Friday, August 29, 2008

This Ain't Your Daddy's Treehouse

I'm updating. In my own defense I've been busy. Gardening, canning, wish I could say cleaning, planning and organizing. School is starting next week- sigh. I'm excited about what we'll be learning but loathe to leave summer and summer schedule behind. It's hard work ahead with 2 high schoolers, a 3rd grader who would rather be blowing up things and a learning to read-er. I love teaching phonics but it is so time intensive. I'm going to have to be on top of it and just know myself enough to know I hate tight schedules. It's not here yet so back to summer...
Viking Man has been working on a tree house Swiss Family Robinson Style. The first platform is 17' in the air, reached by either shimmying up the foot holds on one of the trees or the laddar that he ramped up (which I had salvaged and had great garden junk plans for -the sacrifices we make!). You hit the bottom of the platform and use your head to push up a trap door and step out onto a deck. It's 6 x 8' at least, with turbo guard rails so the littles stay in it. The next level will be 8' up from that, reached by the next section of aforementioned laddar with another platform. It is amazing.
I was sitting out in my comfy hunting chair (not that we hunt, but the gear is all about comfort = ) "supervising," planning our school year, while the 2 D's hammered away. Flower had hauled up about 3 "suitcases" full of "stuff" and was happily decorating the first platform and Cub was zooming through book 4 of Redwall, belly down, chewing gum like it was an olympic sport. Life was good = ).
I was thinking how this tree house is such a great metaphor for our walk with God. We'd much rather stay on the ground and observe. We are totally fine in our big comfy chairs, happy to know He's "Out There" doing something cool. We'll call out and hope He hears every now and then, but we don't want to exert ourselves too much. But sometimes we get a hankering. Just what is that ladder for? Hey, wasn't that mine? I was gonna use it!! Wonder what He took it for? I guess I'll check it out. Half way up the laddar we think, "This Man's gone mad." What in the world did He have to make this so high up for?'' What if I fall?' 'What if the laddar isn't strong enough?' and "Waa. I'm leaving my comfy chair behind!" But still, whether through obstinance or pure curiosity, we continue. Then we hit a "bump" Hmph! And what is this stupid door thing here for! Why isn't is just a hole in the floor that I can climb through? We push the door open, make it through, and climb out onto the platform. What a view. ohmygosh! I can see the river, and all of the fields and I'm even with the second story of the house! And up above is God, making yet another platform for me to climb up to. There's even more to see?! There's a higher place? I love these ladders here- they are perfect. Maybe what I had in mind wasn't such a great use of them? Maybe this is what they were for in the first place?
Higher up, higher in. More than we could fathom.
There's been some losses this spring and summer- plans and hopes that God has asked us to give up. I thougth that He'd use some of our ladders (talents) in ways that made sense to me, but He hasn't. I get so stuck in "what if this is all there is." He has a much bigger sense of adventure than I do, and is far more creative- who knows what He'll think of next? It's the trust and rest and obey that I am still learning. Which takes us back to new mercies...which is a different post...
May your talents be used in ways that surprise you and take you to new heights. May you have the courage to follow the adventure. May you trust Him enough to climb high.

And, HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY KB!!! You are beautiful expression of God's overflowing love. I am so blessed to be your Momma. Mwa Mwas all over your lovely face!!

(I'll post pictures of the tree house when KB gets home with the camera!)