CHOICES!

Yesterday was an interesting day out here in the “Green Country” of northeastern Oklahoma.  It rained with the occasional accompaniment of thunder and lightning on and off throughout the day and therefore I had decided to forgo Fiver’s and my longer walks to the neighborhood park.  Instead, we enjoyed the confines of our newly fenced backyard.  So, I tossed balls to him, chased him, laughed a lot and got plenty wet in the process!

Today’s forecast looked pretty much the same as yesterdays, so I made the decision to change things up a little bit and take him out early, in the break between storms.  On the way we met one of our neighbors who was walking with her two young children, most likely taking advantage of the same quiet before the next deluge hit.  We’ve met on many prior occasions and her soon-to-be five-year-old son always stops and asks if he can pet Fiver!

During our brief interlude this morning, the subject of school came up and I happily interjected that my wife had home schooled our kids.  (You know me… I’m always looking for an opportunity to sing the virtues of Piper!)  Well, she gave me a surprised but yet excited look and mentioned that she has just begun homeschooling her son!  That led to a fun conversation about study materials, curriculums and the importance of teaching your kids the love of reading.

I jokingly… but yet kind of seriously… mentioned that I have all of Piper’s school materials that she collected over the twenty-two years of her teaching career and to let me know if she needed anything!

I asked her what led her to make the choice to homeschool and we talked for quite a while on that particular subject.  On the way home from Fiver’s and my walk, following our chance encounter with our neighbor, I got to thinking, once again, about all the choices that we are faced with on a daily basis in our lives.  Some of those choices being big and complex while others are quick, small and simple!

My usual routine of quickly reviewing some of the scriptures that I had studied earlier in the day before I turned the light out last night, turned into a longer than expected time of Bible study, prayer and intimate conversation between me and God.  I had read from the book of Romans where the Apostle Paul makes the astute comment that, “Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.” (Romans 8:5 The Passion Translation) 

I mentioned that during my conversation with my neighbor, that my thinking was “once again” reminded about choices, and this was the origin of when that thought occurred.  When I had read that verse, I immediately began to think about all the choices that Piper and I had to make throughout the last twelve years of her life.  From medicine choices, medical procedures to follow, medical equipment to purchase, life-style choices, who and/or what we were going to listen to, all the way down to what kind of attitude that I would choose to have each and every day… and that wasn’t even the half of it!

WHEW!  That was a lot of choices!  With all of them, I began to see that there were different people within our daily contacts of family, friends, medical personnel, neighbors, church members as well as  some complete strangers we met along the way, that regularly inferred that we should follow their advice.  And while most of the suggestions were given as friendly ideas, others were more forceful and adamant.

As I thought about it last evening from the standpoint of Romans 8:5, I slowly understood that it seemed like the more forceful individuals were, in reality, trying to get me to choose between their ideas and the ones that we believed that the Lord had told us to adhere to.  We had to decide whether their ideas were correct or what we believed to be God’s.  Some of their suggestions felt more like demands and sounded as if they were inferring that their advice or needs at the moment, were more important than my wife’s!

And I have to tell you… when it came down to making the right choice… Piper’s needs and God’s directions ALWAYS came out on top… NO QUESTIONS ASKED – NO DISCUSSION REQUIRED!

How do you handle all the decisions and/or CHOICES that you are faced with every day?  Have you established certain parameters, truths, guidelines, beliefs, agreements (or personal contracts like the Covenant of Marriage… in my case) or other responsibilities that will ALWAYS get FIRST CHOICE?  If you’re anything like me, then I bet you have!  If not… well, maybe it’s time to start!