Living in the Temporary...by Lucy

Temporary doors (shower curtains) in our home

Temporary bathroom ready to use!

Temporary bed ready for Aaron in his room

We are finally in our new home! It isn't finished, but we are in it! We have temporary beds, temporary doors, temporary places to put things...

We have been living in temporary quarters for 5 months, with the hope of moving into our "real" home. We have dealt with temporary problems that at times felt overwhelming. The immovable rocks were blasted, and drainage pipes put in. The temporary bathroom situation of toilet and sink here, but showering up in the school, will be remedied soon enough when Mark has time to finish our shower here.

Dynamite blasting the rock in our way

Drainage pipe ready to go

We seem to live our lives in the "temporary" realm though, always waiting for something better, something more "real" and permanent to take its place. The problem is that sometimes we forget that we should be looking forward to something better. We get comfortable in our temporary quarters, our temporary situation, and comfortable is nice. We don't have to worry about the unknown when we are comfortable in our little temporary spaces. Sometimes we think we are finally experiencing the "real thing" (like the COKE commercial says), when that is only an illusion. Everything here is temporary!

Temporary flowers that will soon be gone

Amanda, Joanna, and Aaron temporarily enjoying each other's company

A temporary sunrise that is over way too soon

I remember telling myself this multiple times when my kids were babies, and we were awake in the middle of the night (one more time). "This too shall pass. It won't last." And that was so true. I am now the parent of a 16 year old son, and a daughter who just turned 14 yesterday! A lot of temporary times have past, with more to come. But I have to keep in mind to enjoy each temporary thing God has given me, yet continue to look ahead to eternal things.

Joanna will be temporarily 14 for the next 365 days.

Each child at Refuge Ranch will be here only temporarily. Eventually each one will move on, whether it is to college, a new job, a new husband or wife and family, or whatever is next for them. It doesn't matter. What matters is how we spend our time in the "temporary." Someday everything will be permanently fixed in heaven and hell. We must use each temporary moment here getting ready for our permanent home. Preparing the children here is crucial. Doing ordinary "kid" things with them, sharing the love of Christ through everything we do, helps them see that their pasts are only a temporary part of who they are. Hopefully they will see that this (as great as living at Refuge Ranch is!) is temporary too, that God has something even better prepared for each of them.

Living in the temporary! Preparing for the eternal!

May we use our "temporary" moments to prepare for eternity.

Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.
I Corinthians 7:13 NLT