We all know that life is full of lessons. We also know that when we are learning something new we are not experts at it, yet. There is a learning curve. Somehow as we grew up the expectation to be perfect, on the first or second time of a new skill, a new experience or a new situation, was placed on us. Although we can encourage a child that falls off his bike to try again and keep practicing, we have a hard time giving ourselves the same encouragement. On a side note: I never liked the phrase “practice makes perfect”. It makes us better, but never perfect. What a huge weight and pressure to carry. OK, end of soap box moment.

Lessons can be things we picked up along the way that are informative and helpful:
* don’t touch a hot stove
* don’t wake a sleeping baby (I only did that ONE time. ONE time and never again no matter how uncomfortable they looked)
* don’t have the person who prays loooong prayers, pray for dinner when you’re really hungry (thinking of you, mom)
* learning to blow a bubble with your gum and how to tie your shoe is hard and even harder to explain .. oh and snap
* plan to leave early in case you get lost when you are driving (me! I do that a.lot.)
* some people are not a great help when others are vomiting (me again!)
* math can be hard (no matter how much your mom explains it)
* every stage with kids is challenging, but having adult kids ~ whew!
* you learn what you love, what brings joy and renews you (I love books and movies and laughing and dancing)
* trying new things doesn’t always work out how you think (I love plants and flowers but Deano is better at keeping them alive)

Lessons can be things we learned through hard times:
* God is ALWAYS faithful … it just might take a minute to see it through the chaos of life
* you actually are good at something you had no idea about (like me teaching 3 year olds pre-school)
* you are adaptable and flexible
* you can create a meal with what is in your fridge and pantry (top chef status)
* you hate Church politics
* you rely on chocolate to make the day better
* you love and fight for your family
* saying good-bye is hard
* forgiveness is hard
* God is trustworthy, even when you have no idea what the next step is or why something is happening

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,
who have been called with a purpose.” Romans 8:28

This verse is popular and recited often in times of trouble and uncertainty. We hold onto the promise that God is in control, has a plan and not freaked out by the circumstances. But whose idea of “good” is it?

A lot of times my idea of good seems to be vastly different from God’s.

There have so many things in my life that I would have said, “That is definitely not good!”
* having my mom die unexpectedly
* being diagnosed with MS and Lupus
* walking through Dean’s sister and dad dying
* saying good-bye to my daughter and her family as we left them in Maine

These examples and many more things in my life were times of grieving and mourning. Sometimes a literal death and sometimes a death of a dream, an expectation, a hope…

And yet in all of it, there is God. He is right there.

An interesting thought Paul shares with us at the end of Romans 8:29 “… to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…

Maybe God’s definition of good is making us more like His Son. Maybe all these lessons we learn, all these things we go through ~ good, bad, happy, sad, hard, easy ~ they are all working in us the character and likeness of Jesus. Maybe they are leading us to a deeper understanding of God ~ of His goodness and faithfulness, so we can have a greater trust in Him.

It is up to us though, if those things make us more like Jesus or bitter, resentful, jealous, angry…

You would think, with everything we’ve been through, I would be an expert on trusting God and not questioning the circumstances and situations that happen. Oh, I’m a thousand times better and quicker to get there, but I still reel at things going on and it takes a minute or hundred to find my sea-legs.

I am never happier than when all my kids are together. I’ve always said that I want them to go out and do amazing things, but I want to be there when they do it. It seems reasonable to me.

Life isn’t like that. I had to leave and learn about God and life, so do they. The lessons they will learn will help them know their God in a real and tangible way, just like I did. I just wish I could be there.

Wherever you find yourself today, may you know that God is faithful and He does have a plan!!

Have an amazing day!!
All My Love ~
Jodi xo

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No matter what we are walking through and the lessons we need learn, we are never alone.
God is always there!!