Busy God

Years ago I decided that when people asked “How are you?” I’d not answer “Been busy!” In our times “been busy” has an air of “I’m busy, therefore I’m important” which quite frankly, isn’t so. So to keep from implying it, I have a handful of ready replies to the question when it comes — and it does.

But I have to tell you – God’s been busy in our neck of the woods lately!

It’s been a good year for Brenda at the pre-school this year. In just a few days she’ll begin to enjoy summer.

The flowers in my gardens are really pretty this year, especially the columbines. The columbine is my favorite, partly because I was born in Colorado, and lived there quite a bit growing up. I’ll put a few snapshots on the Flickr site so you can see more if you like. I enjoy walking around the yard, admiring God’s pallette and the beauty He’s given us to enjoy in nature. What an awesome Artist He is!

After being vacant over a year, the house next door was recently placed on the market. Apparently the foreclosure rigmarole is over. “Lord, would you give us the neighbors we need?” I prayed, “I’m willing to reach out to them and share the love of Christ with them, I’d like to enjoy their family at least a little bit, …You know what’s best; would You do that?” This weekend being a holiday, the parade of tire-kickers going through the house (can you kick the tires on a house?) lightened up quite a bit, and then Monday afternoon a pickup pulled in next door. I was outside watering the flowers between our driveways when a second car pulled in, slowed and stopped. I looked up to see this young man grinning at me from behind the wheel. I smiled and nodded. “Hi,” he said, and added something else. I didn’t hear him exactly so walked closer.

“Say again?”

“Hi. I do believe we’re you’re new neighbors.”

“Welcome!” I smiled. He looked familiar, like I should know him, but I couldn’t place him. My mind couldn’t locate his name in my memory’s data base. “You look VERY familiar,” I said, “but I can’t place you. Help me?”

He smiled (could probably tell). “I’m Mike. I played bass for you quite a bit”

That he did! When he was a college student, he played for one of our praise teams in our former church. His team wasn’t one I led, but we worked indirectly together a third to half the time. Now he’s married and and buying the house next door. The closing’s not until next month (actually June starts the day after tomorrow!) but I thanked the Lord Monday afternoon for giving us neighbors we already know —well, Mike anyway, we’ll get to know Heather soon enough— and who love the Lord.

God-sightings, we call them.They’re everywhere. God’s been busy around here. How’s he doing in your neck of the woods?