What is a sibling?
A sibling is that brat of a sister that has to tell on you for every little thing - like throwing pencils at the ceiling hard enough for them to stick.
A sibling is that brat of a brother that makes faces at you while you talk to your best friend on the phone until you say a nasty word and then runs to mom to tattle.
A sibling is that sneaky brother who stole your last cookie when you ran to the bathroon.
A sibling is that lazy sister who only half dries the dishes claiming she doesn't feel good and then you have to finish the job alone.
A sibling is that person or persons that you grow up with that somehow knows all you secrets, all the times you have gotten a smacking, well, everything about you and love you anyway.
As children, siblings (the brothers and sisters of a household) are your worst nightmare and your worst enemy even though you can play for hours on end together without the first cross word and then an adult comes into the picture and everything changes.
There has been rivalry between siblings since Cain and Abel. (Genesis 4:1-16) Relationships between brothers and sisters are very special and cannot be encroached upon by outsiders, especially not parents. I remember doing something that my sister ran to tell my mother after which I can a good tanning. That night as we were trying to go to sleep, my sister said to me "I didn't want you to get a spanking." Give me a break! If you didn't want me to get a spanking, you would have kept your mouth shut! I can look back on many of those spankings as a result of my sister's tattling with a smile on my face and then there are those that I still want to pinch her for.
The rivalry between siblings is normally a desire for the acceptance. attention, love or affection of their parents. A daughter quietly reading with her mom notices her brother playing scrabble with their dad. Regardless of how content the daughter is cuddling with her mom, there is nothing she wants more than to be playing scrabble with her dad - not her brother and her dad - just her dad. I have noticed this quest for attention is normally instigated by the younger child. I call it the "catch up syndrone". The younger child is trying to catch up with all the attention the older child received before they were born. Of course, you have to remember, I am the oldest child so my views may not really convey the thoughts behind the actions of a younger child.
As the older child, I resented that little bundle that now occupied my mother's and father's time and attention. Of course that little wrinkled pink thing was cute, but what is it good for but to cause my parents to have no time for me? The little pink thing had to be fed or it would cry, it had to have its diaper changed or it would cry, it had to be rocked or it would cry - good grief, I do believe that is where the term cry baby originated. Now, everything was focused on that crying little pink thing and it could not even go to potty by itself.
It was a time of insecurity and uncertainty, but in no time that passed and I gained a friend to make mud pies with, pick berries with, ride bicycles with, gather the first flowers of spring, and soon she was in the back seat cheering me on as I learned to drive. It wasn't long before I was shuttling her and her friends to first one place and then another and by that time, all the disagreements and entanglements faded way into the background and were soon forgotten.
It may seem as if you and your sibling will never be friends, that you would never even like your sibling. But even those mean, hateful, tattletale, eavesdropping, selfish brothers or sisters will one day be your friend and you too will forget all the "bad stuff".
So, the next time your sister snatches the remote and runs to hide, just smile. You know you love her and she loves you or she wouldn't be trying to get your attention.
Matthew 18:2-4 NIV
"He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the knigdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Hug your brother or sister today and if that is too hard, just give them a smile - sometimes it isn't what is said that is important, it is those things left unsaid.
Happy Reading!
Belle
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bible. Show all posts
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
To Serve or Be Served
"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28 NIV
My devotional this morning spoke to me directly. I don't like to be served - to be waited on and taken care of. I try to be self sufficient - to take care of myself not needing the help of others. I clean my own house, do my own laundry, and cut my own grass. Some people think it is because I am peculiar and think no one else can do it as well as I can - that is not true. It makes me uncomfortable for someone to "serve" me even if I am paying for that service.
As I get older, I find that I am not able to do some of the chores that needs to be done around the house. I don't climb a ladder so well anymore, so I can't clean the gutters. I can't climb a tree very well so someone else must prune my fruit trees and some of my shrubbery. I don't accept "service" from others with thankfulness. I am not gracious in my accepting their help. That is wrong. The Bible teaches us to be thankful in all we do.
I don't serve like I should. I don't give of myself as I feel God would have me to do. There was a time when I would have said "I have given out," but that is not true. Through Jesus Christ we can do anything. Our strength comes from the Lord. Isn't that great! We have a friend that walks with us every day and every night. He never leaves us. God is always there!
When I was a senior in high school, my grandmother became sick. I stayed with my grandparents at night and cared for her so she would not have to go to a nursing home. Grandmother loved to be "served" and I loved to serve her. My Grandparents were the focus of my attention. I couldn't bear to see them separated by putting one or the other in a nursing home. I loved being able to "serve" my grandparents.
