Good Night, Mom. I Love You.

What has happened to my teenager?  Almost every night since he has begun high school, he walks into our bedroom and says "Good Night, Mom.  Good Night, Dad.  Love you!"  We tell Elliott that we love him too. Then, we look at each other with surprise.  Is this our child? What happened to him?

Philippians 1:6 - God who began a good work in you will bring it to completion....

Now that Elliott is in high school, he is often up later doing homework or watching TV.  Usually Wally and I are hanging out in our sitting room talking about our day.  It's 11 or 11:30 p.m.  We've said our prayers with Max (our youngest son), we've eaten dinner and we've usually played either soccer or ping pong with the boys.  And then, Elliott will barge in our room and just hang out with us. We enjoy the moment.  Then, we look at each other with surprise.  Is this our child?  What happened to him?

Philippians 1:6 - God who began a good work in you will bring it to completion....

Each morning I get up at 5:30 a.m.  I make Elliott's lunch, read a little and then I cook his breakfast.  I sit his breakfast on the kitchen table and I walk up stairs to let him know it is on the table and ESPN is on the TV!  I either work out at that point or I get in the shower.  Then, I wake my younger son up and I make his lunch and cook him breakfast.  This morning I made waffles and bacon for the boys.  As I walked down to the kitchen for the second time to make Max's lunch and breakfast, I couldn't believe my eyes.  Was this really happening?  I looked at the kitchen table and there was nothing on it.  There was not a glass, or plate or silverware or napkins.  Did the dog eat all of it?  Then I noticed that all of the dishes were in the sink.  They weren't just in the sink but they were rinsed.  Yes, rinsed.  No sticky syrup.  My son had actually put his dishes in the sink as I ask him to do every morning. However, this was the first morning that I can remember that he actually did it. So, yes I praised him.  I told him as he left for school "I really appreciate you cleaning up after yourself.  He smiled.  And I said my usual - make great choices today."

And then God brought the verse to my mind...Philippians 1:6 - God who began a good work in the heart of Elliott as a 9 year old will bring that work to completion....

Amen with JOY!

Effective Love

LET EVERY DEED WE DO TODAY : 
RISE UP AS A PRAYER OF LOVE

Vincent de Paul said, "We must love God, but let it be in the work of our bodies, in the sweat of our brows. For very often many acts of love for God, of kindness, of good will, and other similar inclinations and interior practices of a tender heart, although good and very desirable, are yet very suspect when they do not lead to the practice of effective love."

What makes our love effective?

John 13:35 - "Everyone will know that you are my disciples because of your love for each other."

Our love is ultimately effective when people know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ because of the radical love we have shown. The word "disciple" comes from the Latin "Discipulus"  meaning "pupil."  A disciple of Jesus is a student who learns how to live his/her life according to the way of Jesus.  And, we find that way as we study the life of Jesus in scripture.

Is your love being effective today?

Prayer:  Lord God, you have shown us what love looks like through sending your son Jesus to this world.  He was the word made flesh and he dwelt among us.  May Jesus continue to dwell among us through our love that we show to others.  Help us through acts of forgiveness and reconciliation to so love one another that our neighbors know we are your disciples and know that to be good news! Amen!