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I love the Psalms

~ Connecting daily with God through the Psalms

I love the Psalms

Tag Archives: family

Two Boxcars and Two Cents

17 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by davidkitz in family

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

depression, drought, family, farm, Saskatchewan

My Mother was welcomed into her heavenly home on July 9, 2022. Here is an account of the hardships of her childhood that she wrote about a decade ago. We have much to be thankful for.

My father Gotlieb Ziebart was born in Russia in 1886. He came to Canada in 1912, just before the First World War. He came to Wolseley, Saskatchewan. He helped build the number one highway. Later he took up a homestead, section 35, township 16, range 24, West 3 degrees, new, Maple Creek – Piepot on the prairies of southwestern Saskatchewan.

Wanda

Wanda Kitz (nee Ziebart) 1922-2022

He married my mother, Emily Wuschke in 1917. She was from Bateman, Saskatchewan. Her parents came over to Canada from Poland in 1911 when my mother was ten years old. There were nine children. The youngest was born in Canada, and she was only nine months old when her father passed away. The oldest boy in the family was sixteen. When his father died, he stayed at home to farm and the other kids went working. The boys were hired to tend cattle for neighbors and the girls babysat. They stayed wherever they worked. Their pay was a place to sleep, their daily food, and maybe a secondhand pair of shoes or a coat. They got home once in two or three months. Things were tough.

My parents lived on the homestead for about five years. I was the third child born there. Their farm was seconded by ranchers, and they wanted dad’s land, so he sold it and moved to Bateman and then to Mankota.

My father was a good farmer and by 1928 we had a car, a tractor, and a threshing machine and two lines of horses. He also had cattle and five kids. But he lived on rented land.

So he bought a farm at Mossbank. Mother had three brothers living there. His hopes were high for a great future for his family. He put all his money down for a down payment on the farm. Then the depression came. Markets crashed, not just the stock market, but the market for grain and everything the farm produced.

Drought came.

He lost everything.

The drought lasted for eight years. Things were rough. The government gave us relief – two dollars per person per month. By that time there were six children, but dad wouldn’t take anything for the baby.

He said, “I have milk. I will feed him.”

So we got twelve dollars a month. That was during the winter. When the grass got green, the government relief was cut off. My father was a proud man, and he didn’t take anything from anyone, least of all the government.

As the drought worsened, the people that had a little money just packed up and left for the Peace River country in northern Alberta, or they moved to B.C. There were beautiful homes and farmyards left vacant. They were simply abandoned. The land didn’t get seeded. The wind and the grasshoppers took care of it.

By 1937 things were so bad, the government offered to help the farmers to move out. Dad was one of them. They could move you, or watch you starve. There was no feed for the cattle. The government wanted you to sell them. I remember having to go and pump water every two hours until the well was dry. Then we would wait two hours and go pump again.

Dad and three of his friends went land hunting. Dad came back and said he had bought a farm. The other men said they were going to buy later, but they never did.

We were moving – moving from the treeless prairie to the bush country.

The prairie was all we knew.

Mother and us kids were not happy about the move. At Mossbank, mother had brothers and sisters and a mother. We kids had all our cousins and friends. But we moved to Aaron, Saskatchewan – post office White Beach. Dad had sold horses and cattle and made a down payment of $150.00 on a farm on the west end of Thunder Hill. It was more than four hundred miles to the northeast, very near the Manitoba border. For us it was like moving to another world.

How did we get there?

The government gave us two boxcars on a freight train. They said they would pay the passenger tickets to get the family there, and it would take two days for the freight train to arrive. The freight cars came, but nothing to move the family. No money. No money from the government, and dad didn’t have any.

You are on your own. You do what you must.

We had two days to load. In one freight car, dad put the cattle at one end, and the farm implements at the other end. Everything was taken apart. The seed drill, the binder, the hay rake, the wagon, and the horse drawn sleigh, everything was packed into the rail car. On the other end of the car were the nine horses, pigs in a crate, chickens, a dog and a cat, and then more farm implements piled up on one side. On the other railcar he put a wagon box. On the far end of the box was the furniture stacked from bottom to top. The dining room buffet was at the bottom, the dresser on top, and then the sewing machine on top of that. I can still see it all stacked and crammed in.

Mother and five kids lived in the wagon box. Dad and my oldest brother could stay with the cattle in the other car. They were legal. But the rest of us, the family, we were stowaways.

Right on the top of all the implements dad put the harrows, and we unrolled a mattress over them. We could lie up there, but couldn’t sit. It was too cramped. I spent most of my time up there.

