A Thousand Generations
I heard this story and just had to share it with my friends. A busy father was looking for a way to entertain his young daughter. He found a map of the world in a magazine and cut it into pieces. He gave the pieces to his child and suggested she try to piece the map back together.
After a very short time, she said she had finished. He was very surprised by how quickly she had done it. He asked her how she had managed to do it so fast. She replied, “I noticed when you took the page out of the magazine that on the back of the map of the world there was a picture of a man and a woman. I thought that if I could put the man and the woman back together, I could put the world back together.”
Out of the mouth of babes. Isn’t that what could happen if we could put this world and the humans living in it back together again in love, harmony, and peace? I know it can happen because I witnessed it last Friday night.
Carl and I were blessed to join his family for a 50th birthday celebration for his son-in-law at Perry’s Steakhouse, downtown Austin. Our group of 14 ate in the “The Vault”. An actual historic bank vault from Frost Bank which was at this location many years ago, was repurposed. The original solid steel door and the safety deposit boxes remain in the room.
But more than the room’s ambiance and the delicious meal we enjoyed, was the family that met inside it. The birthday man was celebrated. I didn’t know him well before this night. But I came to know him by the words to him from his family and how much he is so loved and respected by his children, as you can see in this daddy/daughter photo.
Terrell, the birthday man, didn’t want this day to be just about him. He wanted each one of us to share what our favorite vacation was. Each of his three children shared their favorite trip was their individual dad/child trips and the genuine fun they had with his undivided attention to them. I caught this sweet daughter/dad moment in this photo. She loves her daddy and shows it.
Marriage and family life. It is God’s natural order. The family is the foundation of society, and a strong society depends on strong families, and strong families depend on strong marriages. From generation to generation – we can pass on our values and our non-negotiables.
The song, “The Blessing” comes direct from the Bible and acknowledges family life. Each generation has a responsibility to think about the future and plan for it. Jesus is the key for every generation. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever so that means hope and a promise. While everyone is responsible for their own lives, we can still hope and pray that our children, grandchildren, and their descendants will be God followers all the days of their lives.
I’d like to close by praying the lyrics to “The Blessing” song over you and your family today:
“The Lord bless you, and keep you. Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
May His favor be upon you, and a thousand generations, and your family and your children, and their children, and their children.
May His presence go before you, and behind you, and beside you. All around you, and within you. He is with you, He is with you.
In the morning, in the evening. In your coming, and your going. In your weeping, and rejoicing. He is for you, He is for you. Amen.”