Recent Reflections - August 2020: The In-Between

 

This is the eighth Recent Reflections post of 2020.  Recent Reflections goes live the third Friday or Saturday of each month.  Each Recent Reflections post covers something that I'm reflecting on.  If you'd like to share a post with a similar theme, feel free to leave a comment with a link to your post, and I'll hop on over and leave a comment (and maybe some other readers will, too).

This month, I will be reflecting on the in-between.

Right now, I find myself surrounded by a lot of in-betweens.

We're in-between a past normal and new normal that I pray doesn't stay that way.  {COVID-19, feel free to leave any time now!}  We fear (if we let ourselves), we don't know how to navigate this world with all its mandates and resulting hardships, and we simply just find ourselves wondering, "What's next?" and "Will it ever end?"  Truth is, I don't know, but I'm going to just let myself exist in the in-between to the best of my ability and not worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow is God's "worry", and I am going to do my best to not let it become mine.  I am choosing to enjoy the day, come what may, and live as {old} normal a life as I can for me and mine.

My oldest (and soon to be his little brother who is not even a year and a half behind him) is in-between being an adult and a teenager - 17 is a rough age.  He's turning into a marvelous man, but he still struggles with the adulting headed his way.  I see it.  He wants to decide for himself, he wants to not have to ask permission for some things, he wants to lead as God intended him to, but he struggles with knowing when to make a decision on his own and when to ask for advice.  Truth is, I want him to know that asking for help or guidance is not a weakness, but rather a great strength.  God wants us to turn to Him with everything, and our children learn to go to Him by learning to come to us first no matter what the situation.  It is our job to point our children to the Lord and to seek His wisdom.  We often fail when we go it alone, and I never want my children to feel like they are alone, because they aren't.  So, I will keep being there, being that cheerleader and guide (same as his dad), and one day he (and his siblings) will have arrived at adulthood with the ability to still seek our guidance, but wanting God's will most (that's our prayer, anyway).

Our youngest is in the in-between age of child and teen and all the change that puberty brings.  It's been hard on her in a lot of ways, and she's very curious about all of the things that come with growing up.  There's been a lot of discussions and there'll be dozen if not hundreds more.  Truth is, I'd love to keep her a little girl forever.  I don't want her growing up so fast, but here it is.  So, instead, I will raise her to love the Lord, to seek His guidance, to not keep secrets from us, and to ask us anything and everything.  We have an "our door is always open" policy when it comes to the need to talk.  Occasionally that means a midnight (or later) chat, but we want our kids to know that nothing is more important to us than them.  This next few years especially will be crazy for her...and I plan on being there for each and every insane moment of it all.

There are other areas of our lives that are also in the in-between stages.  We've been married 20 years - we're not quite middle aged, but it approaches quickly and our kids are nearly old enough to get married and have kids of their own.  My health and different family members' health are in some new territories right now, and we don't know how all those things will pan out.  We are in the in-betweens of having a house with half the improvements we've planned done and many more needed yet.  There are so many things I could mention, but the details don't matter.  What matters is that, in the in-between, God is there, too.  He's never left, and He will be by my side through it all.  That's the best comfort of all.

In closing, I will just share this Psalm, and I hope it can be a comfort to you in this world of in-between as it has been to me.

Psalm 139 (KJV)

1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

I truly hope this post has been a help to you, or at the least made you stop and think a little.

Maybe you want to share something in comments that God has done in your life recently to bless you as a means to be an encouragement to others during these trying and difficult times?  Feel free to do so.  Positivity and blessings are always welcome!  

What are you reflecting on?

Have a wonderful weekend!