Friends
My husband Eric and I recently returned from a 7-week RV trip to Montana. It was fabulous! I promise to tell you more about our adventures next week, but first, I thought you might enjoy hearing about the unforgettable phone call that got this whole camping thing started!
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For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7 -NIV
The house was quiet. Eric and I sat huddled in our recliners, both of us at a loss for words. When we did finally look up at one another, it was with wide eyes and worried frowns, still not quite believing we had done what we had definitely just done.
The silence was broken by the shrill ring tone of an incoming call. The welcome sound of a well-known “Hey!” Greeted my ears. It was Jonathan, our much beloved only child calling from Montana.
“Hey, buddy!” I chimed, smiling at the chance to chat with our favorite 20-something young man. I switched the phone to speaker so my husband could join the conversation.
“How are you guys?” Jonathan opened the conversation in his customary way, but I’m sure our response wasn’t quite what he expected.
“Well, we’re not too sure,” I said, my tone offering a note of trepidation.
His voice took on a worried tone, “What’s the matter?”
Eric spoke up, “Well, we just put a deposit down on a camper, and we are sitting here wondering if we’ve lost our minds.”
Jonathan’s voice rose three octaves. “What? A camper? Really?”
“Yeah, it’s a 23-ft travel trailer, and we put a deposit down earlier this afternoon.”
Jonathan’s deep voice erupted with unbridled joy. “Oh, this is awesome! This is so cool! Do you know how much fun we’re gonna have? You can go so many cool places with that. You can go anywhere out here. There’s so many cool places to see. I can take you on that Southwest trip I’ve been talking about! We can go see all the National Parks! Oh, this is so awesome! Oh, this is so cool!”
I jumped in on his jubilant monologue, “you really think so? You don’t think we’re crazy?”
“Oh no, Mom! This is gonna be awesome! You’re gonna love it!”
Eric and I looked at each other, our faces breaking out into grins that grew wider with every subsequent elated remark from our son. When we finally ended the call, eric turned to me and raised his hand for a high-five, “Well, maybe we made the right decision after all!”
It’s all a matter of perspective. The glass half empty. The glass half full, perhaps even overflowing. Eric and I were overwhelmed by our unplanned, hasty decision. It wasn’t fully hasty. We had been debating the option of purchasing an RV for awhile, he more than me. My mind was just opening to the idea, and suddenly, Eric and I were sitting in the RV dealership office writing a deposit check. In the aftermath of the decision, we were questioning our sanity, shaking our heads at the expenditure, and more than a little overwhelmed at figuring out a totally new way to travel.
We could only see the costs and consequences. Our glass was half empty, even if part of our souls wanted desperately to add water to that glass.
My son could only see the possibilities, the glass half full, perhaps even overflowing. His mind was open to joy and hope, while ours was closed by fear and trepidation.
Fear and trepidation, worry and second-guessing, how often do we let these mental stances cloud our thinking? Too often, these are our fall-back positions, our go-to options. We close our minds to the possibilities, because we are deathly afraid of making a mistake. We doubt our decisions, freezing in place.. We remain stuck, instead of exploring opportunities. By refusing to take a reasonable risk, we never move forward.
In the Bible paraphrase called The Message, 2 Timothy 1:7 reads, “God doesn’t want us to be shy with His gifts, but bold and loving and sensible” (2 Timothy 1:7, MSG). This makes me think that God prefers open minds, instead of closed ones. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, tempered by a healthy balance of self-control.
In that unexpected phone call, we learned a valuable lesson from our son. We were questioning our decision, focusing on the cost and consequences, mired in fear and doubt. Jonathan embraced this opportunity with enthusiasm, focusing on the possibilities, opening his mind to hope instead of fear.
Jonathan’s fresh perspective had a life-changing impact on his cautious parents. We hung up from that phone call bubbling with excitement, the future wide open with new possibilities.
The past almost six years of RV life have been some of the best days of our shared life together. The four extended, cross-country trips Eric and I have taken in the camper are among the all-star trips of our lives, affording us the incredible opportunity to travel for weeks with our son and his beloved Jocelyn. Those days on the road with them are priceless moments in my memory bank. I wouldn’t trade anything for the mornings spent watching the sunrise over the red rocks of the Southwest, or the hikes down the lush green, heavily-forested trails of the Pacific Northwest. There are so many amazing sights filled with incredible beauty in this country of ours, and I thank God for the opportunity to experience such beautiful places.
I’m so glad Jonathan called that night. His words filled up our glasses to the brim. He gave us a new perspective, and because of it, we are keeping those glasses full to overflowing.
Is there an opportunity beckoning you today? Perhaps it’s time to embrace something new. Pray for a fresh perspective, and let God fill up your cup to overflowing!
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I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow.
John 15:11 – NLT
PRAYER
O Precious Lord, we rejoice in the generous gifts You grace us with. You bestow blessing upon blessing, grace upon grace. Our souls rejoice in Your goodness and Your unfailing love. Help us greet each new day with a fresh perspective, our minds open to the new opportunities You send our way. May we honor You in all we do.
In the Gracious Name of Jesus, we give thanks and pray,
Amen
Blessings,
Anita
-APS 11/18/2024
Faith Beyond Sight 