Graduation and Contemplation

My daughter, Lauren, is graduating from college today. My baby. I sit at my computer listening to the sounds of birds chirping, breezes blowing in the open windows, and contemplate how quickly life moves on, taking us with it whether we are ready for life's storms and celebrations or not. We are along for the wildly exciting, often mystifying, ride of our lives.
Life happens. Ready or not, here it comes.
One week ago I was in my dry house thinking about the too-busy weekend that was coming up. I was maybe even a little annoyed at God for the hint of rain that was going to possibly interrupt my perfect, much-earned, fun weekend.
When the gentle rains started I chose to stay home the first night; after all the next day was the packed every-hour day of fun, starting immediately after church.
And then I awoke on Sunday to a day that was not in my control any more.
I turned on the TV and heard the news.
No church. Malls closed. Rivers rising. People drowning. Stay inside.
At that moment I realized that the lives we had been living, feeling very much in control, were taken out of our hands, and put back in God's. The life that we thought had been so well orchestrated by ME. Every appointment, every thing on my to-do list, every well-planned event was taken out of my hands.
I was NOT in control and the only thing I could do was go along with the Master plan.
This past week gave me a feeling of purpose that no regular job can give. I gave my life to the Potter this week and gave my all, and received so much more in return.
I emptied water out of strangers - who became family through tragedy - homes that had become mere shells of the house they remembered from deep in the recesses of their minds from a long two days ago. I slipped with fellow volunteers on the floors of numb homeowners as they mumbled almost incoherently, "I lost everything...what am I going to do?" I hugged, I laughed, I cried, I was alive.
I was feeling more alive in the aftermath of the destruction I had no answers. I only had love.I felt more alive than I had for years. The author of my life story had written this storm, and I knew I was playing the part now that He had written for me. Every person has their part in His story.
Today my daughter will be waking up and leaving the safety net of school, and facing the BIG world waiting for her. Her part in the Creator's story has been written; He has allowed her to be part of it. I want to tell her to give up trying to plan every detail of her life. I want her to take time to love others, but take time to love herself. I want to tell her to step back and move out of her own way - her life has been written in His big book of Life. I want to warn her to slow down,serve well, laugh a lot, love even more. And when the storms of life come - and they will - to get down on her knees and ask God what her part in His story is. And then go along with it. Because Father knows best!