THAT'S WHY

"Out of the Mist"
courtesy of Helen R Reed 

For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord,

"they are plans of good and not of disaster,

to give you a future and hope."  

Jeremiah 29:11

That scripture is very comforting; to think that I'm special and He, who is so great, plans ahead just for me!  That's so awesomely wonderful...now why would I ever be surprised at what He does?  Shouldn't but have been on numerous occasions...slow learner?  I'd say so! 

It has taken me much longer than it should've to come out of the fog...but then, time is irrelevant to my Father...I'm the one who dragged my feet.  Why?  Why so long?

I had no clue about what I really wanted for my life; no apparent dreams...just me, always in a fog.

Admittedly, until I married M, I was afraid...of any and everything!  He must've had unseen gifts that he added to my water!  But wait a minute...didn't I have four babies lickity-split; that took a bit of courage, didn't it?  Okay, I see you smiling!  Just call me 'Wonder Woman'.

And...didn't M and I mutually decide to leave our comfort zone to 'Be All that we could be' as in being a military family?  That took a bit of courage, didn't it?  Just call me 'Army Wife'.   Well, after all BeAll is our name!  Way to go!

And...didn't I fly to Ethiopia and back...alone!  Yikes, what was I thinking?  I was thinking how lonesome it was after undergoing two emergency surgeries sans my loving partner and how happy we were to spend six weeks together.  Makes going it alone less painful.  ('Specially nice to have in-laws to come stay w/our 4 boys).  Just call me 'Lonesome Dove'.

And...didn't we move to the Holy Land (actually the nickname for the area of Wisconsin where we lived) for five years and stay seven...okay, left another comfort zone (in more ways than one...brr...cold) and stayed seven!  Just call me 'Cheesehead'!

Strange...since my father was in the oil business we moved constantly; Michael never moved 'til out of high school.  We married and what???  He switched and wanted to move; hmm...I must've unwittingly put some of 'my gifts' into his water...turn about is fair play, right?  Yes 'tis!

And...well...that's enough about being in a fog...bumbling around all over...in and out of a wide variety of  'my life'.  Why?  Why such a variety?

All because...God had a plan...for me, for us...like a beautiful tapestry...woven w/His threads of purposeful love!  From the beginning while I walked in the fog!

M's military career took us around the world; we learned to adapt to other cultures, other worlds...clear understanding of what following Jesus is about...part of 'the plan'.

His '2nd career' as Director of a special school/hospital brought a clearer understanding of compassion...another important part of what following Jesus is about...part of 'the plan'. 

M's retirement came with an awesome blessing...he, who enlisted in the National Guard (so he could stay out late one night per week at ACU...okay, the military might not approve of that as a reason for enlisting) rose through the ranks to retire a Colonel.  That enables us even more to empty ourselves for Him...part of 'the plan'.

The two of us could've done things differently...some would say 'you should've'...but it was and remains our choice.  God doesn't use a cookie cutter...and that's good.  We aren't all the same! 

'Father, I am so very thankful...so in awe of your blessings!  You have always been very patient with me while I walked through the misty fog'...why?

Why?  Because He knows me...He believes in me...He loves me!

That's Why!

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord,

"they are plans of good and not of disaster,

to give you a future and hope."

From my heart...to yours!