I’ve sat here for quite a little while trying to figure out how to begin this post. All I have to do is share about being surprised by the unexpected in my life.
Yeah. Let me narrow that down to one thing for you.
Um. not going to happen.
Every time I thought I knew where my life was going, every time I had a plan …
somehow, someway, I ended up shaking my head and saying, “How did I end up here?”
I came to marriage with certain expectations and hopes for the happily ever after … and now my one word defintion for marriage is “work” — and I know that’s a good thing.
I became a mom and set the maternal bar to “perfection” — silly, silly me — and then I realized it was more about love and forgiveness. And guess who taught me that truth? My children.
And my relationship with God? Where do I start? Wanting to do something — everything I could — so that God would like me, approve me, love me … and realizing that I don’t have to do anything … anything at all except believe who he is, what he says about himself and what he says about me.
Yeah. I wasn’t expecting that.
In Your Words: How has life surprised you? When have you expected one thing and found something else — and that turned out to be a very good thing?
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Comments 7
In a way, I was lucky – nothing in my background made me expect the standard-issue American suburban life. I was carrying an .45 Automatic at the age of twelve (don’t ask why,please), and not a lot of years later was inured to sudden violent death.
I suppose my surprise then was my own survival.
It still is, really. I don’t know why I’m still here, some days, beyond the necessity to fulfill the duties that God, fate, and choice have assigned.
This is one of those days. Bleeding badly, no medical insurance, and only field-expedient IVs as a last resort for hypovolemic shock…yeah, I’m surprised at this life.
But so might have been the Apostles, when they looked back from their final minutes to the days they were cheerful, profane fishermen.
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I always appreciate your honesty, although I can’t tell you the number of times I think, “Wow, Andrew, what’s the complete story?” — and then you usually write “Don’t ask.”
And today I am thankful I know how to pray for you.
And I am.
Beth, today I need the prayers,more than ever. The weekend was hell. Not to put to fine a face on it – but to be accurate. I’m lucky to be here. I nearly strangled on my own blood.
God, this is scary.
Oh that last one? The one on God? I struggle with that a lot lately. Wanting so hard for him to approve of me, for me to be perfect for him. Funny, this morning in my quiet time he whopped me upside the head with what he thinks of that and it sounded a lot like what you bolded up there in green:) Sometimes I just need the reminder for this old, reformed perfectionist…well, mostly reformed:)
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Hang with me, Susan, the “Accidental Pharisee,” and we’ll remind each other it’s not about us being perfect — never, ever about us being perfect. It’s about wrapping ourselves in his grace and accepting his perfection as our own.
Beth, beautiful. I think you touched on all mine. All I would add is from the famous quote, it’s not all about me. And that’s a very good thing. 🙂