HSBC Coffeebreak

When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
Luke 2:48

After having what I like to call a “low point” in my mothering career, I began my quiet time searching Scripture for a mother of a preschooler. I wanted to know if I was alone in my struggles to be patient and loving in all circumstances.

I found that Scripture doesn’t give us many examples of moms actually “training up their children.” As much as I long for specific examples of little John lying and how his mom handled it, I think God knew that giving us those examples would actually trap us. We would follow them too closely. God didn’t include discipline in Scripture (in my opinion) because my children are different from anyone in Scripture. And I am different from any mother in Scripture. How biblical mothers handle a situation may not work for me - and that would only frustrate me when the “technique of Hannah,” for example, didn’t fix my kid.

But this passage, Luke 2:41-51, this is exactly what I need. Mary, the chosen mother of our Savior, wasn’t perfect. She blew her lid at Jesus…a child who was perfect. I LOVE that. I take great comfort in that…not because I want to revel in my faults and my lack of patience and my anger, or even because I take joy in someone else’s sin, but because I fully trust that God loved Mary with all His heart. He trusted her with His Son. And yet, she struggled. If He can give her grace…He for sure can give me grace – for I have children who are not perfect.

I look at Mary’s response to her child, Jesus, here. She has just realized that she accidentally forgot Jesus at the temple. She asks him WHY have you treated US (me & your father) like this? Do you know ALL that I have done for you? I can relate to her frustration here and her response – it’s much like mine toward my own daughters at times.

She made it about her. Christ wasn’t following the script! But, Christ wasn’t doing anything wrong. He has to answer to God before Mary. Perhaps Mary was in the wrong for leaving him. Who knows, who cares. But sometimes, when I am in her position – panicked and embarrassed, perhaps in front of family and friends or in a situation where I cannot control my child or dealing with a behavior that I have been over with my child and I KNOW they know better, I respond the same way. I yell – and when I yell, I make it all about me.

I shall take heart. Mary was “highly favored” by God (Luke 1:28). And she didn’t get it perfect. I have to trust that I, too, am favored by God and He knows I’m not going to mother perfectly either. That’s not an excuse…but it is oddly encouraging to me as I long to be better at this mom thing. God has grace (and patience) for me!

Written by
Holly Hauskins

HSBC Coffeebreak

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Romans 15:4

My twin sons are seniors in high school this year. Recently, they have been working on speeches to present for combination grades in History and English class. They had to prepare a written paper first, making sure it was prepared correctly, then memorize it and present it to the class. It has taken a lot of forethought. They’ve combed over their presentations, organized notes, made rough drafts and revised them, selecting just the right words to create a sound presentation. They worked hard to come up with an attention-grabbing start and to summarize and construct a conclusion that ties it all in nicely.

Have you ever thought about how the Bible does that too? I guess I didn’t really think about it until recently. In the book of Genesis, we read of the creation of the sun, the entrance of sin into the world, the curse that it brought with it, of Satan’s victory in conniving humankind, and of the exclusion from the “tree of life.” In the last few chapters of the book of Revelation, we read of a place where there will be no need of the sun. We read about a place where sin is banished, and there will be no more curse, where Satan is overthrown and there is admission to the “tree of life.”

Wow! It appears that there was some forethought to how this book was put together! These inspired words were written for our learning. They’ve been well thought out, well prepared, selected just right, so that when they are presented to us, we’ll be able to see an attention grabbing beginning with the creation of the world, and a triumphant end when “The seventh angel sounded; and there were a great voices in heaven, saying, ‘the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.’” Revelation 11:15.

Written by
Melody Foster

HSBC Coffeebreak

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
Psalm 62:5 NIV

My relationship with God is not always made of grand discoveries and amazing victories. One day that definitely didn’t feel like an award winning day, but was actually pretty typical, came towards the end of my fourth pregnancy. I am a morning person and during that time, I felt lucky to get the evening meal on the table. The process of tracking down my family, forcing them to come to my meal and then clean up their food was almost more than I could bear, let alone clean up and get the kids to bed. I felt like I was skipping most of the things I should be doing most nights and still barely making it. Finally the kids had all gone potty, they had their drink, and those in need were in diapers. They each got tucked in, hugged and kissed and put back about twice, prayed with, and then we tried to leave the room. My kids are geniuses for finding a question that will actually get a response from us at that time of night. Something about death or heaven or God’s love will usually do the trick and they know it.

