Learning to Close a Chapter...

I have always thought of my life in book form. I am still not sure why I do that, but I always have. For example, several years ago I was in the middle of the "College" chapter of my life. It closed and the "Westminster" chapter of my life started when I began teaching. Typically, I will complicate things further and add overall chapters in like "Marriage" or "Children" and keep right on writing the story (or living my life).

One thing I have always had a problem with is closing chapters in my life. Looking back, I had trouble closing the "Single" chapter of my life and starting the "Marriage" chapter. Don't get me wrong. I wanted to get married. It was just hard to let go of who I was to start a "we" thing. I even have trouble putting away the Straightforward Boys' clothes after they grow out of a certain stage. I must look like a crazy woman as I thoughtfully (and sometimes tearfully) place one little outfit after another in the container. Sometimes I laugh as I place a memorable pair of shoes or hat into the container. I always take one last glance at the contents before I sadly clamp the lid in place. A huge sigh almost always follows the loud snap as I walk away feeling like another little chapter in my life has closed.

A few weeks ago, the Straightforward Son completed his first year in preschool. I had been very reluctant to send him to K-3, but had let him go just in time for him to grow up into a bold little four year old. He had two fantastic teachers who made him feel like a genius. He made tons of friends and enjoyed all kinds of fun events at school. He had been looking forward to the last day of school for weeks. Even at a young age, he understands the draw of a summer vacation! One would think that I would be thrilled to have him home (and I truly am), but I was sadly counting down the days till the end of his first year of school. It was another small chapter closing as he inches his way closer to a Kindergarten graduation (of which I am terrified).

As I watched him perform on the stage during his End of the Year Performance, I could not have been prouder. He was one of two chosen to recite his Bible verse and he did an awesome job following the directions his teachers had given him. He looked incredibly cute with his saggy tie and dress shirt and pants. There is one part I will never forget. After his class was finished performing, he ran as fast as he could down the aisle to me with pride all over his face. I know I had the same look on mine! I pray that he never loses the joy of a job well done. Afterward, all I could think about was how much he had grown up. Even though I was home part of the time, he still grew into a four year old in the blink of an eye. If he grew that fast, I bet the Straightforward Baby will grow up at light speed!

This might be a first, but I have no advice for learning how to do this better. I have tried all types of things, but nothing seems to work! Does anyone have any advice on learning to close a chapter of your life? I would love to know if there is a mom out there who knows how to deal with this???

He recites Psalm 23:1 for the program!


Singing during the program with his friends.

Hamming it up with one of his pals!

He Wants to Know: Dating Advice

Welcome to another installation of the "He Wants to Know" pieces! This is where a guy (of any age) asks a question and I do my best to answer said question. So far, I have had some pretty interesting and diverse questions to answer. This new topic is something I haven't been as involved with in the last 8 years, so what I will offer will probably seem outdated to some. My newest question is--What dating advice would you give me?

To kick things off, we will start off with some pre-dating advice.

#1: Don't just date for the fun of it. There are a lot of reasons that I offer this advice. The first, and most important, reason is from experience. I just dated for fun for the most part. I rarely took dating seriously, and imagining my future life with those that I chose to go out with was not a top priority. Once you have made the decision to go out on a date with someone, be certain that you have thought through things. By that I mean don't take the decision lightly. Dating without a purpose can also lead to situations in which you (and the person you choose to go out with) are faced with temptations that you wouldn't be otherwise. The key is think, think, think. Date with a purpose. Don't forget to ask for help ("Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6)!

#2: Be picky. Let's be clear. I am not saying make a list of unrealistic qualities/attributes that no one can ever live up to (For instance a dishwater blonde with two different colored eyes, who has a great sense of humor and loves sports--WAIT--she's taken!). What I am saying is sit down and consider what you are looking for in a life partner. This is not an easy task. Consider things such as values, personality traits, goals in life, and much more when creating your list. Notice I said "life partner" and not date. This goes back to dating with a purpose. When you are dating, you are looking for someone you eventually want to settle down with (or that should be the main purpose). Many people think that being picky doesn't lead to finding what you are looking for, but I would like to offer an example. My sister didn't just "date" for the sake of dating. She had not one serious boyfriend from the time she was in middle school until recently. She is now engaged and will be heading down the aisle with her first "real" boyfriend. I think that is such a testament to her faithfulness to dating with a purpose. I hate to admit this, but I often encouraged her to just date just to go out and get some experience. Now I realize how stupid I sounded.

