Coincidence? I think not.

Image from Cartoon Stock

The last week has been full of car drama and the rescheduling of plans due to the reduction of independent transport. I've learned a couple things the last few days as a result of all this juggling.

There are people around me that are more than willing to help me get to were I need to be.

Sometimes relying on others and adjusting schedules makes opportunity for new perspectives.


Relying on others -
Although it can be difficult for me to ask for help, its a blessing to know that the people in my life are not annoyed with my requests for help. Thank you to everyone for that - you've made the last couple of days much easier.

New perspective -
As to the adjustment of schedule and such, this morning I rode downtown with my husband as he took all of us to our appointed places. What a nice taxi driver he is. Instead of being dropped off directly at my office, I told him I'd get out at the high school with my daughter. My office is less than a block away, it was a lovely 42 degrees this morning, and the cross traffic to get to my work's street is a nightmare before and after school. So I walked.

I had a chance to chat with my daughter and her friends for a longer time today and I enjoyed the extra time we had. I turned to start walking to work and two students from the on campus fellowship walked up to greet me and give me a hug. I joked around with them and told them to have a good day. I took a few more steps and saw another girl that I'd lost contact with, but used to come to youth group. We chatted, she gave me a hug and I was on my way again. Next, I ran into a young man I'd not seen since he was in middle school, but he gave me a nod of greeting in response to my smile and hello. As I began to cross the street, who comes in the opposite direction but one of my regular youth guys. I said hello and asked him how he was since last night. ( We just had youth group the night before.) I told him how good it was that I'd bumped into all these students and I mentioned how cool it would be to connect them to our church community. He agreed and said goodbye and went on his way to school.

The words, "We really need to find a means of getting connected to these students." stuck in my mind like super glue as I walked across the parking lot that bridges our churches property with the high school property. I mentioned earlier this week my need and asking God for eyes to see and ears to hear; and I feel that I'm beginning to see and hear something standing in this intersection this morning.

There is opportunity and possibility for greater connection to thousands of students that walk past our doors and park in our parking lot every school day. We have a location that is already literally connected to these students everyday lives. We already are connected, but somehow this morning I began to see it in a new way.

I have some praying and thinking to do. I need to have some conversations to share with my exisiting youth. They know better than anyone else how our church can serve their peers. We just have to ask, "How can we help you? How can we care for you? How can we be Jesus here for you?" We have a gift on our hands and we need to open it.

God help us to see the gifts you place right before us, and then help us to open them your way.

One more thing. Coincidence is defined as the noteworthy alignment of two or more events or circumstances without obvious causal connection. The word is derived from the Latin co- ("in", "with", "together") and incidere ("to fall on").If my car wasn't in the shop I might have never seen this connection because I would have been driving too fast and in my own independent environment. God spoke to me this morning on the midst of community. I'm glad I was in the place to hear the message. Although I saw not plan in the trials of my car, maybe just maybe God had been speaking this message all along. Only I was moving to fast to hear it. I don't think this is a coincidence, if it is its one with a purpose.

G-d,
Open my ears. Open my eyes. Teach me what I need to do with what you show me. Keep me open even when I want to be closed.

G-d, give me a vision that is more aligned with yours. I don't want to insist on seeing things my way and miss incredible mural you've been working on all along. Help me to put down my brush, pick up yours and join with you in your creation. Show me how walking a path shows me more than speeding past the lesson at 50 miles per hour.