"Old and New"

When we go into a new place,

We leave the old behind,

At least that’s what we tell ourselves,

And not to be unkind,

But it’s not the way it happens,

‘Cause where you used to be,

Is still right there with you,

It’s very plain to see.

A ring so very special,

Yet I thought it was lost,

And then I stepped right on it,

While bagging trash to toss.

My mothers Revlon lipstick,

Fell out a box I packed,

She always sent me for it,

Because her memory lacked,

The sense that she still had it,

I only bought her more,

Mom passed on last summer,

To heaven’s golden shore.

But right there was the lipstick,

No doubt that I had brought,

And, yes, I plan to keep it,

For memories get caught,

In all that we are doing,

And one last one I”ll share,

A keeper for a western belt,

Long gone but it was there,

In a box discarded,

About to throw away,

And then I saw a glitter,

Reached in and there okay,

Was a cross engraved on silver,

Went with that old Mac brand,

Custom-made belt buckle,

And now both in my hand.

Lots of things to throw away,

When you make a change,

But some must go with you,

And though life’s rearranged,

The Good Lord uses everything

That brought us to our now,

And even if we’ve lost it,

Will bring it back somehow.

All for the new adventure,

Of serving someone new,

He equips the moment,

And always will it’s true.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope…” (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT)

God has a plan for you and it’s a good one. And the good news is that with God’s plan, nothing is wasted. We usually find it hard to believe, but even the worst times we go through become part of God’s future. He uses all things to produce in us His perfect will and character. Our failures and triumphs, our strengths and weaknesses, our hurts and scars all become part of the plan that is unfolding. God knows the plan, but do we? We can if we learn to cooperate with Him. All it takes is a simple, sincere “yes,” and God will meet us where we are in order to take us where we need to be. Believe it.

Art by Don Weller, donweller.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.