I took my boys to swim at my parent’s house the other evening, and although the sun had not yet set, the crescent moon was high in the sky.
My boys sat on the steps of the pool and began screaming at the moon, shouting for it to come down and swim with them.
Finally, my two-year-old looked at me and with the most frustrated face I’ve ever seen from him said, “Mama, the moon won’t come down here!”
I gently explained that God put the moon in the sky and it had to stay there.
After a moment of contemplation, my son looked back at the moon and shouted, “Okay, moon! You stay there where God put you!”
Occasionally the words of children are exactly what we need in just the right moment. Stay where God put you.
Often I’m guilty of wanting to make changes. I sometimes don’t like circumstances in my life and I think to myself, “what would it be like if things were different?” When I encounter troubles, I imagine that things would be easier if I had just been born in a simpler time.
But sometimes all I need to remember is that I’m right where God put me– in this moment in time, in this nation, in this family, etc. God knows my past, present and future, and I am right where he wants me to be.
Instead of rushing into changes I hope will someday come, I am reminded to look around and enjoy the many blessings he’s provided by creating me specifically for this fleeting moment in time. I am reminded that living in his will is what he planned for me all along.
Like the crescent moon staying put in the sky, I want to stay right where God put me. There is no greater, more perfect place to be.
Share with me: Have you ever considered how your life would be different if you had been born in another time? If you could have had the choice, in what time period would you like to have lived?
Hale and Hearty Words 
I needed to read this today. I'm terrible about being frustrated with my life at the moment and wanting to jump ahead to what I'm convinced will be a much better time. That child of yours is a pretty smart cookie. (BTW, are you intentionally not using the boys' names on your blog? I noticed that they're referred to by age, and I don't want to slip up and use one of their names in a comment if you're trying to keep them private.)As far as living in a different time…I'm a little in love with Regency England, so if I could have been born then, and born into the peerage or landed gentry, that would be good. Basically, I want to be Elizabeth Bennett. I wouldn't mind living in Victorian England, either.
What a fantastic reminder, Jenny. I needed a reminder to live where God put me instead of trying to live in the future or the past. God knows best and I have to trust in that.If I were to choose a different time in which to live, I would choose to live in the middle ages. I love the time of the castles and knights.Lori Dilworth
Lyndsey- we've all been there! I'd pick Regency England, too! :)Lori- Knights, castles, chivalry…such a wonderful, adventurous time!
I love how the spongy voice of a child can drip with wisdom and blessing. It's natural for adults — and, yes, kids, too — to scan the surrounding horizon and grow impatient. I want to share a perspective that a friend emailed me last week. I recently shared it as a comment on a recent blog, but it applies here as well:"The path between non-blessing and blessing is surprisingly short. We walk the journey of life until we arrive at some great obstacle or mountain that we think is in front of us. We pray for God’s wisdom and guidance. We plead… God, please, in your infinite wisdom, take the mountain away.“He sits there with a smile on His face. The question always is: what mountain? Because when we look through His eyes, there are just the simple ridges of life, time, vision, and spirit. It is as though they were just His fingerprints left on the planet He holds gently in His hand.”I was grateful for this perspective. I surely waste a lot of time and energy thinking about mountains. The image of God’s touch on my life warrants a PATIENT hike of exploration in order to discover the surprising and well-timed blessings that He has waiting for me.
The last sentence in my Bible study book this morning said, "The answers God is willing to give us in our tomorrows often flow from our faithfulness when we have none today." It was such a reminder to me-just like your post-that I must not be impatient in wanting things in my own timing, instead I must stay faithful and be obedient to the Divine Appointments He has for me in this day! Only He knows what He is preparing me for today, so that I can be ready for when tomorrow comes! Great post Jenny!
Matthew and Marion- great, beautiful perspective! Thanks for the comments! 🙂
You know, "stay where God put you" is exactly what I needed to hear today. Every so often (approximately every two years) I get antsy and crave change and adventure. But it's not so easy to find change and adventure with a husband and two kids. I just need to calm down, and embrace life as it is.
While I don't think about another time period, I do often think about where I would be if I had made different decisions in life. I know that I am right where I am "supposed" to be, but it is easy sometime to be upset about opportunities that don't work out, or when life choices take you through difficult valleys. Thank you for your posting, because it is always a nice reminder that we are exactly where we are meant to be!!
Though I may not always like it, I do believe I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be in God's plan, and when enough events come together I'll have a better understanding of His bigger picture.As per another time period: hmmm. Always fascinated by pioneer times and the world Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about (but those folks also did an awful lot of work every day). Sometimes I'd love to check out Star Trek's Enterprise and get a view of the future. I'm liking this blog!Joanna AislinnDream. Believe. Strive. Achieve!NO MATTER WHYThe Wild Rose Presswww.joannaaislinn.comwww.joannaaislinn.wordpress.com
I'd love living in the Regency period, but only if I were wealthy. I like the 1940's, but then there was World War II. Perhaps, maybe….Hmmm. If only….Every era has both good and bad points. I like the idea of being content where we are.