A pile of leaves...

     Yesterday morning as I got in my car I checked  my garage to see how many rakes and tarps I had.  I was meaning to respond to one of the college student group that was raking leaves as a fundraiser.  The day got busy and I forgot to send that email.  As I drove home from work, I wondered perhaps I should go ahead and do a first round of raking...

     As I pulled onto my street, I saw a pile of leaves along my side of the road - hmm that wasn't there when I left this morning, the neighbors must have raked there yard.  As I got closer, I noticed that their yard still had a lot of leaves in it...   Then I realized I could see the grass in my yard...  Oh my... I was so taken aback by it, that I actually drove around the block.  I was confused.  Even concerned that perhaps I had gotten in trouble with the city for not keeping up the yard better and was going to have a fine posted on my door.  Whelp, when I pulled into the driveway there was no posted fine or note of any sort.  I went over to my neighbor across the street and asked her if she'd seen who raked my yard.  She said an older couple in a silver car - I have no idea who this could be - I don't know very many folks in town and no older couple that I could think of. 
     I am blessed by this random act of kindness or confusion.  I'm hopeful that it wasn't an incident of address confusion and these folks raked the wrong yard (and are now perhaps waiting for a check in the mail).  I feel grateful to have been served in this manner whether intentional or unintentional.  And what if this was intentional, I must admit that I'd like to know who did it.  I'd like to sit down and share a meal and get to know them.  You see I'm lonely.  This act is kind and a tangible way for me to see God's provision through the anonymous act of strangers (but I am longing for the entertaining of strangers who may be the angels amongst us or of fellow sojourners for ministry one to another.) 
     This has caused me to think about how it is oftentimes easier and less messy to meet physical needs thrugh anonymous acts of kindness than to really meet the hearts and minds of those in need.  I in no way want to discount the glass of cold water or the pile of leaves in my front yard - they have value beyond what I realize.  Yet in my mind it is hard to build much of anything on a pile of leaves and in some ways the anonymity of it makes me feel more alone, not less...  I'm reminded that way more than any material gift I could want, I deeply desire the companionship of community and the fellowship of believers.  This makes me think of how in the future I want to extend my hand to not only serve another, but to shake their hand offering relationship.
     I accept from God's hand what He has brought.  I will remain grateful for what I have been given and not fix my eyes on what I have not.  I accept this good gift of leaves in my front yard.  I will choose to receive and remember it as a simple symbol of the unexpected good that He has in store for me.