"I Saw God Today"

It is still cold! I swear my trailer was only at 42 degrees when I got up this morning. I would love to wear my CWU sweatshirt all day, but bigwigs are coming in and I have to stay in PDA gear. Not a big deal but the sweatshirt they gave me, is thin! It feels like spring in Seattle down here. I can't wait for the end of the week when it is back up in the 80's.

Things are changing here. My new partner Kate is here now. The best part is, I got a hug first thing this morning! She is only here through mid May so I have a month with her, then I'll transition again. I think this job, when you have more than 20people is overwhelming by yourself, but I have no doubt that I could do this job by myself. That wouldn't be ideal, but it is possible. The early mornings would catch up quickly.

It really hit me hard yesterday that I wouldn't be going back to Convergence at UPC or small group any time soon. It is great to be here, and I've settled in quickly but I miss those close relationships. It defiantly takes it toll on me. If this position was through Young Adult Volunteers I would be placed in community with the other YAV's and that would make the difference for me.

I heard some great stories the last few days that I've been mulling over and trying to figure out how I could write them out the the understanding and feeling that hearing them had on me, so I'll give it a try:

Thurs. is neighbor night here at the village. We invite construction assistants/managers home owners and neighbors to dinner. One woman who is a neighbor to a site makes lunch for the volunteers three days a week or more. This woman has no job, and until a month ago was making amazing lunches on two hotpots and a microwave. Then some volunteers found a stove for her and installed it! She explains her heart in serving those who come down to serve others. She has nothing herself, she didn't need help with her house, and she wants nothing more than to make lunch for these volunteers to thank them for coming down here to help her community. She will tell you that she is serving God by serving lunch to volunteers and having absolutely no expectations in return! She knows that everything she does in her life is for God and that her reward is Jesus saying, "Good work my good and faithful servant".

Another neighbor came in to explain that at the age of 60, he became a refugee in his own state. The Federal help that he sought out to get everything together had red tape of people asking him for his paperwork proving that he owned the land, the house, the insurance to fix the house. The problem was, he only had a day to evacuate his family and save his life and everything that was in the house, all that paperwork was washed away! The bank that had copies of all that paperwork, was washed away. And he too thanked the volunteers for what they do. He also told us that if you were in line to take a bus to evacuate, and you were number 54 in line and the bus only held 50, but you had a baby. You would hand your baby to someone on that bus, thinking that the next bus that you were getting on was going to the same place as that bus. The first concern was getting your baby safe. The problem was that first bus was going to Ohio, or South Carolina, and the bus you got on went to north Louisiana. When you got off the bus your baby wasn't there! That brought tears to my eyes. Only wanting to save your children, but not knowing where each bus was going and thinking they were all going to the same place, I can't imagine the horror!

George Strait has a song titled "I Saw God Today" and the chorus is:
I've been to church
I've read the book
I know He's here, but I don't look
near as often as I should
Yeah, I know I should
His fingerprints are everywhere
I'd just slow down to stop and stare
opened my eyes and man I swear
I saw God today

When I get to hear these stories whether they are first hand or through the volunteers who come back for dinner and tell me the stories, that is when I see God. The best part about that, is I get to stop and see God every day down here because his presence is so big. I'm not wrapped up in a job, or my schedule, I get to be flexible and see God all the time, and that is a huge blessing.