Wow.....so to get back on target, here are some quick tips for dating in today's crazy world.

#1: Start out big! I can hear all the ladies saying, "YES! Take me out to the finest restaurants and to the best concerts! Bring me flowers and chocolates!" Start out with a group activity. It may not be your ideal situation to get to know someone in a personal way, but this is a great ice breaker and a way to help you both figure out if this is something you want to pursue. The group doesn't have to be huge--it can even be a double date. The key is to give you both some warm-up time so you don't have to immediately be "on your game" the first night.

#2: If you have already gotten past the group outings and hanging with the pals, my best advice to you is plan, plan, plan. Spontaneity can be fun, but it can also lead to problems and temptation. It's best to know where things are headed and how your time will be spent. I know many girlfriends and wives who talk about the loss of spontaneity in their lives, but when you are first getting to know one another, girls often feel more secure when there is a plan. As you move further along in the dating process, you can give up some of this planning and allow the other person to help choose or plan the dates.

#3: Be yourself. This is usually the most difficult advice to follow. I don't usually have any problem being myself. In fact, I would say that when I was dating the Straightforward Dad, I was probably too much myself! Let's just say he knew exactly the psychotic person he was committing to before he asked (and if he wasn't sure, my dad sure let him know)! Being yourself is so important. Don't wait until after your engaged to loosen up and let the other person see the real you. If the other person cannot deal with the real you, that means you are wasting your time. If they can't deal with you now, what makes you think they will deal with you later? Guys, this doesn't give you a "Get out of Gas, Belching, Itching, Etc. Free" card. Girls, this doesn't mean you can sit and talk for hours about things that only interest you. What it does mean--LET YOU SHINE! The worst of you will come out along the way, but learning about each other (even the quirks) is all part of the process.

#4: Honesty is the best policy. If you are interested, don't act disinterested to add to the "mystery." Don't wait the "required" amount of days to call. We are so prone to games while on the dating scene (and in marriage as well--I am guilty, I can admit that). It's not worth the effort it takes to play the games, people! It's more fun to actually enjoy the other person!

Overall, the center of any relationship--be it family, friend, romantic, or work--should be Jesus Christ. Being of one mind about Jesus Christ is so very important. There has to be a foundation that is solid. He is that foundation. It doesn't matter if you are dating or if you have been married for 35 years, there will be days where things don't go as planned or go as well as you pray they will. If He is not the foundation, you have nothing to stand on and your relationship is susceptible to the winds and storms of this life. He will not protect you FROM the storms, but he will protect you THROUGH the storms. If you get nothing else from what I mentioned above, walk away with Jesus Christ being the foundation on which you and all your relationships stand. In closing, remember Psalm 119:9--"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word."

I have so many more things I could add, but I don't want to overwhelm anyone! Keep in mind one thing. I don't recommend dating to anyone who isn't ready to seriously consider who they want as a life partner. I know some parents don't condone dating. Please understand that this was a young man my age who was asking for advice. This is primarily aimed at young adults and not teenagers. I am not going to tell anyone how to raise their children when it comes to dating. Dating is a family decision that I think parents must pray about and plan for before their children ever hit that stage of life. I would love to hear what everyone else suggests! Is there anything you can offer this person? Are there any lessons you learned that you can "share with the class?" Any tips or date ideas you can offer?

SM, SM? Wherefore art thou, Straightforward Mom?

I have had several people ask me where in the world my blogs have been recently. Well, to be honest, I have had a very busy month! For those of you who don't know, both of my children had birthdays within weeks of each other. We have had school functions, family functions, an engagement, a holiday, and everything in between! :)

To catch you up on what the Straightforward Mom has been up to--trying to keep from getting completely covered up by life! I always thought that being a "stay-at-home mom" was a life of leisure and fun with your kids. I have been at home for 9 months now. All I can do is apologize to people for being so naive about what those mom's actually do. My days are full of cleaning, working (I do work part-time), diapering, breaking up fights, dealing with whining and crying, and so much more. There are some days that I look back on the days I was working 70-75 hours a week and think what piece of cake that was compared to the life I now lead!!

