Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

MORNING DEVOTIONALS

My earliest memories include morning family devotionals at the breakfast table.

Our family started out using the monthly Upper Room Devotional booklet with a special devotional written for each day. There was a scripture, followed by a Thought For The Day, followed by a story written by a different person each day, then a prayer. After the prayer we would sing together. Usually we sang the Doxology.

Every person was assigned a special part of this small, family worship service. I actually remember being eager to learn to read so I could read the scripture aloud someday or better yet, read the story.

I remember grumbling as a teenager that we shared this time as a family every morning regardless of sometime pressing need to get out of the house and go to school or activities or even church. Whoever heard of a devotional on Sunday? After all we're going to be worshiping practically all day anyway? I believe I actually said that out loud ONCE.

We shared this time even when we had company. Oh dear, my friends that spent the night were subjected to this embarrassing tradition. Even friends visiting from college were expected to participate in the morning devotional.

My parents changed to the yearly Upper Room Discipline for their daily devotionals and they would order each of us our own books for our families for the new year. Before they gave us our copy, mother would write all the family birthdays at the top of their birth date page. These persons always got an honorable mention in that morning's prayer. Names were also added to the prayer each morning of persons who were hurting or sick and in need of prayer. They would stay on mom and dad's prayer list until the various situations improved.

I give the Upper Room Discipline to my children each year and write in the family birth dates before sending them on. My book contains the names of persons needing special prayer as well at the birthdays.

When the daily devotional reading is done and the prayer has been said, I automatically hear my father's booming voice lead out with the Doxology:

"Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."


(My precious papa passed away ten years ago this month. Both of my parents are gone but I still sense their daily prayer.)

9 comments:

  1. So nice. We do remember our parents longer after and forever.

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  2. Precious memories....thanks for sharing them with us.

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  3. I can't remember my father, he passed away when I was three but my mother is forever in my thoughts.
    Loved the post.

    Yvonne.

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  4. JeanMac -- I know so much of your strength from day-to-day comes out of your heritage.

    Monica -- You must harbor some of the same memories to value mine as "precious".

    Yvonne -- Even your dad must have left his three year old lingering prayer:)

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  5. I think some things we don't appreciate until we are all grown up.

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  6. Sweet tradition and it's funny that you posted about this today. I was thinking I have to share more of God with the kids now that we haven't been to church in a while.

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  7. Riot Kitty -- It's a miracle that I got to grow up and appreciate my family. I did make some efforts to rebel. (I guess I still do from time to time)

    Scarlet -- If nothing else, faith teaching of any kind does seem to help instill a conscience in our children.

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  8. I just came back from Soccer Mom's blog. What a funny photo to try and put a caption to! I love yours!

    What a great, family tradition your parents set up for you. A strong foundation for sure.
    I know my kids are strong in their faith, and whatever life drags them through, they will always have a firm foundation of faith and God's love surrounding them.
    My parents gave me a firm foundation of faith too.
    We are blessed, Annie!

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  9. What a wonderful tradition!

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