Turning The Page

 Turning the Page, “What does this look like, Lord?”

While reading the other day, I had questions about what I’d just read. I write in my books, that’s why I don’t like to borrow a book from anyone. I wrote my questions in the margin, like I usually do – in pencil. After reading another page or two, I found the answers to my questions. I went back and erased my question, because now I understood where the author was going with her line of thought.

I can be quite argumentative with the authors I read. Of course, they never know it. I challenge a lot of what I read. Just because someone wrote it, even someone I trust, doesn’t mean I’m going to agree with it. Feel free to disagree with anything you read that I’ve written, too, please.

As I completely erased my question, I was thankful to have discovered the answers I was looking for. I smiled. And – I could have sworn I heard God say to me, “This is how it is when you argue with Me, too. When you turn the page, you’ll find the answers. Keep looking.”

Great Word – however, just what did He mean by turn the page? That’s the question I’m looking for answers to, now.

We’ve been pondering a move for quite some time now; pretty much since Dave retired from the police department. Questions about this move consume our prayers often. When Lord? And where to?

We’re quite comfortable where we are. It’s beautiful here in Colorado. We have a great church family; we have plenty of friends and a nice home. We have family nearby. We have mountains to hike through whenever we’d like. We have a great healthcare plan.

Maybe it’s all the moves we made with the military, but I’m kind of feeling like we need another move. We’ve been here in Colorado for the likes of 30 years now. That’s the longest either one of us has lived anywhere.

We have family in Tennessee and in Ohio, and other places as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to live closer to them now? Yes. It would. We miss them so much!

We’ve weighed pros and cons. It’s actually more affordable to live where we are than in many other places. Plus, the cost of moving will be steep. There’s the headache of selling our home and buying a new one and settling in there.

The bottom line for Dave and I is: where does GOD want us?

What does God want us doing in this season of life?

If He wants us here, we need to be content here and be all about our Father’s business.

If He wants us to move again, we need to be patient and wait on His leading and His direction. I’ll admit, I’m not as patient as Dave. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels here.

But what if there’s more God wants to do with us here and He wants us to stay? What if there’s more to do here BEFORE we move? Plenty of questions.

Now I’m thinking those questions are answered on the next page. We need to turn a page.

Could moving be the page we turn?

No. I don’t think so. We need answers before we turn THAT page.

Please, join us in prayer as we pursue this.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths.” – Proverbs 3:5

“Wait on the LORD, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” – Proverbs 27:14

We know this very well.

 

Parenting Afterthoughts

 

I think sometimes wanting the best for our children comes back to bite us. It can be perceived as expecting too much from them.

I read somewhere to expect more and a child will usually measure up. If you set the bar low, hopefully the child will at least meet that measure, but they may not grow up thinking they can do better. You can encourage a child without pushing them off the deep end. You can go overboard as well; demanding perfection from an imperfect being can prove destructive both to the child and your relationship with that child.

Clearly none of us is perfect. No one parents perfectly and no one grows up the perfect child.

Most of us want more for our children than we had. Unfortunately, they can’t learn from our mistakes. It would be great if our children didn’t have to suffer the hurts we have. But they have to learn for themselves the high costs those mistakes can sometimes impose. I think the hardest part of parenting is watching your children hurt - and then there’s the tormenting yourself over what you could have done to prevent their pain. Sometimes it’s just not preventable.

You’d think I’d learn by now to speak less, while saying more. But I still put my foot in my mouth all the time. I ramble. My conversations sound trite to my listeners. Honestly, I don’t know how certain people put up with me! I think sometimes parenting has more to do with closing my mouth, than pointing out from experience what’s proven hurtful to me; most of the time the warnings go unheeded anyway. Most of us want to explore and learn and understand for themselves. I can’t say I’m any different.

So to the children of this generation and the next, I will try, and I won’t be perfect at it, but I will try to sit back and watch quietly. I’ll always be in your corner – praying for you as you navigate life’s rivers.

I’m always here if you need me. I love you.

3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (KJV)