"Jesus is King over the flood"

I saw the above post on Facebook today, and thought how appropriate God's timing is in everything. Just had to share!

Waves crashing

There are times when the sound of the waves crashing on the shore is very comforting and peaceful... and there are times when that sound can be scary, like during a violent storm or hurricane.  Life is similar to that. Things that bring beauty and joy can also wreak havoc and cause pain.

This summer I've been riding many different waves, the main one being suddenly unemployed and thus loosing my "business" of 12 years.  Not only is the much-needed income gone, but part of my identity is gone too.

As the waves have peaked and crested - and crashed - I've explored ways to combine the things I love to do with earning a living.  One of those options has been to start baking gluten-free goodies and selling them at the local farmer's market. While I haven't made a profit yet, I have made new friends with some local folks who cannot eat gluten and we've had some interesting talks.  It's a comfort to discover there are more "like us", and it is very fulfilling to know I've made a positive impact on someone's life by giving them some helpful tips or selling them a delicious gluten-free baked good.

(Wondering what I'm talking about?  Click here: Gluten-free Mimi )

I also attended two gluten-free expos this summer - one in Charlotte and one in Raleigh.  At the expos, I've had the pleasure of meeting some of my gluten-free "heroes" like Jules Shephard and  Lee Tobin, as well as many wonderful gluten-free bloggers that I admire!

 

I'm loving the peak of this wave - meeting so many people from the gluten-free community who are cookbook authors, bloggers, business owners, etc.  There is a true sense of community among these folks!  I've gotten lots of great feedback and advice from folks like Carrie at Ginger Lemon Girl, Liz at Gluten Free Galley and Noreen at The Celiac Cakery! (THANK YOU!)

I would not have had the pleasure of riding this wave had I not been diagnosed with a gluten allergy 14 months ago, so, as the Bible says in Genesis 50:20, "what man intended for evil, God meant it for good."

As I wait for this wave to arrive at the shore - with a pleasant splash or a violent crash, I do not know - I take comfort in knowing that God is directing the current of the wave, just as He is directing all things in my life... in the meantime, I'll try to remain calm - and have a cupcake -or a donut (gluten-free, of course!)

MyHodgePodgeLife: Riptide

MyHodgePodgeLife: Riptide

Riptide

Have you ever gotten caught in a riptide/current?  My youngest daughter got caught in a strong undertow once, and it was a terrifying event.  My brother-in-law almost lost his life that same day while rescuing his children from the powerful riptide.  Riptides seem to hit us out of nowhere - just like events in life.

The definition of riptide or undertow is " a strong undercurrent in the ocean, contrary to the direction of surface water."

Receiving the shocking news earlier this month that I will lose my job at the end of the month was as unexpected as someone at the beach who gets caught in a riptide.  The direction I thought I was going is contrary to where the current of life is leading.

What are we supposed to do when we get caught in a riptide? Several Internet searches yield the following advice:

"Do not swim toward shore.

You will be fighting the current, and you will lose.
Swim parallel to shore, across the current.
Generally speaking, a riptide is less than 100 ft. wide, so swimming beyond it should not be too difficult.
If you cannot swim out of the riptide, float on your back and allow the riptide to take you away from shore until you are beyond the pull of the current.
Rip currents generally subside 50 to 100 yards from shore.
Once the riptide subsides, swim parallel to shore and then back to shore."

What do we usually do when we get caught in a riptide? Panic!  We forget everything we've read or learned, flail our arms and fight the current.  Most drowning deaths during riptides are due to exhaustion from fighting the current.

I know this riptide of my life does not come as a surprise to God.  Rather than panic and fight the current, exhausting myself, I'll follow the advice given to those who get caught in a riptide.  I'll "rest in Him" and try to relax as this riptide takes me away from the career I've had for the past 12 years.  As the shock of the riptide subsides, I'll swim "parallel to the shore" and I will get back to shore in God's timing.  That shoreline will look different than the one I left, but it will be the shoreline God intends me to land on.

Maybe this is the next shoreline God is leading me to?

Click here for info: Gluten-free Mimi

"Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them." Psalm 89:8-9