BEYOND THE UNEXPECTED  By Lori A Alicea

The day comes for all of us.

Escape or delay won’t prevent the inevitable.

The mat in front of the door of our life reminds us to welcome this day.

No more reliving what we couldn’t control.

No more turning back to the trail of debris left behind from the eye of the storm.

We must move on.

Like giving birth, the pain will cease and be remembered no more over time.

Yes, the struggle was real but God promises to turn around for good, what the enemy meant for evil.

(Genesis 50:20 NIV)

So embrace this day.

Welcome this day beyond the unexpected.

Might we gather God’s love and compassion He makes new each morning from his garden of faithfulness.

because His tender compassion’s never fail.
They are new every morning.
Great and beyond measure is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 AMP

This day came two months and two weeks for my husband David when he finally returned to work, taking those first few steps beyond the unexpected.USE back to work

Moving on is a cup of God’s cool water which refreshes the dry and thirsty soul from the bitter cup of worry and unanswered questions in the unexpected.

Moving beyond the unexpected is a hand of hope for someone else to reach out to; God’s promise for them that this too shall pass.

(2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NIV)

There’s no denying though the pain of rebuilding your inner strength the unexpected attempted to steal.

But you must fight back for what is rightfully yours.USE workout 2

Resist the temptation to escape or delay the going forward.

Allow God to do your heavy lifting as you do your lifting in praise while moving forward.USE workout 1

Moving forward is an uphill climb of small steps of faith, pushing back and resisting the lies of the enemy while God cheers you from on high at the summit.USE workout 3

Four heartbreaking weeks which separated us over the Christmas holidays, then six grueling weeks to find his way back to the front door beyond the unexpected, yet here he is, ready to begin walking into the good God has prepared for my husband and I.USE back to work

God continues to write our story beyond the unexpected.

Every twist and turn of the plot is unique to the love story God is writing for our personal life with Him.

There’s a happily ever after for every book on the shelf in heaven’s library.

Each may read differently, feel differently and always end differently, as God’s plan for his children are as unique as their fingerprints.

But don’t stop reading.

Don’t stop living and walking out the chapters He has written for your life; a secret best seller if we are willing to trust Him as we turn the page beyond the unexpected.

What is the unexpected you need to move beyond?

Health crisis…
Natural disaster…
Loss of a job…
Loss of finances…

Loss of a loved one…

Lost your way…

Be of good cheer.

Find comfort in your traveling companion who has detailed maps for every valley and mountain climb to follow.

He knows the way as He is the Way.

You’ll never lose direction when you carry the compass of God’s Word which leads you back to the doorstep of His heart.

Beyond the unexpected is a brand new day, a fresh start mapped out already from the beginning of time.

We can trust our good Father in moving forward beyond the unexpected.

Our good Father has amazing plans for us beyond the pages we have yet to turn in our life.

So embrace this day.

Welcome this day beyond the unexpected.

We thank you God for the love and compassion you make new each morning for us to gather from your garden of faithfulness.

LOT 232  By Lori A Alicea

Hard to believe six months have already passed us by.

During this short season the landscape of our life has been painfully pruned back by the gardener, fertilized and re-seeded for new and beautiful growth; but yet, that most sacred ground and scenery of our heart has remained untouched, unchanged.

Time does not discriminate and show favor to the weary, the broken, and those resisting the shears of the gardener’s pruning.

But life goes on as it should.

There’s wonder and beauty to be unwrapped and unveiled to those willing to continue their passage through the steep hills and rough terrain of change.

Remembering there are no shortcuts or detours, just one-way signs of “going thru” that difficult process of mining the heartache to discover those diamonds of new beginnings.

Lot 232 remains just as I remember.

LOT 232 SIGN

The furniture hasn’t moved nor any picture or book out of place since I cleaned it last.

coffee table

Contagious laughter of small children still echoes from the walls that captured their innocence seated around the table, each eating the spoils from the scavenger hunts of their grandmother’s cupboards.

moms table

The smells of the kitchen still retain their aromatic flavor and the recipes and memories remain that once framed the holiday dinner portraits at moms; the legacy gift I cherish most from her.

salt and pepper shakers

 Evident from the unwrinkled comforter, mother’s bed hasn’t been slept in; although the soft music she used to play continuously from the small radio on her nightstand can be slightly heard if I lean in ever so closely.

moms room

Lot 232 hasn’t changed a bit in my heart, but of all the details I wish I could change, it would be that my key to Lot 232 still opened the front door to my mother’s life.

So much has changed these last six months and yet, that most sacred ground and scenery of our heart has remained untouched, unchanged.

Daughters are little girls who never outgrow the need to share those heart gushes with her mother.

Grandchildren need those rocking chair moments with their grandmother too.

grandma in chair

The merry-go-round of living keeps spinning and changing, and how I desperately want off this ride.

But life must go on as it should;
Walking in the peace,
The calm and
Serenity of God’s love;

A journey that allows the Father to carry our troubles while carrying us when we need Him to.

Going on” mandates the “letting go” of what our heart strings desperately cling to. It’s giving to God what has been His from the beginning.

There’s no looking back in the rear view mirror when your life is moving forward.

We must allow God to pack our suitcase of memories; a loving tour guide who encourages traveling light, not weighted down from the cares of what “used to be”.

I sure love you mom.

I love mom

I keep your beautiful smile in my heart of remembrances.

face of our holidays

Your prayers for the three generations you petitioned God for were not in vain.

moms prayers

Your prayers have taught us to place our hope in God.

hope

And accept the things we cannot change.

Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the
Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can and
Wisdom to know the difference.

I drove by Lot 232 just the other day; an address one street over from when we used to be neighbors.  Seems like yesterday we were sharing an early morning cup of coffee together on your porch.

They say you can take the neighbor out of the neighborhood, but never the neighborhood from the neighbor.

We’ll always be neighbor’s mom.

Addresses may change.
But keys to the front door of our memories will never need a locksmith.

Thank you God for Lot 232.

I have no doubt my mother didn’t need a change of address in heaven.

I’ll know exactly where to find her.
LOT 232 SIGN