Life ten years later...

Charity's ten year high school reunion is this weekend. It is just crazy how time flies by! Growing up, 28 seemed like so far away. I had all kinds of thoughts about where I would be and what I would be doing...None of them ever included being a Pastor, living in Northeast Kansas, or putting my thoughts on the world wide web for anyone to read. I believe when we find ourselves in these moments where life catches us off-guard and we realize that we are not where we ever thought we would be, we have a decision to make. Will we look at our path and rejoice because we are in a place that much better suits who we are; that person we didn't know ten years ago? Or will we mourn the loss of yesterday's dreams? I guess it depends on where we find ourselves. At this point in my life, I wouldn't choose to be anywhere else. I wouldn't choose a different vocation. I wouldn't choose a different family situation. It may not be where I thought I would be, but in my case, it is so much better. I am not trying to sermonize, but there is a scripture promise that I believe sums up my thoughts. Paul says (and I paraphrase here) that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has ever conceived what God has planned for us. If I had been given a map of my life ten years ago, I wouldn't have believed it. I would have tried to avoid the lows and hang onto the highs, and I would have lost this moment in time, when I can look back and say, I wouldn't change it at all.