if dragons dwell there
A couple of weeks back my pastor did a sermon on “Fear” – in one of his points he explained how in early years cartographers would indicate unknown territory with the phrase “Here be dragons” or something to that effect. I thought it funny (still do) but the this portion of his sermon has struck me in a new way…
Our family has passed the explored territory of our “map”. What territory that has been comfortable, familiar, etc… for my wife and I, and even our 3 kids has been enlarged. It has been such a blessing to see God’s hand move in a way that ONLY he could have made happen. Everything from the timing of our house selling, to the timing of emotional support and encouragement has been amazing to see…. so many have been involved in our transition – everything from prayer to meals to kid-sitting to loading / unloading the truck….. so much more. I’m extremely grateful for it all. Thank you.
My lesson after this long hiatus of blogging and settling into a new season in life is this:
If dragons dwell there, I will go. I will face my dragons.
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline.
What dragons have you faced, or are you facing now?
“worth” and everything that comes with it.
My time has slipped away
I’ve worshipped something else today,
My heart is torn,
my flesh is weak,
I’ve strived to make things right, per say.
I cannot tell
how many times
again my weakness “tipped” the scale…
of worry, doubt and unbelief
of pride. of sin. of all these things…..
and yet! you’ve come and welcomed me.
and yet, you came to reign in me.
and yet – you work (refine) in me.
a story worth repeating.
a song worth the singing
a soul………feeling…..
3 year olds and highways
We don’t always see what God is doing.
We don’t always understand what is happening around us.
That was the case recently…
We were on a “walk” one evening and if you have kids, have ever watched kids, or been around kids in ANY form, you know that they don’t always go in the direction you desire, nor do they go the speed at which you desire… and THAT was the case this particular evening.
We started the walk and about a 1/2 block into the adventure my three-year old son wanted to be held. “oh that’s so precious” – There. You got it out of your system. It is precious. I don’t want to minimize how great it is that your child wants to be held…. but it (the holding thing) can be annoying when the objective is to wear them out so that they sleep at night! I’m joking, kinda.
Our objective was met, we reached the library, played with the trains, checked out books, and were returning home… again 3-year-old wants to be carried… *OH WAIT* there’s a huge puddle that needs to be emptied by a ‘jump in it’ moment……. there, now “I want you to carry me daddy”…
I didn’t carry the sopping wet child but I did hold his hand for a block. What came next was such a good lesson. We waited for the traffic to pass on the highway and we started to cross suddenly there was an aggressive driver that didn’t see the Dad and Son crossing, I never want to assume that they’ll stop…. so I swiftly picked him up and ran across the rest of the street… my 3-year-old didn’t notice the reason for the ‘swooping’ that daddy just did and instantly said “Do it again, daddy!”
I didn’t care at the point of the ‘swooping’ that he was soaked from the puddle jumping, or that he was complaining to be held just moments earlier, it was out of his safety and my role as “Daddy” that I did what needed to be done to keep him safe. His elation and enjoyment of being swooped into Daddy’s arms was awesome for me as his dad… Jesus picks us up, doesn’t he….? Holds us when we are messy, messed up, sopping wet with _________ (sin, sorrow, pain, doubt, worry, etc…. we get him soaked wet with “dirty puddle water” often. Very often.
Matthew 11:28-30
