Tables that Turn

 

 

A few very wonderful things happened today.

1. My fabulous big sister Charly passed her probation at work so she's now not only a Giraffe Keeper at Chester Zoo- she's a Giraffe Keeper at Chester Zoo with increased job security. It's such a wonderful thing for her and she's been working so hard to get it. I can tell she's been working hard because she's lost a ridiculous amount of weight through all the physicalities of shifting Giraffe mess. Hey, it's her dream job, not mine! Anyway, tonight I imagine that she's both looking and feeling like a million dollars pound stirling!
2. I talked to Monique. I guess it's not exactly a reason for a song and a dance but having a quick chat with ones best friend who lives in Denmark is a pretty smile-worthy thing. 
3. I took part in the medical school interviews. I can't really say much about it as obviously I could potentially leak information to candidates but it was nice to be on the other side of it all and very insightful to be the interviewer instead of the interviewee. The tables really have turned- at least this once!
4. Our wonderful wedding photographer sent through 3 pictures to whet my appetite for the rest of them, with a promise that they will be with me shortly. I couldn't really get more excited.

"Thing" 1 and "Thing" 3 of the wonderful things that happened today really got me thinking about how tables turn in our lives. I suppose "Thing" 4 and 2 did, as well, for different reasons.

As we discussed in our Young Women's lesson this week (taught by Sarah), there is a time for everything and we are responsible for how we use that time. Isn't that just amazing? There is a time given for us to struggle; and a time for us to get success; and it's so easy to complain sometimes when we're in one of those down moments.

I love my big sister because she's always teaching me things inadvertantly (she's not pushy enough to try and force my stubborn mind to learn in obvious ways) and today's lesson was one of faith. She really struggled with work for a little while for reasons that she could easily have complained about and blamed other people for (and perhaps rightly so) but instead she picked herself up and got on with finding some other route. Along the way she found a whole new world, really, and a nicer one at that. She's been blessed for the diligent and constant effort she's put in. I wish I was more like that!

I saw an older gentleman today who was struggling across a road and it just hit me how fleeting our lives are and how rapidly we transform from youth into that older gentleman or lady. Life isn't a race BUT we have to enjoy every second BECAUSE it goes so quickly. There's no time for complaints or grumblings- not even in Ecclesiastes!

Minor hurts can be let go of so quickly and while major ones can shape the way we think and feel more long term, at least we can control whether we let the petty things shape us. The tables turn in our favour and then they turn again. Life is a marvel.

I'm glad that sometimes the Lord loves me enough to hurt me- he really is the gardener.