seed sower

inside the Grand Canyon University Arena at the station table

There is truly nothing like those moments where God reveals himself in ways that do nothing but catch you by surprise...followed by humility, humbleness and the supernatural satisfaction of having been reminded that living in His will and control is far better than anything we could dream up for ourselves......

It was Sunday.  Three days after my 39th birthday.  That one that tends to be the resounding reminder [for some] that #40 is only 365 days away.  Mike's intention was to treat me to a day of culinary pampering before and after working the Third Day concert.  The night before we were out with the kids at a Sundogs' hockey game...thanks to Tim and Jamie for the free tickets.  Not watching the clock Mike later stayed up with the kids to watch a movie that ended at 1am.  So, it was a good thing we slept in.  But not for long.  Driving down the mountains to Phoenix is rather time consuming.

Mike wanted to check out the Filipino Red Ribbon restaurant in the Arizona Mills mall.  We weren't really all that sure what to expect when we got there.  Next to the food court, it was in a small sit down space with a very limited savory menu.  However, the desserts were a plenty.  We chose to indulge in what more the food court had to offer for the main course.  Then we walked back into the Red Ribbon where we enjoyed a few yummies [ube and chiffon cake].  They were quite the yummy-licious symphony.  While our druthers included a halo halo, the cakes were good and helped literally fill us up to the brim.  We purchased several bags of pandesol to take home as our Thanksgiving dinner rolls.

what's any cake without some whip cream on top?

We arrived at the Grand Canyon University at the same time that David and Jay Lene did.  Micah White is incredible  with his public relations skills making sure that everything goes smoothly....and continuing to build relationships during events to keep his work plate over flowing.  Seems to be a very easy going person almost incapable of stress or frustration.  

It's always fascinating when I'm behind the table to see/meet the various people Michael has built relationships with over the past decade in Arizona.  It's also weird, at the same time, to be introduced as "the wife" they know so much about...yet I know none of them.  After ten years, I still really don't know what to do with that.  Or, does anything necessarily have to be done with that?  One of the ticket winners that approached our table, during intermission,  had driven down from Flagstaff.  Oofta!  That's twice the distance as Prescott/Prescott Valley.  So, what....three hours for him?  He was quite the fascinating character with so much to share of God's profound impact on his life. Because of my earlier days of having wastefully occupied my time in front of the television, I was more than well aware of what he was talking about as far as his career goes.  He's one of those guys that operates those monstrous cranes [at the top of the crane] loading and unloading shipping crates in ship yards.  Crane operators make up to 600k/year.    His work is in Dutch, Alaska where he says 1/4 of the population is that of Filipinos.   He's spending one of his three month work breaks to spend his time and money with/on his young boys.  Working three months.  Off three months.  What a nice set up.  However, he was quite interested in us as well.  After a few questions the subject settled onto or pending move to the islands as media missionaries and a little background information on the young people of the Philippines.  He asked to pray for us, took our hands...and did just that.  WOW.  Then the most fascinating God moment took place. He asks, "Can I do something?  I want to sow seeds into what you guys are getting ready to do.  I want to help fund your work."  Just as I was starting to explain how he could do that via our website [for which I wrote down the URL on a piece of paper for him minutes earlier] he says, "I want to give you some cash right now."  He pulls out his wallet, starts counting ["one, two, three.."] and hands Mike $400.  Yah, what do you follow that with but a heart full of gratitude, humbleness and "Thank-you"?  You don't.  You just let God bless you and you give no one but him all the credit for it.  After all, his blessings don't stop with you.  Imagine how self centered the Christian mentality would be if his love, grace, mercy and other blessings did.  However, his intent is that those blessings get shared/spread around the world for HIS glory and no one else's.  It's his global plan as he uses every single one of us individuals for his purpose.  It's that big picture of his that reveals the greatest [and] most incredible life purpose beyond ourselves, and is far bigger than us, that can't be explained in human words. Those $400 are for the Filipino people ["my" people], the Philippines...and the rest of the world that still needs to be introduced to a personal relationship with him.  It's for him.  This isn't the first time we've been blessed with such a big gift.  Yet, it was this night, and this incident, that seemed particularly fascinating for reasons I haven't quite found the words for.

As we drove away, later, we gabbed of God's amazing methods of proving just how strongly he desires to work through us...thus, how he clearly intends to keep his promise of continuing to provide for all our needs to get us to the Philippines....for Him.

on the way home we stopped at Cracker Barrel  for some sweet tea......

.....and some great southern food.  Fried okra is always a must.