the transitions of life....

 


Life is a series of transitions. I always chuckle when someone is asked, "what are your plans for the future?" They proceed to rattle off a list of things they want to do or places they want to be at in five or ten years. Although I love the fact that they have plans, plans always have a way of changing.

Five years ago, I had just met the man I would soon marry. I helped to get him into truck driver training school and he went on to secure a job with a well known overnight delivery service company. He then asked me if I wanted to join him on the open road. I agreed to be his co-driver and we assumed that this was a vocation we would have until retirement.

Life intervened.

My health took a serious nosedive. For the first time in my life, I could no longer work, and my husband now drove alone.

Last year, he too could no longer drive a truck. Truck driving takes such a huge toll on health. Many truck drivers can expect to live, on average, to age 61. This is due to the stress of not eating right, not getting enough sleep, no real exercise and so on. As much as he tried to reduce his blood pressure, for him, the thought of another winter on the road was just too much.

Life intervened yet again. It is said that God knows our plans before we do. I have often begged Him to maybe let ME see into that glass ball for myself, so that I would KNOW just what was comin' round the bend. However, it is always the day to day living that I am left with, and maybe that is a good thing. I tend to be such a worrier. I am sure that if I had foreseen those incidents that took our livelihood away, I would have balked at it. I would have grumbled, complained and eventually tuned God out. Instead, as these incidents occurred, I panicked, yes, but then I pulled up my bootstraps a little higher and said, "OK, Lord, me and you, let's do this!" After the initial mumbles and grumbles, of course! Hey, I AM human, ya know and like you, I do get fearful when I just don't know what's up ahead of a bad situation.

Throughout my life, God has not let me down. I have seen some pretty serious stuff. God has been beside me all the way, much like an earthly friend who, when you both go hiking and you reach a thorny stretch, holds out their hand towards you and pulls you through the brambles. Yes, God is like that also!

I have learned that it is OK, in fact, it is VERY OK, to have a five or ten year plan. Just be prepared for plans to change. Be flexible. Be it for good or for bad, always realize also that God is at your side. He is holding out His hand and guiding you through the brambles of life. When you step out on the other side, you will see just how wonderful the view is!