Musings on Spiritual Matters » Family

The Parent’s are Here

Matthew — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:53:16 +0000

The parents have come to visit the Morine’s for two weeks. Now that the grand-kids are around they seem to love to come down more. Today I am taking them to Nashville for some shopping and at night we are going to a Predator’s game. They are from Canada. It is great having them here. Most days are busy as I juggle work, family, school, and hosting parents. Fortunately this means that there is a lot of time for them to be with the Children. Charity and I also believe that we will go on a date since there is some free babysitting available. Mother felt poorly yesterday; she was sick or had allergies. Wayne County is the worst place to be for pollen. It is a beautiful place to live, but the allergies are terrible. It is nice to have the family down for a while.

A Prayer of a Two Year Old.

Matthew — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:13:13 +0000

Last night Charity told me that Gabrielle said her first prayer. Charity has been asking her to pray for a little while, and each time Gabrielle did not want to pray. But yesterday she decided to give prayer a chance. Here is the prayer that she prayed. “Jesus, why don’t you come down from that cross so those nails will not hurt you anymore, and can you come down on a cloud and take me to heaven with you.” Charity said she started crying. What a sweet and simple prayer! Little Gabrielle does not understand why Jesus had to suffer because she has no concept of sin. It just seems unfair to her that Jesus has to hurt. It is unfair. The message of the Gospel is simple. A two year old can understand its power. The purity of the gospel spoken from the pure mouth of a two year old.

Tokens of Love

Matthew — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:09:30 +0000

Almost every morning Gabrielle gives me a token of love to take to work. It is a picture she drew, a toy she has, or a book she has been reading. She walks up to me to give me a hug and to tell me that she loves me every morning. Then she hands me the token of her love with the phrase “You can take this to work with you.” These are her little gifts to her daddy. Before I head into the office in the morning I always give Charity a kiss and a hug, I give Gabrielle a kiss and a hug, and I give Noah a kiss and a hug. I tell everyone I love them and Charity and Gabrielle tell me that they love me too. Many days Gabrielle will hang out of the door as I leave waving to me and yelling to me “I love you daddy.”

It seems to me that we enter this world desiring to love one another. It is only through time and painful experiences that we close our hearts off. Every morning I leave the house with a powerful message from God as I spend the day in ministry. It is the message of unconditional love. I am a better minister because of my little girl.

Home for the Holidays

Matthew — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:35:14 +0000

When I was twenty years old, I left home to preach the Gospel. For the first four years, most years I only saw my family during the Christmas season. Christmas was a special time for me because of the joy of traveling home. The song “I’ll be home for Christmas” was dear to me. Since I have been married, we have never been to Nova Scotia for Christmas. It has been almost six years. But this year the Morine family is leaving out tomorrow to spend a week with my family. There is a great anticipation. The parents are overjoyed at the opportunity to experience Christmas with the grandchildren. Watching Gabrielle enjoy her gifts is a joy unknown for many. While we are home, I am going to preach for the Kentville church of Christ. This was the place of my first sermon. When I was converted at twenty, I started teaching a class and preaching in a matter of months. No one ever told me that I had the option to do nothing. I still get goosebumps from standing in the pulpit in this congregation and delivering a message from the Word. My mind is overwhelmed with the past of who I was, and the future of who Christ made me to be. Traveling home connects me to the story that God is weaving in my life. It is a reminder of the starting point of my life. It is my UR, it is my Bethlehem, it is my Tarsus, but only God knows where the journey will end and how the rest of the story will unfold. We travel back to Nova Scotia, not in the desire to go back, but as a reminder of how far God has taken me. Praise be to the Father of all glory, let all the Angels and man sing his praise. For God is good, His everlasting love is beyond compare. Few people can drink as deeply from this text as I have in my life.

Matthew 19:29 ” And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life.”

Christmas Cheer in the Air

Matthew — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:19:48 +0000

Gabrielle went to see Santa Claus this week for the first time. Well, she saw him some last year, but would not sit on his lap. Earlier in the week she went to see him. This year she happily walked up to see him. She even told him what she wanted for Christmas this year. A baby doll, baby doll clothes, and a rocking chair for her doll, and to our surprise a train. Yesterday we took her back to see Santa Claus because she informed us “I forgot to give Santa a hug.” We had no choice. Once again she jumped on Santa’s lap, gave him a big hug, and off she went. She felt good about her time with Santa. Christmas time is a great time of year. I love it. We even watched Polar Express together as a family. Gabrielle loved every minute. And her dad did too because I loved watching her. Christmas is exciting, but Christmas with children is out of this world.

Family Picture for 2007

Matthew — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:36:53 +0000

Gospel Meetings and Little Girls

Matthew — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 15:11:56 +0000

Last night was a special night for the Morine family. Charity stayed home with baby Noah and I took Gabrielle to the Gospel Meeting at the Wayne Furnace church of Christ. It was a special time for me to have my little girl come along. She is getting older now. She was well behaved during the preaching. Never really got to listen to the lesson much, had to occupy her for most of the evening. But I am sure it was a great lesson from Roy Sharp. In the church, father’s will be at their little girls sporting, piano, and play events, but the most important place for a father and daughter is at church. If you want your children to love the Lord their must first watch you love God. I brought the best quest any man can bring to the meeting, his family.

Watch Out for Bees

Matthew — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 13:26:20 +0000

Here are the children in their customs. Cute, too cute.

My Special Two Girls

Bad Lost for WVU, But Great Time for the Morine’s

Matthew — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 01:57:42 +0000

Last night we watched the West Virgina game against South Florida. We should have won the game. The person who beat us was us, not them. We made big mistakes at important times in the game. I am a Tennessee fan number one, but the wife loves WVU because she grew up in Morgantown, WV. And I love watching football with her. She loves it and I love sharing this passion with her. Here is a picture of the kids with the proud dad.

Family Picture from the Vacation

Matthew — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:05:25 +0000

Here is the family picture from the big vacation. It was a great time. We got there just after a storm and left before another storm came. Great timing. I gained five pounds, but we ate some great seafood, especially at the Gulf Shores Steamer. It was in Costal Living Magazine, but I did not know it, but we do get the publication. The beach was hot enough and the water was warm.