Tag: family

December 20, 2023

December 20th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Kings 7

Highlight Verse:

”Solomon also built a palace for himself, and it took him thirteen years to complete the construction.“
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭7‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

About 14 years ago, I helped a family I knew move into a new rental home. Through some unforeseen circumstances, they lost the house they had owned but they found a larger, nicer house to rent at an affordable rate.

When I saw the house, I thought, “Wow, this is a really nice big house. I wish I could afford a house like this.”

I write this from the basement of a house my wife and I bought almost ten years ago. It’s the same house.

There is much more to that story that I don’t have room for here.

Most importantly, the sellers, who were that other family’s landlords, prayed for us and the house that it would be a place of ministry.

We and others have been greatly blessed here and and we pray that the ministry would continue. Every night as I climb the stairs to our bedroom, I thank God for letting us live here.

Solomon’s palace was far larger than this house, but I believe he also saw it as a place for ministry.

It included areas for celebration, justice, and ruling.

A home is more than a space for separating ourselves into family units.

It is a place of hospitality.

It is a place of family bonding and building.

It is a place of study.

It is a place of love shared within a family and shown outward to a community.

In short, it is a place of ministry.

How do you view your home?
Do you have stories of ministry that has happened in your home that you could share?
December 6, 2023

December 6th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Kings 2-3

Highlight Verse:

““I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David leads off his final words to Solomon with this simple statement that says it all.

As a dad, I can relate.

We will all leave this Earth. Hopefully we all want to leave it a better place by training our offspring to be good and courageous men and women.

David hit a home run with Solomon though not as much so with his other sons.

It is my goal that each of my four kids and all the others I influence will bring more courage, more hope, more love, and closer fellowship with God to this world that desperately needs it.

I’m not prepared to pass from this world quite yet so I plan on doing all I can to fulfill that goal with the time I have left.

What are your hopes for your children?
What are you doing to see those hopes come true?
November 27, 2023

November 27th, 2023

Monday – Gospel

Reading – Matthew 23

Highlight Verse:

“So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s confession time again.

While I strive to always practice what I teach, there have been times when I catch myself doing something that I just taught students not to do.

Even more common, I’ll be studying for a lesson when I realize that I need to change a behavior if I want to teach the lesson honestly.

I’ve jokingly said, “Do what I say, not what I do.” But, I know that’s not the way to works.

People, especially children, will follow what you do far more often than what you say.

So, those of you who catch people acting differently than they teach, make sure you find the correct path and follow it.

And those of us who teach – and that includes all parents – watch out for how you act. Make sure it lines up with what you teach.

And if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to fess up and change your behavior.

Have you ever caught yourself acting differently than what you teach?
Have you been able to change that behavior? Share your experience that we all may do better.
November 1, 2023

November 1st, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Samuel 17-18

Highlight Verse:

“The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.””
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭18‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How tempting it was to highlight the fact that Absalom was undone by his huge head of hair.

But I felt more led to speak of a father’s emotions.

I can relate to David.

Okay, I’m no great warrior or king, nor have I committed adultery or murder.

But he was a man of many emotions.

My kids have not always walked in the ways I would like. No, they haven’t stolen half my kingdom, but there are times when I have to pray that their plans not succeed. I want them to seek earnestly after God and sometimes their plans go against that.

At the same time, I love them deeply. I would take a bullet for any of my kids or my wife in a heartbeat.

So, I understand David mourning.

Sure, he could have been a little more discreet about it, but he was a dad.

The takeaway for me here is that emotions are real and complex. While there are times they need to be kept under control, there are also times when they need to be released.

David had deep compassion. That came out as deep sorrow in this case.

Sometimes it must in us as well.

Are you a person of deep emotions?
Do you sometimes express deep sorrow?
Are those emotions channeled into deep passion for action at other times?
October 18, 2023

October 18th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 2 Samuel 13-14

Highlight Verse:

“Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭14‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I told my wife that’s what people say about me. After she stopped laughing, I decided this would be the verse I would highlight today.

No, of course I don’t think that I’m flawless.

Neither was Absalom.

He was handsome, and very shrewd. But he wasn’t kind or forgiving.

Ok, he was kind to his sister Tamar by taking care of her after their half-brother Amnon raped her.

And then he murdered his brother.

Okay, harsh, though you might say Amnon had it coming.

Then he plotted the overthrow of his Father, King David.

Truly harsh!

But I’m getting ahead of today’s reading. Let’s just say it gets ugly.

It’s safe to say that David raised a narcissist.

Stay tuned for more of the story in coming weeks.

Can you begin to see how dramatic the true stories in the Bible are?
Does this passage make you more or less convinced of the accuracy of the Bible?
July 25, 2023

July 25th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 48

Highlight Verse:

“One day not long after this, word came to Joseph, “Your father is failing rapidly.” So Joseph went to visit his father, and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭48‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I was in my 20’s, I got a call that my Grandma Clarey was going downhill fast and if I wanted to see her again I needed to go. My then fiancé and I took to the road in my 8-year-old VW Rabbit that was in bad need of a clutch. The clutch was slipping even as we went up the gentle hills in Santa Cruz. It couldn’t possibly make it to Fresno.

