God Gives Us Desires and Dolphin

I wonder why we put our walk with Christ into certain disciplined and unhappy boxes.  Why do we think it is more noble to be a martyr than to live fully and joyfully?  We read a story about a man who wanted to be so separate from the filth of the world that he built himself a pole and perched upon it until his death.  People came from miles to stare at the disgusting, flesh-rotting, sun-crusty old saint.  What glory did God receive from this sacrificial life?  My children were stunned when we finished his story.  We all wondered if we were supposed to be impressed or sad.

Recently, our pastor taught a sermon about "Disciplined Desire".  In short, God wants us to walk in His will and we discover His will by seeking Him in prayer and then walking in His answers/ways. 

In the Garden, He gave them a "tree to be desired" and told them not to touch it (Gen 3:6).  He knew it was desirable and made them to desire it.  The Fall was never about desire, but rather about discontentment, lack of gratitude. 

In Psalm 37, He reminds us not to fret, three times, while He says to commit our ways to Him and He will give us our desires.  Desires are passion and enthusiasm directed.  God wants us to be passionate and enthusiastic.  God hates that which is lukewarm.  Directed drive is useful.  Satan wants our desires to be misdirected.  God wants our desires (those that align with His will) to be fulfilled.  Isn't Hell a place of eternally unquenched desire?  The rich man in Hell was thirsty and begging for just a drop of water in Luke 16:19-24.  In Psalm 81:8-12 and Romans 1:20,24 God gave the wicked over to their own lusts/desires.  It destroyed them.

God wants to grant our requests:  Psalm 20:4,5 and I John 5:15.  Even the Hebrew root of the word "desire" is to ask.  God directs our desires as we invite Him to do so.  The wise understand God's will, pray for God's will, and walk in God's will.  In doing this, we have our desires fulfilled.

We went on vacation last week.  That is an amazing statement.  As husband and wife we have not been on vacation for fifteen years.  And before that, not since our first child was born.  I'd had not desired to leave our children and between nursing, pregnancy, childcare and finances it had not been a reality.  We haven't missed it.  But, we are in a new season and therefore, we took a three day vacation to a Florida beach on the Gulf.

We flew down early one morning, rented a car, drove to our oceanfront hotel and two days later we did it all in reverse.  Two days of warm, sunny beaches, palm trees, delicious food and touring the bay and Gulf was plenty.  Every desire we had was filled! 

We had previewed a large speedboat tour online and were excited to go on it.  It boasted dophin jumping in its wake.  The tour was one hour long, and after we'd been out for an hour and no dophin had been spotted, we were beginning to feel disappoinment.  When I consulted with Bob about it, he had been thinking the same as me:  if we wanted to see the dolphin we should pray for them.  We both had already started praying but agreeing to pray together and saying it outloud just gave more opportunity for God to show off.  And He did...so beautifully that I could barely endure the excitement.  The three dophin that showed up (within minutes) performed at the rear of our boat as if they were trained at SeaWorld.  There was no bait or any reward for them whatsoever.  They just enjoyed playing in the boat's wake at this particular speed of which the captain was fully aware.  At the end of the ride, when we asked the First Mate how our dolphin show rated among the others (the boat goest out three times a day) he said that ours had been a nine out of ten! 

There were many more answers to prayers on our vacation.  They all confirmed that God does care about our desires.  He extends His love to us through the relationship-building practice of our asking and His answering.  It is not religious.  It is faith-building.

 There was a mama, baby and a medium-sized dolphin (daddy?)  Below is the baby.

 The First Mate thought we were honeymooners!  We jumped at the chance to tell him we've been married for over 2 decades and have nine children and that we were truly enjoying our vacation!

From Worry to Peace

God is always at work.  I learned that in "Experiencing God".  I can testify to it's truth.  He is surely always working on me.

Most recently I have been consumed with thoughts about witnessing to the lost and planning for our future.  The evidence of the season in which we live is clear:  we are in the End Times.  There is less time than ever before for sinners to repent and be saved.  We cannot expect our government to become more friendly to biblical values or the culture at large to more closely resemble God's will.  We are to be the light in the darkness.

Some of the talk about the power grid failing or the connection between the suppliers and consumers for our basic needs being severed is concerning.  I do not know how to wisely prepare for either.  At the end of this year will all the coastlines fall into the oceans while the North and South Poles switch places?  It doesn't matter how many questions are posed, the only comforting answer is that God knows and He communicates with His people.  I do not know the future.  But I am responsible for atleast nine people other than myself whom I love deeply.  My greatest fear is that I will miss instructions on how to care for my family in difficult times.

Recently those fears have crept into the arena of planning parenthood.  Are we willing to bring another child into this uncertain world?  Should it be now and not then?  Here rather than there?  My thoughts and feelings run through the entire range of options. 

