Tell the Next Generation

Day 167 of Photo Inspirations -- Tell The Next Generation
As I've walked through the halls of Northwestern University of St. Paul, MN, while here at the NCFCA National Speech & Debate Competition this week, I've passed this portrait of Billy Graham many times. I knew I needed to take a photo of it.  It would be my photo inspiration for today.  His portrait is 2nd in line of all the other presidents.  In 1947, at age 30, Billy Graham became the 2nd president here, and at the time, was the youngest person to serve as a sitting president of any U.S. college or university. He served as president from 1948 to 1952 when he resigned to become a full-time minister.

I thought about his legacy, the seeds he planted in the future generations here, and how that legacy continues to plant seeds in young people today that are carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the marketplace and the world.  Surely this scripture applies:   "Tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.” (Psalm 78:4)

And when we continue to sow into our kids and our grandkids, as well as other young people, as we cultivate their talents and abilities, take the time to listen and encourage them, as well as help steer them to be laser focused on getting to know God and His plans and purposes for them, then they will not only impact their generation, but the generations to come.

Billy Graham's heart for reaching out to the masses with the love of Jesus could not be confined to a university.  He carried it to the world and millions have come to know Christ because of his message.  And something about this last week, and seeing that photo has increased my own desire to live out this scripture like never before:  Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Let these words that I’m commanding you today be always on your heart. Teach them repeatedly to your children. Talk about them while sitting in your house or walking on the road, and as you lie down or get up. Tie them as reminders on your forearm, bind them on your forehead, and write them on the door frames of your house and on your gates.”
#UNW #BillyGraham #TellTheNextGeneration

God Makes Something Out of Nothing

Day 164 of Photo Inspirations -- God Makes Something Out of Nothing
I sincerely believe God has a reason for everything -- including the things that He uses as "attention-getters".  At the very least, He wants me to be aware that He is with me and He has another object lesson for me to learn from.

Case in point.  Last week I was first to the restaurant where I would be meeting my BFF.  The only table I could find, was one that had this stick on it.   When my friend arrived, I asked if she could think of a reason why that stick was there. "Is God trying to tell us something?"  Without second guessing, she said, "It reminds me of a stick I found in Fatima, Portugal and brought it back home to see if it could be carved for my Dad.   He was using a cane to walk then, and that carved stick would be a perfect birthday gift for him."   My friend had the stick carved by her friend.  Without ever telling her friend what to carve, she transformed it from "nothing" to something beautiful and of great significance to my friend AND her Dad.

My friend went on to tell me she had written a blog about that Walking Stick Story.  She has been distracted and so busy in the last year, that she hasn't been writing, but lately, has been sensing God urging her to start again.  Because I know her gifts and talents in writing and blogging, I agreed that this stick was another nudge from heaven to begin again.  I urge you to read her Walking Stick Story here (it's beautiful), and even follow her blogs:  http://www.becomingwomenofpeace.com/search?q=stick

Today begins the National Speech & Debate Competitions here at Northwestern University and Payton will present his speech, "The Making of a Leader".  It's an informative speech and in it he explains what God does in making a leader.  To quote him, "God has a knack at creating something out of nothing.  Whether it's the creation of the world out of literally nothing or the making of a King from a simple shepherd boy, God knows how to make something great out of the ordinary."  And the final line of the speech goes:  "If man can take a piece of moldy old bread and make life-saving penicillin out of it, can you just imagine what the God of the universe can make out of you?"  Yes, our God, the Almighty Creator of EVERYTHING is quite capable of making SOMETHING out of nothing and SOMETHING out of us!

It's ALL About the Journey and Getting to our Destination

Day 164 of Photo Inspirations -- It's All About the Journey AND Getting to our Destination
Whoever said "It's not about the destination -- it's about the journey" wasn't running a 26.2 mile marathon or on a 12-hour road trip, with 6 of us AND stuff crammed into a vehicle.LOL!   Yesterday, my Texas kids and I (all 6 of us) had a 12-hour "journey" (road trip) to Minneapolis for Payton's  NCFCA Speech & Debate Nationals Tournament.  We played card games, Scrabble, sang, used our technology for entertainment AND worked (in Staci's case), snacked, and stopped for yet another one of us needing a pit stop. With all that entertainment, still there were moments of sibling disagreements.  "Mom, please make her stop singing!"  "Mom, he won't move over."  "Mom, I want to watch that DVD!"  "Mom, she won't stop putting her feet on me!"  Hilarious!  For them, it WAS about the destination!

I have to smile as it brought back so many vivid memories of our own family road trips -- the only difference was, we never could use "I'll take away your technology if you all don't settle down"!  Aw.....technology -- sweet time consumer and a means for harmony and peace.  I often wonder "How did we manage raising our kids without it?"  LOL!   In our case, all my kids' daddy had to do was pull the car to a screeching halt on the side of the road....and peace and harmony resumed.  For us then, as now, it was about the destination.

We made it here to Northwestern University, got all settled in our dorm rooms.  Yes, three of us are in one dorm room and the other three are in the other.  These dorm rooms are unlike ones of the past.  These have kitchenettes AND bathrooms in them, furnished with nice beds, desks and chests and lots of closet space.   Payton and Alexia are getting to experience what it will be like to "live on campus" one day, and we are enjoying 'remembering' campus life.  The journey for us was sweet....but the destination of graduating and moving on in life was what it was about for us -- THE DESTINATION!

We made it here -- our destination.    The closer we got, the more excited Payton became.  He practiced and worked hard to be here, and he prayed and believed for it.  I loved reading HIS Instagram post yesterday:

"On my way with the family driving to Minnesota for the NCFCA Speech and Debate Nationals Tournament! (A long 12 hours!!!) I can't thank God enough for all the guidance He has given me! I know I couldn't have made it this far without Him! He sure is a great God! Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you declare the Lord; plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you a hope and future"!

THAT'S it!!!  Yes, God does have awesome plans for our todays.  He wants us to have a blessed journey.   Getting to Minneapolis -- our destination -- is sweet.  But getting to HEAVEN to be with our Lord and our loved ones will be AWESOME!  So we'll continue to enjoy the journey ......with ALWAYS keeping in mind that the ultimate and FINAL DESTINATION will be with Him and being HOME SWEET HOME!