KACS Radio Network

I will bless the Lord at all times. Psalms 34:1, NKJV.

Recently I felt I was experiencing a meltdown. Our daughter, Karimah, mother of two very young children, returned to school. We supported her decision even though it meant moving her family to England. Her husband, Michael, also supported her by aborting his career to make the move. We knew there were challenging times ahead. To help her, my husband and I tapped into our retirement savings. This was an investment we willingly made to help our daughter realize her dreams.

The challenges began when she started experiencing some unforeseeable difficulties. Her prearranged accommodation did not work, and when the children joined her the landlord gave her one week to find alternate accommodations. This was difficult on a limited budget in a very expensive city. Worst of all, shortly after her third move she discovered their passports were missing. Her passport contained the coveted five-year visa. Her husband’s ability to work was incumbent on proof of the visa.

At first there was no panic, just concern. Three weeks of almost nonstop searching did not turn up the missing passports. Then sheer panic set in on both sides of the Atlantic. Thoughts of my daughter and granddaughters in a foreign country with no travel documents stirred in me a level of anxiety I had not experienced for a long time. I was praying also that Michael would receive a job offer before leaving Canada. That didn’t happen. I prayed that Karimah would receive educational funding. That didn’t happen. Most urgently, I prayed for the return of the missing documents. That didn’t happen.

What did happen was that while the adults were anxious, 3-year-old Naomi was thanking God for providing a “beautiful” home for them. Two-year-old Asha frequently invited us to “come see my ‘blue’ house.” We subsequently found out that only the front door is blue and structurally the building is less than beautiful. Obviously it’s all about perspective. The documents are presently being replaced. Our son-in-law found temporary work in his field. Our daughter has not received funding, but our financial security is safe in God’s hands.

Dear God, help each of us keep things in perspective and not be overwhelmed by life’s daily trials.