Spending Time With Each Other

           We are going to the aquarium tomorrow. My youngest son is very excited. Well, they all are. I mean, it's a field trip right? Who doesn't like a field trip. And one big enough there isn't much of a chance of being able to get home in time to do school work.
            We never really did many field trips before. I guess I mean, before things started to change for us financially. It always seemed like we could do it another day. My husband needed to work, I needed to do laundry. Whatever it was, there were other things to do. We could do those neat field trips later. I guess.  While my husband was out of work we spent a lot of time together as a family. Everyday really. It was strange but, kind of wonderful too. We all actually like each other. I did laugh that my husband and I were turning into my mom and dad. You know, always together. He would drop me off for my haircut appointments and come back to get me. Not to save money. Just because we were always together. All of that together time did something to us though. Something strange that you wouldn't have expected. It made us appreciate each other and the time we spend together. My husband was there to see everything we do all day and even was a part of it. Yes, we were freaked out that he wasn't working and that we might have to move into a cardboard box. But, we clung to each other more. Truth moment- I was scared.  I was so scared that I could cry now thinking about it. We aren't out of the clear. We are still struggling but, God is providing for us our daily bread. That is what he has promised. We really learned to look to each other for strength and comfort. I know many couples break up or fight tremendously during financial disaster. We didn't. Don't get me wrong, our life wasn't sunshine and rainbows. We were both scared. We had just had  baby number 4 and everything collapsed. What do you do?
              Back to field trips. Why are they so important now? Because it occurred to us both in that time of hardship and togetherness that we don't know what is around the next bend. We don't know how much time we have. We may plan for the next 5 years but, who says God is going to give us 5 years?  And (as our pastor said a couple of weeks ago) what are you going to do with them, worthwhile to deserve them? Are you spending your time always assuming you have plenty of time to do whatever? Or do you live to serve Him and love those people God has blessed you with? If it is a picnic in the park, a walk in the harbor, even a trip to the aquarium. Make the time you have here count. Don't make God sad he gave it to you. Also, speak up for Him. The neighbor you see everyday getting the mail, does he know Christ? What, are you keeping salvation a secret? Do you think God wants to have a secret society? I don't think so. I once read a mad, ranting letter from a step-daughter to her parents. She said she didn't believe in God. Also, if they did, and believed that she and everyone else that didn't give their life to Christ was going to Hell, why are we Christians so placid about it? Why don't we scream from the mountain tops? Are we so selfish we want to keep Heaven for ourselves? Whoa. what?  This girl really said, that if we truly looked around us with our Christian eyes on, and thought that these people are going to burn in hell for eternity, how can we live with ourselves? Isn't saving someone from burning in hell for eternity worth a period of uncomfortable awkwardness? This really freaked me out. Try it. Look around you and who is it that says they don't believe there is a God and you think, they're entitled to their opinion. Really? Do you really believe it is an opinion? Or is it the Truth? Yes, this is a night time rant, but, this is what is in my brain tonight.
                In short (too late), spend time with the ones you love. They and you won't always have each other. It could be you in the IHOP eating dinner alone, watching the other younger families eating together. Wishing you had one more day to visit with your husband, wife, kids, whoever. Don't you want to have wonderful memories of your darling ones? Better yet, hopefully they will ask you to dinner. Then, live for God. He died for you. Who would you die for?
               God loves you and wants to spend time with you. So  does your family. Who is it you need to spend time with? Your Grandma? Your spouse? Your kids?
               End of nighttime rant. Now go love on the family God blessed you with. I'll be petting sharks tomorrow. Bye.