A couple of years ago I was well on my way to blooming—or so I thought. Life was progressing as I’d envisioned. In January 2020, tender buds of anticipation bulged with hope that my plans, well into the future, would materialize exactly as I expected. My Soul Sings for You would take off—the scheduled readings and book signings would be successful. My book would have an impact. After a 3-week dream vacation to the UK, planned to last little detail, I would return home to compile my father’s WWII memoirs and publish his book by the end of the year. Life would be exciting, adventurous, rewarding and fulfilling. Hmmm. It was—just not in the way I anticipated.

As I’ve expressed many times, experience teaches me that my plans don’t necessarily match what God has planned. However, His always supersede mine and once again God interrupted my long-term plans. You might say that life threw unexpected darts and arrows in the form of a global pandemic with all the accompanying chaos and consequences. Everything changed in the blink of an eye for billions of people the world over. What we once knew looks different, or we view it through a new lens. I daresay every single soul has been affected—some positively, some negatively, some less, some more.

In what way is life different for you now? Have you bloomed or wilted because of the pandemic?

I must admit that on occasion I felt as though I was wilting. I wasn’t idle, but neither was I writing.  With all our travel plans cancelled and the lockdowns in place you’d think I’d have had time to write ten books, but that did not happen. I barely wrote in my blog. I made a brave attempt at my dad’s memoirs but halfway through got stuck on a chapter. The dreaded writer’s block. After beating myself up for a bit, I turned my attention to other things. I sunk my energy into a completely different project. It was time to bloom where I was planted.

Can you relate to any of this?

Here’s what happened. Chuck and I invested our time and energies into a 5-acres ranch—Whispering Oaks Ridge.  We’ve spent the last 18 months renovating the house which is now finished. We added a large deck and constructed a firing range for target practice. We’ve made wonderful new friends, and we’ve engulfed ourselves in nature, reveling in the serenity of beautiful surroundings. This unexpected twist in life’s journey has brought great joy and fulfilment. Who could have known?

So, what is the meaning of blooming where you’re planted? It’s making the best of the situation in which you find yourself. It’s taking advantage of opportunities that show up in your life. It’s being grateful for the present situation. It’s discovering joy in the unexpected.

Perhaps it’s being willing to let God lead the way.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. —Psalm 32:8