Plans, hope and a future

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I'm a planning person. I WAS a planning person! Then I was surprised. We didn't plan for Asa, he was a surprise to everyone but God! Then once I got settled into the thought of this "surprise", the surprise came with surprises!! That is when it become harder to plan!!

In the early, really tough days (mostly the nights!) I tried to plan and reason why Asa was suffering. What could I do about it? How could we fix it? There sure weren't baby books on any of the stuff we were going through, we had no plan! Even the plans we would make would go sour. That made the plans even worse!

So one day God gave me this verse of scripture! It has become my life verse! I have no idea what the plan is now but someone better does! God has a plan for Asa, for me, for our family! It sure isn't the one we thought we were on but it is a plan of more than I could ever ask for or imagine!!

So, I was delighted when our pastor started preaching from these verses this morning! Cause, you know, I got this verse figured out, right!! I could get an A++ if we had a test after the service! Well, turns out there is more to this verse and guess what, it fits into my life even better now!!

This verse was given to the prophet Jeremiah, by God, for the exiled people of Israel. You see, they had been taken to a foreign land, against their will. They were in a strange and unfamiliar land. In Jer. 29:4-7, God tells the people to "settle down" in this new land, to continue to "marry" and "increase in numbers" (which is basically "go on with life"), to "seek peace" and "prosperity of the city to which I have carried you". The end of verse 7 says "because if it (the city) prospers, you too will prosper"!

Wow, that spoke to me! My mind jumped right to the poem "Welcome to Holland". I wasn't given a choice to be in this land of special needs parenting. And I resisted at first. I prayed that I'd wake up in the morning and it would all be a bad dream. I prayed the supplements would amazingly "cure" Asa's tone and one day he'd just start to sit up and crawl and walk. I eagerly went to appts and sought out the experts and advice, just knowing we'd find a magic combo that got us out of Holland and on the first flight to Italy! Then one night, I decided maybe God knew what He was doing when He put us in Holland. Maybe Holland isn't so bad if we just used the guidebook God gave us. You see, it applies to Holland or Italy or any other country!

And while I didn't throw out the regular handbook and I still flip through my Italy tour guide occasionally, I have come to love Holland! And you remember the part about prospering the city you are in.....there are some amazing families that make Holland rock! You might look at a special needs family and feel pity but let me tell you, I know some awesome families who would pity a "normal" family! By sharing info and tips and ideas, not to mention the amazing support and love, we make the special needs community prosper. Not whither away in some corner. Just look at Morgan's Wonderland....talk about prosper! Maybe Walt and Co. should look out!!

I love it when I get a familiar passage of scripture and learn something new. Something relevant for me, for now! There is a ton more stuff I could say about this scripture. I could go on about how the Israelites were banished and suffered to be molded for a better, higher purpose. I could go on to talk about how the struggles and trials of life only make us rely on God more and better us for His kingdom. I could mention that many suffer more than we do and God cares and sees their pain and needs, and He has a plan for them too.

But it is just enough to rest in the idea that I don't have to make the plans anymore. That part is taken care of, all I have to do is follow the map! And at the end is prosperity, hope and a future! That is enough for me tonight.