His Plans are Good
The storm that we sailed through as we left Liverpool for the turbulent Irish Sea, reduced us to pasty faces, churning stomachs and weak knees. When we absolutely had to get up, the floor seemed to move away with every step we took and we clutched wildly at the railings along the walls. But within 24 hours it abated and we began to enjoy bracing walks up on deck, the salt spray on our cheeks and the wind in our hair.
A we walked hand in hand, thinking of the new land that we were sailing towards, and the life that was as yet completely unknown, with the drone of the ship's engines in the background, Paul turned to me and said tentatively, "I expect you'll be wanting to work, when we get to Canada. I mean, you'll want to have some independance."
I said, "Oh...I was thinking how nice it would be to be dependant." (Have mercy on me. I was just a 19 year old newlywed.)
If you could have seen one of those little thought bubbles over each of our heads they would probably have been very funny. Paul's would probably have shown him with the weight of the world on his shoulders and a ball and chain on his ankle--all the responsibility was on him. Mine would have shown my dream bubble of cozy wedded domesticity bursting.
Back in those days, couples launched into marriage with little or no preparation. Now pre-marital counseling is de rigeur and partners are helped to talk about important issues ahead of time, which is a very good thing. We were on our own, making startling discoveries about each other after marriage.
I had graduated 3 years earlier at 16, from Bridley Moor Secondary Modern School , with 5 GCE O levels and 3 CSE's.
In spite of my English teacher encouraging me towards journalism, and my art teacher towards teaching art, I planned to go to Holland, at least for a year or two. In order to do this, I needed to save some money.
And so between leaving school and getting married, I did the last thing I had imagined myself doing. I worked in an accounting office, processing pays for a fleet of rugged transport drivers. From that job I acquired an empathy with and sensitivity to, all of the stressed out payroll staff that I have worked with since. I also married my bosses son, which distracted me from going to Holland, and diverted me, like a metal ball in a pinball machine, to the shores of another country altogether.
I did feel a sense of inferiority later on, due to the fact that I never did pursue a formal post secondary education, but looking back, I don't know where it would have fit into my life. While I appreciate the reasons for, and value of earning a degree, I came to terms with my lack of one and realized that God looked after my education in other less conventional, but very effective ways.
I am grateful for God's guidance of my life and the innate ability he gave me to simply trust him. I could never have planned a life as wonderful as mine has been to this point.
I did indeed find a job once we settled into our apartment in Aurora....stay tuned for that story next week.
Psalm 143:8 (Amplified Bible)
8 Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.
A we walked hand in hand, thinking of the new land that we were sailing towards, and the life that was as yet completely unknown, with the drone of the ship's engines in the background, Paul turned to me and said tentatively, "I expect you'll be wanting to work, when we get to Canada. I mean, you'll want to have some independance."
I said, "Oh...I was thinking how nice it would be to be dependant." (Have mercy on me. I was just a 19 year old newlywed.)
If you could have seen one of those little thought bubbles over each of our heads they would probably have been very funny. Paul's would probably have shown him with the weight of the world on his shoulders and a ball and chain on his ankle--all the responsibility was on him. Mine would have shown my dream bubble of cozy wedded domesticity bursting.
Back in those days, couples launched into marriage with little or no preparation. Now pre-marital counseling is de rigeur and partners are helped to talk about important issues ahead of time, which is a very good thing. We were on our own, making startling discoveries about each other after marriage.
I had graduated 3 years earlier at 16, from Bridley Moor Secondary Modern School , with 5 GCE O levels and 3 CSE's.
In spite of my English teacher encouraging me towards journalism, and my art teacher towards teaching art, I planned to go to Holland, at least for a year or two. In order to do this, I needed to save some money.
And so between leaving school and getting married, I did the last thing I had imagined myself doing. I worked in an accounting office, processing pays for a fleet of rugged transport drivers. From that job I acquired an empathy with and sensitivity to, all of the stressed out payroll staff that I have worked with since. I also married my bosses son, which distracted me from going to Holland, and diverted me, like a metal ball in a pinball machine, to the shores of another country altogether.
I did feel a sense of inferiority later on, due to the fact that I never did pursue a formal post secondary education, but looking back, I don't know where it would have fit into my life. While I appreciate the reasons for, and value of earning a degree, I came to terms with my lack of one and realized that God looked after my education in other less conventional, but very effective ways.
I am grateful for God's guidance of my life and the innate ability he gave me to simply trust him. I could never have planned a life as wonderful as mine has been to this point.
I did indeed find a job once we settled into our apartment in Aurora....stay tuned for that story next week.
Psalm 143:8 (Amplified Bible)
8 Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You do I lean and in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.
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