"Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them..." This song, by Michael W. Smith, is truly a special song to me. Our family moved 6 years ago from San Antonio to Rockwall. This was THE big move for our family. Our San Antonio friends have been as close as family; We raised our children together, grew spiritually, laughed and cried together. Then we had to leave. Church, school and work as we knew it all came to a halt.
Fast forward to 2015: We have made some new friends. am working again. Tim is settled in his department and has good work relationships. We are beginning to find our place at church. Yet, I still miss San Antonio, our Texas "home" and our San Antonio "family".
"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls down and has no one to help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.
What a blessing to know that my true friends are forever friends, whether we are in San Antonio, Rockwall, Llano or Timbuktu! So, when the calendar reads 2020, will Rockwall feel more like home? I don't know, but I do know that whatever comes in the next few weeks, months or years, God has placed people in our path to share the journey; we must only reach out and be willing to share.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Disappointments
Disappointments are not what you want to read about. We have enough disappointments in life to desire to read about them, but right now we are in the midst of dealing with disappointment and it is heavy on my heart.
Everyone who knows me understands that I am an easy 'crier'. It seems to be a part of my make up so much so that Sydnie doesn't worry when I have tears in my eyes, Tim knows they will stop eventually, and friends just accept them and move on. Today, however, my tears are spurred by another's and I can rarely prevent them when I see pain in some one dear to me. Especially Sydnie. This weekend she was asked to dog sit for a family at church. She was beyond excited about having a dog with which she could play!! She was great with Dash, even getting up with him at night when he barked to calm him. While she had to stop doing her activities to take care of him at times, she did it. And then the inevitable occurred-Dash went home. Yes, the family returned from their camping trip and actually wanted their pet at home with them. While their son was jumping up and down to have Dash home, Sydnie was in tears as they left. Hence, I was fighting tears as well.
I know I am the mom and should be strong and be the example, however, I have my weaknesses. I was wondering how the transition would develop but did not anticipate the outcome correctly. I expected either: Mom, Dad that was great! I want a dog!! Or, that was great but I don't like the extra work (waking up in the middle of the night, mopping up after muddy paws, etc) not tears streaming down her face saying, "it felt to right to have him here".
Then, of course, the comparisons began: "You and dad had a pet when you were my age."
"R and B get a dog and they are both younger than me."
"It's not fair; I have been trying harder."
As I said: disappointments. We are not promised an easy life, in fact we are promised hardships if we are living a Christian life. The Bible speaks of trials that WILL come, not that MAYcome.
James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Isaiah 43:2 ...When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.
As parents, we want to protect our children from harm, physically and emotionally. Allowing them to breeze through daily activities with no problems, saving them from tears and heartache. But would we really be helping them if we did? If a child does not have a safe place to experience pain and heartache with someone to guide them through it in a Godly manner, what will they do as adults when they are faced with trials on their own, with Satan's arrows of discouragement and hopelessness hitting them on all fronts?
Our charge as Godly parents is to "train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:12. Training children is a huge responsibility God has given us; we must see every celebration, every mundane task, every disappointment as an opening from God to teach, model and instruct in His ways. Will there be tears? Most definitely, but the victory is in sight. " I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day..." 2 Timothy 4:7-8
I look forward to that time when all disappointments are removed, but for now I am thankful we are able to lean on God's presence to get through them. With regard to our immediate disappointment, I have no doubt there will be a dog in our home one day, when I can't say, but until then we'll model how to handle the good and the bad, however they come.
Everyone who knows me understands that I am an easy 'crier'. It seems to be a part of my make up so much so that Sydnie doesn't worry when I have tears in my eyes, Tim knows they will stop eventually, and friends just accept them and move on. Today, however, my tears are spurred by another's and I can rarely prevent them when I see pain in some one dear to me. Especially Sydnie. This weekend she was asked to dog sit for a family at church. She was beyond excited about having a dog with which she could play!! She was great with Dash, even getting up with him at night when he barked to calm him. While she had to stop doing her activities to take care of him at times, she did it. And then the inevitable occurred-Dash went home. Yes, the family returned from their camping trip and actually wanted their pet at home with them. While their son was jumping up and down to have Dash home, Sydnie was in tears as they left. Hence, I was fighting tears as well.
I know I am the mom and should be strong and be the example, however, I have my weaknesses. I was wondering how the transition would develop but did not anticipate the outcome correctly. I expected either: Mom, Dad that was great! I want a dog!! Or, that was great but I don't like the extra work (waking up in the middle of the night, mopping up after muddy paws, etc) not tears streaming down her face saying, "it felt to right to have him here".
Then, of course, the comparisons began: "You and dad had a pet when you were my age."
"R and B get a dog and they are both younger than me."
"It's not fair; I have been trying harder."
As I said: disappointments. We are not promised an easy life, in fact we are promised hardships if we are living a Christian life. The Bible speaks of trials that WILL come, not that MAYcome.
James 1:2-4 Consider it all joy, brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Isaiah 43:2 ...When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.
As parents, we want to protect our children from harm, physically and emotionally. Allowing them to breeze through daily activities with no problems, saving them from tears and heartache. But would we really be helping them if we did? If a child does not have a safe place to experience pain and heartache with someone to guide them through it in a Godly manner, what will they do as adults when they are faced with trials on their own, with Satan's arrows of discouragement and hopelessness hitting them on all fronts?
Our charge as Godly parents is to "train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:12. Training children is a huge responsibility God has given us; we must see every celebration, every mundane task, every disappointment as an opening from God to teach, model and instruct in His ways. Will there be tears? Most definitely, but the victory is in sight. " I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day..." 2 Timothy 4:7-8
I look forward to that time when all disappointments are removed, but for now I am thankful we are able to lean on God's presence to get through them. With regard to our immediate disappointment, I have no doubt there will be a dog in our home one day, when I can't say, but until then we'll model how to handle the good and the bad, however they come.
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