Sep
29
2015
A Vertical Perspective
Posted in Daily Living 4 Comments
I remember the day like it was yesterday.
My children were all young.
It was going to be a day to take them shoe shopping.
Five children all needed sneakers.
That morning a neighbor called to ask me if I could watch her son.
She really needed the help so of course I said, yes.
What is one more child when you already have five?
I was sure that the day’s excursions were not going to be thrilling to this little boy.
However, the shoes had to be bought.
The sale was that day only so off we went.
It was an interesting sight to see six children walking through the doors.
Sizes and styles were selected and shoes were brought out to us.
I spent most of my time on my knees tying the shoes of the littler ones.
The older ones did everything themselves.
I was just there to do the thumb test to make sure their toes had enough room.
The neighbor boy sat in the chair watching the bustle going on around him.
After a shopping trip like that, lunch was a necessity.
We decided on a mutually agreeable place.
It was another time in line with decisions to be made.
I tried to make it easy for the cashier by writing everyone’s selection down.
We ate our lunch and headed home.
There were discussions among the boys as to what they should play upon returning.
It would be a few hours until the mother of the little boy came to pick him up.
I had music on in the car and some of the children were singing along.
I was very proud of myself.
I was giving myself a huge pat on the back for all I accomplished that day.
I felt like super-mom.
Imagine taking five of my own children to run errands and bringing an extra child along.
Suddenly there was a jolt.
Then I heard it.
The loud pop sound.
I knew I had to pull over.
There was a large rock that was very close to the road as part of someone’s landscaping.
As I was thinking of all the ways to pat myself on the back, my tire caught on the side of the road.
The rock was right there.
My tire hit the rock and popped.
I was close to home.
But walking home from that point with six children did not seem wise.
A mail truck went by with a mail carrier that used to serve us in our old house.
Are you OK? She asked seeing me on the side of the road.
I’m fine, we’re all fine; it’s just a tire blow out.
Do you have the children with you? She asked with concern.
I do and I have one more, I said no longer feeling like super mom.
I will call my neighbor to come get us, I said.
I got home and called my husband who was away on business.
His major concern was that everyone was all right.
Then I heard my voice crack as I spoke.
But you just bought me those tires!
And he had.
He bought four new tires and had my car inspected before he went away.
There was no other car at home, he advised me to get a rental car until the car was repaired.
The rim was bent and there was something else that needed to be done.
The car was towed and I was brought to a rental car place.
I picked something just to get me around for the next few days.
It was not a minivan, but there wasn’t anything pressing that had to be done.
The shoes were already bought on the day we had the blow out.
I needed to run to the post office soon after I got the rental car.
I was only about a mile from my house and the rental car just died.
I remember sitting in the rental car that was going nowhere in unbelief.
I called the rental company and told them I needed another car.
Transmission or some other major problem caused the rental car to break down.
They brought me another car with their apologies.
I couldn’t wait until my own car was repaired and in my garage.
Isn’t that always the way it goes?
Just when you think everything is going along just swimmingly, everything falls apart.
Just when your hand is coming down from patting yourself on the back, you are humbled.
Just when you thought that not another thing could go wrong, another thing does.
Just when you thought, I’ve got this, you are shown that you really don’t.
I raised my eyes towards heaven and my sanity was restored. (Daniel 4:34)
Days like that will happen.
Weeks like that will be part of our story.
Years like that can never come again too soon.
But God.
If we look down, and around, and at our circumstances we will be discouraged.
There is only one perspective that matters; only one direction that gives us clarity.
And that direction is UP, always up.
Keeping our focus on God always gives us the right perspective.
When our focus is horizontal, our situation can look grim.
When our focus is vertical, we have hope.
A vertical perspective points us to the only One who can really help us in our need.
A vertical perspective keeps us humble as we look at His majesty.
Our hand will not pat ourselves on the back so readily.
Rather those same hands will be raised in worship.
Worshiping the One who makes everything clear.
Worshiping the One upon whom we gaze.
Everything going along swimmingly?
Look up towards heaven and praise God.
Everything around you going wrong?
Look up towards heaven and praise God.
Look up!
Praise Him!
Your perspective will be clearer.
Your sanity will be restored.
How true this is. Looking up can change a difficult day into a day of hope. Thanks for sharing.
Jean,
We both know how important that change in perspective really is!
Looking to Him always brings clarity and peace.
Gina
What a great reminder! We do indeed need to keep our eyes up, as well as on our fellow community of humans all over the world. There are so many needs and God is the answer to the ills of the world.
Sue,
We often fail to look up and look elsewhere for our help.
Our help is in the Name of the Lord.
Our help, our hope is in Jesus.
Gina