My Story…His Story, Part 1

PART 1.  The Setting.

In a quaint neighborhood just outside of Fort Campell, TN, a sweet army spouse gave me a cross- stitch frame that said, “Home is where the Army sends you.”  Yes, the Army had brought us here.  With each new move came a new season – and this season was about to be our most eventful yet.

With each military move, God would give me a special place where I could meet with Him.  A sacred place.  One in which I could bathe in His goodness, reflect on His faithfulness, and just “be me” in His presence.  No walls, no boundaries, just raw Shelley.

It wasn’t always a private place. In fact, it rarely was.  I would often sit at our tragically ancient dining table, its numerous repainting and uncountable scratches showing its 10 years of faithful service and 8 involuntary moves.  As a reward for its years of servitude, my son had graced the surface with his teeth, embedding bite marks on its edge, and my mommy/daughter nail painting sessions had caused acetone to be spilled on its corner. My mom’s favorite question had always been “when are you getting rid of that table?”
 

However, my favorite part of this room was the 5 feet by 5 feet piece of clear glass sitting directly in front of me.  No panes, shades, or obstructions.  It gave me an unhindered view of eternal lessons I was about to experience.   Sunrises of pink and orange were constantly framed by the window, offering rays of radiant light to shine down upon my face.  Beyond the porch, a mature red maple  would reveal the change of seasons.  Barren branches  were the first signs of winter, the darkness of the tree’s bleak bark quickly being brightened by the brilliant purity of the spotless snow.  Unique flowers with the showers of spring precursed the lush foliage that signaled the entrance of summer.  The green would then give way to a deep red color with the passage of fall, only for the leaves to slowly fall as the cycle restarts.

This year, my husband had created me an aviary through hanging bird feeders on every ledge he could fit them.  I had never seen so many different colors, sizes, and varieties of birds.  They would all flock to the continual feast my husband provided them!  It was amazing to observe their quirks and feeding habits, and, in a very strange way, they became part of our family.   Their constant presence and cheerful chirping was a special gift that my Shepherd, my all-knowing Father, the “God who sees”, gave me during that 3-year assignment. Little did I know how much I would need these creatures’ cheerful presence.

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

 for those who are called according to his purpose.

To Be Continued…
Part 2 in the next post OR search “my story”

Edited by JaeAnn Hines