Independence

One of David's favorite things to do is wrestle with the kids. This is a fatherly duty, according to him, as mothers are to be soft and comforting, Daddies are required to be more rough-and-tumble! This morning, David had Emma in a good-morning bear hug on our bed. At one point, he pulled the covers over Emma's head to tease her, whereby she replied, "No, Daddy, I am keeping an eye on a particular spot in the room!" David replied, "What spot is that?" Emma responded, "The door!!"

I think it's interesting how even young children seek independence. All parents have heard the mantra, "I can do it myself!" from their children from the time they can talk! Even before that, what parent hasn't had little fingers struggle to get free from their grasp as they walk through a store or a parking lot! Efforts to aid a toddler in any activity often result in a pudgy hand pushing you away in an effort to do it themselves (and usually requiring: a) band aids, b) paper towels, or c) glue, as a result!). As a parent, you want your children to be able to do things on their own, but we are better able to assess what they can handle at any given time. And so, we demand obedience in things like holding hands while crossing the street, or helping our child in the kitchen until we feel they can maneuver independently in these areas!

Adults are not much better than a toddler when it comes to our demands for independence. And the One we kick against is much wiser than the very best parent. I know that Emma was enjoying her time with her Daddy this morning and feels safer in his arms than anywhere else on earth! She wants the security of knowing her Daddy's arms are there whenever she wants/needs them, but also wants to feel like an independent agent in the world. Just as Emma struggled to loose herself from her Daddy's playful grip, we constantly try to wriggle out of God's grip, don't we? We know that in His arms there is no safer place, but we still like thinking of ourselves as free agents in the universe! If Emma could get her "wish" of being free of parental restraints, she would not be happy. She would be lost, and in danger. Likewise, if we as humans could possibly have our "wish" and somehow manipulate God into just showing up when we call Him, like some cosmic genie, we would be wretched indeed. Getting what we want all the time is not happiness, it's just selfish hedonism. And we would miss the opportunity to know God! Emma feels loved and safe with her parents because she knows us, and respects us. We have a relationship and a bond that has been forged since her birth, and in her heart she knows that the boundaries we place on her independence are for her good. What a tragedy it would be to be deprived a relationship with our Heavenly Father, and only have his magic wand, so to speak, to fix our blunders or give us what we want all the time. But that's the human condition -- we are always trying to flip our relationship with God, putting ourselves on the throne!

God gives us true freedom, not independence. We will never be independent of Him, for every breath we take is a gift and the result of his sovereign hand upon the universe! Even in glory, we will be 100% reliant upon the grace of God every day! But we have freedom to live and move within His loving boundaries which are meant to bless us and glorify Him! We are also free from our slavery to sin, and the fear of death! This gives us yet MORE freedom -- freedom to live radical lives for Christ! Freedom to be risk takers for His kingdom, knowing that He is always holding onto us, like a loving father. This Independence Day, I am thankful not only for our country and the human freedoms we enjoy here, but ultimately for the freedom I have been given through Christ! Help me, Lord, to give thanks for the grip you have on my life and not resist your demand for my obedience and your efforts to keep me wholly dependent upon you!!

Raiders of the Lost Garage

I think there is a reason the words "Garage" and "Garbage" so closely resemble each other. At my house, the reason is clear! Yesterday I undertook the noble quest in search of my garage floor which has been unseen for over a year! In the spirit of the new Indiana Jones movie (but more closely resembling a Junie B. Jones book), I set out to see if the ancient rumors were true -- that there actually was a once-thriving garage on the end of our home, not simply the overgrown jungle of junk that currently resides there!!! Tools in hand (20 garbage bags, a broom, and a can of root beer) I hacked and swept my way through old toys, bags of clothing, Christmas decorations, pots, pans, and other various kitchen items, wrapping paper, party supplies, broken furniture and shoes, and made my way to the legendary mountain known as, "If I have a yard sale one day." Like any experienced climber, I evaluated the slope and my options for assent. I could take the more challenging course known as, "Leave the pile and actually have a yard sale in the near future, possibly making a whopping sum of $50.00" OR, I could opt for a route that, while less challenging, would offer an immediate mountaintop experience! So, yes, I chose option 2, stuffed my car to the brim and drove to the nearest Goodwill drop point! Three trips later, the mountain was all but gone and, lo, the garage floor, once only a rumor, began to reappear!! But I needed more supplies! So off to Lowes we drove, and home we came with a new, industrial-strength shelf! Picnic baskets, coolers, tackle boxes, wrapping paper, and holiday decorations were lifted off the floor and to their new home! I filled 8 trash bags with junk, like an archaeologist discarding the useless sand and dirt in order to get to the fossils underneath. More garage floor opened up and the excitement in the air was palitable! Not only was I excited, but the kids were too! Open space means only one thing to them -- play space! "Ooh, Mommy, can we ride our bikes out here? Can we use this room for a play area?!" Even our dog, Jack, ventured into the garage sniffing around as if saying, "I had no idea this room was even here!" Protective of my new found discovery, like a wild-eyed, paranoid prospector ala "Treasure of the Sierra Madre," I quickly laid stake to the space and routed my greedy claim jumpers! "No!" I shouted, "It's mine! All mine! Ha ha ha ha ha! (crazed, diabolical laughter)." Of course, I don't know if this newly discovered space will ever be used to actually house our car, but at least I can now make my way to the freezer without endangering my life! I may even plant a little flag on the top of it to mark the historic occasion!