Remembering, musing, wishing, evaluating decisions, reviewing financial plans, decluttering closets, home repairs, goal setting, are only some of the activities on this last day of the year.
As I look back on this last year, I marvel at how God orchestrated it. How did I get so blessed to be able to move back to Michigan to be near my aging parents, help with my mother’s declining condition, and renew past friendships?
The same question repeats as we gather with friends living in Indiana over break. What are you doing next year? Where will Corey attend school? Where will you teach? The same questions are ones we also ask, but it comes down to the same answer: trust.
While listening to Rick Warren’s podcast, “Daily Hope” I am reminded of an important truth: trust in God’s timing. It’s perfect.
However, it’s definitely not easy. My mind wants to head a different path and it’s dangerous. It’s the “What if” path I always remind students to avoid when discussing various emergency scenarios. “What if the fire drill goes off during a tornado?” is their favorite. I tend to do the same thing. What if my father passes away when we move back to Indiana and I am not able to attend to his needs? What if my father passes away while I am completing the upcoming long-term substitute assignment? What if my father gets the flu during the winter months? What if we need to move him once again to another health care facility since Royal Park only offers assisted living? I know I could list more, an indication of my tendency to worry about God’s plan.
Lyrics of Steven Curtis Chapman’s song force the worry out and I remember. I remember God’s faithfulness this past year: the celebration of my mother’s life and how my father grasped my hand in triumph during the song “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. I recall the moments of praising God for the rich spiritual legacy my parents instilled in our family, the reminders of my mother saying, “Just pray about it” when faced with uncertainties, and the joy of eternal hope. Despite the moments of sadness this past year, I remember the joy and know that this journey will continue as the master conductor leads and shows us the way.
A Journey Worth Remembering 