Little Things and Trampolines

These past two weeks have been a crazy wonderful combination of family and camp.  I find myself with a few moments to breathe since all three kids are home sick from church.  I have a beautiful story from two days ago that I must tell you about. Last fall, our two camp trampolines bit the dust.  One got blown away in the wind and completely mangled, the other one was just plain too old.  In one sense, trampolines are important to us because the kids at camp love them.  But when you’re trying to find the money for finishing cabins, trampolines lose some of their significance.  We did send out a newsletter with a list of things we needed, trampoline included, but no response.  Last week, Pastor McClain sent out an email to a lot of Pastors asking for help in locating or borrowing one.  Within hours he had a response of someone wanting to buy us a new one.  By that evening, our kids were jumping on the brand new trampoline.

You may say, well, that’s cool but not really that significant.  In one sense, that’s true.  But it was very significant to me.  First because its always such a tremendous blessing when people love what you love.  When people donate to the camp, either time or money, its always amazing.  I know the person who donated this money, and I know it was a sacrifice for them.  Its humbling when someone sacrifices for your ministry.  Equal parts humbling and encouraging.

Mostly though, its another evidence that God cares about the little things in our lives.  In the grand scheme of life, a trampoline is a very small thing.  Even in the grand scheme of the camp its a small thing.  And yet, God touched someone’s heart and asked them to give, just so we would have one.  Every day I’m convinced that I miss a thousand little things God has done in my life.  I see things as just life instead of the hand of God.

He continues to do them anyways.

Grace.

But sometimes we can catch a little glimpse.  A little illuminating ray shining on one of the myriad of things He does.  And when you catch the glimpse, the little things become big things.  Massive shows of His grace.

A trampoline becomes a big deal.

I have a feeling that I will never notice all the workings of God, but when I do, I can hold on to those glimpses with a long memory of gratefulness.  The combination of squeaking springs and children’s laughter is like a heavenly song saying, I love you.