A Time for Everything

After the odd week I have had, it isn't surprising to open my bible to Ecclesiastes 3.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
⁵ a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

     The Lord knows what he is doing and the plans he has made for me are set. I can be sure in him and nothing else. Just to make sure you are up-to-date on my life, here is what the Lord has done for me recently. The verses above ring true. The things I did last week is very different from this week, but the lord has laid both sets of plans before me.

    Three or four weeks ago my boss pulled me into her office once again and sheepishly asked me to home-school two children that had just arrived at the orphanage. These children spoke English not Spanish, so I was a nature pick for the job. The Lord had already been gearing me up to be back in the teaching role, so I cheerfully accepted the job.

    The two children I would be teaching were on vacation in Guatemala when there mother became wrapped up in illegal activity. The mother was taken to jail and the children ages 8 and 11 were found in a hotel room. As the police continue to investigate the mothers involvement with drugs, the Lord is giving me a huge opportunity to witness to these Muslim children. 

    Since I am able to communicate with these children and most of our houseparents aren't, I have been allowed to take on the role of substitute mom, their nanny, or caretaker. This has given me a lot of time to get to know these kids, and it has created a bit of stability in their lives.  

    Last Thursday when I discovered that I needed to leave Guatemala to renew my passport, this put a huge kink in the plan I thought God had placed before me.  I know that God was in control when the immigration official marked my passport incorrectly. I believe that I am supposed to be here in SC right now even though I can't see the reason. There is a time for everything, and God controls it all.