The train stopped in every town, and every time it stopped or started it gave this awful jar. Our heads would hit the steel bars on the roof of the car. It was terrible. Terrible!

It was so hot! No air!

We were shut up with the animals. The stench!

Dad was told it would take us two days. We left Mossbank on the thirteenth of August in the afternoon at about three o’clock. We were prairie refugees. Dust bowl refugees. We traveled from Mossbank to Avonlea, and they left us sitting there until the next day, about thirty-five miles from Mossbank.

The next day we went from Avonlea to Moose Jaw and then on to Regina.

The third day we went to Saskatoon and sat there in the stifling prairie heat.

On the fourth day we started east and made it to Humboldt. We stayed there overnight.

On the fifth day we got to Aaron at about suppertime. We had traveled five days. The cattle and horses had little or no water or feed. The cattle were let out of the cars once, into the stockyards, but not the horses.

We had very little food and water. We almost died in the heat. It was August 13th to the 18th, 1937.

Hot. Dry. Dusty. Unrelenting heat.

Mother had prepared some food for on the way, enough for two days. She had roasted two chickens. When the railway station agent in Mossbank couldn’t sell us tickets, he was mad. Dad had no money. The agent wanted to squeal on him, so dad gave him the two roasted chickens and then dad told him to keep his mouth shut. But we starved.

I will never forget all this as long as I live.

That first evening in Aaron, mother and my sister and I stayed with the people from whom dad had bought the land. They gave us supper and a bed for the night. Dad and the boys stayed with the boxcars. They looked after the cattle and started unloading and setting the wagons together.

The next morning, I and two of my brothers were put in charge of the cattle. We were to take them to our farm ten miles away. We were strangers in a strange land. The cattle had never seen trees before. All this bush was foreign to them. They went through everything, fences and all. They wanted to go home, and so did we – back to where we came from.

By noon we were about halfway. There was an open field where the hay had been cut, so we let the cows graze and rest there. We went to a farmhouse and asked for water. Then we went back to the cattle and waited for dad to come with the wagons.

The people in the farmhouse were good to us. When afternoon began turning to evening, they came and asked us to come and have supper with them. We waited until midnight before dad finally came. Then we took the cattle the rest of the way. They followed the wagon in the dark, and this time they had sense enough to stay on the road.

When we got to our home, there were renters living on the land. It was August and they had to take off the crop. They were Ukrainian and couldn’t speak any English, but they had two boys, eight and ten years old. They could speak English because they learned it at school, so that is how we communicated with them. They gave mother and my sister and me a spot on the floor to sleep. Dad and the boys found some hay to sleep on. The next day they gave us a granary to use as a house until they moved out.

I was fourteen years old when we moved north to Aaron. Come September, my sister and one brother and I went to White Beech School. I was in grade eight. We got to know some very nice people. After all these years I still keep in touch with my old school pal Eva. She lives in Benito.

When we got there in mid-August, we had to make hay and feed for the winter. The people around us were very kind. They helped us out by giving us patches of hay land that they hadn’t cut. They gave us potatoes and vegetables too. We had never seen tomatoes in a garden before, or carrots or dry beans. In the south there was no such thing. There was no rain, only grasshoppers and dust storms. Here in the north everything was green – grass so tall you couldn’t walk through it. And it rained!

But winter came.

The government was supposed to send us relief for a year from Mossbank, but it didn’t come until Christmas. Dad had no money. The storekeeper at White Beech gave us credit so we could get coal oil and matches and a few groceries, or we would have starved in the dark.

For Christmas we kids wrote a letter to our friends and cousins in Mossbank. We were so homesick for them and our old home! We gave the letter to dad. But he couldn’t mail it. He didn’t have the two cents for postage stamps. He carried that letter in his pocket. He didn’t have the heart to tell us. Eventually in spring we found the crumpled envelope in dad’s jacket pocket.

That spring dad planted wheat on Thunder Hill. It came up and grew like nothing we had ever seen. We had high hopes. But everything rusted out. A rust fungus killed the wheat as it headed out. Most of the wheat was burned in the field. There was nothing in it. That first year in the north was harder to take than all the years of drought on the prairie. There the land had taught us to expect nothing. And we got nothing. But here the land, the sky and the falling rain promised to give us the moon. But come September, it too gave us nothing – a harvest of hardship.

After I passed my grade eight, I went out working for $5.00 a month. I finally worked my way to Roblin, Manitoba, and then to MacNutt, Saskatchewan where I met Ewald Kitz. We were married in 1943. A year later my parents moved to Dropmore, Manitoba where they farmed until they retired to Roblin. Mother passed away in 1970, and dad in 1977 at the age of ninety-one.

