Samson and an unfinished basement. Lessons to be learned from both.
Well, those of us who live in Michigan knew it couldn’t last. We’ve had such a mild weather and now the tide has turned and we are hunkering down.
Hubby and I are in the middle of a small basement remodel. Maybe I shouldn’t say small because we had to have major electrical work done and you know what that means.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
However, it’s a royal pain to paint. Should’ve painted the drywall before the boards were put up. We had lots of time to do that but never thought of it. So it’s a nightmare.
Then we had a new ceiling put in and because a friend of mine had trim boards placed across her new ceiling to avoid having the seams to mudded and sanded, I chose the same look. Copycat. (She didn’t mind.)
Hubby is painting one final coat today. If you’re wondering about the shine. We chose an eggshell finish so we could paint the ceiling and the boards the same sheen. Plus, I figure it will reflect light a bit better.
It’s p-u-u-urty, isn’t it?
Anyway….
I just finished reading Judges, chapter thirteen. I know I must have read it before but some things just jumped out at me this time.
Mostly, the questions the father, Manoah, wanted answered. It is found in verse 12, “What shall be the boy’s (their unborn child) mode of life and his vocation?”
Guess what?
It’s never answered. The angel of the Lord instead merely repeats what he had told the expectant mother earlier which is basically, “Take care of your body. Don’t drink wine or eat any unclean thing.”
That’s it.
Now, I don’t have an explanation. Neither does anyone else that I could find. But what I find interesting is simply that if we think about it, as parents, maybe it lets us off the hook a little.
We really can’t know what the future holds for our children and an angel of the Lord isn’t going to tell us. At least He sure didn’t here. So here’s what we do.
We take care of ourselves so we can take care of our children. We guide them. We teach them right from wrong. We show by example how to love others. We teach them manners and we use them ourselves and we teach them a hundred other principles along the way.
But mostly we pray precisely because we don’t know what the future holds for them.
I feel I should add this. Did we get it all right? Of course, not. I would change a hundred things if I could. Did they turn out great, anyway? Yep. They sure did. That’s more to God’s credit and my husband than it is to me.
Now, there is more that happens in the life of Samson. And he takes some wrong turns. Just like good parents everywhere, his parents probably questioned what they did wrong. But Samson redeems himself in the end.
Is it wrong to ask God to reveal things to us about our children so we can love them better? Of course not. I still ask for wisdom to know how to counsel my grown children if asked.
And would I like to ask about their future and what to expect?
Actually, no. Only if it were all good.
There’s an old saying, “Be careful what you wish, (or in this case “ask” for)”. For Samson’s parents, it was a godsend NOT to know.
Just like our basement is a work in progress, so are our children’s (small or adult). So are ours.
But we can trust there is a good plan God has for them because God only has good plans.
Keep praying. Keep “being there”. Keep trusting God.
God bless and have a good day.
(By the way, I had no idea where I was going when I started to write this post but I think it worked. You decide.)
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