There's something super frustrating about God taking your plans out of their neatly packed box and scattering them all over the face of the Earth. There's also something priceless about God taking control and telling you to trust Him.
I experienced both sides of the coin today during "Creek Kids". Rainbow Creek is a government housing complex down the street (basically) from where I live. The neighborhood is full of fatherless children who are unloved. Creek Kids' sole purpose is to love those children.
Our first official meeting was today. The morning was rosy and warm (I mean warm for January). I was excited. I had pulled an all-nighter with some friends and I was ready to charge at this day.
By the time the lovely people who volunteered and I got to Rainbow Creek, the rosy sun was no where in sight, the temperature had dropped, and the winds were chilling.
We walked around trying to just find one or two kids to come play with us. Then we, at least I know I would, would feel like the whole trip was worth it. But no. No kids really showed. There were three little bundled-up sweethearts running around, but they were wary of us (in spite of my friendly introduction. When I walked past the group a second time, the little girl shouted "Run, she's coming for us!" and they giggled and ran away)
Was this frustrating? YES. I had Valentines to make, I had hot cocoa to drink (well we drank that too...), I had four-square stuff, and above all I had great people that had sacrificed their Saturday afternoon to help. God was trying to show me something.
Plans are not mine to make. That's such a simple thing that I hear all the time, but I guess I needed it spelled out for me.
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So no kids came. What did we do? We played four-square. I felt such a nice communityish feeling with all of us playing games together in the bitter cold.
All was not lost. The afternoon was not, in fact, wasted.
God teaches me lessons through the weirdest consequences.
Now it is time to sleep off that all-nighter.
Mary Em
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