Naked Man #2

When we first moved here I was driving and I saw a naked man walking down the street. I cut him slack because it was so hot.
Well tonight I pulled into my parking spot at the apartments and lo and behold there is one of our college guy neighbors standing outside completely NUDE. Not a pretty site and definitely not wanted. He was probably drunk and dared to do it...
So what did I do? I just grabbed my purse and averted my eyes and walked in like it was a normal night. Then I told Tim and he was looking out the window.

For a very long time I have really struggled and whined and complained to God and others, perhaps even strangers about not getting our house. I understood that it worked out this way for a reason but it just never seemed fair. We have several friends who have been able to get houses and it just made me want our house more. Here are somethings that have come of it:
1) I realized that I had false theology that runs deep within me. I thought, "God will give me a house if I can manage what I have now." Or worse I would pass through a rough neighborhood and think, "These people haven't earned the right to live in their house. If I lived here..." Behind this idea is, 'I deserve..." Brian Gamel mentions the same struggle in a touching blog post. http://bennettgamel.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-brians-thoughts.html It is so shaming when you compare a house to a child. Brian and Breck (any parent) would give up any 'home' if it meant having a healthy son.
2) I have realized that these days I am rarely content. Is a house going to make me happy? If it isn't one thing it is always another.
3) It is all quite humbling. One neighbor, now friend was telling me that in her first marriage her and her husband with two children slept in a tent for months to support his drug addiction. One family was watching the news about a shooting. The car of the shooter was described, it was their son's car. I least expected that I would ever call them friends. But they are. I have learned how merciful, how gracious, how loving our God us.
4) These people are hungry for God. For example, a couple of weeks ago a mom from our little community over here came to me. She was waiting for news from the dr. to see if she had cancer. She was really scared. She wanted me to pray for her and to tell my church. (fyi: no cancer! and the surgery was today. she is doing ok).
5) This is something I had completely forgotten until God gently reminded of this recently... For the years we were living in seminary housing I prayed and prayed about where we would live next. I prayed that God would take us to the place where he would MAX us out in usability. Then we found out Tim got into baylor and I picked a house in a good neighborhood with good schools. God put us in a terrible neighborhood with the worst schools. (don't get me wrong, I would love a house especially when someone is naked outside). He has a plan. My version of good and safe is different than Gods.
God is using us. BUT more so he is shaping me, molding me, forming me. I have to ask myself, would I be ok if he never gave us a house? The truth is yes. HIS grace is sufficient.
There is much more to it. It is late and I am tired. I hope this makes sense. You know when it is late and you all of the sudden feel inspired so you act on it. But the next day you wake up and see nothing you did made sense or was complete...
I have a feeling this post might be like that :)