Written: June 22, 2016
God brings about things we could never have planned, if we tried. Today, a good friend and I finally got together for lunch. As we talked, I was able to ask her questions that perhaps others would not be able to answer, for she was a widow as well, though her children were younger when her husband passed.
We both had tears as memories and a common loss were shared. As I talked about the struggles in seeing the time continue to go by, she suddenly realized that it was eight years to the day of her own husband’s death. Why would the Lord bring us together on such a day, but to help us both? To allow each to encourage the other?
It was a bittersweet time for me, and I returned to work a bit down. We both saw life cut short so suddenly, everything changed for us and our children. Another friend, recently hospitalized is experiencing the sudden change of circumstances. What holds us up but our faith in Christ and the hope that He provides. Faith and hope doesn’t mean that our life circumstances will always be rosy, but it does mean that we have access to the strength that keeps us from falling when our world collapses around us.
As a reminder of God’s watch care on even a day such as today, a small arrangement of beautiful flowers was delivered to the library in mid afternoon. My brother and sister-in-law could not have known that I needed such a pick-me-up on that day, but God did. Isn’t He amazing? Good day, bad day — I’ll choose good and thank the Lord.
Grace and Peace