Acorns

Being on a church staff exposes one to frequent, DAILY reminders of the greatness of our God.  Members of the congregation, along with people across the country who have heard a sermon on the radio or online - will call in or send emails to let us know how their lives have been transformed through the Power of the Holy Spirit.  Very often, I am moved to tears by the testimonies shared.  Life is messy - yet we see beauty for ashes.   


Sometimes, we are too quick to "credit" Satan with turmoil or challenges faced.  It's true that the Enemy does attack us.  Spiritual warfare is very real - but my first thought is usually that God is doing "something" in the midst of whatever trial is faced.  Usually, I think of these challenging times as an "opportunity for growth" in the life of a daughter - seen and understood only by a Loving Father.  Most of the time.


Last week, my husband, two daughters and our grandblessing were excitedly driving to Camp LeJeune to welcome my son back from a seven month deployment to Afghanistan.  It had been an emotional seven months, (lots of opportunity for growth in this Mom's heart!)   The anticipation of his arrival, coupled with my younger daughter's graduation from high school, and compounded by the shrill screams of a 17 month old, unhappy about 8 1/2 hours in the car...made for a long, emotionally draining day.  But - nothing could rob this Mom of the joy of knowing her son was out of harm's way. Nor could be robbed, the warm relief of the "welcome home hug" that would replace the memory of the "goodbye hug" I replayed in my mind every day for seven months.


Nothing, nothing, nothing.....could minimize the joy.  Or could it?  I began to have doubts.  After all, this day wasn't about me - and I didn't want it to become that.  While the thought of seeing my young marine come off the bus and give me the promised, very special, "second hug" (second only to my soon to be, daughter-in-law)  this day was about welcoming back heroes, one of them just happened to be my son.  My primary objective was to make him feel loved, honored, welcomed and least of all - pressured, conflicted, and crowded.  He had been away from the comforts of home, far from those he loves, and he had seen very difficult days in the time away.  This was his day.  


Thank God - he is safe.  My husband and I were overwhelmed with emotion when we received the phone call from the FRO (family readiness officer) - that the plane had landed at a nearby airbase.  Just knowing he was on the ground was overwhelming relief.  After recovering from "happy tears" and a lengthy embrace with my husband, my thoughts again went to Tyler.  The question in my mind:  "what did he feel like the moment the plane touched down?"   As the options ran through my mind, the tears again started flowing - what an emotional day this was!


Many back home were aware of this monumental day for our family - and many were praying for all aspects.  Interestingly, our staff had spent considerable time talking about spiritual warfare in the days leading up to Homecoming.  Ephesians 6:10-20, was fresh on my mind and a couple of close friends had encouraged me to pray through this specifically in conjunction with the Homecoming.   (We should pray through this every day.)


Hubby and I also knew that we would face one of the two most evil people we've ever known and dealt with.  With her presence,  comes volatile potential.  Our primary concern was that nothing interfere with or hinder Tyler's re-entry.  Based on history, and the manipulation that led up to this very day - we prayed specifically that she'd not take from his joy.  We've prayed this kind of prayer for all of our kids too many times to count - it's one thing to mess with me, but I cannot face well, the thought of another harming my children in any way.  (Even now that they are all "adults".)


Back to logistics:  hubby, both daughters and 17 month old grandblessing left the hotel not long after checking in and drove toward the "Homecoming Site".  Emotions were high. Traffic was backed up.  There was an accident, and a car fire and hundreds of other cars with families preparing to welcome back their Marine.  We were listening to music and we were singing and having fun - all eager to see the "Man of the Day".   Something prompted me to stop singing and start praying again... it was another text from a friend at church saying "Ephesians 6:10-20".   So, I closed my eyes and was going through the "Armor of God."   My eyes were closed, but abruptly opened when our car lunged forward in an intersection, after stopping at a light.  I was trying to figure out what was going on as my husband indicated a loss of all power, including steering...and we drifted off the shoulder of the road as he struggled to turn the wheel away from an embankment.  


With total transparency, I confess that I was giving Satan "credit" (again, not usually my modus operandi.)  Sadly, my thought was "okay, you are really throwing darts at us today!"   Seriously????  I was just praying against you and your forces - and you mess with our car????   Today - of all days!!! This is really BOLD.   Fine.... I'll pray some more.  As hubby got the car to start, and as it sputtered - I prayed that we would get to the Homecoming site in time to be there for the big moment.  If we had to call for a tow truck following that long-awaited hug, then so be it.  Just get us there God... PLEASE.  We turned off the radio and I read Ephesians 6:10-20 aloud.  


So...we sputtered and stalled and we arrived on base. Phew!  We were in "position" a few hours before we saw the smile we all know and love so dearly.  After the festivities concluded, the car started.  Our son, his soon to be Bride, and her parents, drove in front of us as a precaution.  With a few more "sputters" along the way, we made it to to our destination (our son's first home, away from us - besides the barracks.)  We all enjoyed a couple of hours of just being together - and capped it off with BBQ in the wee hours of morning!  


After closing our eyes for just a couple of hours of rest, my husband got up and left for the local dealership. He wanted to ensure the car issues would not interfere with the family day that was before us. He was there as they opened.  After an hour or so, he called to tell me the issue.  "You're not going to believe this! They found an acorn in our air intake." This may as well have been spoken in Aramaic, because my knowledge of cars is limited....VERY limited!   


However, I totally understand what my husband said next,  "The mechanic said we must have had someone watching over us."  The acorn should have blocked the necessary oxygen-rich, fresh air from getting to the motor, easily resulting in a seized engine...in bumper to bumper traffic or at highway speeds. duh. We know who was watching over us...even though, (GULP) I allowed my mind to go in the opposite direction. 


So, another reminder of God's protective hand.... of the way He works in our lives, in the details, even in auto mechanics.  Prayerfully, this illustration will come to mind the next time I sense things are going awry.  It may actually mean He's got me in the palm of His all powerful Hand, protecting and moving me to where I need to be.   


Often, God sends us through seasons of "refining" - and it's nothing to do with Satan. Sometimes, the mucky stuff we walk through is nothing more than consequences for bad choices.  Then, there are times, when we initially perceive that God has taken His hand off of us for a "moment" and that we are under attack - when later we realize, "We were actually cupped in His Hand."   We've all had seemingly "unanswered prayers" but it's not necessarily that they're unanswered, but answered differently than we had hoped - but with outcomes far better than we had imagined."  Sometimes, it may just be a short-term issue like with our acorn. The situation may go on for months or even years....we need to pray, listen for Him in the midst of it, and look for ways to to glorify Him as a result.  


Metaphorically, we've all had "acorns in our air intake".    How comforting to know He watches out for us even when the "acorn" wasn't even a perceived threat! 


T.


"O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love." (Psalm 59:17)