Christian Living

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Pause And Refresh: What To Do With The Messes In Life
©
by

Stephen A. Peterson


When Carmen was in the eighth grade, she and two of her friends tried to steal a bag of candy from an Oklahoma City Wal-Mart Discount Store but she and her friends were caught. When she was in the tenth grade, she and another friend took a ball point pen to a city block of cars scratching the hoods and doors of these vehicles with their pens. While waiting for their daughter’s case to be heard by a juvenile court judge, her mother and father sat stunned and shaken. When Carmen’s case was brought before the judge, her honor addressed the parents of Carmen, her friend and all present in the courtroom: “Parents, young people and all present in this courtroom, there is a statement being made here. These girls and boys are in trouble and so is our community. But just as important, there is a message in each case and every problem presented this and every juvenile court. In this instance, it seems very apparent, these young people are shouting to their parents and others for more attention. It also seems they need to know someone really and truly care about them and for them. It is quite obvious these young people need more constructive ways to spend and use their free time. It is certainly not too late to help these young people. Everyone concerned needs to be concerned with and about their well-being. Their well-being needs to be addressed and now. It is urgent that we look for the message and fix it before it’s too late.”

As the mediation and reconciliation process began and progressed, Carmen’s parents were making it a point to spend more time with her, encouraging discussion and interaction between themselves and their daughter. Carmen’s mother and father started working with their daughter. Her mother taught Carmen how to cook, take an interest in photography and gardening. Her father began teaching Carmen how to do minor work on a car, having weekly breakfast or dinner date with his daughter and spending more time with her and listening to and discussing any problems she may have. Carmen’s grades improved and she was not getting into any trouble any longer.

Carmen’s father stated after roughly 8 months of taking an interest in his daughter: “we are so happy with Carmen’s counseling, grades and our ability to just be able to talk to her. We got the message. We avoided further problems.”

Often times, like Carmen’s parents, I, and I am willing to bet, many of us are so out of contact with the Lord because we fail to interact with the Lord through prayer and reading of the Bible. Also like Carmen’s parents, the Lord has to throw rocks in the windows of our lives to let us know He is trying to say something to us. I am also sure the Lord was doing just that when I had a mild touch of the flu recently. The “slow down”, “listen to me,” “I love you” messages seem to come across loud and clear. Being out of commission caused me to “pause and refresh” my Christian spirit and soul (battery, if you will).

Are there any little or big difficulties, problems or fowl-ups in your life? Instead of resorting to fear, worry, despair, and just plain giving up, why not seek God’s messages through prayer and Sacred Scripture rather than in ourselves?

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