Being off balance........

I took my son Joey for his daily toddle up the lane this afternoon. He loves it, and has really begun to look forward to this part of his routine. Being in a colder climate I plan this little outing for him otherwise we would be housebound all day long.

Joey is 17 months old and being the youngest of 5 is head strong to say the least. He knows what he wants, when he wants it and how it is going to happen. I suppose it comes from being the youngest in the pecking order.

For me the daily toddle is a frustrating experience. I want Joey to walk to the end of the lane and home again, getting a nice bit of exercise and breathing in some fresh country air along the way. I don't mind if he stops to admire the flowers, the horses, to jump through the puddles if he so desires, chat to me (and our fellow toddlers) along the way or any other thing that takes his fancy on the way up the lane. But I would certainly prefer a walk where both of us walk forward one way and then forward the same way home.

Joey is more creative (read stubborn) in his style.

He likes to walk a couple of steps forward. Shake his head at me, turn and go the opposite direction. I pick him up, walk forward, put him down, watch him toddle forward a few more paces, then prepare myself for the dash in the opposite direction.

It was during our habitual walk this afternoon that I noticed a very interesting thing about Joey.

Whenever he shook his head at me, he became unbalanced. His steps forward became more stumbley than usual and he lost his sense of direction. More often than not he would end up on his bottom in the gravely lane.

As I watched him do that, I wondered if that is how we look to God.

God has a plan for our lives, a focus for us to keep our eyes fixed upon- His son Jesus.

Sometimes we don't like the direction being a follower of Christ leads us. Life often throws us curve balls that we neither expect nor want, and certainly don't deserve. It is part of living in a world where sin and hurt are still a regular part of our earthly existence.

These are the times we have choices to make.

We can stand or even run from God shaking our head. But this may leave us off balanced. Then being unbalanced we stumble and fall, landing on our proverbial backside often physically as well as spiritually.

Or we can run towards the arms of our savior. Our Father, who loves us and tenderly wants to carry us through those times of hurt and uncertainty.

As frustrating as it is taking Joey for these walks, we will continue. He needs the exercise and the fresh air. He needs the training these little walks provide as a bi product. He needs the time to hold my hand and have my undivided attention for that small portion of time in my day. He needs me to smile and tell him I love him, praise His successes and guide him along the way with a firm but gentle hand.

He needs me to model for him the love and grace of God.

And I need to watch him as he learns these things, to remind me of my own short comings.