“Darlene Lynn put that book down and get the vacuuming done,” Mom said.

I sighed. “I hate cleaning,” I thought to myself. I was just getting to the good part and had to know what trouble Nancy and George were about to get into. Cleaning could wait for a few minutes. Nancy Drew couldn’t.

“Now!” my mom said. It was like she could read my thoughts. I slammed the book shut and stomped downstairs to get the vacuum.

My mystery would have to wait.

I have always been a mystery lover. I tried my hardest to ‘figure it out’ before the last page, or near the end of the show. Still do. My favourite authors captivate me as I follow their clues and guess who the perp is. Sometimes I’m right. Sometimes, they surprise me.

On CSI, Catherine and her team follow the evidence to solve the mystery. Each piece of the puzzle leads them closer until it all comes together at the end.

This leads me to think about the mysteries in life. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do people fall out of love and get divorced? Why does someone who eats right, exercises, and takes care of themselves get cancer, when others don’t? Why do countries declare war in the name of religion? Why do babies have to die?

They’re all mysteries to me. We can try as hard as we want, but following the evidence in these cases isn’t going to help. We don’t know why things happen. We don’t know how it will end.

When my mom was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, I struggled. “God, why did you allow this to happen? Mom just wants to serve you. Why take her at such a young age?” These questions went through my mind as I tried to figure it all out.

Mom didn’t. Her reaction to the news was “I’ve had a good life.” She began to tell others of her journey and where she was headed. It wasn’t a mystery to her because she knew where she was going and she was ready.

It’s hard not to question the mysteries of life, but God wants us to trust Him. No matter what. I don’t know about you, but that’s hard for my inquisitive nature. I want to figure it out.

However, it’s better to leave it with the One who knows all things. He has more wisdom than any of us, including Nancy Drew!

What about you? Do you try hard to figure out why things happen?

Mama’s Patchwork

She read the steps of her “Mystery Quilt” and followed them one at a time. This was something new to her. Quilting by blind faith, not knowing what it would look like. The steps hid the final appearance, but it was fun to play along. The mystery would be revealed in the end. She thought about her life and the many mysteries she went through. She tried hard not to question them because she knew one day when she reached her final destination, all of them would be resolved. God was in control.

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It’s hard not to question the mysteries of life, but God wants us to trust Him. No matter what. (Click to tweet)

Revelation 10:7 (NIV)

“But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”