Good evening from Wichita, Kansas! I drove here from Houston early this morning. I'm staying with Dave and Sally until Scott and Karen come home from trips to Colorado and Iowa next week. One reason why I waited until today to come is that I hate missing worship with my home congregation, both of the English and Chinese language persuasion. So last night was my final time with my spiritual family until 2016. Nice to have multiple families! My usual pew spot during morning and evening services is on the right side, about five rows from the front. Most folks tend to have a seating circumference and I'm no different. I often sit behind Koral's family. Koral is the two and a half year old angel pictured above. Her family and I have quite a few connections. I baptized her sister, Reighna. I've penned two blogs about her four year old brother, Kaeden. Her sister, Lexi, is in my 8th grade class and promised to dedicate a song to me at a chorus performance. Her dad, Kenneth, teaches and coaches with me. And her mom, Lynette, somehow holds it all together while running a business! I get tired just thinking about their schedules!
Before last night, Koral had never paid much attention to me. But I did a peek a boo thing and she reciprocated. She turned around and faced the back of the auditorium which meant facing me. Koral had some stickers she was playing with and as she pulled one of the sheet, I extended my hand. BINGO- I got stickered! Koral giggled and commenced to stamp me again....and again.... and again. Before the final note of the final song, I had an even dozen stickers on my right hand. One for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas! I left feeling like the tree that just got decorated!
It wasn't the only gift from a family member within the week. A few days ago, Lexi brought me a gift bag of Mary Kay stuff for hands along with men's soap. (I swim constantly which lends to dry hands and mom Lynette is a MK distributor.) So twice in the space of a week, my hands improved by the graciousness of the same family! I like, too, that Koral decorated my right hand. In three of the four Gospels, the story is told of Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath who had a withered, useless hand. In his account, Luke specifically tells us it was the man's right hand. I tell my students that tradition says the man was a mason. Since 85% of mankind is right handed, it would mean the man more than likely would no longer be able to work with stone and take care of his family. I'm right handed, too! I used to work with a Christian organization who used this as a motto:
Nuestras Manos Pertenecen a Cristo
In English, that reads
Our Hands Belong To Christ
Sometimes my hands need strengthening in the fight against Satan but I always need reminding who those hands belong to. Children can be terrific reminders! And right before Christmas, I think Koral put His stamp of ownership on me!
Applicable quote of the day:
The final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.
Anne Frank
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com
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