The Parent Trap

On April 8 I had the privilege of performing a wedding cermony for some friends. The wedding was as all weddings should be, short and to the point. The following Monday Ashley and I headed to Asheboro, NC to spend a few days with my parents. Those two events got me thinking about some things.

My parents just built a beautiful new home. We enjoyed our stay with them, especially the nice HD plasma over the fireplace. The whole time we were there I was wondering if Ashley and I, a preacher and a teacher ("income challenged"), would ever be blessed with a home as nice. I wanted to come home and call a contractor to begin the plans for something similar. As I balanced my check book reallity sunk in. Knowing full well we could not afford it, I was reminded I needed to be content with what we have (which is more than many). My parents will celebrate 40 years of marriage in May. Ashley and I will celebrate 6 years in June. Thinking or expecting that it would even be remotely possible for us to have all the things they have, to be in the place in life they are, is unreasonable and unfair.

All this made me think about the couple whose cermony I'd just done. They are like most starting out on their own, trying to establish themselves. As I did counseling with them before the wedding I realized they had a good awareness of who they are and where they are. But so many don't. We attempt to begin at the same level we currently see our parents. We want to have what they have. We lose sight of the fact it has taken them years to get to that place. This need to be at that point causes us to make poor decisions. Consequences from which we are not ready to pay.

This place our parents are in is more than just a finacial one. It's a position of life. A position of love. A position of wisdom. A position of self-awarness. A position of clarity. A position that can only be reached by traveling the road of life, and there are no short cuts. Sometimes we get bored with our spot on the journey, and in our impatience we seek side roads to what we think will be a more exciting location. As with most short cuts, when taken, they usually lead us down a one way street going the wrong direction (it has happen to me, literally).

Patience is a virtue I have a very small (if any) dose of. I need more. Because patience is such a key to life. It leads to contentment. The future holds blessings beyond our imagination. Being patient can keep us from building speed bumps to the amazing tomorrow God has for us.