Don't get me wrong, I love my children and husband dearly. I know that I am doing the best possible thing for them. However, there are days that I feel like I am going crazy! I am by no means "Suzy Homemaker." In fact, she and I would probably end up in a cat fight if we ever met. I am actually, in a way, being domesticated. I know that sounds terrible (like I lived this wild life and now am being taught how to be a lady), but I am learning how to be in the home. I am learning how to function, be productive, and have a purpose within my home. In years past, I found all of these things in the jobs I performed. I knew my niche and I stuck with that. This new life has completely thrown me out of my comfort zone and I have had to find new ways to adapt.

I have found that I am now busier and more strapped for time than I ever was with a full time job. I wipe twice as many bottoms, noses, and dirty hands. I pick up the same toy 500,000 times a day. I make thousands more meals than ever before. Through it all, I have to say that I have been able to learn more about God through being in my home than I did on the job. I might be busier, but I hear Him more clearly. I see Him teaching me things like patience and compassion (Have you ever noticed it is easier to be patient with someone else's child rather than your own?). He is teaching me that there is more in life that I need to learn. I don't know it all. In my previous jobs, I focused on learning more about the subjects I was teaching. Here at home, I have had to learn more about subjects I would never have ventured into otherwise. I have learned to cook more than just salad and scrambled eggs (not much more, but some). I have learned more about small business ventures. I am developing a green thumb. It's like He slapped me in the back of the head and said, "See! There is more to life than just school and sports!"

So where has the Straightforward Mom been this month? She's been learning to be a better mom, wife, and person. I wish I could share all of the things that I have done and learned this month, but instead of writing a book, I will share some pictures! :)

The boys at Easter.....they had a blast.

Reilly enjoyed his 1st birthday even though Daddy and brother were VERY under the weather!

TJ had a great time at his 4th birthday. The monster truck rally was awesome!

Loving People More than my Devils...

I bet the title of this blog threw a few people for a loop! I am sure some just wanted to read to find out why I love my Devils! You may have noticed by now that I have changed my background to what some know as a March Madness tournament bracket. For some it brings shouts of joy and for others it brings cries of defeat. Some wives enjoy the excitement while others have their bags packed to move out until after April 1st. During the month of March, I live in a house divided. The Straightforward Dad is a die hard Kentucky Wildcat fan while I bleed Duke Blue Devil blue. (If you don't know why this is a bad thing, check out this video .) We knew going into our marriage that this was a union made in basketball hades, but we felt we could make it work. Thankfully, we have had divine help as well! We definitely could not have built the marriage we have on our own!

I won't go into all the interesting conversations and basketball moments that the Straightforward Dad and I have had, but we have both had our ups and downs. However, the Lord has (and I know some people think that our Savior doesn't mess with such little life details--I DO) kept the Devils and the Wildcats from playing one another since we have been married. For those doubters--that will be 8 years in May. For two huge programs like that not to have run into each other in 8 years is incredible. Yes, we count our blessings in our family.

As many of you know, last year my beloved Devils won it all. Once again, I think the Lord knew that for my pregnant self, it was necessary for at least one of my children to be born in a year where they were National Champions. I was set for a repeat as they danced their way into the the Sweet 16 this year. It was there that they had their toes stomped on by an inferior Arizona team. I went to bed at halftime with my boys in the lead by like 4. In the morning, I woke up to the Straightforward Dad telling me that, not only had they lost, they had lost by more than I would have imagined. I have to admit that after he left for work, my heart ached. As I was about to be on the verge of tears (as I always get when they lose) and that sinking feeling was creeping into my stomach, I felt like God kind of slapped me in the back of the head (A little like NCSI's Gibbs does to DiNozzo all the time). I begin to wonder. . .what if I had a heart for people like I have heart for Duke basketball? What if my heart ached for people in need or those who were truly hurting as much as it ached right now? Here I was about to shed tears over ONE basketball game when there were people all around me going through much worse. . .or even worse, when there are people on their way to a very real Hell!