We prayed.

It made it over the two passes without a problem – and back!

The next day it wouldn’t even work on level ground.

I believe that God saw it as important that I be able to say goodbye to my closest grandmother – So much so that he held the clutch together for that trip.

Joseph gives us a good example of what to do in that kind of situation.

Go spend time with your loved ones while you can. Bring the kids so they can get to know them.

In the case of Manasseh and Ephraim, they received a literal blessing as well.

Do you have a parent or close relative who may not be around for too many more years?
Have you made it a priority to spend more time with them?
July 15, 2023

July 15th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Genesis 2:21-24

Highlight Verse:

“This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Today we have a party.

Our second daughter is engaged so a bunch of friends and family are coming to celebrate with us today.

One of the reasons we celebrate is because this is how it was meant to be from the beginning.

As much as we sometimes don’t want them to grow up, our kids were meant to become adults.

They’re meant to fly from the nest.

They do best when they soar on their own wings.

In most cases, marriage to the right person brings about a new family with a new life of its own.

We have two more kids to go before we complete the transition to the empty nest. While I look forward to the time my wife and I will have together in retirement, I am more excited about seeing our kids launch into their own families.

Of course, the time flies too quickly so we will cherish each of these days we have with them now.

What stage of family life are you in?
What do you look forward to the most when your kids launch into their own lives?
What do you fear the most?
June 10, 2023

June 10th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Highlight Verse:

“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

For those of you who have downloaded the reading list, you will notice a departure from what I had previously chosen. That’s because, today, we are in Nebraska to say our last goodbyes to my mother-in-law.

We are all mortal.

I feel the weight of years in this body, though I believe I have many years to go. But there will come a day when the weight of this body will be lifted and I will have a new body in heaven – one that will not wear out.

Today’s verse and several like it bear witness to that fact.

My kids’ grandma will be getting her new body soon. We will miss her desperately, but we know that she looked to Jesus for her eternal life. We will meet her again someday and she’ll be that spry, kind, and fun lady she once was.

Do you believe that you have a heavenly body waiting for you?
Have you trusted God for it?

If not, message me. Let’s talk about it.
May 30, 2023

May 30th, 2023

Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Genesis 37

Highlight Verse:

“But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭37‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I admit it. I was the spoiled younger brother. I can relate to Joseph.

Still, I knew better than to taunt my brother with visions of superiority.

Maybe that’s why he never sold me into slavery. He was probably tempted, though.

Israel’s family dynamics were far more messed up than ours.

We had to overcome some trust and hurt issues but all us Solano kids get along well now.

God redeemed the hurt and guilt issues of Israel’s family and used the situation to save them and eventually the whole world.

If you are dealing with family strife, realize that God can redeem it too!

Are there feelings of hurt or guilt you are dealing with in your family?
What would it take to put them aside and seek healing in those relationships?
May 24, 2023

May 24th, 2023

Wednesday – History

Reading – 1 Samuel 1-2

Highlight Verse:

““Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?””
‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you don’t think God has a sense of humor, read this again!

But then I realize that I can be like Elkanah.

I get so focused on myself and my situations that I don’t understand when things aren’t going well for those around me.

But God listened to Hannah. He answered her prayer. He provided.

Through Hannah, God provided Israel with Samuel. Samuel led Israel through a crucial time in its history including the anointing of King David.

Are you like Hannah? Can you trust God to provide when you cry out for help?
Are you like Elkanah? Can you opened your eyes and ears to try to understand how your loved ones are feeling?

Tag: family

Most importantly, the sellers, who were that other family’s landlords, prayed for us and the house that it would be a place of ministry.

A home is more than a space for separating ourselves into family units.

David leads off his final words to Solomon with this simple statement that says it all.

I’m not prepared to pass from this world quite yet so I plan on doing all I can to fulfill that goal with the time I have left.

People, especially children, will follow what you do far more often than what you say.

And if it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to fess up and change your behavior.

But he was a man of many emotions.

David had deep compassion. That came out as deep sorrow in this case.

Sometimes it must in us as well.

Neither was Absalom.

Truly harsh!

Stay tuned for more of the story in coming weeks.

Joseph gives us a good example of what to do in that kind of situation.

Go spend time with your loved ones while you can. Bring the kids so they can get to know them.

One of the reasons we celebrate is because this is how it was meant to be from the beginning.

They do best when they soar on their own wings.

We are all mortal.

If not, message me. Let’s talk about it.

I admit it. I was the spoiled younger brother. I can relate to Joseph.

Israel’s family dynamics were far more messed up than ours.

If you are dealing with family strife, realize that God can redeem it too!

If you don’t think God has a sense of humor, read this again!

But God listened to Hannah. He answered her prayer. He provided.