The year before, my great aunt needed sugery, but as my uncle had had a stroke and couldn't be left alone, she kept putting the off the surgery. I once again went to stay with my uncle and care for him so my aunt could have her operation. It was a trying summer. My aunt and uncle lived out of town. I didn't know the town and I knew I would have to drive to the hospital and to do the shopping. I was afraid I would not be able to care for my uncle as he needed. I was fearful and unsure. I must admit that I did not always serve with gladness as God wants us to do. Sometimes I only saw what I was not able to do because I had to "serve." This was not the attitude God wanted me to have; God wants us to serve with a free heart, giving of one's self.
Galatians 5:13-15 "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command; "Love you neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
It is so easy to let someone else do the serving, because they don't have anything else to do or they have more time. That is not what God wants us to do. That is not what God teaches. We are instructed not only to serve, but to serve with love. Not serve with bitterness or anger, but with love. God wants us to serve without grumbling, fighting, or arguing.
Can you think of ways you can serve? Do you help your parents without grumbling? Remember your home and family is your training ground for the future when you have your own home and family. There are many ways that we can serve in our family and our neighborhood. Pray with me this week that God will open new ways for us to be of service.
My devotional this morning spoke to me directly. I don't like to be served - to be waited on and taken care of. I try to be self sufficient - to take care of myself not needing the help of others. I clean my own house, do my own laundry, and cut my own grass. Some people think it is because I am peculiar and think no one else can do it as well as I can - that is not true. It makes me uncomfortable for someone to "serve" me even if I am paying for that service.
As I get older, I find that I am not able to do some of the chores that needs to be done around the house. I don't climb a ladder so well anymore, so I can't clean the gutters. I can't climb a tree very well so someone else must prune my fruit trees and some of my shrubbery. I don't accept "service" from others with thankfulness. I am not gracious in my accepting their help. That is wrong. The Bible teaches us to be thankful in all we do.
I don't serve like I should. I don't give of myself as I feel God would have me to do. There was a time when I would have said "I have given out," but that is not true. Through Jesus Christ we can do anything. Our strength comes from the Lord. Isn't that great! We have a friend that walks with us every day and every night. He never leaves us. God is always there!
When I was a senior in high school, my grandmother became sick. I stayed with my grandparents at night and cared for her so she would not have to go to a nursing home. Grandmother loved to be "served" and I loved to serve her. My Grandparents were the focus of my attention. I couldn't bear to see them separated by putting one or the other in a nursing home. I loved being able to "serve" my grandparents.
The year before, my great aunt needed sugery, but as my uncle had had a stroke and couldn't be left alone, she kept putting the off the surgery. I once again went to stay with my uncle and care for him so my aunt could have her operation. It was a trying summer. My aunt and uncle lived out of town. I didn't know the town and I knew I would have to drive to the hospital and to do the shopping. I was afraid I would not be able to care for my uncle as he needed. I was fearful and unsure. I must admit that I did not always serve with gladness as God wants us to do. Sometimes I only saw what I was not able to do because I had to "serve." This was not the attitude God wanted me to have; God wants us to serve with a free heart, giving of one's self.
Galatians 5:13-15 "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command; "Love you neighbor as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
It is so easy to let someone else do the serving, because they don't have anything else to do or they have more time. That is not what God wants us to do. That is not what God teaches. We are instructed not only to serve, but to serve with love. Not serve with bitterness or anger, but with love. God wants us to serve without grumbling, fighting, or arguing.
Can you think of ways you can serve? Do you help your parents without grumbling? Remember your home and family is your training ground for the future when you have your own home and family. There are many ways that we can serve in our family and our neighborhood. Pray with me this week that God will open new ways for us to be of service.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Are you afraid?
Paraphrased from Dictionary.com . . .
Fear - an emotion that is distressing, causing anxiety or concern
Afraid - a feeling of fear, regret or reluctance
There are many more listings for these two words that are most similar in not only their meaning but also in their application.
It is my understanding that fear is a constant distressing emotion. Afraid is the cause of the fear. Example: I fear thunderstorms because I am afraid of the lightening produced by thunderstorms. I fear the dark because I cannot see what is making the strange noises. I fear going into the cave because I do not know what is in there.
Normally we fear what we don't understand, or we know someone who has had a bad experience. For some fear is the inability to control - you cannot control whether a snake will bite you or go on its merry way. The more we learn of things the less we fear them. Some people fear the dark, heights, water, snakes, spiders, pain, death, fire - there are hundreds of things that people fear. It is an ongoing emotion of distress and anxiety.
