All In His Timing

Oh, what a wonderful God we have!

How great are His riches

and wisdom

and knowledge!

How impossible it is for us to understand

His decisions and His methods!

For who can know what Lord is thinking?...Romans 11:33 - 34a

Today, my son, Tim and daughter-in-law, Rachel, will sign papers on their first house. What an exciting time for them. Their home will have a yard, a laundry room, several bedrooms, and, plenty of room for their three cats - yes, THREE cats.

While this has been going on in their lives, I have been trying to find a good home for Bailey, my canine pal of three+ years. Then, he got sick with one of his pancreatitis bouts. A retired couple was contemplating taking him but I could not let them take him if he was going to have episodes that would stain their carpet. So, I prayed for wisdom and had the kids, family members, and several friends pray too. I needed wisdom. That evening, Tim texted and said that he and Rachel had been thinking/praying for a month or so, about taking Bailey. The decision would be decided when they found a house.

I was totally shocked and thoroughly excited, when he texted and said, "We will take Bailey!" Wow! I did not need to know God's plan. I was not even aware that Tim and Rachel were contemplating having him join their family. All I knew was that the Lord has been in all of the plans and arrangements about teaching in India. Only ten hours after people specifically prayed about Bailey's health and wisdom for me, my mind was set at ease about my precious pal. Why should I doubt that He would guide me when I asked? Why should I doubt His understanding of the importance of Bailey's future? Why should I doubt...

God knows best and His timing is always perfect. What a miraculous way for the Lord to show me His wisdom, His provisions, His timing. Every time He reveals His plan to me, I am amazed, excited, grateful, and blessed. What a wonderful, loving, wise God we have!

Leave All to Follow

While reading and studying Matthew 4:18 - 22, I realized how often people who love Jesus are asked to follow. Following Him can mean leaving all behind, like James and John who left their fishing boat AND their father. Or, like Simon (Peter) and Andrew, we leave our jobs and tools to follow Him.

Right now I am in the process of packing and giving Bailey to a retired couple. Emotionally, I have been doing a lot of grieving, which is part of the preparation. This really spoke to me as we don't see their process, just the result of getting up, following, and leaving behind...All four disciples left immediately, apparently without question, and followed Him. Something in the Lord's presence gave them peace and assurance that this was what they were to do. They had no reservations.

I want to go to India. I know that in this experience the Lord will draw closer to me. I am excited when I look ahead. I realize that there will be grief and a time when I will say, "What did I do?!!" But, His presence drives me to go. His peace is even in the grieving. His plan is always exciting when I obey. So, like Simon and Andrew, like James and John, I will get up, look ahead, and follow our loving, wise Lord.

Building Blocks

I am still focused on how I got to this place in life: moving to India. All of the pieces fit together so beautifully not only in my life but in the lives of those around me.

1. My daughter is studying anthropology and teaching English as a second language. She wants to go to another country to teach English. It would be perfect for her!
2. My son and his wife are thriving at school as well as in their stage of life.
3. My brother's church has many people from India in it and has a great ministry with refugees from all over the world.
4. My sister's family is growing and growing and growing...another great grandchild on the way.
5. One niece is completing college and wants to take a semester or year abroad.
6. Another niece is becoming a grandmother. Ouch! (Where do the years go?)
7. Two of my nephews have growing families with adorable children.
8. The church I attend is growing and their ministry is flourishing.

Everything is ready for me to leave - well, except packing and my home selling. God, in all of His wisdom, has everything and everyone in the right place in life, at the right time. His timing is so perfect. Even a year ago, this would not have been possible...but now, right now, it is the right time. Our lives impact so many people and yet God orchestrates them so that events are the right timing for all of us. Isn't it exciting when we are able to look back and see why we had to go through rough times...and then He shows us! What an awesome God we serve!

Ups and Downs

Life never sits still. It is always going forward no matter what we are doing. Each event builds on top of another. My goal was to read/study Matthew during Lent but I am going so slowly that it may take until July to complete it. But, it isn't a race.

Yesterday I was reading about the wisemen seeing the star and Herod's involvement. Besides the lesson of our actions impacting many, many others, there is the awesome reminder of how God is constantly active in each event in our lives. "God warned them in a dream..." so that they would not go back and tell Herod where Jesus was. I stayed focused on how much He leads us, prepares us, and protects each one of us.

Remember Joseph and his trust in God? "God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me...so I could..." Then in Romans, "we know that God causes everything to work together for the good..." And in Psalm 30, "Joy comes in the morning...turned my mourning into joyful dancing..."

Wow! In my life this has been so true! Who would have thought that with all of my mess ups and poor choices that I'd be going so far from home? Each event in my life has made me stronger, more dependent on Him, and has turned into good. God is allowing me to have this fantastic adventure and I know that He has great things in store for me. All I can say is "Thank-You for allowing me to do this!" And thank-you to all who are praying. Thank-You!

Focusing

This exciting move to India and the condition of my home (sorting and packing) can make the day to day tasks get pushed aside. Teaching is such a passion and the class I have right now is every teacher's dream class. Everyday for every student is so valuable that I need to focus before school, during school, and after school. Routines are difficult for me so keeping everything to a time schedule as far as going home is next to impossible. Yet, to be able to accomplish all that is laid out for me at school, and in my preparations for India, I must use every minute wisely...and here I am at home, sick...

Then I step back and look at every trimester when assessments are finished and report cards have been completed and I see the Lord's hand right there with me. It was as tho' time stopped, words flowed, and it all was completed on time. He has always been faithful and it will be no different now. As Paul states in Philippians 4:6 - 8: "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

Yes! Focus!!! "But Lord, I need to..." I will fix my thoughts on what is true: don't worry, pray, and tell God what I need. His peace will guard my heart and mind. Yes, now I will sleep.

The Beginning

As sixty years of age approaches, with little or nothing saved for retirement, I began listening carefully as others shared about their financial investments. Nine months ago a teacher was sharing how two friends of hers were going to teach in Europe. They were going to teach in an international school, the school would pay their rent, and the potential to save would be tremendous. I started investigating international schools and organizations.

After researching, I found an organization who checks out many of the schools. After getting a passport, writing two essays, getting written recommendations, gathering transcripts, my file was placed where international schools could access the information. My first self-test: I took a train to Wisconsin so that I could see if traveling alone would be comfortable. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

My next step was to pray about the location where I could be a benefit to people and a church in the area as well as meet the needs of a first grade class. At first I thought that I'd end up in Germany or The Netherlands because they generally think of religion as an institution rather than a relationship. But, God had a different plan. The Head of School in India contacted me. We emailed back and forth, talked on the phone, and met at a convention in San Francisco, CA.

At this point in my adventure, it is exciting, overwhelming, fantastic and full of a lot of little details. I can already see God's hand in this and that makes me curious as to what is instore.