Our family and marriage motto has always been “Life is an Adventure.” We borrowed that idea from an old Stephen Curtis Chapman song, The Great Adventure. If you've even listened to the lyrics it's about getting ready for a wild ride. That seems to be the theme of this summer.
My children grew up to take those lyrics literally; as of yesterday, all four of my kids are on great adventures too far away from this Mama. I’ve got my oldest and his wife in Thailand (or possibly New Zealand...hard to keep track of their itinerary), my recent graduate in Burma, my daughter living in Nashville, and now my youngest is on a road trip/vacation to help her boyfriend move down to California. I didn't go on an airplane until I was 17 and the first time I crossed the U.S. border was to Mexico in college~for two hours.
Back in the early days of parenting, I foolishly thought life as a Mommy would become easier as my babies grew up. I was tired with four littles under seven years old. Physically worn out. I took all four of them being home under our roof for granted.
Now? They've been together under one roof twice this year; at Christmas, and at our family reunion in Minnesota. I’m still tired, but now I’m emotionally tired. “Out of sight, out of mind you say?” No, not really. Granted, when they were away at college I didn’t know what exactly they were up to, but they’d check in and I’d choose to believe they were fine.
During this summer season when days and weeks go by with hardly any communication, I’ve spent so much time praying, that if I physically knelt each time I talk to God about them I would most certainly need a pair of knee pads.
I have a running dialog with God. “Are they OK? Are they healthy? Are they broke? Are they making good choices? Are they depending on you, Lord? Did we teach them enough? Do they know how much I love them? Will they come back safe and sound?...”
At night I toss and turn (which makes me tired too,) trying to empty my mind, but it’s so busy! That’s why I was delighted to run across A Prescription For Worry (A two day challenge) written by Jennifer Dukes Lee. When she described herself firing her inner worrier before turning to prayer, I was encouraged to do the same.
I am taking Jennifer's advice and trying NOT to allow my inner worrier to steal my sleep. The past two nights I've only woken once or twice and went back to sleep pretty quickly. If I refuse to worry, then I will be forced to do what I should be doing: TRUST.
"It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” Philippians 4:6, The Message
"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." -Isaiah 26:3
If I’m really trusting God than perhaps I should begin to actually behave like someone who is moving to a new home in 30 days! This will be my 11th move since I got married so it’s not like I don’t know that it would be wise to start filling boxes, and remember: parenting is a great adventure!
"Saddle up your horses
We've got a trail to blaze
Through the wild blue yonder
Of God's amazing grace
Let's follow our Leader
Into the glorious unknown
This is a life like no other
This is the great adventure"
What adventure does God currently have YOU on? Moving? Traveling? Parenting?...
In His Grip, Jane
(http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-great-adventure-lyrics-steven-curtis-chapman.html)
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