God Sent a Deer

Today I took my daily walk in Spring Grove Cemetery. If you're not from Cincinnati that may sound odd, but it's an arboretum too, the largest civilian cemetery, and quite beautiful. Typically I walk about 3 miles and clock my pace on my phone.

But today I felt too tired and weary of spirit so I just ambled along, then took a few moments to sit and contemplate. I had just passed this monument and was thinking about how we cannot build anything permanent on this earth, it is subject to decay. I've been missing my parents this weekend looking through old photos.

 

I was sitting across from this beautiful chapel which is also missing pieces.

 I got up to continue my walk and noticed a deer down the road. It was mid day, hot, not a normal time to see a deer. Then I saw she had twin fawns. I began walking toward her. They were grazing some distance away and I kept walking to get a better view. The mother saw me, and began walking TOWARD me. You can see in this series of pictures how far she came in my direction, her ears pointed forward, looking right at me.

Something spooked one of the fawns and they all ran off, bounding away their white tails flagged in the air. I turned and started for home.

Deer are common everyday creatures, abundant in the cemetery and most woods, but I still love them. I felt encouraged by this special moment of connection. I felt encouraged to keep walking forward, into what the future holds, I will only see my parent in heaven, I will only see what God has in store here by walking into it. But God wasn't done yet.

On this hot day, a car stopped with one of the staff and handed me a cold bottle of water. I have walked here for years and that has never happened.

Then today's mail brought a belated birthday card with a gift from my mother-in-law, more than expected gift inside. Also a dear friend sent a gift in honor of Girlfriends Day. I felt remembered and acknowledged.

As I was walking toward the deer, my headphones were playing Because He Lives, a new version by David Crowder Band with Bill Gaither. "God sent his Son..." That's the really story of every day, but today in addition to that eternal gift, God sent a deer, a bottle of water, gifts in the mail. God wanted me to feel loved. And I do.