Throughout your child’s life, there will be many firsts. As parents, grandparents and even on-lookers, we can feel the excitement and the joy. What a thrill to be around children!
 
Is that what you are thinking as you prepare this year’s Thanksgiving meal or sit around the festive table? Do you have a separate table-‘the kids table’? Do you shoo them out of the kitchen because they are under foot?
 
There is nothing wrong with having a kids table, or a specific area for the kiddos to play. The real question is, why do you? What’s your reasoning behind sending them away?
 
Psalm 127:3-5a
​Children are a heritage from the Lord,
    offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
    are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man
    whose quiver is full of them.
 
This Thanksgiving, when your son asks to mash the potatoes, let him. Yes, he’ll probably take a lot longer than you, make a mess and the potatoes might be lumpy. It’s ok. Be thankful that your son has the strength to mash and the love of work.
 
Today when your granddaughter gets a case of the giggles and rolls around on the floor while you are rushing to get the good china on the adult table, stop and laugh with her. Be thankful that your granddaughter can smile, laugh and roll around.
 
This holiday when the cousins play video games, ask if you can have a turn. Take the time to let them teach you. They’ll be so thankful you did. They’ll never forget the year you stepped into their world.
 
God’s promise is true everyday - children are a blessing. If men and women facing an unexpected pregnancy see your joy towards children, perhaps they will be more excited about the pregnancy, more willing to give the child life.
 
This Thanksgiving when the children at your celebration are loud and messy, take time to thank God for your quiver full of blessings. Be joyful around children for LIFE.

Author: Katina Meinel

Katrina is a devoted wife and mother of four children. She homeschools all four children, nanny's two more, and keeps the home fire burning...quite literally in the outdoor wood burner. Her husband encourages her to share her gift of writing with the world.

Fourth in the FUEL Series...

We must LOVE – always and everyone. Love is an attribute that everyone claims to have. No one ever wants to be considered unloving. But whether we truly live our lives in love or not is 100% dependent on the walk, not the talk. We are God’s hands and feet in this world. Talking amongst ourselves of how we love others, or nodding agreement to messages of love in church on Sunday mornings, is not enough. It simply isn’t. We must ask God to help empty us of ourselves, so there’s a deep well within us that can be filled with his love for people. That love is unconditional, because God’s love for us was in the first place.

Love is growth. We cannot be who we are today and effectively love those in the world, or each other (fellow believers), as God calls us to, without acknowledging ways we can change for the better. But we can change! God’s love is change! And when we go forward into a world in need of love and humility, brimming over with the love of Jesus for sinners like us, changes will take place. It must become our way of life. It’s more than a hat to wear when we think we need to. And every last human life deserves our love!

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” - Philippians 2:3-4

What do you think of F.U.E.L.? Can these principles be empowering for you in your Pro-Life journey? If we want to “be the change you wish to see in the world,” then certainly we must get busy arming ourselves for this battle. Just remember who you’re really fighting, who’s fighting with you, and who you’re aiming to win over.

Fight on, Pro-Lifers!

Author: Jeff Ulrich

Jeff is a husband, father, and graduate school student. He attends Hope Lutheran in Oconomowoc. Jeff’s background in ministry education and future in the counseling field reflect a heart that loves to serve others and make a difference. He shares his personal or spiritual reflections in his own time at www.missionpossiblejeffulrich.blogspot.com

The journey upon the Pro-Life path is one that must be walked with conviction and determination, and a hatred for the evil that has claimed millions of lives of unborn children for decades. But it’s an all too common occurrence that any animosity we feel for the abomination of abortion becomes vitriol directed at our fellow humans. On our streets, in classrooms, in the halls where elected officials have debates, and especially on social media, such horrible and – frankly – unchristian behavior can be found in the treatment of those who differ from us on this all-important subject.

But it’s not our fellow human beings who deserve this wrath. We must remember what Paul wrote:

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  - Ephesians 6:12
 
This battle to renew the value of life in the womb must be fought indeed. But we mistakenly take out the aggression that stems from our distaste for this subject of abortion on those whom we must ultimately come to view as our mission field, and not just “opponents.”

Make no mistake about it. It isn’t being overly dramatic to call this pro-life cause a “battle.” But it’s a spiritual battle, not a relational one. Anyone truly fighting in the battle needs fuel for the battle.

In fact, we need F.U.E.L.

F – We must FORTIFY ourselves first.
U – We must UNDERSTAND who fights with us and for us.
E – We must ENGAGE with anyone in our culture whom we hope to influence.
L – We must LOVE – always and everyone.


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Author: Jeff Ulrich

Jeff is a husband, father, and graduate school student. He attends Hope Lutheran in Oconomowoc. Jeff’s background in ministry education and future in the counseling field reflect a heart that loves to serve others and make a difference. He shares his personal or spiritual reflections in his own time at www.missionpossiblejeffulrich.blogspot.com