Out of control

Wow! I just reread my intial entry and 2 things struck me. First, it's been 6 weeks and, second, God was obviously at work. I wrote in that first entry that I realized I was not in control. That lesson has been driven home over the past 6 weeks. During that time, I've lost my job, and as a consequence, my home. I've made the decision to go back to graduate school and have jumped through the numerous hoops of the application process in record time, all the while with the question "How are we going to pay for this?" taunting me in the background of my thoughts. I've found a place to live that is wonderful, moved in and driven to Colorado for a previously scheduled 10 day vacation. I've coordinated the visit of the India Children's Choir to our church and produced 125 wooden crosses for our church's capital campaign. Whew! I think I need another vacation.
Through all this I've learned an even greater lesson--God is in control and Godis good. All the time! We repeat this every Sunday as we gather for worship, but I can say that I know it's true in a deeper way. I had planned to continue at my job until after my wife finished her degree and 2 years of chaplaincy training. God intended for me to go back to school a little sooner. I had planned to stay where we were living for a few more years, God had a better place for us. I had planned to rationalizwe staying at a job where I was hindered, held back, and continually undermined. God intended something better for me. I'm even confident that God has something in mind to provide for my tuition.
Of course, I say all this with the benefit of distance from the day I was asked to leave my job(I'm putting it politely) and told I needed to vacate our apartment in 2 weeks. My wife and I are no longer living in hotels, with our possessions scattered around the Kansas City metro area. Buit even in the midst of that God gave me a script to follow:
"Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;
do not fret over those who prosper in their way,
over those who carry out evil devices.
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.
Do not fret--it leads only to evil.
For the wicked shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. Psalm 37:7-9

It wasn't easy to follow the script. Do not fret--the word fret is an interesting one-it means to worry at something until it starts to unravel. It's easy to do this when I have a problem. I want to figure out what went wrong and I want to fix it NOW. Instead, God asked me to wait patiently and see what God planned to do.
Honestly, the not fretting wasn't the hardest part. It was far more difficult to refrain from anger. This is is the part where I stop mid-scene and say, "Excuse me, Mr. Director, but this can't be right. I've been wronged! My life has been turned upside down. These people hurt my wife, the love of my life. I'm sure there should be something here about me kicking their door down and kicking some butt. Tell you what, I'll toe the line on the not fretting part if you'll let me ad lib on the anger bit. Maybe just a little jab here and there."
Of course, God just said, "Let's stick to the script. Vengeance is mine. I'll take care of it."
The great thing is, I'm ok with that. I chose to let God have the situation and I have been wonderfully at peace in the midst of the whirlwind.