It has been awhile since I have been in touch and I am not sure why except maybe busyness or maybe no huge revelation or just bad internet connection so my patience with my blogging has narrowed. Who knows except here I am now. I cannot believe that we are already in our fourth week of summer (which it really is not summer here, more fallish probably) and we have two interns leaving at the end of next week because it is our mid summer break. Weird huh?
One thing that happened to me this morning..... I was on my way to go running with two of the interns and the other staff woman (3 months younger than me, mind you) when a security officer stops me to just check in (very common here and normal, no harm, just one of those Nigerian things). I think I have entered that stage where people don't know my age exactly. Kind of when you are a teenager and you kind of look 14 or maybe 19, who knows???? Now, I am either 30ish or maybe I am 50ish...... sad days for me. Anyway, this officer is like, "Hey is this your family" I am like, who???? you mean my cousins, friends, etc? So, he proceeds to say, "No, your her there (the staff woman who is 3 months younger) and I marry her." So as I am deflating (I mean come on, I am going to go run.....) he then proceeds to ask if Joe, one of the interns with me is my brother...... I only felt a bit of reconciliation at this point because "my brother" is quite a bit younger than me and it was at least going better..... Anyway, everyone in the car said later that I misunderstood, but I guess we all choose to believe what we want to believe huh?
So, the Lord is doing lots of things lately in my heart and life. Each day goes so quickly that I am realizing if I don't capture the heart of each lesson, it quickly gets forgotten and that, I do not want.
A couple of ideas that have been churning in my spirit:
1. God does not work the same way twice, or at least not necessarily. That is interesting because it means that He won't necessarily do to me what he has done for someone else or vice-versa. Or how he has come through for me once doesn't necessarily mean that he will do the same thing next time for me. He has plans for all of us and they are all unique.
2. Our kids are in our possession for this short time to be trained up for a cause. That they learn they are not the cause but will grow up with the idea of participating in causes that the Lord has proposed. It is not all about them. This is huge because if they are young thinking the world is about them, they grow up to be adults that think the world is about them. We all can picture someone that has that view, can't we. My three children that I love dearly are joining our family, they don't make our family.
3. A friend sent me an email about how God might ask us to sacrifice our God given passions and gifts for a season and even though it seems backwards to us, it is for His glory. She mentioned Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was passionate about Isaac and had waited for a long time to parent him and yet God asked for the sacrifice of Isaac's life. Abraham loved God more than his passion. I do love God more than any gifitings I can perform for him and I do love God more than my desires and relationships. I think I just forgot for awhile. I was thankful for my friends gentle reminder that God is who I want, not ministry.
Okay, that was a quick spiritual update. I hope you all are able to keep up with the lessons you are learning and that God is showing you. These lessons are for a purpose. Sometimes it is just easier for the lessons to come at me one at a time. But, I will do the best I can.
One last note, the interns are amazing and I am blown away with their leadership, their sense of community, their compassion, etc... If any parents are reading this, just know, they are doing well and I am so thankful for them.
God bless,
Cor
Cor,
ReplyDeleteReading and still amazed at your insights!
Love,
Dad