A Tale of Three Kings..and one precious little girl

While the title of this post may make you wonder as I personally have 2 boys and 2 girls but this isn't so much about my crew but an interesting book I am reading. Book you ask your self? Who has time for reflective reading? Well this book is a mere 110 pages and truly makes you think. It is such an easy read, so much so I am on my second read because I didn't "get it" at all the first time. You can roll right on from chapter to chapter since many are just a couple pages. BUT the idea is instead to take a chunk and walk away reflecting first, learning next.

I have said this before so forgive me for the broken wheel. I am learning 35 (4 more days actually), and have entered the next phase of my life in such as the round number, in my child rearing years as the ages of my kids allow for more freedoms, my marriage working on year 14, and in my spiritual growth too. I don't know if it is from my position on staff at church, coupled with my teaching at a God filled school, or if it just is life here on earth. While on a daily basis I do not have much time for reading unless it is directly related to my lesson planning there is bits and moments of time to steal away. You know the time when you scan through Facebook, or Pinterest ;0 Funny how those choices seem more appealing even though they are sometimes less than fruitful.

Regardless here I am on a rare Saturday morning that I (or my children) am not expected anywhere for a few hours. Proud of my first thought to journal, then of my next idea to return to my book "A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards. My first attempt left me irritated at the insinuation that one must be "broken" or went through pain to be used by God. But then after some discussion with my mother month's ago and simply more time it all clicks. We must be broken from the independence of we have got all we need within us. God made us to be dependent on him and though I am a most capable person I STILL need him. Who knew? LOL

There isn't a day that goes by where I recognize that I have said something I wish I didn't or interacted in a way I would like to take back. The majority of the time such is minor offenses that the other participants may or may not even recall my sin, yet I very much do. Chapter 7 is discussing David (in a mere 1 page back to front NOT even full). He was an amazing man whom God loved, and truly loved God with all his heart. His example is noteworthy as he endured such trials, always crying out to God but trusting in him completely. While living with a mad (crazy) King Saul who literally threw swords at him David never threw them back. I am sure in my life when there are people who throw swords I throw them back even if it is within the confines of my home or car and in the form of words. The part that is sinking in is as follows on page 19-20:

You can easily tell when someone has been hit but a spear. He turns a deep shade of bitter. David never got hit. Gradually, he learned a very well-kept secret. He discovered three things that prevented him from ever being hit. One, never learn anything about the fashionable, easily mastered art of spear throwing. Two, stay out of the company of all spear throwers. And three, keep your mouth tightly closed. In this way, spears will never touch you, even when they pierce your heart.

I almost ended this post here, I mean isn't that paragraph powerful if you let it soak in for a moment? But well my life doesn't work that way and someone cued the littlest member of my family into the room at the end of such reading. With her curly hair, spiraling all around her face and her adorable freckles multiplying from the outside play in the sun, she entered holding a naked baby and one pink unnamed Webkinz weird animal. Everyday is anew as to what she holds tightly to her chest like a buried treasure. When our eyes meet she bolts to my open arms and I scoop her up setting all worldly cares aside. In this special ritual I cherished the passing of parenthood time. Yes, deep and ridiculous are my thoughts but keenly aware that she is the end of this era I make the time matter. I reveled at her small feet while she chattered asking me when I will be 4 like her again. Such a difficult understanding that time only marches on not back. Even small children want to crank the clock to the past.
It is my goal, my personal challenge to get the big lesson. Dodge spears, don't throw them back even if I have learned a little about the art. Keep my mouth tightly closed even though I long to communicate more than anything too. To be a blessing not a burden to ALL that I encounter regardless of what they choose to do. Lofty stuff for this relaxing Saturday morning, but oh so good too!

If you want to know more about the book