Navigating Obstacles

I’ve escaped the snow. At least I thought I did. It is snowing today in Tennessee. However, it isn’t cold. It is a balmy 33 degree Fahrenheit. It is 12 degrees in Brookings with a wind chill of minus 4. I even have a window opened so I can hear the birds. I miss hearing birds in South Dakota.

Schools are closed because of President’s Day or the snow. I know that is laughable to those of you who have snow all the time. Snow is an event here in the south. Like everywhere this winter, Tennessee has gotten a lot of snow.

This is the snow in our backyard here in Tennessee:

This is the view from the front of the house:

Yes, that's it. That's all the snow we have right now that is causing everything to close down here. Sometimes a small amount of snow when you aren't prepared or have the equipment for it, can be just as paralyzing and 12 inches somewhere else.

My husband is struggling to fulfill his responsibilities to the people and the state of South Dakota. He flew to Omaha last night. He is driving a crazy route to get back to Brookings as the interstate in Iowa is still closed. He spent the night in Ames Iowa. Tomorrow will find him in Pierre provided he makes it through blowing icy conditions today.

Life is full of obstacles. Sometimes they are physical. Sometimes they are emotional. Sometimes it’s the weather. Sometimes it is the storms of life.  I have so many obstacles. It seems each time I turn around there is another one.

I am here in Nashville because I feel I am maneuvering an obstacle. I have a dream. I have a goal. I have a desire. I want to have a doctoral degree. I am here to interview for a doctoral program at my alma mater, Trevecca Nazarene University.

It seems that so many of my dreams become abandoned because of obstacles. I am still clinging to this dream. The Seminary’s door is not as open as I thought it was, so this is plan G? or is it M? I’m long past plans A, B or C.

Plan A was to go into a Master of Sociology program right after I finished my B.S. at Mizzou (University of Missouri-Columbia). I had promise. I had finished a degree in 3 ½ years with 3 children as a single mom.  My first obstacle was not a storm or a hardship. It was falling in love with the love of my life, my husband. It was carrying our first child. It was helping him achieve his goals and dreams of a doctoral degree.

I thought I’d go back much sooner. I thought he’d get his degree. We’d make lots of money, live in a really nice house and I’d go back to school. Life rarely works out the way you plan.

I hesitate to call them obstacles, because each child was wanted, loved, cherished and a delight. I had a good profession in spite of my lack of advanced education. I was more happy to have a wonderful family.

Now I’m racing the clock. I was detoured to South Dakota. I am facing more obstacles to this dream. I’m still traveling though. I guess that is all that is important.

Just like my husband, all that is important is that he reaches Brookings SD today. That he arrives safely in spite of all the obstacles of bad weather and a detour hundreds of miles out of the way.   

So it is for me too. I can’t imagine it will be smooth or obstacle free. Nothing in life is free of obstacles. I have to keep moving. I have to keep moving toward my dream.

For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord… All things work together for good… God will make a way where there seems to be no way…  I Surrender All… building myself up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep myself in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ…Fixing my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.