"I had the time."

I just got off the phone with my wife who has just built a new friendship.

This is Jaci at her finest...

She was walking around the Reservoir, pushing Ava in the BOB (a runner's stroller). She came across a young couple with a newborn who began asking her all sorts of questions about the BOB because they were thinking about getting one. Jaci waxed eloquently about BOB and why we love it, including all of the great features that she could remember. They shared pleasantries and went their separate ways.

As Jaci was making her way around the Res, she realized that there was something else that she wanted to share with the couple. Instead of throwing that thought away, she decided she would go and find them.

She rolled the dice, taking the risk that they would already be gone, and turned around to pursue them. She eventually found them and shared the follow-up info that she wanted to, did a folding demonstration, exchanged numbers, and said good-bye.

Just a few days later, Jaci got a phone call from her new friend wondering if she could help Jaci get settled into our new home. These two new moms spent an entire afternoon folding sheets and towels, hanging pictures, scrubbing walls, etc. As she left, she asked if it would be okay if she brought us dinner. A few nights later, she showed up with both dinner and dessert so that we could keep focusing on getting settled.

Yesterday, Jaci began running errands and shot her new friend a call to see if she had time for a walk today. They made plans to meet which they did this afternoon. Two new moms pushing their baby girls in their BOB'S (yes, they got a BOB) when she asked if she could tell Jaci a story.

She proceeded to tell Jaci how after she had walked away from them the first time, they both commented on what an outstanding person Jaci seemed like. It just so happened that Jessica was feeling lonely and questioning big picture things like purpose and direction during their walk that day. At that very moment Jaci caught them to follow up with them. It blew them away that she had pursued them.

Jaci pursued this woman exactly when when she needed to be pursued. She said to Jaci, "You pursued us and you didn't have to."

"You pursued us and you didn't have to."

What an amazing parable about our God who pursued us when He didn't need to. He risked everything and chased after us. He risked everything and chases after our new friends. He risked everything and chases after me.

When Jaci was reflecting with me (I'm crazy about my wife, by the way.) she threw out, parenthecially, "I had the time."

"I had the time."

How often do I miss out on the Kingdom breaking in because I don't have the time?