Providence

Did you ever just shake your head
after something that seemed out of
place in your life suddenly came to
seem useful or purposeful?

Often times God's Providential
working in our lives looks,
on the surface, to be cruel or
disorderly.

It never is!

That perception comes from our
finite minds only grasping at
what we can see and understand.

Often times the Providence of God
is enjoyable and obvious. But
very often it is better viewed through
the rear view mirror.

There are many examples of this.
One that I was reminded of this morning
as I was working on the Thanksgiving Program was
this. It is the story of "Squanto". That is
our name for him, his full name was Tisquantum.

This man was an Indian on the East Coast
of what we now call America. He, through
no fault of his own is reported to have been
captured and taken to Europe three times to
serve as a slave. It was there that he learned
our language. Somehow he made his way back to
his native land.

It was in time to be one of the people getting
credit for helping the "Pilgims" survive.
Teaching them how to fish and hunt. To grow their
needed crops in this strange land.

To all of us, his time in slavery seems harsh and
cruel...definitely horrible!
But in time of need and in order to establish
this Country his knowledge and experience were vital.

I see God's hand of Providence in bringing
Squanto front and center.

In my own life I have experienced God's Providence in a
way I did not enjoy...

When we found out we were expecting our first born we were
so excited.
Just thrilled.
Soon after Warren got a new job...in a new city.
We had to move.
We put our little home up for sale and moved in with
family...Warren's Grandmother.

This was rough...but we were sure things would go quickly and
we would be in our new home in plenty of time for the birth of
this child.

Things did not go smoothly.

Warren's Grandmother and I did not live well together.

I was hormonal.
Warren was conflicted.

Warren's parents invited us to move in with them.

We made the change.

Months went by and our home did not sell.
Thanksgiving, Christmas...no house to decorate...
just boxes where all the beauty should have been.

Finally we came to March. The anticipated time
of Baby's arrival. I was devastated. I wanted so
much to be bringing my baby home to a perfect nursery
and all of those things.

It was not to be.

Jonathan was born with a tragic birth defect and nearly
did not live. After major surgery and a miraculously quick
healing time we brought Jonathan back to my in-laws home.

Where I can see God's hand in all of this?

The new job...we were now living in a city with a NICU...the new insurance covered everything, the old would not have....

Staying with family...Every day for the two weeks Jonathan was in the hospital I left in the morning and stayed with him all day...the house never got dirty...the meals were always prepared...Georgia took me back and forth. Georgia is an RN and was a comfort to me after Jonathan came home. Knowing that she would help me watch for complications was great!

As Jonathan healed our home sold. We moved into a great place when he was about 3 or 4 months old.

That period in our lives was tough!!!

But, if I knew then what I know now...I would not have
fought it so hard.

God knew what I did not know.

He acted on the knowledge He had. Not on my whining and
complaining.

I am so thankful!

The Providence of God is a very, very good thing!

It was good for the Pilgrims and it is good for us today!
Watch for God's working in your life.
You'll be blessed!

Becky K.