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Septebmer 2004 Table of Contents
From My Heart To Yours
Learning From My Family
By Jackie Evans, J&J Music
 The last time we visited Nana & Pop, Pop gave us a tape of a sermon his pastor had preached on the subject of The Family. As I was listening to it, one point that jumped out at me was that we can learn from our children. Now our children are all grown up with children of their own from whom they can learn but this got me to thinking. Yes, I have learned things from my children and that's what I'd like to share with you; one thing I learned from each of them. Here goes:
Cal: When you really want to accomplish something, no task is too difficult. Cal really wasn't excited about going to college. He made it through one quarter before he gave it up for a job at Disney World. Computers were his passion. He wanted to learn them but without the college courses necessary for a degree. So he focused on teaching himself. This is now his vocation, his livelihood and way of providing for his family. Besides having several articles published in computer magazines, he has programmed or maintained computer systems for Pat Robertson's CBN, Web MD and, of course J & J Music, as well as other free-lance projects. Thanks, Cal, for teaching me to keep pressing toward something I really believe I can do.
Kathy: Shortcuts in cooking save time without changing the taste of the food. Every year during Christmas I get in a serious baking mode. One of my Christmas treats are ‘Green Wreaths'. They take 10 minutes of prep time and forever to tediously shape the cornflake concoction into wreaths complete with cinnamon candies as holly decorations. They never stay in the shape of a wreath thus garnering the name of ‘green wreath blobs' from my children. One year, Kathy said, "Oh Mom, I just press them in a pan and cut them in squares"!!!! What a novel idea and why didn't I think of that 10 years ago? Thanks, Kathy, for teaching me to improvise.
Ashley: Never lose the ability to laugh! When Ashley was growing up, he was always bouncing off the walls with laughter…sometimes to the point of driving me crazy. He could never be serious about anything. I can remember times when I would be scolding him and he would try to keep a serious face but would always lose to gales of laughter. Instead of focusing on my laying down the law to him, he would be making mental pictures of what I was saying thus cracking himself up. I told his wife that no matter how many children she birthed, she would always have one more!! Ashley is now in his element as middle school pastor in North Carolina. At least one of his three children is just like him…God is good! Thanks, Ashley, for teaching me the importance of laughter.
Briggette: Making iced tea shouldn't take forever! Ever since Mr. Coffee came out with an iced tea maker, I have used it to make my tea. This means at least one-half hour from start to finish if you remember to keep the water reservoir full of water… longer if you forget and let it get empty. On our last visit to Ashley and Briggette's, I was going to make tea for dinner. Briggette said, "Mom, four cups of water, tea bags and seven minutes in the microwave will do it". From 30 minutes plus, down to seven...wow! What was I thinking all these years! Thanks, Briggette for another short cut in the kitchen!
Kirk: Make a priority of special times in the lives of your children. I think all of our children have done a much better job of parenting than we did and for that I am grateful. I saw this evidenced in Kirk recently. He had scheduled an important dinner meeting on the night his eldest was having his 6th birthday party. Our thought was, go ahead with your meeting, he'll never miss you with all the excitement of cake, kids and presents. But Kirk wanted to show his son he cared about his birthday party and cancelled the meeting. Even now, with my children grown and children of their own, I can learn to make their needs a priority in my life, as much as possible with all of us living farther apart. Thanks, Kirk, for helping me see this…even at my age, it's not too late.
Shanda: All food doesn't have to be made from scratch. Shanda says I never taught her to cook, and I guess I didn't. Growing up, she kept the house and I did the cooking. She learned to cook after she got married. She has developed quite a collection of recipes which are quick, easy to prepare and very good. She can prepare for her own family or, as she did this week, include six guests with seemingly no effort at all. Learning on her own has been a blessing for her and me as well. I would have taught her my way of ‘scratch cooking'. I've begun to use some of her techniques and they are working surprisingly well for me. I find it is easier to cook dinner when I don't have to get so involved that it takes up the whole evening. Thanks, Shanda for teaching me new and improved ways of cooking.
I love and actively practice in my own life these things I've learned from my children but how much more should I actively practice what my Heavenly Father has tried to teach me?
Love: Do I love my enemies?
Pray: Do I pray for those who speak against me?
Forgive: Do I forgive 70 X 7?
Honor: Do I give Him all the glory and honor for the blessings He has given me?
Praise: Do I continually praise His name?
Share: Do I actively seek ways to share His plan for our salvation?
Just an ending thought for us all.
Grateful for His Faithfulness:
Jackie
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