The Clipboard of Destiny

 About five years ago, when our children started swimming and we started putting them in competitive meets, I got my husband this clipboard so that he could print out the meet sheets and we could keep track of their events. It is old and dog-eared.  It has fallen into the pool a time or two.  But it faithfully goes with us to every swim meet, every time. It has kept us organized and on track.  It holds record of successes and disappointments.  And somehow it got named "the clipboard of destiny". 

We have always believed our children are destined for greatness - God told us so Himself.  Romans 8:28-30 says "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

It is already written that our children are predestined, called, justified and glorified. This holds true whether they swim or if they sink like anchors; whether they go to the Olympics or go to a junior college; whether they run a country or run a Dairy Queen.  They are called. Justified. And glorified. Tonight I watched Rea sit by her little brother and coach him on how he can improve and shave seconds off his time at their swim meet tomorrow.  She got out the clipboard of destiny and showed him where he had already improved from swim meet to swim meet.  She encouraged him, edified him, and challenged him.

 She showed him how to position his legs and his feet in the water to maximize his kick.  She shared with him what had helped to make her successful and what would help him.  She said, "But you have to practice it.  It doesn't do any good to just know it."   Oh, what wise words from my little one.  We know our destiny, but it is not enough to know it.  We must act on it and practice it.  Faith must have an expression of action in order to be evidenced.  Our greatness will never be realized if we do not practice what we know.  Lord, continue to do your work in my children, whom you have called according to YOUR purpose!