"Ground"

 Once upon a piece of ground,

They settled, sent down roots,

Built a home near water found,

And there pulled off their boots.

Worked so hard and one could tell,

They meant to always stay,

Stocked with cows to raise and sell,

And keep the wolves at bay.

The kids and grandkids so well-raised,

The lives they lived well-known,

They didn’t do it to be praised,

But for integrity full-grown.

Their holdings grew and livestock, too,

And horses that they bred,

Winners at whate’er they do,

And no doubt they were led,

By the God their fathers served,

Protected by His grace,

Blessed beyond what they deserved,

‘Cause they gave Him first place.

Descendants of this family,

Went on to serve and lead,

It became their destiny,

To sow the Master’s seed.

And when your gaze prompts you to look,

Westward toward the sun,

Their history more than in a book,

Remind us what they’ve done.

Once upon a piece of ground,

With faith and work and sweat,

The blessing that one family found,

And others too can get.

“…I will utter things, things from old- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from our children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord…” (Psal 78:2-4, NIV)

God’s grace will break generational curses and replace them with generational blessings. We all know people who were dramatically handicapped by the way they were raised. But God’s grace can heal and normalize our lives, no matter the abuse and dysfunction we may have suffered. But this grace will also energize us to pass along the blessing to our children and grandchildren. Even if our kids are grown, what we say to them and show them can dramatically alter their lives. As long as there’s a heartbeat, there’s hope for a better future.

Lord, help us create and pass along generational blessing, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Alfredo Rodriguez, used by permission. Thanks, Alfredo, and God bless you.