This past weekend, we made a whirlwind trip to Searcy to watch Christine graduate. Not quite so easy. That also meant a moving her "stuff" from the third floor of the on campus apartment. Friday afternoon, moms and dads (and what appeared to be grandparents) were climbing up and down stairs carrying small microwaves, boxes of shoes, and arm loads of clothes. During all of this, some parent decided to grill burgers for his family. (Probably his child lived on the first floor!). The grill was located in the courtyard in the middle of the apartment complex. So–much of this moving took place while the aroma of burgers seeped under the doors of every apartment and lingered for hours.
Meanwhile, the cars and SUV’s belonging to parents, sat in the parking lot and slowly began to shrink in size (no doubt a part of a mass conspiracy). Yes, that is right. Shrink! The more stuff we brought downstairs, the smaller these vehicles got. That is, with the exception of the U-Haul trailers. A few of those sat in the parking lot, with their rear doors open and a little ramp leading up. These U-Hauls sat there in all of their arrogance, smugly announcing to all that there was no space problem at all! In fact, these trailers probably expanded in size throughout the afternoon, as they waited to haul their four years of stuff.
Finally, it was time to leave. We drove out of the parking lot just as we drove in four years ago–beginning a new chapter of life.
Whether I am beginning a new chapter or a new day, I want to remember that life does not totally depend on me. So often, I come to a place in my day (and sometimes in my life in general) where I don’t know what to do. (Does this sound familiar?)
- I don’t have to know what to do in life at any given moment.
- I don’t have to know with certainty what I am supposed to do with my life as I enter or end a given chapter.
- I don’t have to live in anxiety, fretting about each day.
Instead, I am learning to find daily strength and real confidence in God’s personal presence.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song (Ps. 28:7)
Life is not about me being a "strong Christian" but trusting in the one who will be my shepherd and carry me through life.
The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever (Ps. 28:8-9).
Whether you are leaving a university parking lot, or your driveway this morning, God’s presence is constant.
*****
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Jim, thanks for your comments on my blog. My dad, also David Underwood, taught many years at IBC and you may remember him.
I hope your daughter had a good experience here at Harding! That is wonderful that it sounds like she met her future husband here.
So many of us have done that! 🙂
God bless you and your family, brother!
In HIM,
DU
Beautiful family! I know you are so proud of their accomplishments.
You write about “trust” … letting go of our life and trusting God to care for us is probably one of the things I resist the most. Good reminder…difficult instruction.