Carl Sandburg didn't understand Eastern NC fog when he wrote his little poem. The fog has been drifting in for many nights now, and last night it decided to stay. The fog came in about 7 pm and is still here nearly 24 hours later.
A friend was telling me last Sunday that she had driven in the fog to her boyfriend's house. There is a four way stop on the way, and she completely missed it. She was at his house and still looking for the stop signs! Thank goodness she wasn't injured.
I was lying in bed about 7:00 a.m. Saturday, and Hubby was out walking the dog when I heard a familiar crashing sound. A guy slid across the curve in front of our house and took out 3 mailboxes and a newspaper box. The fog certainly had something to do with the crash, but he also needed new tires.
Fog is mysterious, floating in and drifting out unexpectedly. What you know is there, like mailboxes and stop signs, may or may not be seen depending how the fog is moving. You can see a bit into the distance, but the big picture is not there.
I feel like I have been in a fog for many, many years, and it has suddenly lifted. I have been a Christian for nearly 25 years, and yet I am just learning and discovering something. I have been praying for over 20 years that Hubby will get a teaching position at a Christian college or university. I feel like I have been patient in that prayer, and I know I have been diligent to pray it often and bring my petition before the Lord. I asked this because I know that Hubby would really enjoy teaching and conversing with others who are interested in God's Word. I never thought about it being a selfish request because it wasn't really a request for me. Suddenly I have changed my perspective. I should instead be thinking of all of the people who will be affected by Hubby's ability to teach. It is for Christ that I should want Hubby to be able to teach, not for Hubby's sake.
This morning I was writing the last of my book about Kelly; yes, I think it is finished! But as I began to write I stopped to pray, and instead of praying for me to write the right words, or for me to find a great agent, or even for the book to make enough money for #2 to get braces (which has been my goal), I suddenly thought about the people who will read the book. They are the ones I should be praying for. I should realize that people will be brought closer to Christ for reading the book. What a dunce I have been.
Now the fog is lifting and I am seeing so much more of the big picture. I shouldn't be praying for my children to get to Heaven but that through their lives even more than my kids will praise Jesus. I shouldn't be praying for our country to turn to God and do better, but that our country will lift God to the world. I shouldn't be praying for the safety and good health of D1, but that through our letters and emails to her she will praise Christ.
Christ is the stop sign that I have driven past in the fog. But now the fog is drifting, slowly pulling away from the ground and lifting itself to where I should have been looking all along- up.
No comments:
Post a Comment