Thursday, September 30, 2010

Le Grande Aventure!

I can read several languages fluently, but I must admit, French is not my thing...but under the circumstances and my flair for the dramatic, it seemed appropriate! Anyway, this weekend is "the grand adventure." Melissa, Hannah and I are taking a weekend off - no football game on Friday night! - to envision a new future for the family.

Since Melissa and I married 23 years ago, life has been an amazing adventure. It's had ups and downs, but for the most part, its been good. We have gone where the Lord opened doors and to the best of our ability have been faithful to His call. So we go. My prayer has always been that my daughters would share in this adventure -that they would see the influence of God in their lives and in their futures through all of this, and ultimately would learn to trust Him; and always know that no matter where we were or what we did, love would always bind our family together. God's love.

Sometimes I wonder if this adventure is equated with instability, but I don't think so. If that was the case, the apostles were the most unstable of people. Indeed, you could say that about any biblical personality. To follow God in this world is perceived as "foolishness" and thus the question of stability will always be there. But we know that is not the case. Melissa and I are from the southwest, Catherine was born in Virginia and Hannah was born in Washington state - there is only one direction for us to go then in these 48 states - north. And so we go.

For those of you who read this blog, this sounds "cryptic" - and it does, admittedly - but know my intention here is to talk about 'adventure'. Merriam-Webster defines adventure in the following manner:

1. an undertaking usually involving danger or risks.

2. an exciting or remarkable experience.

Of these definitions, I would like to think that the second, or latter is my reference point. I see adventure as an exciting or remarkable experience. I want my children to have those experiences and to be better for it. They will always have a stable home, though it may not be in the same house. Nevertheless, they will have experienced the new, the different and the unknown and thus will never have to be afraid.

I am not afraid to try new things, to attempt those things that others say is improbable or impossible. I'm not afraid, although I do not always succeed. But that is the adventure. To be faithful and to let success or failure reside in the hands of God. I am not afraid to let God be in control. In my tradition, we sing the hymn tune: "Wherever He Leads I'll Go" - but quite often we don't do we? We sense God's call, but we refuse to follow because of fear: fear of the unknown, a fear for safety or simply the ultimate conviction that we need to stay 'in control'... but what does that do to us over time?

All I can tell you is that I will go until I am called home.

I wish I could take all of you with me! (arf)

Let the adventure begin!

2 comments:

  1. I'm sure you'll have a great time!

    ESH

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  2. Is le grande adventure to Le Grande Oregon? :-P

    ReplyDelete