The Adventure

The day was planned.  Whatever you want to do, Daddy, was the invitation.  It is Father's Day, so let's do what Daddy wants, right?

A little background information:  My husband and I are perfect for each other.  Perfect opposites in a lot of things.  Adventure seeking, being one of them.  I'm just not...  seeking adventure.  I like safe.  I like home.  I like routine.  Normal.  And if you know D, you know that he LOVES adventure, roller coasters, the unknown, flying by the seat of his pants...  Yep, opposites!

So, I'm called to be HIS helper and to adjust to him, so I pray A LOT!
 
Daniel started planning this canoeing adventure last year.  He bought a canoe.  Oh, I was irritated!  If he buys a canoe, then we might have to go canoeing.  How can I go canoeing?  We don't have enough canoes for everyone.  How can I take a new baby, a little girl and everyone else canoeing?  What if the boat tips?  What if someone needs me and I can't get to them?  Of course, I never expressed these feeling out loud.  That would sound like I was afraid.  I prefer, responsible, cautious, prudent...  These words sound so much holier than FEAR.

So back to plan to honor my dear husband on his day.  He wants adventure.  I WILL smile.  I WILL keep my doubts to myself.  I WILL trust that God is big enough to handle this.  We went to Walmart to pick up a few things and we picked up a couple life jackets for the boys.  Faith doesn't equal foolishness.

The day came.  We were ready!  We were on our way!  It seemed a struggle.  Why would the devil care about a silly day at the lake?  Flat tire on the trailer.  Fix it in Rose City at the hardware. On our way again!  Unload the trailer.  Fishing poles, 2 canoes, 2 kayaks, food...  We are set!

Father's Day Beauty

Canoes in the water.  Kayaks in the water.  Ryan and Rose in the kayaks.  Kathryn, Gabriel and Anya in one canoe.  Daddy, Mama, Elijah, Bella and Lukasz in the other.  How am I going to paddle AND watch that baby like a hawk?  How is Lukasz going to hold Elijah still?  What if he stands up?  Falls out?  Of course, I don't say these things.  That would sound like I was afraid.  I prefer, responsible, cautious, prudent perhaps...  Definitely much holier than...  FEAR.

But my son, the one that is my barometer.  The one that is too immature to mask his true feelings, is wrestling with his baby brother.  "You HAVE to sit, Elijah!  Daddy, he's moving!"  Eli is fussing.  "Let me GO!"  He seems to say.  "I know that I am missing this adventure, sitting still.  I can't see the water.  I can't touch the water.  I want to experience it all, my first time in a canoe."  Of course, I'm in front.  I am trying to see, to help, but I can't without tipping the canoe.  And there is seaweed down there.  I cannot see the bottom.  Tipping the canoe is NOT an option.  So, I sit still.  I adjust my weight.

Daddy steps in, "Lukasz, let him go.  He'll be alright.  He'll be fine."  Really, I think.  Let a baby wander, explore in this little boat.  "Okay... but I don't know..."  Prudent, maybe...  Cautious...  Nah, just fear...

Lukasz still fussing.  Now Eli is rocking the boat.  His excitement.  One side to the other.  On his tippy toes trying to reach that water spraying up.  He's reaching it!  I peak at his sweet face, the joy of water on his hand, in his face.  I wish I could capture his look of sheer exhilaration on this little man's face...

Lukasz still fussing.  "I want to go back.  He's rocking the boat.  I don't like canoeing.  I'm never going again."

Now, I step in.  "Lukasz, what are you afraid of?"  Does he know I'm talking to me?  "Let's say he falls in.  He has a life jacket on.  He'll float.  No fish are going to bite him or eat him.  Daddy will grab him.  He might be more careful next time.
It's O K A Y..."

Calm...  Peace...  I start to notice the trees, the spray of the water on the canoe, the stillness, the BIG large mouth bass we floated over, the tree fallen, the island...

The other side of the lake...  The other children...  They are caught.  The wind pushing them.  Inexperience.  Youth.  They can't stop going in circles.  I'm laughing a little.  Letting go of control.  God's got them.  They have to learn that.  We paddle away.  Hand Ryan a tow rope and say, "Bring em back."  We head to the beach.  Don't look back.

Lukasz about kisses the ground when we are back on land.  The land lubber.  :)  I smile.  Breathe.  Thank you, Lord, for this.

Here they come.  Rose and Kathryn paddling the canoe.  Counting strokes.  Working together.  Slow progress.  Gabriel in the center, giving directions.  Ryan towing Anya, in her glory, my adventure girl!  Thank you, Jesus, for this.

Later in the day, "Hey Anya!  Let's go for a kayak ride, just you and I!  It'll be fun!"  And it was!

In His Grip,
Laura

If you have not read "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann VosKamp, seriously...  The Lord has used this author's journey into thanksgiving to "undo" me.

John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

The Yoke

It seems funny & weird & awesome when I KNOW that God is talking to me, teaching me & leading me. This week, for instance... I went to Bible study where we were talking about

Matthew 11:28-30 (King James Version)

²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Well, we live in a small, farming community and our church consists of many wise farmers. So the discussion went into a yoke, how to train a young, wild horse by putting it in a yoke with a steady, older horse. As I was sitting there, I was thinking of myself & how pointless it is to dance around in a frenzy & get all worked up over things, when I'm attached to Old Faithful, Jesus, who's not budging. He's steady & strong & carrying most of the weight.

Then I started to think about my children and how that same principle,

the yoke, can be used when training them.

Slow & steady. A little bit at a time.

Keeping them next to me. Calm, cool & collected. In control.

THEN, I came home, got every one in bed, read for a little bit, checked my email & read a post from Simply Charlotte Mason that read...

Help Strengthen the Will

When I learned this principle, it changed the way I looked at my child. I had been thinking that my child had a strong will, and it was my job to dig in my heels and butt heads with her to show that my will was stronger. I was my child’s opponent in the battle of the wills.

But once I understood this principle, I suddenly realized that she did not have a strong will—one that had enough power to choose what was right even when she wanted what was wrong. She had a weak will that constantly chose the easy path of “I want.” It was my job to help her strengthen her will to be able to choose what was right, even when she didn’t want what was right. I was not her opponent; I needed to be her coach.

Then, I read this...

Last week we discovered that, according to Charlotte Mason, what we often call a strong-willed child is really a child with a weak will. Today let’s talk a little about how to help our children develop strong wills that can choose to do what is right even when they don’t feel like doing it.

I grew up around horses, and I distinctly remember my father warning me about letting my pony run to the barn at the end of a ride. “It will get into the habit of running to the barn,” he cautioned. “And soon you won’t be able to control it.”

Once when I was visiting some friends, we took some of their horses out for a ride. After a while we turned back for home, and I found out how scary an out-of-control horse can be. As soon as the horse I was riding saw the barn, it took off. It didn’t matter how hard I pulled on the reins or tried to turn its head. That horse was going where it wanted, and I had no way to stop it.

Okay, Jesus. I get it. Take your yoke upon me.

Rest.

Be cool. Be calm. Be in control. I get it.

I love that my Lord & Savior delights in me and

is carrying my burden as we walk along this journey.

Jesus is personal! Jesus is alive! Jesus is God!

In His Grip,

Laura