Saturday, February 26, 2011

"The Stages of Life"

It is quite evident that we ALL pass through stages of life and never moreso evident than when I went to the barbershop with my son and husband today. I go with them always. . . in fact there probably isn't a haircut I've missed since Levi's first one at 10 months of age. I often, in the past, (but not so much anymore) wondered if Amanda, their barber lady, has ever wondered to herself "Why does she always come?" And if she did so choose to wonder then I would simply reply "Because I don't wanna miss a thing! And I enjoy it!" The very same reason, when I'm not taking Levi to school by myself on Mon and Tues, that I gladly jump in the car with David in my PJs to ride along with them to school.....I don't wanna miss a thing!

You see there is somethings I understand - 1. Life is SHORT. 2. Kids DO grow up.

(Sidenote: Although kids DO grow up....they also DO come back home! Someone forgot to tell us about that part! HA!)

So today, I couldn't help but look around and notice what lay before me in this small barbershop. First of all....another blog....YAY! Secondly, an opportunity to stop and reminisce. And lastly, life and it's stages.

As I watched Levi sitting in the chair getting his haircut, I realized just how tall and older he looked. Life happens so quickly at times. No more the little boy who needed to sit on the board to be tall enough to have his hair cut! That's when I glanced over and saw another little boy who was indeed sitting on the board to get his haircut. His Dad and the barber lady were working as a team at times to keep the little boy preoccupied. I guess you could say that's when this whole blog idea started coming together. I sat there thinking back to all the by-gone days of my Levi sitting ever so still and filling out the chair more and more each year. Making silly faces at him through the years and watching his reaction change with time.

But as I watched these two boys at different stages of life. . . I began to realize other presence of stages in the room. There was also an older teenage boy, the previous mentioned Dad of the little boy, my David and at other times have been the elderly. Do you see the stage pattern here to which I'm referring? 1. The toddler. 2. The young teenager. 3. The older teenager. 4. The young Dad. 5. The middle age Dad. 6. And finally....The old Dad.
Each one a stage.....a passage of time..... a next step.

{Maybe I should be saving this blog for Father's Day! Haha!}

It's no new revelation to anyone reading this that we pass from birth to old age, and everything else in between, in a time set up for us just by God. But what we can also see here is that like these set stages of life we pass through.... we also pass through stages of our walk with God. 1. Some maybe a brand new baby learning that God is indeed real, He cares for them and loves them. 2. Others maybe beginning to learn what faith is and finding God is the One we reach out to in the time of need....as well as all other times.
3. Some may be finding that God is a forgiving God and remains constant - even when we don't. 4. And yet still....others may have reached that place in their life where they understand that simply God is. God is EVERYTHING and all things. God is sovereignly in control.

My friend, wherever you are in your walk with God - and yes there are many other stages of our walk, these were just a few - know that it's right where God wants you. When He is ready He will move you to the next step/stage. . . all in His perfect timing. And remember that your walk may not resemble another's , but it's YOUR walk with a God Who loves you and relates to you where you are.

God has perfectly tailor-made plans for your life and through each stage He reveals a little more of them each time. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Also, in Philippains 1:6 it says "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." So as God moves you along through your stages of walk/life know that He has it all mapped out....planned out to a capital "T" and makes no mistakes. And we can KNOW that He will see us through no matter what stage we are in whether it be a walk that is close to Him or even a walk that once was close and has grown distant. He stands ready to guide and restore. Deuteronomy 31:8 assures us of that, "The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

If you are unsure if you have a walk with the God who loves you, then it's very simple to know for sure. It's as simple as ABC!
A= Accept that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour!
B= Believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead!
C= Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and call upon Him to save YOU!

As for me. . . I'm gonna keep goin to every single one of those special hair cuttin moments that I am most certainly welcomed at....for I know as my status says for now "This too shall pass."
Enjoy each and every moment you are given my special friend..... :)

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