Lately, God has been cropping up in unexpected places for me.  To name a few: I've met God while doing yard work, during a visit to the hair salon, and while watching the sunset over the Gulf. 

Scene One:  When I moved to Galveston, I really hit the ground running.  It seemed to me that I had so very much to do.  Every day I was making lists... lists of things to do that day; lists of things that should have already been done but weren't; lists of things I'd already done (the latter mostly served the purpose of giving me the sense of satisfaction in scratching something off a list!).  One day, I was multi-tasking. I had a load in the washing machine, while I was preparing the night's dinner to go into the crock pot, while I was trying to answer e-mails, just before I was going to mow the yard.  However, nothing seemed to be going my way.  I guess I hadn't hooked up the washing machine correctly when I moved in, because my cold load was being washed in scalding hot water, which was also leaking down the back of the machine and puddling on the floor.  My computer crashed and then wouldn't turn on again (ever!  It had to be rebuilt.).  I didn't have the one spice I needed for my recipe.  And when I went out to mow the lawn, I could not for the life of me get the mower to start.

Frustrated, and now angry, I yelled out, "why isn't anything easy!?!?!?"  It was then that I realized that the only thing that was easy... that was going smoothly since I had moved has been growing my relationship with David.  I was reminded that I know without question that David loves me and is devoted to me.  We are really enjoying our time together.  The growing relationship is so much more important than a manicured lawn or an epicurean meal.  It was in that moment of clarity that I met God.  Oh yes, I get it, God.  You're also reminding me that You are in control of things, that You love me, and that I best not lose sight of the crucial and life-giving nature of what it means to be in relationship with You.  Of course, you guessed it.  Upon this revelation, the lawn mower started.

Scene Two:  Speaking of relationships, the bond of trust between a woman and her hairdresser is not something to be taken lightly.  I've had the same fabulous hairdresser for ten years, and the thought of turning over my locks to a complete stranger days before my bridal portrait scared me.  So I made the haul back to Austin where my hairdresser agreed to see me in the salon on her day off.  Well, she was two hours late meeting me, and rather frazzled from her bad day of disappointing doctors visits.  And for some reason, it took nearly six hours in the salon for my relatively simple visit.  Apparently Jeanie had a lot to get off her mind and my set of ears were the only ones in the salon at that late hour.  I've got to be honest with you:  I was not having a very good time.  I was frustrated that things were taking so long.  But somewhere in the process, I had a change of heart.  I'm not sure why (at least, I wasn't then).  At some point, I realized that maybe, just maybe, there was a reason why Jeanie agreed to see me on her day off; maybe there was some reason why it worked out that she couldn't meet me until the salon was closed and everyone had gone; maybe she really did need to talk to someone and I shouldn't trivialize it just because it wasn't a high priority on my agenda.  So, I had a change of heart and really started to listen.  I left the salon at 10pm.  The next morning, by 8am, my phone was ringing.  Jeanie's mother had just passed away.

Scene Three:  Coming home from a date night in Houston, David and I stopped at the "Poop Deck" to watch the sun set over the Gulf and to catch some of the evening breezes.  Sitting on the deck above the seawall, I started to people watch.  My attention quickly focused on an apparently intoxicated transient who had approached an attractive woman traveling alone in her convertible.  It wasn't like she could roll up her windows and avoid confrontation.  I watched their interaction with much interest.  It appeared he was seeking money that she did not wish to give him.  I was at first concerned for her.  But I watched as she talked with him for at least twenty minutes, engaged in what he had to say, respecting him, hugging him even before then finally driving away.

Yes, God has cropped up in unexpected places for me, reminding me again and again and again of the value and importance of relationship.  I am completed and live through relationship with Christ.  I am filled and blessed through relationship with family and loved ones.  By being a friend to those I know well and those I don't know at all... even when I don't feel like it, I am able to live out the call of Christian discipleship.  It is through relationship that we meet our Maker, as we build the kingdom of heaven here on earth.

Grace and peace to you as you journey.

Yours in Christ,  

~~Jennifer

6/30/05

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