Ever Watchful

Her card came in the mail.
It looked like a picture Christmas card.
Upon opening, I saw it was a change of address announcement.
The picture was lovely; it made me miss my friend.

There are so many ways we are connected.
First through a mutual friend.
Then from Bible study.
I remember the day she first told me that they were moving.

Her husband’s job took her to the Midwest.
It was a hard decision; her children were at the age where friends and activities were important.
She followed her husband.
It was quite hard for her.

The years they were in the Midwest were challenging.
The house had its problems.
The job was not everything that was expected.
Adjustments were hard all around.

My friend is from the South.
Her roots are there.
To put her in a place with cold temperatures and lots of snow was very difficult.
It never felt like home.

We had quite a few phone conversations.
I listened to her heart poured out.
I am a call, a text, and a prayer away, I always told her.
She knew that and she told me it meant a lot to her.

In the summer, she came back and visited.
She stayed in her old neighborhood.
One of her children missed their friends terribly, so this trip back East was to ease that pain.
She texted me that she was in town, so we met for tea.

Good friends do not have to go back to the beginning.
Good friends can pick up where they left off.
There was no need for her to go back to chapter one.
I remember chapter one; I was there.

I know that if she could have stayed in the area that day, she would have.
However, another move was on the horizon.
Her husband’s job was moving them down South.
She was going home to the area she knows best; she was going home to her roots.

Under other circumstances, she would have been thrilled.
The years of moves and transitions had taken its toll on everyone.
I saw the pain in her eyes.
I also saw Hope.

It was that Hope to which she would cling.
It was that Hope that was going to make another move possible.
So much was on her shoulders.
They were building a house; which I know from experience is a trying task.

I hugged her as I left that day with the promise of prayer.
I also told her that I was going to check in from time to time.
The prayer happened, especially when I saw her occasional post on social media.
The checking in did not happen as I would have liked.

How do people know we are thinking of them unless we check in?
She came to mind many times.
It would have been nice if she had known that.
I realized, as I sent my Christmas cards, that I only had her old address.

I opened the card that came in the mail.
They are home.
They are in the new house that they built.
It has a front porch that looks as if it goes around the entire house.

It has an upper porch as well.
I sent her a text right away.
I am inviting myself to have tea (hot or iced) on your porch…or veranda.
How I would love to end up on her porch one day.

When I put her new address in my phone, I expected the Google map to pop up right away.
The square, where the map should be, was empty.
I clicked on the square.
No results found, came up on my screen.

I sent her a text.
She answered right away.
Ha! Yes, the street is too new for GPS. Nobody can find me!
I had never seen a blank map before.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:1-12)

The GPS may not be able to find my friend but God never loses sight of her.
God has His eye on the sparrow.
How much more does God have His eye on my friend?
How much more does God have His eye on me and on you?

No one can find me, my friend says.
That is not true.
Her street may be too new for the Global Positioning System.
Her street is fully known to God.

Isn’t it comforting to know that we are never out of His sight?
Isn’t it wonderful to know that the God of the universe cares for you and for me?
There is no place we can go where God is not.
God is ever watchful.

Amen.

 

 

2 responses to “Ever Watchful”

1. One of my favorite songs, so beautifully sung.
   Thank-you for reminding me that we have always had our heavenly ‘Ring ‘ watching over us

   Reply

   • Linda,
     This song always touches my heart.
     How blessed we are to know that God is ever watchful over us.
     Blessings, friend.
     Gina

     Reply