It is crazy to drive from north Texas to south Texas and experience such a dramatic change in climate. Before we embarked on our journey home from the conference this early afternoon, it began to snow in Dallas. Big fat juicy snow flakes. The kids roared with delight and could barely contain themselves as we kept heading south witnessing the brittle brown grass become blanketed in white wonder.
The crazy thing was as we headed further and further south towards Houston the snow flakes got bigger and the scenery more camouflaged into a winter wonderland. By the time we stopped at the SAM’S Restaurant in Farmersville, Texas the grounds were covered in at least 2 to 3 inches of the good stuff and the kids were begging to get out of the bus. Unfortunately, their excitement was a bit squelched when they were ordered to go directly inside. We did have to get home, after all, and goodness, we didn’t want them soaked and whiny the final 3 hour ride home! (well…that was the consensus of the smart, rational thinking coordinator…I think everyone else felt a little bad for the kids…). It’s like walking a three year old into a store full of colorful glass objects that demand to be examined more closely but you know if they touch it, it could slip and break. “You can look, but you can’t touch.” You want them to appreciate the beauty but you have to protect them from harming themselves.
It might have made it a bit worse to come out of the restaurant, pile back into the stuffy bus and proceed home, only 2 hours later begin to see the brown blades of grass once again. Just like that the snow was gone and soon we were home.
This scenario kept playing in my head on the way home. How many times in life had I been given an opportunity that turned out to be for only a brief stint, or even met someone that made a huge impact but only stayed around for a short while or had been given something I’d desired (even for a long while) but had to give it back? I remember one specific job opportunity I had in college, I had the job for an entire summer and it was the norm to be given the job for the following summer especially if you’d already worked there. However, when it came time to find out if we go the job for the following summer I was told I was not welcomed back. Apparently a supervisor of mine had an issue with me that I had not idea even took place because she had never brought it to my attention in order to give me the opportunity to defend myself. I was devastated. In my mind the summer was already planned and the job also was to give me future opportunities for other things.
It was such a let down but I remember my mom telling me that maybe this was God’s way of protecting me. I didn’t quite know what she meant then but sure enough, a few weeks later I applied for a different job that led me into opportunities that helped form my abilities to speak and work with big crowds.
It was a hard lesson to learn but now I know that when God say’s “You can look, but you can’t touch.” I know to trust Him and save myself from the harm.
Blessings
Shannon