I know I keep talking a lot about God and things that have been happening, but when you are or have been struggling you tend to lean on things that happen as encouragement or support.
Mark, the kids and I all walked down about a 1/2 mile to the park after lunch today. The sun is becoming more of a thing here right now...notice I didn't say warmth...and you have to wait until after noon but it's been coming out almost daily for a good week or so...I'm hoping I don't jinx it!!
So we walked to the park.
Normally this park is empty during the day cause it's next to the school which is in session while we are there. But today there was 1 other mom hanging out while her 2 boys played. She was friendly and we said our 'Hey!" to each other...but with Mark being there I just really wanted not to be social with anyone new...and yet I thought to myself...there's aNOTHER mom...maybe she needs a friend!! (Yes...I MISS having friends!!)
Anyway, the boys started playing with my kids...actually Grissom spit (well at least he tried to) at the older boy...so he got in trouble and I had him tell the boy he was sorry for spitting - (I had to interpret for Grissom) and the mom kind of stepped in again and made her son acknowledge Grissom. Things went on for awhile but we kept distance. Then Ella got to talking to this mom. She told her we were here from Indiana and the lady said, I grew up in Indiana...where are you from? Ella knowing our address and being the innocent one that she is replied, "Highland." cause we live on Highland Lake Way...this sent this mom walking right over to us and she said, "Your daughter says you all are from Highland Indiana? I grew up there!?!" I smiled and just told her that we were from Brownsburg, the West side of Indy...one thing let to another regardless of my nonsocial attitude and we ended up sharing a lot more in common.
She's homeschooling her first grader, the oldest boy my kids were playing with.
She NEVER comes to this park but stopped today cause she needed to waste some time after she did her Costco shopping...
AND her husband's business has had struggles and she basically told me that they went from Feast to Famine...
She was also fellow believer! Crazy, I know!! We talked for quiet sometime. I'm SO amazed at how deep a conversation can go in NO time when you are on the same common ground of knowing Christ! She hugged me when we parted ways. Our family will be adding Heidi and her husband, Paul to our prayers and they will be adding us to theirs!
I walked back to our apartment feeling encouraged and supported by a complete stranger who cared enough to share her story and listen to mine!! She invited us to check out their church and to look for her if we come. She's super busy and with us leaving I didn't want to throw out any expectations of getting together before we leave...but I know that this was a meeting that God set up...one to once again encourage us on our journey of life!
I can't tell you how up-lifted I felt from this meeting. Mark didn't listen to all our conversation but he heard enough to feel encouraged and up lifted...I think he was more amazed at the people God seems to seriously pick out of a crowd to be at the same places we end up and end up talking to and helping each other out!
Thank you Jesus for Heidi and our random meeting today! Bless her and Paul as well as their boys!
P.S. My Papaw(Harry McClintic) is OK!! He took off with a group from our church back home (Traders Point Christian Church) for Kenya...Nairobi, Kenya on a mission trip...today there was a tragic explosion...a gas problem that killed 120 and injured even more...I can't tell you the feelings that started welling up when I heard all this and made the connection that THIS is the same place that my papaw is in RIGHT NOW! But I checked their blog and someone luckily posted that they were all safe and no one from the team was in this explosion!! SO thankful for that!! Pray for this team please...just for their safety and homecoming!!
No comments:
Post a Comment