I’m usually pretty good at counting my blessings and seeing the glass as half-full. Occasionally, though, I get stuck. That’s right…stuck. And stuck is right where I am as I write this, buried under a pile of soft blankets, in comfy pajamas, ready to call it a day. I know very well that this mood will pass, but in the meantime, I’ve put myself in “time out” to get these thoughts down on paper.
Everyone has their own concerns that sometimes weigh them down. For me, it’s the fear of the unknown as the last of our children prepares to leave home for college this fall. As excited as I am for her and all that lies ahead, I truly have no idea what it will be like to not have a child at home because that has been my reality for the past twenty-six years. There were only three early years in our marriage when it was “just the two of us,” and those years seem so long ago.
Some people will say, “The best days are ahead,” and while that may be true, I have such fond memories of those baby days, the middle-of-the-night feedings when the house was completely quiet except for the baby and me, and the creak of the rocking chair. I know there will be a time someday when Steve and I can retire and create some new adventures, but right now there’s a little part of me just wishing the time hadn’t gone so quickly. And I am filled with moments of sadness and concern about whatever might come next.
In prayer, though, I am comforted by the ONE who has accompanied our family through the best and worst of times, the ONE who has never left our side. These words from Jeremiah seem to sum it up nicely:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
I hope that these words might also bring you some comfort if you have lots on your mind today. I hope you, like me, will be patient with yourself as you try to accept whatever your current situation may be. The important thing to remember about being “stuck” in whatever mood one finds oneself, is to not stay there too long. Otherwise, you may miss out on whatever plans the LORD still has in store for you or me!