Tripping Over Typeset

One of the many joys of teaching little kids is not knowing what they’ll say.

This last Sunday one little boy raised his hand, “Ms. Rachel, my birthday is in 3 days!” (Him and I have been counting the days down for a few weeks now.)

“Yes! That is so exciting! And you will be 5! You and I share the same birthday!”

Other kids looked shocked and added, “WHAT? How you can you be the same age?”

“No, we’re not the same age but our birthdays are the same day.”

“Pastor Rachel, how old will you be?”

“How old do you think I’ll be?” (I love asking this question because their responses are gold!)

19? 25? … higher or lower? 34? 42? 55?

“Not quite.”

“52?”

“YES!!!”

An audible shock hung in the air followed by… “I wouldn’t have guessed that! I thought you were only 25.”

My initial thoughts were… How sweet…. since I have a 26-year-old daughter.

I was thinking about that conversation as I woke this morning. My thoughts also moved to the faithfulness of God. One of my favorite songs is The Goodness of God.

All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands/ From the moment that I wake up/ Until I lay my head/ Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God/ And all my life You have been faithful/ And all my life You have been so, so good/ With every breath that I am able/I will sing of the goodness of God.

The Goodness of God — Jenn Johnson

At all those ages and stages, God has been there. In all those days, good moments and bad are mixed in there. I’ve made good choices along with many poor choices. Yet the faithfulness of God has not abandoned me nor left me behind. He has been with me through it all.

Today, I thank Him for the years and the moments He has brought me through, for the blessings and the lessons that have grown me in ways for the better. I thank Him for the gifts of His people and my traveling companions through my days, for my heritage and my family who sees me at my best and my worst yet loves me through it all.

Here’s to the days ahead and the journey before me.

To my life travelers with me: May we continue to press in, notice His grace and be thankful for the gifts of His people and His faithfulness in all our days.

With all my love,

~Rachel