Signs and Wonders?

I wasn't going to post today, really. But it was an interesting day, starting at around noon or a little after.

We were eating lunch and talking, and one of us (I don't remember who, so it was probably me) said one of those things. After years and years of marriage, you know the exact phrases which indicate things are going to be intense.

 It was one of THOSE things.

So we looked at each other, and took a deep breath, and waited.

A U-Haul van pulled into the driveway.

I pointed it out to Chuck, and he told me the UPS is currently using U-Haul vans for deliveries.

"Did you order something?" I asked, because everything I was expecting had already arrived.

"Nope," was Chuck's response.

The familiar driver got out of the van, opened the back, and began pulling out a box, a big box, with its contents clearly labeled in big black letters, readable from the house.

Chuck was already out the door to help carry the package when I realized what it was.

It was his birthday gift, 

which I had ordered earlier this week, and designated that it be delivered to my son's address, so that it would be a surprise.

It was a surprise---

for both of us. And completely disrupted the conversation we were having.

So when we sat back down to finish lunch, Chuck began to think about places we had gone together that nourished us.

He loves beaches, and water.

"We could go find some water and a shore yet this afternoon," I offered.

"Yes, we could," he responded.

After considering the options, we decided to wait until after chores so that we could catch the sunset and the moon rise at the lake.

It was breath-taking.

We watched ducks and geese come in

Saw at least three herons

Watched fish jump high and splash down in the glassy red reflection of the sunset

Heard songbirds calling and responding from both sides of us

Observed woodpeckers on several of the trees near the water

We waited until nearly dark to leave.

I've been teaching High School Sunday School class the last two weeks, beginning a six week study on signs and wonders. In class, we talked about how often people don't know if something is miraculous, an intervention from God, or a happy accident, a coincidence. How do you decide if something is orchestrated by God? Do you really need to know for sure in order to be thankful?

This is one of those times.

I know I put my son's address on the shipping address. And yet it arrived at my house, just after the gauntlet had been thrown.

And, instead of picking back up where we left off, 

we remembered who we are, 

two people who are in this for the long haul,

two people who have good memories of beaches,

and sunsets.