Sandbars
On Friday our family awoke to the sun shinning in our window. There was a bit of wind in the air... but the family consensus was to go out on the water for the day. Launching the boat was a little chilly but never-the-less the drive to get out and enjoy, maybe the only nice day of the long weekend pushed us on. As we began our drive out on the lake we quickly noted the prevailing winds had changed and so had our quiet skiing waters.
With Hailey behind on the knee-board we began searching out 'our spot' for the day. Having traveled the waters of Lake Simcoe since our pre-teen years we are both comfortable with all the usual nooks and crannies however as we passed the back of a small island something caught our attention, a glittering shore line and yes calm water. Our eyes were on the goal but between it and us was a looming sandbar! With the lake waters being down about a foot we weren't sure we could get across.
Beaching the boat was not a way I wanted to end the summer and I quickly voiced by opposition to this inevitable tragedy...but Jeremy, enticed by the water and beach decided to go for it. Putting on his 'adventure' hat he began to look for a way through the shallow sandbar while I held my breath. With the motor up and him at the front of the boat gently paddling, picking and prodding with the oar we navigated our way through. The day was great and well worth the effort. We explored a new beach, Katelyn showed us her stuff on the wakeboard, and with lots of drift wood & rocks we left our marks in the sand.
As I sit and think of each of you today, you too are planning for a great year of children's ministry, just as I was planning for a great day. We often have lots of goals and ideas that we want to see happen in our new year. Those goals drive us, often carry us until sometimes we see that sandbar in our way. It can be anything, lack of committed volunteers, nit-picky parents, a pastoral staff that isn't catching our vision for kids ministry... It can be difficult to see our way through and often seems easier to just give up and settle for conditions that are less than what we had envisioned. Rest assured that when God gives a vision for His kids... He will make a way through the sandbar. Yes it will take some navigation, lots of prayer, some picking and gentle guiding but there will be a way through if we rely on God's strength and timing.
We are His servants here on earth and He has called all of us to a higher responsibility of teaching, training and leading His flock to that ultimate goal... a deeper relationship with Him. As you continue to prepare this week take some time to dig deeper, find that shoreline where God wants you to drive towards and have faith in Him to get you over the sandbars!