From that moment forward, I have made it a daily goal to love people more. I have tried to do something each day to help someone in need by lifting them up in prayer, offering a kind word, or by offering some assistance. I used to believe that nothing good came out of a Blue Devil loss for me. I know that they learned something from each of their losses, as I am sure Coach K would rip them to shreds at the practice following the loss. What did I get out of their loss? Nothing but a yucky, sad feeling. This time, something good did come out of it! I was able to identify a part of my life that was not what it should be.

Do I still love my Blue Devils? Absolutely! Yet, I have realized that there are some things that are more important than basketball. Basketball isn't immortal--people are! We all live forever. We have to make a choice about where we will spend eternity. Once we make our choice, why would we sit around in a world that is hurting and not offer them a better eternity?

I hope that this will inspire you to get out and love on someone today. I hope that you will choose to put your love to good use!

P.S. For all those who don't know, the Straightforward Dad's team has made it to the Final Four. If they win it all this year it will be pretty neat since my team won last year. Don't ever tell him I said that though! :)

Finding Purpose in an Unusual Place

Recently, I went through the library looking for a book to read. As I slowly drug the oldest Straightforward Son down the aisles of non-children's books with the Straightforward Baby pulling random books off the shelf, I was forced to rush and grab a book off the shelf. Running to catch the Straightforward Son before he made it to the library doors, I thought about how irritating it was that I couldn't take the time to choose a book that I knew I would enjoy.

I maintained that irritation as I got everyone packed in the car and headed into the day. Of course, I had all kinds of things go wrong and piles of laundry waiting in the laundry room (and in sporadic piles throughout the house). However, that night I sat down and opened the book I checked out of the library and got a rude awakening. The book that I had checked out was for Christian women who were looking for purpose in their lives (especially those who had just entered a new chapter in their lives). The title caught my attention because I have been doing a lot of soul searching about what God wants me to do now that teaching isn't my main focus. Interestingly enough, after what I am about to tell you, the name of the book no longer matters to me (and honestly I can't even remember it) as much as what fell out of it.

As I opened the cover, several pieces of paper fluttered to the floor. I picked them up and was amazed at the beautiful handwriting that I saw. Needless to say (and my past students can attest to this), my handwriting is atrocious. It has always been terrible. For some reason, it gets even worse when I start to write on a white board. Before I even looked at what the writing actually said, I was wondering about the person behind the handwriting. I assumed she was beautiful and talented (all people with great handwriting are of course). I even went as far as to think that she had no issues in life whatsoever--things just went her way.

It was at that moment I started to feel guilty. I was about to read someone's personal notes. I wondered if I should just throw them away and move on to the message that the book held for me. My curious nature got the best of me and I began to read the beautifully written notes. The person had listed the five greatest and worst things that had happened to them in the last five years. I always prefer to hear the bad news first so I dove into reading the bad list. I was shocked at what I found. This person had suffered everything from an abusive relationship to infertility. All my presumptions about who this person was and their life flew out the window. The confident handwriting that I had so admired did not match up with the insecure person I found in the notes. I was heartbroken for this person. I can't imagine dealing with the 5 worst things on her list. I then flipped over to her 5 best things. On the list I found some really good things such as the adoption of children and meeting a loving spouse, but I was still amazed at the sadness that permeated even her best moments. It was very obvious that she suffered from some serious emotional scars.

It was at this moment that I realized that there were other papers in the stack. The thought again crossed my mind that this was someone's personal property and I shouldn't be reading it, but I felt like it was meant for me to find. The next paper I looked at asked the following question--"How can I use my past hurts to help people in the future?" As I read through her answers, I was very moved. She talked about helping others who have suffered various types of abuse. She decided that she could mentor other women who were facing infertility or were struggling through miscarriages. I was amazed at all the positives that she found in all the bad she had experienced.

As I slowly put the notes back in the book, I thought back to all my frustrations of the day. They now seemed so insignificant. The positives seemed so much more like blessings. Yeah, it was frustrating to drag two frazzled kids through the library, but at least I had two special gifts from God. I did have laundry up to my eyeballs, but that meant that I had several people in my life who loved me and apparently I loved enough to be washing their underwear. I even thought back over the last few years. There have been some terribly difficult moments in recent years. I have dealt with a few issues that I never thought I would have to deal with in my lifetime. Yet, it all seemed to fade in comparison to what this mystery woman had suffered. If she could find positive outcomes from very bad situations, I could certainly do the same.