As a little girl I had a reconcurring nightmare that caused me and my parents much distress and frustration. I never knew when the dream would come, but when it visited me I became hysterical and distraught. As an adult, I know the incident that sparked the dream and understand how unreasonable it must have sounded to my parents, but at the time I feared going to sleep because I was afraid of the emotions caused by the dream. Ironically, in the dream I was unable to reach my parents even though I could see and hear them clearly - I could not make them see or hear me. At the time there had been many unsettling changes in my life - my paternal grandmother died, my maternal grandparents were moving, I had started to school - none of which should be earth shattering. But to a family oriented six year old it was cause for insecurity and unease. As an adult I realize that my parents were going through changes also. I was well fed, clothed and kept warm, but in due to my parent's inexperience and their emotional distress, my emotions were ignored. I did not receive the comfort and security needed during this time. As time passed I found that my parents were still there to protect and care for me and my maternal grandparents were moving in order to be closer to me - this gave me even more security. The dreams eventually stopped after two years and the fear of sleep disappeared.
We all go through stressful and distressing periods in our life. If we feel incapable of handling these emotions we feel fear. Some fears we conquer, others stay with us for a lifetime.
What are you fearful of or afraid of? Do you know why you have this fear?
Isaiah 12:2 KJV says "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; : for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strenth and my song; he also is become my salvation."
For me Psalms 23 is the most comforting chapter of the Bible. It is probably the most read and recited chapter of the Psalms which is also known as a book of prayer. Read Psalms 23 slowly a verse at a time. How do these prayers apply to you and your life?
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The rod and the staff were used by the shepards in herding and managing the large herd of sheep - they were used to keep them in line keeping them from danger and harm. God's keep us from danger and harm by blocking our way, especially if our way is dangerous and harmful. Remember God is all knowing and all seeing. If we feel afraid, going to God in prayer will ease our fear.
Happy reading!
Belle
Fear - an emotion that is distressing, causing anxiety or concern
Afraid - a feeling of fear, regret or reluctance
There are many more listings for these two words that are most similar in not only their meaning but also in their application.
It is my understanding that fear is a constant distressing emotion. Afraid is the cause of the fear. Example: I fear thunderstorms because I am afraid of the lightening produced by thunderstorms. I fear the dark because I cannot see what is making the strange noises. I fear going into the cave because I do not know what is in there.
Normally we fear what we don't understand, or we know someone who has had a bad experience. For some fear is the inability to control - you cannot control whether a snake will bite you or go on its merry way. The more we learn of things the less we fear them. Some people fear the dark, heights, water, snakes, spiders, pain, death, fire - there are hundreds of things that people fear. It is an ongoing emotion of distress and anxiety.
As a little girl I had a reconcurring nightmare that caused me and my parents much distress and frustration. I never knew when the dream would come, but when it visited me I became hysterical and distraught. As an adult, I know the incident that sparked the dream and understand how unreasonable it must have sounded to my parents, but at the time I feared going to sleep because I was afraid of the emotions caused by the dream. Ironically, in the dream I was unable to reach my parents even though I could see and hear them clearly - I could not make them see or hear me. At the time there had been many unsettling changes in my life - my paternal grandmother died, my maternal grandparents were moving, I had started to school - none of which should be earth shattering. But to a family oriented six year old it was cause for insecurity and unease. As an adult I realize that my parents were going through changes also. I was well fed, clothed and kept warm, but in due to my parent's inexperience and their emotional distress, my emotions were ignored. I did not receive the comfort and security needed during this time. As time passed I found that my parents were still there to protect and care for me and my maternal grandparents were moving in order to be closer to me - this gave me even more security. The dreams eventually stopped after two years and the fear of sleep disappeared.
We all go through stressful and distressing periods in our life. If we feel incapable of handling these emotions we feel fear. Some fears we conquer, others stay with us for a lifetime.
What are you fearful of or afraid of? Do you know why you have this fear?
Isaiah 12:2 KJV says "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; : for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strenth and my song; he also is become my salvation."
For me Psalms 23 is the most comforting chapter of the Bible. It is probably the most read and recited chapter of the Psalms which is also known as a book of prayer. Read Psalms 23 slowly a verse at a time. How do these prayers apply to you and your life?
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." The rod and the staff were used by the shepards in herding and managing the large herd of sheep - they were used to keep them in line keeping them from danger and harm. God's keep us from danger and harm by blocking our way, especially if our way is dangerous and harmful. Remember God is all knowing and all seeing. If we feel afraid, going to God in prayer will ease our fear.
Happy reading!
Belle
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