To say this past week has been topsy-turvy is really quite the understatement.  However, we knew there would be “these days” and we would persevere through, but oh MY goodness when you are knee-deep in the muck of it all, it is some tough stuff.  Looking forward we can have a “plan” (and you know what God thinks about our plans…) and therefore be optimistic that we are prepared; looking back we can see (often) WHY things happened the way they did or didn’t and how God used it all.  When we are looking around for a way out (or through) the mess we are in, it’s easy to lose focus, to panic and to throw those “plans” to the wind.

At this moment, we are in the “looking back” stage.  Able to see how God’s hand, His perfect timing, was indeed, PERFECT.  Each season and step He has completely prepared us, even when we begged to move on to the next step, He firmly and lovingly held us back until He was ready.   And that is maddening when you are in the middle of whatever “it” is.  It’s an exercise in TRUST and I must need a lot of practice because I have AMPLE opportunity at working on trusting His plan and not trying to interject my own opinions and efforts.  They inevitably muck it up anyway.

However, as we joyfully celebrate CE’s new job–fulltime, ONE job, (starting in 2 weeks), it’s a blessing to look back and praise His timing and once again, beg forgiveness in a lack of trust.  Again.  An amazing 3 months of summer schedule, nice and easy to re-acclimate to a family of 6 without all the time crunches of the school year and after school activities.  Flexible (though not consistent) work schedules to supplement the family dollar and to acclimate back to the work force as a “worker bee” without the stressors of timelines and important decisions.  A month of school in to gain a foothold on the school routine before adding in a new work routine, slowly adapting to changes as they come.

Patience.  Trust.  Hope in the Lord.  Excruciating in practice.  Daily effort.  Pray without ceasing.  It doesn’t always come easily.  We often must wait.  However, He does reward those who seek Him.  Maybe not in the manner we were hoping for, maybe in a path we never considered, but He always takes care of us in the manner that is best for us.