Age of Unpredictability

I have now reached the age of unpredictability.  Today is my birthday and I choose the Wild Bean over Outback, Red Lobster or Olive Garden.  Maybe it’s because local is better or it’s the atmosphere of the coffee house culture.  Maybe it’s just that we fit in so well with all the other eccentrics who congregate here, but maybe it’s just the unpredictability of it all.  We chose a table in the display window that gives us plenty of light and settle in for an afternoon of bean burgers and house blend.  Very nice it you don’t mind feeling like a human manikin. 

The last time I recall sitting in this particular spot was with my friend Hamlet after a wedding reception at Carnegie Hall.  His wife was away for the weekend leaving him to care for all the home duties and the kids.  He must have really needed some extra energy by the time Saturday evening rolled around because he drank five or six espressos…and arrived early for Sunday school the next morning. 

Today at the café I’m surrounded by some friends – Rich, Eugene, Henri and Nathan.  As is often the case at birthdays in our family, everyone offers some kind words, encouragements and affirmations.  Diana’s sister and I have added the fun of “mental gifts” to the list.  They are flamboyant and super inexpensive.  Rich starts out, “I hope you see the faithfulness of God in everything He has made.  I hope you learn to trust that all of this is His care sworn to you.  But mostly, I hope you know Jesus through whom God has wildly and ferociously loved us.”

The others chime in, “It is very important for you to realize that perhaps the greater part of God’s work in this world may go unnoticed.”  And, “When we submit our lives to what we read in Scripture, we find we’re being led not to see God in our stories but to see our stories in God’s.  God is the larger context and plot in which our stories find themselves.”  Thanks guys!

The girls left for a youth retreat this morning, so we celebrated on Friday instead.  It was great, a double dipping of sorts.  The focus for the day was the food – biscuits and gravy, authentic Indian, Ben & Jerry’s.  It’s always about the food on special occasions it seems.  Which is just as it should be since the table is a place of intimacy.  It’s a barometer of what’s going on in family life.  We ate hardily and enjoyed the time together.  As evening came upon us so did a steady rain.  Maria and I decided to take a walk anyway.  We got drenched and laughed all the way - a  perfect birthday celebration.  Got to love the age of unpredictability.