Finally our escape was made. I sank onto the toilet with a sigh of relief. (Maybe that’s too much information, but this is my reality.) “I love the end of the day,” I said to my husband, “when I know my work is done…” As these words left my mouth, the bathroom door swung open, “Mommy,” said a little voice. My daughter’s toy had fallen out of bed and now she was coming for permission to pick it up because she didn’t want to get in trouble for getting out of bed. Five minutes later she was back, again, needing to go potty, again.

Come to think of it, does a parent’s day ever end? It’s a relief to know God is there on the days I have nothing left, on the days, in fact, when I’ve been running on empty for a long time already. On most of my days, I am not the conquering victor I’d like to be, but I have my own Heavenly Father whose arms I can sink into and find rest. Instead of shaming me for not being all I think I should be, He provides me with a resting place.

Written by
Melody Anderson

HSBC Coffeebreak

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’
Jeremiah 29:11 NASB

It was my day off and I had planned as many errands and much housework as I thought I could fit into one day. The first stop was getting a part replaced on my car at 8:00 a.m. I had allotted myself one hour to get this done and head on to the next store, which I guessed would open at 9:00. Surprisingly, my car was done in less than half an hour. I decided to head on to my next stop in the chance that the store might be one of those to open before 9:00.

As I pulled into the parking space in front of the store, things weren’t looking good. It looked too dark inside to be open, but I ran up the steps to check the door and read the sign, just to be sure. Sure enough, it didn’t open for another half hour. Now what? If I headed home, by the time I got there it would be time to come right back in. But to sit in the car for a half hour without anything to do would be such a waste of my time.

These thoughts had barely had time to cross my mind when someone behind me honked. As I turned around, I saw my friend pulling her car in beside mine. She, too, was running half an hour earlier than expected and was debating what she would do next. It was decided that I would jump in her car and we would wait for the store to open together.

Well, as you know, when a couple of women get together, time flies. We had the best visit and before we knew it, the store had opened and we were off to conquer the rest of our day.

This meeting was not in my plans for the day, but oh, how much sweeter it made my day to have had it happen.

Thank you, Lord, for having something better planned for me than I have planned for myself. And on this day, thank you for interrupting “my” plans to put a friend in my path.

Written by
Anna Waggoner

HSBC Coffeebreak

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21

This summer I had the privilege of attending a huge youth conference at Purdue University. The week that we were there, the latest Harry Potter book was released. Some of our kids placed their orders and I went with them to pick up their much anticipated books since they needed a chaperone.

As we boarded the bus to return to the airport, a trend began to appear. No matter where I looked, kids and adults clutched, read, and cherished their latest treasure. We took 15 kids on our trip and throughout the various connections, we saw other conference attendees carrying the same treasure. Airport stands were filled with copies stacked high, banners waved in store fronts, and people chatted away excitedly about what the story was all about.

I began to wonder about the 5,000 kids all over the country working their way home from a weeklong conference studying and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. What if we clutched, read, and treasured our Bibles the way thousands of people were now doing with this book?

I asked the kids about what they observed as people rushed by with the book and asked about seeing the Bible carried that way. Some said it was a much anticipated book; therefore everyone wants to read it and will do what they have to in order to obtain their copy. Others shrugged it off and said it didn’t matter much to them.

I found myself hugging my Bible praising God for His Word. It is alive and active. Since that time, I have looked around my office, home, and backpack to see what treasures I am expressing. I am wearing the cross, carrying my Bible, have Jesus pictures on my walls, and a cross hanging in my truck. But the treasure I noted most important is the one I carry in my heart and express through my love for Him.

Written by
Erica Alexander