February 3 – “Suspicious behavior”

I forgot to mention one other event that happened the other day at Cailyn’s birthday party.  Actually it happened after the party.  Amid the calm branches of the oak tree lined street, there was more afoot than the occasional squirrel roused from his burrow by hunger.  The hum of a distant car engine grew louder and louder as it approached.  Slowly, cautiously the dark car approached, its occupants carefully checking from side to side and occasionally behind them.  Were they worried about being followed?  Had they seen something that raised suspicion?  One can never be too cautious in a situation such as this.  No, wait.  There was the contact, just a few doors down, standing alone in the street near the second dark, unmarked car.  He, too, was cautiously glancing about every few seconds, wary of his surroundings like a groundhog on a cloudy February second.  The car on the move slowed to a stop next to the waiting pedestrian.  A brief verbal interchange ensued.  And then the object was passed through the window.  And just as it had arrived slowly, so the car retreated, now careful not to arouse suspicion.  The one on foot almost immediately disappeared into a nearby house.  At that very moment a loud crack pierced the late afternoon quiet.  It was followed by an agonizingly long silence before the chortle of child, then the nervous chuckle of a nearby adult.  More long, uncomfortably quiet seconds elapsed.  Finally, ever so slowly, the sounds of life began to return to the isolated neighborhood.  What had just happened?  Could it really be that a pot transfer had occurred in the very streets where children play?  And what of the unexplainable loud pop?  Gunfire?  Is this neighborhood the sylvan paradise they had been led to believe? 

OK.  OK.  That’s enough.  It sounds a lot more exciting that way, but here’s what really happened.  Last week when Christina and her kids were so sick, Chris made them a pot of soup and took it over.  After the party I met them out in front of Nathan’s house, and Christina handed me the empty pot as they left for home.  Hence … a “pot transfer.”  And just seconds after I went back into the house, one of the many balloons that were strewn about the floor took that exact moment to explode.  Hence … the loud retort of “gunfire.”  You really have to be careful what conclusions you draw from the circumstances surrounding you. 

Psalms 11:4 says, “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.  He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.”

Father, help us to be so focused on you that our circumstances don’t determine how we live our lives.  Help us to see with your eyes and not our preconceived assumptions. Amen.