Job 28:7-8 says,
“There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which
the vulture's eye hath not seen: The lion's whelps have
not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it.”
Yes, there is a path which the fowls of this life
do not know about, and which the eye of the vulture has
not seen.
A frail old man
went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and
four-year old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight
was blurred, and his step faltered. The family
ate together
at the table. But
the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight
made eating difficult.
Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.
The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with
the mess. "We must do
something about Grandfather," said the son.
I've had enough of his
spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.
So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the
family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather
had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden
bowl. When
the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes
he had a tear in his eye as he
sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were
sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.The four-year-old watched
it all in silence.
One evening before supper, the father noticed his
son playing with wood scraps on the floor.
He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?"
Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am
making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food when
I grow up."The four-year-old
smiled and went back to work.
The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.
Though no word was spoken, both knew what
must be done. That
evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led
him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days, he ate every meal
with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer
when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth
soiled.
Children are remarkably perceptive. Their eyes ever
observe, their ears ever listen, and their minds ever process
the messages they absorb.
If they see us patiently provide a happy home
atmosphere for family members, they will imitate
that attitude for the rest of their lives.
The wise parent realizes that every day
the building blocks are being laid
for the child's future.Let's be wise builders
and role models. "Lord, we ask
not that you move the mountains,
but that You give us the strength to climb."Life
is about people connecting with people, and making a positive
difference.
"Take care of yourself, ... and those you love,
... today, ...and everyday!"
