“You know you’re from Montville when…”

There’s a  Facebook trend going on right now.  People create pages titled “You know you’re from (insert hometown name) when…”,  and then others who are from that place start reminiscing about their hometowns.  They remember teachers, hang-out places, events and friends.  I spent way too much time reading the one about my hometown in New Jersey the other day, reliving that chapter of my life.

chapter: a period of time or an episode in a person’s life, a nation’s history, etc.      (Oxford Dictionary)

Our lives really are a book, with periods of time and different episodes.  We can look back at the chapters already written, and wonder about the ones to come.  But I realized that we can’t read the one that’s happening right now.  We’ll have to wait to see its context, to see how it fits in with the rest of our story.

And that’s why it’s important to make it good.

I don’t want to make stupid mistakes or bad choices that set the tone for this chapter. No matter what happens in this one,  I don’t want it to have an underlying theme of faltering faith or complacency.  Even if this episode in my life turns out to be punctuated with disappointments or challenges or struggles, when I look back on it, I want to see steadfast hope and perseverance and joy.

I don’t know how or when this particular chapter will end.   Something might happen today that will suddenly close this chapter and start another one.  I won’t always have control over the events and the circumstances and the other characters in the story.

But I do have control over the main character. 

Her adventures and scenes and dramas may change, but her faith will not.

And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.  Psalm 139:16

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them.  So a book of remembrance was written before Him, for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.  Malachi 3:16

Does He not see my ways and count all my steps?  Job 31:4