Collisions

I read a Calvin & Hobbes comic once where Calvin was playing with his toys on the couch. He had Mr. Smith (or was it Mr. Jones?...)in his house, and developed this lovely little scene where simultaneously a 747 airliner lost control and was falling to earth, a passing freight train jumped the tracks and was plowing out of control across the countryside, and a "freak" natural accident was occurring where this fault line was opening up the earth and swallowing everything in its path. Unfortunately for Mr. Smith, the common ground these catastrophes shared was the fact they were all heading for his house on the edge of the couch. And Mr. Smith had no idea about any of this. I never did find out what happened to him...

The last few weeks of our lives have reminded me of Mr. Jones (Sharon has set the record straight about the whole "Mr. Smith/Mr. Jones" controversy); no, we are not seconds away from annihilation, nor are we suffering in any way that's worth talking about, but it seems that there have been a lot of things happening that we had seen for some time coming from a distance, which all landed Here in the past few weeks. Let me explain. 

Five years ago Sharon began university, with the eventual goal of graduating and becoming a teacher. 

Two years ago, we bought a spot in the air in Burnaby with the promise that there would be ground there one day to live on. 

A year and a half ago, Sharon applied for the education program, looking to get her teaching degree and hopefully a teaching job after.

11 months ago, Sharon's best high school friend got engaged, and Sharon is asked to be the Matron of Honor.

Lots of things coming, quickly, but still at a distance. 

The end of July saw Sharon graduating with her Bachelor of Education, for which I celebrated by buying her a card with the groovy words "Far Out!" on the outside, with my own groovy comment of "You're done already?"

At about the same time, Lauren got married to Brent and is now living happily ever after in England (right guys?). 

At about the same time, Sharon is being introduced to Roger who is looking for a kindergarten teacher for his school for September, and shortly after is accepting a full time teaching position a week after finishing university.

At about the same time, we are getting letters and phone calls to come inspect our new place, which is now air with walls and some floor. And this coming Monday, it's ours.

I guess it's been kinda like the plane, the train, and the natural disaster all coming and meeting at our little house on the couch all at once. And kind of not.

I was talking to someone at work today about some of these goings-on in the past few weeks, and was surprised at how clear it was to both of us as I shared, that in some ways our lives are not like Mr. Jones at all. No random happenings, no random fate, no out of control airplanes or trains. 

Our life together (and lives separately) has and have been designed, before time began. The intelligence and display of sovereignty and authority that our lives have experienced in the past two, three, five years is astounding. Flat out astounding. People think they are so smart, but could not have done this better, ever. Ever. 

The thing is, we serve God who claims these characteristics - so we know about them in a way - but to see them in action in front of you is something else. And at this moment it seems we have front row seats.

What can we say, we are very thankful.