Faith
is Like the PottyWe recently went through the stressful adventure of selling our house. In our city (Winnipeg) right now, there is an unprecedented boom in property value. It's great for you if you want to sell, but a nightmare if you have to buy. This used to be the city where you could buy a simple bungalow in a very neat suburb for $80,000. A big 'higher-income' home ran $190,000. In fact, you could buy a newly renovated home in an older area for $30,000. Yeah, I know. Crazy! I've met people who've moved here from all over the country...calling this "the City of Dreams" because they would have never been able to be a home owner in their home-cities.
Well, those nice $80,000 homes are now running $170,000...and in only 4 years. For us "frugal" Winnipegers, this is just an obscene price-hike.
Anyway, looking for a home that suited our needs, and our low price range proved to be a tad stressful. Well, okay, a TON stressful. I won't go into the details, because its too long of a story...but needless to say that AS USUAL...in that way that God does...He came through!! Big-time! Sure, He waited until the 11th hour...but He came through. And He was Glorious!
You'd think that after walking with Him for 28 years (give or take) and seeing Him come through in miraculous ways in the last 12 years of our marriage I would have learned an easy fact:
God COMES THROUGH!
Everytime. Period.
I've never ever been left stranded. Never been left in want. Never been homeless, never starved, and never had them come and take away our possessions! (They did turn our phone off once, but really
who needs the phone anyway?)
So, if I have such a fantastic history in God...why is it I don't get it? Why do I even bother to worry? Why do I fret? Why do I lose sleep, and skip meals
because of the butterflies in my stomach? Have I learned nothing?
It reminds me of a 'talk' I had the other day with our 2 1/2 year old, Aila:
The following day, sometimes 3 or 4 times a day, we have the same conversation. It's kinda like that movie "Groundhog Day".
Every day, of every week. Same conversation!
I know she's a bright kid. So why is it that she can't seem to make the connection? She REALLY wants that video! She knows what needs to be done, and yet she doesn't want to 'go there'.
I felt like that with our new house. I knew the deal. I knew that simple child like faith was all that was needed...and the reward of my 'sitting on the spiritual-faith-potty' would be met with the great "Heffalump/House" reward. And yet, there I was....everyday...just like Aila.
"God?" I'd cry. I
intend to learn this lesson! To live a life that has effortless faith in my
Father's ability to provide for me...instead of the running around in circles,
pacing back and forth and fretting. And like Aila, sometimes you just have to
learn to sit calmly for a while, and wait to see what
happens. Yvonne
Aila: Mommieee.....Effa-lump??
Me: You want to buy the Winnie the Pooh "Heffalump" movie??
Aila: *jumping* Yeth! Yeth! Gotooo store fer effa-lump? Peeeeeease???
Me: What do you have to do to get the Heffalump movie, Aila?
Aila: Um......go on da potty?
Me: Yep. Have you done that?
Aila: Nope.
Me: So, how about you go on the potty today...and then you can buy the movie, okay!!!!!!
Aila: OTAY!!!!
Me: Do you want to sit on the potty now?
Aila: Nope.
Me: How about after lunch?
Aila: Nope.
Me: What if I read you a book?
Aila: Nope.
Me: Do you want to have the video?
Aila: Oh YETH!
Me: And what do you have to do?
Aila: Go on da potty!
Me: Right! Wanna try it now?
Aila: Nope.
Me: Alrighty then.
"Are you there? Are you listening? Are you going to come through for us?"
"Of course" He'd say. "Trust Me, Yvonne."
"Alright. I'll trust you"
That is, until the following day, when I'd go through the conversation again.
Wanting to trust him, but honestly, my heart was full of fear...not faith!
So perhaps, I shouldn't be so hard on Aila. After all...like-Mother-like-daughter!