Today was a beautiful, sunshiney day. I had to go to work, but Jace had a date with Grandma Linda! Grandma Linda dates are always so fun...last time it was a ferry ride and playing with a puppy. Today was a fun day at the beach.
As I was loading up the car this morning, Jace was playing with a deflated ball in the driveway. When it was time to put him in his carseat he started crying and saying over and over again "ball please? ball please?" The kid wanted to stay in the driveway and play with a deflated ball. But I had better plans! I saw and knew his not so distant future was going to be filled with a Grandma Linda date, and she does NOT disappoint! He was going to get to go to the beach and play in the sand and chase birds and run in the grass and watch the waves roll and even see some ducklings. Jace didn't know that. All he knew was what was right in front of him. He doesn't have the capacity and understanding to know what is in his future. But, his mama does. His mama knew there was so much more. But, the only way to give him more was to take him away from the ball and the driveway, while he cried and pleaded to stay.
How often do I do this with God? I don't have the capacity and understanding to know what's in my future, but He does! Countless times, He has had to pry me away from what seemed to me like the best thing. But, He has always shown me He has so. much. more. Even if it means I have to leave something behind with lots of tears and pleading.
He wants me to walk away from the deflated ball in the driveway. Not because He is mean, but, because He wants to give me something better--a sunny day at the beach.
“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” --C.S. Lewis
well said. and i'm so glad there's another member of the family that loves to play with deflated balloons. jace is my man!
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