Friday, December 4, 2009

Dearest God,

I have had such a hard time figuring out where to put things. The basement has been a disaster for months. The furnace room (aka camping room) is so cluttered. Every time I think about working downstairs I feel a bit overwhelmed. Where do I put things? I frequently ask myself.

This morning when I walked down the steps to get something from the basement my eyes fell on the outdoor furniture, camping tents, canning supplies, and paint cans. Suddenly, I leaned over and picked up a patio chair. I carried it to the corner. Within 30 minutes I had opened the pathway into the furnace room. I had put away the canning supplies, reorganized the camping stuff, changed the furnace filter, stacked the boxes of jars, removed old paint cans and emptied the trash. Wow! I was like a whirlwind. It was so easy.

Another life lesson I have learned in recent months is this: When life gets hard and the pieces of your life seem lost and in disarray, hold steady, pray hard, listen attentively, trust God, be willing to adapt and eventually the pieces will find their way back home. They will look different; they will be different. But still there will be a place for everything. There will be a lot of adjustment and you have to prepare yourself for change.

I just couldn't tackle all the stuff downstairs (I have a lot more); I was too overwhelmed. Yet, as pieces of my personal life began to come together more and more as I trusted you more and more, the easier it was to step forward, to take the challenge to make the changes. As I happily worked downstairs, I realized the ease with which I did the work was amazingly connected to trusting you to lead me in life changes.

Nothing is
easy and simple
during active
life changes.
I have learned
this truth
from you.
As I
leaned in
and listened,
as I trusted
and followed,
being obedient
to the call
to change,
I have found
my way.
I have been entering
new places
for the
last several years.
The unfamiliar visitation
frightened me.
I lost
my way.
I lost
my rudder.
I felt adrift,
simply floating
on stormy waters
completely dependent
upon whichever direction
the wind blew.
What I discovered
this morning
is the wind
is settling down;
the sun
is shining
on my sea.
In the distance
I see
the shore.

Loving you for amazing grace, Andrea