A trip through my cluttered brain


Sometimes my brain makes weird connections.  Today was one of those days.  On friday my cousin and her boyfriend are headed to Holland, MI to check out a retirement home for my aunt and uncle.  For some reason that caused me to remember an essay I’d read long ago called “Welcome to Holland.”

The piece was written in 1987 by American author Emily Perl Kingsley, and is about having a child with a disability.  The tale tells of a couple that is preparing to go to Italy on vacation, but somehow get routed to Holland instead.  The trip isn’t the same as the one they planned, and causes them to have to shift and pivot, but while not Italy, the author decides Holland can still be beautiful. 

 

In searching for the essay today, I came across a blogpost titled “Why I HATE ‘Welcome to Holland’”. This post was from a woman with an autistic child.  She said that after the diagnosis she kept receiving the “Welcome” essay from well-meaning friends.  She said she hated it because NO JOURNEY OF PARENTHOOD IS EVER WHAT WE EXPECTED, and the reason for that is: our expectations of what parenthood should look like are all about us… 

 

After reading THAT post I decided that while I like “Welcome to Holland”, I like the “Why I HATE…” post even better.

 

And THAT revelation brought me around to the devotional I read this morning about pride.  It said that often, the “mask” we show the world is one of self-sufficiency and composure…when in reality things are falling apart.

 

It claimed that maybe we tell ourselves the reason we don’t let others see what is really going on with us is because we don’t want to burden them…but the truth is, we wear our masks because we are prideful and arrogant.

 

The devotional said that PRIDE means having a view of ourselves that doesn’t align with reality and it is one of the most effective tools Satan uses to keep you from God.  

 

1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for us”.

 

Jesus knows who you are.  He knows your struggles and He wants you to seek Him daily, but most especially when you’ve been “rerouted to Holland.” 

 

As the woman who wrote the “Why I HATE” post said, most of the time our lives are unpredictable, and when the reality doesn’t match the expectations, it’s because our expectations were about US and what we wanted.

 

In those times we must turn to God and trust that while His ways may route us away from “Italy”, He is sovereign, well-intentioned, and good. 

 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8

 

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

 

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He relents from sending calamity.” Psalm 103:8

 

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