25 SECONDS in a day to remember
Sitting at the LONE STAR Swim Championships. I think this is our 20th trip to this meet. Came up north to a 4-day swim meet. No computer access---so how am I doing this?? Britt is swimming 12 events and if you are talking to a friend or reading a good book, you might miss him. He's coming up soon in the 50 Free, and he'll finish in about 25 seconds---all day you wait to watch what doesn't last even a moment. But this is probably his last swim meet ever. So, I'll enjoy every minute---ahem---every second. He has decided to retire from the sport he has loved for the past 12 years. Decided he didn't want to swim in college. Our children have to make their own decisions. I have to wrestle in my own heart with his decision to give up a sport he is so good at. More than all that, I just want all my children to ask their God what He wants for their lives.
Jogged and walked as the surreptitious sun rose over Towne Square this morning (wish I had my camera)! Seemed like an endless jog as I listened to an audio book on my iPod (how did I get that book downloaded as I don't have a clue how to do it). When I returned to the car, my clock wasn't the same as the stately City Hall tower clock who had no regard for daylight savings time. I thought it was an awfully long book. Turns out I had gone TWO HOURS instead of one. Oh my!
But, this is what I heard from John Eldredge "Walking With God" during that two hours that touched me in deep places. Shift your posture from avoiding those things in your life to taking a look into your heart. Cultivate willingness to go wherever it is that I need to go to face my interior world. Give my YES to my NOW. Stop avoiding the disruptions to your life. You really don't want to be inconvenienced. You want comfort more than you want your God to move or not move like He is.
Back to the swim meet to watch the five-year-old who wouldn't go off the diving board---the timid little fella who has grown into a seventeen-year-old fearlessly courageous disciplined swimmer. I'll watch him take his last stroke this weekend. And I'll say a prayer that fearless courage may be the cry of his heart as he continues to learn to depend on God for his next breath, his next stroke, his next turn.
8 comments:
I just finished "Walking with God" and wish I had someone to talk about it with! It was such an impacting book, and yet there are some parts that I don't understand at all.
Praying for your Britt, your children, your family, your journey!
Love,
holly
Hey Bev,
Glad you got to enjoy watching those precious moments. How are your daughters? Love & blessings-
Engrafted by His Grace-
What an awesome book, I do think I will go and buy it. Oh, what He is saying to you and to the rest of us thru you. My, how Britt must bring you so much joy. You talking about him being five and being afraid to jump off the diving board made me think of my baby, who didn't learn to swim till he was five and then took to it like a fish and had so little fear that he would jump off the high dive and swim to the side...You are so right we have to let them choose what they want to do as they grow,even when we don't agree or understand thier choices. I pray with you that we will all have fearless courage to learn to depend on God for our next breath, next stroke and our next turn. You are inspiring me to walk and move more. You are an inspiration to so many. He has gone before you and He is coming behind you. Praying as I go....Mary Lou
I just wanted to say thanks for the post and the encouragement on my book publishing. It IS a reality!
The weird part is to get into bed at night to read and reach for my own book!
Lisa J
I have allways let my kids know how I felt about things they wanted to do or didn't want to do, they all ways new no matter what I support them no matter what... I''m glad I have been able to do that, see my Mom never could do that, she was all ways you will do this and you will do that... And some times I held back on the things that I wanted or I wanted to do because I knew she would say no... I pray that my kids know they can allways come to me in all things...
You are in my prayers...
Connie
GBU
This brought back a lot of memories! He is a good swimmer. It's amazing how you can wait all day for a 25 second swim! God will direct what will come next for him! I loved this post!
Have a great day!
Love,
Angie xoxo
This post left me with a full heart, remembering our own first swim meet for three kids at once, where Lindsay was just three and couldn't get across one lap without a short break on the rope. Then, many very hot Saturdays later, they were so fluid, so independent. It's such a good metaphor of their lives. I am praying for Britt and his next turn this morning. I'll post Cover to Cover a little later this afternoon. Blessing and love, Annette
Praying for all of you Bev. Praying for every step of the new way.
You are such a beautiful encourager to me and I love you to pieces. I'm all caught up on your blog now and feel like I'm right back in the loop. :)
Hugs and blessings over you and your amazing family~
Fran
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