A day, it would seem, of sunshine and showers, cool and blustery and entirely seasonal. Just the sort of day to be out and about the place, provided one is properly equipped to face the elements; the air is clear, the colours are great, and although for me the changes of autumn have always about them a taste of sadness and loss (unlike the bright hopefulness of spring), they do engage my senses in, often, a vibrant and exciting way.
I had hoped to be out walking today with a friend (and his dogs), but as I write it looks as though our plans may be subject to last-minute revision. Reflecting on that, I'm struck by how often the things we plan and prepare don't turn out as expected, indeed may not happen at all. And yet, disappointment though that may be, I've often found that changes to plans and itineraries have led me to unsought and unexpected delights and pleasures. So let's see if today can be like that!
It's important we don't allow the times when we don't get what we planned, prepared or paid for to crush us with disappointment. Our God is always 'The God of Surprise', and faith in him helps me deal with disappointment and what seems and feels like failure and defeat. It occurs to me that much of our planning and preparation involves a doomed attempt to place God in a box, so we can know he's exactly where we want him. But be assured, he won't stay there: what we have inside such a box, however gilded and lovely that box may be, is not God! We shall find the true God as we dare to engage with the changes and chances of our world, and to set sail on uncertain winds, with faith and hope as our steersmen. Or he will find us.
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