Too often I had thought, “Why didn’t someone tell me?” Why didn’t I know aging and retirement would require full attention to self-care, my own plus my 90-year-old husband’s? I had taught children for decades. Now, after retirement, I was expecting full time recess filled with amusements, distractions, hobbies, and places to wander. I planned to travel, exploring new adventures, making striking discoveries, opening gifts God had given that had never been fully unwrapped. Those had been my plans, my disillusions. As I tried to be flexible, to accept limitations, I slowly dropped some of these detractors from my true purpose.

Hoping wisdom would unfold, I began to live my life accepting the slower pace. No more struggles with rigid schedules. I had time to spend alone with God who had provided His promise to bring grey hair to the forefront as a showcase, a testimony of His faithfulness. His Word proved to be true. His plan for me was for good, not calamity. What’s next now can begin. No fear or questioning can conquer my trust in Him and His Word. I am His child and He is my Abba Father, my savior and deliverer from all my troubles. He will safely carry me through the things that trouble the soul, that tempt me to step aside from my journey with Him.