A Week of Planned and Unplanned Events

Enjoying my first ever Slurpee

Well, winter has abruptly ended here on the prairies of Canada.  

A little over a week ago we were still having what I would call end-of-winter temperatures, but now it seems that here in Manitoba, mother nature is skipping spring and going straight into summer. 

I am not complaining about the warmth, although it does seem funny to have to get up extra early to run in order to avoid the heat, when a little over a month ago I was still debating whether or not to run because of the cold.  

First summer hot dog roast

This week has been quite a week.  Just when Phil and I thought life would be a little more “normal” with less travel, time to catch up on routine work-related items, time to connect with local friends and maybe even a summer barbeque with the extended family, it seems that God had other plans.

Poverty, Praise, and Pie Fundraiser:

The singer, pie bakers!

Tammy put her laptop (which is basically her office this year) aside and spent 2 days with a great team of women from our Steinbach church baking pies to raise awareness and funds for OSWW (Open Schools World Wide).  It was so much fun, working along side of others, listening to their life stories, and singing while we worked. I also became an expert in “pie fluting”, as my job was to put the finishing touch on the 200 pies by fluting the edges.  The fundraiser enabled us to raise over $7000 for the education of marginalized children in southern Africa!

Made over 200 pies..

Just whistle while you work..

Unexpected hospital visit!

We had just returned from the Pie fundraiser, and Michael (who is with us for the summer) told us his stomach didn’t feel so good. Well, a couple of hours later he was in so much pain that we had to rush him to the hospital, where he was operated for acute appendicitis and a hernia...which they found in the process.  This was definitely not part of his plan, but he is so thankful that it happened while he was at home and not at college, or in a couple weeks when he is planning to be in Brazil leading a soccer camp with street kids.  He just came home today, still quite sore, but glad to be out of the hospital.

I could go on and tell you about other unexpected events, news items, jumping in and helping others, decisions to make, and burdens of others which we carry in our hearts.  They are all part of our lives. 

Today as I take a minute to reflect on this week a verse from the Psalms comes to mind. Psalms 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails” - I am humbled and comforted by this reminder today.

Humbled, because it reminds me of my rightful place - not as the center of a plan, but as a part of a bigger one. Comforted, because I don’t have to know and understand it all.  I can trust, hope, and accept that a God who loves me and those I love has a higher purpose than what I can see.  I can therefore let go, and let Him.

Construction

There is a ton of construction going on where we live. 

Manitobans say there are 2 seasons here: winter and construction. So driving back from the hospital with Michael today meant I couldn’t take the road I normally do. This alternate route forced me to slow down, take a new road, take a little more time, work on my sense of direction (which is really challenged), and avoid getting tar on the car. Yes… some minor inconveniences, but the bigger picture is that in a week or so we get to enjoy a nice new road, with no pot holes and cracks caused by the long prairie winter.