Mother, May I?

Do you remember playing "Mother, May I" as a kid? That's the game where you all stand in a line, and the leader gives you instructions to follow. You respond with, "Mother, may I?" The leader then tells you whether you may or may not follow through with the instructions. Stupid game. The leader totally determines who's going to win; but we enjoyed playing it anyway.

Sometimes life is rather like that. We make our plans and dream our dreams, but then reality steps in and everything's changed. It's like the leader says, "Saundra, take three giant steps forward." I respond, "Mother, may I?", only to hear, "No, you may not!" I'm left standing right where I started or, even worse, told to take two baby steps backward. Makes me wonder, are dreams even worth dreaming? Is hope worth holding onto? Is there really a "happy ever after"?

You'd better believe it! The Bible says it this way: "And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. " I Corinthians 15:19 (NLT). There's so much more to life than today. Few things are more thrilling than having a dream and seeing that dream fulfilled. But what if it isn't fulfilled just the way we've planned. Does that make the end product of less value? I believe my Father is a much more giving, caring, sharing father than the mother in "Mother, May I?". When He plants dreams and hopes in our heart, we can be sure that, even if the end outcome is different than we had visioned, it's best. You hear that? BEST!

Hubby and I crossed another little bridge in our life today. We sold our camper. Had to be done. Don isn't able to hook it up, much less set it up after we reach a campsite. We loved that camper. Loved the sweet, leisure hours we spent in it. A segment of the dream we had for our golden years died. We had hoped to be able to take the grandkids and spend time hiking and fishing and camping. Life isn't, once again, turning out the way we had planned. But life is still good. In fact, it's more than good - it's wonderful.

The past year has taught me what love is all about. It isn't about things or places or money. It's about love. It's about family. It's about making memories by spending time together. Sharing goals. I may not see my future unfold exactly as I had planned, but what's coming is going to be just what I need. What's BEST for me. I'll face things I hoped never to face, but I'll face them with confidence that I can make it. For, though I didn't choose the end of my path, I did choose the One who walks the path with me.