MOM 5 "Where You Lead Me" by Mercy Me

The day I was supposed to write this blog was a Sat., the 14th. I'm actually writing it later, but posting then so the days will stay in order - got that? Anyway, last Saturday, we were trying to decide what to do for dinner. It was about 6:30 p.m. and I said, "Hey, let's go to the store and get something to grill, make a salad . . . ." Ken reminded me that here in Brisbane, the grocery stores close at 5 p.m. on Sat. That was good for about five minutes of griping about what I miss about The Woodlands, where we moved here from. I'm used to convenience, selection and good prices, none of which are to be found here.

There are several things I miss from home. I miss our friends, family, church and neighborhood. I miss Tex-Mex and cheese that tastes the way it's supposed to. Prescription refill requests you can call into the pharmacy (chemist's) phone line and then go pick it up the next day. I miss living in a place where air conditioning in your home is not a luxury. I miss 24 hr. stores and Starbucks and drive-thru convenience. The spiders here are really huge and terrifying and they have a toad, the cane toad, that if you touch it . . . you die! Frogs are supposed to be friendly, like Kermit.

Anyway, you get the picture - unhappiness with our current situation abounds. At least for Arie and I. Ken has some issues, but not as many.

Three things today reminded me that actually, when the chance for this job came up, Ken and I had prayed that God would send us where he wanted us to be and to use us for His purposes. I don't remember, now that I think about it, saying, "God send us where you want us, but make it just like home and make it easy for us." First, I got an email from my sister Megan, reminding me of what a privilege it is to have this opportunity to see more of the world and suggesting I embrace it and have fun. It was encouraging and she reminded me that my perspective is all that needs to change, not my circumstances. Then, I remembered the message in a sermon at our new church the week before Christmas. It had touched me then and reminded me why we were here, but then with all the stuff around Christmas away from home, the 2nd anniversary of Zack's death, my birthday and Zack's birthday, I sort of forgot and the message got lost in my sorrow. But I got it back and here it is: You are where you are because God has brought you there. It's your choice what you do with that. You can seek God's will for your life, try to figure out your purpose and then do your best to fulfill it or you can be so unhappy about where God has brought you that ignore why you might be there. I knew that, and have for a long time, but sometimes you need to be reminded of what you already know. The third thing that brought me back to remembering was listening to the Mercy Me "Undone" CD and to the song, "Where You Lead Me." It has been one of my favorite songs since I first heard it. Hearing it tonight (Tues., the 17th) was a nudge from God that reinforced the other two messages I had gotten and so it became the song for this day.


Where You Lead Me
by Mercy Me
from Undone

What is life? A thousand roads, a thousand ways
Why am I so afraid to move
I crossed the line
I'm stepping out so come what may
I give it all cause I'm drawn to You
As long as my heart is beating...

Where You lead me
I will follow
Where You lead me
I give my life away
Where You lead me
I will follow Forever and a day
Forever and a day

I can't deny
Your very presence is my life
And why would I ever turn away
Cause deep inside I know that I cannot rely
On anything less than faith
As long as my heart is beating...

Where You lead me I will follow
Where You lead me I give my life away
Where You lead me I will follow
Forever and a day

This is all I'm dreaming of
To live completely in Your love
So this is life . . .
Where You lead me I give my life away
Where You lead me I will follow
Forever and a day

Where You lead me I will follow
Where You lead me
I give my life away
Where You lead me I will follow
Forever and a day
Forever and a day


I had forgotten that I had given my life away already. Oh, sure, we had so many blessings all through Zack's illness and I can have faith that I know where Zack is and that I'll be with him someday because of Christ's sacrifice, and actually I had asked God to be where I am but still I didn't know I'd have to deal with these shopping hours . . . sounds pretty petty to me, and pretty human, too.

I'm thankful beyond words that when I forget who I am and why I'm here, that there are others there to remind me. Thank you.