IMG_7627   “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
“Lessons from My Kitchen:  Part 7”
Oh, and you thought I was done with this series, didn’t you?
First of all, I want to thank you for your encouragement throughout this mini-series of Lessons from My Kitchen.  I received a text from a friend the other day and it just made my day.  I asked her if I could share, and she agreed.  Here’s how this bit of encouragement transpired:
My friend texted and sent the following pictures:

“I’ve been following your blog and love your Lessons from My Kitchen.  It’s helped me, and I catch messages in the weirdest places!!  The pics are from my son!  I was upset with something he was doing while mowing, and when he walked away he realized that he had upset me.  The next think I know is I get this message from him (see photos).  I hugged him and told him to leave it.  We left it there for a day before finishing mowing the yard.  Lessons from my Yard!”  Can you see it?  He mowed, “I love you”.

I love it!  “Lessons from my Yard”, that is definitely a great place for God to reveal something new to you.  Thanks for sharing.
Lessons from my yard youLessons from my yard ILessons from my yard heart
 
I always find God speaking to me in and through the various avenues in life, and hope that when you read Soakinguptheson.com that you will be encouraged to open your eyes and allow Him to speak to you in often unusual places.  Success!  I would LOVE to hear your stories as to where God has spoken to you lately via everyday life.
Now, for today’s lesson:
Yes, I’ve touch on family already in Clutter or Treasures, but I can’t help but feel surrounded by family love in my kitchen.
We lived close to my maternal grandparents.  I would walk through the woods or ride my bike or ATV to my Granny and Grandpa West’s home almost daily.  So many wonderful childhood memories come to mind when I think about all the visits to my grandparents’ home.  Fishing and feeding the massive fish in their pond, climbing the wickedly curved trees, getting eggs from the chicken coop, playing football with my brother’s in the yard, playing cards with my granny, having grandpa cut the crust off my PB&J all while he could cut it into four pieces, piddling in my grandpa’s barn, crawling up in granny’s lap to do word-searches, etc.  Oh how the list could go on.  Their home was small, but overflowing with love.
The two items pictured, that are proudly being displayed on my kitchen wall, are treasures for me.  My granny would make homemade chicken-n-dumplings using the rolling pin, and my grandpa made the intricate woodblock cutting board. My eyes are filled with tears of joy and precious memories now just thinking about my late grandparents.
Granny and Grandpa were Christ followers.  They loved the Lord, and raised their children and grandchildren to do the same.  I’d love sitting next to them in church and resting my head on her “fluffy” arms, and getting either a piece of gum or a butterscotch candy from my grandpa. I am imagining their smiles now.  They adored having family around them.
I remember a little chalkboard that granny had hanging beside her phone in the dining room.  For the longest time she had Joshua 24:15 written on it for all to see. And then, in 1987, nine years before her Homecoming to Heaven, she wrote “I love each and everyone but most of all I love my Lord and Savior most”.  I would have that hanging in my kitchen too, but my sweet momma has it displayed in her home (I call dibs on it, momma.)
granny's chalkboard9:58:42 AM
Yes, anyone who visited their home knew that they served the Lord.
How about you?  Can others tell that you and your family serve the Lord when they see you or come into your home?
Remember… Look around your kitchen and ponder on what others may say about you.  Turn it into a God lesson.  I hope you stay tuned for a couple more “Lessons from My Kitchen”.
I pray many blessings and much joy for you! Have a wonderful day. – Stephanie