Providence

        Some things in life just seem hard to understand or even hard to explain.  We might say that things happen or that there are coincidences that take place and we often are at a loss as to how to explain them.  In 1959, my course was set with the United States Navy and I was headed to Guided Missile School in Norman, Oklahoma.  My counselor at the recruiting office said I could go there or anywhere else I wanted almost because I knew which end of the hammer to use to drive a nail into a piece of wood.  So, I set out with that objective.  I would be changing from a music career to a career in guided missiles for the Navy.  Well, things changed.  The band marched by one day and i auditioned for the band thinking to just play in the boot camp band.  The audition was successful but the result was more than the boot camp band.  I was now headed for Washington, D.C. and the School of Music.  For some unknown reason to me, I was now headed in the opposite direction.  I have been reminded most recently of the affects of that decision.  My life would have been quite different had I gone to Norman, Oklahoma.   Proverbs 3:5-6 says, " Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." 
      At the time of my decision, I was not the person to whom could be said, he or she was following the LORD's direction.  Nevertheless, God was already working in my life just as He is or has been working in your lives.  Looking back, I can say that I did not understand God's leading nor direction so many years ago.  I was almost just "going with the flow."  Once you get into God's flow, you better just hang on because He is going to lead you in ways you didn't think possible.  I like especially the last part of the passage where God says, "...He shall direct thy paths."  He does that in a great and mighty way and the things that take place are amazing to think about.  In fact, it makes you realize that there is more to come.  He is not finished with us yet.  The pages of all of our lives are still being written and none of them are the same.  We are all different, going in different ways, having different friends, having more or less tears or laughter.  God simply reminds us to Trust Him with all of our hearts and forget about your own ideas or understanding because He is going to lead you into great and mighty things.  Praise God today for His working in your life.