Our Heavenly Father never wants us to face life alone

This past summer in Red River, we did something new.  Well,  Jamie has been doing this for years, but this year, we were going to go as a family.  Little did I know the challenge that was ahead as we set off to climb an actual mountain, and the hardest part wasn't even the physical aspect for me although it was probably the hardest thing I've ever done.  

It's things like this that we can't do completely together as family that make for a struggle in my heart as I try to see the good that God wants to bring from my son having cerebral palsy.  We've not done a lot of things so that he wasn't left out, but having Jordan and Jet that can and want to do physical things, we have to make hard choices and trust God for the rest.  Justin wanted to ride his bike with us so bad, and it was so hard as we explained that there were plenty of sections of the path that it's hard to stand on much less ride a bike.  Even though Mimaw was promising the world to him, it still didn't stop the tears from flowing as he wanted so badly to go with us.    Hardest thing for a Mom to do is leave with a child crying no matter what age.  Trusting that all things work together for good because we love God, 

we left with the group with plans on Mimaw and Justin riding up with Sharon, Brett, and Nicole on the ski lift to meet us at the top. 

Along the way, Jet began to struggle physically as it was very taxing on your body to climb the mountain.  Jamie, Me, Jordan, Sharon, and Courtney climbed it just two days before this so I knew what to expect.  Jet did not.  With each turn, you think it's going to get easier or the path would flatten out a little (and what would make my mind think that since, hello! we are climbing a mountain :). 

 Well, it didn't.  

There were spots where you could catch your breathe only to be ready for the next incline.  

What a picture of life!!  

But a beautiful picture came next where I saw Jamie take Jet by the hand as Jet wanted to give up, to quit, to figure out a way to go back down and not complete the climb.    He held him tightly as Jet relied solely on Daddy's strength taking one step at a time to get him up that mountain.  

WHAT A PICTURE OF OUR HEAVENLY DADDY!!!       

In Psalms it says

"If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; 

though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand."

I needed this at that very minute as my tears were flowing thinking of Justin not being with us like he wanted to be.  God took my heart and carried me quickly up the mountain to catch up with Jordan and Courtney.  The next blessing that I got to see still brings my heart so much joy!!!  Jordan all of a sudden began almost running, and let me tell you the hardest part was at the end.  Courtney said, "What do you think he is doing?"  I had an idea he knew Justin was about to be at the top because they have that God given crazy twin thing going on.  So I told Courtney, "He's probably wanting to be at the top when Justin gets up there."  She was amazed and we began to talk about how this climb is so much like life.  It's hard.  It's hurts at time.  But as we kept climbing, we rounded the corner to see Jordan be at the top waiting for Justin to get off the lift.  She immediately correlated that to how she thinks it's going to be when we get to heaven and see Jesus and our loved ones. 

See, her Daddy passed away from cancer, and I know this climb is hard for her as she just walked out on the field as Junior Princess without her Daddy escorting her like the other girls.   The pictures of her and her Momma are beautiful, but I remember sitting in the stands as she was announced to be Junior Princess.  Sharon, her Mom, text her telling her since she was on the way to a volleyball game.  Her first question, "Who is going to walk me out?"  With tears building in Sharon's eyes, we knew Courtney was probably doing the same.  

But what they did was hold on tighter to God's hand and let Him be their strength as they continue to take one step at a time knowing that one day, they'll get to the top of the mountain and be reunited!

Had we not taken this adventure as a family, even though it wasn't as we would like it to be, we would have missed out on these priceless lessons that God taught us through this experience.         

In Hebrews he promises us

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you"

In Matthew, Jesus says

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

HOLD ON TIGHT TO HIS HAND AS HE NEVER WANTS US TO FACE LIFE ALONE!!

  

Why do we insist on doing it our way?

For the first few weeks of school, Jamie and I told Jet every night and morning to get one bag to put all of his stuff in because it would work out so much better for him.  Still, he insisted on carrying his binder, lunch, and trombone all separately with his gym clothes in his small backpack.  Each morning, I'd watch him struggle just to get to the car with everything much less get out of the car and make it into school.  One morning, I sat and watched as he walked and had to stop several times because he was dropping everything as it was slipping out of his hands. 

 

Then yet another morning, he couldn't find his lunch box, and I had to pack his lunch in a brown paper bag.  That morning, as he made his way to the car, the paper bag broke because he couldn't get a good grip on it because he was having trouble juggling all that he was trying to carry. 

 Jordan said to Jet "Why don't you use just one big bag?  Wouldn't that make everything easier?"  I just smiled inside because he had no idea at the time we'd been trying to tell Jet this all along.  

But instead of us forcing Jet to do it, we recognized God was teaching a bigger lesson!

Jordan then found Jet's lunchbox under his feet in the front seat so Jet put his lunch in the lunchbox.  When he came home that afternoon, he said "Mom, did you forget something in my lunch?"  I said, "No, why do you ask?"  He said, "I didn't have a dessert."  I told him, "Well, I put it in the brown bag this morning.  Why don't you go check the car where your bag broke this morning?"  Jet hurries out to the suburban to guess what.... He found his dessert!    Justin & Jordan were both home, and we all smiled as we didn't have to say a word.  Jet went and got one big bag and packed it for the next day.  Needless to say, the mornings have been a lot better for Jet!

Isn't this what happens with us!  God tries to direct us in what would be better for us.  Yet we insist we know what we are doing and continue to struggle.  He watches as we try to juggle everything on our own, and I'm sure saddened just as I was to see Jet's bag break and miss out on his whole lunch.  

We have a choice!  God never forces any of us to do anything, but I'm convinced that satan likes to keep us down.  John 10:10 Jesus says "The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but I have come to give you life abundantly!"   That is not just talking about eternity!  He wants to give you LIFE and that comes the moment you surrender your life to Him!  It's never too late and there is nothing in your past that's too bad!  Isaiah 43:18-19 says "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!"  

God wants to do this NEW thing in all of us!  

When we finally decide we are tired of trying our way, 

He's right there waiting with loving arms!  Seek Him with all your heart...you WILL find Him!