Inwardly I protested most forcibly to God. ‘That wasn’t what I’d prayed for when I’d asked you to fill her with faith and help her find her vocation! I meant a vocation in THIS country, near me. I didn’t mean take her so far away – permanently’.

I tried to encourage them as they prepared to take such a huge step of faith, but the anger and grief was crippling. I railed at God as they sold up and packed up all worldly goods. Their excitement and trepidation was real, all I could do was outwardly support them but at great emotional cost.

One night shortly before departure day, I was driving to church. The car was a safe space to sob and the stereo was gratifyingly loud as I tried to sing along to drown the grief with a favourite praise and worship CD. One song ended then I listened to the next track. In the middle of the song was a musical interlude with a softly spoken scripture verse I’d not noticed before. A familiar verse in John’s Gospel

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that whoever believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

In that moment I knew God was asking me a question.

‘You say you want all people to discover my love but are you prepared to love the world so much to be willing to give your only daughter, so that those who come to believe in me, through her, may have eternal life?’

That bible verse suddenly became very personal. A massive question. Could I release her to God’s care, knowing he loved her more than I ever could? Could I trust his plans and purposes? Could I allow him to strengthen me if I released her? I knew I had a choice; to resent it and feel bitter, or release her and willingly give her into his care.

The day they flew off was desperately hard. Long after that last good-bye my empty arms continued to ache in a physical remembering of the last hug. Yet I knew I had found a peace that replaced the resentment. The challenge in the car had been a turning point, ‘Yes Lord I trust you enough’. Somehow, despite the loss I began to discover a strength to carry me and bring profound peace…

A year later my daughter and son in law walked through the arrival gate at Heathrow to come home. Not for any ‘failure’ or change of mind, but because she was expecting a baby and needed UK health care because of some initial complications. Those health needs were enough to bring them back and keep them here but with no long-term implications.

A few months later I cradled my newborn grandson utterly overcome with emotion and love and in awe of God’s generosity. Something quite profound had happened; in the process of ‘letting go’ of two people we were blessed to experience three people come back, safely and for good. A wonderful example how so often  what we offer to God eventually brings spiritual and sometimes practical return, seeds sown in faith always bring a harvest!

What was really weird though – that track with John 3:16 embedded in it? I played and replayed that CD and never ever heard that reference again– it was if it was never actually on the disc…

The post Giving Away Not Giving Up first appeared on Bryony Wood.

Perusing the menu reveals a foretaste of choice; each tantalising description helping to choose my favourite, but which favourite will it be? Then that last barrier between me and chocolate heaven – a sheet of the thinnest paper, patterned and translucent to peel and reveal the delights of a whole new box of dark, beautiful chocolates to munch and savour. Grown up, decadent, decorated, discreet and very, very delicious.

Can we just take a moment to relish the moment….because this level of chocolate luxury doesn’t actually happen very often, not in my house. My chocolate ‘fixes’ are usually much simpler, a chocolate button or two filched from the pack set aside for grandchildren.  

Ok so you might not even like chocolate! Apparently some perfectly lovely and sane people in our world don’t? Moreover, there are those very unfortunate people can’t eat chocolate for really understandable dietary reasons; gosh, you do have my utmost sympathy.

But bear with me on the chocolate front for I owe the explanation;  a nod of affirmation to Mrs Gump – Forrest’s mum from the Hollywood movie ‘Forrest Gump’.  Forrest Gump’s response to life was based on his mother’s wisdom, and it is she who has cornered the market on this basic Truth, ‘ life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what’s going to happen next.’

We, like Forrest have to take things one at a time. One chocolate at a time…One day at a time. And in the process there will be those inevitable moments,  the curveballs in life when what we though was coming our way was anything but anticipated. That moment of shock when the Praline Truffle turns out to be a Strawberry Cream, or a Mocha Mouthful turns out to be a Hazelnut Whirl – which is not fine if you have a nut allergy.

Life is like a box of chocolates and we never do know what happens next. Ask anyone sitting in the A and E department of the local hospital, or the Consultant’s waiting room to receive test results; or any political journalist, on-call Firefighter or parent of an angry teenager.

So thanks to Mrs Gump’s gumption, we’re reminded that what happens today is sometimes what we plan and hoped for, but other times turns out to be  the equivalent of a mangled strawberry cream.

But isn’t that the wonder of life, not actually knowing exactly what’s next? Making the most of the moment because we can’t take tomorrow for granted? I know it is sometimes tempting to want to look ahead,  but I reckon God was right to urge us to be content with living today, allowing tomorrow to unfold naturally. Trusting that whatever happens, he’ll be with us in the joys, sorrows, frustrations. In the toffees and truffles, in the mangled  melted mess of the unexpected and unwanted.

This wondrous box of life is ours to relish, with bite sized moments of every variety, different experiences and choices to chew over one mouthful at a time, To enjoy,  to learn  and grow from, and yes even to weep over until the box of chocolates is finished. Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what happens next.

Unless you’re God and that’s OK because he’s the Master Chocolatier

The post ‘Life is Like A Box of Chocolates’ first appeared on Bryony Wood.