So I missed my chance on Saturday.  I’m trying to do this *BELLS strategy.  I lined up a group of people were praying for my “contact work” (aka relationship building) during my son’s soccer tournament.  I was looking for opportunities to meet new people and build or start relationships.  And one of the families of a kid on my team walked up to me and asked if our families could eat together.  We had a picnic lunch and they were going to a fast-food place.  I completely forgot that this was exactly the sort of situation I had prayed for.  It didn’t occur to me that we could have put our picnic aside.  Didn’t think about it until it was too late.  Dog-gone-it!

Good things are already coming out of that.  Here is some of the grace.

1) I got to share with my wife, Heather, that I’d missed the chance.  We had a good conversation and came out feeling like a team. You know, I hadn’t clued her in ahead of time. If I had thought to do so, she would have felt included, been prepared to help me catch the opportunity, and it would have felt like team work with God – which is always fun.  (And we would have enjoyed a picnic supper.)  I’ll try to include her and pray with her next time.

2) It has given me a lesson I can share with others – starting with my kids who were there and my huddle leaders.

3) We enjoyed the picnic anyway.  God is so kind.  

4) God’s mercies are new every morning.  It’s a new day.  God gives do-overs for these things.  

5) God, in His kindness gave me an experience to learn from and laugh about.  No condemnation.  No guilt.

6) God, in His sovereignty may have had this in mind all along.  

It’s a new day and a new week.  I wonder what will happen next?

*BELLS: Each week, Bless 3.  Eat with 3.  Learn Christ.  Listen for the Spirit.  See yourself as sent.