This morning, Baby Girl and I managed to make it to our second service at one of the churches we've tried here in town. When we were there a couple of weeks ago, both Mr. Perfect and I both were very impressed with the praise and worship as well as the preaching. That Sunday, they were working through a study on David and this morning, I got to hear the final sermon of the study.
Something the preacher said this morning really stuck with me. He was talking about how if we can't praise God while we're in the "pasture" then we'll never get to the "palace". Let me see if I can break it down.
David spent many, many years as a young boy tending sheep before he ever became king. The whole entire time, he praised God. He wasn't dreaming of better things, he was praising in the time and circumstance he was currently in.
How many of us are guilty of always looking forward? We think, if we work this job we hate now, it will bring us riches in the future. Or we look at our neighbor who drives a better car, lives in a better house, or has better clothes and we long for our days when that will be us.
I personally know I am guilty of all of the above.
I've talked in depth with close friends about how I feel like right now, my little family has taken a step backwards. Meaning this; we got knocked out of our comfort zone when Mr. P lost his job last year. Big time. Fortunately he found a job very quickly, but now? We're in a new place, I left a great job (and currently don't have one at all), and sometimes it feels like we're sinking.
But is this our pasture?
Things worked out very, very quickly to get us to where we are right now. Doors not only opened, they flew open. I find it no coincidence that we are here right now. Maybe this is our time to just sit and be and try to figure out what God has in store for us next. This is our pasture. Our time of just praising God and doing what we need to to get by.
Let me break it down even more. Let's take them out of the picture and just talk about me.
Like I said, I left a great job to come up here. It made me crazy, but I was doing what I loved. Now I'm at home with Baby Girl everyday. It wears on me. Not going to lie. I have looked for work up here. I don't want to work all the time because my time with her is too precious, but I would like something just a couple of days a week.
But that hasn't happened. I literally have had not one lead. And it's hard. I've never looked this long for a job in my life. But something hit me while I was listening this morning.
This time that I currently have with my little girl is precious. I will never ever get this back.
Maybe the reason I haven't found something is that this is what I'm supposed to be doing right now. Figuring out how to live smaller and relishing every single second with my adorable little angel.
Things aren't as easy as they once were. It's hard being in a tiny apartment when we're used to our own house. However, these are some amazing days we're having. We laugh so, so much. BG is becoming a little girl in these walls.
This might be our pasture. But as long as we stay strong in our faith, as long as we do all this with each other, well, our palace will be amazing. In due time. Right now? I am loving where we are.
7 comments:
I know that I've been guilty of this, too. As a matter of fact, I was thinking about it this morning. It's been difficult for me to be adjust to living in New Zealand. My husband has a job that he loves, but it meant a pay cut for me (nurses here make waaaaay less than in the States). I also struggle with the fact that we're in an apartment and not a home that we own, and it's hard for me to think about having a baby in a foreign country so far away from family. People always say how it's so cool that we're living in NZ and that it's so great that we're going to have a Kiwi baby, but I just think, "Yeah - cool for you because you're not the one doing it!" But there are a lot of pluses and benefits to being where we are right now, and I know without a doubt that it's where God wants me to be. In spite of all that, I'm still tempted to think "Only X amount of time before we can move back to the States" rather than enjoying the time that we have here!
LOVED this post! I am most definitely guilty too.
so beautifully put....
What a GREAT sermon! I know I am guilty of that! But we made some life changes a few years ago too , that focus on our time and happiness and not so much on moving up the ladder and I will have to say this is the happiest and most fulfilled I have ever been. It takes practice learning how to live on less but sooo worth it!
I think you've been spying on me! ;-) We are in a "pasture" right now, trying to get more prepared for things in life, and have had to cut way back. At first, I thought how miserable! But, at the same time I realize that God has us RIGHT where we are supposed to be. I'm trying to relish every blessing, and every minute with my Mr. God is good...ALL the time, isn't He?
:)
You could be right - spending time with that precious little girl of yours could be right where you need to be! I know you're in my neck of the woods now - so if you need any advice or help finding things (work maybe or just "stuff")...feel free to get in touch with me!
breaux dot michelle at gmail dot com
i love this post and i love to study David. He had a heart for God and such wisdom. i'm doing a beth moore study on David right now. it is so important to praise God during the peaks and valleys, but is so easy to get caught up in the lows of the valleys. well said!
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