What Am I Gonna Do Now?

I was reminded this weekend of a scene in Forrest Gump. Where leuitenant Dan is laying on the floor, his legs lost to the war. And he says “what am I gonna do now?”

I had a miraculous intervention this month in last minute gigs that made the difference in the outcome of Christmas for my family. I sang through the flu to make it happen. And God showed me the real celebration of Christmas. It’s the beginning of “Divine Intervention”.

“God often speaks to us directly through the circumstances we are in” I told the Jubalee crowd on sunday morning. “Sometimes God’s direction is seen as more of an inconvenience” at least in the way I react.

But in my ‘affirmities’ I felt a connection to all who are facing a different kind of Christmas this year. It seems everyone is facing a tighter budget and leaner times. But hardship has a way of sharpening our focus that I believe is unopposed by God himself. It is something of an unwanted opportunity for personal and spiritual growth.

And I opened my presentation with “what a wonderful world”! God has a plan. and we miss it because of the obstacles often. “I think to myself” has to come first in this song. It has to. I can see a wonderful world with a deeper thought process.

In the Serenity Prayer it adds, “accepting hardship as a pathway to peace” . Peace is easier sung about than posessed. Even on the advent of celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace. I’d rather have it than sing about it for that matter.

And as I “Came home for Christmas ” this week I had that along with a wonderful gratitude for home and family and the satisfaction of making ends meet (with a little help from God’s friends and himself)
Merry Christmas to all I say… make the best of your circumstances and look for the gifts in the hardships. they are there… ‘wrapped beneath our tree’.