We (one of my artists, her sister, 10mo, and myself) made a short 24hour turn around trip to Austin this weekend. We chose to take this trip because one it was a rather large wedding and paid well and two they agreed that my girl could bring her infant because she was still nursing. One of the things I vowed, that I would never ask one of my girls to neglect their role as a wife or mother with their role as an artist with me. I believe there is a way you can balance and compromise on most things.
The next day, after a lack of sound rest due to being away from home and "off schedule", my girl and I went to do our job and the baby stayed with her sister at the hotel as planned. Even though work went well and as planned for the most part, there are always those unforeseen stresses that you have to deal with that really have nothing to do with you. This was my day for that! After our job was complete, we loaded up to head home (close to 4pm). Needless to say the trip home was not on the baby's sleeping schedule.
We headed out for our drive home at 4pm. The baby had already had some sporadic off and on naps that morning due to her late night up and early to rise schedule, and was not interested in any rest now. Nor did she want to be strapped down in a car seat. This even tempered, laid back and easy going child became nothing less then a normal infant expressing her discontentment for what she was being forced to endure. The first two hours of driving was met with bouts of babbling unhappy baby talk (I'm telling you she was seriously telling us off!), portions of gut wrenching screams from the top of her small yet powerful lungs, until she finally cried herself into a short nap.
During this portion of our trip we stopped no less then 3 time attempting to comfort her (and us) in some way. Funny enough, as soon as we released her from her captive, the car seat, and handed her to mom she was quite happy and content. Just like nothing had ever happened! This particular part of our trip added an additional hour and half to our trip and made it feel extremely long and stressful. We were not angry or upset, just knew how terribly unhappy this poor baby was (especially for mom who's heart was wrenched by the cries of her child. Even though she knew nothing was really "wrong" and she was not hurt or needing anything, a child's cry hurts the heart of the parents that love them when they hear it.)So what is my point? Other then we tortured this poor infant with a 4 hour road trip?
I asked the Father what can I pray over this child to help her? What does she need?(other then her way and out of the car seat!) One word- Contentment!
This young infant needed contentment, yet infants are to young and immature to understand that and honestly all they know is they just want what they want.
Are we like infants that the Father puts on a path or road that we NEED to go down to get to where He wants us to be! and Maybe He "straps us" with certain things to keep us safe or teach us something? Do we yell and kick and scream that we are uncomfortable with the tests and trials we go through? Are we pitching a fit because we don't know what He has planned for us? Because we want what we want? Not really knowing WHY we going through these things, but not mature enough to know He has our best interest at work? Do we have to have Him stop the progress just so He can comfort us from out fit throwing? Have we (due to our infant nature) actually prolong the trip or process due to the way we react to it?This infant did not have the capacity to understand that she didn't have to be happy being strapped in a car seat but that she just needed to be content where she was. She just knew she didn't like it or want it! We knew it was the safest thing for her and implemented it regardless of her wants and vocal displeasures. I wonder if it hurts the Father's heart to hear us scream our displeasures when He knows that the plans and processes that He has us set on or for our best interest?
OR are we like adolescents? Who realize that this road must be traveled, but isn't happy. So they just entertains themselves with whatever they can do to take the focus off of the uncomfortable nature of the drive or process they have to walk through? Are we saying to God...are we there yet? Are you done with this process? I need to stop for a bit! Yes, they know contentment and exercise it as an adolescent AND the trip is a bit quicker, but did we really learn or get anything from it? OR were we so engulfed in our "busy-ness" we are just trying to make it to the end?OR are we the adult? The adult who sees the road ahead, reads the signs, and hears the voice of the "navigator" as to where to go?
The adult plans for it, prepares for it, listens and learns from it. Instead of just a road trip it becomes a scenic cruise in the vehicle. Even if storms come, rain pours, hazards pop us to throw them off track, or stress levels rise. They still cruise.
What did I learn?
How do I want to learn or walk my road that the Father sets me on? Without contentment and with contempt? With Contentment but learn nothing along the way? or do I want to be the adult who can hear the spirit, the "navigator"? To see the beauty of the trip and learn from every turn and the process that He deems I need.
I do believe I want to the adult.
