On the Road Again

We have been busy around the Morris household.  Three of our kids participate on a competitive cheer team and our season is in full swing.  This means extra practices and road trips for competitions.

Our last competition was in Ft Worth and because of conflicting activities I was on the road by myself.  I do not like traveling by myself with the kids.  I am a fairly independent and never worried about traveling across the state in my younger years but traveling with the kids gives a different perspective.

So I triple checked we had everything we needed (a cheerleader has a lot to carry to competitions) and off we went.  I entered the address for my destination in my phone and my handy dandy GPS mapped our route.  With Siri commanding my next move, we were on our way.

Now I am old enough to remember the days before GPS.  Early in life we traveled and my parents had the huge atlas that obstructed all view of the road.  I can remember the affectionate conversations between my parents as they navigated the roadways.  Ha!  Later Map Quest came along.  As a home health nurse, I religiously used Map Quest.  I would study the map ahead of time to give me a general idea of my route but always had a print out to reference on the trip.  Now I type in the address and away I go.  No double checking.  No back up method.  I blindly trust that if I follow the steps precisely I will arrive at my destination.  Now more than once I have "arrived at my destination" (use your best Siri voice) to not find my destination.  Siri was wrong.  Despite following the directions precisely the destination was incorrect.

As I traveled I began thinking how easily I trust Siri.  I never question her directions.  I follow along merging and taking turns as prompted.  Yet despite these times of not arrived at my destination as expected, I continue to trust Siri.  So why is it easy to trust Siri but not the road map God has given us?

The Bible is inspired of God, authored by holy men of God who were moved by the Holy Spirit preserve God's words in Scripture.  The entire Bible is without error.  And so designed to give us practical instruction in life to provide us the guidance we need to navigate through life.

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.  John 5:39

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.  2 Timothy 3:16

Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand but he mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.  Acts 1:16

So knowing all of this why do we ignore the instructions?  Why do we decide we know the best path to take?


The answer is we are flawed.  From the entrance of sin into the world we have been at odds with God's plan.  Despite our disobedience God provided a way for our eternal salvation....a way to reconcile us to him.



I have many more road trips in my future so I will continue to rely on Siri for directions.  And I know I have the road of life to navigate so as we are Growing Up on Dublin Lane I will continue to follow the map God provided.

Why can't I just have a crystal ball?

I can remember as a child dreaming of my future.  Will I get that sports car?  Who will I marry?  Where will I live?  How many of you remember playing MASH?  You know that game that would predict your future.  Come on now....I know I wasn't the only one.

And I have a little secret...I would repeat the game over and over and if I happened to get the same answer more than once in a game it was true.  My destiny revealed  simply with a few scribbles in a notepad.

If only it was that easy.  Truth is no one knows what the future holds for our time on earth.  And that brings me to the most anxiety producing moment of motherhood.  The moment you realize you have no control over the future of your children.  Sure we raise them to learn the ways of the Lord.  We provide every opportunity for them to see Jesus in color.  To see what it means to be a follower of Christ.  To be able to recognize His voice.  To discern his truths in this chaotic world.  But at a certain point you have to let them find their way.  You have to let them own their faith.  They are not under your salvation but are held accountable for themselves.  And one day you have to let them walk out your door and give up any control you thought you had.

I have faced this shift with our oldest 2 kids.  It was difficult to not feel defeated and powerless.  To reason they weren't ready for the cruel hard world.  To fear I had not done everything I could to prepare them.  And with the arrival of my first grandchild in the next month I realized not only did I have to learn to let my kids (or adults as they like to think) live their lives now I have to let my oldest be a mom.  The mom she chooses to be not the one necessarily I want or the one I was but the one God wants.  

I have to let go.  And letting go is hard.  If blogs could play music on que I would insert a not so well known song "Let It Go" from Disney's Frozen.  Who am I kidding?  Everyone knows that song and can likely sing along with it.  But do we live the words. 

Let. 

It. 

Go.  

It means more than just letting your kids grow up.  It means trusting that God in his infinite wisdom and love really has it under control.  It means accepting the fact that I can't predict the future or control the world around me.  But even more it means acknowledging that God does know the future.  God can control the world around us.  And that God hasn't forgotten you the anxious mother who can't bring her self to stop worrying or fretting.

But in all things God is in control.  So we have to let it go.  Let go of control.  Let go of worry.  Let go of fear.  And hold on to God.

Each kid's faith is his own.  Nothing I do can guarantee my child's salvation. So as we are Growing Up on Dublin Lane I am letting go more and more each day.

Ending with a BANG!

Well New Year's Eve has come and gone!  For the Morris house it was a usual night consisting of early bedtime for Hunky Hubby and I.  We have never been much on New Year celebrations and nothing is better than being snuggled in a warm bed after a long day.  And yesterday was a long day!  We were up and in Tyler by 6:30a for an appointment.  Hunky Hubby did not end his work day until after 8p and I decided to start 2015 off right with a reorganized sewing/craft room the last day of 2014.  Sounds like not such a big deal until you realize that reorganizing one room will result in several rooms being "reorganized".  So my simple one room task resulted in 5 other rooms being included in the project.  The kids were great and with frequent prompting helped out their organized-frantic Mom.  But after 5 hours of moving furniture, reorganizing boxes, and purging I was exhausted.  Seriously though after I finished I was amazed at the amount of "stuff" we had that we did not need or that I even realized we had.  I had over 15 rolls of Christmas wrapping papers and 60+ books that will all be gifted to someone.  I then realized I have 12 sewing/quilting projects in progress and 5 tubs of Tshirts for the kids quilts.  Seriously I think I am ADD!

So when the clock rolled over to 9:30p this lady was ready for her bed so off I went.  Well that was until midnight and then our neighbors fiesta ended with a BANG!  I have never been a fan of fireworks.  Just ask my mom.  I usually enjoy them from the comforts of the house through the living room windows while screaming (okay as I grew up I stopped the crying but I still stay in the house).

So now that it is 2015 I thought I would compile my 2014 Top Ten:

1.  I left my paying gig to focus on a new non-paying gig as a stay at home/homeschooling mom!  An adjustment for sure but I have enjoyed every second of it!

2.  I learned I am going to have a grandson.  We will affectionally be called Lolly & Pop as of Feb 2015!!

3.  I rediscovered my joy of photography and have started a small business.  I have loved this new adventure so far!

4.  I learned that I love the idea of my husband taking care of me.  But more than that, I realized God provides what I need when I need it.  Ms Independent doesn't live here anymore!

5.  I discovered true friendship.  Leaving  my job shifted things (to say the least) and my true friendships lasted.  So thankful for my dear friends who encourage and hold me accountable!

6.  I was reminded how precious life is and we should never take it for granted.  We had several lives end some expected, some unexpected, but all a somber reminder we are never guaranteed tomorrow.

7.  I picked back up sewing.  Well technically I hadn't really stopped all together but I was slow to finish any projects previously.

8.  I removed Facebook from my phone.  Ha!  You may laugh but that saved me an insane amount of data which saved me money.  So THAT made the list!!!

9.  We learned to live on a budget.  We have always been blessed financially so what is a budget?!  My new non-paying gig included financial management on less finances.  Don't get me wrong...my paying gig I understood budgets, productivity, profit margins all to well (I have a MBA just never used that stuff at home.)  I just had to shift a few things at home and we are happily within budget.

10.  I started this blog.  I am still amazed that anyone would care to read about me or our family.  But so many have commented how they enjoy the blog.  So I guess my life is amusing!!

Stay tuned to Growing Up on Dublin Lane to see all our adventures in 2015!