As long as I live, I will never forget that train trip from Mossbank to Aaron. Even now if I happen to be at a railway crossing when the train goes by, it still sends hot and cold shivers down my spine. Unbelievable!

I still can’t throw anything away. I always think of the hard times I went through growing up. I guess that’s why I make World Relief quilts. I know what it’s like to be without, what it’s like to be forced to pack up and leave home.

Through All Generations

18 Wednesday May 2022

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 89

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

child of God, family, forever, generations

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Psalm 89_1
Reading: Psalm 89:1-4

LORD God,
I am so glad that I’m your child forever.
You have loved me
and welcomed me into your family.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

Amen.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

BGBG_v4.3_150[1818]

Please pray for the people of Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer has won the 2021 Best Book of the Year Award and for those who love God’s word, it’s an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. For a closer look at Volumes II and III click here.

Plants and Pillars

13 Tuesday Jul 2021

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 144, Psalms

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

blessings, daughters, family, peace, prosperity, sons

Reading: Psalm 144:10-15
From the deadly sword deliver me;
rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.
Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
carved to adorn a palace.
Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
our oxen will draw heavy loads.
There will be no breaching of walls,
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.
Blessed is the people of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the LORD (NIV).*

img_20210703_1932116

Ottawa River cove — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Yesterday, my afternoon work routine was interrupted by visitors. First my oldest son dropped in. My wife and I worked to quickly put together a delicious lunch. After the meal we talked business for about an hour. Tim wanted some help and advice with his market gardening enterprise. It’s difficult and challenging work, and the busy spring season will be here soon enough.

Not long after, my youngest son and his wife dropped over for a visit. Their spring and summer schedule includes working tours to locations in the Yukon, the US, western Canada and the British Isles. They will be doing live history shows at museums and historic homes on two continents.

After everyone left I said, “I didn’t get much work done this afternoon.”

My wife replied, “You got the most important thing done—time with your family. You need to appreciate these times. You won’t be seeing them much this summer.”

Of course she is right. Time spent with family is precious. You can sense that same appreciation of family in today’s reading from Psalm 144. David, the psalmist, makes this observation: Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision.

That’s what I want for my family. We want peace and prosperity. These are blessings that come to us from the good hand of God. Yesterday, I experience these things. Together, we are truly blessed.

Response: LORD God, I thank you for my family. In them and through them I am blessed beyond measure. You have been very kind to us. Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you see family gatherings as a blessing, or as a burden? What makes those times enjoyable and memorable for you?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is available now. For a closer look at Volumes I and II click here.

 I Love my Family

20 Thursday May 2021

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 128, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

children, family, obedience, pray

Today’s quote and prayer from the Psalms
Psalm 128_1Psalms 128

Father God,
 I love my family.
I am so blessed to have children who love you, Lord.
Watch over them, I pray.
Keep their hearts tender before you.
Help them to daily hear your voice.
Amen.

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is available now. For a closer look at this #1 new release click here. For a look back at Volume I click here.

Olive Shoots around My Table

20 Thursday May 2021

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 128, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

celebrate, children, family, holidays

Reading: Psalm 128
A song of ascents.
Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the L
ORD.
May the LORD bless you from Zion;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children’s children—
peace be on Israel
(NIV).*

img_20210510_0832296-effects

Apple blossoms — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
I got an unexpected call from my son this morning. “Can we have lunch together today?” he asked.

“Sure,” I responded without hesitation. Who can say no to such a request? We went out to a pizza place for their buffet lunch. We enjoyed a leisurely conversation. There was no urgency to our discussion. He shared a few minor work frustrations, while I did the same. This was simply a father and son enjoying each other’s company, talking a little sports and discussing whatever came to mind.

According to Psalm 128, I was appreciating one of the olive shoots around my table. Now that’s a unique way to view your son or daughter. Children are a blessing, and when adult children enjoy spending time with their parents that’s a double blessing. At a time when many adult children are estranged from their parents or separated by long distances, the opportunity to spend time together at the drop of a hat is a real blessing. As a parent you are enjoying the fruit of your labor. You are reaping the rewards from years spent pouring into the lives of your children.

This is the ninth psalm of the series of psalms known as Songs of Ascent or Psalms of Ascent. These were psalms used by pilgrims as they made the annual trek to Jerusalem for celebrations such as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Passover. In some respects, these ancient holy days roughly correspond to our present day holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Families today often make long journeys to celebrate together what at their core are religious holidays. Family togetherness is a central feature of such events. We should not be surprised then that this entire psalm highlights the blessings of family unity.

