Yes, I still feel rather grotty today. I woke up with a headache and that’s lasted right through the day, aside from temporary relief using painkillers. But I did manage another 20 lengths or so swimming and that was encouraging, as was the news that my daughter has 2 drawings accepted into the Tarpey Gallery Open in Castle Donington. She must be good as competition for these events is always quite strong. And now I’m reminded of the always delightful ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2005) with a wonderful Donald Sutherland playing Mr Bennett, despite the somewhat out of place 21st century sparkling dentistry. I’m thinking of the scene where his daughter, Elizabeth, surprisingly informs him that she does, after all, love the supposed villain Mr D’Arcy; and he’s not the person everyone thinks he is! It’s the specific and quite memorable quote “If any young men come for Mary or Kitty, for heaven's sake, send them in. I'm quite at my leisure” that works for me right now. I feel like my children are currently getting blessed, one after the other… a new job, a wedding and so far this year two Gallery acceptances for my daughter’s art. Now I just feel like sitting back, waiting on the Lord for his special and quite personal blessings to continue into all my children and grandchildren’s lives. Maybe a prayer or two will help, but anyway, I’m so grateful to God for his favour and so pleased with my kids for their hard work. I truly feel quite at my leisure!
Raising a family, especially a family of four as I have, is obviously challenging and often hard work. But there does come a time when you let go and allow them to become the people they were created to be. That’s not always easy, but as they move into adulthood it becomes increasingly obvious that some things are just not my concern. Basically if they ask, I’ll give an opinion but otherwise I would rarely, if ever, seek to interfere. It just doesn’t work, when they have very strong ideas of their own which are probably much better than mine anyway. I’ll always take a general interest, especially about their wellbeing and what they’re up to, of course, but hopefully I’ll behave myself and keep my hands off their lives otherwise. And surely that’s how it is with our relationship with the Lord… he never forces his attention upon us, we need to ask. He’s set before us everything we need to live a fully successful life, all the information and understanding are quite clearly revealed in the Word of God. True wisdom, applying to every area of life, can readily be found by reading the Bible. Of course familiarity is needed to find your way around it, but in truth just about any question can be found answered in there somewhere. And when we get really stuck for an answer to a problem we can always ask him directly. Prayer works!
And now that God has finished the work of providing everything we need for life what is he doing? He’s certainly not worrying about me. Anxiety has no place in heaven, and the power of all evil is broken, it has no claim on my life. My destiny is secure, I’m on my way to heaven and I’m walking with the Lord through this journey of life. So even on the days when I falter a little in my walk he still holds me securely in his grip. Nothing can wrench me from his presence and ultimate purpose. My human failings certainly cause me to struggle on this journey through grief, but God knew all about them before he first created me. And he is bigger than any of my problems. Indeed he is the answer to all of my needs and as I determine to take pleasure in him, he will surely give me the desires of my heart...
Genesis 2:2 ‘On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.’ (NLT)
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