Standing at the back window

This is the eighteenth day of the Love Blog Challenge
hosted by the lovely BelleBrita
Prompt for 2/26: Inspiration

The sweetest inspirations come from the young. I don’t mean younger than me, although they can be wonderful, too.

No, I’m talking about the littles of the world who, through their innocent but wise eyes, see the world way different than grown-ups do.

A few years ago, a woman with four children I know and love went through a really, I’m mean really, rough patch. It’s mostly smoothed out now, but the remnants and memories will make life more uncertain for them in ways most of us will never encounter.

Their faith, however, is nothing short of amazing. When mighty winds blow, they hold onto Jesus and refuse to doubt His love and promises for a second.

At one particularly difficult point, mom knew she would lose the house, but waited until absolutely the last minute to let the kids know what was happening. She didn’t have a Plan B, so there was no way to console them with information about what or where was next.

Still, Jesus loves us.

The three daughters made short lists of what they really wanted; you know, bunk beds, a basement and back yard to play in, a room of her own, a refrigerator with an outside water dispenser – maybe even an ice maker.

But the young man of the family wanted something entirely different: to live next door to best friends, either my grandson or two friends who were brothers.

Even though his mom had limited finances and narrow logistical options because of family health issues – even though my grandson was already moving and the brothers lived on the shortest possible street with no homes currently on the market – even though the chances of finding a place to live next door to your best friends is, at best, the longest possible shot, his faith was unshakeable.

I am not so much the poet. But I was inspired by this young man the day we heard they had moved into their new home. These words spilled out, through tears of joy, as I sat in the pick-up line at my grandkids’ school…

When the “For Sale” went up,
The young boy said just one prayer.
The young boy who would have stood with
David against Goliath,
Daniel against the lions.
He said just one prayer,
Please, dear Jesus, please find our house
next door to Him, or
next door to Them.
And the grown-ups smiled.
And wondered how they would tell him,
“It doesn’t always work like that.”
Still he prayed “Next door to Him or Them,
please, Jesus, next door to Him or Them.”

And today, the grownups stand humbled and amazed,
As the faithful young boy stands
at the new back window
Looking
right
into
Their back yard.

 Thank you, dear Jesus, for hearing his prayer. None of us will ever be the same.

Photo by Florian Rieder on Unsplash