It should be noted that the blessings of family begin with obedience and the fear of the LORD.

Response: Father God, I love my family. I am so blessed to have children who love you, Lord. Watch over them, I pray. Keep their hearts tender before you. Help them to daily hear your voice. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you estranged from family members? What can you do to build a bridge back to that loved one?

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Volume II of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer by award-winning author David Kitz is available now. For a closer look at Volumes I and II click here.

To All My Readers

23 Wednesday Dec 2020

Posted by davidkitz in Christmas

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Christmas, family, Jesus

63ea2556c05a0aad37e1be6333d8b73b (2)
I’m not sure how your year has gone.

I’m not sure how your Christmas will roll out.
I’m not sure what 2021 will bring for you.
But I am sure the Christ of Christmas is watching over you
and your family.
May you experience the joy of Jesus’ presence
now and always. 
I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

– David Kitz –

Zeal for Your House

07 Wednesday Oct 2020

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 69, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

disciple, family, God's house

Reading: Psalm 69
(Verses 6-12)
Lord, the LORD Almighty,
may those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel, may those who seek you
not be put to shame because of me.
For I endure scorn for your sake,
and shame covers my face.
I am a foreigner to my own family,
a stranger to my own mother’s children;
for zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn;
when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.
Those who sit at the gate mock me,
and I am the song of the drunkards. (NIV).

IMG_20201001_1556388

Autumn river walk — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
The start of a new month is a time when many of us set goals and consider our progress over the past month. Our personal goals spring from those things we value and hold dear. So what did David, the author of this psalm, value and hold dear? According to his own words, David was motivated by his zeal for the house of God. He longed to be in God’s presence and to seek His face. He placed his love for God ahead of his love for even his family.

I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother’s children; for zeal for your house consumes me…

Many of us would call that misplaced zeal, even fanaticism. But Jesus called for precisely this kind zeal from his disciples. He calls for a radical transformation in the lives of his followers. Are you a disciple, or are you following at a distance? His words are an open challenge everyone.

“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37-39).

After Jesus cleansed the temple, his disciples recalled the words from this psalm. His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me” (John 2:17).

Response: LORD God, give me a zeal for your house and your presence. As the months and years roll by, I want my values to be reflected in my actions and my passion for you. Replace my lukewarm heart with a burning desire to know and love you. Amen.

Your Turn: Where does the house of God rate on your zeal meter? Do you value the community of faith to which you belong?

* New International Version, Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

Some good news: The first volume of 365 Days through the Psalms by award-winning author David Kitz will be published in November, 2020, by Elk Lake Publishing. Two additional volumes will follow in 2021 to complete the three volume set of devotions from the Psalms.

Sons and Daughters

18 Tuesday Sep 2018

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 144, Psalms

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

daughters, family, God's blessing, peace, prosperity, sons

Reading: Psalm 144
(Verses 10-15)
From the deadly sword deliver me;
rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.
Then our sons in their youth
will be like well-nurtured plants,
and our daughters will be like pillars
carved to adorn a palace.
Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision.
Our sheep will increase by thousands,
by tens of thousands in our fields;
our oxen will draw heavy loads.
There will be no breaching of walls,
no going into captivity,
no cry of distress in our streets.
Blessed is the people of whom this is true;
blessed is the people whose God is the LORD (NIV).

20180831_1210079

Gatineau Park trail — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Yesterday, my afternoon work routine was interrupted by visitors. First my oldest son dropped in. My wife and I worked to quickly put together a delicious lunch. After the meal we talked business for about an hour. Tim wanted some help and advice with his market gardening enterprise. It’s difficult and challenging work, and the busy spring season will be here soon enough.

Not long after, my youngest son and his wife dropped over for a visit. Their spring and summer schedule includes working tours to locations in the Yukon, the US, western Canada and the British Isles. They will be doing live history shows at museums and historic homes on two continents.

After everyone left I said, “I didn’t get much work done this afternoon.”

My wife replied, “You got the most important thing done—time with your family. You need to appreciate these times. You won’t be seeing them much next summer.”

Of course she is right. Time spent with family is precious. You can sense that same appreciation of family in today’s reading from Psalm 144. David, the psalmist, makes this observation: Then our sons in their youth will be like well-nurtured plants, and our daughters will be like pillars carved to adorn a palace. Our barns will be filled with every kind of provision. 

That’s what I want for my family. We want peace and prosperity. These are blessings that come to us from the good hand of God. Yesterday I experience these things. Together, we are truly blessed.