I have to say, I learned more about purpose in life from those few notes than I have from the first few chapters of the book I checked out. In fact, the book paled in comparison to what I got from those notes I found. For the first time in some time, I felt like God had specifically directed my steps. I wasn't so upset that my kids had forced me to randomly grab a title off the shelf. What if I had had more time? Would I have chosen that book? After reading the first few chapters I would definitely say a quick glance through would have caused me to put it back. God knew exactly what He was doing. He wanted me to find purpose in the bad things that have happened to me. All that I have learned in struggling through the hard times should push me to help others. More than ever, I have a desire to help other people. Mentally, I am making those same lists my mystery friend wrote. What have I learned? I am still in the process of finding exactly where God wants me to serve. I truly feel that answering these same questions (and seeking His will through prayer) will aid me in finding where I fit in in this new life I have been given.

I strongly encourage you to do the same. What would your answers be? Are reaching out to those who have suffered as you have with the love of Christ and the knowledge you have gained through your experiences? We all have different experiences and hurts. Imagine what our world would be like if we all took what we learned and reached out to our hurting world!

He Wants to Know: Why are women so cranky?

Welcome to the next installment of "He Wants to Know" on the Straightforward Mom Blog! If you remember from the last installment, this is the time when I ask a guy what he would like to know about women or what they would want me to write about.

After reading the title, I can see some women already getting offended. Believe me, when I heard his question I was taken aback at first (I know what you are thinking--NO, the Straightforward Dad did NOT ask this question!). Fighting my urge to punch the asker of the question in the gut, I thought to myself, "What would motivate him to ask this question?" What made the situation even more complex (and frustrating) is that this is a guy who knows me well. Was he hinting that I was "so cranky?" After all these thoughts, I have decided to honestly try and answer this question the best I can.

I think there are a number of reasons why women are so cranky. One must look at the fact that there are physical issues that many of us deal with on a monthly (our friend Charlie comes to visit at the most inopportune moments), if not daily, basis. I have never been quite sure how to explain our physical issues to men, but I think that if they experienced some of the physical turmoil that we deal with, the issue of crankiness would be the last thing on their minds! I have to admit that I am at my crankiest right before Charlie decides to call on me. There are months where I don't even feel like the same person (and I think the Straightforward Dad would attest to this fact and say that he doesn't even know the being that often emerges during this time). It's hard not to be cranky when you feel like your innards are in turmoil. This also doesn't take into account other female physical issues that can come into play (i.e. pregnancy, menopause, pain from breastfeeding 500 times a day). I know that men have their own physical issues, but I think cutting us some slack in this department and understanding why crankiness would occur would be helpful.

There are emotional issues that men can't understand as well. I have found very few men who deal with fluctuating emotions like women. It seems we can be thrown from the throes of joy to the depths of depression very much like someone who is bipolar. Honestly, my emotions exhaust me some days. I know that is probably a terrible thing to admit, but it is the truth. If I could change this aspect of my womanly emotions, I might do some tweaking. I do like the fact that I am more emotionally connected to people, places, items (yes, I do still have every basketball tournament t-shirt because there is some memory attached to it), and other things than men seem to be (I think God made me that way). Yet, it would be nice to be able to disconnect when things make me "cranky."

Now, please don't misunderstand me guys! Just because we have things that cause us to be cranky, doesn't mean that we should allow it to make us cranky. (I just saw every woman reading this glare at me virtually!) I believe that women have to be extra careful not to let their physical situation or their emotional state get the best of them. It takes effort to keep out the "crankies." I am not the best person to blog about this because I am one of the best at allowing things to get a grip on me and cause me to be cranky. (Let's just say, if they gave a gold medal in crankiness, I would have a trophy case full.) Thankfully, this question (from a poor guy whom I will not name so he won't get hate mail) caused me to step back and say, "Why am I cranky? Why are other women considered cranky?" It also made me realize that I need to make a better effort to even keep from the appearance of crankiness. Obviously, I don't do my best and to be honest, some days I don't even try.

