And God Said…

… “Let There be Grandchildren.”

The earth is the Lord’s and the abundance thereof. ~Psalm 24:1

You crown the year with Your goodness and Your gifts drip with abundance.  ~Psalm 65:11

Now, that’s a metaphor I can grasp. Has God’s abundance ever felt like it was dripping and pouring over your life?

When I chose the handle satisfiedsarah for my Twitter account, it was not out of a high-five of satisfaction with my life. It was out of the realization: God has poured out unconditional love for me, a sinner undeserving. Beth Moore said it much better than I am here when she expounded on the word “satisfied” in one of her Bible studies (and I’m paraphrasing):

“God the Father is SO satisfied with the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross, and because of the completeness of Abba’s satisfaction, we have forgiveness for our sins.” That’s abundant grace!

The family photo taken the year of my husband’s 60^th birthday captures my feelings like none other up until that moment. Since the time of the photo, we’ve added another grandchild and another son-in-law; time for a new family photo!

Over the course of our 40 plus years of marriage, my husband and I have suffered great loss.

Our first baby lived only six months. We’ve lost both sets of parents. I’ve lost two brothers and a sister, and some of them, tragically.

So, when God began sending us healthy children, and our marriage began to experience a renewal as well, I’m here to testify: God wasn’t finished lavishing Hid abundance on us. He also added wonderful spouses (and their families) for our daughters.

And then God said, “Let there be grandchildren.” Our hearts are so full of love for them.

Even so, while most of us who live in America have more than we could ever need, there may be things you lack. We can ask God for those needs to be met.

Maybe you’ve experienced abundance as both a blessing and a burden.

Consider these:

1. Clutter
2. Resources
3. Blessings

Clutter

Taking a look at the first item, I tackle my overflow Clutter with twice-yearly organization and purging, or more often if needed. If you’ve ever been through a natural disaster where flooding is concerned, you understand as perhaps few others can, how difficult it is to clean out the muck. Especially when the muck is weighed down by a pile of extra coats, shoes, boots, etcetera, which you intended to donate but never took the time. After experiencing both a flash flood (as a teenager) and a hurricane (as an adult–Katrina hit us when we lived on the Gulf Coast), I realize the more “stuff” Mother Nature catches you with, the more she wins. Don’t let her win.

Resources

The second item I call “Resources” because as an American, and a member of a very giving community, I can turn to a long list of helpers if and when the need arises: my loving family, a supportive church family, my neighbors, the Salvation Army, my fellow Rotarians, and the list goes on. It is my prayer for each of you reading this to have the same and more.

Blessings

The last on my list of abundance is Blessings: Freedom. Family. My sobriety. My health. My husband has a good job. And all good things flow from God.

Now consider these, ones I often experience need of:

1. Extra time
2. Peace of mind
3. Understanding

My needs are less of an issue in part because I’m a person whose glass is always half-full. I can be annoyingly positive at times, but I’ll share the few things on my list.

Extra Time

First, the extra Time needed to accomplish all that I have to do on any given day can be like trying to locate the Big Dipper on an overcast night. Time for us in any given day is 24 hours. Tops. When I lay my head on my pillow each night, I try to be grateful for all the ways I accomplished my tasks so that I have peace of mind. What didn’t get done wasn’t meant to get done.

Peace of Mind

Speaking of Peace of Mind, that’s my second need (often) and the need for peace can come over me quite suddenly. Panic can set in on any number of concerns when I least expect it.

• Family situations
• Disappointments
• The nightly news
• Drivers with road rage
• Seeing the addicted struggling on the streets

At times (my family would say routinely) I’ve called 911 to report seeing a drugged-out victim of their addiction trying to navigate a sidewalk or (worse) a busy parking lot with vehicles swerving to miss the person, and other potentially serious problems. The worrisome details of life can come crashing in on us, but the Lord has spoken about everything that concerns us:

Be anxious for nothing.

Understanding

Finally, the Lack of Understanding is something I need to address from time to time. Just because I might feel strongly about an issue doesn’t mean I thoroughly comprehend the matter.

Our Bible study is currently reading through Phillip Yancey’s “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” Turns out, I am lacking in how I grace others. Yancey refers to this as “ungrace.” I can be brutally judgmental. I can be unforgiving and intolerant, and therein lies the rub. After all the grace bestowed on me, on my family and my community, I am wise to do the introspection necessary to get back on track; back in God’s good graces, and remember: To whom much is given, much is required.

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Sarah Blizzard Robinson

Sarah and her husband, Jim, have been married over 40 years. They are the parents of three daughters and the grandparents of three granddaughters. Sarah fills her days with Moms in Prayer, Bible study, writing, and joining her motivated walking group.

Latest posts by Sarah Blizzard Robinson (see all)

• Use What You Have - September 23, 2021
• Practicing the Principles of Peace - July 22, 2020
• Making the Most of Turning 60 - February 13, 2019