 My Path, continued
The situation might not sound funny, but from the comfort of an air-conditioned theater seat it was hilarious to watch the antics as Magoo's bumblings always turned out for his safety and benefit.
My favorite cartoon was when Mr. Magoo became lost in a construction site. Mistaking the construction lift for an elevator, he was hoisted up among the girders and steel beams of an unfinished skyscraper. There, high above the safe sidewalk below, he would step off a precipice and begin to fall, only to have a swinging beam slip under his foot just in time. Then, he'd walk the length of the beam wondering why the breeze was so strong and concluding his nephew left a window open. As his weight tipped the beam, he would slip off the end and a wheelbarrow would catch him then roll down a ramp depositing him safely on the ground.
Although the similarities can be taken too far, I can't help but feel an affinity with dear ol' Magoo. In fact, I think most Christians find themselves walking along girders and stepping off into air more than they might like. This may be due to stubbornness, but most often I suspect it is simply the nature of our walking by faith. Both troubles and rescues come at us from the most unexpected angles and last moment reprieves can become the norm.I don't think Paul was expecting to be rescued by a basket (Acts 9:23-25) and the angel slapping Peter on his side to wake him up was bound to have been a surprise (Acts 12:7). Conversely, the defeat at Ai was certainly a shock to the Israelites (even though it was their own fault Joshua 7:2-11) and Daniel's friends had no idea if God would rescue them or not, even though they never doubted He was able to do so (Daniel 7:17-18). Surprises-negative and positive-just seem to be part of a life where God is God and we are not. So where is the stability in such a changing, shifting, surprising life? For Mr. Magoo, things always worked out because of a ridiculous number of lucky coincidences. Those who sat at the drawing board made sure of that. But, for Christians, it is far more complicated. We don't believe in luck. Not good luck and not bad luck. Our God is in control. Period. It is not a blind stroke of luck that brings a surprise rescue from an unexpected source nor fate that lets a crisis come. There is Someone at our "drawing board" far more reliable than an artist trying to entertain. We have a Father who knows and cares. Our God often provides the most amazing rescues. We step into thin air and find the girder passing by in the nick of time. But, even when that doesn't seem to be the situation, our ultimate safety is assured. We know that because we are creatures of eternity. Our adventure will never end with, "That's All Folks."
If you have a comment, click here. I would love to hear from you! Footprints in the Word, continued The Bible has a lot to say about stumbling. Almost sixty references are in the New King James and most of them refer to the event as past tense. Someone has stumbled. The carpet has been ripped from beneath them, they are grabbing at air and usually have no idea what happened or why.
I know of only one place we are given directions about how NOT to stumble. The list is rather formidable, but if we will practice these nine things as we move through our days, they guarantee a sure footing and we'll never take an unexpected tumble along the way. We may get in a tight spot or encounter some pain, but we won't be blindsided by a free fall.
When I first read the no-stumble-guaranteed list, I found it very discouraging. Nine things? How could I ever keep nine character traits in mind and practice them daily? Especially, such huge qualities as self control, godliness and perseverance? Then I remembered the man who composed the list and felt a little better.
If there is anyone who should know about stumbling, it is bound to be Peter. He kept his foot in his mouth more than on the ground and his famous blunder of denying Christ surprised him with a very unwanted place in history. He bumbled and tumbled more than his share yet rose to lead the early church and stepped into a martyrs' death with courage and resolute faith.
I could be tempted to dismiss the late-life surefootedness of Peter and think, "Yeah, he might be able to remember and practice nine things to stop his stumbling, but not me." Then, I look back up at the third verse in this chapter and find I have no excuse. Peter knew the source of the power was not within himself and tells us plainly that because of Jesus, "divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness." I read that sentence and can't get over the little word, "us." We Christians-all of us-have the same resources in Jesus that Peter possessed.
