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For at least the past 17 years, the summer months have been months of travel for me; particularly international travel, many times with large groups of mission team members in tow. And I’ve loved it! But this summer of 2017 was different because for the most part, the plan was to stay home. I know for many people that might sound a bit dull and unexciting but I looked forward to it. My wife Shelly and I fully enjoy our state (Wisconsin), our city (Milwaukee), even our backyard (!) and were all set to stay ‘closer to home;’ and things were already a bit different because our son Kameron was already off to prepare for his new career as a flight attendant. But, then it got really different as Shelly unexpectedly severed her Achilles’ tendon, faced her first surgery ever and was looking at 3-4 months of recovery square in the face. Talk about a ‘different’ summer!
However, despite the disappointment of Shelly’s unexpected injury and a few other things we didn’t anticipate, it was easy to understand that God was seeking to develop a grateful and appreciative heart in me (in us), as this August brings the summer of 2017 to a close. If I had been overseas, as I’ve usually been over these many years, things could have been a lot more difficult around here…and the Father seems to have known that as well.
Now it’d be easy, and often times is easy, to be casual about the Father’s care over us, especially seeing that I will be traveling again a lot through the fall months and many things could happen back at home then! But, the lessons of gratefulness from this ‘summer like none other’ are there as is God’s care for us in any season. So…bring on the Fall, and bring on the gratefulness as well for whatever the Father has in store for us! As a matter of fact, I’m already seeing that some of those reasons to be grateful have already begun…
– Randy Schmor