We make our plans, but God directs our path.
(Picture by Lisa R.)

My poor landlord was shell-shocked today when the Realtor called her and told her we were planning on moving. We, too were shell-shocked, because we wanted to be the ones to tell her. Our landlord has been a God send, literally. She took our family in an allowed us to live in her house when times were hard and difficult. She had other applicants, people more desirous than us, but she said she felt like the house was meant for us. So to have someone step in and take our rights away from us, left me feeling violated. Our landlord was very understanding, she wasn’t offended, but she was a little hurt because she didn’t expect that from us.  On this journey there will be many, many, many moments when life takes us by surprise. How we choose to deal with the instances, and not the instances themselves is what defines us. My landlord did not get upset, in fact she said, “I knew that you would have said to them, that you wanted to tell me yourself.” This circumstance showed me the kind of person my landlord truly is…she is gracious. She gave us the benefit of the doubt. This makes the thought of moving (which was already difficult) that much harder.

“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity” (Proverbs 24:16).

So what am I thankful for today? A gracious landlord.