5 Minute Friday: Expectation...

Joining Gypsy Mama today for 5 minute Friday; A challenge to write for 5 minutes flat.  No over-thinking just straight from the heart.  Click on the link below to join up and share your thoughts.








Today's word: expectation

Here goes:

Without getting too philosophical, why do you do the things you do?  Why do you buy that brand of toilet paper?  Why did you purchase that vehicle?  Did do you believe in the things you believe in?

Several years ago I was talking with a very dear friend.  We began to talk about our children.  One thing they said was that they wanted their kids to go to church every Sunday as they had growing up, "because that's just what you do".  The statement caught me a little off guard.  I finally asked the question: "Well, that's fine for then, but why do you go to church now?"  And the answer was basically the same. 

About the time I was a Senior in High School, I took a period of time "testing" the waters.  Basically, everything my parents had taught, everything I had ever believed, I smeared on a microscopic slide to examine on my own.  After reviewing and scrutinizing, I made a decision as to whether or not to carry on with that belief as my own, or to set it aside and move on.  I wish I could say in my wise 17 year old self, I consciously knew what I was doing.  I really didn't.  It wasn't until years later that I was able to look back  at that period of time and see I was truly stepping up and owning my own beliefs.  Not believing those things because Mom or Dad, or even Grandma believed them, but taking on my own convictions.

As I  look to the future and see my 3 beautiful children whom I will raise in the local church, I am daunted by the task.  They are currently ages 7, 6 and 2 years old.  Why do they go to church?  They might just answer: because it's Sunday and that's what we do.  But I hope to convey to them so much more.  That we go there to worship our Lord and Savior.  That we go there to spur one another on in the fellowship of other believers.  That we go there to serve the lost who need Jesus so desperately.  That we go there to refuel and be fed, so we can turn around and serve the "Bread of Life" to those we meet along the way in between Sunday's.

As they grow and mature in Christ, I hope to encourage them to not just "do" because that is what is expected by God, or me, or anyone else.  I hope to encourage them to own their faith.  And above all to seek their own convictions and beliefs based on relationship with the One above.  Because convictions based on the expectations of others, do not stand the test of time.