On Sharing One's Life Story

On Sharing One’s Life Story

On Sunday evening, May 17, I will be sharing my life’s story. I’ve done this a number of times and every time it conjures up a variety of feelings both positive and negative. It is hard to believe that people are interested in my pilgrimage because in many ways it is not all that interesting. I have had a fairly normal up bringing in a fairly normal home and lived a fairly normal life. I also feel somewhat vulnerable sharing some of my weaker and lower times in life. It seems so easy to misunderstand and misinterpret the various influences that have shaped one’s unique life experience.
Yet in all this, I find it a very helpful thing to do to reflect on those high points and low points, those successes and failures, those weaknesses and strengths, and those joys and sorrows that have contributed to my life. Sometimes it has seemed like God was taking a vacation when going through some of the more difficult times in life. However, when I look back over the all the hills and valleys from my present vantage point, I can see God’s wisdom and presence in it all. I know that when I share my life’s pilgrimage, I will benefit from the experience far more than those who listen. God has worked in all my life. This also gives me hope for facing the future. While there is much I do not understand,and I still have lots of questions, I can be assured of God’s love and guidance in what lies ahead.
My favorite musician over the years has been Ken Medema, who has been a fixture at recent Mennonite conventions. His song, In My Life is especially meaningful when I think of my life. Here are the words.

As I look down the way
I have walked in my life
As I see choices made
In the heat of my life
I can see that if I knew
Everything that I know now
Then I might have changed the
Ways of my life.
My life…

I can see from this hill
All the turns in the road
Where I might have gone wrong
With no hope of return
You were always there
To pick me up when I was following
Down along the ways of my life
My life…

Somehow I cannot remember
Calling, calling on your help
When I was dashing
Dashing through my life
With all my bridges burning

I stood on the edge of danger
More times than I ever knew
And I can see that you were
Always standing there beside me
Nudging turning…nudging turning

The mistakes in my life
And the pain in my life
Into places to learn
What you mean in my life
Oh I must admit
That I have learned too slowly
I would like to say
Loud and clear

That I wouldn’t want to be without you
In my life

I wouldn’t want to be without you

In my life…