Divine Guidance

I get excited when I see God working in mysterious ways. Sometimes it seems like a coincidence but I believe in divine guidance leading us to divine appointments.

Since I wasn’t feeling well today I felt an urge to go for a walk to get some fresh air. Though the temperature was warm enough for a nice walk, I still struggled with the decision whether to go or not. I couldn’t shake the urge to go and that my husband should go with me.

Fresh fallen snow glistened under the warm, bright sunshine this afternoon as Brian and I set out on a walk to the end of the road and back. We never got to the end of the road and in fact, we didn’t get very far when we found ourselves passing a neighbour’s house just up the road from us. A woman came out to check on her barking dog. We introduced ourselves to one another and started talking. An hour later we had met her husband and one of her daughters while still standing outside in the fresh air. We discovered some interesting facts about our community. We were also surprised to find out that the wind turbines were not as close as we originally thought. Even though they look like they are almost in the field right behind us, they are really about 100 yards away, directly across from the Thiessen’s home. Even when we were driving down the road we never noticed it until we actually walked by them and stopped in front of their house.

Turns out there were many remarkable things regarding our meeting of our neighbours Bill & Hilda Thiessen. We realized that we had met Bill before. Ironically on the same day Brian was at Canadian Tire in Simcoe on an interview/store tour, Bill came in as a customer. I had just shown up seconds before to see if Brian was done with the interview. I remember while we were standing there on the sales floor meeting the manager, customer Bill Thiessen walked up to Brian (who wasn't officially employed yet) and Brian asked, "Can we help you find something". That was before we even moved into the house. Now meeting Bill this afternoon he told us he doesn’t really know why he went into the store in Simcoe that day. He said he remembered Brian because he thought how much Brian looked like his brother-in-law. Another interesting thing is that that Bill and Hilda built their own home and use to build a lot of houses before Bill’s accident. Now he runs the security on all the wind turbines in the area plus they own a few themselves.

Another ironic connection other than the carpentry craft they have in common is that Bill and Hilda want their kitchen refinished but Bill can’t do that kind of work anymore, although he has a huge supply of wood in his sawmill. They also go to the community church around the corner where we’ve considered going. Their son is the pastor there. One of their daughters does physical therapy from home across the road from her parents, which is also owned by the Thiessens.

They told us about our neighbours. One of them up the road sells farm fresh eggs. Although we stood outside talking for over an hour I wasn’t cold but then snow began falling heavier and heavier until we were all covered in white stuff and I noticed that Hilda was shivering. Finally we had to end the conversation and get back home and let these folks go back inside.
The snow is falling heavy now covering the countryside. I’ve never heard such quiet before. It’s beautiful and so peaceful here. So many emotions flood over me as I stand on my front porch looking across the empty field to the farmhouses barely visible. It reminds me of a painting by Courier and Ives, the style my mother loved to paint. This setting would have been one of her beautiful landscapes if she were alive to see us now. I am filled with gratitude and awe that I am really here in this gorgeous setting.

It seems like a dream that I should wake up from. Now as I sit by the warm, crackling fire, I am filled with joy that God has blessed me with this beautiful home in this serene location. I’m taking in everything to appreciate the “now” moment and all that is included with that. I believe every day will be filled with anticipation of the new things God will bring to light as He continues to amaze and enlighten me.

Charlotte
There is no place like home and home is where the heart is.