Neal had a fitful night Wednesday but probably because his labs were all out of whack. He is feeling much better tonight. We also had two friends come visit this afternoon which perked Neal up. Neal asked one of the phlebotomists today where he was from. He said central Africa and we asked where in central Africa. He was from Lusaka, Zambia where our friends Temfwe’s live! We told Goliath our connection and he said he had never met anyone in the United States that knew where Zambia was. Neal and I tried to sing part of a song we sort of remembered in Bemba (their language). Goliath could actually pick up some of the words we were trying to sing! What a small world. 🙂
Our son, Britton, sent this link to a song entitled “While I’m Waiting.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb7TSGptd3Y Neal said as humans we may think we have to do things in huge spectacular ways. We think bigger is better. We say, “Let’s wait to see how God will lead me.” But we need to look at what is in front of us, where God has placed us now. That opportunity in God’s economy may be more important. The visitors we have had, or meeting Goliath, or my friends offering for me to stay in their apartment here; those things may not seem part of the big plan. More often those things are more impactful. Often our definition of importance is not God’s definition. We should take advantage of every opportunity placed before us because we never know how God will use them.
On the journey,
Trish, for us both
You both continue to encourage and be such an example of trust. God does give the ‘peace that passeth understanding’. “Peace is not the absence of adversity and affliction. Peace is the presence of God”.
Have a calm and restful night.
Neal and Trish, we loved this sentence that you had blogged, “We should take advantage of every opportunity placed before us because we never know how God will use them.”—In VBS over the past few years, we’ve called these things, “God Sightings”–seeing how God is working in our lives—We encourage the kids and ourselves–Don’t miss these things God is doing in your life! So, one Saturday following VBS, Keith and I were talking about some “God Sightings” we have seen in our lives and our sons’ lives and then we weren’t surprised on Monday when we read in Ruth 2:3, “So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz,” NASB “happened”—we laughed—happened to be in the field of Boaz? We know from the genealogy of Christ in Matthew 1 that Boaz and Ruth are a part of Christ’s lineage . . . A “God Sighting” that we are blessed to see, but that Ruth never saw.
Thank you Neal and Trish for keeping your eyes open to everyone and every opportunity God puts in your lives.
Love, Aunt Gene and Uncle Keith
Mike Wheeler passed on your blog so Gary and I could keep up with your progress. We want you both to know we are praying for you both and for God to continue to place helpful people in your path with just the help you need for that moment. We also want you to know that as your neighbors we are ready to help in any ways we can with anything you may need done here.