I can remember when I was about 9 years old...my dad had been transferred from Plains, Montana, where he worked for Bonneville Power, to Springfield, Oregon. It wasn't an easy move. My mom was not well, she never weighed more than 85lbs...just a little thing (I always accused her of finding me on the porch and taking me in). Along for the trip was my younger brother and sister, and an infant who had just nearly died from pneumonia. We never had much, just the bear necessities, so there wasn't much to get rid of, and not allot to take along.
Our transportation was an old station wagon, that I'm sure my parents prayed over, to get us where we were going. As I remember right...we left fairly early....I was so angry with dad, "how can you do this to me, you know my best friends live here."....(you've heard it I'm sure). It wouldn't have been so bad, but dad was always getting transferred, every few years, and all I wanted was a home that I could confidently say was home.
Oh if children could only see through the heart and eyes of the parents that are trying so hard to provide.
Of coarse there were other circumstances that required the move, those that couldn't be shared or understood by the children....so dad and mom took the flack.....and off we drove.
One of the things that I took for granted and didn't blink and eye to....was that dad paid to have an old upright piano shipped to Springfield, because I had made such an issue of leaving it behind..... It probably cost him more to ship the piano than it was worth. I never did learn how to play.
About 8hrs into the trip, and umpteen stops along the way....dad stopped again at yet another motel to see if they had a room. At each of the stops, I kept hoping that this one would be fancy enough for dad, so we could stay...."Why was he so picky about the room, that just wasn't like him at all.
This stop just had to be the last one....I could see that mom was ready to sleep out in the woods. But there again was that sign that glared bright red, and blue.....NO VACANCY....If that was true, why was dad even going in to look. he must be desperate.
It wasn't until years later, and I had kids of my own....we had gone on a trip and I was determined not to let that sign keep me from staying the night.
"Hello, I can see that you do not have any Fancy rooms, that's OK, we aren't that picky....what ever you have left we'll take."
Well, you can guess the rest. I got a look that slapped me up side the face. What I had always thought said NOT FANCY....really said.....NO VACANCY.
A grown adult, who knows well how to read....still read it as Not Fancy. After my initial embarrassment, we both laughed hysterically.
What did I learn from this.....
As Christians, we take God's Word, and sometimes very innocently come to see what it really means, with children's eyes. Then that play on words, sticks somehow as the truth, and we just don't or won't see it in it's true meaning. I never even asked or spoke of how I saw it...I just assumed it's meaning.
That's why I am careful to study the word, as the WORD reveals itself, through the Holy Spirit. That doesn't mean that I have the all truth, it means that the Truth has me, and will lead me and guide me in the Spirit's interpretation of what is being taught or shown.
I'm sure that when I find myself before Father's throne (though I am called daily in this life) I will find that I have read many signs with my own understanding and interpretation. I would have spared myself a lot of embarrassment and dad allot of flack if I had just asked him about the sign.
I'm sure that the Lord grieves over our lack of faith, and love in not trusting Him in all His choices and leadings in our lives. And especially when we think we know so much, and have it figured all wrong.
"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman, who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth".....II Timothy 2:15
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