One of my favorite lines from Zig Ziglar is, “You notice they didn’t call them the Ten Suggestions.” Still cracks me up. Nope, they are the Ten Commandments. They seem simple and straightforward, but they are not always easy to live by.
Sometimes unexpected people can inspire us, not by what they say, but more by what they do. Alex Kost, my friend’s brother, does something very simple yet profound. He calls his mom every day. Seems simple. When I heard this, it struck me. My mom and dad live 2,500 miles away. I love them and call them, but I had not done it as regularly as Alex. He inspired me by his action to start making sure I call my mom at least once a week.
Commandment 5. Honor Your Father and Your Mother
I understand how lucky I have been to have a great mom and dad. Many others were not as fortunate. I am guilty of taking for granted what I have and of not doing enough to show my gratitude. The commandment is not that we have to like our parents or always agree with them, but we are expected to honor them more.
On my last trip home I decided to do a little more than usual. My mom is a talented artist, and she painted a large mural at a local hospital for troubled kids. She was very proud of it and even gave away pictures of herself and her mural at Christmas. I realized that painting is what makes her feel alive, and she finds joy in showing it off. Despite the craziness of the holidays when traveling, I realized I needed to take the time to go see the mural with her. She was elated that I even asked. I could tell it made her day and brought her more joy that any gift I could get her.
Please understand, I’m not writing this to look good. I’m saying that I needed to do more, needed to make more of an effort for my mom. In order to grow in my relationship with Christ, I asked myself, “What else do I need to do?” I’m not sure if this is exactly what God wanted, but it sure felt like it in the moment. Thank you for the instruction manual, God. I need to read it more often so that I can live it. Thank you, Alex, for honoring your mother in a way that inspired me.
Thank you, God, for Grace, Truth, Love, and Laughter,
Darren
(Reminder, this is just a journal of my mistakes, experiences, and thoughts along my journey to having a closer relationship to God. I do not claim to be an authority on the subject. If you want to know The Way, read The Bible.)
What church do I attend? Verve Church in Las Vegas http://vivalaverve.org
P.S. Thank you, especially, for grace.
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https://darrenlacroix.com/category/godblog/
Thanks for the great insight, Darren. I lost my father suddenly; a month before he was to have seen his new Granddaughter. My mother and I had a strained relationship due to illness and she is gone as well. Build those relationships. Do what it takes to maintain and if possible, repair them.