Yesterday I learned yet another lesson from another child in my home that is not my own. It's amazing sometimes how the Lord will use my circumstances to teach me something I should have gotten from His Word the first time around!
I got everything ready for lunch then headed upstairs to make sure the toys were put away. As each person finished their job, I sent them downstairs. When I came down, she told me that she didn't like two of the three items on her plate. This is pretty common for children to say! My standard response is "This is what we're having" regardless of whose child it is. The children always eat it eventually. They don't get anything else until their plates are clean! To make a long story short, this child is more stubborn in the food department (or else isn't made to eat things she doesn't like) and it took quite a while to get her to eat a few bites of sandwhich. I did conceed and only made her eat that before giving her something that she did like.
While she was eating, I told all the kids about Moses. You remember him, right? Pagues, ten commandments and all that. Well, we talked about what happened before that while he was out in the desert. There was a bush burning up on the mountain that wasn't being consumed. how odd! Out of it came the voice of God. He told Moses to go back into Egypt and get his people freed. How would you respond if God verbally spoke to you through a bush that was not burned up? I hope that I would fall on my face and do anything He told me to! Not Moses. He whined a little- "that's too hard, I don't wanna'" Can you even imagine the nerve? "I don't speak well, who's going to listen to me?" GOD is on His side and he wonders who's going to listen? Our gracious Lord grants a concession and tells him that he will send someone to speak for him. I can't recall if Moses complained any more at this point, but eventually Moses agreed to do what the Lord was asking Him to do. But he missed out on a blessing. Because he didn't respond at first with complete obedience, Moses would not be able to enter the Promised Land. Poor Moses! If only he had done the first time what the Lord wanted.
In the instance with this child, she had to do something that was hard for her (eat lunch she didn't like), I granted a concession (she could pick one of the two items to eat and be done). I didn't remove a blessing, though. I wonder how many times in my life I've whined about something that was too hard to do (a lot, I'm sure). I wonder how many concessions the Lord has granted to me (He's so gracious). My heart is torn by wondering at all the blessings I have missed.
I'm going to work hard to train this into my life and the lives of my children. We will not be whiners and complainers when we are asked to do things. Whether it's something "small" like eating something we don't like, or a little bigger like working hard to get out of debt. Life is full of hard things. When the Lord calls me to something grand, I want to be able to respond "Here I am, Lord, send me" (Is 6:6) Rather than "who, me?" I strive to become a woman who is ready and able to answer whatever call He gives me. My children, too, will become men and women who will respond quickly and immediately to the voice of the Lord.
Last week we went to the Saltdogs game. They're the Lincoln minor league baseball team. Our friend Gene was doing an exhibition and he got paid with free tickets. We got great seats, and only paid for one of our tickets! It was also $1 hot dog night, so we even enjoyed some food from the concession stand.
