Message from Jamie Ross, Kdg. Teacher Central Campus

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 (NAS)

I certainly have been reminded of the preceding verse this past month.

My husband broke his ankle. Suddenly it wasn’t the two of us taking care of our grand daughter any more, it was just me. He had previously taken the day shift and I would take over when I returned from school. He would stay up until 10:00 pm when our daughter came from work to take her home. The only quiet time in our house is when I awaken at 4:30 am. I’m the type of person who longs for time to contemplate and reflect.

I let a lot of people down: Hailey’s Sunday school class at church, my mother & her husband in Illinois, my daughter and her husband, my son and his wife in Nebraska & the list goes on and on.

A great deal of good came from this situation. I gained a new appreciation for my husband, a fresh appreciation for time spent with our grand daughter, Hailey and Hailey’s other grand parents started helping more.

When I went to pick up Hailey from her Great Grandma Barb’s house, I heard the words coming out of my mouth that made me stop short: “I’m so sorry that I’m running late. I pride myself on being dependable.” There it is! Just who did I think made me dependable in the first place? Where does any good thing I do come from? Am I not God’s vessel?

Boy oh boy, my pride went before my husband’s fall.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17
(The Grandmother’s NIV Bible)

I have a new appreciation for these quick energy verses:

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him, to God the Father.
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.” Colossians 3:17 and 23 (NAS)

I was relieved to read the following verses from my Grandmother’s NIT devotional Bible: “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:8-9

When I was a child, we would gather at my grandparents McKenzie’s often. My brother and cousins enjoyed playing together in the basement. My mother, grandmother and aunt worked in the kitchen making sandwiches for my grandfather and uncle who were watching the Minnesota Vikings game on television. I had the best seat in the house as I went upstairs to talk and listen to my bed ridden arthritic, great grandfather. He was so precious! He looked like Abraham Lincoln.

I’m reminded of a song I used to hear on the Old Time Gospel Hour that Maude Aimee Humbard sang:

I didn’t come here to ask you for anything.
I just came to talk with you, Lord.
You’ve answered a million prayers or more that I forgot to thank you for.
I just came to talk with you Lord.
Maybe tomorrow, there’ll be trouble and sorrow and a thousand teardrops may fall.
But until I face tomorrow’s task, I have no special favor to ask.
I just came to talk with you Lord.

As we enter this season of thanksgiving and reflection, let’s remember to do it with all of our hearts.

“I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Thy name forever.”
Psalms 86:12 (NAS)