Orchestrated

Something happened to me Monday morning. To some people, it probably wouldn’t have been a very big deal, but for me – introverted and anxious as I am – it was very big.

Leah and I have a regularly scheduled Monday morning playdate. It’s a new thing – just started last week; this morning, though, no one was able to join us. We almost didn’t go, because I didn’t much feel like it when I got up, but something changed my mind. Soon after Leah got up, we headed to the park nearest our house to play and spend some time in the sunshine.

We hadn’t been there very long when another mommy pulled up. Leah shrieked in excitement, which struck me as really funny since I could tell at a glance that we didn’t know this family at all. As the little girl jumped out of the car, her mom worked on getting the baby into the stroller; all the while, Leah bounced in anticipation of her new playmate.

The conversation started pretty easily, comparing our girls’ ages and milestones, as we moms do. The girls, meanwhile, watched each other from a somewhat cautious distance, showing each other their favorite parts of the playground. (Leah tried to convince her new friend that the mulch was the greatest thing ever, but she wasn’t convinced; she preferred the slides.)

Before long, occasion arose for me to take out my camera. (Surprised? I didn’t think so.) Our new mama friend commented about what a good idea it was for me to bring my camera to the park, and I told her that it’s not at all uncommon for me to pull the camera out in unlikely places because it goes everywhere with me. She told me she needs to start doing that and get more pictures of her girls. Her husband is in Iraq, and the younger of her daughters doesn’t even know him. She just had her first birthday, and hasn’t seen her daddy since she was 5 months old. She won’t see him again until September.

My heart melted for this sweet family, and I offered to take some pictures of her girls playing and email them to her. She was hesitant, mainly, I think, because she didn’t want to take advantage of this person she just met. She liked the idea, though, and we set about trying to get her girls to look at me and my camera. I got some really good ones, which I've already emailed to her.

Here’s the thing, though. I almost didn’t go to the park that morning. I really almost didn’t. After a pretty hectic weekend, I was pretty content at the idea of a day at home by ourselves. We did go, though, and when we got there, I met someone who, if I can be honest, really seemed to need a friend. I can be somewhat discerning – I’ve been told discernment is one of my spiritual gifts – and this lady really seemed lonely. God knew I needed to be there because God knew she needed me to be. That sounds proud as I write it, but I feel it in my heart. God arranged for us to both be there that day.

And you know what else? My church is sponsoring an event for families of deployed soldiers in a couple of weeks. I’ve already invited her and her girls. What's more, we have a playdate arranged for tomorrow.

I don’t really know why I’m so surprised at this. It’s not that I don’t think God can do that kind of thing – orchestrating divine appointments like that – but it’s pretty rare for me to experience it. It’s a powerful thing to know that you’ve been used.