For the first time in years I missed VBS week at our church. My favorite part of this special week is asking the children, “Where did you see God today?” Their answers are displayed across tables, pinned to bulletin boards for Open House, later to become part of a proud parent’s fridge gallery.
Jesus kneels down to smell the paste and see the many places He shows up for them in their masterpiece. I love that. I still have my children’s priceless creations, tattered by time.
If I asked you, what would you draw? Where do you see God in the everyday-ness?
My God-sightings are logged in stacks of journals, a faith-safe of stored gems. Recorded miraculous moments when God showed up quietly. So majestically. They become God-starings, when I can’t take my eyes off of Him, recognizing the holy.
Most of the time we’re too busy to notice His work in our daily lives. Sometimes we need to trip over a burning bush to spot a God moment. It may be when we realize we got safely from point A to point B, but then ego and coincidence may become our sighting.
This week I attended the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference. Always a busy schedule. But, in the middle of the madness, I made a mental log of sightings . . . in past friendships of those who leave tracks heart-deep, within classrooms where instructors share knowledge to help another learn to do their best, and most evidently in the director’s tireless energy and compassion to encourage everyone to write His answer and publish the good news to a needy world.
A few grace interruptions took me to the place of just sitting-sighting-staring at the things that show up hidden quietly by the duck pond. The divine meeting with the One whose image becomes vivid when we spend time with Him.
Direction becomes clear after conversation with Deity.
Remember Elvis sightings? Billions thought they saw him everywhere . . . the “king” who wasn’t coming back. We need to keep our eyes set on the King who definitely is coming back, and look for Him everywhere . . . until He does.
Keep a God-file and write down where you witness goodness – I’d love to hear . . .
Verna
Glenda Mills says
So beautiful Verna! Oh my goodness, I heard Him speaking to me over and over as I pondered over this new decade (70) of my life. The greatest thing I heard him say was: “Grandma, just keep on living, and having us over”…spoken by my grandson Micah last week.
vernabowman says
Well, I love Micah’s spoken word . . . “just keep on living” . . This special season of life (70!) and all you have to share so that he (and the other grandchildren) will continue to request that you keep having them over to share your sightings!
Ruth says
Verna, What a wonderful thought & idea. My sightings last week were spending time with my grandsons & the “babies” in the nursery at VBS & at home. Other sightings I often enjoy are seeing the glory of God in the beauty of His creation – a nice green lawn, beautiful flowers & trees, etc. On my way home from Qtown today I saw a beautiful tree lining the edge of a field – it was a dead tree, but its bare branches & beautiful shape really “stuck out” amidst all the fully leafed green trees. Such beauty we often miss when we get too busy! God bless you – my beautiful friend – another of God’s beautiful creations.
Ruth
vernabowman says
I love this, Ruth . . . our obvious sightings are those grand-babies, but to notice the beauty in the death of a tree branch is seeing in the deepest sense. There is much to see in the things we don’t think there is much to see! Thank you, dear friend.