A
Friday sunset family tradition that has roots as far back as I can remember is
that of gathering around as mom played the piano or daddy playing his
harmonica while we sang hymns and choruses to welcome in the Sabbath. There was
always a worship time of stories with mission content or of a spiritual nature.
We would sometimes read from one of many books that fed into our spiritual
formation and forward march with the Prince of Peace. Worship always ended with
prayer that was filled with thanksgiving, praise, and many requests for
Heaven's strength and courage to be applied to friends and family in specific
ways.
Tonight as Momma sat down and played hymns on the piano at sundown I
couldn't sing for the lump in my throat and tears in my eyes because the man that
co-founded the family tradition was not here but is silently (Ecclesiastes 9:5,
... the dead know nothing...) resting, waiting for resurrection morning (1
Corinthians 15:51-54... in
a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed...).
After Mom got up from the piano I
requested my collection of devotionals be retrieved so I could carry on the
tradition for just the two of us. We cried as we tried to start so we spent a
few minutes reviewing what was going through our heads.Talking helped clear our heads long enough for me to invite the Lord's presence for our worship time. I read about gratitude. We talked about a dear friend who is at a circumstantial fork in the road and how we so desperately want to see her get the help she needs. Mom then prayed a most beautiful prayer for our friend then for each of our family, church family and neighbors!
If you experience extra horsepower in your life it may be fueled in part from those prayers. So the Boyd tradition lives on! HAPPY SABBATH!
