Day 172

If you have been following my blog then you know that my four year old son Gus recently discovered video games.  The other night after a long day of potty training with my almost two year old I wanted to spend some time with Gus so I asked if he would like to play some video games with me.  He was so pumped!  He has finished 3 levels on Donkey Kong Country, but he’s never made it to the save point.  In about 15 minutes I beat every level he has beaten plus a few more and got us to that save point.   I thought I was doing him a favor, but the next day I learned I wasn’t.

He started to play the level I got him to and he was in way over his head.  I quickly realized it was actually better for him to go back and keep trying the levels that weren’t as easy for him, because it was in those levels that he would learn the skills he would need to keep going in the game.  If he didn’t master one jumping alligators in level four, he would never be able to master two jumping alligators criss crossing over him in level six!

As I was explaining this to him I was reminded of something my Pastor tweeted a while back.  “I don’t believe you ever fail a test with God. I believe you just take it over and over and over again until you pass it.”

Things happen in life that we would love to be able to hand over to someone else and say to them, “Hey, can you get me past this part?”  But if they were to do that for us, we would just end up taking the same test again… and again… and again until we finally pass it.

Shortly after we delivered our son Felix stillborn, my husband Josh let me know that he would never take this test again.  He was going to seek God and let Him show him how to pass it the first time.  And I believe He did.  We both did.  We didn’t try to skip out on this level or look up the cheat codes to get us through faster, we walked through it all (getting the news, the delivery, going home from the hospital empty handed, the confusion, the questions, the due date, and all of the emotions) with God.

God gave us all the answers we needed, we passed that test, and along the way we gained invaluable experience we’ll need to help us pass future tests.  We figured out how to kill the jumping alligator in level four, so when we get to level six and two jumping alligators are headed our way, we will know how to stop them.

Whatever test you find yourself taking ask God to help you pass it, instead of asking Him to let you skip it.  He’s not going to let you skip it.  He knows it will be more beneficial for you to take it until you pass!

Hebrews 2:18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

You aren’t in it alone.  Ask Him to help, He is able!

1. God is able!
2. He wants to help us pass tests so we don’t have to take the same tests over and over again.
3. The experience we gained last year that we couldn’t have gained any other way… we passed the test.
4. We never fail a test with God… He will give us as many do overs as we need.
5. Beautiful sunrise!
6. The first words out of Gus’ mouth this morning, “I’m so glad God’s given us a new day.”
7. Beautiful day!
8. I got to go grocery shopping by myself!!
9. Fridge and pantry are nice and full!
10. Josh stayed with Beau so she could keep working on her potty training.
11. Beau told me two times when she needed to go!
12. The little smile she makes before she starts going… so glad she is realizing when it’s about to happen.
13. Gus had an all green day at school!
14. The pictures of Gus’ favorite stuffed animals I found on my iPhone.
15. My nephew made the honor roll at ORU!  So proud of him!
16. Beau walking around the house singing “Once Upon A Dream” from Sleeping Beauty.
17. One of the family’s favorites for dinner tonight – green chile chicken casserole.
18. Found the little song that Beau and Goofy danced together to at Disney World.
19. My cousin James and his wife Samantha welcomed a sweet, healthy little boy into the world today.
20. Tomorrow is Sabbath Friday!!
21. Found some training pants for Beau so we can go out in public without me feeling nervous about her having an accident.  I’m not a PullUps fan.
22. All caught up on laundry.
23. Spent all evening sitting on the couch, relaxing with Josh.
24. Alena Moore’s devotional from Love Expressed.  Good stuff!
25. Watching home movies of the kids from 2 years ago!  Crazy how little Gus was when Beau was born.
26. Beau was pretty sweet watching herself as a newborn.
27. How excited Gus got about having more little siblings someday.  He is such a sweet big brother.

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