Looking For A Door

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." Revelation 3:7-8

So yesterday after my rather pathetic morning devotion, the kids and I went out and ran around and did some errands. Since I'm going to be having some extra free time on my hands in the time to come (for now) we spent some time in the fabric store looking for fabric, and by golly, if I'm not finally going to get around to teaching myself how to quilt. I've wanted to do it for so long, and yesterday I just felt that it was time to invest in the fabric I needed. Surprisingly, the kids and I had a great time going through bolts of fabric, looking for the right shades and colors and textures. They would both offer to hold different bolts together to see how they looked, and who knew that we could find such joy playing with fabric. As we looked around we were simply surrounded by yards and yards of color and texture. Each bolt had to be carefully examined by my eight-year old, and I suspect it won't be long before she actually takes interest in fabric arts of some kind. But as I gazed upon the walls of color before me I thought to myself that man may have made this fabric, but it was God who put all those colors on the earth in the first place. It was God who inspired a people to weave fabric in such a way to make that first plaid, or to dye a fabric in such a way to make a batik. By the time we left that store, fabric in hand, I was feeling much better, and so blessed by being allowed to live in a world of such wondrous color.

As we drove home later on, the kids played quietly in the backseat, and I just took a bit of time to be thinking and praying, and the verse above totally came to mind. When a door closes, it is always God's doing, and when He closes a door, it means He has another one for us to go through. That is such an exciting thought! I think about when Andy and I used to work with the high school on the musical. We so enjoyed that experience, but it came to be just too much for the family- it took far more time away from the kids than we liked, so we stopped doing it. It was so hard to make that decision! But then when we didn't have that time invested in the musical, we found we had the time and ability to do other things. We were able to do more within the church for one. We were able to sign Abigail up for dance classes, which she's been thoroughly enjoying, and we've gotten involved in her dance school and with the people there. None of that would have been possible while we were involved with the musical. When that door shut on us, the new ones that opened were so rewarding.

And so as I look at the door that has quietly been shut to us, I look ahead and wonder when that new fuzzy door is going to come into focus. For God has something for us- something exciting and new. I have found that dwelling on the newly shut door could only lead to bitterness and bad feelings on my part, so I will make the choice to not dwell. Instead, I will continue on with the other tasks before me and wait patiently for the new opportunity to show itself. It will come, of that I have no doubt. I have a God who shuts doors that no one else can shut, and can open doors that no one else can open. And when He opens a door, no one can shut it other than Him. Now that is a great comfort to think on, and it fills me with excitement and energy. I am so thankful for the verses that come to mind just when I need them the most.