Changing Course (8/19/2023)

I’d spoken with him a few times when I had gone to the station for items I needed in a hurry because it was on my way home. He’s always friendly and chipper. Yesterday I stopped for the ATM because it was on my side of town, and I needed some cash. He was standing by the ashtray outside the front door, having one last cigarette before he went in for his shift. We struck up a conversation.

I mentioned how precious his granddaughter was. I’d met her on a trip the previous week. She was in the store with his wife. They’d stopped for an item or two also. He shared that he’d been blessed. His life hadn’t been that good early on. He described his family of origin as dysfunctional, and I could tell that it had been difficult as much by his expression as by his words. Then he told me about meeting his wife and wanting to change the course of his life. He shared that it wasn’t easy, but thankfully he’d had a wonderful woman to help him. And he shared his pride in having two sons and two beautiful granddaughters.

As I drove home, I thought of our conversation and that we all struggle. Life is like that. But his resolve in changing course is what really stuck with me. He knew he needed to change course, he worked at it and was blessed with the loving presence of another who was just as motivated to make things as good as possible. We can change course in our lives if we are motivated. It helps to have another to walk with us as we do. Above all, the help of our loving LORD in our efforts to grow as loving people can make all things possible.

I thought of our modern world and the daily news. There is so much in our world that needs to change; I would say we’ve lost our way as a society. I prayed to the LORD that we’d come to realize that we can change things and that we’d work together to bring about that change with the help of the Spirit to guide us.

Last night, as I recalled my day, I thanked the LORD for my conversation with the gentleman at the station. He’d reminded me that all of us have crosses to bear and most are not visible. I prayed for the vision to see those crosses and a heart that cared. And I prayed to the LORD for resolve to change those things in my life that need to change to bring me closer to the daughter I was created to be and the grace to persevere. And last of all, I thanked the LORD for the blessing of companions on the journey, those individuals who walk with us even through the most difficult of times.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.