Following Aslan

Until I began teaching my too young first graders, I read the book "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis to my classes every year. The children were absolutely spellbound by the story. (One year, I "looped" with a class from third to fourth grade and we read the entire Chronicles of Narnia during those two wonderful years.)

Over the years, I developed a very special unit of study on this book and actually moved a small, antique wardrobe into my classroom. I cannot tell you how many times I would catch a student feeling the back of the cabinet to see if Narnia just might be back there.

If you are familiar with the story, you know that much of it is allegorical, and even the youngest students can pick out the symbolism. One of my favorite lessons was when the four  Penvensie children were told to stay out of the way when tours were being led through the Professor's house. One day, they heard a tour coming through the winding halls. It seemed every direction the children turned headed them the wrong way. Finally in desperation, they ducked into an empty room to get away from the approaching group of tourists. The room contained the wardrobe. The wardrobe contained Narnia. Let the magic begin.

I think about that in my own life so often. Times when I turn here and there, and have no idea which way to go with a decision...and find I have somehow ended up exactly where I should be. We try to plan our own ways, but so often God has a different direction in mind for us. A better direction if we will just let ourselves see His footprints on the path before us.

I close with two verses I'm meditating on today:

"Rejoice, for the steps of a righteous man are ordered by God." 

"He leads us in the paths of righteous for His name's sake."

I'm believing that every step on this rocky path is leading us exactly where we need to go.