What Are You Doing Here?

          You know a trial when you meet one. Coming home to a broken air conditioner in 90 degree heat after church, receiving an unexpected bill in the mail that you cannot pay, cleaning up the same spilled peaches for the fourth time in the last ten minutes, waking up to the same foot pain every day, helping the same child with the same math problem over and over and over again. 

            These are all truly momentary and light afflictions.  Nothing that we go through will ever compare to the agony of the cross.  My sin for His righteousness.  My acceptance for His abandonment.  My idolatry for His faithfulness.  There is no trial or hardship that I have ever tasted that can ever come close to what Jesus suffered for me and you.

            God loves to use the unexpected in our lives.  It occurs every day.  These are moments that I never anticipate happening.   But what I do know is that I should never be surprised by unforeseen experiences.  These may be unknown to me, but not to Him.

            When God does something that I am not expecting, it is a reminder that I am never in control of the destiny of my life.  All my days have been written down before I ever knew them.  Past tense.  Written.  And so, I am meeting these times in my life, sometimes trials and sometimes not, with a new perspective. Like when I met a pig.

            I recently spent a few hours with a friend who needed some help around the house.  She has a newborn and I was looking forward to helping in any way I could.  I was able to do all that I wanted for her – cook, clean, and talk.  It blessed me to bless her.  I prayed that I would be able to help with anything that she would need.  And God ordained a way for me to do just that. 

            On my way out, I asked her if there was any last thing I could do for her before I left.  She came out of the yard with a somewhat concerned look and said that yes, she needed help with something.  It was her pig. 

            Her pig needed to be fed.  She assured me that if we fed the pig, it would stay in the pen and would resist the temptation to flee.  This, I did not want to see, and neither did my friend.  So, I was glad to help.

            The plan was that she would take a large stick and poke at it to keep it from coming out, while I would throw the container of pears into its pen.  Now, this pig that was desirous to come out was not a wee little pig, it was a right good size.  So, I calculated the exact speed and physical maneuvering that would be necessary for me to launch the pears into the pig’s pen.  I let my friend know I was ready, and as my friend poked this pig and opened the gate, I ducked in and gave the pig his pears.  Operation Pig was a success.

            It was a first for me.  Those who know me know that I do not have a warm fuzzy spot in my heart for the animal kingdom.  I don’t mind animals and I know that they are a creation from God and are very necessary.  I just don’t have any in close proximity to me.  So, this was out of the ordinary for me, in the realm of the unexpected. 

            I was pleased to help my friend and pleased to find that I was experiencing the unexpected.  Paul said we should not say that any of our plans are definite, but as the Lord wills.   We do not know what each day will bring.   Only the Lord knows.  He is the One who fashions our days in order to bring out more and more of His glory, more and more of His shine.

            The other day I had some unexpected time to get into the flower beds around my porch.  It had been let go for some time and needed some TLC.  I just threw myself at the job barehanded.  When I was finished, I looked down at my left hand that was the color of dirt and saw a brightly colored semi-circle.  It was my wedding band.  My $50, scratched up, Montgomery Ward wedding band was shining like new white gold.  Why?  I had not polished it.  It was not new.  The dirt around it made it stand out.  It looked bright against the back drop of the dirt and grime. 

            A Christ follower in the middle of a difficulty stands out like Technicolor in a world of black and white.  When a believer in the God-Man Jesus Christ meets a trial or an unexpected event and his faith remains, the gospel shines forth.  These trials of various kinds and unexpected events are there to make him steadfast, immovable.  These occurrences make him more like the One he is following.

 If you are not a Christ follower and you do not understand how one who trusts Jesus can walk through storms, difficulty, and unseen events with peace and even joy, then ask them.  Ask them where the strength and longsuffering to stay the course comes from.  Don’t be surprised if they tell you the answer has nothing to do with them, but that the answer lies in a Man.                                                                                                                    ~Your Fellow Sojourner                      

 {dedicated to my dear friend who allowed me to blog about her pig ~ I love you!!}

[8] In the whole land, declares the LORD,

two thirds shall be cut off and perish,

and one third shall be left alive.

