Well, we had a wedding over the weekend at our house. It was very exciting. The girls had been "planning" it all week- what to wear, how to decorate the house, what to have to eat at the reception, which of mom's lipsticks to wear.........all the "details" of an extravagant wedding!
Who got married, you ask? Why Aly, our 7 yr. old and Aaron, our 4 yr. old, of course! Now, before you get "grossed out" because they are brother and sister (like Andrew, our 11 yr old!), please know they play imagination games all the time. They pretend to be puppies (they "leash" one another and take each other for walks around the house) and horses, they play school, and "space"(complete with a homemade rocket filled with used "gizmos" bought from an aviation company), restaurant........ I will never forget the summer that we played treasure hunt. But, first we had to put on pirate clothes, paint mustaches and scars on us, make a map with burned edges, and hide jewels in the yard. It was a fun game that lasted almost all day! All this to say, we like to pretend at our house and the kids love to make believe they are grown ups. So, it wasn't weird that Aly and Aaron wanted to have a wedding. They know they wouldn't really marry a sibling in real life.
Well, like I said, it took a few days of planning for the Sunday evening wedding. Well, on Friday, driving in the van, Aaron said, "Mommy, I am kind of scared to marry Aly." This got my curiosity peeked and I asked why. He answered, totally serious, "Because I'm already married to Ashley." Apparently they had played a scaled-down version of wedding last weekend and he had married his other sister, Ashley, 9! After chuckling, I explained that they were just pretending and that he wasn't really married to his sisters.
I then thought this was a perfect "God moment" and opportunity to tell him that God has wonderful plans for his future. I said, "Aaron, God loves you so much. When you grow up, you will get married to a special woman. And, God has that special wife already picked out for you."
After a brief pause, Aaron said, "I'm gonna pick out my own wife!"
It still makes me chuckle!
But, I thought, oh, how like that I am! I want to pick out my own ______! I don't always want to trust God and allow him to provide, to lead, and to direct my steps. I think I know what is best for me and that I can do it on my own. So many times, I just barrel ahead, doing it my way.
I want Proverbs 3:5-7 to be the cry of my heart (but I want to live it, not just recite it!):
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean NOT upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your steps, He will straighten your paths."
Trust........Have I really entrusted God with my whole life- every detail? Or, have I held certain areas back- either not wanting to trust God because He may tell me "no" in an area, or I think I can "handle" it, so I WANT to do it myself, or I haven't even thought about turning this area over. God, I want to completely trust you with every area of my life. I don't just want to give "lip service" to this trust, but I want my actions to prove that I trust you through a joyful obedience. I want to surrender every area of my life and every part of ME over to you.
Lean NOT upon my own understanding....Again, how many times, like Aaron, do I say, "I can do this myself!" I don't need God's or anyone's help because I have it under control. I am competent. I can do it. Thank you, God, that I DON'T have to lean upon my own understanding. Thank you that you are an ever-present help in my life. Thank you, Lord, that you are wise and that you have good plans for my life. Thank you, Lord, that "you give wisdom to anyone who ASKS and that you give it generously, without fault finding."
In ALL my ways, acknowledge Him......the big, the little, everything. He knows me better than I know myself. He knows every detail about me (see Psalm 139). I want to seek God in every detail, in ALL my ways. Father, help me to remember to seek you in all the details in my life. If "even the hairs on my head are numbered," how concerned you are for all the details of my life. Help me, Lord, to NOT "be anxious for anything, but to pray about everything" (Phil. 4:6) Help me to seek you in all my ways- from relationships with family members to treating the checkout lady with kindness, to big plans of my life, to asking you help me to plan supper! I want you, Lord, to be in every part of my life!
THEN!!!!!God will direct my steps, He will straighten my path.........Don't you want God to lead you and guide you? Don't you want Him to straighten those crooked paths? Oh, that He would direct my steps! He has good plans for our lives. He gives us the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us. When we are trusting Him, we are following Him, following His leading, walking the straight path! Father, thank you for guiding me and leading me! I want you to direct me. Lord, you see the end from the beginning- you know where all the pitfalls are. I know that you will lead me on level ground. I know your ways "are not my ways- but your ways are perfect." I thank you that you are a good God with a good plan for my life. Praise you, God! Thank you!
2 thoughts shared....:
Tracy, Thank you for your kind comment on my blog. My kids do the pretend play all the time. Their favorites are animal games, and we have quite a few "leashes" around for that purpose. So far we have not had a wedding, though. Maybe someday.
What fun! Sounds like the kiddos have a great imagination.
Prov 3:5-7 has always been one of my favorites, and I constantly have to remind myself of it!!
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