Lesson Learned From Kaylee

Lee here (so please don't direct your comments at Alisha). OK, so this is going to be a bit churchy.

As Alisha has already posted last Friday was Kaylee's last day at her current school. She was very upset and cried the whole evening. Even now we can't bring it up without her looking like she might burst into tears at any second.

The thing is, Kaylee doesn't understand or realise that a lot of the reason that we're moving is down to her and Spencer.

The area in which we currently live is not good. You may have gotten that impression from some of our previous blog posts but it is true. Every night there are young kids (around Kaylee's age) roaming the streets looking for things to do. Invariably they get into mischief. Now, I'm not opposed to this but occasionally the mischief expands to criminal damage, shouting, screaming, and the police being called. I look at the kids and their parents and it makes me wonder exactly what lies in store for these children in the future. Well, I don't wonder that much because I can see what has happened since we've lived here. Kaylee's best friend has an older sister that got pregnant at 15, other kids in the area are in 'care' because their parents can't control them or don't care enough about them, and so on.

So, Kaylee complains about missing her friends but I have to say that in this case I know best. I don't want her growing up thinking that the behaviour exhibited by her friends is either acceptable or interesting. We're already bombarded by immorality in the media. I don't want it force fed to my children while they are still young and innocent.

I knows that Kaylee is pained by our move but, in the long term, it will benefit her in more ways than she can imagine at this time. She will be at a better school with friends that have higher values and morals. As her parents we are in a position to see the bigger picture because of our experiences and the things that we see and hear that Kaylee does not. It hurts me to see Kaylee in so much distress and I don't like making her upset. I wish for all the world that we could stay and let her be close to her friends but the long term effects of this would be potentially disastrous.

This got me thinking.

Our Heavenly Father much feel the same way all the time. He gives us rules and tests that we must face every day. Sometimes we suffer pain, sometimes we feel like things are too much for us to bare. Our loving Father must feel terrible seeing us in pain. I can only imagine that he would love to do nothing more than stretch out his hand and stop our pain and suffering but what would that accomplish? What would we gain from that experience? It would be the same as letting Kaylee have her way and stay in this area. In the short term it would be fantastic but it would deprive us of an opportunity to learn and grow.

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations and wonder 'why is that happening'? We may even apportion some blame to our Father in Heaven but, as his children, we don't see the big picture. He knows everything about us and the earth that he created. He sees into our souls and he knows that we can endure and that we'll be better because we've passed through the refiner's fire. He gives us these tests so that we can become stronger. He knows what lies in store for us in the future and is preparing us so that we can endure.

What may seem destructive and heartbreaking at the time only helps to lift us and purify us. Our muscles do not grow and become strong when life is easy, they become strong through resistance and opposition.

Just as Kaylee must put her trust in her earthly parents at this point in time, so we must also put our trust in our Heavenly Father. He knows what is best for us regardless.