Family Ties
Laying in bed having the negative thoughts and memories of her kids not liking the idea of her going back to school was redundant and wouldn't accomplish anything. Dwelling on what was said all those years ago was only going to bring the hurt and resentments back. Deborah knew she needed to change her focus so she could start her day off right. Deborah picked up her Bible and said a little prayer, “Dear heavenly Father please guide me as I start my day. Help me to acknowledge all the good things you have in store for me and my family today. Lead me to what your word says for me today.”
She opened her Bible and found herself led to Romans 12: 3 -8 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. She heard movement coming from the living room, which meant it was just about time to get up and get moving. She threw her blankets off and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She heard a knock on her door, but before she could call come in, the door flew open and six year old Sophia followed by two year old Ashton came bouncing into her bedroom. The two little ones ran toward Deborah and while Sophia jumped up on the bed beside Deborah, little Ashton ran straight into her arms yelling, “Up, Gamma, Up.” Deborah leaned forward and picked the little guy up. She sat him in her lap and holding onto him with her left arm, she placed her right arm around Sophia and snuggled her in tight to her side. She kissed Ashton on the forehead and then bent down and kissed Sophia on the forehead too.
Sophia moved to kneeling position on the bed beside Deborah and after placing her arms around her Grandma she whispered in her ear, “I love you, Grandma. I am going to miss you when you move away.” That sweet little voice full of love and sadness brought a tear to Deborah’s eyes and she felt it roll down her cheek. Little
Ashton said,“Done cwy, Gamma.”
Her arms around them tightened and she said, “I love you two and I too will miss you, but Gramma is only a skype call away, so we will still be able to talk.”
Sophia said, “Yeah, but I will not be able to do this.” She started tickling her Grandma which led Deborah to say, “You know what that means, don’t you?”
She stood up, dropped Ashton onto the bed and proceeded to tickle them both. The sounds of giggling children filled the house. There was the scent of coffee brewing and the sound of pots and pans being moved around from the kitchen. She said, “Let’s go see who is making coffee and breakfast. I wonder what is for breakfast. How about you, are you interested in what is going on out there?” Sophia and Ashton said, “Yeah, let’s go see.”
Sophia challenged Ashton saying, “I bet Mommy is making pancakes.”
Ashton yells, “Nuh ah, it’s my Mommy makin scabbled eggs.”
Sophia said, “Nooooo.” She jumped down off the bed and ran ahead of them out the door.
Deborah picked Ashton up into her arms and they walk out of the bedroom into the living room and headed for the kitchen. Mary - Sophia’s mom and Elizabeth - Ashton’s mom are both in the kitchen. Mary is just pouring herself a cup of coffee and Elizabeth is holding onto a bowl and stirring whatever is inside it. Mary puts her cup down to grab to pour another cup but first asks, “Coffee Mom?” Deborah smiled as she said, “Is the Pope Catholic? You betcha.” Elizabeth said, “Mom you have got to find a new yes response, that one is getting old. Correction, you have been saying that since I was Ashtons age, it is old,” and the three of them laughed.
Deborah set Ashton down on the floor to take the offered cup of coffee from Mary. Then she looked from Sophia to Ashton and said, “You both win.”
The younger women looked at Deborah with a question on their faces. Deborah continued, “Both your Mommy’s are in the kitchen making breakfast.”
Sophia giggled and Ashton beamed. He asked, “What ya makin Mama?” Elizabeth asked, “What is your favorite breakfast?”
He excitedly answered, “Scabbled eggs….”
“Give the boy a dollar” said Elizabeth, “Yup, scrambled eggs it is”
“Yayyyyyy” he cried, “Tole ya Pia, I win, I win.” Mary was now standing in front of the bowls cupboard and bending down looking for the right size of bowl. Sophia asked, “Are you going to make pancakes mommy?”
Mary finds the bowl she wants and looking from Elizabeth to Sophia with a smile says, “Is the Pope Catholic?”
Sophia yells, “Yayyyyy”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes and said, “Oh no. Not you too?”
Deborah and Mary both laughed
