Seeing the timing of the Lord

The first Wednesday of the year we got back from a much-needed vacation, and headed right into disaster. That afternoon the chicken barn flooded—a inch of standing water in two of the coops. Yuck. Wet-vac and squeegee and shoveling. On Thursday my 99-year-old father in-law complained of symptoms that could lead to blindness. Urgent care, emergency room, ophthalmologist appointment. On Friday my husband came down with the I’m-exhausted, lungs-congested, fever-and-coughing, flu. Friday midnight the cow got loose and my sick husband and I had to chase her down and get her back into her pen by the light of the cold moon.

And I am so grateful.

These events demonstrated to me, yet again, that God is in the details of our lives—of MY life. He knew the chicken coop would flood (bad plumbing and ignorant chickens), but He allowed it to happen while we were home, not when one of our precious helpers were caring for the hens. Yes, it was mucky and no fun—but I’m so glad I could do it, and not hear about it long distance by panicked friends. The day we got home we also had a long talk with my sister-in-law who knew all of my father-in-law’s medical history. She wrote it all out and gave us names and prescription lists. And wouldn’t you know, the next day we had the medical emergency. But, since we knew the answers to the important questions, my father-in-law got the medical care he needed in a timely fashion. A huge blessing. Had the symptoms showed any earlier it could have been a literally blinding calamity.

And my husband’s illness? Not fun, but if he needed to become ill, actually now is an okay time—not next week when we have to get ready for new flooring to go in (moving furniture and appliances and other heavy work). He’s already getting better and will be able to work by then. Finally, our annoyingly lovely bovine: she often jumps her pen when she is in heat, as our kind neighbors can attest. Friday night, my husband’s illness kept him from sleeping. As he tried to rest, he felt prompted to do something about the cow. Getting up to check on her, he heard her bellow; she was already out! I was roused, the cow followed her grain bucket back home and we locked her in the barn in just minutes. Miraculous. That heavenly reminder helped us solve the problem quickly, spending only minutes in the nighttime chill.

The timing for each of these events was ideal. Yes, the events weren’t great, but to have them come when they did was a series of unmistakable blessings.

These blessings from the Good Shepherd I see in my friend’s lives, too. The visit with a loved one just before an untimely death. The protecting hand on slippery roads. The piece of information that presents itself at a critical moment. He is in the details. He knows what is happening, and stills the waters as he leads us beside them.

I am confident that there are many many blessings that I don’t see yet, but He prepares the way nonetheless. Sometimes I have the moment of clarity and I see His hand clearly. Most of the time, though, I have to act on faith, and choose to see. See the blessing in the escaped cow, or the medical emergency.

A friend recently reminded me of a truth, told in the Book of Mormon: “For it must needs be that there is an opposition in all things.” I used to think that this meant that whatever good things I had in my life, I was to expect adversity. But my friend pointed out that it works the other way, too: whenever there is something difficult in our lives, we should expect to find good in it as well—because there is always the other side.

The silver lining, the little miracles, the tender mercies, they all refer to the goodness that surrounds us even when your spouse is ill or the car got wrecked or we get snowed in. Seeing God’s timing allows us to appreciate the good that accompanies challenges. And it always does.

I know there will be days when it will be very hard to find the bright side. Life is meant to be a time for growth, and sometimes growth is painful. Finding Him, feeling Him in those dark moments may take searching, may take faith. But be assured, He is there, longing to restore your soul.

As one dear friend assured me today, “We worship a God of miracles. We have a loving Father who pays attention in our lives. And, I get to know that.”

Kristin Fry has been a happy resident of this community for over twenty years. She is also happy to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.