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Compassion

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Get Real with God ~ Paving the Way


Pave The Way To Greener Pastures

Last year we did an entire unit study on Goats and we read several versions of The Three Billy Goat’s Gruff. Just to remind you of the story let me recap for you. Three Billy Goats see that the grass on the other side of the bridge is greener than the grass on their side. They start to cross the bridge, but a troll living under the bridge stops them. The rest of the story is about their tricky way of working together to trick the troll and get on the other side.

Sometimes, as parents, we can get a little troll-like. Sometimes we unintentionally stop or hinder our children as they follow their interests. Maybe it’s because we don’t share their interest, maybe we don’t understand it, maybe we want to go in another direction entirely or maybe their interests scare us a little.

As a kid I always knew I wanted to write. My Mom understood my dream because she had wanted to be an artist as a child. Trolls had convinced her that she was no good and she determined not to be a troll in my life. Other members of my family did not understand it though. They played the roll of troll and attempted to convince me that writing would not provide me with a good solid financial future. Their opinion didn’t stop me from my greener pastures. I would have trampled them for it if I had to.

My oldest daughter is 7 and she has already been called to be a missionary to India. She has a passion for the people that I can’t explain as anything other than God. But I’m afraid. I want to block the bridge and steer her in a different direction. India isn’t the safest place you know. I want to keep her where the grass isn’t as crisp. I want to play the troll.

God never played the roll of troll with us. He’s given us free will to choose where we go even if the grass we think is greener is infested with grubs. He doesn’t stand in the way, He leads us across the bridge toward greener pastures.

Psalm 23:2-3 (NLT) “ He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength, He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

Don’t block your children, lead them. They will bring honor to your name.

3 comments:

Shannon said...

Heather,
I live in India and we manage to have a "normal" life. So, take courage that it is possible for your daughter to do the same :) And I'm so excited she has a heart for the people of this country too! :)
May the Lord continue to stir within her little heart a passion for His glory among the nations, and grace for your heart to continue encouraging her in His plans for her life.

Judah said...

wow, well written.
my husband and I had discussed this before, that we don't not want to get in the way of God's calling on our chidlren's lifes. doesn't mean it will be easy, but we want for them what God wants for them

Anonymous said...

When God gives us freedom to choose, He also, as I believe, gives us hints on the way for us to see whether we have chosen the “right” path. But it is only when we have made the choice (ourselves!) and if we have enough intuition and attention to see His hints (may be we suddenly come across some lines in some book or see some episode in a film or an acquaintance suddenly calls and tells us something which somehow shows us that the choice was right). And if the choice was wrong, our health spoils or everything just “drops” from our hands. And these are little lessons of life. For a person to evolve, there should be such lessons. I remember myself when a child and I can say that the greener pastures which I longed for (but there was a troll) I try to explore now, when I am a grown-up already. I mean, if a little one has a real talent/desire for something, he will anyway manifest it sooner or later. And it depends on us, parents, whether we see the real talent and desire of our kid and help it grow from his childhood.