All in a day

How much could happen in one person's life on the same day in the calendar. Turns out quite a few. And all together they can produce a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

August 1 -

12 years ago. Freckles the Wonder Dog enters the world. Our kids pick him out of the litter in mid September. This happens because in a moment of sadness after Nike the Hamster dies we tell the kids they can upgrade to a real pet. Enter the Beagle.
10 years ago - My Dad dies of cancer at 69. It is hard to believe he has been gone for a decade. Trauma, tears, sadness. Remembering how bravely he fought the cancer, how he loved my mom, and me and my 3 brothers. How he tried to show up at every sports event we were in. How he helped build a swimming pool in our hometown cause kids needed a place to swim. School board president. City Council member. Mowed the yard with his tie on, at least once. Bad golfer. Funny guy.
4 years ago - our family with our load of worldly possessions loads up the truck and moves to...Orlando. Trauma, sadness in leaving friends, hopes for God's hand to be upon us, questions of how this will all pan out. Wondering a few times if it was all a big mistake. Confidence that God has revealed His will, even though its hard.
3 years ago - our son Matt starts dating Laura at the Daytona Beach Summer Project. And now, they get married in one week. Whoa. Weren't we just getting over Nike the Hamster?
Today - Megan our daughter drives home from FSU. Tons of great stories. Awesome to have her home. She's a leader and a story teller, and a great kid.

So, what do I make of this? It reminds me that our lives consist of so many different pieces and threads, no matter what day they fall on. Our lives are filled with simple joys and powerful grief, and everything in between. And it is God's presence which is the constant in every one of these moments. He is the One who is our Refuge, or Provider, or Peace, or Strength, or just Whatever we need at the moment. He not only is there, He is handcrafting each of our days to accomplish His good purposes for us. When they make sense, and when they don't. When they are filled with celebration, or filled with pain.

"In your book all the days of my life are written; The days that you planned for me before I lived any of them." Psalm 139:16

I'm reminded of the last lines from the song "One Day More" from Les Miserables - my favorite broadway play - where everyone is imagining what the next day will hold for them,

Tomorrow we'll discover
What our God in Heaven has in store!
One more dawn
One more day
One day more.

August 1.