November #jammed: Gracious.

Day 324: Thankful for my parents.

 “Honor your father and your mother.” Exodus 20:12

“Guess what?” my dad said over the phone one afternoon…

“You’re moving again?” I guessed.

Today’s verse has been lodged in a part of my brain since before I can even remember. My Catholic school upbringing made sure that The Ten Commandments were a permanent fixture of my train of thought.

Human nature runs the other way when told what to do. We don’t trust anyone that intends on bossing us around. Thus, the conflict between kids and parents, parents and teenagers, and then those grown up teenagers and their kids.

The full circle effect of having my own kids has helped me to appreciate Exodus 20:12.

When my parents moved from down the street to Florida permanently …I was crushed. And after the puddle of emotion dried up, God spoke directly to my heart:

“Honor your father and mother.”

I remember thinking, Seriously, God? Now? Are you kidding me?

He wasn’t. And of course, He was right. When I was able to detach my inability to understand and let go of the control I though I was entitled to …I was able to heal. Simply obeying that commandment helped me to understand a little.

Emotion can always be overcome with what we know about God.

God loves me. He is for me. He placed me purposely in this family. He gave me these parents. He doesn’t make mistakes. Honor them. Honor Him.

Honoring them honors Him.

It honors Him in the way I bring up my little people to react to heartache and injustice. To things that they don’t understand. We simply cry out our emotion to God, and then listen to what He says. Honor Him in our obedience.

Families can fall a part over misunderstandings. All people are fickle. We can only understand life from our viewpoint and our experiences. WE have to give God room to work. We have let go and let Him move.

When we seek Christ first, we will have healthier relationships with our families.

Father, Praise You for my parents. Thank You for placing me perfectly in their care. Forgive me for times I have not appreciated them enough, and bless them all of their days. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace! 

#greatgrace17

Happy Measuring,

Megs

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