Journeying Mercy

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Margaret

Traveling with young children isn’t for the faint of heart. Parents have to plan ahead as much for a road trip with little ones as for the vacation destination itself, and that includes providing something for them to do hour after hour. We might call this journeying mercy, because fussy children can make for miserable miles.

Nate and I took our kids on countless road trips, all crammed into a station wagon. I recall one memorable journey during which we had the back seats folded flat, suitcases spread evenly like giant bricks that raised the floor, and children lying atop the luggage like sausages lined up in a fry pan. It was the only way to fit everyone in. Nowadays we’d be stopped and our children would be taken away as wards of the state.

But we always looked at the road trip as part of the vacation, even if it was 1500 miles long.

That is, unless we had a baby on board.

I remember one trip in particular when one of our toddlers tried to literally chew her way through her car-seat strap in an effort to set herself free, screaming between every chew.

I also recall being desperate to stop one of our 3 month olds from crying, buying her a Dairy Queen cone and feeding it to her in tiny bites, her first food other than breast milk. It worked beautifully, at least for a few miles.

Tonight Linnea, Adam, and their 3 little ones arrived in our driveway after two days on the road, just in time for a pot roast dinner. They were grateful to end their long journey, because little Autumn, 9 months old, had been a traveling challenge all the way. Skylar and Micah, ages 4 and 2, had a general understanding that Grandma Midgee’s house was far, far away and it would take many hours to get there.

But Autumn? She couldn’t understand and lost patience in a hurry, letting everyone know she wasn’t happy with the length of the trip.

She acted much like I sometimes do when traveling with the Lord through days and weeks of time. If I don’t know how much longer the project or trial will last, I cry out to him in a mix of frustration and irritation. “Are we there yet?”

When he says no, it’s, “Waaa! How much longer do I have to endure this!”

But as Adam drove across the country from Florida to Michigan, he had his mind on a clear destination, and each mile brought his family closer to the goal. God has a clear destination in mind for me, too, even though I might not know what it is on any given day. It pleases him if I stop whining and accept the peace he offers as we move along. When I remain calm, trusting he’ll eventually put me down in a place that’s good, he’ll provide journeying mercy, all along the way.

“A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?” (Proverbs 20:24)

Partial Answers

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Margaret

Tonight after dinner Hans shared an interesting conversation he’d had earlier in the day with his eldest son, Nicholas. While walking home from the local playground, Nicholas had said, “When we die and I grow up again, will we be the same?”

In the mind of a 3 year old, this was a simple question. In Hans’ 30 year old mind, an accurate answer would have been lengthy and laced with scriptural detail far too advanced for such a young chap.

So he did what wise parents do. He simplified his answer and said, “Yes. You’ll still be Nicholas, and I’ll still be Papa.”

Is this how God responds to our questions to him? Logic tells us that when we ask, he has to simplify. After all, he’s above and beyond us in all respects. He knows more, can see farther, understands better, and is the unstoppable force behind all events. He’s a complicated Being!

But there’s more to it than just simplification. Certain of our questions have answers too heavy for us to handle, much like Nicholas wasn’t ready for the full story of heavenly existence. No doubt the “why” questions we voice to God are among those with answers we’re unable to take in. If God gave us the long version, either we wouldn’t believe it or the truth would overwhelm us.

Little Nicholas didn’t need any more detail than Hans gave him. What he did need was a dose of security from his father, because behind his question was a hint of nervousness about not being able to tell who-was-who when he got to heaven. And if he got there and couldn’t find his daddy, that would be a loss too great to bear.

As we adults question God and get frustrated with his simplified or limited answers, we should remember that all we really need from him is a dose of security. We think we want the details behind our “why’s” or other questions, but deep down it’s an affirmation of God’s sovereignty that we’re really craving.

Although he may keep the long answers to himself, he never skimps on letting us know there’s nothing to worry about. Whatever the situation, he reminds us, “I’ve got it well in hand.” It was good enough for Nicholas to know he has nothing to fear about heaven, and it should be good enough for us to believe the same thing about all that concerns us, whether in the afterlife or in the present day.

We’re often discontent with God’s partial answers but should take note of how quickly satisfied Nicholas became with his father’s short answer. That trusting response might be the very reason God says little children sometimes “get it” better than learned adults. We could all take a lesson.

Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11:25)

Loving commitment

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Margaret

Last night we enjoyed a simple supper of homemade turkey noodle soup and fresh bread at a table surrounded by both old and young engaging in animated conversation. Toward the end of the meal Klaus casually said, “Brooke and I went shopping for antiques today…. and we got engaged.”

He said it so matter-of-factly, we all froze, waiting for a punch line. But then we looked at the smiling Brooke, who slowly raised her left hand to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. Klaus wasn’t kidding!

Everyone broke into applause, jumping from their chairs and scrambling over each other to deliver congratulations and hugs. Grandchildren Nicholas, Evelyn, and Thomas were stunned at our crazy behavior, wondering how the focus so rapidly had shifted from dessert to a ring.

But we wanted the juicy details. Klaus had enlisted the help of several friends to pull off his surprise, “planting” them and his ring at an antique store ahead of time. Store employees were in on it too, willingly nestling the diamond ring among others inside a glass case. Brooke had been looking for a casual ring of turquoise, so the two of them were browsing through the jewelry. When Klaus nonchalantly pointed out the diamond ring and said, “How ‘bout that one?” Brooke was puzzled.

But when he dropped to one knee, her bewilderment changed to joy, and the clerks broke into tears. As planned, Klaus’ friends caught everything on film, a successful surprise with a lovely ending.

Or I should say “beginning.”

Anyone who’s experienced a proposal can vividly recall that moment. How a man handles this important event makes a mark on the relationship that will last throughout the marriage, not just in the woman’s mind, but in his, too.

By giving an engagement ring, a man is pledging to put that one woman above all others, which is the official beginning of an exclusive, lifelong bond marked by a special ring. He is promising her, and she is believing him. And since marriage was God’s idea, he’s involved in that moment, too, holding up a banner that reads, “Loving commitment.”

When a man proposes, he’s lovingly committing to his fiancee’, which greatly pleases the Lord. But yesterday God wasn’t just standing by passively at the antique store. He was making a commitment, too, to be as involved in their relationship as they ask him to be.

He has said that earthly marriage is a visual for the relationship between Jesus and the Church worldwide, which is us. So, as Klaus honors God by staying faithful to the loving commitment he made yesterday to Brooke, and as Brooke responds to him with respect, their marriage will thrive and God will be blessed. Bumps in the road will be made smooth, and they’ll make it to their 50^th wedding anniversary hand-in-hand.

As for the rest of us, we are thrilled to welcome vivacious Brooke into the Nyman family and are eagerly looking forward to celebrating with them at their spring wedding!