Kitty Williams, Director of Music Ministries
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” – Psalm 122:1
It was wonderful to be back together in sanctuary at First United Methodist in Garland on Sunday.
I am so thankful for all the doctors and scientists who developed the vaccination.
Now we can be close to all the people we love.
All of my family received their COVID-19 vaccination!
And now, the visiting has begun!
I got to visit my youngest daughter and son-in-law in Washington State.
Then on the other side of United States, I visited my oldest daughter, son-in-law, my son AND my grandson in Washington DC!
The last time I saw my grandson, he was a baby. Now he is a toddler. He is such a sweetie and smart!
My nephew and his family came for a visit to Texas! He has two sweet daughters.
Now that I’m of the ‘grandmother’ age, I enjoy watching how my children, nieces and nephews work, play and lovingly discipline their children.
My three-year-old great niece is a budding graffiti artist.
Unfortunately, she colored on my mom’s kitchen floor.
I took a picture of my sweet niece kneeling beside her young daughter as her little girl cleaned the floor where she had drawn.
The mom was so patient with the child.
When I was a child, I remember being disciplined for several wrongdoings.
Once I got in trouble for singing at church. Granted it was during the sermon!
My parents sang in the choir while their three young children sat near the front row.
As a six year old, I flipped through the hymnal and just made up my own words and tunes.
My sister, who is three years older, reported the grievance!
Can’t you just hear it?
“Mama, Kitty was singing during the sermon!”
As a parent, I know it is difficult to figure out ways to lovingly guide your children.
Last week, when my brother and his wife came for a visit, we reminisced the challenges of parenthood.
Along with the lecture/time out or whatever discipline was being administered, my brother had his boys say, “Thank you, Dad, for enforcing standards that help me become a better person.”
My sister-in-law used that in her classroom.
If you had siblings or children close in age, you know that with two or more children come the skirmishes.
Most of the time, my kids enjoyed being together.
However, there were times when they had to learn to get along.
Once my children were arguing in the car.
Some of you may remember arguing with siblings saying, “Here is the line, don’t cross the line.”
Well, my kids would not stop quarreling.
So from the front seat, I threatened, “If you don’t stop, I am going to make you walk.”
They thought I was bluffing.
Let’s just say, they got their ‘steps in’ that day.
(Luckily, we were not in a hurry to get to our destination.)
If they ever had trouble getting along in the house, I made them sit in the hall and look at each other.
This posturing would continue until they could figure out a way to get along.
Somehow, they would reconcile and all was well.
Since they are all friends today, I’m assuming it was true reconciliation.
I wonder if God would like to sit us in the hall until we reconcile our relationships.
God’s desire is for us to “love one another.”
So the question is, how can we do this?
“Are we willing to act in love and mercy regardless of the path ahead?
“Are we willing to patiently wait for another to want to speak to us?
“Are we willing to consider a conversation that we know will be painful?
“Are we willing to trust that God’s love and grace for us and everyone else involved is big enough to heal each according to his/her needs, understanding and timetable?”*
Perhaps this little prayer of humility will begin the healing:
“Lord, I am willing to receive the grace to take the best way forward.”
God’s love is unfathomable. It can’t be forced on us. But in humility, we can accept it.
Then God’s love will radiate through us – reconciling, healing, enriching.
Let’s see what this love can do!
* Vinita Hampton Wright
First Reflections 