Wednesday, September 7, 2022

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Last Friday Brian and I were able to put the finishing touches on our radiant floor heat install and we did pass our pressure test.  Thank you God!  At this point we are continuing to pray for mild and calm weather so that everything stays intact as we await the foundation inspection and the house concrete which is scheduled for 09/12/2022, depending on the weather. 

Being that we had some unused materials from the floor heat install, Saturday morning we had three stops to make.  Brian was driving and he told me the order for the stops, which started with the furthest away, working our way back home.  Being different people as we are, my mind immediately thought, I would route it more like a loop, but decided not to say anything.  We completed our first stop and on the way to our second stop we saw a young girl by herself, close to a busy road.  I quickly looked down the cross street which led into a neighborhood, but did not see any adults.  There was a playground on the other side of that busy road and we were concerned she might be trying to go to the playground.  Brian turned around at the first road and we headed back to the little girl. 

By the time we got back, she had crossed one street and was a couple houses into the neighborhood, but we still couldn’t see any adults.  Brian stopped and I got out of the car to see if I could help her.  I introduced myself and she quietly said she was looking for her mom.  I asked her if she knew her house number.  No.  I asked her what her last name was.  She didn’t know.  I asked her what her mom’s name was.  Mom.  I asked her what her dad’s name was.  Dad.  So, I didn’t have much to go on.  I asked her if it would be okay if I walked with her to find her mom.  Yes.  I asked her what direction we should go and she silently pointed her finger.  We started walking as it started to lightly rain on us.  As we stopped at each corner, I asked her which way to go and she would point.  We continued to walk and navigate our way through the neighborhood as the rain came down a little harder.  Brian followed us in the car, keeping his distance so people didn’t think we were trying to kidnap this little girl.  As we walked, I continued to make small talk with her about siblings, her favorite colors, if she was in school, etc.  In the meantime, Brian called the police to assist with finding her parents.  I also told her that Brian called the police to help us.

Following her directions, we worked our way through the neighborhood to a dead-end road.  She started to look a little more concerned and worried, so we turned around to retrace our path.  We walked to the first intersection, but she wanted to turn around and go back to the dead-end, so we did.  Reaching the end of the road, we turned around to once again retrace our path.  As we were heading up a hill, the first police officer arrived.  We stopped and he was asking us some questions, but she hid behind me and didn’t want to answer.  A second police officer arrived.  She too was asking questions, by the little girl again hid behind me.  They had me take a picture of her and I told them I would continue walking with her as they started knocking on doors. 

We continued to walk and I asked her if anything looked like her home, but she said no.  She also told me that she needed to stay where her dad could see her.  We ended up completely retracing our path and she pointed me in a direction out of the neighborhood along that busy road.  We were just a little way down the road, as I was looking down at her and talking, I all of the sudden saw her face light up.  I looked up and quickly asked, “Is that your dad?”  YES!  I was so happy, but not near as happy as her and her dad. 

He explained that his wife had gone for a walk with one of their other children and he thought she was playing in another room, not knowing that she went out the garage door to go after her mom.  Apparently walking through that neighborhood was part of their normal walking route.  Me, the little girl and her dad headed back to the neighborhood to let the police know they were reunited.  At that time, he contacted his wife, who was already with the police officer.  She had called 911 also.  We did find out that this little girl was only 3 ½ years old.  We walked the neighborhood for close to an hour.  I can only imagine that was a very scary situation for her and I pray she doesn’t have any lasting trauma from that experience. 

As I was reflecting on this experience, it brought to mind how, even as adults, we can very easily get lost.  We travel down roads that seem familiar, yet they don’t lead us to were we need to be.  Even though we should stay were our Dad can see us, we tend to wonder off and loose sight of Him.  But the joy on her face when she saw her dad said it all.  That was the joy of coming home to a loving father.  I pray that you are able to experience such a pure, childlike joy when you see our Father coming closer, as He is seeking to find you. 

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

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#VerticalWorship – Shelter