Finding Peace With Changing Plans

A beautiful sunset greeted us as we landed in Orlando in mid April. We had just enjoyed three months in Medellín, Colombia and were discussing our spring travel plans. First off was a short visit with Doug's parents in Florida while we took care of a van repair. But when our ''short visit'' got extended we realized that ...

If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans for today!

I have always looked forward to visits with my mother-in-law. Anytime I walked through the door, she joyfully handed over her kitchen to me and allowed me to cook to my heart's content. She appreciated having the ''nurse'' in me organize her medications.  And best of all ... ''getting things done'' was never a priority for her. She loved just sitting on the porch and hearing about our travels. She read all my blog posts and would quiz me for ''the rest of the story.''

One time she commented about the fact that my travel blogs always seem so positive ... what would I write about if our travels became a little ''challenging''? I thought about it and answered that I hoped that I could write about both the positive and negative aspects, since life is full of good times as well as bad.

Like when our ''home'' is in need of repairs ...

in this case, a pricey new battery system.

When we arrived at their condo this spring, I immediately knew that despite her perpetual ''I'm fine'' response, her health had taken a turn for the worst. We were about to be faced with one of those challenging times, and RVentures were put on hold as we cared for Doug's mom during her final weeks here on earth. It was hard to see the positives during such a stressful time, which is why my social media posts were ''missing in action'' for a while.

Jesus said to his disciples: ''Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you ... Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.''

John 14:27

I read this bible verse as I sat with Mom in the days before her passing. These comforting words made me think ... the past few weeks had been anything but peaceful. But what a gift to be able to come together to help family during this difficult time. Each of Doug's siblings came with their unique talents, and together as a team, we were able to give Mom and Dad exactly what they needed.

The peace of Christ didn't bring us the promise of smooth sailing. We weren't able to fix everything, but we were all able to do our part. Doug was able to get their finances in order. I was able to help set up hospice care. Doug's sister and brother were able to assist, comfort and guide their Dad through his grieving process.

To use a metaphor in honor of our favorite Mexican restaurant ...

We all may be some crazy avocados,

but we blend together to make a great guacamole.

We trusted and continue to trust that God can use our many individual talents to calm the troubled hearts ... just as we helped calm Mom and gave her a sense of peace as she entered into Eternal Life.

And Penny's calming presence was a gift to us all! 

When God gave me Doug as a husband, I got a bonus gift ... my mother-in-law. Vacations spent in Michigan and later in Florida centered around family and included hours of lively conversations on the porch. She loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed keeping up with them through their Facebook posts. She loved reading about RVentures when we started to travel ... even if she suspected that I sugar-coated the challenging aspects of full-time travel just a little. 

Life isn't always a

beautiful garden in full bloom.

There's no sugar-coating the fact that it's been a tough couple of months for us. But  what a gift to have the flexibility to be there when our family needed us.

That is why my lasting memory of my mother-in-law is that she taught us, by example, that we will find peace when we are open to following the path that leads to God's perfect plan.

As we start to travel again, we will continue to work on finding this peace despite changing (and sometimes challenging) weather, locations, and travel plans.

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