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July 07, 2005
Only child in a big family
I have been reading "When Life and Beliefs Collide" by Carolyn Custis James and this morning read:
“In a way God treats each of us as though we were his only child.”(pg 77) The author goes on to describe a time when she and her daughter made a move with her husband thinking that the move was for him, only to discover that the move was for each of them and God had a plan for each of them in the new destination and for that time in each of their lives.
I grew up as the youngest of four children. Three older brothers with me tagging along several years behind them. When I was at my board game playing height, they were dating and fixing cars and stuff like that. When we watched home movies they all remembered the stuff that happened before I was even born. That didn’t make the movies less fun to watch as long as I could find things to tease them about later.
Looking back there may have been a few negatives such as no one my age to play with. My nearest neighbor lived a half mile away and had a few brushes with the law. On the plus side again, he taught me to pop a wheelie on my strawberry shortcake (with the banana seat and special orange flag) bike. He was popping them on a Harley.
But on the big plus side, I got a lot of time feeling like an only child with all the benefits of having siblings too.
My mom and dad traveled a lot and I always got to go along. I learned to be around both really young and old and was used to responsibility and mature conversation like the weather and politics. When we traveled, I was an only child. I got the whole back seat and didn’t have to fight about which fast food restaurant I wanted to eat at. We were usually all in agreement on that one. Everything seemed special with them and it still does.
My brothers wondered why I liked to travel so much. When they were little all three boys had to share the backseat. One time my brother, Lael took a trip alone with mom and dad and figured it all out. He was comfortable with just them in the car, no one was inching for more room or complaining.
Pretty regularly, our family was together and that was always great too. At those meals mom usually made all of everyone’s favorites. We were all special together and we laughed a lot.
I guess that as I read this statement in the book today, I was reminded of growing up.
God is doing what is best for me as if I am His only child. He loves me and nurtures me and molds me as if he runs his universe just for me. At the same time, he is doing this for all his other children and I do not feel slighted one bit. He uses the hardships my little family faces to mold my husband, me and each of our kids into his likeness and not only does he know what he is doing, he has big plans for the outcome!
Maybe I should just stretch in the back seat for a while and enjoy His lavishing on us all together with all the room we need to rest in His comfort.
| By Leda | 10:47 PM
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