I share her picture because the story I plan on sharing is about her except when she was maybe five years old.
It was a month before Christmas and this mama hadn't figured out yet that her kids couldn't keep secrets. I told her what I was getting Shannon for Christmas, a set of chinks (which are short chaps -- the kind cowboys where over their jeans). I had had them special-ordered for Shannon (he still wears them 12 years later...they were a good buy). I told her and her brother about them and then said, "Don't tell Dad. It's a surprise."
Now, I am thinking it was Cheyenne (but it could have been Ryan) who decided to give their Dad just one hint about his Christmas present. She (or he) said, "It is made of leather and goes on your legs."
As you can guess my husband guessed correctly right away. And ever since then, I refuse to tell my kids what I am getting their father for Christmas (but to be fair, he does love to figure it out and knows how to wheedle hints out of people).
I think it's like this with God and us at times too. He could tell us more about what is coming in our futures if we wouldn't spoil it, if we could keep things to ourselves, if with the future knowledge we would still let Him do it in His time. But when we have a juicy tidbit human nature says to share it with the world (or to make it happen ourselves). Remember the times when Jesus would tell the people He had healed not to say anything about Him?
"He stretched out His hand and touched him . . . And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed . . . And (Jesus) said to him. 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.'" Mark 1:41-44
The guy told everyone and Jesus's ministry was compromised in that He couldn't enter public places because of crowds. Maybe Jesus told the guy to not say anything because his healing would have softened one of the temple priests to God's ways.
Jesus said the same thing to a couple of blind men He healed. In Matthew 9:30 it says, "And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, 'See here, let no one know about this!'"
They did anyway. They told everybody.
And why do we think God needs our help?
Remember what Rebekah did? Read what she was promised:
"And the LORD said to her, 'Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples shall be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger.'" Genesis 25:23
And so when her boys became men she convinced the younger to lie to his father and steal from his older brother to get the inheritance so this promise from God could be fulfilled.
I don't think she needed to do this. God didn't need her help. God's promise came true BUT it was a whole lot more complicated than it probably had to be.
How often do we complicate our lives needlessly because we don't let God do His work in His time?
I feel like I write this about ALL THE TIME. I think this is because I need to be reminded about it constantly. God has shown me a glimpse of something but I know I need to keep my hands off it. Maybe you need to be reminded about God's timing and obedience and when to speak and when not to speak too.
Or maybe you just need to bake a pie.
Pies are always good.