MEET FRANK

MEET FRANK

The morning routine was well---routine… ordinary, except I happened upon a quote by Mires Van der Rohe, a German American architect, and Medal of Freedom awardee (1963), “God hides in the details.” The words resonated with me. I believe I have the gift of reaching below the surface, touching the texture of the fabric and fiber of the ordinary and finding a nugget or two of the Creator’s intent. I believe, “God hides in the details” of the circumstances and moments waiting to be discovered. Keep in mind that this is my belief. Beliefs are not facts. It’s okay for you to disagree with my assessment.

I left the gym exhausted and exhilarated… so much so that a thirty-minute walk seemed appropriate to cool down. As I was about to finish the walk, I heard an unfamiliar sound. I turned and saw an 18-wheeler traveling slowly toward the intersection where I stood. I stopped to let the unusual scene unfold before me – a white moving van trimmed with blue and red driven by a man looking for an address in my neighborhood. I continued up the hill to my house with the thought of taking a photo of this rare sight. I got in the car, drove out of the driveway and after two left and one right turn, located the truck parked with engine idling. Just as I was about to complete my photo-taking mission, the driver steps into the street and wants to know if he had done anything wrong. Just as I had noticed him on the corner, he had noticed me.

As an explanation about his moving van being an unfamiliar sight poured from my mouth, thoughts of, “God is in the details,” unfurled in my brain. A moving van and moving were just the metaphor I needed to share with a friend who was struggling with an impending death of a mutual friend’s parent. I told the driver my thoughts.

For the next few minutes, he shared his journey of alcohol and drug recovery and death of his elderly parents. I shared my story of the loss of multiple siblings in a short span of time. But for the passing school bus, we would have talked longer. Frank and I parted with his words, “I’ll be here tomorrow, love to talk some more.” 

I could have easily recounted this story with less details. It is the details, however, that lead you to witness strangers becoming friends if only for a moment. Take time to view his ninety-two-year-old father singing to his ninety years old mother as she is dying https://youtu.be/2gZK7oXNcDo, …just a part of Frank’s story.

Psalm 119:105

PONDER THIS THOUGHT --- If at first the details seem missing, look again. They are always present.