I Could Sing

 Good Morning,  

Last week I wrote about my Daddy’s favourite song, “Jesus loves me” and I want to thank all of you who responded.  One of my readers even researched and found out that Karl Bart (famous theologian) also responded to the question, “What is the greatest theological tenet?” by responding like Daddy, “Jesus loves me, this I know”.

It’s been a hard week emotionally.  We’ve had to say goodbye to three friends, all our age or older, so we shouldn’t be overly shocked. But still …… I can’t help but feel like the teenager who thinks he’s invincible, then coming back to the grateful heart that reminds me that “invincibility” for a child of God calls for a change of venue one of these days. 

So today I’m just enjoying the life I have here and resting in the assurance that it’s just going to get better. Gratefully, all three of these friends were faithful giants, so there’s no need to be sad. But it’s still, well, just sad. 

But my punk has been lifted week, thanks to yet another reminder of God’s amazing sovereignty. Let me share …

Two years ago, we got a short note in an email, that went something like this,

“Dear Missionary, We are also missionaries in Chile (same organisation) and we’re sending you a wonderful young “missionary minded”  couple.  Please take care of them.”

Excited for the opportunity, but with eyebrows askew, we met these two sweet, pretty much non -English speaking kids (Where’s my Spanish when I need it?). 

They smiled a lot; we smiled a lot, and eventually found ways to communicate. We got them settled into an apartment, after I had to have a few “discussions” with a realtor who was not so eager to cooperate. I think at one point, I had to quote from Louis Lamore (one of Tony’s favourite authors) something to the effect, “I hope I’m not going to have to get cowboy with you.” 

In the process of communicating, we decided something had to be done about their names, so we ‘named’ them something similar but that we could pronounce.  I’m sure in Spanish they made perfect sense, but to our untrained ears they honestly sounded exactly the same! I’ll refrain from mentioning their new handles (privacy issues) but just think of two of the most common English names around, and you’re probably close. Now two years later, they have so many friends who only know them by these new names and believe me, they have a LOT of friends! 

She went to language school, and the two of them took on any and all jobs that came their way in order to pay the rent and keep food on the table.  They kept us laughing with their stories!

Today I look at them and realize that, with very little help from us, they are speaking understandable English, working and loving life and the Lord.  We are very proud of them.

But here’s the story.  I didn’t hear it till the other day because, well frankly speaking, we couldn’t communicate at that level till now. 

They decided as a couple that they did not want to raise their kids in the present atmosphere of their homeland.  I am happy to have never felt that, but I think I get it.

So she narrowed down 13 countries where they could immigrate and build new lives.  They really liked Miami (lots of Spanish etc) but decided that being illegals, which was their only choice, wasn’t who they wanted to be.  So, she Googled (such a generation) “Where is somewhere in the world like Miami and where we could go legally?” and you guessed it, Gold Coast, Australia came up.  

That particular day was a Sunday and she was in charge of the children’s music at church.  She went to YouTube and picked a familiar (but new to her) song, written by Hillsong.   “I could sing of your love forever” (in Spanish of course). The kids loved it.

That afternoon after church, they continued their quest, again on YouTube.  They put in “Gold Coast, Australia” and read all about it.  Then their eye caught a video from a GoPro (video camera that attaches to your body and takes live camera shots). Settling back, they enjoyed the virtual tour. The person making the video walked all thru downtown, showing the buildings and people.  And then he stopped and focused in on a girl sitting on the ground in the plaza playing a guitar and singing……..

You guessed it.  There in the Gold Coast, 7500 miles away, she was singing the very same song they had sung that morning: “I could sing of your love forever”, but this time it was in English!

Again I’ll say, Doesn’t God have fun?  How will that girl with her guitar ever know till heaven that her simple act of sitting on the ground and singing led a young couple to leave their homeland and begin a new legacy here!!

I get goosebumps just writing this.  God has plans for each of us, that’s for sure.  

Till next time, 

Marsha


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