I sort of grew up with the Back to Future movies. I honestly cant tell you how many times I watched that Dalorean take off at 88 mph, leaving only tracks of fire leading to some unknown place in time. So right now, I could definitely use some help from Doc, because I'm dying to see what the future holds for me and my family. I've only been married now for about two and a half years, and although my wife and I do not have kids yet, we have been practicing our parenting skills with Mac (our mutt named after the great gladiator, Maximus).
With plans to have four children and more puppies someday, the future can be a pretty scary place to venture.
My wife grew up as a military brat, an extremely cute one of course. And I spent four years in the Marine Corps. We actually met through the military ministry that her parents ran out of their house each week. So ever since we began dating and getting more serious in our relationship, military ministry and the Chaplaincy would come up in conversations about the future. Now, here we are, married almost seven years later and still talking about the Chaplaincy.
I just graduated from Seminary last month with my Masters of Divinity. That degree is one of the many requirements of becoming a chaplain in the military, so until very recently talk of becoming a chaplain was limited to late night pillow talk. However, now that I am eligible and we are trying to have kids on purpose, the chaplaincy has become a serious possibility for future direction.
All of this brings me back to the Dalorean. Wouldn't it be nice to race into the future and see how our family is affected by life in the military? How would my wife do being alone for 6-12 months during my deployments? Would my four children resent me? Would they resent the military, or the United States? Would I die in some far-off land offering spiritual comfort to dying soldiers? Would we become part of the 65% who divorce in the military? Now that's "heavy."
With all of this weighing in the balance, my life, my wife, my kids, and my puppies, I am compelled to dwell on the future...
My wife, being the wise sage that she is:) tells me that the future doesn't exist...at least from our perspective, and I certainly agree with her, because at least from our perspective we are not guaranteed another second. We all know, or at least Christians do, that the future belongs to God, and although He has given us certain insights into His overall plans, we really don't know a whole lot of details about tomorrow.
I think what God is showing me in this planning phase, as I begin the application process for the Navy Chaplaincy, is to not worry about the puppies, and the babies, or the wife, or my life, the house, the cars, or the deployments, because the future is in God's hands.
In the context of worrying about needs and provision Jesus said, "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Mtt 6:30-34)
So take that, Doc! I'll take my God over your Dalorean any day!
With plans to have four children and more puppies someday, the future can be a pretty scary place to venture.
My wife grew up as a military brat, an extremely cute one of course. And I spent four years in the Marine Corps. We actually met through the military ministry that her parents ran out of their house each week. So ever since we began dating and getting more serious in our relationship, military ministry and the Chaplaincy would come up in conversations about the future. Now, here we are, married almost seven years later and still talking about the Chaplaincy.
I just graduated from Seminary last month with my Masters of Divinity. That degree is one of the many requirements of becoming a chaplain in the military, so until very recently talk of becoming a chaplain was limited to late night pillow talk. However, now that I am eligible and we are trying to have kids on purpose, the chaplaincy has become a serious possibility for future direction.
All of this brings me back to the Dalorean. Wouldn't it be nice to race into the future and see how our family is affected by life in the military? How would my wife do being alone for 6-12 months during my deployments? Would my four children resent me? Would they resent the military, or the United States? Would I die in some far-off land offering spiritual comfort to dying soldiers? Would we become part of the 65% who divorce in the military? Now that's "heavy."
With all of this weighing in the balance, my life, my wife, my kids, and my puppies, I am compelled to dwell on the future...
My wife, being the wise sage that she is:) tells me that the future doesn't exist...at least from our perspective, and I certainly agree with her, because at least from our perspective we are not guaranteed another second. We all know, or at least Christians do, that the future belongs to God, and although He has given us certain insights into His overall plans, we really don't know a whole lot of details about tomorrow.
I think what God is showing me in this planning phase, as I begin the application process for the Navy Chaplaincy, is to not worry about the puppies, and the babies, or the wife, or my life, the house, the cars, or the deployments, because the future is in God's hands.
In the context of worrying about needs and provision Jesus said, "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Mtt 6:30-34)
So take that, Doc! I'll take my God over your Dalorean any day!
