Ann's Anecdotes - Doors
Jack
My old dog, Jack, has developed a new habit since the weather warmed. After returning from a walk, he resists going to the door; he actually stands back and refuses to move to the steps. I end up putting him on the outside tether (he cannot be trusted) and come through the door alone. Now the funny thing about this is that he may actually come in two minutes later, but only on his own terms. Surely there is some dog explanation for this behavior, but for this post, we won't worry about that.
The question of the day is, "Are we any different about moving through metaphoric doors in our life?". We have seen the results of people who bound through doors that should have never even been opened. It is catastrophic for all involved. But we have also seen what happens when people refuse to move from the place they have grown too comfortable, even if it wasn't good for them. Why is it, that we, as humans, want to be totally in charge of our "doors"?
Growing up, the doors in our house were open most of the time. The only closed door was Dad's bedroom when he was day-sleeping. As a Railroader, he worked all hours of the clock, and so, more often than not, he was a day sleeper. If his door was closed, the whole house had to be quiet. But, all other doors were open. As teenagers, we craved more privacy and so we started shutting our doors when in our room. Mother used to fuss, and the more she fussed, the more we wanted our door shut. As I look back to try and understand our teenage selves, the only explanation is that we needed to "be in control" of our space.
In my "old age", I want doors to be open. Fire safety now states bedroom doors be closed at night, but that is uncomfortable for me. I want to be able to see the babies in their beds. My bedroom door is always open; enabling me to hear other noises in the house. Do you see the control thing happening here? The same thing is true, spiritually. The most difficult thing to do is to allow a door to be closed. I always say, "lets just leave it cracked", we might want to go back.
A good lesson has been retirement this year. Once that letter gets approved and they fill your position, there is no turning back. It is nothing short of a swift, "move on" kind of moment. Between retirement and our current pandemic, I am learning that the only one in control is the Good Lord, himself. As the dust settles on this crazy life of mine, it is my hope to relinquish the control more and more in order that Christ can do His good work in me. If He wants to open a door, I want to bravely walk through it. If He wants to close a door, I want to be accepting of that without complaint or misgiving. Life is a journey, and hopefully, lessons will be learned along the way, as we ever serve. Let us walk on, together, encouraging one another!
The question of the day is, "Are we any different about moving through metaphoric doors in our life?". We have seen the results of people who bound through doors that should have never even been opened. It is catastrophic for all involved. But we have also seen what happens when people refuse to move from the place they have grown too comfortable, even if it wasn't good for them. Why is it, that we, as humans, want to be totally in charge of our "doors"?
Growing up, the doors in our house were open most of the time. The only closed door was Dad's bedroom when he was day-sleeping. As a Railroader, he worked all hours of the clock, and so, more often than not, he was a day sleeper. If his door was closed, the whole house had to be quiet. But, all other doors were open. As teenagers, we craved more privacy and so we started shutting our doors when in our room. Mother used to fuss, and the more she fussed, the more we wanted our door shut. As I look back to try and understand our teenage selves, the only explanation is that we needed to "be in control" of our space.
In my "old age", I want doors to be open. Fire safety now states bedroom doors be closed at night, but that is uncomfortable for me. I want to be able to see the babies in their beds. My bedroom door is always open; enabling me to hear other noises in the house. Do you see the control thing happening here? The same thing is true, spiritually. The most difficult thing to do is to allow a door to be closed. I always say, "lets just leave it cracked", we might want to go back.
A good lesson has been retirement this year. Once that letter gets approved and they fill your position, there is no turning back. It is nothing short of a swift, "move on" kind of moment. Between retirement and our current pandemic, I am learning that the only one in control is the Good Lord, himself. As the dust settles on this crazy life of mine, it is my hope to relinquish the control more and more in order that Christ can do His good work in me. If He wants to open a door, I want to bravely walk through it. If He wants to close a door, I want to be accepting of that without complaint or misgiving. Life is a journey, and hopefully, lessons will be learned along the way, as we ever serve. Let us walk on, together, encouraging one another!
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