Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! Heb 12
Is it Christian to flag - a bit - sometimes? I think it must be. Do you know how I know? Because the Bible tells us not to flag and therefore, people must have been flagging if God had to tell them not to flag. Oh do keep up at the back!
I don't know about you but it has seemed like a long winter here. Not that it has been extra cold or anything because it hasn't. It just seems to have dragged on. We have seen a few changes here at Martha Towers what with the FOWs leaving home. (Although one is back at the moment - pretending to revise) HOH and I get on pretty well all things considered but the sprogs moving on has caused me to be a bit weird in the odd small dose. A friend warned me this would happen a few years ago. She went into a full on depression when hers left. I'm not sure I have gone that far, for which I am grateful, rather than giving myself any credit, but there is certainly a sense of "What now?"
I'm not talking about HOH and I not enjoying what our parents used to call "A Nice Drive Out" - without any eye rolling or tutting - we intend to do lots of that but when you have spent a good proportion of your energy looking after the FOWs and then they are gone it is a bit - well sad. And I have flagged. Yes I have. I am normally a cheerful sort, my attitude IS gratitude but I have found myself asking about the way forward. Of course, asking God is the last thing I think to do - I usually like to leave praying about something until I have reached desperation levels. It's a little quirk of mine that probably drives God quite bonkers. But I am sort of asking now - whither am I to go? (Sorry - gone a bit Friendly Persuasion there) I don't suppose that this is anything that millions of parents before me haven't experienced but there you are. I am nothing if not unoriginal!
It'll pass. In time. (Probably the first time they come home with a load or three of washing..)
ReplyDeleteThat has just happened and you are right - it does make you a bit less sentimental about their return.
DeleteI think it is quite normal to have the odd bout of feeling strangely bereft when FOWs move on. For YEARS you have had to consider them when making plans [even when they were relatively capable teenagers, because they were still under your roof, they had an impact on your day to day existence] There is a sense of 'have I finished the parenting thing? I am I redundant now?' Well NO you are NEVER out of a job as a parent. Mine are in their 30s and the last 2 months they have both needed our support for both good and bad reasons. And furthermore, in every stage of our lives, God has a purpose for us. My problem is that I am not always sure quite what it is, I dither between leaping blindly into something, to fill the space with a new activity which may not be the right thing, or waiting for Divine Guidance, then falling asleep and doing very little of great worth. But you are in my thoughts. 4am is the worst time, waking up and wondering if your kids are OK out there in the Big World without you. They are fine. God doesn't sleep - so you can safely go back to your slumbers, knowing he is watching them.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that. It is so weird and I wouldn't want them to come back because it is now their time but I agree - finding the next purpose - whatever stage of life you are talking about is tough and God doesn't seem to be in any hurry.
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