How would you like your life to be described at the end of your days?
One of our sons introduced me to a podcast at Christmas and I’ve been enjoying it as a gift ever since. “The Diary of a CEO.” At the end of each podcast the host asks guests a series of rapid fire questions. The answers compete with the bulk of the content as the best part of the podcast. I listened to an episode in early April and the host asked the guest, “How would you describe your life on your deathbed?”
Good question.
Better answer.
Unanticipated
The guest replied, “Unanticipated.”
I like that answer.
I like it enough to make it my own. And if I tell the story long enough, I will forget that the word was not an original thought. (But originality is overrated.)
Unanticipated is a good summary of my life. Getting married, having children, enjoying grandkids, having good health are not inevitable. The past 47 years of marriage with Jocelyn have been exceptional. And not that exceptional wasn’t anticipated, but the degree of daily fulfillment exceeds anything imagined.
And being afforded the privilege of pastoring wonderful people in Essex, Montreal, and the Edmonton area was unanticipated. Even graduating Bible College and being trusted with a pastoral role was unanticipated by my parents. Jocelyn and I got to do big things together. Not the least of which was traveling the world with short-term mission teams.
Oh the places you’ll go.
We watched the sun come up in Petra. Moscow and Siberia were not at all what we imagined. We pinched ourselves traversing the Panama Canal. Yep, really here. An African safari was for National Geographic photographers not the Joneses.
Double Wow
We never anticipated going to Israel once, let alone three times. Nor did we anticipate being in a war zone and working with Ed Dickson and wonderful new friends in Ukraine. One year ago today, May 28th, 2025, Jocelyn was about to enter a war zone for the first time with a husband who had just undergone emergency surgery.
Wow.
Just wow.
This week I took a trip to Abbostford for the first time and the flight path took me low over the mountains. I was a like a kid taking in the spectacular view from my window seat.
Unanticipated.
Faith
Here we are in our 70s and me working in a role with younger leaders on our District staff team. (In my case, almost everyone is younger.)
On Tuesday mornings I attend a staff prayer time and discussion of scripture. This week, one of our young leaders commented that people of faith have every reason to be the most optimistic and positive. We have the assurance of knowing the God who is in control of the Universe as well as every detail of our lives.
She said, “that means followers of Jesus would have the most reasons to be a blessing to people living through challenge and chaos.”
That’s wisdom beyond a young leader’s years.
Appreciation
Knowing that all good things come to an end helps me appreciate the unanticipated role and relationships I have.
That joy will not be unanticipated.
What about you? What was unanticipated? Please join the conversation and post a comment below.
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Good Morning Pastor Bob! Today’s blog was a great read. “Unanticipated” is a wonderful word to explains one’s life. I have had alot of joy in my life & some heartache too. That’s life. I don’t have any grandchildren yet…maybe one day. That is not my decision. I am turning 65 in November…a legal senior. I’m glad that I have made it this far…it is a privilege that not all folks get. I am in charge of my High School Reunions. (We have them every 5 years now.) Sadly, we lost another 3 folks since I arranged our 45th High School Reunion, 2 years ago. As we move forward I’m life…it becomes a constant reminder of our mortality. Thank you for sharing this blog with us. You have led an incredible life..& still have a lot more to do. I’m glad that I can be a small part in it. It has been a blessing, to have had you as my Pastor…& of course, Jocelyn has always been right by your side. A wonderful dynamic couple. Have a great weekend! Keep on, keeping on. ❤️
Life is precious, Julie. Your 65 years have been shepherded by God’s presence and grace. So much of what we were spared from will be revealed in eternity. For now to be grateful for the good, and even unanticipated hardships.
Coming from a small Saskatchewan town & growing up on a farm, it was unanticipated that I would become a nurse & work with prem babies. I initially got into nursing to work with kids, but the Lord led me to the premature ward for over 3 decades. It was unanticipated that I would marry & we would have 3 chidren, the first one born 3 months early. God had prepared me well in advance for her. It was unanticipated that we would have a homosexual, addicted & homeless son. We pray for him every day. I know the Lord has him in His hands. It was unanticipated that we would travel the world, both with our business & with missions. In grade 12 our teacher had us write letters to ourselves in 5 years about what we would be doing. He mailed them to our parents 5 years later, as promised. One thing I had put in mine was that I would be a missionary in Africa. Well, it took a few extra years, but God blessed us with many short-term missions trips in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania & Rwanda. Through our business, we have been to many European countries as well.
It was unanticipated that the world would go through something like the Covid pandemic. Every movie I had seen about the rapture, life was going on as normal & suddenly the rapture occurred & millions of people were missing from the earth. Who would have thought that so many of our God-given rights & freedoms would be taken away & that so many would die & be left debilitated by a virus & the vaccine that was meant to protect us. I did not anticipate losing my older brother & my cousin, likely both due to the vaccine.
I didn’t anticipate that we would own a home in Victoria, BC & spend a lot of time there for the last 11 years.
So many things we couldn’t possibly anticipate & probably a good thing we couldn’t see into the future. God has helped us through the good & the not-so-good. He is always there to lean on.
You’re right, Faye. So much was unanticipated. But God is faithful, always ready to lean on .
Hello Pastor Bob.
I am going through an unanticipated 20 plus-year friendship would fall apart. I thought our friendship would lasts but it didn’t. I’ve invested so much time and love into this friendship however, one word or move or decision broke it.
It was unanticipated that I would be this hurt and in grief. I took the situation to our God and cried as I unloaded myself to Him.
We both said sorry and forgave each other. However, there is now this unanticipated distance between us.
I am not sure if our relationship would still be restored. I don’t want to get hurt again or hurt her again.
Sad for you, Raquel. That’s a long relationship to lose so quickly. I don’t doubt that it was deeply appreciated by both of you. Unanticipated experiences like yours can cause us to be self-protective. I hope you’ll continue to open your heart to those around you.