We all know children say the darndest things, and have since the beginning of time. 

Again, I am going to talk about my Mama. When we get together, we try to get her to tell us of all the things in the past. We even video taped her a few times. Boy! She has some stories on all of her children. And don't tell me that you do not have some stories also.  Even it you were raised as we were in a Christian home.  There is no one perfect, but Jesus Christ.  So let us just have fun and laugh together in the Lord.  Even He has a sense of humor. 

Look in the mirror. He made you and me. Ha Ha. Daddy and Mama had seven children. Ruby, R.A., Frances, Leroy (died at birth), James, William and then surprise to them, me (Pat). We were all raised in the church, and when they had guest preachers come, Mama was always asked to feed the preacher.  And of course they had Fried Chicken.  As the story goes, one of my brothers, ( I will not say, but he is 12 years older than me. I was the next one born in line after him) made this Sunday Dinner quite an experience. As the preachers were eating he did not want the preacher to get the chicken leg.  So he blurted out. "Preacher you don't want that chicken leg (xxxxen leg), cause that chicken (xxxxen) xxxx all over it.  Mama just went to the kitchen and wanted to hide there the rest of the day.

They all had a good laugh, and from what I understand that night at church, the visiting preacher told everyone, make sure they did not eat the chicken leg when they go to Mama Hunter's. I have not heard of him, you know, get a talkin to, or a whupin, as they call it. See, he was just a little fellow, but I do not recall them saying he did it anymore.

The funny thing is, how did Bill (oops) know that bad word?  No one has given me the answer to that yet.  I do know that he did not hear it from my parents. How do I know that? Because when Daddy and Mama were first married, Mama would say a xxxx every once and awhile. Daddy told her that it was not right for ladies to talk that way, and if she did it again, he was going to wash her mouth out with lye soap.  Guess What? She did..... and he did. Then Daddy got some sweet gum, to help get the soap taste out of Mama's mouth. But out of the 65 years they were married, Daddy never laid a hand on Mama.  (Of course, Mama said that if he had, she would have crowned him with an iron skillet).  I wonder if that had anything to do with the iron skillet she gave me for a wedding present?

 Now, Mama and Daddy got married on Dec. 24, 1929, and Mama turned 15 years old two days later, on the 26th of December. She was just a young girl. So I guess Daddy helped raise her. Daddy was 20 years old when they married. Anyway, where is the devotion in this? Well, there could be a lot of sermons on this topic, but I am going to choose this one:

Psalm 127:3, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward."

Proverbs 20: 7, "The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him."  

Proverbs 31:28, "Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her."

Isaiah 54: 13, "All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children."

Matthew 19:13-15, "Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' And He laid hands on them and departed from there."

Deuteronomy 6: 4-9, (The Greatest Commandment) “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." God blesses us with our children, and He wants us to make sure they grow up in the ways of the Lord. He promises us this reward, if we do raise them to know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord. Proverbs

22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Children want you to talk to them. They want discipline. They want your love.

I have heard people say, my son/daughter is my best friend.  Well, that is okay, as long as you are still the parent.  Do not be afraid of reminding them who the parent is.  And as Bill Cosby used to say, "Boy, I brought you into this world and I can take you out." They are God's gift to you. They will make you laugh, cry and sometimes want to pull your hair out. But just love them, stand by them and sometimes show tough love. I know after my daughters read this, I will get a call.  "Mama you better not tell some of the things we said or did. " I will say, "you just never know."

Joyfully, In The Master's Service
   Blessings, Prayers and Love,
   Pastor Pat

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