Detour

 Detours/Change of Plans

◄ 1 Thessalonians 2:18 ►

For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. (NIV)

That snake -the serpent of old can’t stop our prayers!

At this moment I am in a hotel in Utah.

Olivia asleep (16)

Isaac asleep (14)

Summer vacation plans gone awry.

Detour.

We planned to drive through Utah & Idaho on our way to Montana.

We planned months ago to visit our friends in Livingston Montana.   

We packed.

We set all our affairs in order.

We asked friends to water our plants, feed the cat & feel free to use our pool too!

We got money for gas (no small expense, due to the recession in Southern Calif the price is over $6.00 a gallon!) 

I even had to make arrangements for an attorney to fill in for me at a court appearance in Pomona (vacations & rest are important right?) 

Last year, in 2021 my husband and I prayed and we decided it’s probably best not to travel to remote distances any more.

Isaac had 3 seizures in 2020. 

Although he has been seizure free since Nov 2020, we do not feel the same. We aren’t the same.

Just like life has changed since COVID emerged, life for the Gonzalez’ changed post epilepsy. 

We decided to go back to Livingston, visit our friends but we had no expectations- things could happen …and we needed to go on an adventure again.

It’s raining in Montana right now.

Not a big deal right?

WRONG.

They had 8 inches in 2 days.

2 bridges were washed out & they evacuated Yellowstone.  

Excuse me?

Yes.

They evacuated the first designated National Park. Yellowstone National Park

Needless to say, we aren’t going to Montana.  

I tried so hard not to cry.

I felt like the girl who stubbed her toe so bad but didn’t want to cry in front of friends so she bit her lip as a distraction… 

I held it together for a few hours….but when Isaac said “SWIMPING”

I decided I would go in the spa and let the tears flow, here in Utah, on vacation, in tears yet again. 

It’s ok God

It’s ok.

It’s ok.

Be with our friends!

Keep them safe!

Help us LORD know what to do next.

You see, “National Park adventures” 

That was our thing.

My husband would plan, research, pack accordingly, and hit the road.

Olivia and Isaac have been coming along since they were babies! 

When Isaac had the seizure in Idaho after we finished driving through Yellowstone I literally said to myself “I’m never going back to Montana”

I thought if I said “I hate you Montana” and vowed to never visit there it was like an outlet for my pain…

….but it doesn’t work that way. 

Pain must be processed. 

David couldn’t go “around” the valley of the shadow of death…he had to go through it (Psalm 23)

Jesus didn’t go around the Garden of Gethsemene before getting to Calvary, He had to go through. (John 17)

Same for us.

Pain must be chewed,  processed, refined and eventually God uses it and turns ashes into beauty. He is so creative.

My friends are special. 

They put the dogs away because Isaac is frightened of them. 

They decided & made plans to buy our favorite foods & snacks.

They redecorated to make it more comfortable.  

They mentioned the rain, but we had no idea it would be like this! 

Neither did they.

I could say something cute like “well I guess God took us on a detour.”

Although that statement is TRUE, it doesn’t soften the blow. 

Someone I know recently had a miscarriage… 

I asked someone to pray for this little family of three that was supposed to turn into a family of 4 (baby 2 expected in September 2022) 

The response was “You know. Something was probably very wrong with the baby. These things happen for a reason”    

This is the WORST thing to say to someone who is currently hurting.  

Whether it is the unexpected loss of a vacation plan or a loss of a child.

You want to scream “well whatever the reason is, the reason SUCKS!”

Adult tantrums are real~ I call them mommy melt downs.

We aren’t to lie to ourselves, tape Romans 8:28 to the situation, dust off the dirt & say “all is honky dorry now!”

No.

We can cry.

We can scream and then we can and must still praise the LORD.

We can give God our honest conversations…

Lord be with us! 

For all of life is really a detour

Prov 3:5-6