I'm not sure what all of that means in practical terms. But I know this: if remembering to practice even one of the virtues can keep me upright, I'm all for it. Stumbling hurts. And, since I have the same Jesus as Peter, maybe the task is not so hopeless after all.
Back to Footprints in History One Reader's Journey, continued
I remember when I was pregnant with our third child and two little boys scrambled under foot while I was busy folding laundry. Like always, I had the police scanner going in the background. Not that I was really listening to it, but it stayed on most of the time and occasionally provided glimpses of Rick's day. There was a call for a routine traffic stop then a few minutes later the frantic voice of an injured officer calling for backup. I kept on folding laundry and offered a quick, silent prayer for the situation. It wasn't until the next morning when Rick came home with a cast on his arm that I realized the wounded officer was the one who lives at our house!
I don't know why I did not recognize his voice on the radio. My only guess is the Lord spared me the trauma. I was able to tend to my children, peacefully finish out the day, and go to sleep with my not-yet-ready-to-be-born baby tucked safely inside. I was shielded from this particular fearful situation however that has not always been the case.
I can recall countless evenings when my husband worked the graveyard shift and I was left pacing the floor with a sick child. Or, the holidays-especially Christmas-when it seemed that everyone and their second brother was having a festive time, while our family was separated due to the job. Then there were days when I had to hang sheets or aluminum foil over the windows in hopes of blocking out sunlight so Rick could catch a bit of sleep before having to do it all over again.Yet, those inconveniences are not the worst part. The ever-present fear and seeing how hard it is for an officer to personally face the dark side of life is more painful than any missed celebration.
When you are married to an officer, fear becomes a constant companion, whether you want to admit it or not. You can't help asking yourself, "What if I get that knock on my door tonight?" I know all too well what it's like to hear the garage door go up and feel as though you can breathe again. You sigh, "He's home!" But you can't really rest because you know he will go back out there tomorrow.
The worst part of all is watching the eyes of officers who have become the walking wounded. The public forgets that police officers, like the rest of us, have feelings and emotions. Many struggle for the rest of their lives after having to take a life, or witnessing the senseless death of a child-perhaps one about the age of their own. These nightmares haunt them and leave them cold and numb. Some can't talk about it or won't, and the secret stays bottled up inside until at last it destroys them or those they love.
I guess that is why I am so thankful that God has given Rick and me a small ministry to other police officers and their families. We know what it is like. We have been there. For years the continual stress on our marriage almost consumed us. We came to the breaking point on more than one occasion, but we also know that when we both got right with our Lord, we were able to put things into the right perspective. After twenty-three years we are still together and life is good. Best of all, we have found the healing God provides.
The Lord has blessed us these many years, and now as we serve other officers, there is a particular kind of joy. We've seen marriages saved, lives given to Christ, and faith renewed. I am very proud of my officer-husband. He is brave and strong and I admire him greatly. I've watched him race off to help a friend in need or even a total stranger, and I still remember the day my man was commissioned. I'll also never forget the day my son, Chris, followed in his footsteps and was pinned with a badge of his own.
As I typed that last line and the memories rolled, I was thinking of my daughter-in-law, Amber, and the next generation of officer wives. Tonight, she, too, will be waiting patiently until she hears that key in the door. My heart is full and I find myself praying, "God help them on this journey and bring him home safely tonight."
Then, something stirs inside me and I know no matter what the future holds for her and my officer son, God is faithful and nothing out there on the streets tonight is stronger than the One who holds their hands.
Kristi is a Christian speaker, author of three books and numerous articles and a member of International C.O.P.S. Ministries. She currently serves on a Christian Law Enforcement Summit team, who hosts a week-long conference for law enforcement families in the hills of North Carolina. She and her family reside in Missouri. You can contact her at:
Want to see your own story published in the Newsletter and on Elizabeth's website? We would love to hear from you! Click here for details.
|
preferred to slip, lurch, trip and fall through life. His stubborn denial seldom created problems for himself, but gave those around him untold misery as they made adjustments, took knocks, and worried over the bumbler.