Old Testament Wisdom

Since moving back to the U.S., we have had so many opportunities to visit family both here and in California.  I think we have seen them more in the past 4 years than we did in the previous 16 years combined!  We consider ourselves so blessed to have been stationed here upon our return from Germany and to have been provided the opportunity to stay here with Matt's civilian job.

Last Sunday I attended church services with my family in California.  This has become a pretty common occurrence.  My kids are so used to attending services there that they just hop on over to their age appropriate activity, hang out with the friends they see a few times a year, and meet me in the lobby after church.  Although I never attended this church officially, it has kind of become my church away from church since I'm there so often.

This Sunday was kind of pre-determined to be an emotional one.  It was the one year anniversary of my Grandmother's death, the last family day at my sister's house before my niece moved out for college and it was the last day of our summer vacation in California.

Sunday's message, as expected, evoked a strong emotion in me.  
Just not an emotion I expected.
Vindication is the word I'm going with.

2 Kings 5:5 "...so Naaman left taking with him 10 talents of silver,  6 thousand shekels of gold and 10 sets of clothing".

Finally, I am completely vindicated in my packing strategies!
This is Biblical wisdom here.  You can't argue with that.
10 sets of clothing people!!
Thats what I'm talking about.  Options.

As I drove home on Monday, about 60 miles into Oregon it occurs to me that I don't want to go home.
It is rather poor timing as 60 miles into Oregon puts me almost halfway home.

Behind me was family and no responsibility.
No dinners to make, dishes to wash, floors to vacuum or yards to mow.

Ahead is a pistachio ice cream colored house with stinky carpet.

The worse part is that I have to pass by my beautiful clean house in Olympia in order to get to the new place.  I also have to pass by my amazingly awesome job where I got paid to spent 6.5 hours of my day with coworkers I actually love, and students who I had the opportunity to impact greatly.

With me in the van is a kid who, although nearly 12, insists upon whining and reacting like a 2 year old when things don't his way, and a high school freshman who thinks punching his brother is the most effective way to handle a disagreement.
Where did these rascals come from?  I'm pretty confident I never told them to punch people if they don't get their way and the sure fire way to get what you want is to yell loudly.

In my head is the voice of my husband, who I had a nasty fight with two days earlier, encouraging me to apply for jobs that I don't want because "we don't always get what we want".

60 miles into Oregon and I can't see anything positive ahead.  Crazy children, differing perspectives with the husband, and the Pistachio Castle.

And then I remember Naaman and the actual points of the message.
"I thought"
Naaman grumbled that he thought the healing of his leprosy would be different.  He was actually upset at the instructions that Elisha gave him to receive healing.

Maybe I am a disgruntled Naaman with 10 sets of clothes and a feeling of entitlement.  
I'm too busy thinking about how "I thought" things would go and not humbling myself and looking toward God's thoughts for my life.


  

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