and your problems be small ones. I can hear the coffee pot brewing my Door County Red Velvet Coffee and soon it will be finished. I will fill my insulated bottle and go to work.
Proverbs 23:22English Standard Version (ESV)
22 Listen to your father who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Last night after returning home from work I set out to make a few things Rene's mother can heat up for herself and eat. She will soon be ninety years old and does very well on her own. She still lives in her own home and gets around very well. She still is capable of driving and is very active within her community.
So why do I send a few meals with Rene for her mother? She still cooks and can bake like no one's business. She makes and excellent pecan pie. But why send the meals? Here are the reasons. Mother raised six kids, who knows how many meals she made for her husband and kids??? Thousands would be a good place to start. Living alone now she doesn't have anyone to cook for every day. So she doesn't get too fancy with her meals nor does she go "outside of the box" in her menu planning. She once said to us that she enjoys meals that other people make, simply because she can rest and enjoy something different.
My mother in law raised a wonderful daughter and I married her. My wife is a gift from above. All the things I enjoy about my wife were taught to her by her mom. So to make a couple meals and send them out each week is not a chore but a privilege. I can show my love for Rene by helping her mother. It allows me to make sure our last living parent knows that she is loved by her son in law. I can show kindness to her, as Jesus would like us to. I have been gifted with one last parent to watch over and repay her for all her kindness. Paying back a gift is not a duty, but a privilege. Returning a blessing just reminds you that God blessed you through others. Kindness shown to us is a direct blessing from God who provides all good things and often uses others to do so.
Funny thing about this elderly lady. She enjoys hamburgers. But she always says that the burgers are too big. I purchased a slider press and it produces burgers that are just right for her. She keeps them frozen and grills them as needed. I season them differently each time. I ask her if she can identify the spice I used. I have a lot of different seasonings and spices. 90% of the time she can name the ingredients by the taste. My privilege is also fun for both of us.
So, some of you are in that season of life when your parents need care or help. Some days are a huge chore for you. But someday your parents won't be here. Take the time it takes to do a good job for them and dismiss it as a chore. They brought you into this world and now it is a privilege to pay back. I would love to be making some meals or chopping wood for my parents who have passed on. Enjoy the privilege while it is there.
God bless,
Marty
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