BUT, guys, you don't get out of the blog that easy either. You could offer a solution to the problem as well. If you want a less cranky wife--communicate. I know your favorite part of every day is to rush home and talk to your wife about her hopes and dreams, her heartaches and frustrations. Nonetheless, you need to take time (and the effort) to understand why that wonderful woman in your life is cranky. Does she need some help? Does she need someone to talk to? Does she need some "girl time?" The guy who asked this question wasn't necessarily talking about just his wife. He was talking about women in general. Guys, have you ever thought about asking your mom if you could lend a hand? Have you ever asked a female teacher if you could pray for her when she is having a bad day? What about your sister? Have you been there to listen to her when she is going through those "cranky moments?" (I know that talking to a woman during her "crankies" is not the easiest thing. I do believe that if you make the effort, you might be surprised at what you will discover.) Don't worry guys, women should be doing this for you as well. As if you guys didn't have enough stressors in life, you are expected to be our knights in shining armor. The truth is, communication between men and women is the key to good relationships (First and foremost is having God the center of any relationship--including friendships). . . and so is give and take.

I know that this will cause an interesting stir among readers, but I would love to hear your comments. And ladies, apparently we are cranky a lot. . . lets work on that!

Triumphing Through Faith in Times of Trials

I am sorry for the lack of blogging this month. It's been interesting to see how many people actually miss reading my rants and contact me to say that they want more! It makes me smile....and thank you.

I don't know where you are in your life right now, but the Straightforward Family (and I have noticed many of our friends as well) has experienced some particularly large trials and tribulations recently. I have caught myself with the question, "Why me?" on my lips several times. My other favorite question recently is, "Why can't I catch a break?". It seems like we have been hit from all sides for the last year.

Interestingly enough (as I have mentioned before), our church is doing a study on the book of Genesis. I know I have posted before about Lot and what I took from that study, but this recent study meant a lot to me and has helped me confront some of my more recent trials with a different perspective. I don't know if you have ever read the account found in Genesis 22, but it is probably one of the most inspiring and interesting accounts I have read in the Old Testament.

Here's a brief summary. After years of waiting on God (and a son through the wrong woman), Abraham and Sarah finally have their promised son. I know some people feel like they have waited forever for a child, but Abraham and Sarah didn't have a son until they were VERY OLD. They were not the picture of patience (or normal parents) by any means, but they finally receive God's promise of a child. About the time that Isaac is 25, God speaks to Abraham and says, "Ok. you have your son. I want you to take your only child and offer him as a burnt sacrifice." (He probably didn't say it just like that, but you get the idea.) Abraham gets up the next morning, travels to the place he is told, and has his son carry the sticks up to the location. He then binds his son to the altar and prepares to sacrifice his only child. As he is about to slit Isaac's throat, he hears a voice call out to stop and he sees a ram nearby to put in Isaac's place. They sacrifice the ram and head back home.

Now, I know what you are thinking. "What in the world does this have to do with the daily struggles and trials that I deal with in my life? God is not asking me to sacrifice my kids!" That's very true and I am very thankful that He hasn't asked me to do that! However, if you look closely at this story, you see two people who have been through a mess of trials and tribulations (some they have triumphed through in honorable fashion and some they have waded through in shame) and this is one is like the icing on the cake. (Hmmmm....have you ever felt that way? You look at trials in your life and think, "Wow! I did awesome there, but I stunk up the farm on that one?" Every once in awhile, I also face a trial so big that my mind runs with the thought, "YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!")

I don't know about you, but when I learned about Abraham as a kid, I never really thought about his failures or frustrations. I only remembered the bright spots in his life. I focused on the triumphant moments. As I have gotten older, I have been able to identify with his goof-ups and hang-ups. Previous to where Abraham is in Genesis 22, we have seen him go through some rough things. He has given his wife away (twice), not heeded God's directions (several times), had to watch his beloved nephew head off to one of the most immoral cities to ever exist, and much more. Yet, after years of waiting he gets his son!!! I can't imagine what elation and excitement he and Sarah felt at that moment. Things are going great for awhile and then BOOM! God says go kill your son for me. I can just picture the look on Abraham's face. I can imagine his mind ran with the same thought that mine would--"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" After all he had been through, he finally had his son and I imagine he thought God was going to cut him a break for the remainder of his life. He is now faced with this new challenge.

