“Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief,
Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief”

I remembered this little ditty, which I have learned was printed by William Wells Newel in “Games and Songs of American Children” in 1883.  It was perhaps a silly response to the age-old question, and what are you going to be when you grow up? 

My “children” are more than grown up, they are all successful adults.  As children, would they have answered the question of “what are you going to be” correctly?  Probably not.  Now I watch my grandchildren going through those defining years; choosing a college, picking a major, thinking ahead towards what they are going to be.  Can they really answer the question?  Probably not.  But they will follow the twists and turns ahead of them and with God’s help will find the right path.  My oldest granddaughter, the first to complete her education, has found her answer.  After a couple years of searching, she discovered that her real love is baking.  As I write this, she is the Assistant Pastry Chef at a fine bakery in DC.  We are so proud of her and her delicious creations.  God works in mysterious ways. 

I grew up being asked frequently, “What do you want to be?”  At the time, that question could have been translated to do you want to be a teacher or a nurse?  Did I truly have an answer?  No.  I spent my working life wandering among professions.  Each seemed the right choice when I started, each morphed into the category of maybe this is not for me.  Fortunately, no one poses the question any longer.  Guess they think it’s too late to grow up and decide. 

Looking back what I see is a lifetime of opportunities in which I could be a servant of God.  He steered me on an unexpected path, but each time the work presented a new chance to be his servant.  I think he’s still doing that.  I can’t do now what I could do ten years ago, but at each stage he opened my eyes to what I could do. 

Thanks be to God for the unconditional love with which he enfolds us, guides us, and shows us the way.  Who knows what tomorrow may bring.  Whatever it is, I’m sure there will be an opportunity to be his servant.

Judy