The Blessing of Family

This last weekend I spent with my extended family, the Kruse clan....four generations were present. It was a wonderful time with memories shared and memories made. We gathered where my grandparents made their home, taking a tour of the area, sharing stories with one another and realizing we are a part of something incredible. Incredible because two people fell in love and throughout the last ninety-some years God has preserved something special....the love of family.

I was reminded of the story in the Bible from Joshua Chpt. 4 (read full story here), when God had the Israelites place rocks by the river and then told them, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?' then you shall let your children know...." God wanted His people to know "His hand was mighty." My dad's siblings and their children had a personal relationship with my grandparents, but the next generation (my children) and the generations to come will have the stories passed down to them of the faithfulness of a God that worked and is working in our family.

My grandfather owned a grain elevator and made his children the stockholders. Lessons were learned and passed down. We toured the little town where this elevator is located, and were treated to a history lesson. As I listened I  realized that although my grandparents were gone and the elevator has been sold, God was faithful in all that transpired and we can be proud of the legacy left in that little town. You can still see "Kruse Grain Co." on the side of the elevator. One day it will be worn off, but for now, we could still see what once was.

My grandparents' place is home to another family now and as we drove up it seemed so small compared to what I remembered as a child. The yard is where I saw my first firefly and was enthralled. I placed a few in a jar and it sat on my bedside table that night, a very unique nightlight!




As I thumbed through a scrapbook at the reunion, I came across the Final Will and Testament that was left for us and the generations to come. Material things come and go as attested to the pictures above, but my grandparents and aunts and uncles left us with something much more valuable. We are blessed beyond measure.

Final Will and Testament

Kruse Grain Company

Knowing that neither man nor businesses last forever here on this earth, we the stockholders bequeath the following intangibles to our children and their descendants:

Article I: House

To each of our children, we hope to leave a home built with the solid bricks of faith in God and self-esteem. May your houses have windows of empathy and doors that open both ways.

Article II: Vehicles

May our children be provided with some means of transportation to take them beyond themselves: an absorbing hobby, a service to others that only they can perform, a talent or favorite recreation that renews their spirit.  We leave to you a desire to transport others and leave them in a quiet place of peace with themselves and God.

Article III: Personal Items

We bequeath to each of our children a jewel box filled with glistening memories: of family Sunday dinners, good food, times of working together and times of traveling together. All the things that made us laugh and cry together, of tender moments of birth and rebirth and each talent loaned from God. Long summers filled with picnics, detasseling, beanwalking, vacations, cold winters with hot chocolate, snowmobiling and Christmas.  We leave a bag of tiny diamonds made of things such as: shared personal moments, family prayer, mealtime graces, valentines, school programs and our pride in your smallest acomplishments.

Article IV:  Stocks and Bonds

Finally, we would leave our children and their descendants, enough stock in the bonds of faith to move mountains, enough hope in the promises of God as recorded in His Word the Bible for all future generations. We bequeath enough love, the greatest gift of all, and without which we would be nothing at all.  The kind of love our Lord Jesus Christ has for us.  The kind of love that is patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, and never haughty or selfish or rude.  Love that does not demand its own way and is not irritable or touchy.  This kind of love does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do wrong.  This kind of love is what your grandmother and founding mother of this corporation believed in and strove to have for her descendants.  We want to pass this on to you.

Article V: Taxes

Before taxes are levied on this estate, please deduct (and forgive) cross words spoken, times of being too busy to listen and missed apologies.

Signed by the Present Stockholders

Joshua 24:15 “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ........But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

I am grateful.....

Detox with Gratitude

I am taking classes on my way to a degree in naturopathic medicine. It is fascinating. One of the topics that comes up time and again is the importance of detoxing the body. We are inundated with many noxious substances that are present in the foods we eat, the air we breathe, the products we use, and even the busyness of life releases an overload of stress hormones that can be toxic to us.

God has gifted our bodies with amazing capabilities to rid itself of these substances, but we must take care to implement good habits for the body to do so.

As I have read on this subject (and am trying to implement some of the practices into my own life) I was somewhat surprised to see that the first (and probably most important) step in detoxing one's body, is to detox the mind.

"In a disordered mind, as in a disordered body, soundness of health is impossible." ~Cicero

"It's vital...to cleanse the mind/the brain/the head so we are clearer with our goals and more able to understand ourselves so we can change what we need to change.  A clear head helps clear mind-fog, enhances focus, improves memory, brings mental and emotional clarity and when we're stress free, our body's systems flow optimally.

When stressed and anxious, the body produces the hormone, cortisol, and in excessive amounts, apart from causing premature aging, it's the West's biggest killer and the underlying cause of the majority of illness and disease. Yes, of course sometimes life brings sadness and grief....but by leading a healthy lifestyle, having a calm mind and being grounded, we are able to deal with these situations like the clouds in the sky that come and go." (Angie Newson, The Detox Factor)

For the last two years I have been practicing gratitude, journaling my blessings. I was awed to realize that gratitude is the first step to "detoxing" the mind.

Simply being thankful.

"Practicing gratitude helps us put life into perspective - so instead of wasting time complaining, being negative, gossiping or moaning, start to look for the positive in any situation - it is usually buried somewhere even if you think it isn't. Practicing gratitude makes us less anxious, less depressed and releases tension so we are not always demanding more or wanting something else. The mind and body becomes calmer, our inner workings are less stressed and our digestive system can work as it was designed to. And practicing gratitude can also help you to feel less lonely, it lowers blood pressure and boosts our immune system." (Newson)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6-7

Yes, lifting our lives to God, with thanksgiving, will bring peace of mind.

The mind becomes clear and calm when we realize all comes from Him, to whom all thanks is due. We can rest in His goodness. Look for it today and begin the journey to a more healthy you!!

"Gratitude is nutrition for a living relationship." ~Steve Maraboli

I have learned and am learning the importance of simply saying "thank you."


**A wonderful resource, next to the Bible, in beginning a journey of gratefulness, is Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts. Also check out her website, aholyexperience.com.