Unusual providence, Birthday coffee, open windows

Wednesday night at church we had a missionary present his work. He is going to Eastern Germany. He began deputation with the intent of going by himself as a missionary to that specific cultural group. According to studies done worldwide concerning the belief in God among disparate population groups, Eastern Germany shows a 70% adherence to the idea that there is no God. Significantly higher than any other cultural group around the world. The study further reported that for those less than 28 years of age, there was no one who believed in God. Zero. Nana. For those of us who do believe in God, that is a sad revelation. We generally assume a young child has an inherent concept of God. In this culture, that is not the case. No foundational hope. No unchanging good. No higher purpose to life. No divine inclination. Sadder still, no one to ask if there is such a question in a young heart.

To meet a couple willing to take the message of salvation to such a populous was humbling. The wife is from Crimea. She was in the United States getting a college degree when Russia invaded Crimea. Her desire to go back as a single missionary to evangelize her own people was abruptly halted in that military takeover, but by God’s unusual providence, she “ended up” at the church where a young man who was headed to Germany as a single missionary was serving as the pastor in their children’s ministry. Now the two of them and their infant son are on deputation to begin their ministry in what is statistically, the most Godless place on Earth. Not my definition. That is the conclusion of the study the missionary shared with us. May God bless them in their desire to take on this work.

Yesterday, I did not have a class, but I had an impromptu morning meeting. My birthday happened this week and since we are not able to work from the office, my workgroup wanted to meet for either coffee or for lunch. Most of my coworkers like meeting at a local coffee shop so, I suggested that as our rendezvous. We spent the morning visiting, catching up and talking a wide range of topics including work related topics. One coworker contacted me before the meeting and asked what he could buy as a gift. I assured him that was not necessary, but he insisted, so I suggested he buy me a coffee that morning.

One of the young ladies in our group loves metal signs. She bought a Bee Crossing sign that Mama and I really like. Another of the group bought a Korean marinated meat for me to fix for dinner. That was very thoughtful. Still another brought a Chocoflan cake to the celebration. My absolute favorite. It was a fun morning. It is easy to tell that they miss being together as a group. Most times I feel like the odd man out since the nearest my age is more than twenty years my junior, but they go out of their way to include me as the daddy of the group. A role to which I am best suited.

For the past couple days Mama and I have opened the windows to let the cool morning air into the house. The a/c has been turned off until late in the afternoon when the ambient temperature rises to the level that we feel the need to use the a/c. It has been very nice. As I walked last night, after Mama and I had made a Sam’s run, I did not break a sweat, in fact, I almost needed a vest or light jacket. This is our favorite time of the year. Mama and I love the Spring as plants and trees come back to life, but the Fall is our favorite. Mama is no fan of the cold of Winter, but the transition from the heat of summer to the cool temperatures of Fall is a welcome change, and in this area, we tend to have a long transitional period in which to enjoy those cool mornings and evening.

The open windows allow me to enjoy the sounds of the farm through the day. Rooster crowing, hens clucking or making the odd screech they make as they question something around them, birds singing out with the only song each of them knows to sing. There is a faint sound of the county road about a mile north of us, but mostly I hear farm sounds. It remind me of just how much Mama and I have been blessed.

Mama went to a luncheon yesterday with her immediate upline in Color Street. She had a wonderful time. In relating the day to me she told me that the luncheon was largely for the launch of a publication featuring women in various businesses. It was a well-done publication. The editor of the magazine also helps authors self-publish. That is a timely contact since I have been challenged by the Lord and several others to write – something I should be doing. We will see how all this plays out, but it is harder and harder to avoid the need to write out the stories circulating in my head.

Making the time to do so is the inhibiting issue I must conquer.