Today I have a very sweet and amazing story to share.
But first a little backdrop….
Many, many years ago when the bigs were little
we had a simple, but fun climby kind of swing set.
As we were about to move across the country
to pastor in Colorado, the swing set,
which by then was basically kind of old and sort of rickety,
stayed behind.
A full ten years passed and over the years I would
pray occasionally that
the Lord would provide another one.
It wasn’t a fanciful prayer,
but God doesn’t need fanciful.
He just longs to hear what we’re thinkin’….
Do you realize that God not only
loves to hear from us
but
He loves to answer us?
True story.
Over the next couple of years I prayed every
now and then for a swing set.
Which brings us up to a couple of months ago….
when we decided it was time to
try a small group from our church in our neighborhood.
*And not to trace a rabbit trail,
but I have longed for years for a collection of people in
our very own neighborhood to do life with.*
Well this particular small group was one
that not only could we walk to,
but it was family friendly….
and
the idea of our pile of sweet treasures didn’t even scare them off!
We were all so excited to try it!!
We chatted a speck before we went with Tom and Lisa
{the hosts}
and found them to be some of the sweetest people
we have ever met –
so very kind!
The very first night attending the small group, as we arrived,
we found that most of the kids were outside in the back playing.
We headed in that direction so ours
could meet theirs.
As we reached the backyard,
Lisa, the hostess, slid open the patio door
and there stood one of the largest and coolest swing set climby thingys –
that I actually kind of gasped!
It looked so stinkin’ fun it made me want to climb on it!
Unable to control my glee I burst,
“Oh Wow! I love your swing set!”
Without missing a beat Lisa said,
“You want it?”
I laughed nervously.
Seriously, her words were embarrassing me since
I had not meant a thing by
my giggly comment…
Taken back I responded,
“Oh no, all I meant is that that is an amazing swing set!
What a blast to play on!”
Lisa continued,
“No, seriously, we’ve been trying to get rid of it for a year!
Do you want it?”
And the rest is history…
A couple of weeks later,
at small group,
the entire lesson was about helping our neighbor.
When the video ended,
Lisa and Tom {her husband} asked the group if
they would be up for taking the swing set
apart and moving it to our home?
The group was all over it!
In fact rumor is that the guys hadn’t gotten
that excited about anything in a really long time!
So in spite of the fact that Dw is in Africa,
over the week-end,
our community group ever-so-carefully,
screw by screw,
undid
and with brute strength and with much precision
brought it to us
and reassembled it….
Meanwhile the ladies helped and/or
cheered the men on…
kids played,
giant subs, chips and drinks were shared
{all of which the group brought
because they wanted us to just be blessed}…
and the entire time their love ministered to my soul
to the point of tears welling as I type.
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Mike and Carter
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Lisa and her two treasures…Ben and Kate
The men thought it would be easiest to lift it over the back wall…
We prayed hard! All we could imagine was the wall breaking!
Tom, Carter and Ernie
Getting ready for action in its new ‘home’.
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The sweetest bunch of kids!!
Oh!
So remember the longing in my heart
for a group of friends in our very own
neighborhood to do life with?
The longing had been there for what seemed like forever?
Well by God’s sweet and amazing grace,
we found ’em down the street, across the road
and around the corners
right in our own neighborhood
and we are
oh-so-grateful!
How we praise His name!
“I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”
Psalm 9:1
This gives me hope for our prayers to be answered for a small group and friends. Friends to do life with now that I am no longer homebound! This is the greatest story…FUN! Wonderful for the kids……
We need friends near us Renee- and when you pastor? You *really* miss that – just plain ol' friends! I pray the same for you and Joel. xo
This is love. This is real love.
Rejoicing with you. He hears the sweetest whispers of our hearts and He cares.
You are so right!! They moved it with joy. It was amazing – and Dw isn't even home!!
Oh my goodness! Love, love, LOVE this reminder of His faithfulness! And I LOVE how He blesses your precious family, sweet friend <3
He is the BEST gift-giver!!
Your words are powerful – "He is the BEST gift-giver!" Love that!! And every now and then I think of your new property and wish to come and stroll it. So thankful for you getting to enjoy that!
What a wonderful gift and wonderful friends! So glad to see how the Lord is continuing to bless you and your family. We just had our Sunday School class over to our home for a potluck on Sunday and it was such a blessing to me. I just kept thanking the Lord as it was what I dreamed of when we purchased our home.
I'm so glad you have that beautiful, new to you play set. I'm sure it will get many wonderful years of use.
You, my kindred spirit friend, you get it. I miss you, but so grateful for the time that we lived near each other – you were such a beautiful blessing to my soul. So needed. xoxo
AND that is power of prayer!! I was crying reading this…thank you for sharing!
What a fun and wonderful blessing!!
Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.
God and His goodness!
I'm crying at how God loves you all. So wonderful!! – Stacey
What a wonderful story. How fun to have your small group in your neighborhood. I would love that!!!
There are houses for sale in our neighborhood. 😉
LOVE this so much!!!
Awesome! So happy for your kiddos!
Jenny
I am soo glad about the climbing frame. Just imagine the adventures the Treasures will have. We had an old pickup truck bed in our front garden when I was small. We went sailing and all sorts of things from that. God listens to the needs of our hearts.
Love in Christ,
Sandy in the UK
Oh that sounds like such fun! When I was young a neighborhood had a little stair thing with a platform..it was tiny…but we spent months playing that it was our home…we could barely fit!! Such memories!