3rd September

So today I had a little walk down memory lane… via the internet of course. And found the memories of the people I knew as a schoolchild did not quite fit my expectations of the people they’ve become. It’s funny how life turns out for some, especially the more adventurous. So although I don’t know these people now, I do recognise the names of some who’ve spread their wings from a suburban council estate in Derby and gone to live across Europe and into the world. Some grew their academic capabilities at Oxbridge, one guy treks the Himalayas and some, like me, spent their entire lives living within a mile or two of their childhood home. One childhood friend was there all the way through my education and I can still remember his jokes at primary school. But it’s a little puzzling trying to understand how our rather academic grammar school education, with fairly minimal wood-working tuition, led him to become an accomplished luthier now selling locally made guitars to the likes of John Renbourn and George Harrison. He was really good at gluing together one of my broken guitars once! But my achievements are measured in a different way I suppose. It was sad though to see how many had multiple marriages with associated divorces and had given up completely on that lifestyle. For me, my marriage experience and the resultant family are where I measure success on planet earth, together with honouring and serving the Lord, as best as I can, in all that I do. There was one poor woman I knew only at primary school who married in 1973, the same year I did, and she lost her husband in 1997.  Life is difficult for so many.

But what struck me was how unpredictable most people’s lives were and I believe still are. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring our way; no matter how old we are, no matter what and where we are. All we can do is live with what we are given today and that includes pointing ourselves in a purposeful direction for tomorrow. My destiny, my future happiness if you like is not dependent upon my present tragedy. That which is to come need not be defined by that which has gone. In Christ all things are possible, but the real key to success lies in hearing the Lord and walking with him into that which he sets before us. And as we draw close to the heart of God we find that our desires, our interests and even our concerns more and more match his.

Matthew 6:33-34 ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ (NIV)