Go With the Flow

In the past two weeks, our dryer quit, our bathroom sink backed up, our kitchen drain failed, and our dishwasher died. Thankfully, the person who sold us our house purchased a homeowner's warranty to cover the major expenses related to these repairs.

We have been considering whether or not we should renew this warranty. I asked the repairman who was working on our three-year-old dishwasher if it was common for such a young dishwasher to give up the ghost. He laughed and said, "Everything breaks. Even brand new stuff goes. That's what keeps me in business."

At that moment, I realized that there's no warranty big enough to protect us from the challenges that life throws at us. Appliances may break, employers may fire us, spouses may leave us, and loved ones may die unexpectedly.

King Solomon was considered to be the wisest man who ever lived. In Ecclesiastes 1:15 he wrote, "What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted." Solomon figured out that no matter how hard we try, our efforts to stop the natural course of events is meaningless.

So, if we can't alter God's plan for the future of our appliances, employment, or loved ones, how do we cope with the unexpected challenges of life?

We can do our best to prepare for emergencies, but we must realize that preparing does not mean that we can stop them from coming. God has plans that he does not reveal to us. All we can do when troubles arise is to trust that God will walk through the difficulties with us.

I'm nowhere close to achieving the kind of wisdom Solomon had, but I have learned one important lesson about unexpected events: go with the flow.

I once tried to swim the English channel, believing I could succeed as a result of my training as a swimmer. I was stroking confidently forward through the deceptively still water, but the unseen current beneath the surface was sweeping me backward. I looked over at the shore to discover that our cottage was swiftly becoming a small white dot in the distance. Thank God my friends had more sense than I did. They came alongside me in their boat and hauled me aboard. I was completely wrung out.

As a survivor of abuse and trauma, my need to control is strong. Fear of being hurt again makes most survivors of trauma hyper-vigilant over everything. Whenever I try to do something that I think is good, but it goes against God's plan; he reminds me of that English Channel experience. I have learned that it's hopeless to exert a lot of effort when my actions are in conflict with God's plans. He's a lot more powerful than I am, and swimming against his current only leaves me feeling wrung out.

Are you going with God's flow? Or has your own need for a warranty against losses blinded you to God's will? Not sure? If everything you're doing feels about as difficult as swimming the English Channel, it might be wise to drift for a while until you can once again sense God's flow for your future.

The To-Do List

It has been nearly six weeks since my auto accident, and I am slowly regaining my strength. Trying to function with wobbly legs and with my right arm in a cast has made me mindful of the importance of enjoying life to the fullest when our health allows it.

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 (MSG) tells us:

You who are young, make the most of your youth.
Relish your youthful vigor.
Follow the impulses of your heart.
If something looks good to you, pursue it.
But also know that not just anything goes;
You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.
Live footloose and fancy free –
You won't be young forever.
Youth lasts about as long as smoke.

Over the weekend, Joe and I took the canoe out onto the lake. Unable to paddle, I had plenty of time to think. The summer is nearly over, and I have only been in the canoe three times this year.

I suddenly realized as the canoe skimmed over the mirror-smooth water that I have wasted a lot of wonderful opportunities to play. I looked down at my fingers encased in my cast and regretted the countless times I had walked past my banjo and promised to play it after all of the more important tasks on my to-do list were finished. What if this happened to be the last day God blessed me with life here on earth? I realized that I felt tremendous regret for all of the times I had opted to work, work, work. Somewhere along the way, I forgot that it's important to take time out for recreation, too.

I don't think God expects us to go through life like slaves, never pausing to smell the beautiful roses that bloom outside the front door or to play a lively tune on a musical instrument. He would want us to take the time to paddle a lake, to enjoy the companionship of a friend, or to play with a small child. How many precious moments have we all missed, because we've been to busy with something else that seemed important at the time?

Tomorrow, I'm going to put something fun at the top of my list of things to do. And I'm going to sandwich in some other entertaining events along the way. Life is too short to miss out on the joy that we find in fully experiencing all that God's beautiful world has to offer.

What's on your to-do list for tomorrow?