Blessing the Generations

By Marty Norman –

It’s that time of year again. Seems like I just get the Christmas decorations put away for the season when it’s time to climb back up into the attic and start the process over again.  Where does the time go? Now it’s a new year, and I’ve got to pack everything up again for next year. It’s a never ending cycle.

Traditionally New Year’s Day is a new beginning for me. While the football games rage, I calmly back away Christmas while contemplating the year to come. Somehow there’s symmetry in this order.

But this year I’m doing something different. Instead of making my typical New Year’s Resolutions, which include being kind to others, losing ten pounds, and getting more organized, this year I’m only doing spiritual resolutions. Time is a-moving and if I’m going to bless the generations I best come up with a plan.

The question is, if I died tomorrow would I have completed everything spiritually I wanted to complete? The answer, of course, is no, although it may be different for each of us.

For me, I ask myself: Have I memorized all the scripture I want to have at the tip of my tongue? Have I read the Bible cover to cover? Do I pray by my bed on my knees at night as a model for my grandchildren?  Have I taught them my favorite hymns and Christmas carols?   When I’m gone what will they say about their Marme?

Recently I took my four-year-old grandson to Target. The church was participating in Franklin Graham’s “Samaritan Purse” Christmas boxes so I wanted him to experience selfless giving. The rules were set before we walked in the door. We were to buy nothing for him; everything we purchased was for others.

He decided he wanted to do a box for a 4 year-old boy and 6 year-old girl, so the search was on. What to put in the boxes that a boy 4 and a girl 6 would like?  An hour and a half later, and one hundred dollars lighter, we had our boxes filled. Not an inexpensive proposition, the lessons learned were well worth the money spent. My grandson had a huge dose of thinking of someone other than himself. And praise God, he rose to the occasion.

After our shopping spree, we needed a refueling trip to the ice cream store. I used the time to fill in the fill-in-the-blank letter included in the box. I wrote as he dictated, introducing himself by naming his favorite food, drink, games, etc.

But the surprise and gift of the day came when he answered the fill in the blanks… I love Jesus because… His answer:  “he loves us and let’s us pray, and he hears us right now.” Out of the mouths of babes.

So this year my New Year’s Resolutions have a new twist, nothing for me – all for God. You would have thought I’d have learned the lesson that my 4-year-old grandson learned that day. But I guess it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. Although this dog no longer hunts, I can still bark and find bones.

So time’s a-wasting. Let’s get this New Year’s Resolution format down to an understandable formula. Let’s bless the generations later as we do the work for the kingdom now.

Happy New Year’s and Good Hunting!