Eyes open to growth

Life lessons can be found in the simplest of ways, especially if you're a parent and you're eyes are open to growth.  Many times people have told me about how God showed them a part of His character through them having to discipline their children.  They also said that they could understand how God might love things about their personality and quarks, because of the way they feel about their own children.  And although I am not a bona fide mommy, I think my time spent as a nanny and aunt of 16 has come with many, "Ah haaaa" moments from God too. 

Last week I watch a friend's two children for four days so that she could celebrate her anniversary with her husband and during that time I had one of those moments.  It all started with a hike and picnic that I had planned to take the kids on.  They were very content to do things at home and didn't think my plan of a hike would be all that fun because they hadn't seen were I was going to be taking them.  As we drove farther and farther from our part of town and got closer to the mountains I think I could sense some excitement building at what might lay ahead of us!

I had planned for us to stop and eat lunch in the picnic area first and then we would drive up to the main attraction.  I hadn't expected the kids to love the picnic area as much as they did.  There was a small river that was quiet tempting to play in and explore so I let them go at it for a bit, until I decided it was time to go.  This is where my life lesson started, because I practically had to drag one of the kids to the car so I could take them "higher".  Try as I might, I just couldn't convince them that as cool as this place was, mini waterfall and all, it wasn't nearly as amazing as where I had planned to let them explore.  After finally getting them in the car I knew I had become the enemy, the thwarter of dreams, crusher of adventures, but I was sure that with every twist in the road that brought us up they would see the bigger river, mammoth rocks to climb and safer paths to walk.

Finally, at the top, when they saw the big waterfall (bigger than the one that had been left behind) everything seemed to make sense.  The possibility were limitless!!  And on the way back down the mountain one of the kids said to the other, "Are you going to admit it?", "Admit what?" the other replied. "You know what.", said her brother. 

So back to the part where I saw a life lesson in this trip.  God showed me that He has all these amazing plans for me, and at times He has had to MAKE me come with Him.  After dragging me to the starting point of some wonderful adventure I have decided that the starting place was my destination and again I fought God, unwilling to be moved.  I felt the humor and irony of  the situation with the kids.  He reminded me that because I don't know the things He knows, because I haven't seen the wonderful places that He wants me to go, I have often made a fool of myself in fighting His leading.  Lovingly He has coxed me into the car and driven me to higher places after which I see how wrong I was as I'm face to face with His limitless possibilities for my life.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."