Friday, May 30, 2014

Harvest of Righteousness



“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness
 and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Heb. 12:11 (NIV)

People are strange. We want what is best for our children and yet some of us see others not allowing their children the experience of learning that something they have done is wrong.

In the Old Testament God called Moses to task when he hit the rock to have water come from it. God told him to talk to the rock. As a result, Moses was not allowed to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that, while we undergo our discipline, it probably will at least be embarrassing maybe even painful. The writer says we will gain wisdom and learn of God’s ways.

God instructed Moses to speak to a rock in order for water to come out. Instead, Moses struck the rock. The water gushed forth but God was displeased. Moses chose to do this the way God had told him before. God had a different plan and Moses miffed it. Because of Moses’ error, God forbade him from leading the Israelite children into the Promised Land.
Once, when our son was small, we were visiting Hubby’s sister and brother-in-law. Our boy fell asleep on her couch. When I went to pick him up, he awakened and knocked my glasses off my face.

I reacted by smacking him on the hand. My sister-in-law got indignant. You would have thought I had hurt him. “I never want to see you do that again. I don’t like seeing kids beat on.” A few weeks later, we were at a park getting ready to watch fireworks with my dad and stepmother. Hubby had told the story. My stepmother alluded to the incident. I felt like
I was never going to hear the end of it. She just laughed and said,” If they are old enough to do it and it’s wrong, they are old enough to learn not to do it.” I never had any problem with disciplining our child around my side of our family.

Yes, discipline can cause pain but can cause us to learn things that will help us to become stronger in our Christian lives, if we accept it and learn from it.

graphic:wwwstclarepdx.org

Monday, May 26, 2014

Some Pictures of the Weekend 5/26/2014

Teddy and Cindy Lou in our rock garden.

Veteran's Tribute Sculpture at Church
The man who heads up this project.


The cross for one of our county's fallen soldiers.

The cross for one of the fallen from Indianapolis
A close up of the flags in the Memorial Day Rememberance
(My son took this last year when he was home.)

    
As seen from the intersection (3X a year)
Our side yard. 'Pansies at the Pump."       

God Alone

  Jesus and the children at our church's prayer walk.          I will both lie down in peace and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD make ...