Family Times Change

Family

Times Change

The other day my granddaughter, Amber Rain, came to me with a school project

She was to interview one of her grandparents

The questions were given to her by her teacher.

 All the questions had to do with “what was life like growing up as a child”

We had so much fun doing this project

A lot of things have changed in 50 years

Yet the needs for living are still the same

As Amber asked the last question I was impacted deeply

The question was

“What was the most important value I had learned in growing up?”

I am grateful because even though the way we provide for our family changes

 The greatest values have not 

The greatest value I learned as a child and growing up was love

Times Change

The other day my granddaughter, Amber Rain,

 came to me with a school project.

She was to interview one of her grandparents.

The questions were given to her by her teacher.

All the questions had to do with…

 “What was life like growing up as a child?”

We had so much fun doing this project.

There were times I had to do some explaining

because some of the things I had as a child,

 Amber had never seen or heard of.

A lot of things have changed in 50 years…

Yet the needs for living are still the same.

I have seen the Federal Funds Rate in 1981

climb to 22.36% and fall to .13%.

Those rates brought great suffering

to those with unfixed loans.

I have seen the housing bubble

and friends lose their homes.

Life changed in my life time…

 Unemployment over 11% to under 4%.

Personally, I have had times I took the gas

from the lawn mower to put in the car

and had no food to feed my family.

Proverbs 27:23 -27 are a reminder that life changes.

 It tells us to be aware of conditions…

Don’t think things will stay the same.

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,

give careful attention to your herds.

 Proverbs 27:23

I know a multimillionaire whose wife

was in a Small Group Bible Study I lead.

 She asked me for prayer because they

did not have the money to pay their bills.

For riches do not endure forever,

and a crown is not secure for all generations.

 Proverbs 27:24

Life is like grain that grows and it is harvested.

 But then you have to wait till the new

crop grows to see another harvest.

 When the hay is removed and new growth appears

and the grass from the hills is gathered in.

 Proverbs 27:25

We have to learn to adapt…

 To look at the different ways we can use what we have. 

Cash is nice because it is a common currency.

But learning to turn other resources

into our needs is important.

 The lambs will provide you with clothing,

and the goats with the price of a field.

 Proverbs 27:26

Proverbs 27 ends with the point of these verses.

If we understand times change

and watch for those changes…

If we prepare for change and are

positioned to wait till conditions change…

Not just hoping for change

but making plans for change…

Then our families will be fed

You will have plenty of goats' milk

to feed you and your family

and to nourish your servant girls.

Proverbs 27:27

As Amber asked the last question

 I was impacted deeply.

The question was…

“What was the most important

value I had learned in growing up?”

The greatest value I learned was love. 

Both my parents struggled.

 They divorced when I was in the first grade.

The pressure to feed and clothe myself

and my 3 younger siblings was great.

I look back and I can see the

exhaustion and times of hopelessness.

The sadness because they could not

give up, even though my dad told

me on his death bed…

 He almost jumped off the High-Level Bridge

 and the only thing that stopped him

was what would happen to his children.

Although we seemed to have nothing…

 Five of us living in a two bedroom house,

 and the one bedroom was an

open arch way to the hallway.

     

I and my two brothers and sister had

the greatest thing you could ask for…

We had the priceless gift of love!

 

I know mom in her struggles and

sacrifices was showing me love.

I know when my dad would take us to McDonald’s

where he bought us, from what he had to live on,

a fry and a milk shake for the four of us to share was love.

As great as the love Mom and Dad gave,

 they both gave us something more…

They showed us God loved us!

Although the economy will change and our way

of living fail, change is inevitable…

LOVE NEVER FAILS

1 Corinthians 13

Scripture Reading

Proverbs 27:23-27 NIV

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,

give careful attention to your herds;

24 for riches do not endure forever,

and a crown is not secure for all generations.

25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears

and the grass from the hills is gathered in,

26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,

and the goats with the price of a field.

27 You will have plenty of goats' milk

to feed you and your family

and to nourish your servant girls.