[9] And I will put this third into the fire,

and refine them as one refines silver,

and test them as gold is tested.

They will call upon my name,

and I will answer them.

I will say, ‘They are my people’;

and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”

(Zechariah 13:8-9 ESV)

Letting Boys Become Men

           I am not a very “qualified” person to be thinking too much on this subject, but it is one in which I am becoming more and more accustomed.  It reminds me of the motto Chris and I adopted when we found out we were expecting twin boys ~ have no expectations, and take it one day at a time.  We found wisdom in that perspective then, and I am finding wisdom in that motto now, as my oldest turns 13.

One of the worst things I have found in parenting my boys, is the insecurity that infects them when I am holding them back, as they are ready to move forward.  I often do not know when these moments will occur, but I am becoming more and more aware of the importance of these opportunities. In these times, my boys will have an infusion of courage to take on a risky venture, and then seek approval from me as they take on the task.  It is very reminiscent of knighthood.  Winston discovered this himself. 

            Not so long ago, the twins attempted bike riding.  With this new activity came the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.  During this learning process, Winston came into the house and very emphatically told me, “I can do this!  I am God’s knight!  I can do anything.  I can cross a bridge.  I cannot be afraid of anything!”  After I had recovered from this string of strong declarations coming from my five year old, I told him that he just might find that he is afraid some time, and that it would be ok.  I told him that he would need to pray and ask Jesus to help him.  To which he replied, “Cousin Mia is the bestest knight, Mom.” Point lost.  I asked him later what he meant by that and he just looked at me like, “You don’t know, Mom?  Well, I can’t help you.”  But, I was certain that he was truly unafraid of just about anything at that moment because he could ride a bike.  He was a knight upon his trusty steed.

            Another “boys to men” milestone occurred this past month when my husband informed my eldest son that he was now ready to use the lawn tractor.  It was a Saturday morning, right after breakfast, and the entire family witnessed the passing of the cutting of the lawn from father to son.  Jackson did not say much, but smiled and quietly rode the tractor with dignity and pride.  Now, if you had seen the rest of the children’s reactions, you would have thought that we were being visited by royalty.  They watched mesmerized as Jackson went round and round the house in the tractor.  The twins were ecstatic and jumped up and down and hugged each other.  Then they said, “Next he is going to drive a car!”  Bella and Elias cheered him on as well.  I sat calmly in my bath robe, sipping coffee, watching my family react to their brother taking on the job of a man.  They rejoiced.  This is what was supposed to happen.  They knew that it was the right time for their brother to mow the lawn, and they felt the weight and joy of it themselves. 

            Earlier this summer, Jackson came up to me before he went to bed and told me that he was not too comfortable with the fact that he was growing taller than me.  I knew it was a tender moment, a small glimpse into his soul.  I asked him why he felt that way, and he was not quite sure.  And then I knew.  It was his way of saying, “I am realizing that manhood is coming for me soon, and I don’t know if I am ready for that.”  I put my arm around him and told him that just because he is getting taller does not mean that I am going to change.  I am still his mother and I am still “one tough cookie”.  To which he looked very relieved.  He knew I would not let him traverse these years alone.  He knew that I was going to enter these years with him just as courageously as Winston on his bike.  He knew that I loved him as a boy and will love him as a man. 

            It is a sweet time for this mother’s heart.  I have boys growing into manhood all around me.  The day will come when my sons will instruct and protect me, and at this I will marvel.  I will be in awe of what the Lord has done.

                                                                          ~ Your Fellow Sojourner

            [41] Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. [42] And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. [43] And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, [44] but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, [45] and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. [46] After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. [47] And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. [48] And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” [49] And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” [50] And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. [51] And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. [52] And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

(Luke 2:41-52 ESV)