Twists and Turns

Our younger son, Chris, and his wife, Lis, renewed their wedding vows on May 29 during the wedding which should have been held last year, but COVID changed that. They were married last year in a small, intimate ceremony on her parents’ farm, and it was beautiful, but it was not the wedding of her dreams. This destination wedding was held in a beautiful setting at Brittland Manor in Chestertown, MD. And, yes, it was the wedding of Lis’s dreams since she was a little girl. Nothing could have changed her dream - not even the rainy weather!

We arrived there on Friday morning when the sun was still shining, and I was encouraged to walk around and take pictures before the rain came that afternoon. There were flowers planted everywhere - around the pool, the garden area with the beautiful fountain, and the house itself. As I stood on the back side of the house, I watched the river flowing past the estate. What a gorgeous setting!!

And the trees!! I love trees! These trees were very old and majestic surrounding the manor house and lining part of the drive. I love looking at trees and thinking of their ages and all that they have meant to others before me. As I rounded the house to a small sitting area on the side, I saw a tree which startled me. It appeared to look exactly like a 3-cross carving which I had given to Mike a year ago when he obtained his License for Pastoral Ministry. He is currently a Licensed Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church.

I circled the tree looking at the twists and turns on its branches. Yes, it was just as I remembered from the “branches” on the carving I gave Mike. This carving was made from hickory and had 3 branches stemming from the trunk of the piece of art. At the end of each branch was a small cross, which represented the Trinity to me - God, the Father; God, the Son; and God, the Holy Spirit.

When I first saw this carving in a local store (carved by a friend), I immediately knew it was to be the gift for Mike. This man had been working in the corporate world for 28 years before he answered God’s call to become a pastor. He had courses to take, papers to write, a mentor to counsel with, and a licensing board to sit in front of, giving answers to their questions. A few of us knew that God had placed a call on Mike’s life several years before, but Mike didn’t see it. However God took care of things and ensured that Mike saw the sign in 2018!

Through all of these years, Mike has walked along paths that were full of twists and turns; highs and lows; rejection letters and no hirings; and contract lengths which drew shorter and shorter. In September 2018, we both realized that after 150 applications with no in-person interviews, God had stopped the job offers and began to flash that "neon sign" to make sure that Mike “heard” the call this time. This was the right time!!

To see this tree in person brought all of these memories into focus as well as all of the reality to life. The branches were not effortlessly reaching into the air and rising up to the sky; they weren’t flawless and without notches; they were not “young-looking” as trees go or without their battle bruises. They looked like they had weathered many storms with high winds and hail as well as scorching heat with long stretches of rainless days. They looked like they had withstood painful times when God seemed to be far away. They also looked as if they knew God was close because they had provided the perfect shade for fathers to escort their daughters down the aisle to a new life. They looked like they had twisted and turned in order to survive this life and be the best tree ever, just as God intended!

What do we make of this tree and its life? It has lived a long life as witnessed by the one area from which a branch had been cut off, leaving lots of rings and evidence of years of life. Each of these trees has a story to tell if only we will listen to what God says through them.

Isn’t it interesting and humbling to finally see what God has had in store for us and how He has directed us to this point? We know about the storms of life - that they will come - but we do not know when, where or how. We know that we have to twist and turn in order to maneuver around or go through these obstacles of life, and God will help us with this. We may see the evidence of these maneuvers, leaving us with a twisted and worn body but also with the confidence and assurance that God has been with us through it all - every single day!

Therefore trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Don’t try to figure things out on your own. (Proverbs 3:5) Ask Him which direction to take; ask Him where He is leading you; humble yourself before Him and ask for the strength and confidence to follow where He is leading you!

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.

How then can anyone understand their own way?

Proverbs 20:24 (NIV)

Thanks for stopping by,

Rachel