Postponed ..... But Coming!
His Greatest Plans are Unfolding
By Lauren Hasson
“It’s my golden!” she laughed. I knew all too well what she meant by this. Two years ago she shared this “celebration revelation” that my husband and I would be having our golden anniversary, the number of years married equaling the day of the month it occurred. “You must do something S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R!!” Her inspiration took us all the way to Moorea, French Polynesia, something we will never forget!
And so began her golden. We shared dreams and ideas for her 24th on the 24th day of March. Maybe a trip to Palm Springs with all her girlfriends, starting off with a night with Bob and me. Santa Barbara on the beach? The locals and visions were endless. I also knew I wanted to give her something very special, a gift that she would always remember how golden she is to us each and every day.
As memories flooded through my mind, erasing the years, I heard the echo of the Father’s voice, “When she is born, she will be a breath of life to your family.” Her exuberance, her joy, her spectacular ideas have always been a breath of joy to us and to all who know her.
Right before her spectacular March birthday, the news came. “California Quarantine!” All our dreams and plans evaporated with those two distinctive words. She came to our home the night before her golden, with an outward cheerfulness that sought to hide all of our new realities. I scrambled to find any form of gifts, spending two hours at Lazy Acres Supermarket combing through the bath section, ending up with three Hydro Flasks, some nice lotion and candles, and fresh flowers for the day. As I served her favorite German Chocolate Cake, she thought it best not to blow out the candles for fear she might get us sick in our newly quarantined state.
My heart sank. There was nothing I could give this beautiful, young woman, that would adequately express my love for her.
We decided to write out in one box, what her special present would be. A gold bracelet she had long admired. I mustered up all my creativity, writing on that piece of paper how her dad and I would drive with her to Los Angeles to pick it out, have a special lunch, and hopefully see her friends..... at some unknown date in the unforeseeable future.
Does this sound familiar? Postponing Dreams?
How about you? What disappointments are you facing right now? What places have been so rearranged, your heart is afraid to hope again? Are you struggling with deep uncertainties, finances, career, lost dreams and hopes? The simple ways of connecting to friends for an intimate conversation or shared meal are gifts that we once took for granted. What about the loss of worshipping in a vibrant community with people who have become family? Is He here for us in these many places of loss and uncertainty?
I know one of my losses is that I miss each of you dearly, and wonder what form our connection as a community will take in the future. Looking at old photos from our gatherings brought me emotions of delight and an ache to be together once again, sharing in our small groups, hearing a fresh word that He has for us, laughing over lunch. Most of all its sharing our hearts together with Him! He so knows what I long for. This morning He gave me this verse of encouragement:
21 “Believe me, dear woman, the time has come when you won’t worship[j] the Father on a mountain nor in Jerusalem, but in your heart. 23–24 From here on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with the right heart. For God is a Spirit,[l] and he longs to have sincere worshipers who worship and adore him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.” John 4: 21-23,24
Processing Our Emotions
Expressing our deep needs to Him right now allows Him to move into the most vulnerable places in our heart. His Spirit meets ours and begins to fashion something new, something we had not considered before. It is the place of deepest connection where He is bringing us alive in a profound way. He tells us that deep calls unto deep. As we allow Him to meet us in our deep places of longing and desire, He will calm our fears, have compassion on our losses, and forge a new path for us.
A new era.
A new way.
A new plan created just for you!
What if there’s a surprise waiting that you could never had anticipated?
This week, our oldest son Kyler and his wife Perla came down to spend six days with us. Sharing Mother’s Day became a delightful triple header! My other daughter-in-love Nat and I were the recipients of breakfast served in our veggie garden. Midday, we switched gears and celebrated Kyler’s 30th birthday. It was quite the day. We were able to find an old copy of an investing book that meant the world to him. As we were celebrating my son, inside I winced, thinking how we had completely missed Isabella’s golden.
As I spoke with Holy Spirit, He gave me a great idea. "Pivot! Your plan was to go up to Los Angeles and spend the day with her. Lauren, look around you. How rare is it to have your whole family together? Surprise her now.... a month and a half later. Yes, it was postponed, but now it’s time.”
His ideas were igniting within me.
Through a miraculous course of events, I was able to find and FedEx down her bracelet. We’ve all found dinner to be our celebration each day, and Isabella said Italian would be a fun break. As I was at the market, I found balls of pizza dough. “How about making a wild pizza party with every topping you can imagine?” The party began. Within hours I was able to find a few gifts, as my florist paraded things in front of the window. She made me an exquisite floral arrangement, and we were off! Next was baking the cake while Bells worked. Emerging from her last meeting, she was absolutely shocked by the party waiting for her in the dining room with family’s faces beaming all around. “Wow, I’ve never had a surprise party before!”
I remember thinking of how this plan unfolded during the week. My heart was dying to tell her of the great surprise awaiting her.
I felt the same voice telling us, “There are great surprises ahead for you, for your Lifestreams Family, for those you love. You can’t see them now. You might wonder if “postponement” means never, but I’m here to tell you that I have it all. I’m preparing something much better than you can conceive in your wildest imagination. Trust Me. Trust My heart for you. When it comes, the way it comes, will be suddenly and without your slightest inclination of what I’m up to. As I meet your hearts, know that as your good, good Father, I will never disappoint. I may re-appoint, but you’re going to love it so much better My way!”