I’ve come straight home from one single school drop-off and one single kindy drop-off to an empty house, Lord!! And, as you know, I’ve danced around every single room revelling in the fact that I am alone. It is a joyous thing indeed. Of course, true to human nature it probably won’t be long before that aloneness turns to loneliness but for the meantime I see myself in no danger of the novelty wearing off.
I must txt Caroline a bit later and see how she got on overnight on the first night of their new lives but I figure she’ll have her hands full. The phone has yet to be activated so I pray that this would happen really soon since, of all people, Caroline needs to be in touch with others in case of an emergency. It is a profound thing for her to now be in sole charge of three children so I pray too that you would sustain her as she makes this new life a reality. Strangely, it seemed to me as though Caroline is coming into her own a bit, and rather than being daunted by the prospect (as I would most certainly be) she seems gritty and determined to make it work.
Perhaps the few weeks (almost two months!) here have allowed her to take stock, come to terms with what has happened and be ready to move on. Maybe she has discovered within herself resources she did not know existed, together with a better realisation of what it means to rely on you, Lord. Nevertheless, like many women around the world who raise children on their own, she has a difficult task ahead, and all the more so because of Christian. All I can do is pray that it would be you giving all wisdom, strength and guidance as they move forward, rather than that which comes by human effort.
No word from Claire and William. I talked with Ashley and she sounded resigned to the fact that they were never going to take news of the engagement well. Not sure what we missed at church yesterday. I had a read of Colossians 3 (which I assume Daniel would have covered) and would like to have heard what was said about it. One passage stood out to me:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
What occurred to me is that there are often times when I grumble about doing things for other people (thankless washing, ironing, cooking and tidying up spring to mind!) and it can be easy to be resentful about the more mundane side of life. It’s good to be reminded that ultimately everything we do should be about serving you, Lord, even if in the process of doing so it serves others, especially the ones we love.
Bless Caroline and the children, and Cameron and Ashley. Bless our family, Lord. Work in and through me for your glory….in your name…Amen