Sunday, August 28, 2011

Uncertainty...

Today is Sunday, which is traditionally a day of renewal: the start of a new week.

Chollo cacti: Joshua Tree


Today is the last Sunday before my year with students begins in earnest.

Today, I reviewed my set of personal affirmations. In the midst of them, one stood out:

"I choose to happily embrace uncertainty. I have a God."

New beginnings are full of uncertainties. Some call these worries, concerns, possible challenges, or possible problems. I lump them together under the label of "uncertainty."

As I reviewed my affirmations, my personal beliefs and commitments, this one resonated with my current sense of being: "I choose to happily embrace uncertainty. I have a God."

Chollos: 4' to 7' full grown


The future can be faced with a sense of foreboding OR with calm assurance.

The coming year will have trials and triumphs, but mostly it will have routines, ebbs and flows. I know that, but the trials and ebbs tend to scare me. So what do I do?

I trust in God.

A line from one of my favorite hymns is "All the way, my Savior leads me. What have I to ask beside? Can I doubt his endless mercies, who through life has been my Guide? ...here, by faith, in Him I dwell. For I know WHAT ERE befall me... Jesus doeth all things well."

What can life throw at me that will find God insufficient? (Nothing.)

A fading Chollo flower


"I choose to happily embrace uncertainty. I have a God."

What is certain is that I have a God, and that He has promised, "Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you."

One of the names of God is "I am that I am." Some have paraphrased this as "I am becoming all that my people need."

This year I will be in need. There will be times when I am needy. Who will be there for me?

My Heavenly Father. God my Savior. I am that I am.

I read this morning, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Little children have a lot of confidence in their parents. They trust them. They rely upon them. They hold their parents' hand and go forward with assurance.

Today, I choose conversion!

You can look, but don't touch!


"I choose to happily embrace uncertainty. I have a God."

How about you? How will you face the uncertainties before you?

I recommend trusting God. He is faithful. He is able. He is willing to become all we need.

Yeah! (Happy Sunday!)

5 comments:

  1. What a wonderful affirmation, Don. I often meditate on "Be Still and Know That I AM"... this calms me down when my world starts feeling threatening.
    The Cacti pictures are beautiful- I had never seen Joshua Trees before, but I have heard of them. Have a wonderful autumn!

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  2. @Deedee: "Be still and know that I am..." is a great phrase to think on. We have a very big God. ;-) (These chollo cacti are in Joshua Tree National Park. The first picture in the previous post is what Joshua trees look like.) Autumn... here I come!

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  3. Hey Don! How have you been? I definitely miss reading your comments on my blogs =) and thanks for the link to flylady.com (you dont even wanna see my room =O Hope all is well on your end =)

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  4. I love the line: I choose to happily embrace uncertainty. I need to remember that wisdom during these crazy days. Thanks Don!

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  5. @It's All Good: I miss your daily photographs. They were a small window into your wacky, fun world. I hope all is well with you and yours!

    @September: Thanks for stopping by and commenting. It's now November, and I should put up a new post!

    @TK: Thanks for the e-mail. I think this post didn't get updated just so it would be here for you. Someone really likes you! ;-)

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