"This is the Barber's summer home, some are home, some are not!" That was our answering machine message every summer for years as our family of 6 ran around in every direction. The activities of children in the summer make for a complicated calendar. Ron was good enough to print out a calendar every year and it quickly filled up with ball practices, trips, and visits from family and friends. When you lay it all out on paper it makes the summer feel so short. We have to remember to take time for a few of those lazy, pajama days.
One of my fondest, relaxed summer activities was to lay out on the trampoline in the sun just visiting with my kids. We also used that old trampoline to have sleep outs on warm evenings or when the shooting stars exploded through the sky in early August. That bouncer was the place many dreams were shared. I remember a particular night when Cam was about 7. As the light faded and the dark appeared, he noticed he could see more and more stars. That night he thought God was turning on the stars for him. Later he would understand that he could see more as the sky darkened but I loved his heart at that moment.
Natalie and her friend believed that the shooting stars were just for them as they prayed on the trampoline for one more and were blessed with dozens more. Later, they would realize (because of my big mouth) that this was the Perseid Showers that happened predictably every year. The magic of not knowing all is powerful.
When we read in the Bible that not all is for us to understand, often we think we need and want all the answers. How misguided that is. We are blessed with a heavenly Father who has our lives in His hands and He knows the big picture. This not having to have all the answers leaves us to trust in Him. It would often be a burden to see the future or know all. My memories of my kiddos on that trampoline remind me that I don't have to understand all but am called to just trust in Him.
Turning my hands up and giving control to Him is a struggle at times. Those are the times I feel I must control instead of trust. My 3 kids are all at cross roads in life and I pray for them. But I also pray for me to have a peace in the knowledge that God can better guide them than I can. Their future is safely in His hands.
So I will go back to filling in my much less busy, summer calendar and enjoy the future activities that are planned.
In Him,
Joyful
6-6-12
One of my fondest, relaxed summer activities was to lay out on the trampoline in the sun just visiting with my kids. We also used that old trampoline to have sleep outs on warm evenings or when the shooting stars exploded through the sky in early August. That bouncer was the place many dreams were shared. I remember a particular night when Cam was about 7. As the light faded and the dark appeared, he noticed he could see more and more stars. That night he thought God was turning on the stars for him. Later he would understand that he could see more as the sky darkened but I loved his heart at that moment.
Natalie and her friend believed that the shooting stars were just for them as they prayed on the trampoline for one more and were blessed with dozens more. Later, they would realize (because of my big mouth) that this was the Perseid Showers that happened predictably every year. The magic of not knowing all is powerful.
When we read in the Bible that not all is for us to understand, often we think we need and want all the answers. How misguided that is. We are blessed with a heavenly Father who has our lives in His hands and He knows the big picture. This not having to have all the answers leaves us to trust in Him. It would often be a burden to see the future or know all. My memories of my kiddos on that trampoline remind me that I don't have to understand all but am called to just trust in Him.
Turning my hands up and giving control to Him is a struggle at times. Those are the times I feel I must control instead of trust. My 3 kids are all at cross roads in life and I pray for them. But I also pray for me to have a peace in the knowledge that God can better guide them than I can. Their future is safely in His hands.
So I will go back to filling in my much less busy, summer calendar and enjoy the future activities that are planned.
In Him,
Joyful
6-6-12
What lovely summer activities Barbara :) I would love to have been there. I love gazing up at the stars and my mind thinks of many psalms, as we wonder at the glory of God, and the beauty of His creation.
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