"The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree - they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD, or Jehovah, shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall STILL BRING FORTH FRUIT in old age - they shall be FAT and FLOURISHING! To shew that the LORD, or Jehovah, is upright - he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him." Psalm 92:12-15 I love those verses! I take great encouragement from them.
As I have said, I would really like to see my dream come to pass, the way I am imagining; and I really want it to. I even have to admit, I cringe at the thought of disappointment; if for some reason, it is not able to go ahead. See: I've got a plan for seeing it brought to pass - but I don't know how it will be received.
This, however, is something God has been bringing to pass over the years - in my opinion. Here is what I am talking about:
I met this girl over seven years ago now. I held her that day; and, over the years, I have found God providentially providing opportunities to meet and get to know her. With her, I don't have to "figure out" what to do. All I have to do is be who I am.
I still remember driving from Alberta back to Winnipeg, and I just happened to be driving down the highway on "Son-Day" morning. I knew there was a church along the way; which I had been to before, and wouldn't mind visiting again - and it was about the time the morning meeting would be starting.
The problem was: remembering where to turn off the highway, to get there. I took what I thought was the correct turn, but didn't find the church. Of course, when you take a wrong turn like that, it takes you a while to realize that it cannot be the correct road. Therefore, I turned right, and then another right at the next road.
I was driving down the road back to the highway (by the way? I went through a sudden "drop" on THAT road, and sort of bottomed out my rental car!), I was feeling kind of perplexed (but I do think I was getting some consolation from perhaps Charles Stanley on the radio). I was driving along that road? And there was the church I was looking for! I had found it! I went in!
And - though I had NOT planned this AT ALL, there was this girls father (my friend)! They (his family) were obviously visiting his in-laws for the weekend and therefore at that same church! After the meeting, I was talking to my friend about how I had wound up there, when "another 'friend'" (my friend's WIFE, who is also a very dear friend of mine) "THUNDERED IN" on our conversation from behind/beside me! "HAAAWH-YEEH!" (In other words, "HI?" - but there is NO WAY that spelling does justice to the way she said it!) (Again, they are the parents of this girl). It was both a happy and... "VERY MUCH WANTING TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON!" greeting! When she had gotten more breath after "blowing me away" with her "greeting-and-interrogation-all-rolled-into-one"... and laughter, she continued it! "...WHAT'RE... YOU!.... DOING HERE!..." The good news? I had nothing to hide! I had gotten there by the grace and providence of God! I can understand, though, why she was suspicious! I mean, the timing was nothing short of miraculous! That was one small example of God allowing me to be there - even go to her parents' house for lunch after!
By the way, I am mortified by the way I carried on at her place, though! I remember being "outspoken", to say the least. "In the multitude of words, there wanteth not sin - but he that refraineth his lips is wise." (Proverbs) Well, to recite another Bible verse? "Lo - I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, or Jehovah - thou knowest." (Psalm 40:9) I would actually even apologize for my indiscretion there (and not just there, either!) if I had the chance. It is mortifying. Not that she gave me a hard time for that, which I thank her for!
I remember a different time (several years later), where I was going to drive out to my friends' place for a visit. I remember talking to my friend (the father) about our soon to happen visit; and I remember him saying, "You're probably going to want to play with the girls, right?" And I remember thinking: "Uh... Well, yeah... You mean, you're OK with me doing that? I mean, definitely! I would love you - but, yet again: you don't mind?" Well, obviously, they didn't, from what I could gather!
I had an amazing time, and - yes - I did play with their girls! It fell into place. That's all I can say. I loved it! I thank God for it - but I didn't make that happen. I simply showed up and - again - it fell into place.
More recently, I was flying back home, and was going to also visit my friends' place, and I wanted to bring a movie I had bought on Blu-Ray - but I didn't have a Blu-Ray player. The problem was, I hadn't been able to find the movie.
I didn't know if I would find it, but I looked for it - just before flying back (in my ROOM - and finding stuff in my room can be a real challenge!). I found it! Just like that! I asked ahead about watching the movie, and got encouraging feedback. Then, when I SHOWED it to them (when I arrived at their place), I still remember this girl seeing the Blu-Ray disc, and exclaiming, "...I LIKE this movie...!" Do you know: I had tried to get other people to watch that Blu-Ray with me? They hadn't been interested (though I HAD taken my MOM to see it in the theatre, and SHE HAD loved it!) For her to say that upon seeing the disc? And then to watch it with her, and experience the way she, indeed, totally enjoyed it? It was such a gift! (And that came after me getting BRUTALIZED by someone I had thought I could trust as someone to confide in, regarding very personal matters!)
One more story! I remember, when I was going to head out to "their place" on this girl's last birthday, and I decided I wanted to play a piano piece I had worked and worked to learn, years before. I practiced it over and over on my parents' piano before driving out. I simply remember thinking: I really want to place this song for them. The thing was? I didn't even realize there was any potential for them to not have a piano! Seriously! See, years before, they HAD had a piano in their home - and I suppose I was remembering that! Either way, they had NOT had a piano in their house for a LONG time!
This, however, did not mean they would not have a piano for me to play on! The only reason for THAT fact, though, was that - just DAYS before? They had "finally" wheeled a piano into their house! Seriously! My friends father has a "dolly", or something like it, for moving pianos! And he had brought it over, and helped them get a piano in there! Just before I came out! Joel Osteen talks about this! God having solutions for problems you didn't even know you had! I mean! I love that! I even love them - but I do want to (as I said in a previous post) give them breathing room too! I just love them so much, OK?
The last time I was at her place, though? I remember my friend (her father) explaining that his girls were downstairs watching a movie he had bought them. He invited me to come down and see how they responded when they realized I was there. We did go down, and they didn't even realize we were there (they were obviously concentrating intently on the movie).
My friend and I stood there to the side and watched the movie, along with them - again - them not realizing we were there. This reminds me of being in high school, and going to the University of Manitoba. A Chemistry professor was "showing off" some really fascinating chemistry demonstrations. One of them was two "powders" he mixed in a bowl. He was stirring the bowl under the "chimney" of the chemistry laboratory; explaining that it took several seconds for the two chemicals (i.e. powders) to react. So, he would stir, and pull back... Stir, and pull back - anticipating a reaction at any moment.
That was just like me standing there watching that movie - waiting for them to realize I was there. I didn't know what they would do. I hoped they would be glad to see me; but in that moment, all I could do was wait... and even hope. Well! Did I ever get a trip down memory lane! About thirty seconds to a minute later? This girl suddenly whirled her head sideways towards me and exclaimed?... Something I had only heard once in my life before...
"HAAAWH-YEEH!" (Again - "HI!" but, yet again, with accentuated spelling)... JUST!... LIKE!... HER!... MOTHER!... had said it back at her home-town church over seven years before! It was unmistakably uncanny!
I've said it before; and actually read it today again: "Boast not thyself of tomorrow - for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1. Do you know what I also read, though? The last few verses of that chapter! I just bought some RRSP's today - something I had not done in a LONG... LONG... time! See, there is also Proverbs 24:27 (I think): "Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field - and, afterwards, build thine house." I used to find that verse - and the kind of verses found at the end of Proverbs 27, depressing. It seemed like my work would NEVER be prepared without! That it would NEVER be fit for "myself" in the field. Now, however? God willing, I will see if I can even get a raise at work! Either way, I am encouraged.
Sincerely,
Daniel
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