No Idea What's Ahead (redux)

The Holy Family. I'm talking about none other than the Virgin named Mary, Joseph her husband and the Child called Christ. And I guess the fourth important lesson the Holy Family affords us (the first lesson in A 'God' Thing, the second lesson in Marriage Made in Heaven and the third lesson in The Least Likely Place) is this: We have no idea what's ahead, but as long as we have the Lord, we're gonna make it.

My grandfather died ~ it will be 15 years ago this December 25th. Yes, that's right. It was on a Christmas day in 1995 that "Gramps" died. And I had no idea the twists and turns my life and my wife, Kim's, life would take since then.

And just like the holy family of old, Joseph and Mary (by the way, "Gramps" real name was Joe and his wife, my grandmother "Dodd's" name was really Mary, too - isn't that something?) - and just like the holy family of old, Joseph and Mary (and Jesus, too!) from that first day around the manger, they had no idea what was coming. Right? And they would have all these visit them - the shepherds and then the Wisemen two or so years later. Certainly there were joyous moments.

But then there was also how they'd have to escape to Egypt in the dead of night. Can you just see Mary trying to gather up enough diapers with Joseph saying, "We gotta go. We gotta go now," since a king was after their son's throat? "Whatta ya mean? Why would Herod care about our little boy?" Because the devil knew who Jesus was. That's why Herod wanted to kill Him.

And then there were all the other times throughout those years. And Joseph would die. And then Mary was a single parent. Did you ever think about that? Jesus was raised in a single parent home for a time. But then all the way up and until - there Jesus is hanging on a cross. Who would have thought all these things would happen? I thought Christians would never have bad things happen to them.

But just like Joseph and Mary and Jesus, here Kim and I, with our three kids, are - now it's 15 years later. And the holy family went through all that. And we've gone through all we've gone through. And you're sitting where ever you are reading this post right now having gone through many ups and downs yourself in this same time period as us. And can you agree with me? God's been faithful through it all and sustained us (and you!) just like He did the holy family long ago. And though we've had to deal with both good times and bad, God's still been faithful. And I'm convinced we're the better for what we've experienced and will be from this day forward whatever lies ahead.

And Joseph and Mary and Jesus have made it already. And Kim and I (and you, too!) the last 15 years have passed and here we are still by God's grace. And He'll see us through even further from this day forward and all the way up to the other side. (Philippians 1:6)