WHAT IF
I never know from one day to the next what I am going to talk about on this blog. Most of the time I just ramble on and it really doesn’t matter. However, for the Sunday’s post, I want to put more thought and effort into making an inspiring or thought-provoking post. The problem is, I am not always inspired and I can’t think of anything to talk about.
What I try to do is pay attention throughout the week and see if the Lord is guiding me in a direction. If something keeps coming to mind or if I keep hearing something over and over, then I perk up my ears.
Rodan and Fields new marketing campaign is “What If.” I was seeing this everywhere, when I went to Columbia, SC and all over Facebook. But I didn’t really pay attention to this until Wednesday.
Most of you know that I lost my Grandmother this week and I was traveling to go back to my hometown for the funeral. Services for the family was to start at 4:00 p.m. and I had a 5-hour drive in front of me. I decided to take a shortcut to save a little time. This shortcut is a two lane road and it is approximately 30 minutes long. I was almost to the end of the road when I met a couple of cars and the last one blinked it’s light at me. I thought surely there wasn’t a policeman on the road ahead but I slowed down and started paying attention to what was ahead. After about 1/2 mile I found the problem. A semi-truck had overturned on the road and had both lanes blocked. A creek ran along one side of the road and the mountainside was on the other. There was no way to get around the wreck. A worker came up to the window and explained that it would be a while till everything was cleared, most likely it would take 2 hours. I was aggravated beyond belief because I now had to turn around and go all the way back to where I had started. My shortcut to save 15 minutes had now cost me almost an hour.
On the drive back I said a prayer for the driver and then started to think “what if.” What if I had been 15 minutes earlier? Would I have been involved in the accident? What if I had never taken the shortcut? Would things have still been the same for me down the road?
Every day we make decisions. What are we going to have for breakfast, what are we going to wear, what do we watch on television. Most of these decisions are minor and seemingly meaningless. Some decisions might make an impact on your life that changes your life forever.
Mine and Joe’s anniversary is Monday, and we will have been married for 30 years. We are not from the same area, so our meeting came because of a lot of what if’s. What if Joe had decided to go to another college? What if I hadn’t moved into the apartment in the same complex? What if we had both listened to other people when they told us to run? Would we have still met each other?
I think about this subject often. Here is a story about a person who was fussing with the Lord.
Me (in a tizzy) : God, can I ask you something?
GOD: Sure.
Me: Promise you won’t get mad?
GOD: I promise.
Me (frustrated): Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?
GOD: What do you mean?
Me: Well I woke up late.
GOD: Yes
Me: My car took forever to start.
GOD: Okay.
Me (growling): At lunch, they made my sandwich wrong, and I had to wait.
GOD: Hmmmm.
Me: On the way home, my phone went dead, just as I picked up a call
GOD: All right
Me (loudly): And to top it all off, when I got home, I just wanted to soak my feet in my foot massager and relax, but it wouldn’t work. Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?
GOD: Well let me see….. the death angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that.
Me (humbled): Oh.
GOD: I didn’t let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that might have hit you if you were on the road.
Me (ashamed): …………
GOD: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick and I didn’t want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn’t afford to miss work.
Me (embarrassed): Oh.
GOD: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give a false witness about what you said on that call, I didn’t even let you talk to them so you would be covered
Me (softly): I see God.
GOD: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn’t think you wanted to be in the dark.
Me: I’m sorry God.
GOD: Don’t be sorry, just learn to trust me . . . in all things, the good and the bad.
Me: I WILL trust you God.
GOD: And don’t doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan.
Me: I won’t God. And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today.
GOD: You’re welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I love looking after my children.
Ever since I read that story I have wondered “what if.” What if at the end of my driveway I went right instead of left? Was there an accident waiting to happen?
The what if’s of this world can haunt you but leaning on the Lord and trusting in his ways will get you through the day. I may not always know what would have happened had I chosen a different path, but I do know that the Lord is with me.
Today I wanted to leave you with one of my all tie favorite songs in honor of the singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen. He died this week at the age of 82.
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANncUPxfnOI[/embedyt]
Have a blessed day!
LOVED this post…Thank you Tania x
OOh Tania, I love you for having the courage to share this today! Your blog is a bright spot in my day always, but today especially! And that poem is so true about all of us & how we forget to trust that God’s “got our back” even when things looks so bleek! And I want to wish you adorable, sexy couple the happiest of Anniversaries!
This was a wonderful post for this Monday for me personally as well – my husband and I have been together over 16 yrs now and he is contemplating a big job change that will affect us financially, but money is nothing when you are talking about being able to spend your time with your soulmate. We have experienced so many things that made me put my trust in the Lord and start each day with a grateful heart. Thanks Tania!
