✝ Daily Encouragement (3/20/25) "Generations Come And Go"

Published: Thu, 03/20/25

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Thursday, March 20, 2025

Stephen's cousins
Stephen's cousins gathered for his Mom's burial service in 2006 at the little Methodist Church (now closed) that she attended as a child. Dub is wearing the sweater and peach colored shirt.

"Generations Come And Go"

Note: Today's message will have some exposition but we hope it causes some personal reminiscing and thankfulness.

Message summary: Today I encourage you to examine both your roots and your destination. It's plainly apparent, "generations come and generations go" and there is "a time to be born and a time to die".  You have come and you are most certainly going. According to James 4:14 we are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. The vital question for each of us is, “Where am I going and have I properly prepared for my eternal future?”

Listen to our message on your audio player.

“Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4). “A time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2).

Today let us consider our cousins. Depending on the size of our families we may have a lot or some have none, such as if each parent was an only child. In our area we have many "Plain" people who have large families and thus many, many cousins. Yesterday Brooksyne spoke to a neighbor who shared that her sister had just lost a newborn baby, the ninth child and only boy which they had been hoping and praying for. Certainly there is much heartache in that family so the parents and siblings are gathering with one another today to offer consolation and support.

My grandparents on Mom's side had nine children, although two died in their youth. These two were always considered part of the family and their loss was felt. The seven who lived to adulthood, one boy and six girls, went on to have sixteen children, my cousins on the Steincross side.

Our connection is being the grandchildren of George Washington and Nellie May Steincross, who lived in the tiny village of Harwood, Missouri (population of 45 in 2019 but probably less now). They died in the early seventies. My Uncle Gentry, Mom's only brother, saw to it the family would stay together and in 1975 we had our first reunion after our grandparents' death. We meet every year and this year it will be in Wisconsin, the 50th anniversary.

One by one Uncle Gentry and his six younger sisters: Anita Ruth, Hazel, Tempy, Zola, Georgia Mae (my mom), and Frances died who was the youngest about 15 years ago. But the cousins keep the reunion going, no longer the little children playing on the farm but now all seniors, my oldest living cousin Anna Lee is in her 90's and we received a card from her yesterday! The penmanship is difficult to decipher but how special it was to know that she would make the effort to reach out to us, but she's always been that kind of cousin (Brooksyne says she's sweet because she lived in Tulsa most of her adult years, as most know that's where Brooksyne was raised).

But four from our generation have gone on, the most recent is Gentry's only son, George (whom the family affectionately called "Dub"), who died last Friday. Ester and I are going out to Kansas City for his service as through the years she has been close to the family attending many reunions with us. And Dub was especially kind to her.

Dub and his wife Joy who were married 62 years. They both are very kind and gifted people.

In one sense a generation is all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively. In this regard my generation is considered "the boomer generation" while Ester is a millennial.

A familial generation is a group of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor. We have our grandparents, their children, who are our aunts and uncles, and their children who are our cousins.

In the Bible "generation" usually is referring to the family such as the first reference in Scripture, "These are the generations of Noah" (Genesis 6:9). But it can also apply in a broader sense such as in Christ's teaching on the end-times, "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 24:34).

Generations are a reminder of how temporary life really is, how fast it passes, and the need to focus on that which really matters. Brooksyne’s and my parents have both gone to be with the Lord so our generation is next. At the death of a parent(s) you take a long hard look at your own physical mortality head on.

Today I encourage you to examine both your roots and your destination. It's plainly apparent, "generations come and generations go" and there is "a time to be born and a time to die".  You have come and you are most certainly going. According to James 4:14 we are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. The vital question for each of us is, “Where am I going and have I properly prepared for my eternal future?”

Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Father, we’re reminded in the wise words of Solomon that "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven; a time to be born and a time to die". You have made everything beautiful in its time and You set eternity in the hearts of people. None of us can fathom what You have done from beginning to end. That everyone may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil – this is a gift from You! What great fulfillment when we are productive people and do good works in Your name. May it bring honor to You, may it bless our families, and may it be a good model for those who follow. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

(See Ecclesiastes 3)


Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"He May Not Come When You Want Him"  Watch on YouTube  Providence Baptist Church Choir  (Jeff, a friend from North Carolina suggested this song in light of the theme yesterday, "Understanding God's 'Slowness'")  Any reader have a suggested song to go with today's message?

Dorothy with Ester
I picked up Dorothy (Dottie) in Lancaster at Trillium Place (formerly Calvary Homes) and took her shopping at our local Mount Joy & Thrift where I volunteer once a week. She found some nice spring/summer blouses for and she had fun checking out our new and improved location. Dottie very rarely gets out so she thoroughly enjoyed herself. We then went to the Annie and Chris' farm (see below) to pick up eggs and convey a message to Annie as their phone is in the barn so making contact is easier in person. Afterwards we headed to Goodwill to say hi to Ester. She greeted Dottie with "Hi Grandma" as she is much like a grandmother to Ester since we've known Dottie and her husband Jim for about 25 years now meeting them at a conference in Boston.

Amish clothesline
Children's Clothesline

Brooksyne's Note: Growing up in the country in West Tulsa we children learned to work hard, not much different than that of the Amish community here in Lancaster, PA. Mom had a ringer washer when I was very young, but eventually stepped up to a washing machine. We never had a dryer like the "rich folks" but we did have a long clothes line with 3 or 4 wires strung from pole to pole. One thing we small children didn't have to do is hang out the clothes or bring them in since we weren't tall enough to reach the line. We helped fold the clothes and as we got older we later ironed the big load of clothing Mom first starched on the bed and let it soak in for the day. I visited Chris and Annie yesterday and purchased a couple dozen brown eggs. They have a nice farm and have been our neighbors for probably 16 years. This is the second time I've visited when the low hanging clothesline is filled with clothing and I said, "Annie, you don't mind if I take a photo, do you?" She shook her head with a big smile knowing that I get a kick out of the children's clothesline. They have nine children with the oldest being 16. It's a good thing they don't have goats grazing in the yard as the clothes would be the first thing the goats would chew!

No excuses for the little ones in this family as Mom and Dad simply drop the line low enough for the young ones to reach. The grown up clothesline goes way up in the air as it is attached to a pulley that crosses the wire from the barn all the way to the house. Rarely do you see an Amish clothesline empty in these parts since families often number 9 or more. One thing I have observed among our Amish friends is that the children really enjoy getting big enough to work with their siblings or parents - gardening, clothes-hanging, helping prepare the meal, washing and drying dishes, feeding the animals, etc. Of course I know there are exceptions, but the work ethic is truly admirable and it starts at a very early age.

In the photo above you can see my car parked in the drive and Dottie is patiently waiting for me all the while observing the restored farm house, animals, chickens, and the precious children.

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