What Kind of Year Are You Having? Changes or Staying the Course?

What Kind of Year Are You Having? Have their been changes or are you staying the course?

There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” ~ opening line of Chapter 3 of Zora Neale Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God.

A childhood friend of mine (from my childhood MN days) had that quote in one of her recent blog posts. She went on to state that “Beautifully, beautifully, this has been a year with many answers”. I think that is so reflectively splendid.

That quote and her response really gave me pause. You see, this year (at least so far) has asked questions and answered them. The questions answered included whether or not I should even continue to tutor this year.  As it turns out, demand has skyrocketed, and in areas where demand had been small in the past.

My motivation to rediscover myself behind years of accumulated detours and dead ends continues. But the year and circumstances do continue to ask me questions.  I have resurrected a part of myself that I hid away after a lot of pain. I don’t need to hide anymore. Nope. I really don’t.

I can enjoy health, healthy eating, exercise, returning to the person I was—fit both internally and externally. The girl that was filled with Tigger-like joy and never thought of hiding herself.

Have the people that caused the pain changed? Nope. They haven’t, but I have :-). You see, when the Big Bad Wolf bangs mightily on your door, he counts on your terror so that he can overpower you. He can only devour you if you are on the ground trembling, or running and falling.

BUT if you throw open the door, and blow right back at him, he loses his power. AND even if he does NOT lose his power, guess what? You don’t face the battle alone.  

What will I do with this leg of my journey? In a sense, for many years, I have been spontaneously reacting to circumstances; been reactive rather than proactive, and have been formulating strategy on the fly for years. Perhaps that is because I get so busy putting out fires and trying to maintain tasks. Maybe the fires happen when I don’t plan better. That is my quandary at times. Do you wonder about that too? I let my heart and soul journey to my beloved shore when I feel that way. Is there a place you take your heart to reflect and ponder? God helps me make that journey to my shore.

All the strategic planning I did in my corporate life, before leaving that behind to raise my son is still in my blood. I like and liked making a plan, setting a strategy, and tweaking it along the way. In reality I have been a lifelong strategic planner. But you see, God is really the guide. It is HIS plan and journey I seek these days, not mine. His plans and His ways are far more marvelous and authentic than any strategy I could dream up on my own. Indeed, He sets my feet on high places long before I sense danger. He calls to me on the high paths and canyons. He calls me to waters to refresh, to sunrises and sunsets and starry nights to inspire me. He calls me to the valleys to see the forests.

He is the one who brings me students, and when I have been overwhelmed for far too long, He brings me a session cancellation or two so that I take the breather He wants me to take.

This week, one of my (and His) precious students that wants to take the ASVAB (armed services entrance test) will take the test on Friday. Earlier this week I asked for prayers for Duncan, and I continue to ask for prayers.

There are other students that need prayers—but for now, for this week, focus on Duncan prayers.

Anyway, I hope that as we march through November that this year has given you questions that inspire, and answers that reassure, comfort, relieve, or remind you of the Best Friend of All. He has given me many answers and a lot of gentle prodding this year.

He has blessed me with friendships through this blog that lead me to Him…and give me joy, support, peace, beauty, inspiration, laughter…..You see, even when I am lonely in the midst of my busy days, knowing that out there in the grand blog-o-sphere I have friends, supporters, people who inspire me and have my back….well it surely is a blessing with a capital BLESS.

What kind of year am I having, despite challenges and stress? Splendid and blessed. I hope that the blessings in your life have been nearly countless. Sometimes what starts out seeming NOT like a blessing ends UP being a blessing!

So which is it for you this year (so far)? Changes or staying the course? A year that asks questions or a year that answers questions?