“I can’t wait till I get my license, so I can drive myself to the library.” Exclaimed my fifteen-year-old when we were on our way to get bubble tea. I am blessed. How many fifteen-year-olds would be excited about having their license, so they can read more?
Bubble tea – a commodity we previously drove to Columbus for. Well, not just for that. We would not drive four hours round trip just for tea. We would for IKEA, of course. Bonus prize – bubble tea from the Fashion Mall, at a time when we couldn’t find bubble tea locally.
After my daughter’s book desire statement, I asked if she needed a trip to the library. A resounding yes cemented our designation post-tea. The new bubble teas from Grand Pacific Popcorn and Sweets did not disappoint.
While at the library, my husband, who was a last-minute addition to the trip, asked if I ever thought about writing at the library. I said, not this one, it’s too small. I had gone to another larger library pre-covid to write. I gave our cozy little library a look around – a second chance. There were a few tables in the corner that could work, so I blocked off some time in the coming week to return.
The day arrived. My first trip to the local library to write. But what was I to do? There are a thousand things on my writing to-do list. Surely, when fellow writers heard that I was going to take a year off from work to write a book, they mocked me in their heads. A year to write a book? Nonsense! Truth be told, the plan was always to take a year off, then reassess our finances and my book status to determine the next steps. That reassessment was almost two years ago. The to-do list continues to be long and daunting. But alas, this morning’s Bible verse and accompanying devotional led me to put my trust in God – yet again.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16.3
So I drove to the library with no plan in place. For me, a planner, a to-do-list-scratcher-offer, it was quite unusual for me to not know what I was going to do once I reached my destination. Normally, without my faith, it would even be anxiety provoking. But I trusted God and let Him direct my steps.
My steps led me to the table tucked away in the back corner. My laptop wasn’t even awake before God led my eyes to his plans. I found myself looking at the secluded bookshelf next to my corner table. The mahogany shelves looked more like a doctor’s private library bookcase rather than one you would find at the local library. My eyes searched the titles to see what the prized books were.
MEMOIRS.
I’ve read enough memoirs in the last couple years to know these were no ordinary titles. It was a complete section of memoirs. When I was at the library a few days prior, I wondered if there was a separate memoir section despite the small but mighty size of our library.
I perused the titles and a few book jackets for something that might be related to my memoir. One of the many things I need to do to publish a memoir is to read, read, read – especially memoirs like mine. Not just read them, analyze them, and compare them to my memoir in the book proposal I will eventually send to publishers. Not just one or two memoirs – five to twenty.
Although not a single title seemed relevant, my search led me to the internet. Before I realized my time was escaping, I had spent 90 minutes researching memoirs online.
I didn’t have a plan for what I would “write” today. But God did. And He planned those minutes long ago. He planned for the local bubble tea, the inclusion of Matt on the trip, Bella’s love for books, the addition of the library visit, Matt’s idea to write there, the Bible verse and devotional for today, the placement of the table in the corner, and the placement of the memoirs. Hmm… I wonder when that bookshelf of memoirs was created. Yesterday? Wouldn’t be surprised. Makes me want to go back to the library to see…
I also didn’t know the content of my next blog. Thank you, God, for supplying my needs for that too.
Often, we don’t know what our day will bring. We don’t know what challenges, successes, pain, or joy will come of our day. But when we commit our minutes to God, He will always bring good from everything and anything – even a trip for some bubble tea.