Nothing Is Wasted
This week I stole away on a business trip with sweet husband. Well, to say that I stole away would be laughable. And to call it a trip would be somewhat humorous. Perhaps I should clarify. To have stolen away would indicate that it was quick and easy. Quick? Certainly. Easy? Not so much. Worth it? Absolutely.
For a collective 24 hours, I went to a town three hours away just the two of us for a business meeting. It was an overnight stay, so I suppose that qualifies as a “trip.” Further, there was no small amount of commotion that went into my 24-hour hiatus, as is generally the case when one is in charge of numerous tiny humans. Prior to leaving, I was discussing all of the arrangements that had been made for our three boys, to get everywhere that they needed to go, have everything they needed to have, and not get lost, forgotten, or go hungry in the process. To be clear, I have an AMAZING village. One of the best. Still, in my litany of who was going where and how and what might be needed and what should be done, I looked over and saw him staring at me utterly amazed.
So I guess I don’t need to tell you that I am the planner in the family.
In the last year, God found it fit to laugh at me and yank the rug of my perfectly planned life right out from under my feet. My husband, who is quite possibly the most able and ambitious businessman on the face of the planet, started an endeavor across state lines several hours away. In a blink, we found ourselves living a life split between two states. He living in Texas and operating the business. Me living in Louisiana and operating the home. For me, it meant learning to dance through the melody of motherhood with chaos and grace. Sometimes I find myself in a waltz of synchronized choreography that so beautifully accompanies the music of the moment. Other times, I feel I am in a mosh pit with loud and brazen lyrics stumbling to find my way with the three crazies God has placed in my care.
Weekly, we travel to the great state of Texas to be with sweet husband. Recently as I drove, the chaos caught up to me, and I found myself too tired to even speak. But I hoped God could hear my heart. Lord I am tired. TIRED. I am tired of the back and forth. Tired of packing snacks. Tired of packing clothes. Tired of forgetting something in one place or the other. Tired of endless podcasts. Tired of my Pandora stations. Tired of the DVDs. Tired of the traffic. Tired of living in two separate states. TIRED.
And almost instantly I heard His quiet reply. Nothing is wasted.
At first, my grouchy retort was, What does that even mean? But then I let it soak and take root in my heart and mind. Nothing is wasted. NOTHING.
If I can orchestrate every moment of my kids’ schedules to make sure that all of the pieces of their puzzles fit together, surely the God of whole universe is big enough and capable to work in my life as well. Daily, He is working to ensure that the tapestry of my life is woven into a beautiful picture. And what’s more, there are no snagged threads for which He cannot find a place. He is constantly weaving and knitting together every moment. Every second. With that in mind, I can look to God and cling to the promise that there isn’t anything in my life that will not work together for my good— and for a gorgeous display of His glory. [Romans 8:28]
And you know what? If He can do it for me, certainly He can do it for you… For with Him, nothing is wasted.
Erin Cuccio is a wife, mother to three sons, writer, speaker, daughter of the King. After nearly a decade as an educator, she retired to her true passion-- Secretary of Internal Affairs at the Cuccio Household. Today, she spends her time raising her sons with a heart after Christ and supporting her husband in his many entrepreneurial endeavors as well as operating a few small businesses of her own out of her home. She writes for her personal blog and serves the kingdom by speaking at various conferences around the state. Her heart is to deliver a scripturally sound message wrapped in relevance and revelation for women of all ages.