Sometimes Life Goes In A Different Direction

I had the privilege of visiting my daughter in Southern California as it was my gift to her for her birthday. That is the only thing she asked of me for this birthday — her 36th one. As the result of spending time down south with her and her family, I was able to see friends and other family members. One of my greatest joys was to be able to spend some one on one time with my two grandchildren who are 11 and 13 now. They stayed with me for two nights in my hotel room. They also attended church with me on Sunday and Harvest Christian Fellowship. The overall visit was amazing, although when I got home, my poor old body had to recuperate from sore muscles as we were constantly moving and in traveling, I had to lift my heavy luggage across airports.

As I was visiting, I had made it a priority to not neglect my devotional time and Bible studies. In doing so, I was reminded how sometimes God takes us into different areas in our lives for His purpose. I have to share that organically and without prompting, I was provided several opportunities to be a witness to Him. My grandson went into the hotel room drawer and found a King James Version Gideon Bible. He wanted to know what that book was about, so I told him it had all kinds of stories in it about Jesus and why we exist. I took him to John 3:16 — The Life Verse and had him read it, but he didn’t stop with that verse he read through four chapters beyond on that. I saw that my granddaughter was listening as he read. After I explained to him what some of the chapters he was reading meant, he said he would like to read to me the next day and he did. My granddaughter told me that it was hard for her to understand the Gideon Bible and what her brother was reading, so I then took my New International Version bible that was given to me from Harvest Christian Fellowship years ago and read her some excerpts from it. She said that she totally understood what I was reading. I asked them both if they had Bibles, they told me no, so I asked them if they would like me to buy them each a Bible that would be age appropriate for them and in the version they liked. They both said yes. My youngest grandson said he wanted the King James Version, but I knew that would probably at some point become complex for him and I wanted him to enjoy reading so I ended up getting him the NKJV Boys Coded Bible and I got my granddaughter the Ultimate Girl Bible NIV. I showed them both to them so they could have input as to which bible they wanted me to buy for them. I also ordered tabs and ended up putting the tabs on both their bibles to make it easier for them to find the Books. After my granddaughter received her Bible, she informed me that she liked the stories that she read in the Bible. So now they have their tools and I’ll just let the Holy Spirit do His work. They really enjoyed going to church with me as well. I ended up getting them a t-shirt and a sweatshirt so they could remember when we visited that church together. My sister’s family accommodated me with transportation to church for all of us. In reflecting about the number of years I lived in Southwest Riverside, I could kick myself that I hadn’t attended Harvest more often than I did. Now I totally appreciate what I don’t have now.

During this weekend I was also reflecting on all the times I had to move as a child and even now into adulthood. When I would get settled in one place, then it would be time to move again. With my moves, now I can see why and how God put me where He did. It’s easy for us to criticize how the Israelites disobeyed and wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, but I was reminded that in my own life of disobedience, I’ve wandered for way longer than 40 years. It took retirement and another broken relationship to finally settle in and work on my relationship with God.

I also got to share a Christ centered conversation with my cousin that brought her back to the peace she knows exists through Christ and she was able to straighten her crown and get anchored back to what she knows to be true about how God loves her and that she is walking in the path God intended for her to walk.

One more event that occurred while I was visiting is my daughter had always wanted to have a tattoo experience with me. So we went and had some small tattoos done together. Hers is a butterfly next to flowers and mine is an open ended heart with a cross inside. My represents Love and a Divine Sacrifice. Which in turn invoked a conversation again about my belief in Jesus and attending church. My daughter grew up attending church all through her childhood and event as a young adult. However, life experiences have changed why she doesn’t attend church and I assured her that God would probably pull her back into the church one day and at that point she will be ready to set aside her reasoning for not wanting to attend currently. I emphasized the importance of going to church was for God and not for who was attending along with her. I told her how important it was for family to have a Christian foundation. I told her that as her mother the reason why I share my faith with her is that there is nothing I’ll be able to take with me from this earth when I go to heaven, but what I share with my children and their belief system to get then to heaven will be the only thing I can take with me. So I reminded her until my last breath, I’ll be reminding her of my faith and her upbringing and love for Jesus — not only her’s but all my children and anyone I meet who is wanting to learn about it.

So my post today is to emphasize that sometimes life goes in a different direction and it is because it’s where God will use you according to His plan and purpose.