Heritage

I was reflecting on Heritage today at church.  I have a heritage of so many different things from the people in my life.  My Mom is a master at meals and hospitality, but even when there weren’t any guests she made Us her guests.  I remember many times as a child watching movies and even when the movie had already started (there weren’t pause buttons then) – she would be in the kitchen making popcorn (on the stove) and chocolate malts in the blender.  I honestly don’t know How many times she did this but I guess she only had to do it once for me to remember that she sacrificed her viewing of the movie to take care of us.

But today, I was thinking about my relationship with the Lord.  I am not a great “Studier of the Word”.  I mean I want to be and I Do read my bible and devotionals and such but when I hear other people talk I think to myself “You’re terrible!  You’ve got to knuckle down and get in there and figure out how to knock out Hours at this thing if you want to be a “good child”!”    I am however, good at just spending time with the Lord.  I can focus on Him when I’m doing dishes or driving or working in the yard, or folding clothes (yep LOTS of time focusing on Him here).

Today, during the men’s prayer I think God reminded me of stuff in my childhood to show me WHY I’m good at that.  My family life revolved around the family table growing up.  There are so so many blogs that could and probably will come from that, but my family table sat positioned right next to this BIG picture window.  This was my Dad’s seat.  While eating, he had his back to the window, but I have equal if not more memories of his chair turned sideways with his left hand on his iced water, or coffee and his other arm resting on the window sill.  Again, I can’t tell you HOW many times this happened but I know it was a bunch.  He would say “Sugar Look here!”  and point out the window.  We lived on hundreds of acres of empty farm land.  Flat farm land that had a view for miles.  He would spot a fox or stray cat… wild deer or turkey… or maybe even just a beautiful bird.  I would run to his lap and he would point and we would search the landscape and watch the wildlife as one.  There really wasn’t ever a Lot of talking.  A phrase here or there maybe, but mostly we were just looking as one at the same thing at the same time.  Sometimes he would ask me a question, sometimes he would tell me something but mostly we just were together focused on the view ahead.  I didn’t look at him – I looked ahead, but his presence was obvious and guided the moment. 

Dad & I at the picture window.  I'm guessing I gave him a flashlight for his birthday! 

Today, during the men’s prayer God took me back to that and reminded me of the many hours I’ve done the same with Him.  Really, there’s probably no way to make it make sense in written text.  I just sit and I am at one with God, we fold laundry or we mow the yard or we feed the horses. Sometimes He asks me a question, sometimes He tells me something but mostly we just look ahead and His presence guides the moment. I may not divide the Bible and study Latin and run my Strong’s Concordance until pages fall out, and while I Do read the word, I think today He told me it’s okay.  He gave me the heritage that He did because He wants me this way.   One with Him guiding the moment.  I’m not going to feel inferior about that any more.  I’m right there – on my Father’s lap looking out the picture window, right where I should be.