What now and What's next

After a somewhat normal night's sleep and having had a little time to reflect on our weekend, some things begin to come clearer and some still cause those feelings of frustration, disappointment, and even anger. It all seems like it was a dream, that I will wake up tomorrow and we will load up for the trip. But, I know that is not the case.

We begin today to put the events of the weekend in perspective, to squeeze every possible drop of positive out of them we can. To make sure that the we are able to learn all we possibly can from every encounter. To be able to see value gained even from the negative things we experienced.

We also begin today to watch and listen for God's purposes in what appears to us as a failed attempt. Some evidence may become obvious as events occur and things play out. Still so many other things that we may never know this side of heaven that our miniscuel appearance in God's grand scheme of things was intended to affect.

It's a bit like a scene I watched on the flight home from the Benjamin Button movie. You know, the one where he is born old, and gets youger as time passes. There was a scene in the movie that was read from his journal, in which he describes the unbelievable string of events and circumstances that came together that led to his marriage. He states how so many of these events that were so seemingly unrelated to one another, had become intertwined to produce this outcome in his life. He states how that if even one of these things had not occurred in exactly the proper time, the results would have been completely different. I think that is how we must see this entire ordeal.

We sometime lose sight of the fact that God is at work in every life at all times, not just ours. His infinite purpose for me could be being played out half way around the world involving people I may never meet. We could be playing the same role right now for countless others.

As I mentioned last time, we must do all that we are instructed and compelled to do while always trusting that God will orchestrate the circumstances to fullfil His plan.

But what an experience for our young men! Certainly I can see all the benefits to have been gained if we had stayed. But, we didn't. It is now time to make certain we not fail to focus on those opportunities to grow and learn while lamenting the things we may have missed.

Thanks again to all who have prayed for us. We are safely home with an experience we will never forget. And, chances are great that it has been for the purpose of preparing us for what is ahead in our lives individually, as a team, or on a larger scale, as believers in a world now firmly positioned against the ways of God.

Talk to you tomorrow.

God bless and Go Tigers!!