Entertaining Angels

Since my Mom has been with me and I am faced with the realization that she won’t be here always, I have really thought a lot about the legacy that she and my Dad leave behind.

When I was a child, Daddy was the custodian of the Church of Christ we attended in Edmond and he also drove the church bus to many of the church functions, with one of my favorite activities being the monthly skating we attended one Sunday a month after evening service. We would go to a skating arena in Oklahoma City for an area wide event for congregations of the Church of Christ.
Even though Daddy was the church custodian – Trust Me – cleaning the building was definitely a family affair! My Mom and all of us kids worked every Saturday to get the building clean for Sunday worship services. We loved Wednesday evenings because we didn’t have to do a lot unless a special event was planned. After each service we checked all the pews in the building, picked up the song books and bibles and put them in the rack where they belonged. Such a little thing, I guess, but I always liked that part of cleaning. Sometimes us kids would race to see which of us could finish putting all the books up first!
The church building was just across the street from a park and many times we would go to the park to play after services. There were a lot of times all of us kids walked together to the park from home which was probably a distance of about two miles. Those days were great – when you didn’t have to worry so much about the evil in the world and trusted that your children would be okay walking any distance by themselves.
One of the best things my parents leave behind them is a wonderful recognition of what is important in this life! We didn’t have much money when I was a child, but I never knew that until I was grown. I don’t remember ever feeling like we were poor, even though now I know that we were. I remember one house we rented, when I was in junior high, that really was not a great house to live in - it needed a lot of work. It fit our needs and even though it did not look like most of the houses the other teens lived in, we held many church functions at the house and always had a great turnout! Our teen group would come and we would play games and have devos and share great times together.
I remember when my brothers were teenagers, they were always brining someone home with them saying “they got kicked out of their house” or they have no place to stay” or some other reason and my parents always allowed them to stay in our home! My Mom would always ask that the visiting guy let someone know where he was staying, but other than that, each person was treated as any other family member. There were a couple of times that my parents were taken advantage of because of their kindness. A couple of the guys that came to stay took things from my parents – of course, with no intent to return them! That never stopped the hospitality my parents showed to everyone.

Keep on loving each other as brothers.

Do not forget to entertain strangers,

for by so doing some people have

entertained angels without knowing it.

Hebrews 13:1,2

That’s one of the greatest gifts I feel that my parents taught to us, their children. There was never an emphasis on “things”. Possessions were something we had use of while we were on this earth and that was it! If there was someone in need, my parents would always help – not even knowing, sometimes, how we would make it through the month!
I’m so thankful for that gift!

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2

“A man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

Material possessions are not important to me, either. I am thankful to have a roof over my head and a vehicle to get us where we need, but other than that I don’t need a lot! I have nothing that means more to me than living a life pleasing to God, and nothing that means more than people and their feelings! I hope and pray that I have also instilled the same value in my children!
I can remember, when we would go to my grandparents houses, we were never bombarded with “things” either. We loved to go to their houses to see them and be with them – there was no ulterior motive! We made our own fun at their houses – playing with cousins, reading books, fishing for crawdads, gathering eggs and any other activity that we deemed adventurous.

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. I Timothy 5:4

I am thankful that my family is so close. In caring for my Mom, I know that I don’t have to make decisions alone and if I need help with anything, I can depend on my brothers and sisters. We have always made decisions regarding my Dad and my Mom as a group – supporting each other. We care for my Mom as one unit - My parent’s six children and their spouses – and I know that is the way God intended parents to be cared for by their family!

Both my Dad’s family and my Mom’s family always placed importance on being together! We always met, at the very least, at Christmas and once in the summertime. When we were younger, we always met for Thanksgiving, too. As the families have grown – we are now into the fourth generation on both sides - we don’t get together as much. Each family has grown children who have grown children and we are just not able to get together as often. I miss that time!
I love family and love to be with them!