Cleared Paths

This year, instead of burning, I decided to spread my leaves under the natural areas that we do not mow. In addition to getting the leaves off our yard, I also raked a few of the paths that I had cleared so the grandgirls could explore . . . safely.  

As I was raking the leaves to one side or the other in these paths, it occurred to me that I was encouraging the grandgirls even more to use the paths that I had cleared for them. I was ‘training them in the way they should go’.  

There is no guarantee that they will not venture off the paths; in fact, that very day, one cut across a corner – through the leaves – from one cleared area to another. And the smallest, at 2 years old, actually darted beneath the low lying cedar tree branches from one cleared area to another – because she could – and looked back at us with a grin as if she new she was able to do something that we couldn’t. 

Parents have their work cut out for them – raising their kids. There’s no guarantee that the paths they try to established will be chosen. But even when there is a venturing off the path, they usually venture back to them. The paths are familiar to them. They know where the paths lead. They become the sure ways from which their venturing begins as they set out to establish and clear their own paths.

 

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“Watch Me Papa”

Recently we took the grandgirls to a park. The main attraction was a spacious fenced area with multiple play structures. Naturally, they enjoyed them all and we enjoyed watching them. Several times we would hear them yell out, “Watch me Mimi” – “Watch me Papa”.  

The time there couldn’t have been better . . . but it could have been worse. They could have gotten so caught up in playing that they forgot us. We could have asked them to sit on a bench with us instead of playing. But to enjoy it all together, that is hard to beat.  

David, in Psalms 31:8 says, “You have set my feet in a spacious place.” God has set us in a ‘spacious place’. He’s given us mountains to climb, beaches to walk, creeks to play in and rocks to ‘chunk’ in them. 

For most of us, it’s not that we completely forget God in the pursuit of these things any more than we completely forsake them in the pursuit of God. We are usually somewhere to the left or right of center.  

So . . . where would your mark be? Would it be to the left where you have gone off and left God sitting on the bench? To the right where you’re trying to be content just sitting with Him? Or is He right there with you . . . so much so that He occasionally hears you yell out, “Watch me Papa””?

He would enjoy that.

 

 

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