The Lventure

Have you ever read something that was so "you", you found yourself nodding along silently shouting "yea, yes! you get it!"? Well, a friend of mine sent me a link to a particular post that had me doing just that.

..."I think parenting young children (and old ones, I’ve heard) is a little like climbing Mount Everest. Brave, adventurous souls try it because they’ve heard there’s magic in the climb. They try because they believe that finishing, or even attempting the climb are impressive accomplishments. They try because during the climb, if they allow themselves to pause and lift their eyes and minds from the pain and drudgery, the views are breathtaking. They try because even though it hurts and it’s hard, there are moments that make it worth the hard.These moments are so intense and unique that many people who reach the top start planning, almost immediately, to climb again. Even though any climber will tell you that most of the climb is treacherous, exhausting, killer. They literally cried most of the way up..."

(you can read the rest here)

I have found that to be so true in my life & not just with parenting. The things that take my breathe are the things that have challenged me, made me sacrifice & pushed me. Sometimes it seems like we think that in order to be happy everything has to always go as planned, work out perfect, and feel good.

Gag, how boring would that be, to not have to work at anything?

Look I'm just going to say it, I have the fairy tale. I got the happily ever after. Yes, this came with a lot of mushy mushy heartfelt moments but it also came with a lot of trail and error. Growing and learning (becoming better) does not come with everything being perfect in your life, in fact if my life was perfect all the time I would be one spoiled bored brat.

If we hit the road the first time someone lets us down we are losing such growth opportunity. (Unfortunately I have run a few times.)

I love how in the Bible God describes our relationship as a "gardener & vine". He prunes back what is dead in me, what some may think are beautiful but are not needed in my life. Pruning doesn't always feel good.

Wow. Is that a understatement or what. Let me say it again with more inphasis.

Pruning doens't always feel good!

But the results, the results are usually breathe taking. With some "pruning" instances in my life it has taken over a year for me to be able to step back & see the beauty in the results, some I see instantly, some I'm still working on but I know when I am able to step back the view is beautiful.

The last thing she said that struck me was "...if it seems hard, you are probably doing something right".

So true.

Step back, try to focus, try to see the beauty in the pruning, for the view is magnificent.

We have a winner!!!