Still Not the Cleavers!

We are still not the Cleavers! Still trying still failing but thank God Jesus loves, forgives and upholds us anyway. If you wonder what I am talking about I am rewriting and reposting my Christmas blog; it works for everyday stuff, too:)
Gladness for the Dysfunctional Family
At our house, I have a saying, “We’re Not the Cleavers, But That Never Stopped us from Wishing We Were.” The Cleavers, the Walton’s, the Ingall’s, we would be happy to have any resemblance to those families. You might find us listed at “Dysfunctional R Us” or on Facebook with the tags: painful childhood, loss of loved ones, overcoming addictions and trauma, or we might remind you of the old Hee-Haw song, “Gloom despair and agony on me,” If it were’t for bad luck we’d have no luck at allJ. Did I make you smile yet? But for Jesus and His Word that is ever living in my heart, soul and life we would go under! And perhaps your family would also, as you wonder what has happened to your "normal" life with the economy spiraling downward, sicknesses, accidents, and natural disasters abounding.
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy,

That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!

Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us,

The years in which we have seen evil.

Let Your work appear to Your servants,

And Your glory to their children.

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,

And establish the work of our hands for us;

Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Psalm 90:14-17 (New King James Version)
I love these verses in Psalm 90, I was so astounded that the Lord would actually take the days of pain and affliction that we have gone through and make us happy according to them.
Is it possible that He would give joy as He allowed sorrow? Isn't that the premise of Romans 8:28 when it is said that He will work all things to our good?

What encouraging words and what a wonderful prayer to pray today and every day. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. ASV

Oh that the Lord would fill us with love and joy as we seek Him in the morning. It truly would give us a song to sing and a story to tell to our families and friends. How many of us want to proclaim His greatness to our children and grandchildren? Most of us do and we can by reminding them of these precious words from the Psalms.
It is okay to ask the Lord to treat us well and give us success. In my life I have felt afflicted with abuses, hurt and losses but I can prevail by focusing on the good that will come eventually. If I had not endured these things I would not be the person I am today. I was on the road to being a spoiled brat as a young girl and then my world was rocked by pain and I learned to look outside of myself. I learned that others are more important than myself. I learned about self-sacrifice from a mother who worked so many hours a week at forty-five cents an hour for years just to feed her children as my sweet Mama did. I learned that my brothers and sister were overcomers in life as they just did what they could to enjoy what little we had. We all learned that we had a lot more than many others. We learned to share what we had and that it is not material things that count but strength, maturity and kindness that will prevail all the days the Lord gives us. We learned that life isn’t about what material things we have but it is about faith, family, friends and remembering we have an awesome Saviour. One whose life was not perfect, either.
My message may be different than most people's, but I guess the slant He gives me fits some families. You know: the dysfunctional, but trying ones, the funny, but forgiven ones, the once hopeless but now Hope-filled ones! To God be the Glory! Affliction to gladness; it's the way of the Cross and the way our own Saviour took. I believe it is the way to hope for this life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that we can be glad according to Your Word and the promises You give. We may always see evil around us but You will give us joy.
Thought for the Day: We have seen years of trouble.

Now give us as much joy as you gave us sorrow.
Prayer Focus: Dysfunctional families and the ones who love them.


Here are some other versions of the scriptures:

Fill us with your love every morning.

Then we will sing and rejoice all our lives.

We have seen years of trouble.

Now give us as much joy as you gave us sorrow.

Show your servants the wonderful things you do;

show your greatness to their children.

Lord our God, treat us well.

Give us success in what we do;

Yes, give us success in what we do.

Psalm 90:14-17 (New Century Version)



Oh! Teach us to live well!

Teach us to live wisely and well!

Come back, GOD—how long do we have to wait?—

and treat your servants with kindness for a change.

Surprise us with love at daybreak;

then we'll skip and dance all the day long.

Make up for the bad times with some good times;

we've seen enough evil to last a lifetime.

Let your servants see what you're best at—

the ways you rule and bless your children.

And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,

confirming the work that we do.

Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do! Psalm 90:12-17 (The Message)