I remember the first time I realized how lucky I am to have Kelly on my team. We were just a family of three at that time. We were flying somewhere and little E was very small. One of our flights was cancelled by the time we go to our connecting airport and we were stuck. We had a good plan. We had chosen our flights around nap time and lunch time and all the other times that are of critical importance in the life of a toddler. I was devastated to see my good plan swirling around the drain.
I told Kelly the news and I braced for her face to fall. Except it didn't. Her face lit up and she said,
"Oh good! Now we have time for frozen yogurt!"
There are so many things about life that look like unnecessary and inconvenient diversions to me at first glance. This was perhaps the first time I realized planning was not the only thing that mattered. I realized God was trying to teach me how to put my plan aside and go with the flow. I began to see that in unexpected twists and turns you can find opportunities if you know where and how to look. More and more, I find life is made of twists and turns and sometimes "diversions" are more necessary than they first appear.
This past summer, I found myself working at an office about 70 miles from my home. With no interstates close by it took me about an hour and a half to wind along the hilly country road to work. I made the trip twice a week most weeks, I did as much work from home as I could, and the rest of my week was occupied by work closer to home.
One afternoon I found my work delayed waiting on others to complete their portions before I could continue. With a 90-minute drive ahead of me I didn't love the idea of sitting around for a few more hours with nothing to do before completing my work and driving home. My colleagues and manager were very accommodating and I easily got permission to head home early and work remotely in the evening when the work was ready for me. I headed home before 3 pm.
Part of the way home, I wondered if I had made a poor choice in leaving so early. Was I being irresponsible? I had made a habit of calling my grandmother on the ride home, but this was an unusual time for the trip and I didn't get her. I filled the time praying about my day and whether I had fouled everything up.
Most of the way home, I came to the spot where I could see the beltway around the city up ahead, and I saw a fire engine crossing on the overpass above just as I approached the ramp. Selfishly, I hoped the engine was not an indication of trouble on my route. The fire truck came down the exit just as I slowed to the ramp and in the nick of time I turned up the ramp as it pulled up just behind me. On the ramp I passed several motorcycles, one turned on its side, rider laying flat on the ground. It appeared the bike had come off the beltway through a guardrail, passed through the grassy area, crossed the ramp and crashed.
It occurred to me that if I had come through only moments later I would be stuck in the traffic I could now see off to my left as I entered the beltway and continued home without delay. I had one of those moments when it seems God downloads something to my understanding just as though he were sitting next to me. I don't hear any voice or words or anything like that. It's more of a gut feeling, but if I put words to the gut feeling, it would go something like this, "I'm coordinating things around you, not only for your safety, but also for your convenience."
In the months since that time I have changed jobs, we have been in the middle of a significant transition at church, and we have watched a virus envelope the earth. In all of it, there have been so many experiences that baffle the mind with their synchrony. I am convinced, more than ever, that God is always working to bring good from the chaos.
Until next time . . .
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