Every year by the time January 1st rolls around, I'm ready for Spring. Yet, no matter how much I hope the tulips will bloom early, they never seem to cooperate.
Similarly, 2021 proved as stubborn as the darn tulips. After living in four states last year (yikes!) I never did get to the point of blooming where I was planted. Of course, I didn't live anywhere long enough to even begin taking root. What had started as a year of excitement and joy quickly dissolved into disappointment and disillusionment.
And now we're in 2022. We moved to South Carolina on December 31st, hence the fourth state in twelve months. Yet, this year, things seem to be falling into place. So far, I've been offered four jobs and contacted by recruiters regarding several others. I write that not to boast but to simply contrast it with last year. My sense of self-worth took a tremendous nosedive when I was invited to interview for only one of the over 200, yes, two hundred, jobs that I had applied for. I couldn't understand why no doors were opening for me. And to make matters significantly worse, my husband's career made so many demands for his time and attention, that I was perpetually alone. He had a new job, in a new city, and we were living in a brand new house. And by "we" I am referring to myself and our dog, Bella. Nic was working such insane hours that he was only home to sleep for six hours a night. I recently learned a term from a friend who called me a "relocation widow."
Yet, as difficult and lonely and disappointing 2021 was, I can look back and realize that it was God's gift to me. For the first time in my life, I was able to take time to sit down and write a novel. An avid reader, for many years, I've wanted to create a town with a quirky cast of characters. And 2021 afforded me that opportunity.
I began reading through Ecclesiastes this week and I appreciate the gentle reminder from Solomon that there is a time for everything. I used to want things to happen in a nanosecond. I was so busy with being busy that I didn't think I had time to spare. However, last year, God gave me the treasure of having no real obligations, no demands, and no real commitments. Even though I couldn't understand it at the time, God gave me a year of rest. He loves me so much that He caused my world to stop momentarily so I could pursue my passion of writing.
I don't know how 2022 will unfold but I am anticipating the ways in which God's continued faithfulness and love will be revealed. And even though it's January, I may stop and pick up a tulip plant on my way home from my new job tomorrow :)
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