Tennis Anyone?

I love to play tennis but have found it impossible to find anyone to play with. I keep telling myself I'm going to join a class, but somehow, I always am too busy. If I try to get my son to play with me, he may do it but dislike it the entire time, which isn't always fun. I keep thinking if I wait long enough, the perfect tennis partner will fall out of the sky and be thrilled and joyful to spend some time with me playing tennis. My faults she wont even notice and she will have the best day of her life! Well, it is a nice thought.

A Work Day of Leisure

My daughter needed me to drive her to a day of community service at a local park. I started out the day by getting lost until my memory kicked in. She reminded me if she was late, she would have to leave and come back on another day. I finally found the park and took her to the work station. She had visions of eight hours of back-breaking labor. I returned at noon for her lunch break and asked her how it went. She said she was the only girl in the midst of seven men. She said the man in charge had her scatter a little fertilizer on the lawn but mainly, he was escorting her around on his motor-driven cart. Wow, I thought, pays to be the only girl there. She said in exchange, she had to listen to three men giving her their life stories and it is funny how much of what they said centered on the Lord and church. She told them her dad works at a church in Castro Valley. Some of them had past connections there. All in all, it was a fairly work-free day and when I picked her up at 2:30, I couldn't find a drop of sweat on her. She expected the worst and got the best and a cool day to top it off. Our God often surprises us with the opposite of what we fear.

After a very inspirational church service and sunday school message, I wanted to go right out and serve God. I met my mom at McDonald's, used the restroom and met an employee in there who went on about my purple shawl. She loved it and said it was her favorite color. I took it off and gave it to her with a church flier and an invite to church. I absolutely loved the outfit my mom gave me for my birthday, but what I loved more was being able to share the wonderful joy of Jesus and the church He has put me in with someone else. Her name is Laura. I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers.

Sounds Fishy to Me

My husband took me on a surprise date for my birthday. He took me to my favorite place...the ocean. We had a wonderful time at Half-Moon Bay and the day was perfect...not too hot or too cold. He took me to a famous fish restaurant that had been in town for almost a century. We ate the amazing food and watched the ocean. As we were finishing our meal, we noticed that two older gentlemen had sat at the table next to us and had both ordered large bowls of boiled clams. I was thinking to myself that they were very brave because clams in the shell are not something I would ever order. The waitress came along and said to one of the men, "He wants one of your clams!" She was referring to my husband and we both looked at each other like she was crazy. He was willing to give Kevin one and then we said that it was just a joke. The waitress then came with a dish so the man could put a clam on it! We again said that we would decline as we were indeed very full. We left the restaurant and laughed about it. I got to thinking that God always knows what we need as as a good parent he wants to give us the things we need. He never has to guess if He has a plan and a calling on our lives. If we trust Him each moment He will guide us. We wont have to fish around. His gifts of peace, love, joy and satisfying work are all part of His plan. I thank Him that He always knows best.

Impressions

Sometimes we can come away from a situation or a person with the wrong impression and sometimes it is funny what a person can assume about something. My brother took me out to a fancy restaurant in Jack London Square for my birthday. After dinner, my brother went to the restaurant and the waiter asked me if I wanted a desert menu. I asked if the restaurant gives out any deserts on birthdays. Somehow the waiter got the impression my brother and I were married and that it was his birthday I was referring to. He thought I should surprise my husband and order him a desert. When my brother returned, we both decided we were too full after all and began preparations to leave. All of a sudden, three waiters brought my brother Jim a scoop of ice cream and began singing to him. I went a long with the fun and joined in. He was wondering what it was all about and I explained to him. I also told him that I thought we looked way too much a like for anyone to think we were married. It was a special moment and one we will remember. It just proves that our impressions of situations and people are often so wrong. God always sees things as they truly are. He knows us inside and out yet He loves us anyway. His impressions are always correct. When He sees that we are often mistreated and tells us to show love and kindness anyway, He has a reason for it. He knows a situation or a person may not always be what they seem on the outside and He always tries to draw us back to Himself when we feel unworthy, afraid or are lacking in confidence. We need to trust His plans never fail.