Blessed to be Broken

Two years ago this month, God made a way for me to purchase a home. It’s what I wanted. Ranch style, not needing a lot of improvements, because I’m not into the home rebuilding/remodeling thing. Thankful to the people who do that, but it’s not my jam. I wanted a country setting but not too country, if you know what I mean. I looked at this house several times and made the offer.

What I didn’t know, is my little piece in the world is on a truck route. Mostly dump trucks. All kinds of dump trucks. Loud ones, extra loud ones, and ridiculously obnoxious loud ones. Not to brag, but I can actually tell some of them apart now. Go me. Not once when I looked at this house did those trucks go by. These trucks start going past my house as early as 5:30 am, during paving season.

When the season started this year there was 7 days or so of those trucks zooming by all night long because they were paving the dang Walmart parking lot. I was fit to be tied. I called all around to see what the deal was, and was ready to pack my bags and head outta dodge if this was gonna be my new normal.

I mean a truck route smack in the middle of a neighborhood is not cool to begin with and even less cool when they’re running all night long. Cue Lionel Ritchie singing “All Night Long.” Fortunately, that madness only lasted that week.

I know these people gotta make a living, but, sigh. It’s not their fault I didn’t know what I didn’t know, when I bought the house. The silence when they’re not running is golden. But when they’re all heading to the quarry to get their material and one truck is followed by another, and another, and…well, you get my point, the best I can do is roll my eyes and grunt through my morning time with Jesus.

Still, there’s beauty in this place. You might be asking yourself how God could bring about joy during paving season? Well, let me tell you. My son and his friend both started their own dump trucking business this year. And guess who goes by my house multiple times a day when they get their material out this way? My son, and his friend.

In this mid-life season of empty nesting when the enemy thinks he’s got me all alone, sometimes for days on end, here comes my son and typically his friend not far behind (or vice versa), passing the house with those dang loud dump trucks.

As they pass by, they beep beep their horns. If my son had it his way, all the trucks would beep beep. If it’s too early in the morning he sends me a beep beep message so he doesn’t bother the neighbors any more than necessary.

When Lena is here, she runs outside and waits for her daddy to pass by and waves at him with all her might. Some times, she even gets to ride with him to the rock quarry.

None of this is what I would’ve planned for myself. But even in this, God makes sure I’m not alone and brings me joy from those dump trucks. He actually uses the very thing that makes me razzin’, frazzin’, frickety, frack, under my breath for interrupting my peace and exchanges it for joy.

Isn’t that just like our Heavenly Father to use the very thing that irritates us to also bring joy? He is constantly working in ways that aren’t my ways. Looking for Him throughout my day isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.

Indeed my days may not look like what I planned, but I know more is coming. I feel something stirring and I’m reminded that God is making things new and He’s not even close to being done with what He has for me.

I pray in the midst of your unknowns you can lay down what you planned and look to the One who created the stars, knows them by name, calls you His masterpiece, and trust that He’s still working ALL things out. Not just a few things. Not just some of the things. ALL the things. That deserves a big ol’ hallelujah.

I hope you all have a blessed day knowing the Creator of the universe, loves you with an everlasting love.

And with that, I say…beep beep!