Sunny&80The Manatees (#jammed daily devo, day 324)
Posted on November 20, 2018
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
Get the #jammed Daily Devo sent straight to your inbox each morning, by subscribing to Sunny&80.
The Stamps (#jammed daily devo, day 229)
Posted on August 17, 2018
August #jammed: Reflecting on Grace.
Day 229: Encourage one at a time.
“Blessing and honor to the Most High God,
who has clearly delivered your enemies into your hands!” Genesis 14:20 (VOICE)
In grade school, my friends and I passed notes. We made up coded nick-names for each other and folded them in crazy ways. Shoe boxes full took up a shelf in my closet, and as we grew up we rolled in laughter at the things we wrote. Too busy to fold paper in high school, we resorted to passing an entire notebook.
Even though social media allows us to stay in touch with people we would otherwise loose track of, I love to send snail mail to let people know I care, I’m praying, or share a laugh over a memory. Whether down the street or across the country, the nudge to send a note is my favorite.
Today’s verse is about giving God the credit for the good things in our lives. Abram had a lot to thank and praise God for. And, so do we. Snail mail is my way to encourage others by passing on the hope, love, and kindness that Jesus has given me.
The second half of today’s verse is as follows:
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:20b
It’s not only important to give of our selves and our time as we are called to minister to others, but also to give financially. It’s a subject not many like to talk about, unless we know a little more about how our Savior works. Lift it up to Him, and ask Him to show you what to do and how to get there. Hearts are changed instantly, but faith grows over time.
We are to go outside the walls of our homes and churches and tell of what He has done. When we know Jesus, it’s a no-brainer.
What do You need from me, God? I’m ready to give, and ready to go.
Father, Praise You for providing for us in a way that we cannot process. Thank You for giving us guidelines on how to give …to help protect us from our own pride and accomplishment. Forgive us for being stingy with what needs to be given to Your mission, and help us to understand what praising …honoring …thanking …and giving …in Your Name …on account of our lives …looks like. 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 Going,
Megs
Get the #jammed Daily Devo sent straight to your inbox each morning, by subscribing to Sunny&80.
The Manatees (#jammed daily devo, day 324)
Posted on November 20, 2017
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
Get the #jammed Daily Devo sent straight to your inbox each morning, by subscribing to Sunny&80.
The Stamps (#jammed daily devo, day 229)
Posted on August 17, 2017
August #jammed: Reflecting on Grace.
Day 229: Encourage one at a time.
“Blessing and honor to the Most High God,
who has clearly delivered your enemies into your hands!” Genesis 14:20 (VOICE)
In grade school, my friends and I passed notes. We made up coded nick-names for each other and folded them in crazy ways. Shoe boxes full took up a shelf in my closet, and as we grew up we rolled in laughter at the things we wrote. Too busy to fold paper in high school, we resorted to passing an entire notebook.
Even though social media allows us to stay in touch with people we would otherwise loose track of, I love to send snail mail to let people know I care, I’m praying, or share a laugh over a memory. Whether down the street or across the country, the nudge to send a note is my favorite.
Today’s verse is about giving God the credit for the good things in our lives. Abram had a lot to thank and praise God for. And, so do we. Snail mail is my way to encourage others by passing on the hope, love, and kindness that Jesus has given me.
The second half of today’s verse is as follows:
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Genesis 14:20b
It’s not only important to give of our selves and our time as we are called to minister to others, but also to give financially. It’s a subject not many like to talk about, unless we know a little more about how our Savior works. Lift it up to Him, and ask Him to show you what to do and how to get there. Hearts are changed instantly, but faith grows over time.
We are to go outside the walls of our homes and churches and tell of what He has done. When we know Jesus, it’s a no-brainer.
What do You need from me, God? I’m ready to give, and ready to go.
Father, Praise You for providing for us in a way that we cannot process. Thank You for giving us guidelines on how to give …to help protect us from our own pride and accomplishment. Forgive us for being stingy with what needs to be given to Your mission, and help us to understand what praising …honoring …thanking …and giving …in Your Name …on account of our lives …looks like. 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 Going,
Megs
Get the #jammed Daily Devo sent straight to your inbox each morning, by subscribing to Sunny&80.
Sunny & 80 …by Meg!
Friends with Everyone Tween Study
The Friend Book, available on Amazon.
Contributing Writer at …
Sunny&80 