On this beautiful spring evening I seized a walk. My youngest daughter over the past two days has been driving me batty with her stubbornness. A break was desperately needed for myself. After dinner I walked....alone. It was glorious!
As I started to walk my normal route I decided to change it up a little bit because of memories. I have three friends who will be moving this summer. I have been fortunate to have them as part of my neighborhood. I took another route in the hopes of not being saddened by the normal changes of life. Strangely enough the more I walked the more sad and angry I became. I know this is completely childish but my question to God was, why does everyone leave me? Throughout my life I have been "left" by others. As a child I grew up a pastor's daughter at a church for over twenty years (still attend it). People would too often leave the church. Their reasons were not substantial for me as a child but they did what they thought was best for themselves and their families.
As I continued to walk I dwelt on the negatives of life and felt sorry for no one but me. Little did I know that I would be lead to some familiar people. My father has always stated the verse "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.". Every time he would cross paths someone he knew at the store he would recite this verse and still does to this day. My steps were certainly ordered by the Lord. As I walked I prayed for guidance and help because I was upset.
About halfway through my walk I saw a woman I knew driving by in a car who waved to me. Her son attended one of the daycares that I worked at as a young adult. I was honored to teach him preschool. The mother was born and raised here in our little town. After walking a few more blocks and I saw a little girl from church who's great grandmother and grandfather attend our church faithfully to this day. She and her two little friends were so excited to take a few minutes out of their play to tell me about their day. Now reminiscing on my walk shortly after I started my walk I was waved down by a girl who rides our church bus. I have had the privilege of being her Sunday school teacher. Being a few short blocks from home I talked with my neighbor while she walked her dog. She raised her children here. I look to her as a grandma. She is close to my grandparents age and always takes time out for me and my children. Lastly meeting my other neighbor walking his dog who again was raised in this area. All neighbors I "ran into" were those who have been in our neighborhood since we moved in about eight years ago. My path crossed with two of my friends who would be moving soon. After my walk I felt so blessed and as though the Lord gave me a hug. He reminded me there are still good people here. There are people I have a bit of a history with, people who care enough to stop and talk to me even the little five year old girl. People I have helped, loved, taught and cared for. I am still sad to see my dear friends go but I look at who God has planted in my daily path and I can still be apart of their lives and them in mine. I am so thankful for all these incredible people around me. Not just my close friends but my neighbors, my community.
As I started to walk my normal route I decided to change it up a little bit because of memories. I have three friends who will be moving this summer. I have been fortunate to have them as part of my neighborhood. I took another route in the hopes of not being saddened by the normal changes of life. Strangely enough the more I walked the more sad and angry I became. I know this is completely childish but my question to God was, why does everyone leave me? Throughout my life I have been "left" by others. As a child I grew up a pastor's daughter at a church for over twenty years (still attend it). People would too often leave the church. Their reasons were not substantial for me as a child but they did what they thought was best for themselves and their families.
As I continued to walk I dwelt on the negatives of life and felt sorry for no one but me. Little did I know that I would be lead to some familiar people. My father has always stated the verse "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.". Every time he would cross paths someone he knew at the store he would recite this verse and still does to this day. My steps were certainly ordered by the Lord. As I walked I prayed for guidance and help because I was upset.
This made me sad....as I feel the same way! So glad God gave you comfort and I'll be praying for you. I will miss so many people in this community. You are blessed to call it yours. Only can pray that I feel loved as well in our new town!
ReplyDeleteI know you will Julie! Everything will work out in His time but it's still hard. Love you girl and praying for you and your new transition! Helen did give me a thought last night, I may just pray somehow sometime you move back! ;-)
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