charity begins at home

Never knew how true that saying is for Christians until my friend shared her testimony at church 4 years ago (around 4 years ago...lost track of time). But it's so true. Family and being inside our houses...our homes...is where i believe we reveal the most, and, personally speaking anyway, where we're tempted to "let go". Like after a day at uni or work, sometimes i just feel like relaxing, tempted to have some time out all for myself, to just sit in front of the tv and watch whatever garbage is on offer, to burrow inside my room instead of seeing how my parents are going, to settle into a good book instead of helping out in the kitchen. It's happened before that when i've finally got my lazy butt out of the comfort of my room, downstairs into the kitchen to help my mum cook, dinner's pretty much ready and my mum's pretty tired =(

On a different note, sometimes family can affect Christian ministry amongst other matters. My friend was right in pointing out how non-Christian parents can pose certain barriers/limitations to serving God sometimes, like the amount of time spent and the extent of involvement in a youth group, etc. I believe that God is sovereign, and if He wants you to serve in a particular area x amount of time, then you'll be able to. But there are things to consider, for instance, whether u respect ur parents, choose to take time out for them as well as for church and uni and friendships and relationships etc. I try to respect my dad (so hard and i always fail though...) and have time for my parents because I want to let God's love shine, for them to see God's love...God wants us to honour our parents.

Hmm getting into a mumble jumble...slept really late last nite...my apologies

What brought all this up? My mind drifts back to a conversation i recently had with my mum about being involved in ministry, particularly with youth group. She'd just had a chat with her friend, whose daughter is a Christian, but no one else in her family is at the moment. The daughter is very involved at her church, with the music team and youth group, which is really great and really encouraging to see!! My mum's friend, being a non-Christian, is really great towards this in my opinion, driving her daughter around, letting her do whatever she wants, taking the car and going back home in the early hours of morn sometimes...i don't know, but it sounds pretty great (and tolerant) to me =)

But my mum's friend isn't happy, and i don't know if her daughter even knows it. She's tries hard to communicate with her daughter, wanting to spend some time with her, wanting to get to know her. She's not too well physically, visiting doctors, physios....u know, menopause create problems blah blah blah. But from what i hear, her efforts seem in vain sometimes. Her daughter spends heaps of time out, and when she's home she's sleeping and stuff. Apparently once the mum drove her out somewhere and started asking her daughter how things were going, but was shut up by her daughter who wanted to sleep in the car.

I don't know if all that is true, and I don't want to say anything else, or form opinions about it or anything, cos i hardly know them myself. Her daughter might be spending much more time with her mum now for all i know. But one thing that occurred to me is that (and i guess especially with non-Christian parents) it's important to spend time with family. I feel that being involved in ministry is awesome, and i love being involved and i'm all for serving God!! But serving family is also that too, caring for parents as though they're members of your Bible study group, supporting them, encouraging them in their walks with God, knowing them and trying to share with them the gospel as though you're evangelising at uni...i was really encouraged by a uni friend who tries to do this and more for her parents, who takes time out for her parents, supporting them in their walks with God, and just having lunch out with her mum, and going grocery shopping. They're parents, but like us, they're also fragile human beings.