Perspective...

meshing, molding, blending, stretching...

its all hard regardless of the life change you face.

 

the season we remain in is family growth...

and with it comes an ocean full of change,

with no encyclopedia that we can flip to for the answers.

so we just ride the waves as they come, doing our best to stay afloat.

 

last night we sat up way into the wee hours with one of our treasures,

as she shared, vented and cried her way through a very broken

explanation of her frustrations with all the change.

completely understanding, yet overwhelmed with it at the same time,

we tried to remind her of life being about others.

Scott talked to her about perspective and mindset... but,

eventually we just hugged, loved and went to bed!

 

but quite honestly, the hard part is i've felt all of the same emotions.

i've thought every thought that was expressed,

i've felt every frustration that was shared and

i've stomped my feet in exactly the same fashion.

but... it still doesn't change the ultimate fact...

i am God's child called to live sacrificially focusing on others...

loving like Jesus!

 

as the conversation ended with no real conclusion drawn,

i lay and ponder how one could be so selfish.

how could this be the mindset of one we had raised...

and then i must have drifted off to sleep with this as my last thought.

 

because i awoke later abruptly with the same thought,

and there in the quiet, as i lay with no one else awake...

i heard the voice of my Creator in the depths of my soul...

"that is a picture of you my child!"

 

the more i thought about it the more it was true...

the same scenario that played out in my office last night,

is a picture of me and my heavenly daddy again and again and again.

me whining and Him reminding...

me whining and Him reminding...

me whining and Him reminding...

 

"LeAnn this life is not about you, it's about me!"

"so life is not what you thought, i'm in control!"

"you think it's hard, it will be until eternity, i told you that!"

"your tired, so is everybody else!" 

"LeAnn, did you think when i said follow me, deny self, pick up cross...

that those were just ideas, possibilities, a pick and choose...?"

Uggggh!  I hate when i have to be put into place!

 

Ultimately it came down to one challenging thought,

while Scott and i thought we were trying to lead our child

it was God telling me YET AGAIN I needed to get perspective!

 

my mind quickly went to Chloe's Sweet 16... (just days ago)

 we did a spa day at the Willis' beginning at 10 a.m.

complete with spa robes, fluffy shoes, pedicures and facials...

(jordan was not happy everyones was clear but hers :)

 

Chloe's best friend Shelby came...

 

they watched three movies through the day...

a Chik fil a tray was demolished, and we ended the evening with cake...

as the day came to a close and the girls were headed upstairs

for thier last movie of the night... i noticed Chloe hanging back.

eventually Erik came in the kitchen and Chloe had him translate this...

"i've never had a birthday with family, that was the best part of the day!"

 

not the gifts, the stuff, the food, the fun... her thanksgiving was about the people around her,

 who although are imperfect, impatient and frustrating at times, they love her!

 

yep, daddy did it again, He opened my eyes to perspective!

Jesus loved us all the way to the Cross...

How far am i willing to go for another??

She's thankful for family, how often do we take it for granted?

 

Whining, Wimpy, Selfish mood today... Just a thought to ponder?

What's a little earthly hardship, stretching or change, for a mountain of eternal gain?