One afternoon in late May, I loaded the boys into the car for a trip to town and an appointment to have highlights added to my hair. Knowing we would be there for a while, I made sure the boys "packed a bag"---books, paper, markers, and whatever else they wanted that would be quiet and entertaining for them. And they did. Not only did they have all of the above, but also small scissors and tape.
We arrived just early enough to get them settled into their chairs and my stylist, Laura, called me to "come on back".
We hadn't been there long when I could hear that Josh had taken up a conversation with someone. I kinda half laughed and said, "I hope he's not talking someone's ear off !" It would be possible. Laura assured me that the someone Josh was conversing with was a "good guy" and thoroughly enjoying himself.
During that whole appointment, I don't recall the boys coming back to check on me at all. Unusual. Laura looked in on them to assure me that all was well. She told me they were spread out on the floor and making paper airplanes. Oh.
If you know Joshua at all, you know that he doesn't make a typical paper airplane. No. He rolls paper and folds paper and cuts paper and then tapes the paper and then draws designs on paper to make paper airplanes. I was imagining quite a littering of scraps to clean up.
Right now, as was true last spring and has been true for about two years now, airplanes are his "thing". More specifically, military aircraft. And it turns out that on this particular May afternoon, God would have it that in a little hair salon, Josh would meet up with a retired military pilot. Amazing. And I'm pretty sure they talked airplanes. And I know for certain that while I was sitting in a chair flipping through some celebrity magazine, Josh made this retired military pilot one of his special airplanes. And they struck up a sort of friendship. And it was just one of those nice sort of days, when all the world seemed to be smiling down on Joshua.
Well, who can know what would seem to be a chance meeting may turn in to. Of course, nothing really is just chance. And all of these moments woven into a story.
On an afternoon months later in September, Joshua receives a box in the mail. At first, I wouldn't even let him open it because I didn't know the name of the person in the return address and I thought maybe it had been delivered to us by mistake. But curiosity did get the best of us and so I agreed that he should open the box.
Wow. There was a little excitment at our house that afternoon. I even called the hair salon just to confirm that this was indeed the same person. I never met him that day because his wife was done before I was and they left before I had a chance to come out and say "hello".
Doesn't it make you wonder what God is weaving together in all of this? I do.
So with a little help from the Hubby, Josh got his model airplanes put together, and when they were complete we snapped a picture and Josh wrote out a little thank-you to send with it.
But then TODAY...
The mailman brought us another surprise package for Joshua!!
TWO MORE AIRPLANE MODELS and a NOTE explaining the reasons for choosing these two models. The one, this airforce pilot had trained in, and the other he flew his missions in. And Joshua's connection to his dream of being an airforce pilot himself suddenly seems more real. And he wonders as we drive past the little airport on the way to Tae Kwon Do if he'd be able to work as an airplane mechanic there to get some training until he's old enough to go to college and the military. I don't know. But I do wonder. And I sent up a little thank- you prayer for God being the Giver of Dreams to my favorite ten-year-old boy.
Again, how God weaves meetings and moments together. And such surprises, like little love notes.
Priority Mail.
We arrived just early enough to get them settled into their chairs and my stylist, Laura, called me to "come on back".
We hadn't been there long when I could hear that Josh had taken up a conversation with someone. I kinda half laughed and said, "I hope he's not talking someone's ear off !" It would be possible. Laura assured me that the someone Josh was conversing with was a "good guy" and thoroughly enjoying himself.
During that whole appointment, I don't recall the boys coming back to check on me at all. Unusual. Laura looked in on them to assure me that all was well. She told me they were spread out on the floor and making paper airplanes. Oh.
If you know Joshua at all, you know that he doesn't make a typical paper airplane. No. He rolls paper and folds paper and cuts paper and then tapes the paper and then draws designs on paper to make paper airplanes. I was imagining quite a littering of scraps to clean up.
Well, who can know what would seem to be a chance meeting may turn in to. Of course, nothing really is just chance. And all of these moments woven into a story.
On an afternoon months later in September, Joshua receives a box in the mail. At first, I wouldn't even let him open it because I didn't know the name of the person in the return address and I thought maybe it had been delivered to us by mistake. But curiosity did get the best of us and so I agreed that he should open the box.
Inside were two model airplanes and a note to Joshua from the retired military pilot.
Doesn't it make you wonder what God is weaving together in all of this? I do.
So with a little help from the Hubby, Josh got his model airplanes put together, and when they were complete we snapped a picture and Josh wrote out a little thank-you to send with it.
The mailman brought us another surprise package for Joshua!!
TWO MORE AIRPLANE MODELS and a NOTE explaining the reasons for choosing these two models. The one, this airforce pilot had trained in, and the other he flew his missions in. And Joshua's connection to his dream of being an airforce pilot himself suddenly seems more real. And he wonders as we drive past the little airport on the way to Tae Kwon Do if he'd be able to work as an airplane mechanic there to get some training until he's old enough to go to college and the military. I don't know. But I do wonder. And I sent up a little thank- you prayer for God being the Giver of Dreams to my favorite ten-year-old boy.
Priority Mail.
2 comments:
What a nice story!
Loved it! Yes, God puts people in our lives for a purpose. love you
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