Response: LORD God, I thank you for my family. In them and through them I am blessed beyond measure. You have been very kind to us. Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you see family gatherings as a blessing, or as a burden?

For your name’s sake, LORD

13 Thursday Sep 2018

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Devotionals, Psalm 143, Psalms

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Almighty, David, family, family name, Prayer, reputation, the LORD

Reading: Psalm 143
(Verses 11-12)
For your name’s sake, LORD, preserve my life;
in your righteousness,
bring me out of trouble.
In your unfailing love,
silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant (NIV).

2017-08-24d

Children enjoying the clear waters of Georgian Bay — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
Are you proud of your family name? To be honest on most days my family name is not a top of mind thought. But if I scratch beneath the surface, I must admit my name is important to me. I am sure your name is important to you as well. Why would that be?

The simple answer is because your name is directly linked to your reputation. A good reputation is built over a lifetime, but it can be ruined in a careless moment. The following proverb sums up the value of having a good reputation: A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold (Proverbs 22:1).

Both individuals and corporations will go to extraordinary lengths to protect their name. Walmart sued a small, family-run wool business in Canada called Woolmart, because they argued the name could be confused with Walmart. The big multinational won despite the fact that Woolmart had registered its legal name several years before Walmart opened its first store in Canada.

In today’s final reading from Psalm 143, David makes this plea: For your name’s sake, LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant. 

Will the LORD go to extraordinary lengths to uphold His name? Absolutely. When the Son of God was slandered before Pilate and then sentenced to death as a common criminal, the LORD God parted the heavens and rendered His judgment. He shook the earth, reversed death and brought Jesus back to life. For the sake of His name, the LORD would not allow His Son to remain in the mud and mire of death and disrepute. 

David bases his appeal to the Almighty on his role as a servant of God. In essence David is saying, “Come to my rescue because I am your servant. LORD, your good name will be defamed, if you don’t help me.”

Why should God answer my prayers—your prayers? Are you closely associated with the LORD? Have you fully identified with Him? Are you His servant—His child? Does the LORD’s reputation hinge on the conduct and the outcome of your life? Will He answer your prayers for the sake of His good name? How closely are you linked to God? Is He your Father or a casual acquaintance?

Response: LORD God, please help me. I am your child. I identify with you. My Savior and Lord, for your name’s sake I want to live a life that is pleasing to you and brings honor to the name of Christ. Amen.

Your Turn: Can others clearly see that you have identified yourself as a Christ follower?

A Family Blessing

26 Thursday Jul 2018

Posted by davidkitz in Bible, Devotionals, God's word, Psalm 128, Psalms

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

blessings, children, family, fruitful, holidays, pilgrims, Songs of Ascent

Reading: Psalm 128
A song of ascents.
Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing
for the man who fears the L
ORD.
May the LORD bless you from Zion;
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
May you live to see your children’s children—
peace be on Israel
(NIV).

2018-06-08a

Blooming clematis — a fruitful vine — photo by David Kitz

Reflection
I got an unexpected call from my son this morning. “Can we have lunch together today?” he asked.

“Sure,” I responded without hesitation. Who can say no to such a request? We went out to a pizza place for their buffet lunch. We enjoyed a leisurely conversation. There was no urgency to our discussion. He shared a few minor work frustrations, while I did the same. This was simply a father and son enjoying each other’s company, talking a little sports and discussing whatever came to mind.

According to Psalm 128, I was appreciating one of the olive shoots around my table. Now that’s a unique way to view your son or daughter. Children are a blessing, and when adult children enjoy spending time with their parents that’s a double blessing. At a time when many adult children are estranged from their parents or separated by long distances, the opportunity to spend time together at the drop of a hat is a real blessing. As a parent you are enjoying the fruit of your labor. You are reaping the rewards from years spent pouring into the lives of your children.

This is the ninth psalm of the series of psalms known as Songs of Ascent or Psalms of Ascent. These were psalms used by pilgrims as they made the annual trek to Jerusalem for celebrations such as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Passover. In some respects, these ancient holy days roughly correspond to our present day holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Families today often make long journeys to celebrate together what at their core are religious holidays. Family togetherness is a central feature of such events. We should not be surprised then that this entire psalm highlights the blessings of family unity.

It should be noted that the blessings of family begin with obedience and the fear of the LORD.

Response: Father God, I love my family. I am so blessed to have children who love you, Lord. Watch over them, I pray. Keep their hearts tender before you. Help them to daily hear your voice. Amen.

Your Turn: Are you estranged from family members? Can you build a bridge back to that loved one?

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  • wally12662013 on Generosity Is Never out of Season
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