Broken Dreams revealing treasure

Perhaps it is just me but my life seems to be littered with broken dreams. Those dreams we have as children or as young adults of building a life that is happy and full and has a shape and form that looks a certain way and feels a certain way. The house, dog and picket fence idea. Yet as real life collides with these dreams, something of a shattering occurs. Real life seems not to have much regard for the dreams of youth.

Today I had the opportunity to unpack some of those dreams and look at them briefly as one would look at a piece of driftwood. It was a moment of sadness and pain to reflect upon these with a real and deep sense of loss. It is a loss when we have our hopes and dreams shattered and it is good to look at that and acknowledge the loss.

Yet at the same time I hold in the other hand the forging and molding of a new and unexpected life full of rich patterns and deep rivers of joy. You see despite the loss of dreams which disappear like sand between my fingers, in their place God has shaped a new and more precious life. When I look I see His hand and His love and kindness as he has been at work. The potter fashioning the clay and creating a life that reflects his beauty and his dreams. I found myself feeling glad and thankful for out of the ashes of the hard times Jesus has been growing something more beautiful.

Samuel turns 8

 

This coming Thursday our dear, sweet Sam turns 8. I am mindful of some pointers when I write these kind of posts about my kids. There will always be those who will aproach these kinds of posts with critisism but tough, I am going to sing praises about this boy... well because he has been given to us and he is ours for a time. As I write this, I am so aware of our eldest son James, who is turning 12 next week, and how fleeting and quick this time with them is.

Samuel is a delightful child. He is full.Full of fun and life and laughs and tears too. He is a person who seizes the day with both hands and has a great time doing the things he really loves. He has huge passion for some things. Passion should be his middle name for as much as he loves her fears too. He is a little boy who faces his struggles head on and wears his heart on his sleeve. Once again the development and unfolding od the flower we call personaility is so interesting. Sam is more now himself than he was a year ago. More defined in all the areas of his personhood. It is almost as if the artist hand of God is carefully and deliberatly drawing him as the years unfold.

Sam is silly. He has been given a beautiful voice and a "photostat" memory . :)
He loves God and wants to please Jesus. He is learning what it really means to trust Jesus in his day as he struggles with fear and new things. Sam loves his family and his brothers mean a great deal to him. he loves, loves, loves spending good time with his big brothers and also manages to play loads of Lego with Jethro. This week as we celebrate another year of God's grace and goodness in Samuel's little life, we reflect back and trust as we travel forwards, knowing that Jesus is at work. Thank you Lord for this little boy. Thank you that he is so full of life and so thoroghlly enjoys the life you have given him. Please use him for your glory.