The day that I waited to arrive for six
months has come and gone. The tears are dried and it's time for transition and
reflection. Backpacks, duffel bags and various military items are strewn
throughout my dining room. There are piles of laundry, dirty dishes, wadded up
blankets, and giant steel toed boots left in toe-stubbing locations. The bed covers
are stirred and tossed every which way. Meals must now be planned for two instead
of one. The object of my affection sits for hours playing an incomprehensible
game on the computer. My perspective on these things has changed 180° in six
months.Clothes strewn throughout the dining room… He's home! Steel toed boots left for me to stub my toe… He's home! Bed covers turned and tossed are preceded by the slow, steady breathing of him sleeping beside me at night. Meal-planning for two means I have someone to share a meal with. He's home!
Is it only when our lives are emptied that we are surprised by how truly full our lives were?1
Being without my husband for six months has allowed me to realize just how truly blessed I am. Philippians 4:19 states, "my God shall supply all my needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus". In each of the 180 days that my husband was gone, the Lord supplied my every need.
God extends his grace toward us through people. 2
I was surrounded by the loving kindness of people. I was cared for by friends and family who opened their homes to me, fed me, drove me places, took me to dinner, entertained me, gave me incredible gifts, bought me groceries, did my laundry, cleaned my house and made me laugh! And this provision was not limited to people that I knew. When I took a trip to Utah, I was amazed at how God provided for me through the strangers I encountered along the way. The Southwest ticket agents and gate agents were especially kind. Even the TSA agent was friendly and kind. When Cindy Evans sat down next to me on the plane just before the door closed, I thought, "great, no chance that I could have an empty seat next to me". Cindy turned out to be an angel of mercy. She was so friendly and kind and helped me with little things that I would have struggled with. At every turn, in every situation, God showed himself to be a Provider. It took my husband's absence for six months for me to realize how much I am blessed! Sometimes those blessings come in the most ordinary ways or through the most ordinary things. Step back and view your world through the eyes of our Provider. You can't help but be blessed!
1 Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, (Zondervan, 2010) 170.
2 Ed Dobson, Seeing through the Fog,(David C Cook, 2012), 133
