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Mordecai urged Esther to go into the king's presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people (Esther 4:8). How easily do you accept advice from your parents? Easier if it's your grandparents? What about from your adult child? Or a relative who's been absent from your life for years? Does that advice make your family messier or more beautiful? Esther, an Israel...
Keep ReadingEsther 4 Does an "older generation" know some things that a younger generation needs to learn? What might a "younger generation" understand that an older generation is having a hard time with? Welcome to a new week, and the next week, of our My Messy, Beautiful Family series. This week's passage is complicated, so let's kick off the week with an overview. We find oursel...
Keep ReadingWhere you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.Your people will be my people and your God my God (Ruth 1:16). There's an old song whose lyrics go: Should I stay or should I go now? If I go, there will be trouble. And if I stay, it will be double. For those familiar with this earworm and now have it stuck in your head, you're welcome. But for those unfamiliar ...
Keep ReadingBut Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go,and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me,be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me." When Naomi realizedthat Ruth was determined to go with he...
Keep ReadingNaomi: "Return home, my daughters[-in-law]. Why would you come with me?"Ruth: "Don't urge me to leave youwhere you go I will go" (Ruth 1:11,16). Mother-in-law. Cue the eye roll, guffaws, and knowing nod of the head. Sure, mothers-in-law can make family dynamics messy when they offer "meaningful" advice on your parenting skills or pot roast, or they resent you "taking away...
Keep ReadingWhen Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her (Ruth 1: 18). Yesterday we looked at Naomi and the bitterness that engulfed her following multiple losses and tragedies. While the Book of Ruth is definitely about Ruth, it is also the story of how God works in Naomi's life to heal her deep bitterness. And the role that choosing to "be fam...
Keep ReadingRuth 1 and 4 When it comes to our families, at times the beauty might blind us to the mess; at other times, the mess keeps us from appreciating and receiving the beauty. As we continue looking at Your Beautiful, Messy Family, we come this week into another of the Bible's many "family dramas," the Book of Ruth. And "messy" is far from a strong enough word for what happens...
Keep ReadingThen he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3: 34-35). My sister is an amazing teacher. She's dedicated to her students' education, but it's a challenging job, and often it gets a little crazy. I recently sent her a little plaque she put on her desk ...
Keep ReadingThen Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is ...
Keep ReadingWhen the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They have no more wine" ...His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you" (John 2:3,5). "Here, let me do that for you." "Let me talk to your teacher for you." "I can pay that bill for you." "Text me when you get there." Aww, the helicopter parent. It's natural to help, even hover over our babies and toddlers...
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