Enter:  Esther.  I was given Beth Moore's teaching on this book of the Bible recently.  It's subtitled:  It's Tough being a Woman.  I suppose few of us know this as well as Esther.  The story about the person gave me the set of CDs is quite a God thing in itself.  God is always at work.

This morning's lesson was about fear.  I have walked through many fears in my adult life.  Most of them pertain to health in baby making process.  God has been so faithfiul to bless us over and over.  He has been so very close during some extremely scary seasons of our children's lives.  I know He is ever present.  But this recent fear over the coming end of the world really has been creeping into many areas that once were so easily placed in God's hands. 

Beth reminded me that we cannot walk in the destiny that God has for us "for such a time as this" if we are consumed with fear.  I didn't faithfully finish this post, but as I try to wrap it up now for publishing, I realize that I have been living in God's peace for the last several weeks.  I suppose it was Beth Moore's encouragment that shoved my heart in the proper direction.  We've finished the CD set and the Book of Esther and I am a better woman for it.  Praise God for His effective words!

Legacy

One week day, the nine children and I took our two rubber boats out to the southern branch of the Elizabeth River.

Kelsey, Isaac and I took turns rowing and holding Joshua.

This was the second boat.  Daniel and Kendal took turns rowing.

It was a strong start from the boat ramp.  If it weren't for jelly fish we could've happily all taken cool swim.  We were missing the nice fresh water of the mountain lakes during our vacation.

This is my absolute favorite.  We are crossing the Lafayette River at The Falls.  Kelsey is taking the photo before she crosses.  It's such a great picture of the children walking in my "footsteps" to explore the beautiful river.  Bob and Isaac were there too, they were hiking for a better spot at the time.

Daniel, Anna and Joy were walking the creek in Floyd.  It was an adventure as the rhodedendrons were so thick across most of the path.  Creek walking was a favorite pastime of my sister's and mine. 

Anna caught the largest fish during our trip.  She, Joy and Daniel were very diligent and persistent.  They all handle themselves well around the water and rods.

What do all these photos have in common?  They remind me that the saying is true:  "More is caught than taught."  Also, I think I've been told before that children tend to follow the passions of their parents (good and bad).  

It seems to me that our children loving the outdoors, boating, fishing, creek walking, and generally exploring and adoring God's creation, has come from the thousands of times they've heard me rave about the beauty and joy I find in it.  To a degree all children seem to love animals and outdoors.  But not all children learn to navigate a small boat, bait and release their own fish, and save wild animals.  My mother and father taught me those things, and so much more.  

My mom is a skilled seamstress.   Once her friends realized her talent they called upon her often for such help.  That is now my story and the same goes for my eldest daughters.  My father would rather be on the river in a canoe with a fishing rod than anywhere in the world.  I couldn't agree more.  And I have many children who would volunteer to be right beside us.  Mom and Dad gave us the gifts of sharing what they love.  Mom adores birds.  So do we.  Dad intentionally threw us in the water so that we had to swim.  He even dragged us behind a motorboat so that we had to try water skiing.  He taught us to cast and reel a rod.  But he also made us cut worms, jab them with hooks, and then pull hooks out of the fishes' mouths once they were caught.  He didn't get to do much fishing when he took us since there were many tangled lines and many deeply embedded hooks.  He harrassed us when we rowed the canoes incorrectly but taught us exactly how to do it well.  He wanted us to know how to do "stuff."  It worked.  He was intentional. : )

Last month when he observed eleven year old Daniel back paddling to ease himself up to my dad's pontoon boat, he commented on Daniel's skill.  He said that he noticed how handy another child was with a fishing rod.  Maybe that was Daniel too.  I can't remember.  But my heart did well with a mother's pride when I realized that our children were finally old enough to earn their Granddad's respect for knowing how to do something that he thinks is important.  What a sweet moment.  

As I mulled over this idea of legacy I realized that my house is generally uncluttered and mostly neat but not obsessively clean.  So was and is my mother's home.  My wardrobe is not large, or fancy and and like my mother, I do not have lust for impractical or excessive amounts of clothing.  We have what we need, and often make what we like, in order to honor our Lord and our family.  My Mom didn't talk about these things, but she passed the habit down to me through her chaste actions.  I am very practically minded.  My mother is the ultimate of that. 

It is interesting food for thought.  What will this look like as it is fleshed out in our nine children?  Thus far, it is mostly lovely.  When it is sinful behavior and we recognize it...ouch!  Repentance soon follows.  Children are good mirrors.  

I am thankful for the legacy that my parents have given to me and now to our children.  I'm going to make a list of all the things that have been passed down thus far and send a note to each of my parents to thank them.  Then I'm going to try to remember to reserve my passions those things that honor Jesus so that my legacy will be a godly one.