11/28/2021 — Kathy

The Spotters

My husband appropriately calls himself “The Spotter.” Wherever we travel, he looks around, helpfully pointing out the *unusual, whimsical, interesting or sweet — then I point my camera and record it. He endures vacations and local outings which often consist of hours of wandering on foot, my camera at the ready. I shuffle a few steps forward, then come to a sudden halt. I point, shoot and start up again; by his count, the most consecutive steps I take — before I inevitably stop again — is five.

The Spotter is an observant watcher regardless of my presence. One vacation, while I slumbered in our hotel bed, he ventured down the early morning streets of Vancouver, BC, in search of a bakery. As he walked, he noticed two older women engaged in an animated conversation. “Happily Oblivious” woman in the lead looked back to chat but continued walking. The Spotter quickly and forcefully grabbed her by the shoulders, yanking her out of the path of an oncoming bus.

WHOOSH. God used him to save her life.

When he returned to the hotel with baked goods in hand, even in my sleepy state, I sensed something had happened. He was visibly changed, slightly shaken but extremely grateful that God had put him in exactly the right place at exactly the right time and paying attention to the world around him.

God had allowed the Spotter to participate in a rescue.

It’s been a few years since that Vancouver rescue happened, and almost 9 months since I last posted on rootedandgrowing.com. Since then, many events have required my physical and emotional time and attention, so I offer no apologies.

However, during that time I sought my heavenly Spotter, Jesus, to come alongside me — and lately to come alongside others who are dealing with even greater challenges — to help us live by faith and not by sight. I asked Him to point out what might be missed due to distraction, discouragement, disappointment.

And He has.

He knows exactly “where I’m at” at all times — physically, emotionally, circumstantially, spiritually — He sees it all, He knows it all. He can yank me out of my own cluelessness and point out pitfalls before I fall into them. He can show me I have pitched my tent in enemy camp and save me from my stinkin’ thinkin’ by putting a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise on my lips. Just this past Sunday, I heard a new song to add to my arsenal of weapons:

He knows what I really need — to focus on Him and remember what is true.

This summer, for my time alone with God, I have been using a resource called *30 Days of Praying the Names and Attributes of God to reinforce the truth of who God is and remind me that the truth is truer than how I feel.

Most mornings I listen to podcasts via a *free app called OnePlace. I hear a wide range of wise teaching or personal stories that instruct or inspire. Do yourself a favor and get it. Then use it. Here’s what it looks like.

My personal favorites are two Christian ministries that interview writers and speakers on a myriad of subjects such as *Anxiety and mental illness; *The loss of a child and the long journey after; *The relational-building power of moms when they communicate respect to their sons; *Preparing young women before they head off to college.

He has used other Spotters who have “shown up” when I really needed a good word, a listening ear, a shared song or a helping hand. (a shout out to each of my Ladies Only Rolling Thunder Schlepping Party friends!)

One of my Rolling Thunder Schlepping Party goers :)

And finally, our heavenly Spotter sends out each of us to be Spotters — to be paying attention, to notice and respond to the needs in our path — so that we can be His voice, His feet, His hands — to throw out a life-line — maybe even save a life.