There is a Learning in the Doing

The phone rang and it was my daughter calling from a camp in Tennessee. She was quietly sobbing.

She had come down with a horrible rash and was being taken to the emergency room. I was hundreds of miles away and my mama heart ached. Too far away to give a hug, I asked the Lord to send her one. “Please, LORD, let her know I love her. Hug her for me.” I don’t remember much, other than I said a few of those “motherly” things, put her in the hands of God and reminded her that was the best place to be.

I hung up the phone and my heart continued to ache. I longed to be with her. This mama had to put her trust in God as well.

Reflecting on that experience, I was reminded that God was there teaching her. I watched my daughter grow. She became more independent and found God to be faithful. God used that experience to bring her back to Dallas where she would meet a young man who would be “smitten” with her and who would later become a part of our family.

Today, this same daughter is married with four children, has two foster babies, and serves her husband and her church as a pastor’s wife.

She and I were texting late last night as she was lamenting her crazy busy schedule.

She longs for a season where she can sit down with a good book, a cup of decaffeinated coffee and delve into the deep truths of God’s Word.

I started to text and realized this was a good time to give an encouraging word.

My thoughts drifted back to the early years of marriage when I worked a fulltime job, so my husband could attend seminary. In those days, we had one car and would chat on the way home about our day. He would talk about his classes and discussions with classmates. I wanted so much to be right in the middle of those heavy theological debates. In all honesty, I was a bit jealous. To sit and listen to godly professors and to glean from their knowledge and years of experience, wouldn’t that be a blessing?!!

But it didn’t stop there.

Years later when we had young children and my hubby was off to work, I imagined how much easier his life was than mine. I longed to be back at work doing something “important” rather than the daily routine of changing diapers, dishes, cooking and picking up toys.

No matter where I was, the grass was always greener on the other side. I do remember someone once saying, the grass may seem greener on the other side, but you still have to mow it

Ahh, time does have a way of helping us see things we don’t always see at the moment.

Pondering my daughter’s situation…I could see through the fog, so much more clearly than I could see through my own.

This IS a season of learning. Not through books, but through living!! It is learning that comes from doing.

So here I was, once again trying to find the right “motherly” things to say to lift up her heart.

I reminded her that in this season God is her teacher. There is a learning that comes from doing. “Sweetie” I said, “He is writing His laws on your heart as you obey Him. As you obey Him the beautiful Word of God becomes flesh as you live it out. Do not neglect to see God’s hand in these precious years!!”

Aww, my heart was blessed as she responded with a thank you and a big red heart!!! That was what she needed to hear.

What about you?

Maybe some of you are knee deep in diapers, caring for elderly parents or heading to work every day to bring home a paycheck. Maybe you would rather be doing something else. Remember that nothing is wasted if God is in it.

Our LORD teaches us in the doing. Some of our best lessons are learned in the school of life!!