In 4 1/2 short months my husband and I will be driving our oldest daughter to college. She has chosen a school in her homeland of Texas. To say the least, this has been occupying a great deal of my brain space. Thoughts of whether or not I have prepared her well to live on her own are at the forefront. Evidently I have been more concerned about it than I realized. A couple nights ago I dreamed about it.
At the risk of sounding a little off my rocker, God often speaks to me in my dreams. This particular dream sparked a memory that I had right after I woke up. I was reminded of my very first day of college. Literally my parents had just dropped me off and driven away. I was in line to get my I.D. and whatever else. I didn't know a single soul and so was just standing in line minding my own business, doing my best not to be noticed. The year was 1987, so you can guess how my hair looked. It was big - long and permed. Perfect for this guy, who we will refer to as Doug, to throw tiny little paper wads into. It became very clear very quickly that my mother had not prepared me for this moment. It sounds silly now, but I was totally paralyzed at the time. I had no idea what to do. So I did what every small-town, introverted, naive girl would do...I ignored him. But God had my back. He had orchestrated the line so that Connie Leach (my future best friend, roommate and maid of honor) would be standing a few people in front of me and that she would turn around at just the right time to see Doug's folly and my horror. She promptly told him to quit, introduced herself to me and invited me to come stand with her. We were fast friends.
The message was as clear as day for me. God provided exactly what (and who) I needed, when I needed it. He'll do the same for Emily. He knows so much more than I do how to prepare her for life's surprises. "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11.
9 years ago