You would not believe my day yesterday.
That sounds dramatic but let me explain myself. It was long, it was exhausting, and by the end of it I didn’t even have the energy to type out this blog. But in the midst of it all, I was reminded that God’s presence is always around. We’ve just got to keep our eyes open to see it.
My day started off great. I woke up with a shower, a mug of coffee (Water Avenue, to be precise), and I spent some time studying Judges. This was all before 10:30am, because that was when I was leaving to go help some friends move across Portland. As I left, I realized I hadn’t had any food. This wouldn’t have been a problem if I wasn’t going to work directly after helping with the moving process… for an 8 hour shift.
Whatever, I had gone longer without food (thanks, high school wrestling). But lo and behold, blessing number 1 of the day was waiting for me at the apartment I was driving to: a fresh maple bar. Just enough to get me through the moving. Anyways, let’s fast forward to me getting to work. I was definitely starting to feel my somewhat empty stomach. But I could power through the afternoon and evening to get home and eat (which would’ve been at 9pm). Thankfully, I didn’t have to. Without hesitation, one of my managers offered to get me food from a nearby vendor, and I couldn’t resist a chicken quesadilla. I saved it for a whopping two meals that shift and it was delightful. Later on in my shift, however, I cannot describe how frustrated and tired I was feeling. For what seemed like an eternity, there was a constant stream of customers coming through the doors. Not enough to be overwhelming, but just enough to keep me from getting other work done. In between some of them I said to my boss, “I’m about to lose it.” And I really was. But once again, just when I was about to hit the wall, another blessing was found.
An old young life leader of mine, Michael, walked through the door. He was eating a burger walking around by himself and decided to stop by. Finally, there was a break in the customers long enough for us to talk for a few minutes. And I can safely say he and I were both surprised by how poorly I was speaking due to exhaustion. He immediately went to the coffee shop across the street and brought me a cold brew. Like I said, another blessing. And later that night, I was treated to a visit from some of my friends. Simple and rejuvenating conversations followed. After all of this, I finally made it home, aches in my feet and all.
Now, that’s a lot. And without thinking very much, it doesn’t mean anything. But by the end of the day, I saw God in tons of different places. I’m used to seeing Him in the trees, and feeling Him in the wind on my face, and watching Him work through the people around me. But yesterday was different. He continually showed up exactly when and where I needed Him. And he taught me to keep my eyes open in the valleys, because He’s there too. It’s not just on the mountaintops that we see God, in huge life changing incidents. He’s in the small parts, too. He was in the donut in the morning, He was in the coffee in the afternoon, and in my friends just spending time with me.
And I’ll bet my right arm He was in that quesadilla.
I know this all sounds silly, but I’m serious. Challenge yourself. Search for the Father in the small, silly, whimsical things in your day. I promise you’ll find Him.
