I stopped at my old high school the other day. I was there to pick up some papers from one of the teachers, but I ended up stopping and chatting too. They asked me how things are going, where I'm working, how my plans are going.
While I was there a bunch of students came into the room and started to sit down, and I remembered coming in to class every day. I chiefly remembered all the things I was concerned with during my senior year there. I had to do really well in class to get really good grades, had to get a really good score on the ACT, had to look for scholarship opportunities, had to apply for colleges, had to figure out the rest of my life then and there and not do anything that could mess it up.
My plan back then was that I would go to college for four years and study something I liked, then get a job I could tolerate and wait for the Captain to notice me.
My plan before that had been to be a singer and an actress or fight pirates.
Neither of those plans worked out, thankfully. But back when I was the one sitting there in my plaid skirt, trying to figure out the rest of my life, I didn't know what was really going to happen. In 2009 I wouldn't have been able to imagine that I'd be getting married in 2012, that I'd have a full time job at a pharmacy that I (for the most part) enjoy. I couldn't have begun to guess that I'd end up right here right now. I'm right where I want to be, and right where God knew I needed to be.
With that said, I still have plans. My plans right now are to get married, continue working at the phunny pharm until the Captain finishes school, then have kids, stop working, and homeschool all the kids. God could have any number of other plans for us though. At the moment I'm concerned about a health issue that could potentially make it difficult for me to have kids, and that's only one of very many things that could change our plans.
God is still in control. He was in control when I was finishing up High School and worrying about drama. He was still in control when I was miserable at college, and when I was miserable at my last job. He was in control when He gave me the job at the Phunny Pharm, and then switching to a nicer, safer, Phunny Pharm with more hours. He's in control now when I'm worried about wedding planning and about my health.
The same goes for all the kids trying to sort out exactly what will happen the rest of their lives. You don't know what's coming. You have great plans and hopes and dreams, and there's nothing wrong with any of it. I want you to know that God has plans too, and that His are better. We aren't capable of dreaming up the great things God can do, but that doesn't mean He can't make them happen. Try not to be too upset when your plans fall through, I promise it's not the end of the world. As long as you move forward with Him, He'll get you where He wants you to be.
Although it's been a long time, I can clearly remember that my chief feelings during high school were confusion and fear. Confusion because I didn't know what I wanted to do or how to go about it if I did know, and fear because I didn't know if I had what it takes to be a success at whatever path I eventually would choose.
ReplyDeleteI was not a Christian, so I felt that everything depended on me.
Looking back over the past 35 or so years, I see that God was directing my life even before I came to Him. I see now that God is sovereign and always was. It's been so much easier for me raising kids and for my kids growing up, knowing that ultimately, God is in charge. It's an amazing comfort to know that the most powerful being in the universe loves me more than my parents do and has my best interests at heart. Truly, all will be well.