"A Proud Daddy!" or "Learning the Hard Way"

O.k. I have to admit I have been a bit excited over the past couple weeks. My daughter Mykaela (Mysha) is now on the Cross Country Team at Henderson County High School. I am so proud because she is continuing a tradition of running on the Shouse family. My Dad ran for Daviess County High School. I ran for Apollo High School. And now here she is, taking the baton of legacy and running as well. It has sparked a unexpected feeling of pride and elation in my heart. She has taken something of mine and Dad's and now is making it her own. The other day we went out and ran more than 2 miles. When we got finished, (more accurately when I was finished) she went out and ran another one.
This is quite different than her initial reaction to the sport just a week ago. It was hard, difficult and tiring. She wanted to quit. I didn't understand why because I had warned her how tough it was. In fact, my exact words was that it was going to be torture for 2 weeks, then it gets easier. I told her it would never be easy but it would get easier. I also told her if it ever got really easy, she probably wasn't doing it right. (Runners know what I am talking about.) I told her of the amazing team she would apart of. There is just something about being apart of a group of people who share blood, sweat, and tears together. I told her that when she got to the meets, she would be so excited and they were thrilling. I told her about the sense of accomplishment of finished a feat of endurance. I told her of the energy she would have with other things. I told her the good and the bad of running, and in spite of all my instruction, encouragement, and truth telling, she still wanted to quit.
I was upset, mad, and a little perturbed that she did not want to finish the 2 weeks I warned her about. But she did finish them and now she loves it!!! She's hooked on it. We now have a bond which others can never understand until they go through the rights of torture we have experienced.
This experience is not an unusual one in life. I read about Isaac not long ago. In the beginning of Isaac's journey in life, he would always talk about the God of Abraham or the God of my Father. Then somewhere along the way it became "my God". Eventually it became the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But it did not start that way. Isaac had to find and discover God on his own. I know Abraham encouraged, instructed, and told the truth about God to his son but until Isaac found God himself, he never quite got it.
After he got it, though, he and Abraham had something no one could understand until they, too, found the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for themselves.
What about you? Have you found Him? Let me tell, it isn't easy. At times it will feel like torture. But as your faith grows it will get easier, but never easy. In fact, if it is ever easy, you probably not doing it right. But you have to commit yourself to doing it.
Why do those words seem so familiar????

Putting Up With Him

One of my favorite TV shows is Monk. It is a show about a former police detective who is now a consultant and helps the San Fransisco Police solve the strangest cases. However, everybody is completely uncomfortable around Monk, including Monk himself. He has so many phobias and issues that it is hard to keep straight. (He is afraid of milk because it is a bodily fluid! You're welcome for that one!) He doesn't have anyone who just hangs out with him. He always cleaning up when ever there is a mess even if it's not His. But He always solves the case, always. He is always right, so people put up with him.
Often times, we treat God the same way. We know we need Him. We know He is right. We know He can solve any problem we face. But He makes us uncomfortable, so we only call when we need Him. Or, We just "put up" with Him. Being in God's presence is the most uncomfortable place we can be. In light of His presence, we see our sin, shortcomings, and failures. We might cut ourselves some slack but God never does, He loves us too much for that. He wants to change us and clean us up so that we may be more like Him. He wants to show us a better way. A way of joy.
In the book of Jeremiah, God says, "Because you have trusted in Me, you will keep your life like the spoils (of war)." (39:18b) You don't tolerate or put up with spoils but you celebrate them. God wants your life to be like that as well! Revel in presence. Enjoy your time with Him. There will be messes to clean up, clutter to be sorted out, and problem to be solved, but He's really good at that!