A Note from Surrealdom

This post is really late today! I am completely out of my routine... I accompanied Ron to the annual meeting of his fellows in land surveying profession. We are staying at the Deerhurst Inn, which is probably considered "the premier resort" in Muskoka, if not all of Ontario. It's where the G8 Summit will be gathering in May. The activity potential here is limitless... I could go winter horseback riding. Or for a tour in a Hummer across rocky, rough terrain. Or dog-sledding, even. Then there's tubing down a snowy hill, snowshoeing, sleigh and cutter rides, swimming in the indoor pool, or having my toenails painted in the spa. There's more, lots more, but too much for me to remember right here right now.

But I'm not doing any of that. Knowing how people (wonderfully!) fill my life to overflowing, my wise husband knew I might need a break. So he arranged for a little apartment, away from the main building. I haven't seen a single person I know in three whole days at the resort - though I did run into one of the very few people I know who live in Huntsville when I nipped out to get a much needed haircut at the mall.

When I had pulled out my wallet to pay for my haircut, the person behind the cash told me that "we don't take debit", and directed me to a bank down the mall. On my way back from the cash machine, I saw Doug (who is Belinda's boss) exiting from the bookstore. I said, "Hi," and he looked at me with a kind of surprised look. It took him a few seconds to decide who I was... Remember, I was just coming out of the hair salon and my hair was all puffy and "done". (She even applied hairspray! Yuck!) And he was seeing me in a place I'm sure he never expected to see me. But when the flash of recognition came it hit his face full force as "surprise" turned into a big happy smile.

I had been having big thoughts about how I don't really "fit in" to this kind of environment. When Doug asked me what I was doing here, I quickly explained that Ron was at the Deerhurst and I was just accompanying him there.

"It's a beautiful place," offered Doug.

"Yeah, but it's not my style." I said, and laughed.

Doug kept the smile on his face but his tone became serious, even a little authoritative. I could tell he understood perfectly about it not being my style. "Well, you make sure you enjoy it anyway while you're there." Doug is a leader. He is an unassuming man, but past experience has taught me that following his lead is usually in my best interest. It's like there is a mantle of God's authority on him and you just want to go where he tells you.

Funny how God sends the most unexpected people and arranges the most unexpected circumstances to get the message across to you that his loving heart knows you need to hear. I wasn't poised to receive all God had for me in these few days. So he sent Doug to the mall to talk to me face to face. To hand deliver my marching orders, if you will. If you know Doug at all, you know that "the mall" is not his "style" anymore than The Deerhurst is mine. In fact, Doug should have been in his office at 1:30 in the afternoon, but a fire in the furnace of the building where he works drove him out - and to the mall. To meet me.

God has ways of doing things that just makes me giggle in delight sometimes. Little did Doug know he had been drafted into God's "Ways and Means Committee" on my behalf.

And what's more, I think I hear Father God chuckling, too!