Can I share a story my son shared with me?
First - let me share a story from 1979. Just a couple years ago...
I was a very determined teenager who wanted the newest gadgets
but was often short on funds to meet my goal.
I learned at an early age how to be creative. I started working when I was only a pre-teen.
I would take babysitting jobs while we lived in Japan. I also taught the
Japanese students English for a little extra money. I did whatever I could to have a little money
and buy that new shiny gadget I saw or another rock for my pet rock collection. Yep, I had a pet rock collection. It was the 70s. You will have to look that one up.
The summer of 1979 I discovered a concert was coming into
town the following year. I had NEVER
been to a live concert and wanted to go SOOO bad, however I didn’t have
concert money. Well, that particular
summer the Navy had their annual picnic which included games and multiple
prizes. Most of the prizes were not
exciting for a teenager but one caught my attention. 2 Tickets to either a football game OR to the
CONCERT I wanted to see! KANSAS!
I was SO EXCITED!
The game was a pie eating contest.
I like to eat!
The pie was lemon meringue.
Meh, lemon wasn’t my favorite, but I could figure this out…
All contestants were allowed. Men, women, even kids.
I was 14 years old and determined I would win.
I preemptively went to my father and said, “If I win, I want
the concert tickets.” He said, “If you win, take the football tickets, and I
will pay for your concert ticket.” I agreed to his compromise.
He thought nothing more of the transaction believing his
daughter was outnumbered against grown men.
I bellied up to the table and with my hands behind my back
stood toe to toe with men twice my size.
I didn’t care. I was on a
mission.
When the contest started I dived into my pie, refusing to
look at my competition. I thought to
myself, no matter what I am going to give it my ALL.
I did.
I won that day.
There was not a lick of lemon left in that dish. I jumped up and ran to the judges to
collect my prize in front of a group of very astonished grown men. The smile on my face was so big! There was no holding me back!
Then I went behind the stage and … well let’s say I
returned the pie to its natural state.
Kansas toured Japan for the first time in Japan January of
1980. I was at that historic
concert. I also haven’t had lemon
meringue pie since the summer of 1979.
Two historic moments.
Side note: I just found out one of the bandmembers became
a born-again Christian in 1980 and the lyrics of their next three albums
reflected his beliefs. God was working in
their lives!
Now back to my son’s story.
I have told that story many times over the years, but I
didn’t realize any of my kids had internalized it. I was speaking to Joey recently and he
mentioned his walk with the Lord has been a journey of hills and valleys. Often, his journey was fighting with the Lord
as he fought for his will instead of God’s way.
I can relate. I
have done the same thing many times over the years.
He also said a person will not be ready to step into their
journey with God until they get the world out of their system. He spoke from experience. He knew that without giving up everything
that he ‘thought’ he wanted, then there would be no room for what God
had for him. What he thought he wanted
was plain garbage. God had so much
more for him. He said going back to
what he thought he wanted was like a dog going back to its vomit, or me going
back to my lemon meringue pie behind the stage.
I had to laugh at that statement!
He remembered the lemon meringue pie story! And WHAT a word picture!
A dog going back to its vomit – Proverbs 26:11
Getting sick and tired enough.
You have to get sick and tired enough of your old life
before you decide that God’s way is so much better. That is what my son was saying.
He is right.
I knew that, but what a word picture!
And what a memory!
And what wisdom from my son!
So, when you think your kids are not hearing your silly
stories, they are.
And, they are using them in context by His
revelation.
How awesome is our God?
Love you guys!
'As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.
'
Proverbs 26:11
Here are 100 Bible Verses on Wisdom:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/wisdom
And for a bit of humor… here is a
link on Pet Rocks…
