The Hands of God, or Welcome, Baby!

This morning, my extended family welcomed another adorable baby into the world. My sister, who had just visited me this weekend (we sat on the floor and sorted through baby girl clothes and talked about pregnancy and she was so uncomfortable), had her baby girl.

Things didn't go at all how they planned, but in the end, Momma and Baby are healthy and resting. I will skip the details, and go straight to the part where God placed just the right people in their path and in their lives to help when help was needed.

How does He do that? Days, months, even years in advance! He gives us experiences and skills and ideas that we need in a pinch.

And by "a pinch", I mean in that moment when you can't stop and look it up online or call someone else who knows, you just have to already know it and do it and there is no chance to hesitate, just keep going until it's done and you can look back and say, "Whew! Good thing I took that class (or had that hobby, or knew that person, or chased that dream, or followed that prompting) way back when!" I don't know who's quote this is, but it is exactly right:

When the need arises, the time to prepare is gone.

With no advance notice, we can walk in to a moment in someone's life - or someone can walk into ours - roll up our sleeves, and become the answer to prayer, the hands of God in action.

I am thankful for the hands of God. I rejoice, knowing that He watches over me and my family, and lays a safety net for us long before we ever know we will need it. I am grateful for compassionate, selfless people who feel called to learn all they can to be more useful to the Lord, to be His hands. I am grateful for the answers to my prayers of watch care for my loved ones.

And (of course!) I am grateful to welcome this baby to the family; such a sweet little niece, a lovely bundle of heavenly softness. I don't think I will ever get enough of holding brand new babies. And I'm grateful for that too.

What have you been blessed with today?