Cathy’s Corner

 

It’s already looking like a busy summer and I’m sure yours is no exception. Vacations are a break from the normal things going on in our day to day lives and a time to relax and just forget about the every day stress of life. That’s what vacations are supposed to be like anyway. I’ve been on a few that would have tried the patience of Job. I mean really how much of a vacation is ten hours in a mini van with five, seven, nine and fifteen year old children? How many times can they ask, “Are we there yet?” How many times can four children say, “I have to go to the bathroom” and never at the same time? After arriving at the condo on the beach that a very gracious friend loaned you it’s time to unload all the suitcase, the ice chest, the floaties, the sun screen, the toys brought to entertain and everything else that wasn’t nailed down back home. You would have thought you were moving across country. The condo has a pool so as soon as the kids see it they ask if they can go swimming. “Of course not” you say, “We have to unload everything and unpack.” Once inside the condo and they realize the beach is just outside they ask if we they go to the beach. “Of course” you say, “as soon as we unload and unpack everything.” Then come blowing up all of the floaties, air mattresses and digging out the boogie boards from the closet. Everyone then needs to put on their swim suits and lather down with sun screen. Of course there are those who say they put it on and you are sure they did. Then the trek down to the beach with the air mattresses, boogie boards, floaties, ice chest and oh yeah the kids. Set up on the beach and get things fixed just right so you have a birds eye view of the ocean that will wash all of your cares away. The kids are running to the water as you remind them to put on the floaties, of course the seven and nine year old are incredulous that you would even suggest they wear them. Dad is halfway to Florida before you can remind him to hold their hands and not let them go out too far. The fifteen year old is basking in the sun working on her tan; she’s not even going to put a toe in the ocean while there Finally after everything and everyone is in place you sit down under the umbrella with a nice cold drink and a book you will never read because you are constantly counting the heads of your children and looking for your husband. You notice that they are very far out, too far out for you so you get up and go to the water and yell at the top of your lungs where everyone on the beach except your family hears you. Not too happy about the fact that they have to come back closer they let you know their displeasure by grabbing you and pulling you into the water, that you had no intention of getting any farther in that your knees. Once back on the safety of the beach you sit once again only to have the five year old come tell you, “I have to go to the bathroom.” After arriving back in the condo as everyone showers and you get supper ready, you notice that your children are turning redder and redder by the minute especially the five year old. Out comes the aloe vera and no one wants to venture out in the sun the next day. After all SPF 15 doesn’t quite protect as well as SPF 50. After a week of enjoyment and bonding with your family it’s time to pack up and go home.  It’s always great to get there and have fun but packing things up and that ten hour ride home can be a killer. But you make it only to find when you clean out the van that several missing crayolas are melted and stuck to the carpeting. Ah the joys of the family vacation. Hope you have some good ones this summer, as for me I’m going to be visiting all the grand children this summer and I have a nice big seventy two count box of crayolas for each one of them. 

 

Have a great day in the Lord and a great summer

 

Cathy’s Corner

I wanted to share this from Oswald Chamber’s My Utmost for His Highest. Chambers had such insight into the Person of Christ and a unique way of applying it to every day life.

The Call of the Natural Life

“When it pleased God … to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:15-16).

The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way. My contact with the nature of God will shape my understanding of His call and will help me realize what I truly desire to do for Him. The call of God is an expression of His nature; the service which results in my life is suited to me and is an expression of my nature. The call of the natural life was stated by the Apostle Paul—“When it pleased God… to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him (that is, purely and solemnly express Him) among the Gentiles….”

Service is the overflow which pours from a life filled with love and devotion. But strictly speaking, there is no call to that. Service is what I bring to the relationship and is the reflection of my identification with the nature of God. Service becomes a natural part of my life. God brings me into the proper relationship, with Himself so that I can understand His call, and then I serve Him on my own out of a motivation of absolute love. Service to God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is an expression of my nature, and God’s call is an expression of His nature. Therefore, when I receive His nature and hear His call, His divine voice resounds throughout His nature and mine and the two become one in service. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and out of devotion to Him service becomes my everyday way of life.

You have the opportunity to impact the next generation as you help lay a spiritual foundation in the life of children. You can be the first impression of what Christ is like in all you say and do.

Have a great day in the Lord!