Joanne Sher: Editor/Proofreader : What Happens When You Assume

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8 NIV

I learned something a couple weeks ago about perceptions, expectations, and reality that, it seems has much wider implications than I ever would have expected.

You see, my family (me, the hubby, and my two kids) was on vacation in central Oregon with part of my "other family" (my parents, my 6'3" little brother, and my 36-year-old baby brother and his wife and kids). It was a lovely time, but I got an interesting lesson about how lakes in Oregon and lakes in Michigan are different - or at least the experience of visiting them.

View out the window when driving to Redmond, Oregon

My baby brother Artie and his wife Chrissi and their kids live in the Portland, Oregon area, so our vacation locale wasn't as foreign to them as it was to us. They live about a three-hour drive from the resort where we stayed - and they decided that we should all go to Crater Lake. I'd heard of it, but had never been. Sounded like a lovely outing.

So, we piled into a couple cars and took the two-hour-plus drive there. And my brother's family, and my family were each thinking of two completely different experiences.

You see, I didn't exactly consider that Crater Lake (like several lakes in Oregon, apparently) was...well...in a crater. And getting to the "lake part" wasn't exactly a flip-flop run, followed by a spash. No - it was a hike. One best done with good shoes.

But my kids were in sandals. Cuz when you go to the lake in Michigan, you swim. You might walk across a couple rocks, but you don't hike a mile down a trail to get to the water - and a mile back up again.

See the lake WAY down there? We hiked to it :)

So, my brother's family was prepared. Mine? Not as much.

We assumed a lake trip in Oregon would be the same as a lake trip in Michigan. And my brother's family did the same. And you know what they say about those who ASSUME, right? (I hope so, cuz I'm sure not gonna tell ya here on this family-friendly, Christian blog :P )

One of MANY rest stops

We often do the same in our spiritual lives. We assume what worked in one situation will work in another. That God will answer prayer number 427 the same way he answered prayer number four. And often, we're wrong.

And we miss the blessing. Or we struggle needlessly.