Coincidences…or the Big Man?

I’ve been thinking about this alot this evening…so I thought that I would just get it all out….

I’ve always had pretty cool people in my life…but the word cool is relative…and over the years, I’ve changed my definition of cool…

…but here of late, there have been some new additions…not only has there been new additions, there have been people that have taken on different roles…

for example, one techie geek that i came to know from the virtual assitant world turned into more than someone i ran to when my website needed something more technical than i could provide…she’s the one I ask the tough Bible questions of now and she seems to be okay with it…(althought I’m telling you, she has to be a saint because I’ve hounded her about all of this…and she NEVER complains…AND if she says, “Heather, it’s late, I’ll have to get back to you on that…she gets back to me on it — and half the time, I’ve forgotten what I’ve asked her and moved on to something new!)

We’ve also been led to a new church and have met some wonderful people there…people that have accepted us…either that or they really want to boost their membership numbers…

…no, no, i’m joking…they are wonderful people…and the people that you truely WANT to spend time with…they are the people that you see Jesus in (this was part of the sermon on Sunday — yes, I actually listened and paid attention…. )

But they were put in my life when I didn’t know that I needed them…I thought life was pretty good…and it is, don’t get me wrong…but something was missing…and that void isn’t as big anymore…

But how did I find this church and these people? I could tell you that I was melting down and Lisa told me to call the Pastor at the church Matthew plays basketball at…

but there’s so much more to it than that…and it makes you wonder…really wonder…was this a coicidence or the Big Man?

So let’s go back…

My father finally convinced Matthew to play football and when it was over, we wanted him to have another sport to play. The football coach pushed wrestling and he said no — we’ve done that before. Since Samara was cheering for Upward, I asked Matthew if he wanted to play basketball — several times — the answer was always no.

The first day of cheerleading practice as we were leaving the gym, Matthew says “Mom, is it too late to sign me up for basketball?”

“no, why?” I asked.

“I’d like to play” he replied.

The next day I was on the phone with the people in the Upward offices finding out how to get him registered.

This probably doesn’t seem like much, but had Matthew not asked me to play we would’ve never been led to this new church or some of these phenominal people. Samara never cheers at that church but it’s where Matthew practices every week and where he has the majority of his games. I didn’t know it existed even though it sits directly across from the high school here in our area.

Like I said, I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit tonight, but the thought has entered my mind several times over the last week or so and Saturday night I asked Matthew why he decided at the last minute to play basketball…

He didn’t want to tell me…I’m not sure why, other than the kid keeps everything bottled up inside…

I poked and prodded and he finally looked at me and said, “Because I picked up the basketball and I made a few baskets.” This is the kid that has never played in his life, and probably never set foot on a court or taken a shot — and he made a few — enough to give him the confidence to play for a whole season…

Even as I write this, I can see my baby (because he’ll always be my baby) walking out on that basketball court, picking up a basketball and shooting…only to have Jesus standing there guiding it through the hoop…. swoosh… nuttin’ but net…

Pretty amazing and I’m sure many will tell me that it was a mere conicidence…but I don’t believe that it was. I think God led Matthew to that basketball and that basketball through the hoop…and the three of us to some pretty awesome people…

Until next time…

Heather