Some of my favorite moments in New York City were times when I ran into famous TV personalities. I stood behind Jasmine Guy (Whitley of It's a Different World) at Starbucks on the Upper West Side once. And before I realized whom I was talking to, I commented on how cute her kid was. I spent an entire lunch next to Caroline Rhea at Sarabeth's, listening to her talk about her soon to come talk show. One of my favorite moments was the time that a friend of Matthew Broderick's almost ran into me with his bike which he had hoisted on his shoulder. They were crossing the street the opposite way as I was, and in the moment of near collision, my 80's crush looked right into my eyes! I was a thought in Matthew Broderick's mind!!!!! Way better than any autograph.

You know what I learned from these brushes with the stars? Nothing. They were fun moments sprinkled thru ordinary life, but I don't know any more about these folks or the many others whose lives briefly touched mine, than I did before our lives crossed. And I can't extrapolate any lessons without being presumptive.

As fun as these brief encounters were, you know what's been funner and far more rewarding? To see God divinely bring people into my life, like a master weaver and the great artist that He is.

There once was this little girl in my 4th grade Sunday School class who brought me a rose. It's the first flower I was ever given by a child, and it meant the world to me. Last year when I started a new job, the difference in school culture took a long time for me to get used to. There was only one teacher I felt drawn to as a friend, and it took until this summer to finally spend some time together away from work, and establish a real connection. Last fall, on a day when I was hurting deeply due to a conversation which was heart-wrenching, I returned to REFUGE, a ministry of Imago Dei. I went that night because I knew it was a safe place, and I needed a safe place. One of the staff members noticed my pain, and after asking permission drew me into a deep embrace and let me weep. My friend, who first introduced me to Refuge, married into a specific family.

The significance of these little threads? So great. Amy, the little 4th grader I loved, grew up to marry my friend CJ, who was a part of this grassroots, impassioned ministry called Urban Progress, started by Dan and Eric (who has recently returned to Portland to join Imago Dei's staff.) I didn't know my new teacher friend, Lindy, was a Christian until she happened to mention this church in Portland she attends, The Well. Which happened to be birthed by Eric, and currently pastored by CJ and Amy. And the Imago Dei staff member who comforted me? Shekinah, the daughter of still more members of the UP family--Rod and Twila. My friend, Kate, married the cousin of Rachel, still another member of the UP crew.

When you stop and consider that I met Amy, Lindy, Shekinah, and Kate all at different times and over a span of 25 years, I think it's pretty significant that we all have ties to a common community. But that's how God works.

If we go back to that same 4th grade class, the student I was closest to? Her parents attend City Harvest Church and sit a few rows behind me. I see Kelli's children often when they visit their grandparents and I've gotten to watch them grow up. Another one of my 4th grade students from that class ended up in Sitka, preaching at the church I grew up in, Sitka Assembly of God. What a trip! You don't expect to come home for the summer, walk in on a Sunday morning, and find Wendell Smith's son preaching in your little hometown. But that's how God works.

God is the Master Weaver of relationships and in my opinion His weaving shows great artistry and intention. That He can take the thread of my life and weave it through so many others, and that He can take others' lives and weave them through mine, and not only weave them through mine, but also connect them to one another, layered, and complex until the tapestry that is me is colorful and beautiful because of the very people I meet, and sup with, and live life with and love, even if only in lovely seasons which can't last, because so few things last . . .so few things do.

My pastor says "God chooses our friends." I have found this to be true. But even more than this? I think He delights to have the thread of our life cross "family" over and over. Urban Progress was a family, Bible Temple was a family, Portland Bible College was a family, my Teen World Outreach team was a family, Hosanna was a family, Refuge is a family, ICF is a family, City Harvest is a family.

The Great Artist loves blending us, by exposing us to one another, with the unique color we each bring, mixing with each other's unique color.

I can't wait for new threads, for new colors, for new families.

Kaleidoscope