OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

Emmi recently discovered Oh, the Places You'll Go!, the Dr. Seuss book that my friend Jeff Scroggins read to me and gave me as a gift, at my SFA college graduation party in Nacogdoches.  

After much protesting of her nap and a little discipline today, Emmi finally crawled up into her bed.  Since I said I would read her a book, she insisted that I read her the "hat" book.  It took me a couple of guesses (and a few frustrating responses from her) to figure out she was talking about that Dr. Seuss book (I assume she thinks the front looks like a hat...she's enamored with hats.)  So, I lay down in bed beside her and began to read her the book.  She was finally calm and listening to every word...  About half way through, I glanced over and her eyes were getting heavy.  Sure enough, a couple pages later, she was asleep.  However, I just kept reading...  And, a few pages later, I found myself tearing up, while reading these words to her:

"I'm afraid that some times
You'll play lonely games too.

Games you can't win

'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,

Alone will be something 

you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance

you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road, between hither and yon,

that can scare you so much you won't want to go on."

I looked over at my beautiful daughter sleeping and had to contain myself from just completely sobbing, thinking of the sobering, inevitable truth, that yes, even she will be alone and scared at some point in her life, and may face something so hard that she "won't want to go on..."  

This realization made me remember how very important it is to train my children up "in the way they should go," by teaching them the truth and life of the God's Word.  What a huge and awesome responsibility, which, by grace, must be coupled with constant prayer.  As I thought back on some of my own very lonely and hard times, I know I would be in a very different, desperate place now, had I not eventually looked to the Author and Finisher of my Faith for His Help and Strength to lean on.  I pray the same for my daughter and for our other children, that they will come to know our Savior and lean on Him through it all.

John 16:33 (NLT) says,  "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

As hard as it is to realize my sweet children will even have many trials and sorrows, I am so very grateful that we can "take heart" and teach them to do the same, because JESUS has "overcome the world," and through Him are we overcomers, as well.

So, the next couple of pages in the book read as follows...

"But on you will go

though the weather be foul.

On you will go

though your enemies prowl.

On you will go

though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many

a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore

and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike.

And I know you'll hike far

and face up to your problems

whatever they are..."

I'm not completely sure of Dr. Seuss' frame of reference when writing these things, but I know that we are only overcomers in Christ Jesus and the victory of redemption He conquered on the cross for us.  My prayer is that our children will learn that yes, they will go on and they will face their problems and overcome, as they learn to trust the saving hand of our gentle Shepherd.

So, thank you, Jeff, for that unique and special gift, at the time.  I have used it with many little ones, especially in various public schools, during my years of doing speech therapy, and now I get to read it to my own children.  

I hope everyone will have a chance to read this very special book and message.  More importantly, I hope it points you to the ultimate source of hope and our final destination, Christ Jesus and an eternal Home in Heaven.  Interestingly enough, Oh, The Places You'll Go! was published on January 22, 1990, and was the last book published by Dr. Seuss before his death.  As did this great man, we will all pass on from this earth one day.  May you come to know the only true One who gives life and can determine "Oh, the places you'll go."

Every Blessing,

Amber