Great Unexpectations
Something Cherie wrote sparked a thought in my mind this morning. I've previously written about expectations. But something I don't always write about is the unexpected. Sometimes the unexpected can be bad. It can also be good, or great. And oftentimes, the unexpected bad can lead to unexpected greatness. So, I wanted to write about that today.
The last three years have been full of things I didn't quite expect. Of course, every year before these three were also filled with such things. At one time, I thought about writing a memoir. Not so much for the benefit of the reader as for me. I felt it would bring healing. One of the number one unexpected things this year was that my healing wouldn't come from writing. It came from surrender. To the average person, surrender and submitting to a higher authority would seem bad. But my surrendering my full heart to God has brought about the healing I had hoped for. So, I'll not be writing a memoir after all...hehehe
Before I continue, I will say that I may still write about my past. Just not in a non-fiction narrative about my life. Some of my stories would make great material to draw from for fictional story telling. I don't quite know what it would look like in this moment. But it is certainly something for me to consider. The project I started last week can be an outlet for such a thing. The first story I wrote about was inspired by true events. None of the details are the same, of course.
As I've mentioned before, one of the biggest unexpected bad things that happened to me this year was my old company's decision to outsource my work and to sell off a large portion of other business areas. That was announced in January. I had big plans for the year. One of those plans was to move. Another was to spend my birthday at Disneyland Resort. The announcement, although not one that caused me worry, pushed me to cancel all of my plans for the year and reevaluate what is most important to me for the moment. DLR wasn't a major life decision. But moving was. With the uncertainty of my job, I didn't want to rush into other life events like moving...LOL
My faith told me at the time that I was grateful for God being my provider. That was my immediate response, actually. I thanked God for being my provider and for giving me peace about the unknown. I had to continually pray for guidance throughout the process of the job's changes. But I felt blessed through that process. It was that process that led me to begin a daily devotional. And now I've been doing that in fellowship with Cherie most of the year. We are about 9 months in to it now...hehehe An unexpected bad situation turned into something unexpectedly great.
As far as the DLR trip I had planned in March being canceled, that unexpected bad also turned into greatness. Had I gone in March, Cherie would most likely not have been able to join me. Eventually, we made plans for our November Disney Day and that occurred less than two weeks ago. I may have tried to still make plans with her in November, but by canceling my March plans, my first visit to the Happiest Place on Earth included a day with her...hehehe
I also believe my July trip to California would have been impacted by all of this. Had I gone in March, plus moved in May, I'd likely not have gone to California in July. A lot of unexpected things happened on that trip as well. One of my favorite unexpected blessings was hiking up the side of that mountain. That had more meaning for me than my runDisney race last year. You see, the race was something I intentionally prepared for. Hiking up the side of a mountain was not...LOL
Back to the November DLR visit. Cherie had some unexpected bad circumstances in her travels to get to Anaheim. But those circumstances led to us both experiencing some wonderfully unexpected things. For me, I now have several more people I pray for on a regular basis and I had a few personal encounters that would not have happened had her circumstance not occurred. I'm being a little vague here on purpose, of course. This is a public journal, after all. But her and I both know what I'm talking about...hehehe
The timing for my transition from the old company to the new one came at a really bad time...LOL I had already planned my July trip to California. Just before that trip, I got word that my transition would happen at the same exact time as that trip. That meant my already approved time off would get canceled with the old company and I wouldn't have have the time off available with the new one. I spoke with my boss about it, and he gave me the time off without having it go against me or my available time off once it was earned with the new company. Basically what I'm saying is that I got three free days off fully paid. On top of that, my canceled time off with the old company was cashed out upon my termination. So I was double paid for those three days! Unexpected bad situation turned unexpectedly great...hehehe
I lost count of how many friends I have lost this year...LOL Some of those friends I'm still in touch with. But we are drifting apart quickly. One of the relationships, though, seems beyond repair at the moment. I've been reaching out and I'm seemingly getting the cold shoulder. It's possible something is going on in their life that is keeping them from being my friend. So, I'll keep praying for them. As bad as these unexpected friendship barriers feel, it has brought me so much closer to God. I even recall my last day in California on my July trip was full of prayer and meditation on the subject of relationships with other people. He was preparing me for what was about to happen. As a result of the bad, something great came from it. And when five of my friends here at my apartment complex all moved away unexpectedly this month, I was at peace ❤️
I left my church at the end of June. I can't say that was completely unexpected. But it did lead to some unexpected goodness...hehehe I had my reasons for leaving. But the process God has been taking me through since July has produced unexpected healing. At first, I honestly thought I might not attend physical church again. At least regularly. I felt virtual church was going to be a part of my forseeable future. Then seemingly out of nowhere, the church I left in June was opening a satellite location just up the street from me...LOL At first, I felt like it was a test and not a sign...hehehe But it became an unexpected blessing. I attended the service there just a few days ago for the first time in just over four months. I loved it and I'm looking forward to regular attendance there now. Plus I feel like it will help me get involved more since it is in my local community. The main location is a bit far for me to stay connected to a community.
All of these things happened this year. I started this off by mentioning these past three years. I'll not go into the previous two years because I feel like I've made my point. However, there was one unexpected blessing I thought I'd mention that began nearly three years ago. I met Cherie. I had just come out of my third horrible divorce. I was definitely not looking for romance. And I'm still not yet. What I hoped for was a friend who was a girl who was not my "girlfriend"...as Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory would put it...LOL I highly value women and the roles they have in life. I wanted to be close with a woman without the complexities of a romantic relationship. As she would put it, I just wanted a true friend and not romance. God blessed me with that. I have other girl friends in my life now. I love them all. But there is something extra special about her that I cherish. Thank you, Cherie, for being the unexpected companion on this journey that I truly needed. You have witnessed my growth first hand and been by my side through the unexpected bad that turned into unexpected great. I praise God for you ❤️
I feel as though I'm experiencing what Paul wrote to the Romans:
Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
With God's goodness, is anything really ever that bad?