Years ago, while riding with a group of women to a Christian seminar on parenting, the driver’s car over heated. We had to exit the highway for a gas station. They had no water, so we waited for the car to cool. A man in a pickup had a large, full, water can in his truck, which he offered us. He also suggested we go down two roads to the next on ramp, as there was a spill of ten penny nails all over the highway. We were not so upset at the overheated car episode when we heard that news. We also were not late to the start of the seminar, as many of the attendees had detoured aound the nail spill. Since that time, 40+ years ago, I haven’t sweated the details. I know God is in charge of even the tiniest problems we face. To Mr. and Mrs. Stephens: May God bless you out of His abundance on your wedding anniversary, and in the year to come. May you find that He is in the details of your lives. Remember, His everyday handiwork is what we call miracles in our lives. Married 47+ years and loving and working through His details in our lives.
Nancy, I love this story ❤️ How many people carry around a full water can in their vehicle? God speaks in many ways!
What a blessing this post was. My husband and I will celebrate our 36 wedding anniversary tomorrow, didn’t know we had that in common. Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary, Penny!!! I hope you have a wonderful day.
What a wonderful message you’ve shared with us today. Thank you.
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I was just talking to my husband about “what ifs” this very morning. What if his company hadn’t been looking for a freelance PR person 14 years ago, we never would’ve met. What if I’d decided to take that flight attendant job in 1995, my daughter Eve may never have been born. SO many what ifs 🙂 I feel that the turns we choose at every intersection of life have shaped us into the person we are today, and I try very hard to be at peace with who I am, to accept myself and my imperfections. That believe there must be a reason why I chose to go where I did, to lead me to where I am now. That there is a plan. Have a good Sunday, Tania, and I am very sorry for your recent loss xoxo
Sheela, this is perfect. We are who we are because of the choices we have made in our lives, whether they were good choices or bad. I too try to accept my imperfections and give everyone else the same grace.
Thank you for “What If” I read it to my church this morning they were blessed!
Debbie, that was so sweet. Thanks you very much.
It has been a very expensive week in our house. Lots of things breaking and unexpected bills. Thanks for the reminder… I was just thankful we made it all work. Now I realize there may have been other reasons only HE is aware of. Thank you !
One day Karen, we will know the why’s, for not we just have to trust.
Love your Sunday blogs! I hesitated to sign up for emails, just because I get so many. I enjoy your fashion posts, but I was won over the first time I read one of your Sunday posts. Thank you!
That is very sweet Christy. I know what you mean about emails, I go through hitting delete, delete, delete till I erase all the ones I don’t want to look at. Then, I go back and open all the ones I want to read.
Wow!
Exactly.
I love this post. Thank you!
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Love your post today it made a lot of sense thanks .
Thanks, Gloria!
Wonderful post! We often forget what God’s plan for us is.
Happy Anniversary
Why, why, why. When all we need to do is trust, trust, trust.
thank you for your post today! As many others have commented, so much of this is just what I needed to hear! i’ve also had many what ifs in my life lately, now I am looking at them differently! At the time they happened I didn’t understand why and I got hurt or angry, now I see maybe it was a lesson that will help me! God is always good!
And happy anniversary, We will celebrate our 30th in june 2017. Have a blessed sunday Tania! thank you for starting my morning off with a good lesson!
When we are going through the storm it is hard to look for the silver lining.
Thank you. What a Blessed Day…
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Love this post? This is something my hubby says to me when I fuss about things , what if !!!
You have a smart hubby, Glenda!
Poignant reminder that we are NOT in charge, but should instead remember to TRUST !
Right on time for me in so many ways! I heard the Holy Spirit this morning say clearly ” life is a series of Decisions ” I woke up and said to myself, ” so you are being philosophical now? The thought came to mind “not every thing said is directed at your life”! I immediately Got up to pray for my children family grandchildren and that person out there somewhere who is on the verge of a life changing decision! As I read your post it touched me! Thanks and congratulations on the anniversary! May God continue to bless and comfort you! I never thought of life’s inconveniences this way, powerful thought provoking post!
It is hared to remember that everything said is not directed at you, or at least not at you right NOW. We all can find different meanings from His messages at different times in our lives. I am thankful He is with me through it all.
You are right, Susan.
Just goes to prove God has control on all things. We just have to listen as you have this week. Lessons so hard to learn when you want to control and fix everything. As my children have grown into adults now I realize most things are beyond my control. Pray and ask for wisdom as I do daily. Happy Anniversary! Do you have a favorite restaurant you celebrate at every year? Enjoy your Sunday.
No, Connie we don’t have a favorite restaurant. Be sure to read tomorrow’s post about our first meal as a newlywed. Haha
LOVE this post! I really needed this today. Thank you and have a blessed day!
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Beautiful and timely post Tania. Yesterday my 15 year old daughter and I were in a serious car accident after a car pulled out in front of us. God’s protection was evident when we missed a pole and several trees by mere inches and escaped with only bumps and bruises. I have had many “what ifs” in the last few hours and your post really helped put things in perspective! Thank you, I look forward to your posts everyday!
Jennifer, this gave me cold chills. I am so glad that the Lord was holding your hand through all of this.
Amen, amen, amen…. your blog this morning is just the reminder I needed to hear. Thank you! And congrats on your upcoming wedding anniversary!!! My husband & I celebrated our 28th anniversary yesterday, Nov. 12th ?
Congratulations to you and your husband!