In the past, I never understood why God would ask Abraham to kill his son. It made no sense to me. Yet, as we studied this story more, I realized that He was trying to express what He would one day be doing for people everywhere. Abraham was given the smallest taste of what God would be offering for us many years later.

How did Abraham face this new challenge? He got up the next morning and did exactly what was asked of him. What would the Straightforward Mom have done in this situation? I probably would have prayed, cried, "twisted" my ankle so I couldn't travel--yeah, I would have hesitated. Abraham packed up his stuff and went. According to Genesis 22:5, Abraham told the guys who traveled with him, "Abide ye here with the donkey; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." He had so much faith in God in this trial that he believed that no matter what, he would return with a living Isaac. Whether he had to go through with the sacrifice or not, he believed that God would provide. After that statement, he loads Isaac up with the altar stuff and heads toward the place God had specified. Again, his faith during the trial is tested by Isaac's question, "Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" I don't know about you, but if I had even made it to this point, I would have burst into tears and ran from that place. But Abraham didn't waiver and told Isaac, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." Abraham gets as far as binding his son and raising the knife to kill him. The Angel of the Lord then calls out and causes him to stop. God provides the ram and the two sacrifice that instead.

After studying this story, I am so ashamed at the lack of faith I have in the smallest trials. There are days I don't even trust Him to provide something as small as my financial needs. The trials and tribulations that Abraham faced before this point, prepared him for this moment. He had seen God move in mighty ways and protect him even when he made the dumbest of mistakes (like offering his wife to other men and believing her when she said it was ok for him to have a baby with another woman). God wasn't trying to destroy Abraham during these events. God was preparing Abraham through each event.

Does that offer you a new perspective on what you are going through? I know I have started looking at my problems differently. It's easier for me to not ask why as much--He's preparing me. Now, I might not always completely understand why I have to face a certain situation. It also doesn't mean that I enjoy it. Nevertheless, I can face each new challenge with confidence and faith that God will provide. I can look back (just as Abraham did) at all the events of the past year and see places where I came through like a champ, and others where I came through like a chump. Through it all, I can see God's hand moving and shaping me to be something wonderful for Him.

I think another powerful testimony of faith in time of testing is Isaac's response to his father during this situation. Isaac did question his dad about what was going to happen (just like any young man would have done). The confident answer given by his father was enough to keep Isaac going. Keep in mind, Isaac was not a little kid innocently trusting his father. He was a young man who had the option to run away or punch his dad for attempting to bind him and place him on the altar. He could have verbally abused his dad, calling him "stupid" or a "crazy zealot." Isaac did none of these things. I think the trust he placed in his father is a testimony to the way he was raised by Abraham and Sarah. I hope that one day, people will be able to look at the actions and reactions of my children and see evidence of the way I have tried to raise them.

(As a side note, this is also a reminder to all those parents out there, our children are not ours. They belong to God and we have to respect that gift. No matter where He leads them (the mission field or other ministries), we have to listen to His call on their lives as much as they should. This was another hard pill for the old Straightforward Mom to swallow. On a second side note, isn't it interesting that Sarah is not mentioned in this chapter? This is a Straightforward Momism, but I think that God knew what this trial would do to Sarah and that it would be more than she could bear. I may be completely off on that assessment--and I would love to know your thoughts--but I find it so interesting that Sarah is not involved. I know what it would have done to me to hear that request.)

When trials come your way, where do you place your faith? Or do you even worry about that? Do you find yourself focusing so much on the problem that you forget why we go through them in the first place? I was in your shoes. I can admit that I was not putting my faith in my Heavenly Father. I was placing my trust in myself. (You think I would learn after 30 years of living this life!) I also placed my trust in the Straightforward Dad and others. I was so shocked when they failed me.....hmmmmm. If I couldn't do it my strength, how in the world could I expect them to do it in theirs?

I hope that you will pick up your copy of the Bible and read the account in Genesis 22. Not only does it give a testament to what faith can do for you in times of pain and heartache, but it is also a representation of what our Heavenly Father gave up for us so that we could live in heaven with Him. How great is the Father's love for us?