Rational And Relational

Thanks to garage sale leftovers we have a fair amount of riding toys. Often they are lying around in the way. The rational side says I wish those kids would put their toys away when they're finished with them. The relational side says I'm thankful for the kids and the fact that they get to hang around.

The definition of rational is having an understanding. Based on clear thought and reason. Making sense. A set of facts.

The definition of relational is being engaged with. Interconnected with. A joint goal. A kinship. A mutual respect. Rational and relational work together. One is considerably weaker without the other.

Remember the story last week about these girls needing money for new hatchimal friends? Well I received this snap that they pooled their shop sweeping money together to make it happen.

Also last week we visited about BJ and Cassia's basement getting started. Well the cement crew arrived and found expandable soil. That means with moisture the ground expands and can move more than a house foundation could maybe tolerate. So the basement and footings had to be dug out an extra three foot deeper and 400 ton of rock had to be added. Bummer. Rational says that's extra expense. Relational says let's do it right and maybe it will still be solid and sound for our great grand kids.

Well, school has started. Rational says it's time for kids to get back in the classroom and start learning. Relational says the kids are looking forward to hanging out with their friends again and also grow and learn outside the classroom.

Since our grandkid's pictures were on social media this past week, I borrowed them. This is Mike and Suzanne's son Cody, a 9th grader. Mike is our oldest and had his 40th birthday this past Friday.

These are Mark and Stacy's crew. Ethan, Amelia, Elijah, Anton, and Allison.

These are BJ and Cassia's grade schoolers. Rachael, John, Adali, and Natalie. 10th grader Gideon had an extra day of summer and had already left for his job at Stam's Greenhouse.

Becky took a great picture of her and Brian's kids. Ezra, Elliott, Zach, Harris, and Hazel.

Jackson fell with one of those shop toys and lost two of his front teeth a couple of weeks ago. He and Jayden belong to Kurt and Emily. 

Malaki belongs to Karl and Kristin. He helps his Dad in the hog shed quite a bit. He is looking forward to a new brother or sister any day now.

We value our reputation and we should. It's what folks think we are. However sometimes others remember, hear, and believe things that may not be true. We should most value our character. That's who God knows we are.

Many of us had forefathers that grew up rational. They lived by a set of rules. They felt feelings and emotions were a sign of weakness. Kids were told they could be seen but not heard. They loved and served their Lord however I feel they missed out on the relational side. They seemed better at building fences than bridges.

We were privileged to have the PCHS board and staff over for another school year kickoff supper last evening. Thanks to both for all you do investing time and effort in kid's lives.

Relationships take effort. They are to be proactive, not reactive. Being rational feels safe. Being relational feels vulnerable. You can't have relationships without having feelings. If you don't love others you can't love God. 

Sometimes in church we have the rational side of faith covered better than the relational side. We believe in Hebrews 11 that the rational side of faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Do others see the relational side of our faith? God doesn't measure us on our performance and success. He wants our love, our feelings, our time, and our attention. How do we do that when we live on earth and He lives in heaven? In Matthew 25 Jesus says that when we love and help the least of these on earth, we are loving and helping Him.