New Things

©2005, Lani Wiens
a fresh flowers original

It feels like a new day today. A blank page is before my family and we have yet to make any marks on it. I love a blank page. When I write in my journal I will often leave a part of a page empty just so I can start a fresh, blank page. God has been teaching us a few new things over the past few weeks and I’d like to share them with you, my dear readers. Learning new things isn’t ever easy because something old has to give way for the new thing to come.

Samuel, our two year old, is on the potty train. We’ve tried a little here and there over the past months to do this thing but hadn’t had much success thus far. Last week the Lord nudged me and said it was time. Lo and behold, when the Lord says to do something and you obey – you meet with success! Not an original concept really but always startling when it occurs. Old things have to pass away, diapers in this case, so that the new, self-controlled Samuel can emerge. The transition process is a lot of work, a little messy (accidents do happen) and sometimes frustrating for both of us. The end result will be worth the effort, however, when he no longer needs me to disciple him in the process we will all rejoice.

My husband’s grandmother passed away a couple of weeks ago and with her passed an era. The transition to life without grandma will be difficult, particularly for her children. However, her passing made way for a new thing to occur. The grandchildren were given the opportunity to lead in worship at her memorial service. What a blessed time that was. Grandma’s passing has led to a new appreciation for one another in this family and a desire to stay connected. It opened the opportunity for us to get each other’s e-mail addresses so that we can communicate more regularly. Ideas are brewing for future get-togethers. Old things had to pass away, the old forms of relating, so that the new ways of interaction and communication could come to bear.

As parents we are having to learn some new tricks of the trade. Believe it or not, children are just not wired the same from one model to another. One of our sons has caused us more difficulty than the others. His behaviour and our frustration finally pushed us off our pedestal of accumulated knowledge into the humble place of asking for help. Yesterday we entered into a day of fasting and prayer to seek the Lord for help for his particular issues. The Lord met us in a powerful way as friends and family joined us on our quest. We are going to have to learn new ways of relating to him, new ways of disciplining, new ways of influencing his behaviour. The transition isn’t going to be easy as we ‘unlearn’ what we have been doing and learn new ways, but it will be worth it in the end. Because of what happened with Grandma’s passing we were able to connect with one of Kelly’s uncle who was a huge help in the process of praying through things yesterday. Old things have to pass away, old hurts, old issues, old methods to make way for healing, restoration and understanding.

Jesus is in the business of making things new. In 1 Corinthians he tells us that when we come to him he takes all the old away and we become a new creation. But He doesn’t stop there, He will make the entire old order of things pass away so that there will be, one day, a new heaven and a new earth, He will make EVERYTHING new (Revelation 21:5). Can’t you just imagine Jesus walking around heaven rubbing his hands together with glee saying to an angel, “See that saint with the failing body, their new one is on order. See that marriage, I’m going to restore that to make it glorious. Check out that prodigal daughter over there, she is going to preach to nations, I can hardly wait!” This gives me hope as we walk through the painful transition times. The light at the end of the tunnel is Jesus, not a train.