Everything Happens for a Reason

This morning Mary Lou and I dropped by a yard sale hosted by a couple in our church that I have known for over a decade. They are selling their house and moving to New Zealand, which is the husband’s country of birth and citizenship. We visited for about fifteen minutes and then my wife invited me to look around and see if there was anything I liked. My eyes were drawn to a beautiful bowl, and a matching smaller plate. I asked the owners how much they were asking for the two items, and they said, “for you, nothing; actually they are yours.”

I had forgotten that these bowls were among the hundreds of items we had given away to friends in our church after the passing of my first wife, Betty. My friends shared that when they knew we were coming, they considered not putting the bowl and plate out, thinking I would recognize them and feel badly that they were selling them. But, they had not counted on the limitations of my now 76 year old brain. I was not upset, but rather surprised and delighted that God had kindly arranged for these precious memorabilia to come back into my life, and the life I now share with my sweet Mary Lou. It’s funny that we both were attracted to the items, as if there were a magnetic force operating on us. And then to learn their origin, well that was a sweet blessing. Thank you, Lord.

I have always held on to items of tangible personal property lightly. If a friend admires it, Mary Lou and I are quick to give it away. That’s the way it was in Central Asia. We had to remember not to verbally express admiration for something, or its owner would wrap it up and give it to us. We believe all we have, houses, cars, bank assets and retirement assets, belongs to God, and we are but stewards whose job it is to carefully manage and enjoy it while we have it. But giving it to someone who needs it, now that is a special blessing! But I digress...

I have to admit that the sad state of our democracy today is deeply troubling to me. I get fifty plus emails a day asking for money from political candidates. Watching the television news can be depressing. Is there a reason for all the chaos we are experiencing? Sadly, the answer is yes. We are witnessing a seismic shift in the tectonic plates of our history. The levers of power are shifting inexorably away from the comfortably wealthy white males, of which I am one, to a diverse coalition of women, people of color, and progressives from all quarters...most of whom could not vote for most of our nation’s history. While I understand why supporters of President Trump want to turn back the clock, it is an exercise in futility. The demographic reality and trends cannot be significantly altered or reversed. We just have to find a way to draw people from both sides of the cosmic political divide to a more centrist posture.

Everything does happen for a reason. The question I have is whether the citizens of this my country, when it really comes down to preserving our republic, are going to unite to the degree required to keep the precious freedoms our soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines fought and bled and died to preserve. No, our union is far from perfect, but it is capable of continued improvement and it is well worth the effort. We have been through troubled waters before, and each time we came through stronger than before. Please, God, help us again.