Today I enjoyed my family. I have a daughter who soon will marry and find joy of her own in her new marriage. I cooked. I played in the sun with the waterhose with my grandchildren and son, I visited with my mother, sent my son to bury my mother's cat, welcomed my new son-in-law's parents into my home for dinner, cleaned the kitchen umpteen times, welcomed my mother-in-law, prepared for tomorrow's dinner and activities, and still managed to find time for God.
But the truth is that God found time for me. He brought all of these people that I love, and that love all the people that I love to me. My heart is very full. I saw my oldest son for the first time in a long time. I saw my 2nd oldest daughter for the first time in a long time. I rejoiced in laughter and jokes and smiles and hugs and warm feelings of love. It was a good day.
I bring this up because there was a time when I would have complained about having to do all the work that is involved in keeping a family fed and happy. The emotions that you must work around and through when entertaining a big family are difficult. Solomon has taught me many good lessons on how to handled relationships. I wanted to look back through his twelve chapters of Ecclesiastes today and pick out the ones that could be used just for relationships.
I know that I have learned to keep my mouth tame, not to gossip, consider time and how we don't get all that we want in relationships until the time has ripened, consider the importance of learning about God's wisdom while I am young by listening to those who are older and wiser. I realize that these phrases have other meanings, I am using them for the purpose of relationships.
Some words and phrases from all twelve chapters
Chapter 1 vs 8 - the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. -
When we look upon those that we love, or hear the words "I love you", or what ever they may say to you, we need to accept it for what it is and not want more. More excitement, more time, more understanding. Children give what they can. Spouses are no different. We do not change people by our discontent or disappointment in their behavior but we do change our relationship with them. If we can train our eyes to be satisfied with whatever the offering may be, we would find that the giver would learn to feel love and appreciated and then give more. If we could learn to be satisified with the offering of love, emotion, thanksgiving that is offered, we would find we have received just what we needed for that one day.
And we should all live our lives one day at a time.
Chapter 2 :26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy - Family that knows God and prays unto God will know wisdom, knowledge and joy. Relationships that base themselves upon God will know wisdom, knowledge and joy. Children that grow with God will know wisdom, knowledge and joy.
Chapter 3: 11 He hath made every thing abeautiful in his time. Raising my family has been a struggle. We have had many moments of joy, and frustration. But we have finally found our beauty; it has come in His time. When we discovered the joy that comes from reading the scriptures and the joy that comes from serving others we have found beauty in his time. When we have discovered how to love one another, how to listen to one another, to to make time for one another, we have discovered beauty in his time.
4:13 Better is a apoor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be badmonished.
In a family children are taught to be admonished, to learn from those who are wiser. I believe that many children are spoiled when parents refuse to discipline the mouth and actions of a child. So it is better for a child to grow up without ... unneccary riches, without too much approval, without .? for this teaches him what is important. Old foolish kings who have too much power, too much vanity, too much acceptance learn not to self-control. Later Solomon will tell us that wealth is not bad if there is goodness, but until wisdom and discipline have been taught, wealth will spoil even the old and foolish king.
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