Like a weaned child...

When we wean...

Crying and fussing but it always comes too soon.  Why do we wean?  It is a graduation to the cup.  A letting go.  There aught not be fuss and fanfare because everyone must do it.  But often there is a hanging on to the sucking.  Where is my binky?   Some children are a. Little more needy of those things than others.  Does it mean they will be addictive sorts? Not letting go to anything that they latch onto.  Somehow I imagine my Junior carrying a receiving blanket down the aisle for graduation from Highschool.  No! I must be firm.  It doesn't really mean that.  It is an early opportunity to teach that every good and perfect gift comes down from the father of lights.   This is in fact a perfect opportunity to say and sing this verse to secure it into their conscious minds as they lament their loss.  God is good and is the ultimate comforter and as we let go of these creature comforts for greater freedoms we embrace the ability to comfort others and the ability to walk with God in a greater and more mature way.  "Help Lord hat I might sympathize with my child in his maturing and guide him to the God of all comforts!  Amen."

Think Again!

Praise To the Lord, The Almighty

Yes He is the king of creation. Learning to submit to His ways and His providences is sometimes hard. Everytime I hear that hymn, my mind goes back to that grieving season where everytime they would sing...

Hast thou not seen, how all thy longings have been granted in what he ordaineth?

I would cry and maybe have to leave the church. How can they all sing that? Why do they think that God has given them everything that they want all the time? That isn't true in my experience very often and especially when you stand at the graveside of your child. I couldn't sing that.

Between "Hast thou not seen..." and "ponder anew" is an entire school of learning that cannot be placed into words.

I blame Central's Choir for helping me get over that wall of the obstacle course of my faith. There was one day that they sang that hymn and the Holy Spirit used it to help me see the Amen of faith, which I had already known was there and to get to the "Think Again" of seeing the clouds of my despising the dark providence of the Lord pour the blessings of true trust in Him into my soul. It takes a long time and many people praying for you. It is a dark night that lasts forever, if you let it;but God has an exit to that dark tunnel. You won't find the exit until He gives you the jewels that He brought you there to receive. I pray that God will do that for you as well, who reads this.