It's was a tough weekend for Team Fountain when it came to golf. Both our boys had practiced as hard as they could, had high hopes...and both had disappointing finishes in their respective golf tournaments. And let me tell you, as a parent, it's so hard, so heartbreaking to see your child discouraged and disappointed after they've given it all they had and have seemingly fallen short. I awoke in the middle of the night and fretted about it into the wee early morning hours. Sometimes it's tough being a mama or a daddy!
But now that I've taken a step back...and a deep breath (have you noticed we tend to forget that in the heat of the moment?)...God reminded me that He's still on the throne and uses everything in our lives and in our children's lives to draw us closer to Him and to increasingly conform us into the image of Christ. Here's my basic problem: I would like that process to occur without any problems, any disappointments, any failures, or any sorrows whatsoever.
Yep, Lord, how about skipping the car accidents, failed tests at school, evidences of sinfulness in the form of lies, unkindness, or ingratitude, losses--whether on the golf course or in the course of life generally, diseases and sicknesses...and on and on. How about a perfect, pain-free, success-assured life for all of our children and loved ones? Wouldn't that be a great way to grow our children into the mighty men and women of God You've called them to be?
Naw...don't think so. God can grow a mushroom in 60 hours...but if He wants to grow a mighty oak, it takes 60 years. And lots of sun and rain and blowing gales and thunderstorms to cause that oak to grow it's roots down deep, deep into the rich soil of His good earth, so it can withstand the test of time and tempest.
So too with our children...and all the rest of us. Lord, we want You to grow them into mighty oaks of Your righteousness...but we know that requires time, patience, love, guidance, correction, wisdom...
And failure. Sometimes falling down and getting back up again...and again...and again--all by the grace of God and all for the glory of Almighty God.
"The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand." (Ps.37:23-24) "...for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes." (Prov.24:16)
Thanks for the reminder, Father, and please forgive this forgetful, fretting, often failing mama. Oh thank You for grace for all my many stumbles and falls...and for all the ways You redeem even our failures!
Just this morning, I found a little quotation I'd scribbled on a piece of scrap of paper in my Bible. It was something I'd heard and illegibly jotted down years ago, but the Lord knew I would need to read it on this very day. Here's what it said--
"Every milestone moment always forks, and you get to choose which road you'll go--bitter or blessed."
Yes, Father, I choose the road blessed. I choose to see everything that You choose to give--and everything that You choose to withhold--as a blessing...though sometimes artfully disguised as disappointment or pain or loss. All as gifts from the hand of a Sovereign Lord whose heart is ever tuned to unrelenting love and grace for His own. Thank You for Your relentless blessings--even blessings of falling down and failure and missing the mark. For You are in them all, through them all, and will use them all in powerful ways to perfect our characters into Your beautiful likeness.
When that milestone moment forks for each of us...might we turn away from the highway of bitter...and worry...and resentment, and choose instead the road of blessed...and trust...and gratitude.
Oh, and by the way, yesterday afternoon, I couldn't help but be reminded of the famous line at the end of the movie, It's a Wonderful Life. You remember it--the angel, Clarence, writes to George Bailey, "No man is a failure who has friends." Friends--another priceless treasure on the road of blessed. Our son may have lost in golf, but he sure won in friendship. These are a few of his Davidson buddies that came yesterday to watch him for one of his last tournaments as a college student--
To God be the glory.
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