We Just Don't See Eye to Eye

During elementary school our children are given the opportunity to earn a trip to the Chicago museums by getting on the honor roll. My youngest daughter Jessica accomplished this the final quarter of last year.

Since Jessica is the last of my five children I have already taken this trip four times. I can literally run up and down the halls of the museums in my head. There is so much to see, but certainly I have my favorites like the Mummies, Dinosaurs, Trains and the cobblestone walk of Yesteryear. As we traveled to Chicago last week, I was excited to see them again and watch Jessica explore. The first thing we did as we arrived at each museum was look at the map and circle the “must see” exhibits. To my dismay Jessica’s “must see” list was very different from the one in my head. She is what my husband and I refer to as a “Math/Science” brain and I am a “Creative/Art” brain. We experience and learn very differently and frankly what inspires me is boring to her and vice versa. Obviously, I knew this about her, but I hoped seeing these things in real life would intrigue her. Not a chance. She stopped to see every bug under every microscope, read every fact on every computer and operate every machine on display. We even spent 30 minutes watching a baby chick peck its way out of an egg and stumble into the world. She had a blast!

Jessica earned this trip and we wanted her to have fun, but my purposes for letting her “do it her way” go back a few years. When Jessica was younger, I was having a day where my patience was a little short and her inquisitiveness got the better of me. We must have been on question number 2,000 for the day and I needed a break. I asked Jessica to give me some quiet time, but she was tenacious in her quest for answers. Finally, I just prayed “God please make Jessica a little more amendable.” The response was immediate and as close to a shout as I have ever heard from God. “Do not squash her, I have made her this way for my purposes.” This had such an impact on me I will never forget it. I realize this doesn’t mean I should let her run wild and forgo discipline, but I keep in mind my job is to guide her and challenge her to grow in her gifting not change her. God has unique plans for my daughter and I have no doubt a little tenacity will come in handy or He wouldn’t have created her that way.

Are you frustrated with some people in your life because they don’t see things the way you do? Our inclination would be to say, “We just don’t see eye to eye” and steer away from them. Perhaps God knew that we would stay in our comfort zone, see and experience the world merely from our perspective if we weren’t challenged to do otherwise. With all the choices at the museum I never would have taken the time to watch a baby chick hatch, but what a beautiful memory I have sharing this with my daughter.

A Vision: Clash of the Kingdoms

Last night I was playing cards in the kitchen with my daughter Jessica. My husband was watching a show about storms in the other room. I could not see the TV, but I could hear what was being said and I must confess it put my imagination into over load. Rolling through my mind was image after image of devastation, lives lost, homes decimated and people overwhelmed with every kind of emotion as record numbers of tornados ripped through the United States. I found myself asking “God, why is all this happening?” The show ended with one man speaking…a pastor. He said, “When these things happen we are no longer black, white or of any race. We come together as one….and I couldn’t be prouder of America. None of these “things” matter, it’s about people. We will get through this, together.”

Later that evening I fell asleep in front of the TV and woke up around 1am to Glenn Beck. He was talking about all the uprisings that have taken place in the Middle East. The media sold this as a young generation seeking freedom from the oppression of their leaders, increased education and a better life for their families. For many I believe this is true however, Glenn showed another layer, which was not reported by the media, the socialist agenda and its three primary leaders who were in the midst of these revolts. One of these leaders was teaching at a Socialist conference and he said all nations in the middle east would come together with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood to destroy their common enemy Israel, the Jewish Nation and United States capitalism.

Then God gave me the following vision.

I saw a young generation of people ranging in age from teens to late 20’s amassing in a square somewhere in the Middle East. I was drawn up higher and the scene zoomed back to reveal the entire landmass of the middle-eastern region. It zoomed back farther still and widened to include the United States. At this point I understood there to be an equal number of this age group amassing in the United States as well. A new layer was added to the image. I could no longer see the landmasses, but what appeared to be wind swirling above each separate area somewhat like the weather satellite picture above. The wind over the Middle East swirled toward the left in a counter clockwise direction. It was fueled by evil emotion that was so heavy it was palpable. The wind over the United States swirled to the right in a clockwise direction its energy was clearly good. The winds on each side were swirling faster and faster as they grew larger and gained intensity. The winds swelled past their original boarders and each side was growing toward the middle. I knew they were going to clash. I was getting anxious because I thought this is not good there is no way to stop it. I knew that there were real people under these forces and I was concerned for the kids. The evil forces over the Middle East were relishing in anticipation. I could hear their thoughts “We have done it, we are mighty, we will finally crush them.” As I looked back at the force over the US I felt nothing but passion and overwhelming love. As the two winds began to clash over the waters I looked to God for understanding…to my astonishment, He was smiling and I immediately felt peace. He said, “What the enemy has planned for evil I will use for good.” The enemy heard this and went into a panic, he tried to pull the force back and stop the clash, but the thrust forward had such momentum it could not be stopped. He was furious. So much hate went into building an army he was sure it was indefensible, but as soon as it clashed with the goodness of God all the hate melted away.

Some thoughts…I am by no means trying to trivialize the devastation of the recent tornados or even suggest that God caused these disasters. Please don’t go there. I am merely highlighting the heart of our nation shining through these horrific situations. Likewise, I am not suggesting the people of the Middle East are in general “bad” people. Just bringing to light a heart I did not know existed within these recent events.

Having said that, there are so many levels to this vision I believe if you pray about it God will reveal truth about what’s happening not only in the world today, but our nation and even our own backyards. I will leave that to God to expand upon and give you understanding if you seek it.

My take away...the clash of kingdoms is inevitable. On some level it’s happening every day. Are we able to stand up under it? How about the young ones in my vision? I feel very strongly that we need to be sowing into the younger generation. Day after day I encounter young people who are Fatherless and Motherless. They are being blown about by the wind because they have been left to raise them selves and afforded very little understanding or foundation of who God is. It’s heartbreaking. Make no mistake God is passionate about this abandoned generation. We need to grab the hands of those who have been decimated by the storms of life, who are reeling from every emotion imaginable and say, "We will get through this, together".