Trusting the Scene Changes, Part 2

Share Now

My daddy’s baby sister Emily and her husband Otto, who live in a Dallas suburb, invited us to visit with them after the THSC convention last weekend in Arlington. We met them for church on Sunday and stayed with them until Monday. Emily was just eighteen months old when I was born, so we grew up like friends, sisters, and aunt and niece. Here we are at my uncle’s (and her brother’s) wedding. I was four years old.

Aunt Emily, a ring bearer, and me.
Aunt Emily, a ring bearer, and me.

And here we are with my daddy on the night of our one and only little girl beauty contest — of all things. I was six years old.

Daddy with his daughter and sister.

And here we are back in March when we saw each other briefly while Ray and I were in Fort Worth for the homeschool convention there.

Ray, Me, and Emily
Ray, Me, and Emily

Sunday was a precious day worshiping together, hearing Otto’s beautiful singing voice for the first time, a Tex-Mex lunch, and much conversation. The evening was crowned with a late night supper of Otto’s amazing barbecue and Mama Sue’s delicious pecan pie that Emily threw together while we chatted about long, long ago. After supper, she and I talked at the kitchen table until she sent me to bed after midnight when I couldn’t keep my eyes open.

I am so grateful for my yesterdays, my todays, and my future. I’m thankful that my parents gave me opportunities to be with Emily. I’m thankful for the days God is giving me now to reminisce, to live in the present, and to look forward to what God has in store.

While I was writing this for you early last evening, a beautiful light beckoned to me out the window by my desk. I grabbed my camera. This was the first scene I snapped.

Misty Sunset
Misty Sunset

Then I tried to capture the rain droplets on the leaves.

Rain droplets on the leaves.
Rain droplets on the leaves.

And then I tried again. Suddenly I heard Ray calling to me. He had followed me out, but instead of going to the sunset, . . .

Rain droplets on the leaves, 2.
Rain droplets on the leaves, 2.

. . . he had looked straight ahead off the side porch and seen a very different scene.

The coming rainbow.
The coming rainbow.

A rainbow! It grew brighter and the top arch became visible.

The expanding, brightening rainbow.
The expanding, brightening rainbow.

We called Mother to join us on the porch and we saw all the distinct colors of the rainbow.

The bright, bright rainbow.
The bright, bright rainbow.

When it faded, I went back to the front yard for a few more shots of the bright sunset.

Back to the sunset.
Back to the sunset.

Scenes change slowly and scenes change quickly. Sometimes they are welcome; sometimes they are hard. God is the Director of every scene change and we can trust Him.

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:1-3 and 11-14

Share Now

2 Comments

  1. “Scenes change slowly and scenes change quickly. Sometimes they are welcome; sometimes they are hard. God is the Director of every scene change and we can trust Him.”

    Our scene is changing again. This will be the sixth change in 2 yrs. It is hard. We knew it would be when we left gave up everything in MN to go wherever God led us to minister and serve others. This week has been very difficult with trying to stand for the right thing and do the right thing in the face of intense opposition and the resulting nastiness of others. I am tired and discouraged, as are my husband and children. Last night I was ready to quit. Go back to a “normal” life of husband working and us staying in one place and not reaching out to help others again. It was amazing to open my email this morning and see this and other emails that seemed meant for me and to read on a message board and fb that others were praying for us.

    God bless you for sharing this today!

    • I am so very sorry that this is such a hard time for you, Laurie. When times are really hard and things are unfair and the people hurting us are the last people on earth who should be hurting us, it helps to remember that we are in the very best company. However, just as Jesus hurt anyway even though He knew He was right, it’s okay for you to hurt, too, but I’m so sorry for you that you are.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *