Thankful Thursday

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,

but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. 

Proverbs 19:21

So, we had some plans for Babycakes this fall. We had a little schedule of classes we wanted him to take to help him with his development. All but one of them has either been moved to a day on which we cannot attend, or conflicts with something that must have priority. It's been disappointing to say the least. But I know that God must have something better planned. I don't say that while simply shrugging and copping an 'I can do nothing' attitude. I used to. For many years I thought that if something like this happened I must simply, well, do nothing. I've learned over the years, though, that sometimes God wants us to push our way through. Sometimes he closes the door completely and we have no choice but to turn around and go back. However, sometimes he does close the door then open a window. Maybe He wants to show us something by making us fight for it.

One of my best illustrations of this is when we were pregnant with Spock (formerly known as Thing 1). He had a life threatening birth defect. I could timidly submit to our regular OB and take her word for it, that he would be fine in our little local hospital, or I could research what the best course of treatment would be to ensure a good outcome...at that point I was only hoping for a life of any kind. When the insurance company wanted to drag its feet about getting us transferred to a better hospital with all the facilities he needed to live, I could have cowed to them. It would have been easier. The doctor and the insurance company would have been happier. They probably would have liked me. ;) My son would be dead. I knew that, coz I did the research. That didn't happen, coz I demanded the best for him. I didn't just think "Oh, I guess God wants us to have the baby at this less than adequate hospital coz our doctor told us it would be OK and she went to college so she must know best." 

Sometimes we have to fight. I know that.  But sometimes God closes the door completely. It's a balance to know when to fight and when to work harder and when to just realize there must be something else in the plans and look forward whatever it is that is better than what I had in mind. This lesson has been learned, as I learn all my lessons, the hard way. Now, I do not slink back into the corner when something doesn't go the way I thought it should. In the case of a few of these classes, it's obvious that God has closed the door...at least for now. I know, though, that this just means He's opening up that time for something more important. I will continue to trust in Him and keep my eyes open for the His answer.

~~~~~

Update: 8/17/12--God has already begun to answer prayers in an even better way than I can imagine. Due to certain things involved I cannot say more than this...God is really awesome. :)

Oh, give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name;

make known His deeds among the people.

1 Chronicles 16:8