Where Will You Be A Year From Now?

I have been asking myself this question a lot lately.  Perhaps it is triggered by the approaching Memorial Day.  Perhaps it is being triggered by the Fire that Dave and I survived and endured...  Either way,  I thought I would give it a few moments of thought for the blog. 

I have to tell you,  this is not the first time I have asked this question of myself.   In fact,  When I first came to Kenosha,  I thought I was only going to be here a couple of weeks!   And after it became apparent that it would be longer,  I never thought it would be over a year.  

And now it has been well over that.   And each year, after asking  myself that question,  I discover that the answer ends up being something completely unplanned.  It all leads me to solidly cement my philosophy in that NO ONE knows the future!  

Except God. 

A phrase I used to like was :Wanna make God laugh?   Tell him your plans for the future...  It would sometimes get a chuckle at a party.   But I seriously believe it.   God has a plan for us all.   And there is probably very little you can do to change it.  It could even be that your plans actually come true!  But not exactly  the way you had envisioned it.   God is writing the story.  

And so I find myself in a house.  Dave has moved on to Canada and I now have a Cat for a roommate.  And I'm  looking for a house.  Something I never thought I would ever be doing.   Nor ever thought I COULD do!   I thought I had completely destroyed my credit history with lack of steady employment,  failed business ventures and owing  back taxes to the government from 2016-2022!   But these last three years in Kenosha,  I have somehow managed to repair  and rebuild what was damaged.   I have completely paid off the Government and I guess that makes me some kind of superhero in the eyes of lenders!  

I have also had a steady job for those years and will soon be adding another year  to the workforce under the supervision of Haribo!  Slowly accruing a bit of skill, knowledge and money along the way.  Who would have thought? 

Did I fail to mention the fire?   Oh yeah!  Ask me that question last year and I never would have thought it possible.   No clothes,  No shoes!  No furniture.   No home!  (Oh!  And No job at the time, either!) Less than a year later,  I have them all back.  With a Cat!  Who would have ever guessed?  

Except God.

I am humbled whenever I think about these events.  Not only the fire and the aftermath of that night;  But also the year prior!   When I was a High School Teacher at Shoreland!  I had never imagined that as a possibility.   Even now, it seems like it was all a Dream....

But it happened. 

And so I continue to ask the question.  But it has now become more of a thought experiment rather than a "Road Map that must be followed."   (Besides,  I can barely picture next week, let alone next year!)  Because I know that I am not completely in control.  And some of the signs are hidden until you look back and see how things played out a year later.  Then, miraculously,  they become obvious!  Hindsight is 20/20.  

I recall a line from "Under The Tuscan Sun"  where the Realtor points out to the main character that all of her wishes came true.    She has a house.   She has a Wedding.   She has a Family.   And she has a Child.   Everything she ever wanted....  Just not the way she had envisioned it.  But it allows her to begin looking at things through new eyes.   With a bit less selfishness and a bit more humility.  

So I will Trust God as he continues to write my story.   That all the struggles and uncertainty will fade away or be worth it in the end.  And while I'm on this ride,  I will continue to make every second count.  

 Where will I be a year from now?   Only God knows.