Lessons from Shasta

“If you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Horse and His Boy

Our refugee family as arrived. And they are immensely grateful. I do not know about the atrocities they witnessed or the terror they fled. All I know is the visible signs of thankfulness on their faces as they have left their old home to come to their new home.

We are reading "The Horse and His Boy" as a family. It is the story of Shasta, a young boy who is running away from his cruel life in the country of Calormen to the hope in beautiful Narnia.

Our family calls this land "Beautiful Canada". :)

There are days I get frustrated over my day-to-day life. There are so many things I wish to accomplish. Like learning how to write Hindi, which I never seem to find time for. Or being that amazingly creative Mom with you kids, who has planned all these fantastic summer activities. Or writing Chapter Two of my so-not-publishable "novel". Or completing my son's preschool memory book. Or re-learning Calculus because I may need to teach it one day. Or all the other bazillion tasks that need to be done to organize and clean this house! 

Instead, I helped a newcomer grocery shop. I prepared Indian cuisine for a visiting missionary family. I threw in a load of laundry. And I made time to enjoy our evening tradition of reading a novel with your Daddy and you two kiddos, followed by the Action Bible and prayer.

Perspective. I often desperately need it, as a reminder of what things are important, especially when I feel utterly exhausted thinking of all the things I wish to do while doing all the things that I need to do. 

There is one beautiful passage in The Horse and His Boy, where Shasta is bemoaning his existence as he wanders lost in the darkness. He concludes, "Everything goes right for everyone except me." And as he starts to cry, he is frightened by a Presence beside him. Some incredibly large creature is walking beside him in the pitch black. A Divine Eternal Presence. That Presence encourages Shasta to share his sorrows. As Shasta shares, the Divine assures the boy that He was always there, guiding Shasta through the bad. And when Shasta dares to ask about his female companion's journey, the Presence reminds him, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."

Isn't comparison the thief of joy? How many times do I work myself into a frenzy thinking about how my life could be in comparison with so-and-so. I listen to the lie that I can be all that I want to be, do all that I want to do, get whatever I want to get, and go wherever I want to go. The truth is, I can't do it all. I was never designed to do it all. I am not God!

Everyday presents me with an opportunity to do what is needed. There is nothing wrong with having dreams, goals or aspirations. Such motivate us, propel us to do amazing things. But our dreams, goals or aspirations should not define the core of who we are. They cannot be the measuring stick of our worth. We have worth because we were created by God. I must be content with this truth.

As I watch our refugee family adjust to a new culture, a new way of doing things, I am inspired by their example. It is "back to the basics" for them. They are focusing on the essentials. They are thankful for the little things. And they are embracing joy, even though it is difficult to adjust to a new life in a very different land.

For now, I've been asked to be one of the people to help this family. It seems like God has been placing me in situations this year where I have had to rely more and more on him. There was the uncertainty of substitute teaching to dealing with my Dad's health crisis to plunging myself into intense Gr. 12 Mathematics for two months to assisting refugees who don't speak my language. When will I get to rest? When will this slow down? When I can focus on leisurely pursuits?

"If you do one good deed your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one."

I smile at these words. I often tell you two children that you should not run away from some task just because it is difficult. Embrace it! Try it out! Yes, you may fail. Yes, you may be tempted to quit and focus on other easier and more manageable pursuits, things that you wish to do (like completing memory books or organizing my house). However, this difficult thing, this challenging situation is what is needed for you to lean hard on God. And just when you think that "Everything goes right for everyone except me," remember -- God, the Divine Eternal Presence, walks beside you and assists you in ways unexpected.