Life is fascinating. It doesn’t always seem to turn out the way you expected. My dad and I went camping every summer. I can remember the preparation checklist for camping…tent, lantern, sleeping bags, food, and fishing gear. One summer, we checked all the boxes preparing for our trip…except one…excessive rain. It rained so much, that water floated almost everything we brought out the entrance of our tent. It was relentless. After a couple of days, we gathered our water-logged gear and found a lodge for the night. It certainly didn’t turn out the way we anticipated. But something else happened. The unanticipated weather etched a memory into our brain that we often looked back to with fondness…yes fondness. Why? Because the routine of summer camping was replaced with a totally new memory. It became part of my story. I would say something like, “You’re not going to believe what happened during our camping trip.” You get the idea. It was a moment to laugh together.
It reminds me that in most things, life doesn’t turn out the way you planned or dreamed. But it doesn’t mean that all is lost. In fact, it could be a way to bring texture and interest to your story. I’ve done tons of weddings and rarely do they unfold as anticipated. But I tell the couples, if something goes wrong, don’t worry. It will be remembered fondly. They will one day find themselves saying, “Guess what happened during our wedding!”
So, your lesson and my lesson are simple. When a situation doesn’t turn out as you wanted, all is not lost. Your story is still being written and I believe with the right attitude, you just might be able to look back and say with fondness, “Guess what happened to me.” It just might be a great encouragement to someone else facing an “unanticipated monsoon” flooding their life.
1 Chronicles 16:34 “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”