This evening I met a man of exceptional character. Fred is his name, and harassment - by his own admission - his aim. In moments I surmised Fred would be fun. As the evening wore on, our banter continued as at its onset. When someone came to check how we were getting along, I claimed I hated him and he said I was already on the only nerve he had left. At that point I think it had been about four minutes. By the end of our evening spent serving together, it would not have taken a chemist to prove Fred as quick with compassion as with whit. (Though he'd probably not like me telling anyone that.)
I hadn't expected his comment about fashion to turn into an answer to prayer. And if I hadn't been listening just then I may have missed it.
"And men who do care about clothing?" I questioned Fred as part of one of the bits of conversation we engaged in this evening.
"They need counseling." was his matter of fact response which was met with laughter on both of our parts.
Lately I'm learning to look for God in lots of places I would have previously passed without pause. Today I met Fred and found God in his life. And in a new place in mine. Lessons: I learned again how important it is for me to follow God through the people he places in my life. I learned that when words like "accountability" are tossed up in a community, there is a purpose in that. Tonight I learned that purpose was for me. I learned that although Fred may have been jesting God was not. And Fred will learn, if he does not already know, how God intends to use him in my life. I got a slight glimpse of it tonight and I'm thrilled at what might lie ahead.
May this just be the beginning of what Fred said!
Back in college, in 2004 when blogging was hardly even a thing yet, I was here. Blogging before blogging meant anything to anyone. You can look in the archives for my past writings, but it was much more like a journal in the past. When we started fundraising, I messed around with the idea of launching something new for this new phase of our journey but actually hated that idea. I am a sum of all of my life and so much of it is here already. So I'm keeping it here. At least for now.
My main focus these days is blogging about our newest journey into the bizarre and wonderful world of gestational surrogacy. Posts dated 2013 and forward will trend heavily toward that journey. I don't promise everything I write will be about though. There might be other things that sneak in occasionally.
Please come along our journey with us. As the saying goes, "The more, the merrier!"
2 comments:
Fred denies all that!
And additionally - from your 4/24/04 <<...My first thought on "going public" was that there is no one in his or her right mind that would read my ramblings...>>
I object strenuously. I've already had couselling - I must be in my right mind.
Finding God in strange places reminds me of the waitress we found in "Chicago" - actually Downers Grove in 1985. We had come here for the 'job interview' which would be a transfer from California to Chicago. We had always said that we would never (or NEVER) move to Chicago.
The waitress that was waiting on us (and you are getting the short story here - I've been known to take 15 minutes telling this story according to Doris) had actually lived in a small town near where we lived in Fresno, and had probably met my Mom who had visited the church that the waitress attended (her husband was the pastor). So here in this 'town' (of 7 million people), we run into someone who probably had already met my Mom.
What we learned from that is "Where ever you go, be VERY careful. Either God has already prepared the way for you, . . . or there is someone there who knows your Mom. In either case, you better be careful."
Fred - I seriously hope you are not trying to tell me you know my mother. If she has put you up to something I demand to know what it is!! All humor aside, your point has been noted. Proceeding with caution.
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